While the allies held anxious councils, and were filled with
apprehensions at almost every movement of Napoleon in his mighty
struggle for his throne, he continued to strike vigorous blows at his
thronging enemies. He triumphed at Craonne, and took possession of
Rheims. The Austrians, under Schwartzenberg, were compelled to retreat.
On the 17th of March, Napoleon broke up his head-quarters at Rheims, and
advanced by Epernay to attack the rear of the Austrian army. On the
20th, his advanced guard encountered an Austrian division at
Arcis-sur-Aube. The conflict became fierce. The Austrians brought up
fresh battalions, supported by cannon; and Napoleon found that instead
of attacking a rear guard in retreat, he was in front of the whole of
the grand army in its advance on Paris.
This was unfortunate for the Emperor’s calculations. He conceived
himself to be acting upon the retreat of the allies, and expected only
to find a rear guard at Arcis; he was even talking jocularly of making
his father-in-law prisoner during his retreat. If, contrary to his
expectation, he should find the enemy, or any considerable part of them,
still upon the Aube, it was, from all he had heard, to be supposed his
appearance would precipitate their retreat towards the frontier. It has
also been asserted, that he expected Marshal Macdonald to make a
corresponding advance from the banks of the Seine to those of the Aube;
but the orders had been received too late to admit of the necessary
space being traversed so as to arrive on the morning of the day of
battle.
Napoleon easily drove before him such bodies of light cavalry, and
sharp-shooters, as had been left by the allies, rather for the purpose
of reconnoitring than of making any serious opposition. He crossed the
Aube at Plancey, and moved upwards, along the left bank of the river,
with Ney’s corps, and his whole cavalry, while the infantry of the guard
advanced upon the right; his army being thus, according to the French
military phrase, _a-cheval_, upon the Aube. The town of Arcis had been
evacuated by the allies upon his approach, and was occupied by the
French on the morning of the 20th March. That town forms the outlet of a
sort of defile, where a succession of narrow bridges cross a number of
drains, brooks, and streamlets, the feeders of the river Aube, and a
bridge in the town crosses the river itself. On the other side of Arcis
is a plain, in which some few squadrons of cavalry, resembling a
reconnoitring party, were observed manœuvring.
Behind these horses, at a place called Clermont, the Prince Royal of
Wurtemberg, whose name has been so often honorably mentioned, was posted
with his division, while the elite of the allied army was drawn up on a
chain of heights still farther in the rear, called Mesnil la Comptesse.
But these corps were not apparent to the vanguard of Napoleon’s army.
The French cavalry had orders to attack the light troops of the allies;
but these were instantly supported by whole regiments, and by cannon, so
that the attack was unsuccessful; and the squadrons of the French were
repulsed and driven back on Arcis at a moment, when, from the
impediments in the town and its environs, the infantry could with
difficulty debouch from the town to support them. Napoleon showed, as he
always did in extremity, the same heroic courage which he had exhibited
at Lodi and Brienne. He drew his sword, threw himself among the broken
cavalry, called on them to remember their former victories, and checked
the enemy by an impetuous charge, in which he and his staff officers
fought hand to hand with their opponents, so that he was in personal
danger from the lance of a Cossack, the thrust of which was averted by
his aid-de-camp, Girardin. His Mameluke, Rustan, fought stoutly by his
side, and received a gratuity for his bravery. These desperate exertions
afforded time for the infantry to debouch from the town. The Imperial
Guards came up, and the combat waxed very warm. The superior numbers of
the allies rendered them the assailants on all points. A strongly
situated village in front, and somewhat to the left of Arcis, called
Grand Torcy, had been occupied by the French. This place was repeatedly
and desperately attacked by the allies, but the French made good their
position. Arcis itself was set on fire by the shells of the assailants;
and night alone separated the combatants by inducing the allies to
desist from the attack.
The French remained masters of the field, which they had maintained
against nearly treble their number. They had not gained a victory, but
they had fought one of their most glorious battles, and Napoleon had
displayed not only the full blaze of his genius, but had shown the
allies that he was still the valorous hero of Arcola. Many of the houses
of Arcis were blazing when the wearied heroes kindled their camp-fires
along the Aube. Upon the distant heights of Mesnil la Comptesse, the
watch-fires of the enemy were to be seen, and the sky was redly
illumined as far as the eye could penetrate. Napoleon had retired to his
head-quarters, to rest his weary body, but not to sleep. He had but
twenty-seven thousand men, and he was before a strong position, occupied
by eighty thousand troops. He was busy in examining his maps, when an
aid, Girardin, entered and announced the arrival of Marshals Macdonald
and Oudinot, and General Gerard, with their detachments. A few moments
afterwards, those brave commanders entered. Napoleon received them with
much apparent gratification. Others of his generals also arrived, and a
council was held to determine upon the course to be pursued. Macdonald
was the most influential of the Emperor’s advisers at this time. His
great good sense, cool, steady courage, and honest heart, had won upon
Napoleon’s favor, and he listened to his counsel with much attention and
consideration. In a former part of his career, he had treated Macdonald
very unjustly. In his darker hours, he found the marshal’s great worth,
and ever afterwards spoke of him in the highest terms.
The character of Macdonald could be read in his broad, Scotch
countenance. His expression was honest, penetrating and determined. He
was above all meanness. He lacked enthusiasm; but he had a mind that
could calmly work in the midst of the most terrible excitement. He never
appeared to be ruffled. The tone of his voice was always dry, even, and
steady, as if it was out of the power of the ordinary human emotions to
gain an influence over him. Napoleon eagerly asked the advice of the
renowned marshal, and received a prompt reply—that retreat was
necessary; and it would be well if it could be effected in the face of
an overwhelming enemy. Oudinot and Gerard concurred in Macdonald’s
opinion; indeed, there seemed to be a prevailing idea, that immediate
retreat was necessary, and Napoleon acquiesced. But the manner of it was
not so easy to determine. The army was in a difficult position. The line
of retreat on either side of the Aube was rendered dangerous by the
numerous defiles, where an enemy might attack with advantage. Finally,
it was decided to retreat on both sides of the Aube, as a method of
presenting a smaller mark to an enemy in pursuit, and of hurrying
through the dangerous defiles. The council then dissolved into a
conversational party, but the spirits of the generals seemed under the
shadow of a cloud. There was scarcely one of them who did not apprehend
a speedy termination of the fearful struggle in which they were engaged.
To all Napoleon’s expressions of his grand designs, for which he had no
means, they gave the reply of a shake of the head, or indicated the
obstacles. Napoleon could see that their enthusiasm and confidence had
been dissipated by the disasters which their glorious efforts had been
unable to avert from the French arms. The demeanor of the Emperor was
calm and dignified. He was Emperor of France and at the head of an army
still. He was even victorious. But there was no lightness in his look or
speech.
At daybreak the camp-fires of the army were extinguished, and the order
of retreat given. It was a masterly exploit. With his small army, the
Emperor retreated through the difficult defiles, in the face of a whole
Austrian army; and though pursued and annoyed, sustained but little
loss.
But what availed these miracles of generalship? The struggle was quickly
decided, by irresistible numbers and sickening treachery.
Paris was surrendered by Marmont, while still capable of defence, and
the enemy gained possession of Lyons by the same means. All hope was
lost, and the Emperor was advised by Macdonald and others of his most
faithful friends, to comply with the terms of the allies and abdicate
his throne. He resisted as long as there was a shadow of hope, and then
obeyed stern necessity. The enemies of France were supreme. The
sovereign of her choice was consigned to the little island of Elba, and
the detested Bourbons were restored in the person of Louis XVIII.
We will not dwell upon the leave-taking of the Emperor—how he kissed the
eagles, and embraced the veterans of Fontainebleau. It is not within our
scope. It is enough to know, that such victories as Montereau, Arcis and
Montmirail, won in the last hours of his imperial power, sustained the
glory of Napoleon’s genius, and proved that no treason, “coming like a
blight over the councils of the brave,” could annihilate his title to
immortal remembrance.
[Illustration]
------------------------------------------------------------------------
[Illustration]