A/ 




TIHE
CONFIDENTIAL CORRESPONDENCE
OF
NAPOLEON BONAPAJTE
WITH
HIS BROTHER JOSEPH,
SOMETIMIE KING OF SPAIN.
SELECTED AND TRANSLATED, WITH EXPLANATORY NOTES, FROM
THE'MEMOIRES DU ROI JOSEPH.'
IN  TWO VOLUMES.
VOL. II.
NEW YORK:
D. APPLETON  AND  COMPANY,
346 & 348 BROADWAY.
M. DCCC. LVI.








CONTENTS OF VOL. II.
CHAPTER XII.
(CONTINUED.)
PAGE
Spain: military movements-Distribution of troops-French successesCirculation of news-Instructions for commanders-Battle of Villa
Franca-Prospects as to peace-Revolt of Toro-Blunders of Lefebvre-Arrangements for Joseph's entry into Madrid-Deputations
-The fourth corps-Disorders in Madrid-Events in Gallicia-Andalusian expedition-Capture of Zamora-Army clothing-Necessity
of severe measures-Instructions to Joseph —Instructions for the head
of the staff-Napoleon's departure-New coinage-InstructioLs for
the  route  of troops...............................................................  7
CHAPTER XIII.
Spain: army regulations and movements; supply-Joseph's appanage
suppressed-His government too lenient-Disarming of towns-Instructions to Ney —Joseph's complaints of his position-Disapproval
of his proceedings-Instructions for his guidance-Fall of Saragossa
-Orders to Berthier-Conduct of Austria and Russia-Orders to
Clarke-The' Courier Espagnol'-Fortification of Tudela and Saragossa-English troops in Lisbon....................................... 44
CHAPTER XIV.
Introductory remarks-Spain: Napoleon's orders and instructions-Chief
command given to Soult-Landing of English troops anticipated —
Provision for siege of Hostalrich-Dissatisfaction with Joseph's pro



4                        CONTENTS OF VOL. II.
PAGE
ceedings-Battle of Talavera; Jourdan's report; disapproval of his
conduct-Misinformation-Defensive works-Formation of a new
army —Propriety of exaggerating one's own resources; Napoleon's
constant practice......................5..........................................    65
CHAPTER XV.
Introductory remarks-Spain: Napoleon's orders and instructions-Organisation and employment of divisions and corps-Junot's commandBerthier chief of the staff-Approval of Suchet-Employment of
Loison's corps-Destination of prisoners and colours-Change of Designations-State of the cavalry-Approval of Augereau-Remissness
of Suchet-Arrest of officers ordered......................................  80
CHAPTER XVI.
Introductory remarks-Spain: Napoleon's orders and instructions —
Changes in army arrangements-Services of Loison and SuchetCapture of Olot-Finance-Advice on the expedition to Andalusia
-Military administration of conquered provinces-Brigades to be
broken up-Composition and distribution of corps-Provision for
siege of Lerida-Joseph's dissatisfaction-Approval of Bonnet-Levying of contributions-Decrees-Displeasure with Suchet-Approval
of him-Lerida to be destroyed-The English army —Dorsenne's
command-Soult's command-Supply of money to Spain-Provision
for invasion of Portugal-Capture of Ciudad Rodrigo-Renewal of
Joseph's complaints-Affair of Villa Garcia-Malpractices of officers
-English and French forces in Portugal-Drouet's command-Formation of Army of the Centre-Caffarelli's command-Displeasure
with Soult-Affairs of Portugal........................................... 93
CHAPTER XVII.
Introductory Remarks-Spain: Napoleon's orders and instructions-Government of Madrid-Portuguese affairs-Army funds-Approval of
Suchet-Valencia and Tarragona-Successes against the Spaniards
-Province of Aragon; increase of Suchet's command-CataloniaPlan of operations for Baraguay d'Hilliers and for Soult-Birth of the
King of Rome-Monthion's mission to Bayonne-Movements of the
English —Means of transport-The Asturias-Towers of observation
-Army clothing —Administration-Capture of Figueras; approval
of Macdonald-Decaen's command-Banditti-Battle of Arrozo del
NMorino-Expedition to Murcia-Recall of officers-Army returnsTransport contracts.............................................................. 161




CONTENTS OF VOL. II.                        5
PAGB
CHAPTER XVIII.
Summary —Spain: Napoleon's orders and instructions-Suchet's government; organisation of his corps-Catalonia-Artillery for Portugal
-Reille's appointment-Ciudad Rodrigo-Censure of MarmontCapture of Valencia-Plan of operations for Decaen-Joseph commander-in-chief-English force in the Peuinsula-Augmentation of
Suchet's command-Retreat of Marmont-His report of the battle of
Salamanca, and Napoleon's criticisms on it-Reports for the'Moniteur' —Reverses-Siege of Burgos...................................... 203
CHAPTER XIX..Introductory remarks-Account by Desprez of his Interview with Napoleon at Moscow, and of the retreat of the French army-Instructions
to Joseph as to the government of Spain and the command of the
army —Battle of Vittoria-Joseph resolves to retire...................... 239
CHAPTER XX.
Introductory remarks-Joseph offers his services to Napoleon-Napoleon's
proposals to him —Joseph's title-Payment of troops-Battle of
Brienne-Congress of Chktillon-Preparations against reversesArmy returns-Measures for the protection of Paris-Formation of
army of reserve-State of Paris; its resources-Proposed departure
of the Empress-Measures to be adopted in the event of the capture
of'Paris-Distrust of Talleyrand-Security of the Empress and the
King of Rome-Italy and Spain-Deficiency of muskets-Proposed
religious ceremony-National guards-False information of the Minister of Police-Dispositions and strength of the army-Strength of
the allies-Remaining alternatives................................ 251
CHAPTER XXI.
Introductory remarks-Victories at Baye, Champ-Aubert, Montmirail,
and Chateau-Thierry-Public opinion in Paris-Want of money and
clothing for troops-Attack on Nogent-Defensive measures-Nogent evacuated-Defence of Montereau-Battle of VauchampProtection of Paris-Disagreement of the marshals-Retreat of the
allies-National guard of Paris-Armistice proposed by Schwartzenber, —   Natural" and  "ancient" limits of France-Terms of
peace................................................................................  284




6                        CONTENTS OF VOL. II.
PAGE
CHAPTER XXII.
Introductory remarks-Capture of Montereau-Disgrace and restoration
of Victor-Retreat of allied sovereigns-Want of ammunition-Hospital accommodation in Paris-Movements and conduct of the allies
-Proposed addresses and proclamation by the Empress-Instructions for Jerome-State of Toulouse and Bourdeaux-General discontent-National guard-Joseph's fears unfounded-Deputations-Terror of the enemy —Movements of Blucher-Conscripts-Conduct of
Murat-Congress of Chatillon.................................................   307
CHAPTER XXIII.
Close of campaign of 1814; summary of events-Movements of the army
-Capture of La Fert4 —Negotiations for an armistice-Deficiency of
arms and money —Loss of Bar-sur-Aube-Retreat of Blucher-Peace
indispensable-Surrender of Soissons-Napoleon ill seconded-Supply
of arms-Battle of Craonne-Movements of the allies-Junction of
the Russian and Prussian armies-Levies en-masse ordered-Attack
on Clary-Fortifications of Paris-Bernadotte-Capture of ReimsSafety of the Empress and the King of Rome-Funds —Capture of
Mery-Attack on Arcis-Defensive measures-Retreat of the Empress and court; Napoleon's instructions-General desire for peaceJoseph's appeal to Napoleon.................................................... 324
CHAPTER XXIV.
Introductory remarks —Organisation of Spaniards in France, and formation of a junta-New house of peers-Campaign of 1815: battle of
Ligny-Napoleon's intention to surrender to Captain Maitland —Bertrand's narrative of the last days and death of the Emperor............ 360
APPENDIX.
Louis-Napoleon's account of his removal from prison after the failure of
his attempt at Strasbourg...................................................... 369




LETTERS
OF
NAPOLEON BONAPARTE.
CHAPTER XII.
(Continued.)
[ 467.]           NAPOLEON TO JOSEPH.
Benevento, Jan. 1, 1809.
My Brother,-General La Romana has less than 1000 men
pressed into the service, naked, and dying of hunger; he no
longer dares trust his army in the field, exasperated as it is
against him. Marshal Soult attacked him on the 26th with
2 cavalry regiments, and took 1500 men and 2 standards. He
entered Leon on the 30th, and found 2000 sick in the hospitals.
The army of Gallicia cannot be said to have really existed after
the affair of Espinosa, and now less than ever.
This first day of the year Marshal Soult is at Puente-deOrvigo. Marshal Bessieres slept at La Banesa, and is marching
on Astorga, where we shall be to-day. The English have abandoned on' the road 1500 tents, 4000 blankets, all their rum, an
immense number of waggons, and many stragglers. I have not
yet done with them; I shall pursue them vigorously. I shall
reach Astorga this evening. I sent you word that Dessolles's
division was on its way back to Madrid: the communication by
way of Valladolid, Burgos, Segovia, and.Guadarrama, will thus
be secured. Order posts to be placed on the road to Villa Castin,




8                SPAIN-MILITARY ORDERS.           CHAP. XII.
and on the roads between Madrid and Segovia, and Segovia and
Valladolid. Ask for returns, and take all the soldiers that can
be spared, in order to strengthen the garrison of Madrid. By
my returns it appears that you have received 2000 or 3000 men
in marching companies belonging to the different corps. The
Dutch brigade which is at Aranda should proceed to Madrid.
The army of Castarios is in the same state as that of Romana.
Each of them was called a week ago from 15,000 to 20,000 men;
I am sure that neither now amounts to 4000. The weather is
bad, the season severe, but this will not stop us; we must endeavour to have done with the English. You will no doubt
send agents to Leon. Try to establish a correspondence between
that town and Madrid; above all, spread printed papers. We
have taken by the bayonet Montetorrero, before Saragossa, and
the siege operations are carried on vigorously. General St. Cyr
reached Barcelona on the 19th, and went and took all before him.
I have there 30,000 men, whose influence is felt to a distance of
twenty miles round.
Reding has been taken.
r 468.]          NAPOLEON l-j BERTHIER.
Astorga, Jan. 2, 1809.
My Cousin,-Give orders to the 30th, 31st, 32nd, 33rd, 34th,
35th, and 36th marching companies, which are on their way to
Burgos, to remain there on the 3rd and 4th, and to leave it on
the 5th for Valladolid. Give the same order to the 39th, 40th,
41st, and 42nd marching companies, the same order to the first
company of the 3rd regiment of foot artillery, also to the Nassau
detachment, as well as to the 168 horse soldiers belonging to the
10th, 15th, and 22nd chasseurs; all are to go to Valladolid. In
the dispositions made this morning for the organisation of the
Duke of Dalmatia's corps I forgot to say that the battalion of
the 31st light infantry should join its own regiment in Mermet's
division, in order that the regiment may consist of four battalions.
Desire the 17th light infantry and the 27th horse chasseurs to
proceed to Valladolid, and give the same order to Hleudelet's




JAN. 1809.        SUNCCSSES OF BESSIERES.               9
division; if from Burgos it went to Leon, let it go on to Valladolid.
[ 469.1            NAPOLEON TO JOSEPH.
Astorga, Jan. 2, 1809.
MIy Brother,-The Dutch brigade, 1600 men strong, ought
to reach Madrid on the 6th of January. It marches by Aranda,
together with the 31st, 32nd, 33rd, 34th, 35th, and 36th marching
companies, composed of soldiers formerly belonging to the Ist
corps.
The 39th, 40th, 41st, and 42nd marching companies, composed
of soldiers formerly of the 4th corps, forming altogether 1800 men,
were to arrive at Burgos on the 2nd of January.  At Aranda is
General Treilhard with a battalion of the 118th and 2000 men
from the cavalry depots; and, besides these, the third battalion
of the 43rd and 51st infantry, the Irish and Russian battalion,
the Westphalian battalion, and the third battalion of the 5th
light infantry, all under the command of General Treilhard.
[ 470.]            NAPOLEON TO JOSEPH.
Astorga, Jan. 2, 1809.
My Brother,-I reached Astorga yesterday.  Marshal Bessieres is now near Villa Franca. He has taken 2000 Spaniards
and 500 English, and burnt a great quantity of baggage and
magazines. There have been found on the roads more than 800
dead horses and a considerable amount of ammunition and baggage. Terror reigns in their ranks. The Duke of Dalmatia is
pursuing them.  The guards are to return to Benevento.  I am
myself drawing near to the centre of my army.  I can make
nothing out of the Duke of Dantzic's letters.  I hope that Merlin has rejoined him. It is probable that more than half of the
British army will be in our power; the English themselves think
so. As to Romana, his corps has been almost destroyed; 2000
men were taken prisoners at Leon, and 2000 in this place. For
this last fortnight they have received neither pay nor provisions,
and they are almost entirely without clothing.
On the 22nd the position of Montetorrero, which protected
VOL. II. —1*




10               SPAIN-MILITARY OPERATIONS.            CHAP. XIL
Saragossa, was taken, and 1000 prisoners.   I believe that I told
you that General Saint Cyr had arrived at Barcelona, and joined
General Duhesrae.
Order the guns to fire a salute in honour of our successes over
the English. By the time this letter reaches you, General Dessolles ought to be half way to Madrid.
[C 471.]           INAPOLEON TO JOSEPH.
Benevento, Jan, 4, 1809.*
My Brother,-The Chief of the Staff sends you instructions
for the manceuvre to be made by the Duke of Belluno on the left
bank of the Tagus. Dessolles's division witi be at Guadarrama
on the...t at latest. The Polish battalion which is intended
for Segovia ought to have arrived; if it should still be at Somo
Sierra, you may desire it to join you, leaving two companies at
Somo Sierra.
I have ordered the third battalions of the 43rd and of the
51st to repair to Madrid. After resting eight or ten days, Dessolles's division ought to amount to 9000 men. General St. Cyr
arrived at Barcelona on the 17th.  On the 15th he had an action
with the Spanish Generals Vives and Reding, whom  he beat
completely; he took from them six pieces of cannon and 1500
men. I have had Zamora and Toro occupied by brigades of
cavalry.  A  brigade of infantry is to remain at Leon.   Send
intendants to these provinces.  Print 12,000 or 15,000 copies of
the'Gazette de Madrid;' let it be circulated in every direction.
It would be well to reprint the gazettes which have appeared
since your entry into Madrid. I think that I sent you word
that on the 2nd two Spanish regiments belonging to La Romana,
two standards, and two Spanish generals, who were preparing to
* Napoleon received, on his road to Astorga, despatches which induced
him to expect a war with Austria. He altered his plans, and, instead of superintending in person the pursuit of Sir John Moore, he left it to Marshal
Soult, and returned to Benevento, and from thence to Valladolid, in order to
communicate more rapidly with France. The French historians of course attribute to this circumstance the escape of the English army.-TR.
t Illegible.-ED.




JAN. 1809.         DISTRIBUTION OF NEWS.                 11
enter Gallicia, were taken.  The cavalry was not able to advance
on Villa Franca on the 3rd, as the defile was occupied by English
infantry. On the evening of the 3rd, Merle's division arrived and
charged the English rearguard, which held a fine position on the
heights of Pierros. The English were routed. Several hundred
prisoners were taken. We had forty men killed and wounded.
General Colbert, who was in advance, burning with impatience to
charge the fugitives with his cavalry, was hit in the forehead by
a ball, and killed. At Villa Franca the English had immense
magazines; every place is filled with them.  We shall find there
the greater portion of the English sick. I am very anxious for
news of the Duke of Dantzic.  I cannot understand his having
made such an eccentric manceuvre* without orders. If you want
him, give him the requisite orders; but if you do not want him,
let him remain where he is, and I will find him employment. I
shall probably sleep to-night at Medina de Rio Seco.
[ 472.]           NAPOLEON TO BERTHIER.
Benevento, Jan. 4, 1809.
My Cousin,-Write word to General Loison that there is a
printing office at Leon, and desire him to print 6000 copies of
the Emperor's proclamation, and of every newspaper which has
appeared at Madrid since our entry, and to send 3000 to Marshal
Soult, 500 to Marshal Ney at Astorga, and 500 to General
Lapisse at Benevento.  Give orders at Vittoria to have 3000
copies of the Emperor's proclamation printed and distributed all
over the province, and in Navarre. Order General Darricau to
proceed to Valladolid to take the command of all the battalions
and marching companies which pass through.
[ 473.]           NAPOLEON TO BERTIIER.
Benevento, Jan. 4, 1809.
Mly Cousin,-You will make General Lapisse aware that he
is under the orders of the Chief of the Staff; that he is to stay
at Benevento; where he will form a corps of observation; that
* Towards Avila.-TR.




12           INSTRUCTIONS FOR LAPISSE AND NEY.       CHAP. XIL
he is to canton his troops in Benevento and in the environs, to
give them rest, and to re-establish order and discipline; that he
is to have a flour-store containing flour for 100,000 rations of
bread; that he is always to have 20,000 rations of bread ready;
that he is to collect all his carriages and make biscuit, so as to
be able to start whenever he is wanted; that he is to repair his
carriages, and take the [horses*] of the soldiers, to increase the
means of conveyance. He will have under his orders the brigade
of dragoons of General Davenay, who is at Toro, and that of
General Maupetit, who is at Zamora.  It is the business of these
two brigades to disarm those provinces, to reduce the towns and
to publish my proclamations. They are to correspond with the
Chief of the Staff and with General Lapisse, in order that, if
necessary, he may support them  with infantry.  You will let
Marshal Ney know that I wish him to remain at Astorga, to
administer the country, and establish magazines, in whioh he
should always keep 100,000 rations of flour and 20,000 of bread;
and that he is to order biscuit to be made for...*; and that I
desire that a depAt of cavalry may be formed at Astorga, to
receive all the lame horses belonging to the corps in Gallicia;
that he should find a place in which this dep6t may be established; that he should undertake to guard the defiles which
connect Gallicia with the kingdom of Leon, and establish posts,
so as to have rapid communication; that some of his staff officers
should always be with Marshal Soult ready to proceed whithersoever they may be required, if the English, instead of re-embarking, were to land fresh troops.
[ 474,1            NAPOLEON TO JOSEPH.
Benevento, Jan. 5, 1809.
My Brother,-Seven marching companies, forming...* men,
ought to have reached Madrid on the 4th of January;... *
marching companies, 500 men strong, were to arrive there on the
5th, as well as the first marching battalion, which is composed of
900 conscripts. Therefore, between the 4th and the 5th, nearly
* Obliterated.-ED.




JAx. 1809.           APPROACiHIG WAR.                    13
3000 men, old soldiers and conscripts, ought to have reached you,
some belonging to the divisions at Madrid, and the rest of them
to those which remain at the Retiro.  These men must be reviewed when they get to Madrid, and those who belong to the
division of Villate allowed to rest before they start.
P.S.-On the 3rd our advanced guard had an action before
Villa Franca with the English, and beat them.  During the last
week we have taken ten standards, 2000 or 3000 men, and several Spanish generals belonging to La Romana's corps; we have
nearly 1500 English prisoners.
On the 4th the Duke of Dalmatia's head-quarters were four
leagues from Villa Franca, on the Lugo road. I start to-morrow
for Valladolid.
[ 475.]            NAPOLEON TO JOSEPH.
Benevento, Jan. 6, 1809.
My Brother,-I thank you for your new-year's day wishes.*
I have no hopes of peace in Europe for this year at least. I
expect it so little, that I signed yesterday a decree for raising
100,000 men. The fierce hatred of England, the events at Constantinople, all betoken that the hour of peace and repose has
not yet struck. As for you, your kingdom seems to be settling
into tranquillity. The provinces of Leon, of the Asturias, and
of New Castile, desire nothing but rest.'I hope that Gallicia
will soon be at peace, and that the country will be evacuated by
the English.
Saragossa must fall before long, and General St. Cyr, who has
30,000 men, ought to settle the affairs of Catalonia.
[ 476.]            NAPOLEON TO JOSEPH.
Valladolid, Jan. 7, 1809.
My Brother,-I arrived yesterday evening at Valladolid;
the roads are horrible.  Marshal Soult ought to reach Lugo today. I found here one of your intendants, who appears to me
* They were wishes for peace.-TR.




14             SPAIN.-STATIONS OF THE ARMY.        CHAP. XII.
to be possessed of considerable zeal and ability; he has been very
much hampered by the people of the country. I will execute
severe justice upon them. Send to me, by a deputation from
Madrid and the councils, the record of the oath which has been
taken: when I have received it, I will give my decision.*
The Duke of Dantzic is at Avila.  I cannot conceive such
folly. I have given him no orders, and, if you on your part
have sent him none, let me know, in order that I may give him
something to do. At any rate there is no objection to his corps
resting a few days at Avila. All the men who are at Guadarrama and Villa Castin belonging to the foreign regiment must
fall back, as in future the route of the army is to be through
Segovia. I think that a battalion of this regiment would be of
great use at Avila to hold the province, and that you may
send thither an intendant to be put at the head of the administration.
It seems that Lasalle's division and some of the Poles were
not able to fall back on Talavera; but Dessolles' division, and
3000 or 4000 men in marching regiments and companies, composed of conscripts, as well as of old soldiers, ought, by this
time, to have reached Madrid. I suppose that Marshal Victor
has commenced operations.
It is of great consequence that the Madrid newspapers should
be sent hither, and that they should contain much intelligence
about the army, and letters from Lugo, Corunna, and all those
parts. Perhaps it would be well to create some Spanish regiments.  You might form  one in the north, at Palencia, another
at the Escurial, and in different directions. They must be commanded by several inferior officers, Spaniards on whom you can
rely; you should add a few French officers, give ensigncies to
many of your old serjeant-majors. There exists, in truth, no
longer even the shadow of a Spanish army. The 4000 or 5000
men who were taken prisoners from La Romana were in a horrible state; still worse than those taken by the Duke of Dantzic
in Estremadura.
* As to Joseph's return to inhabit Madrid. He was at this time residing
in La Florida, a country house near Madrid. —TR.




JAN. 1809.     GENERALS TO GO TO VALLADOLID.             15
[ 477.]            NAPOLEON TO JOSEPH.
Valladolid, Jan. 7, 1809.
My Brother, —War with Austria seems imminent, and her
troops are already encamped upon her frontiers. My army and
that of the Confederation are also in motion. I asked you for
General Merlin or General Lasalle.  Send back to me Bordesoult likewise. If you are not actually in want of Belliard, send
him back to Paris, and give the command of Madrid to one of
the two generals of division Pacthod.  However, as General
Belliard has had much experience in preserving Madrid, I think
that it would be foolish to deprive you of him as yet. His services in the army are not so valuable to me but that I can do
without him. Send me back the cadres of the 3rd squadron
belonging to the 24 dragoon regiments in Spain, first taking
every available man to reinforce the first two squadrons.  I wish
you to send me back the brigadier-generals of cavalry, Bron,
Lagrange, and Davenay; the generals of infantry, Gautier,
Puger, and Roger; the general of division Grandjean, who is
before Saragossa; and the brigadier-generals Bron and Razout.
As these three last are before Saragossa, I have addressed direct
orders to them to return. I have also ordered the Duke of
Istria to return; he will be replaced by the general of division
Kellermann.
478.]            NAPOLEON TO JOSEPH.
Valladolid, Jan. 8, 1809.
My Brother,-I have received no letters from  you since the
2nd of January. The orderly officer Germain started yesterday
with letters from me to Madrid. I suppose that your couriers
have gone by Benevento.
You will find annexed a copy of my letter of yesterday,
in case any accident should have delayed its delivery.  You
will also find the packets which have come for you by the
express.
It seems that the English, on hearing of my entry into Madrid, re-embarked the artillery which they had brought for Spain
and Portugal.




16                SPAIN.-REVOLT OF TORO.          CHAP. X1n.
I have received no letters from Marshal Soult, whom I suppose to be at Lugo. I sent you word that Toro, which had
revolted, had been subdued; there was a charge of cavalry,
which killed 60 of the rebels.  General Maupetit is before
Zamora, whence a few shot have reached him. As he has only
500 horse, he has taken up a position where he is waiting till
General Lapisse sends him some infantry.
I have arrested here 12 of the worst characters, and hanged
them.
I wish you to let me know if the 30th, 31st, 32nd, 33rd,
34th, 35th, and 36th marching companies, which left Burgos for
Aranda on the 31st of December, have arrived; and to give me
similar information respecting the 39th, 40th, 41st, and 42nd
marching companies.  The whole of the 1st marching battalion, composed of conscripts, which left Burgos on the 31st of
December, ought to have arrived at Madrid by way of Aranda.
Let me know if all these troops, who ought altogether to form
a body of more than 3000 men, have arrived.
The Vice Queen of Italy has given birth to a daughter.
[479.]            NAPOLEON TO JOSEPH.
Valladolid, Jan. 9, 1809.
My Brother,-I have received your letter of the 6th. I wrote
to you from Benevento on the 4th, to desire you to send the
Duke of Belluno, with 2 divisions, to meet the Duke of Infantado.
I wrote to you from Benevento on the 5th and 6th. Since
then I have written to you from Valladolid, on the 7th, by my
orderly officer Germain, and on the 8th by an officer of gendarmes.  The Duke of Dantzic arrived on the 5th at Avila. I
have given him no orders. I am waiting to hear whether you
have given him any; there is no objection to his resting for a
few days. That Marshal commits nothing but follies; he cannot
read his instructions. It is impossible to intrust him with the
command of a corps, which is a pity, as he shows great bravery
on the field of battle.
I told you that I was waiting to receive the addresses before




JAN. 1609.       PURSUIT OF THE ENGLISH.               17
I made my proclamation. Arrange everything for your entry
into Madrid. Try to make it imposing, and to secure a good
reception by the inhabitants. Assemble afterwards all the
councils, and let your ministers make every preparation to administer as well as possible.
I suppose that in the course of the day Victor will have
beaten the Duke of Infantado. Talavera de la Reyna must be
occupied. You may send thither General Valence, with a regiment of horse and his 1500 Poles. That division is to be assembled as soon as possible.
[ 480.]           NAPOLEON TO JOSEPH.
Valladolid, Jan. 9, 1809, 9 p.am
My Brother,-I wrote to you this morning. I take advantage of Battaglia's departure to send you a few more lines.  On
the 5th the Duke of Dalmatia was three leagues from Lugo.
He had taken from the English 7 pieces of cannon, 2000 prisoners, and stores of every description; they even found a convoy
carrying silver, which the dragoons shared among themselves.
It is valued at two millions. The English fly in the most frightful confusion. The barns of all the villages in Gallicia are full
of English, hanged by the peasants in revenge for their horrible
depredations.  As for La Romana's Spaniards, we have taken
4000 or 5000 of them, 9 standards, and, at different times, a
dozen pieces of cannon. The Duke of Elchingen has carried his
head-quarters to Villa Franca. Zamora closed its gates against
General Maupetit's brigade of dragoons. On the Tth the general
fell in with two columns of about 800 men each, charged and
routed them, killed 100, made 20 prisoners, and carried off their
guns.  Lapisse's division has marched upon Zamora. Spread
all this news, and put it into the newspapers. A deputation
from Astorga, composed of the bishop and principal magistrates,
and a deputation of the principal magistrates and inhabitants of
Leon, are on their way to Madrid. Send deputations also from
Avila and Segovia.
Prepare your entry. I hope that before that time the Duke
of Belluno will have encountered and beaten the Duke of Infantado.




18           COMPOSITION OF THE FOUiRTH CORPS.     CHAP. XII
r 481.]           NAPOLEON TO BERTHIER.
Valladolid, Jan. 9, 1809.
My Cousin, —Give orders that the Prince of Castel-Franco,
the Duke of Altamira, and the Marquis of Santa Cruz, may be
sent to Fenestrelles, where they are to be detained as prisoners
of state. Acquaint the minister of police with this arrangement.
[ 482.]          NAPOLEON TO BERTHIER.
Valladolid, Jan. 9, 1809.
My Cousin, —Write to General Belliard, to express my displeasure at the want of firmness displayed by his government:
every day Frenchmen are assassinated in Madrid, and he does
nothing. Tell him that 30 of the worst characters in the town
must be arrested and shot; that this is what I have done at
Valladolid; and that I shall hold him responsible for the first
assassination committed on a Frenchman, if the arrest of a
Spaniard does not immediately follow. The behaviour in Madrid is absurd.
P.S.-Desire the depot at the Carthusian convent at Burgos
to proceed to Valencia.
[ 483.]            NAPOLEON TO JOSEPH.
Valladolid, Jan. 10, 1809.
My Brother,-Send. back the Duke of Dantzic to me at
Valladolid; he shall no longer command the 4th corps. By
puttting it under the command of Marshal Jourdan, who may
continue to be chief of your staff, it may be retained as a distinct
corps, and will be under your hand. The duty of this corps will
be to guard the centre; it is composed, first, of Sebastiani's
division, which consists of 4 regiments, or 16 battalions, and in
the whole of nearly 12,000 men; 3000 are at Leon, and 4000 at
Bayonne, on their way from Paris. You will keep this fine division, composed of my best regiments, at Madrid, as a guard for
the town and for your person. The general of division is excel



JAN. 1809.    SPAIN.-DISPOSITION OF THE ARMY.            19
lent; the two brigadiers are the very best in the army. As the
dep6ts of these regiments are in Paris, I shall always keep them
up to their full numbers. The 2nd division of the 4th corps is
Leval's; it is composed of one regiment from Baden, one regiment from  Hesse Darmstadt, and another from  Nassau, one
battalion from the Prince. Primate, and a Dutch brigade., All
these together amount to 4000 men. Take care to provide this
division with ten pieces of cannon. Let it start for Talavera de
la Reyna; and send General Lasalle with his 4 cavalry regiments
to the bridge of Almaraz to scour the country as far as the other
side of Truxillo. General Leval commands as senior general of
division; he is to correspond with General Valence, whose division
you are to assemble at Toledo, allowing it to spend a couple of
days at Madrid, to get the clothing which it requires. The
Polish lancers are to remain at Toledo, which will carry the
division of Valence to 5000 men; take care that it has 8 pieces
of cannon. The divisions of Sebastiani and Milhaud are to
remain at Madrid. Milhaud's division requires reconstruction:
detachments of it may be posted at Toledo and at Aranjuez, and be
ready to proceed in any direction. This will enable you to send
back to Marshal Victor the 2nd hussars, and all that you may
have of the division of Latour-Maubourg.  Dessolles' division,
which was to reach Madrid on the 7th, must want rest. As it
belongs to the corps of Marshal Ney, who is in Gallicia, you may
address your orders to it directly. Therefore, the divisions of
Sebastiani, Leval, and Valence, forming the 4th corps, will be
under the immediate orders of Marshal Jourdan, as commandant
of that corps. General Milhaud's division of cavalry, and Dessolles' division, will receive their orders from you, and from
Marshal Jourdan as the chief of your staff.  The division of
Latour-Maubourg, the 26th chasseurs, and tlhe 2nd hussars, which
will make 8 cavalry regiments, and Marshal Victor's 7 infantry regiments, will receive their orders from  Marshal Victor,
and Marshal Jourdan, as chief of the staff, transmitting your
commands. If Leval's division were to require support, you
would send the division of Valence to its assistance, and keep by
you the divisions of Milhaud, Dessolles, and Sebastiani, at Madrid.




20                 DISORDERS IN MADRID.            CHAP. X [.
You must employ yourself in completing the guns belonging to
Sebastiani's division to 12, those of Dessolles' division to 12,
and those of Milhaud's division to 6. It is a point of great
importance that Lasalle should soon be at the bridge of Almaraz,
and scour the country on the other side of Truxillo.
Marshal Lannes started to-day to join General St. Cyr before
Saragossa. General Lapisse is at Zamora; 4000 or 5000 men
are wanted at Avila to pursue Pignatelli. Appoint an intendant
for that place, and support your agents. The Duke of Elchingen
is at Villa Franca; the Duke of Dalmatia ought to have reached
Lugo long ago; my guard is concentrated in this place. Heudelet's division, which is here, is about to march upon Astorga.
Loison's division is at Leon. On entering Madrid it is desirable
that you should have as many troops, and in as good a condition,
as possible. I think that you ought to create a battalion of Royal
Irish; many of the prisoners are anxious to serve: they might be
sent to the Escurial. By adding to them a few good officers of
their own nation you would attract all the Irish who were in the
service of Spain.  Order General Leval to construct a small tetede-pont at Almaraz, and to put into it a battalion to support the
cavalry. The season is very bad: with the exception of Marshal
Victor, who ought now to be in the midst of his operations, I
wish all the others to be at rest, at least as much as circumstances
will permit.
I believe that I told you to form a Spanish regiment. You
have a colonel from Murcia who is an excellent man, you have
officers on whom you can rely; it can be done therefore; at any
rate they would do for police. General Valence may detach a
battalion to hold the bridge of Aranjuez. I am not satisfied with
the order which is kept in Madrid; Belliard is too weak; with
the Spaniards it is necessary to be severe. I have arrested here
fifteen of the worst characters, and I have ordered them to be
shot. Arrest thirty at Madrid. WThen I left it there had been
an inquiry, and the police were on the point of making a seizure.
If you treat the mob with kindness, these creatures fancy themselves invulnerable; if you hang a few, they get tired of the
game and become as submissive and humble as they ought to be.




JAN. 1809.    SPAIN.-DISPOSITION OF THE TROOPS.          21
I send you an account of the revolution at Constantinople; let it
be inserted in the newspapers.
[484.]             NAPOLEON TO JOSEPH.
Valladolid, Jan. 11, 1809.
My Brother, —I wish you as soon as possible to give me infor.
mation: -1st. As to the roads between Bilbao and Valmaseda.
2ndly. As to those beween Valmaseda and Villercayo; through
what towns they pass, the population of those towns, and over
what hills they pass; can the artillery travel by them? 3rdly.
Between Villercayo and Orduna. 4thly. Between Villercayo and
Burgos. 5thly. Between Villercayo and Miranda, or any other
point along the Ebro. 6thly. From Villercayo to Santander.
7thly. From Villercayo to Reynosa. Can all these roads carry
artillery? I must have details about them all. Let this information be furnished either by the Spanish Minister of War, by
practical men of the country who are also officers, or by French
officers who have seen and know the country. Let me have a map
of the high road from Tolosa to Pampeluna, and from Pampeluna
to Vittoria. This information is necessary for me. 2ndly. I
also require the following information, but to-morrow will be time
enough. Describe the road between Pampeluna and Madrid; is
it a paved road? Let me know through what towns this road
passes, what is their population, and what rivers, gorges, and
other natural obstacles have to be encountered.  I wish to have
similar information as to the road between Saragossa and Madrid
by way of Daroca. These statements ought to be written with
every detail; time may be taken for the purpose, so that I have
them to-morrow in the course of the day. I wish the scale of
all these maps to be in French leagues, or, at any rate, that the
number of toises be specified.
[ 485.]            NAPOLEON TO JOSEPH.
Valladolid, Jan. 11, 1809, noon.
My Brother, —I have received your letter of the 8th of January. You must have seen by my letter of yesterday, and by
the orders which were sent to you on the day before, that I wished




22           SPAIN.-DISPOSITION OF THE TROOPS.     CHAP. XII.
Dessolles' division to rest at Madrid. If Marshal Victor need
assistance (which I cannot think possible), he may be supported
by General Valence; but with the infantry which he has, the
division of Latour-Maubourg, the 26th chasseurs, and the 2nd
hussars, he has ten times as many troops as he wants. It might,
however, be useful to place 1000 men at Aranjuez, to hold the
bridge and keep up the communication. I had intended the
Dutch brigade for this purpose, but it has since been ordered to
Talavera de la Reyna with Leval's division. One of the regiments of General Valence, which arrived a few days ago at
Toledo, when they have rested, may therefore with 300 or 400
horse follow in the rear of Marshal Victor, and keep his communications open. I think that you were right in not joining the
expedition against the Duke of Infantado, as its object is uncertain.
The duke will retire upon Valencia, and no result will be produced; you would have done wrong if you had joined it. As
you very naturally wish to be engaged in some expedition, you
should select that into Andalusia; but it cannot be undertaken
for the next three weeks. You can then, with 2 good corps
composed of 40,000 men, surprise the enemy by taking a road
which they little expect, and beat them. This operation will put
an end to the war with Spain, and I intend you to have the glory
of effecting it. Order a tete-de-pont to be constructed at Almaraz. Procure a sufficient number of oxen and mules to draw
twelve 24-pounders.
Send to Somo Sierra for the 6 pieces which are still there.
Put the mortars upon carriages: you will require this amount of
artillery in order to take Seville.
M. de Freville's letter would be right if this corn were meant
for sale; but as it is intended for food for the army, it must be
seized immediately.* I am writing to the intendant to this effect.
I shall see with pleasure all that is taken from the rebels applied
to the wants of the army. I am forced to stay at Valladolid to
receive expresses from Paris; which reach me in 5 days. The
events at Constantinople, the present state of Europe, the recon* Freville's letter does not appear. —TR.




JAN. 1809.          EVENTS IN GALLICIA.                23
struction of my armies of Italy, of Turkey, and of the Rhine,
make it necessary that I should not be farther from Paris. I was
sorry to leave Astorga.
One thousand men belonging to my guard are at Madrid: send
them to ume. Here is the last news from Gallicia: nothing is
known of La Romana; most of the colonels have dismissed their
troops; some have escaped to Andalusia; the rest have joined
the English.  On the 8th the enemy's rear guard  occupied
Lugo.  The Duke of Dalmatia has been in presence of the
enemy ever since the 6th. The infantry reached him on the 7th.
Marchand's division was half-way between Villa Franca and
Astorga, proceeding to support the Duke of Dalmatia. You
may make your entry into Madrid whenever you think proper.
I suppose that to-day, the 11th, the Duke of Dantzic will have
arrived; that on the 13th Talavera de la Reyna will be occupied;
and that by that time Victor will have put an end to the absurd
fears inspired by the Duke of Infantado. If this takes place
you may make your entry on the 14th. Put all the troops under
arms, and let the inhabitants receive you beyond the gates with
the usual ceremonies. Establish yourself in the palace; keep an
apartment in it for me, if it does not inconvenience you. Engage
in no military operation, except the Andalusian expedition, which
cannot be undertaken till after the rains. What must you prepare? Some biscuit and the equipment of your 24-pounders and
mortars. Occupy yourself with these arrangements every day;
this expedition will be brilliant. You must have 300,000 rations
of biscuit. Have some made at Toledo and at Talavera. I have
here 300 carriages belonging to the military transport service,
which will carry them. As soon as Lapisse's division has put an
end to the disturbances at Zamora, I shall order it to march upon
Salamanca, where there are 3000 or 4000 men still in revolt.
Pray hang a dozen people at Madrid; there are enough bad
characters there. Unless you do this, you do nothing. The
3000 Spanish prisoners at Valladolid have considerably cooled
the ardour of the inhabitants by their behaviour and conversation.
The English prisoners arrive in troops. I recommend the province of Avila to your attention: send thither an intendant.




24               SPAIN.-JOSEPH IN MADRID.           CHAP. XIL
That wretched Pignatelli has not 10 men. A battalion of 400
men of the royal foreign regiment would do there admirably.
They would likewise be of use in keeping up the communication
between Madrid and Salamanca on the arrival of Lapisse's division. It seems that your Spanish charge-d'affaires has left
Vienna by way of Trieste. Your ministers should not throw
away money in paying agents abroad, except the one in Russia,
who behaves well.
[ 486.]            NAPOLEON TO JOSEPH.
Valladolid, Jan. 11, 1809, 11 P.M.
My Brother,-Zamora would not submit; it was necessary
to enter it by force. General Darricau arrived before it on the
10th with 4 battalions, breached it, and carried it by assault, with
a loss of only 10 men. He is disarming it. General Davenay
is disarming the province of Toro. They are both desired to reconnoitre up to the frontiers of Portugal and Salamanca. As
soon as you have an intendant at Avila, desire him to correspond
with the commandant of my troops when they reach Salamanca.
[ 487.]           NAPOLEON TO BERTHIIER.
Valladolid, Jan. 11. 1809.
My Cousin,-Let General Davenay know  that you have
shown me his letter of the 11th;* that he must not be talked
over; that he must arrest thirty of those who have behaved the
worst; that he must announce that the estates of all those who
do not return will be confiscated; that he must be active; that he
must appoint a corregidor for the town of Toro, leave only one
battalion there, and send all the others to Zamora. Say in
answer to General Darricau that he was right in taking Zamora,
but that he ought to have left the 16th there; that one battalion
is enough at Toro; that he must assemble all his forces at Zamora,
and march upon Salamanca; and that I have granted all the
favours for which he asked. Write to General Maupetit that he
* This letter does not appear.-TR.




JANu. 1809.    SPAIN.-INSTRUCTIONS FOR COMMANDERS.       25
must reconnoitre as far as the frontiers of Portugal and Salamanca, but in force, so as to be in no danger of a check. You
will take care to direct the marching battalion formed here this
morning, and belonging to Lapisse's division, upon Toro, and
from thence to Zamora.  Advise Generals Maupetit and Darricau
to procure cloaks and shoes at Zamora, and to collect information
upon all that is going on at Salamanca and on the frontiers of
Portugal. Besides the prisoners whom Generals Davenay and
Darricau will make at Toro and Zamora, desire them to take
hostages, and to send them to Segovia, and to send numerous
deputations to Madrid.  Send to them proclamations from Valladolid and from Madrid, to be made public.  Desire them to have
addresses from the principal magistrates and clergy, and to print
and put them up everywhere.
[ 488.]           NAPOLEON TO BERTHIER.
Valladolid, Jan. 11, 1809.
My Cousin,-See that in every post from hence to Miranda
3 gendarmes d'elite are placed, and order General Kellermann to
put into each post at least 50 dragoons, so that my couriers may
be escorted and travel safely by night. Express my displeasure
to the paymaster-general of the forces at his having left the paymaster at Burgos without funds. Send from hence 20,000 francs
to Burgos for current expenses till the proper funds are transmitted. I wish this sum to be sent off this night. Send a courier
of the country to Aranda to obtain a return of the troops in that
place, and news as to what may have occurred there since the
20th of last month.  I see that a 1st marching battalion has been
formed at the Retiro, and that the 2nd and 3rd companies are
included in it under the name of 1st company of voltigeurs. I
conclude that in these companies there are no men belonging to
the divisions of Dessolles, Sebastiani, Ruffin, or Villate: if there
be, they must be sent back immediately to their regiments. I do
not wish to form new cadres; we have too many already.
VOL. II.-2.




26                    ARMY CLOTHING.               CHAP. XIL.
[489.]           NAPOLEON TO BERTHIER.
Valladolid, Jan. 11, 1809.
My Cousin, —Let General St. Cyr know that two regiments of
the Grand Duke of Berg, one regiment from  Wirtzburg, and
one battalion of the contingent furnished by the petty sovereigns,
foming altogether nearly 6000 men, are on their way to Perpignan, under the orders of a brigadier-general. This corps will
reinforce General Reille and enable him to besiege Girona. I
wish this siege to be commenced about the 15th of February.
You must protect this operation by marching some troops to
clear the neighbourhood.
You will tell General St. Cyr that Marshal Lannes is before
Saragossa with the 5th and 3rd corps; that they ought to endeavour to correspond; that one of the first things which he has to
do is to take Tarragona, and put a garrison into it, and to victual
fully Barcelona. If it were possible to take possession also of
Tortosa now, just at the beginning, when the enemy cannot expect us, it would be a great step gained towards concentrating all
our movements upon Valencia.  This despatch must be sent to
General Reille, who corresponds by cipher with General St. Cyr,
and who will have three or four copies made, which he will send
by different opportunities. Inform, likewise, General Reille of
the march of these troops to Perpignan.
[ 490.]           NAPOLEON TO BERTHIER.
Valladolid, Jan. 11, 1809.
My Cousin,-Order 500 pairs of shoes to be given to the 17th
light infantry, and 80 great-coats to the detachment of the 32nd
which is here. Divide the remainder of the great-coats among
the five marching battalions which were formed at Valladolid this
morning. Desire the 17th light infantry to start to-morrow at
break of day for Astorga.  Order Heudelet's division to march
to-morrow for Medina de Rio Seco. Direct the 1st marching
squadron of Valladolid to proceed to Madrid, and the 2nd to Villa
Franca, where it will be joined by the men belonging to Marshal
Ney's corps. Send orders to the Ist, 2nd, 3rd, 4th, and 5th march



JAN. 1809.         SPAIN.-ARMY CHANGES.                  27
ing battalions of Valladolid; let them take bread for two days, and
appoint for them to-morrow a short march of three leagues to some
place whence they may proced to join their respective corps. The
men belonging to Lapisse's division will take the road to Toro, and
from thence to Zamora.  The battalion of the 51st will remain
here to do duty as garrison. The general of division Claparede
will take the command of the province of Valladolid till I have
a division for him, which will be before long. Desire the commissary-general to find means of making 4000 great-coats, 4000
jackets, 4000 pairs of trousers, and 8000 pairs of shoes. Order
the battalion of the 32nd which is at Leon with General Loison
to repair to Madrid. Let every one know that the following
changes have taken place: that the 8th corps is suppressed; that
all the men belonging to the 12th, 2nd, and 4th light infantry, and
to the 58th, 32nd, and 47th, have rejoined their regiments, and
that therefore all detachments should be forwarded to the corps
of which these regiments form part. Make known that the 17th
light infantry belongs to Delaborde's division, which forms part
of the 2nd corps, commanded by the Duke of Dalmatia.
[ 491.]            NAPOLEON TO JOSEPH.
Valladolid, Jan. 12,1809, noon.
My Brother, —  have received your letters of the 10th of
January.  I told you yesterday of the capture of Zamora.  My
troops march on Salamanca. You were quite right in dissolving
all the marching battalions, and in sending to the divisions of
Villate and Ruffin the. detachments which belong to them. You
will see whether it be necessary to send the 2nd hussars to Aranjuez, to scour the country. As for the disembodied men of the
infantry regiments belonging to Marshal Victor's corps, collect
them together at Madrid, and, when they have rested for a couple
of days, send them to Aranjuez, as soon as their numbers amount
to 300.
I suppose that af the present time Leval's division is marching upon Talavera, and that Valence's division holds Toledo and
Aranjuez. Some marching battalions, consisting of several thousands of men, which belong to the corps of Marshal Victor and to




28                  SEVERITY RECOMMENDED.                CUAP. XII
the 4th corps, start to-day for Madrid. I have sent word to you
to make your entry into Madrid, and to assume the government,
all with as much pomp as possible. I am anxious that it may be
on the 14th, 15th, or 16th. I think these things now necessary
and important. I have as yet heard no news of the English; our
army was in presence of their rear-guard on the 8th. I have
ordered a battalion of 600 men, which is at Soria, to repair to
Madrid as soon as it is relieved. You may incorporate it in
your guard. Numerous detachments of conscripts are on their
way.  Belliard did admirably.*  You must hang at Madrid a
score of the worst characters. To-morrow I intend to have
hanged here seven notorious for their excesses. They have been
secretly denounced to me by respectable people whom their existence disturbed, and who will recover their spirits when they are
got rid of.  If Madrid is not delivered from at least 100 of these
firebrands, you will be able to do nothing.  Out of this 100, hang
or shoot 12 or 15, and send the rest to France to the galleys. I
had no peace in France, I could not restore confidence to the
respectable portion of the community, until I had arrested 200
firebrand assassins of September, and sent them to the colonies.
From that time the spirit of the capital changed as if by the
waving of a wand.t
[ 492.]              NAPOLEON TO JOSEPH.
Valladolid, Jan. 13, 1809.
My Brother,-On the 8th the enemy stayed all day on the
heights of Castro. The Duke of Dalmatia resolved to attack on
the morning of the 9th, his artillery and infantry having arrived
on the 8th. The position of Castro could be attacked only on
* He appears to have arrested between 300 and 400 persons in Madrid, on
suspicion that they had evil designs.-TE.
t This was one of Napoleon's earliest and worst crimes. He took advantage
of the excitement produced by the infernal machine to transport to the mortal
shore of Cayenne, without trial, 130 of the heads of the republican party.
Some of them were men whose only fault was the having been members of the
Convention or of the commune of Paris, and not one of them was proved, or
really suspected, of having had anything to do with the conspiracy. —Tn.




JAN. 1809.      SPAIN-LOSSES OF THE ENGLISH.             29
the left, as the river protected the right. The Duke of Dalmatia ordered a movement to turn the left flank of the enemy,
who, on becoming aware of it, left their position at nightfall, and
continued to retreat all through the night of the 9th.  300
English sick and 18 pieces of cannon were found at Lugo. The
English have destroyed the greater part of their ammunition.
In the course of the 9th, 00 prisoners were taken. We have
now, therefore, 3000. 700 horses were found killed by them at
Lugo, which makes their loss in horses amount to 2500.
The Duke of Dalmatia hoped to arrive on the 10th at Betanzos, a few leagues from Corunna. The English have 400
ships at Corunna. The inhabitants of Gallicia appear to be
animated by the best spirit.. The bishop and clergy of Lugo
have remained there.  The English sacked the town; they commit every possible excess. Let this news be put into the newspapers.  Make arrangements for the Madrid papers to reach
Valladolid, and desire your ministers to write to your intendants.
Two of my gendarmes d'6lite, belonging to the post, have been
assassinated at the junction of the Guadarrama and Escurial
roads.  I had requested 25 or 30 of the Royal Foreign regiment
to be sent thither. I see no objection to your taking prisoners
who may be trusted to form your regiments, but you must take
no officers.
L 493.]           NAPOLEON TO BERTHIER.
Valladolid, Jan. 14, 1809.
My Cousin,-There must be at Valladolid a paymaster, and a
commissary-general, who will have under his direction the whole
service from Zamora, Astorga, and Leon as far as Segovia,
Valencia, and Burgos; and a clothing establishment, with a
director at its head. Materials for clothing must be sent thither
from Segovia, Valencia, and the neighbouring towns, in order
that it may be always supplied with shoes, great-coats, and coats.




30                 INSTRUCTIONS TO JOSEPH.           CHAP. XII.
[ 494.]            NAPOLEON TO JOSEPH.
Vailadolid, Jan. 15, 1809.
My Brother,-I have received no news from you since the
11th. The state of Europe forces me to spend three weeks in
Paris. If nothing should prevent me, I shall return towards the
end of February.*  The chief of the staff will remain ten or
twelve days lohger, to make sure of your thoroughly understanding the state of affairs. I have ordered my guard to be assembled at Valladolid.  I leave it under the command of Marshal
Bessieres, who will take his orders directly from  me. I have
told him that I wish the guard to be allowed to rest, in order
that it may be fit to be despatched, if necessary, to another frontier. I beg of you to write to me every day, sparing no detail,
and even to send me the different reports of the generals, that I
may be well informed as to the state of things. The chief of
the staff will tell you of my project for entering Portugal simultaneously by Oporto and Gallicia. When you are thus master
of the frontier of Portugal, you will be able to assemble all
your forces to attack Andalusia, striking your first blows on
Seville and Merida.  You must not think of Valencia till Saragossa is taken, which ought to be effected in the course of
February. When Saragossa is yours the army there must not
be diminished without my being informed of it, for much will
depend upon circumstances. I have left the command of the
provinces of Leon, Old Castile, Biscay, and Santander to Marshal Bessieres, who will reside at Valladolid. He has, for the
purpose of holding these provinces, the division of Lapisse, which
is marching on Salamanca, the garrisons of the different posts,
and, besides, a division of dragoons.
I think that I wrote to advise you to make your entry into
Madrid on the 14th. Denon is anxious for some pictures; I
wish you to seize all that you can find in the confiscated houses
and suppressed convents, and to make me a present of 50 chefsd'ceuvre, which I want for the Museum  in Paris.  At some
future time I will give you others in their places.  Consult
* He remained in Paris two months, and never revisited Spain.-TR.




Ja. 1809.     SPAIN.-PICTURES FOR TIIE LOUVRPE.           1
Denon for this purpose. He may make proposals to you. You
are aware that I want only what is really good, and it is supposed
that you are richly provided. I think that as soon as you have
settled yourself in Madrid, you ought to form two or four
regiments, one of which should be placed in the north. They
should not be allowed to approach within 10 leagues of Madrid. If you have officers enough to form the cadres, I think
that you will be able to obtain privates. These regiments are indispensable as a refuge for numbers of people who would otherwise become bandits; at the same time they will be useful as
police. I believe that I have a cipher for corresponding with
you when you have anything very important to say; at any rate,
you have that of Laforest. I. expect to be in Paris on the 21st
of January. I shall ride post the greater part of the way. If
you like you can keep my absence secret for a fortnight by
saying that I have gone to Saragossa. You will, however, act as
you think best. I have had no further news from Gallicia.  The
Duke of Elchingen had already crossed the mountains and.joined
the Duke of Dalmatia, who was eight leagues from Corunna.' 495.]             NAPOLEON TO JOSEPII.
Valladolid, Jan. 15, 1809, noon.
My Brother,-I sent MIontesquiou to you this morning with
a letter, in which I told you that I intended to start to-morrow
for Paris. The chief of the staff will send you to-morrow by an
aide-de-camp the instructions for my army of Spain. He will
outstay me 10 or 12 days. This letter will be taken to you by
the courier who has brought your packets from Paris, and whom
I am sending on. Pay attention to your newspapers, and have
articles written from which it may be inferred that tile Spanish
people is subdued and submits itself. The Spanish charge-d'affaires who was at Vienna has had the folly to start for Trieste
on receiving a letter from  the Junta.  The court of Vienna is
behaving very ill, she may have to repent of it.  Do not be
uneasy. I have troops enough, even without touching my army
of Spain, to go to Vienna in a month.  I have few  cavalry
generals. I wish you to call General Montbrun, who is with




32             NAPOLEON'S JOURNEY TO FRANCE.       CHAP. NXIL
General Lasalle, to Madrid, and a week afterwards to send him
to join me in Paris. He is a general whose bravery I esteem,
and who will be of use to me. He must not know for what purpose I want him. If I require any other officers I will ask you
for them, and yon will send them in the same manner with your
despatches. You must tell every one, and let it be generally
believed in the army, that I shall return in three weeks or a
month.  In fact, my mere presence in Paris will reduce Austria
to her usual insignificanee; and in that case I shall come back
before the end of October. I shall reach Paris in five days. I
shall ride post, night and day, as far as Bourdeaux. Duo ing all
this time Spain will be settling down gently. I have here, under
the orders of.Marshal Bessieres, Kellermann's division of dragoons, which I received to-day, to hold the north of Spain, fiom
Burgos to Gallicia; he will take up his position at Tudela, on the
Douro, which will secure the communication with Valladolid.
I think that, as soon as Saragossa surrenders, you may send for
the Queen and your children. I have written to desire the King
of Naples to send an ambassador to Madrid. I have mentioned
the person whom I wish him to send. I entreat you to write to
me at length and frankly.  You ought to do so; it is the only
way of acquiring my confidence, and my correspondence will
then be of use to you. I think it advisable in the present state
of affairs in Europe that the Queen should repair to Marrac after
the carnival; she might get there by the 25th of February. The
preparations for her departure may produce a good effect. Write
to her to be ready to start when I tell her to do so. By that time
Saragossa will be taken. There is no reason why the Queen should
not rest for a fortnight or three weeks at Marrac.*  I think,
therefore, that your family may reach Madrid towards the end of
February. The news from Russia is good. Pardo is conducting
himself well at St. Petersburg.  Do not leave him in ignorance;
write often to him, and send your letters to Champagny.
P. S. You will find annexed the letters intercepted by General Lapisse between Zamora and Salamanca. You will see
* Napoleon's villa near Bayonne.-TR.




JAN. 1809.      SPAIN.-INSTRUCTIONS FOR THE            3
that on the 20th of December the Junta was at Seville. You
are aware of the importance of occupying Talavera de la Reyna
and the bridge of Almaraz.
INSTRUCTIONS FOR THE HEAD OF THE STAFF.
Valladolid, Jan. 15, 1809.
After the departure of the Emperor the King will command
the army.
The Chief of the Staff will leave T'alladolid as soon as he
hears that the English are embarked; if they have not done so
within eight days, and nothing has occurred which appears to
him to render his presence at Valladolid necessary, he will go
to Paris. While at Valladolid he will continue to give orders
in the name of the Emperor.
If Marshal the Duke of Dalmatia should meet with a check,
which is not to be expected, and the corps of the Duke of
Elchingen cannot remedy it, Lapisse's division may be moved.
He will try to communicate with Santander, by sending thither
a party of 100 foot, in order to give news to General Bonnet,
who has long been without any. The Chief of the Staff will
renew at Santander and at Burgos the order to send away the
wool and the English merchandise by way of Bayonne.
The Emperor's departure must not be mentioned in the
general orders. The Dukes of Dalmatia, Elchingen, and Montebello, must receive direct information of it. The King should
be informed that it ought to be concealed as long as possible.
A report should be spread that the Emperor is at Saragossa. General Camus will remain at Valladolid as a detached member of
the Staff. He will correspond directly with the King and with
the Chief of the Staff in Paris.
The Emperor leaves the command of his guard to the Duke
of Istria, who will have his head-quarters at Valladolid. The
guard is no part of the army.  When the Emperor sends for
his guard and his equipages, the fact that his Majesty has ceased
to command his armies in Spain will be mentioned in the general




34                 HEAD OF THE STAFF.             CHAP. XI}
orders. If circumstances render the services of the guard indispensable, the Chief of the Staff may employ them.
As the corps of the Duke of Dalmatia, such as it now is in
Gallicia, supported by the 2 divisions of the Duke of Elchingen,
is strong enough to drive off the English, the Emperor wishes
Heudelet's division not to pass Villa Franca until the Duke of
Dalmatia is on his way to Oporto; one of the Duke of Elchingen's regiments must then go to Astorgo to keep up the communications.
The Chief of the Stkff, while at Valladolid, will attend the
parade as usual, and see to the unembodied men. He will send
off on the -* the carriages of the 3rd company of the 6th
battalion of the waggon-train, loaded with the baggage of the
Duke of Dalmatia's corps. He will give them a new escort; if
necessary, they may be delayed a day for that purpose.
While the Chief of the Staff is at Valladolid, he will send a
courier every day to the King.
On the Emperor's departure the express will be thus arranged:There must be at Madrid, and also at Valladolid, a director
of the post. The director at Madrid will not send off the express until he has received directly the despatches of the French
ambassador; they must be put into the bag by the director himself, without being seen by anybody. He will also receive the
packet of the Maitre des Requetes, Fr6ville, and that of the
Intendant-General of the army. The most important packet is
that of the King.
The director at Valladolid will not let the express go until he
has taken the packets of the Duke of Istria. He will order
those of General Darmagnac to be taken at Burgos, and those of
General Thiebault at Vittoria. The Chief of the Staff will give
instructions for this purpose to the director, and to General
Nansouty.
The Chief of the Staff will direct General Thiebault to correspond with himself at Paris, and with the Duke of Istria at
Valladolid. A similar order must be given to General Darmag* Illegible in original.




JAN. 1809,   SPAIN.-INSTRUCTIONS FOR HEAD OF STAFF.        35
nac at Burgos; to General Bisson, who commands in Navarre;
and to the Duke of Montebello, in command before Saragossa.
While the Chief of the Staff is at Valladolid, he will send
every day to the Duke of Dalmatia an aide-de-camp, to be sent
back to himself as soon as there is anything important. At least
every other day these aides-de-camp will carry the despatches of
the Duke of Dalmatia to the Duke of Istria, and even to the
King, by way of Madrid, if anything should press.
While the Chief of the Staff is at Valladolid, he will send
to Paris in succession his aides-de-camp as they return from Gallicia; and after he has left Valladolid they will continue their
route towards Paris, having previously delivered the despatches
addressed to the Duke of Istria.
The Chief of the Staff will send nearly every day, and whenever it may be requisite, an aide-de-camp to Saragossa, in order
to enable the Duke of Montebello to send one to Paris whenever
it is necessary, and at least once in three days.  While the Chief
of the Staff is at Valladolid he will send every day to the Emperor one of his officiers d'ordonnance with the different reports.
The Chief of the Staff will leave Valladolid eight or ten days
after the Emperor, using his Majesty's relays. When this journey is over, all the relays of the Emperor will be collected at
Vittoria under the guard of the chasseurs, and of one half of the
gendarmerie d'6lite, which is to be placed there for that purpose.
The Grand-Marshal will furnish the Chief of the Staff with
a return of the orderly officers and the aides-de-camp. The
Chief of the Staff should begin sending to Saragossa to-morrow.
When the Chief of the Staff goes he will advise the Duke of
Istria to have a parade every day, as the Emperor used to do, to
examine the soldiers who pass, to let them rest, and then join
regularly their different corps.
[ 496.]           NAPOLEON TO BERTIIIER.
Valladolid, Jan. 15, 1809.
My Cousin,-Tell General Treilhard that you have shown to
me his letter of the 11th of January. It was absurd in him to
deliver the banditti to the civil authorities; he ought to have




36              SPAIN.-DEPUTATIONS TO JOSEPI-.         CHAP. XIl,
brought them before a court martial, and had them hanged. He
is right in asking for a battalion of infantry; he should not have
parted with the men belonging to the 128th.  I have ordered a
battalion of the 5th light infantry to join him.  Write to General
Darmagnac to express my displeasure at his having withdrawn
the 118th from Aranda before the battalion of the 5th arrived.
Order him to correspond twice a week with Marshal Bessieres at
Valladolid.  Write to General Bron to correspond in the same
way with Marshal Bessieres by Aranda; and write to General
Treilhard to the same effect.
I suppose that the 30 carriages belonging to the 6th battalion
were sent off to-day to the corps of Marshal Soult, and have
carried the clothing and shoes for that corps.
[ 497.]             NAPOLEON TO JOSEPH.
Valladolid, Jan. 16, 1509, 3 P.m.
My Brother,-I have received your letter of the 13th.  The
letter in which you ask me to send back 3 prisoners to Madrid
has not reached me.  You may employ Prince Masserano as you
please, provided you do not send him to Paris or to any foreign
power.  In Paris a safe man is necessary; and at the foreign
courts it is better to have no minister at all, unless you have one
on whom you can rely. I have sent to the Chief of the Staff
the papers relating to the Commandant of Vittoria; the
custom-house officers must not be permitted to stop the stores
intended for the army.* As yet I have not heard of the arrival
of one member of the deputation.t I suppose that it will arrive
in the course of the day; I shall receive it immediately.  I have
ordered all the towns whose population exceeds 2000 to send
deputations to Madrid, to present you with a record of those who
have taken the oath of allegiance. The more considerable towns
* Joseph complained that a system of smuggling was organised and
protected by the French officers under the pretext that the smuggled articles
were intended for the French army, and pointed out the commandant of Vittoria as engaged in it.-TR.
t A deputation from Madrid taking to Napoleon a list of the persons who
had sworn allegiance to Joseph. —TR.




JAN. 1809.     HOW MADRID IS TO BE TREATED.'             37
will send to you proportionably numerous deputations. These
deputations will include the bishops. Deputies will likewise be
sent to you from the chapters, and from all religious communities.
[ 498.]            NAPOLEON TO JOSEPH.
Valladolid. Jan. 16, 1809.
by Brother,-I have received your letter of the 14th. I
suppose that the deputation will arrive to-day, I shall receive it
immediately.  Your letters are dry, and tell nothing. I think
that you ought to have written to me when this deputation started,
and told me the names of its members. I sent you orderly
officers, and you sent me back three at once. It would have been
better to have sent them one after the other, twenty-four hours
apart; by this means I should not have been left sixty hours
without news, which made me for a moment fear that our correspondence had been interrupted by banditti. You must not write
to me that you have received such and such a letter of mine, and
that the orders contained in it have been executed; you must
repeat to me in detail the order, and state point by point its
execution.  I shall thus have at once before me the orders
which have been given, and the manner in which they have been
performed, and I can see whether they have been understood.
Miontesquiou must have reached you. You will receive immediately the instructions drawn up by the Chief of the Staff. I
hear from Gallicia that the Duke of Dalmatia continues to advance, and is constantly picking up some remains of the English.
There is no news from Saragossa; we must, however, receive
some before long. The place was invested on the 22nd; they
have therefore had nearly a month to prepare mines. Mining is a
very slow operation. The Staff of the engineers and artillery
started yesterday for Madrid; they take with them sappers and
miners and tools. The regiment of Aremberg, which is the 27th
chasseurs, will rest for a few days at Rio Seco, and afterwards
proceed to Madrid.  This regiment consists of 1000 men and
1000 horses; it is almost entirely composed of Belgians. The
court of Alcades at Madrid has acquitted, or only sentenced to




38               SPAIN.-INSTRUCTIONS FO)R          CIIAP. XI1.
imprisonment, thirty rascals whom Belliard arrested; a courtmartial must be appointed to try them over again and shoot the
guilty. Give orders immediately that the members of the Inquisition, and of the council of Castile who are detained in La
Porcelaine, be removed to Bayonne, as well as the hundred
wretches arrested by Befliard. Five-sixths of the population of
Madrid are well-disposed, but they require encouragement, and
that can only be done by protecting them against the populace.
Here they moved heaven and earth to obtain pardon for the condemned bandits.  I refused, I had them  hanged, and since then
I have found that in reality the very people who solicited were
glad that I did not listen to them. I think it essential that your
government, particularly at first starting, should show some
vigour against the mob. The mob loves and respects only those
whom it fears; and it is only by being feared by the mob that
you will acquire the love and esteem of the rest of the nation.
I send you duplicates of my two letters of yesterday, and of
several intercepted letters.
As soon as we have entered Salamanca desire all the letters
and packets to be sent to you. I have heard many reports of
the death of Florida Blanca,* which is supposed to account for
the letters of the body which calls itself a Junta being signed only
by a secretary. As soon as I am gone, and you have received
letters from the Chief of the Staff, I think that you would do
well to send one of your officers to Gallicia to be with the Duke
of Dalmatia, and report to you all that takes place. I do not
think that Marshal Victor ought to go too far from the Tagus.
You know that the way to Valencia is through Almanza, turning
to the right. Desire the works ordered on the heights above the
palace, on the right, to be immediately begun. They ought to
protect the palace, the guards' barracks, and indeed all the other
barracks; for good sense and experience show that the people of
Madrid will never behave well till they are properly held in
check. Order some 24-pounders and mortars to be placed in the
Retiro; this measure will make the inhabitants manageable and
* President of the Junta of Seville.




JAN. 1809.       THE TREATMENT OF MADRID.                39
docile, which will be an incalculable advantage to everybody.
There should be twelve 12-inch mortars in the Retiro, and as
many upon the heights above the palace. The capture of Saragossa will put many at your disposal; and, at any rate, you may
send for some to Gallicia. Every day will increase the numbers
of my cavalry; the roads are covered with detachments coming
from the dep6ts in France to reinforce them. You will receive
besides 4 regiments from Germany, 700 or 800 strong.
Above all, do not allow yourself to be in wantof money; if
necessary, raise loans from the towns, corporations, and provinces.
There is abundance of money in Spain; they would find plenty
if they wanted to revolt. If my presence became indispensable,
I think that I might return by the 30th of February, and that I
might even spend the months of March and April here. You
know that I hate living in towns. Desire Chamartin to be kept
for me, both the house in which I lived and that which is opposite; let persons be put in to take charge of them, that I may go
there immediately on my return.
[ 499.]           NAPOLEON TO JOSEPH.
Valladolid, Jan. 16,1809.
My Brother, —Carignan has just arrived with your letters of
the 11th and 13th, so that I received to-day first your letter of
the 14th, then that of the 13th, and lastly your letter of the 11th.
It seems that Carignan had a fall on the way. I have ordered
all the officers whom you ask me for to be sent back to you.
There is Pignatelli, who has done us much harm in the province
of Avila.*  Some conscripts have left France to enter your
guard. The deputation has arrived; I am to receive it in an
hour. I then intend to ride for nine hours in order to reach
Burgos by three in the morning. I have given orders to the
Chief of the Staff that all the men belonging to the regiments
of hussars and chasseurs who form part of the provisional regiments in Aragon, may, with their consent, on reaching Madrid,
* Charles Pignatelli was one of the Spanish officers whom Joseph wished
to be sent back to him.-Tn.




40             JOSEPH'S ENTRY INTO MADRID.          CHAP. XI1
be incorporated in your guard.  For instance, there are some of
the 1st and 2nd chasseurs, and of the 9th, 7th, and 8th hussars;
you may take all these detachments.  General Belliard ought to
have a list of them. I am going to order five mounted conscripts
to be taken from each of the different depots in France, and forwarded to Spain.  This will make 400 or 500.  However
numerous the Spaniards may be, you must march right on them
and resolutely. They cannot stand. You should use no manoeuvres or strategy, but go straight at them. Print immediately
the speeches made to you by the deputations, and the record of
the oaths taken, and, directly afterwards, make your entry into
Madrid.  I believe that I told you to keep for me the little villa
of Chamartin and the house opposite, just as I have left them, in
order that I may know where to go, if on some fine morning I
find myself again in Madrid.  I think that the best way of gov~erning Spain is to appoint a junta for each province, to be called
a royal junta, and to put a governor at its head. Captaingenerals must not be thought of; they would have neither influence nor authority. I am only speaking now of the first three
months..  I beg of you to write to me often and at length.
Everything that is printed, reports, returns of the army, everything that you send me, I shall be glad to receive.
P.S. The Chief of the Staff has this instant shown me
Marshal Jourdan's letters of the 14th.* The enemy must not
be suffered to establish himself at Madridejos. Marshal Victor
may move towards the right, as it is probable that the enemy will
retire upon Valencia.  Besides, the division of General Valence
would be sufficient. The siege of Saragossa seems to advance.
The Polish battery which was at Segovia must have reached
Madrid; send it to join its division at Toledo.  General Valence
ought to receive instructions to push forward strong parties beyond Madridejos, and to clear the whole country.
* These letters do not appear.-T.R.




JAXN. 1809.    SPAIN.-NAPOLEON'S DEPARTURE.              41
[500.]           NAPOLEON TO BERTHIER.
Valladolid, Jan. 16, 1809.
My Cousin,-Give orders to confiscate all prohibited goods
in Gallicia, especially those which came from England during the
rebellion.
[501.]            NAPOLEON TO JOSEPH.'Valladolid, Jan. 17, 1809, 6 P.M.
My Brother,-I received the deputation yesterday evening
at 9 o'clock. Put their addresses to me into the newspapers, and
make your entry into Madrid.  I desired the deputies to report
to you all that I said to them. The fog last night was so damp
and thick that I deferred my departure till this morning. It is
nearly 6 o'clock, and I am going to mount my horse. I leave
here my guard, my baggage, and my household. The news from
Gallicia is still that my troops continue to advance and pick up
remains of the British army.  If the enemy appears in any
direction within six or seven days' march from Madrid, do not
suffer it, fall upon him immediately. I reprimanded the alcades
for not condemning to death the wretches who were arrested.
They justified themselves not very intelligibly, by saying that they
required some sort of permission from the king. Everything
must be done to ensure a proper termination of these trials and
to make striking examples. Great robberies are committed towards Las Rosas: you cannot allow this so near Madrid. You
must send in pursuit of the criminals 2 or 3 columns of 50 men
each, and a detachment of cavalry. As the towns of Toro and
Saragossa were in arms when captured, I have levied a contribution of 500,000 francs upon one province, and 1,000,000 on the
other; this will help to pay the army. All colonial and British
goods have been confiscated in Gallicia. It is a general measure,
and has taken place at Leipzic, at Hamburgh, in short, everywhere. I have directed the regiment of Aremberg to rest for
five or six days at Rio Seco; it comes from the farther end of
Denmark; but my orders allow it to proceed to Madrid, if you
think that you will want it. I have left in my house plate to the




42                     NEW COINAGE.                CHAP. XII.
value of 1,000,000 francs, and in the Dominican convent about
150,000 francs' worth; I have ordered it to be converted into
specie, and it may be employed in paying the army, but it had
better receive your stamp; order a die to be prepared immediately, and 1,000,000 francs' worth of your coinage to be struck.
To save time, you may leave the piastre unchanged both in weight
and fineness, reserving to yourself the power of altering the...* at another time. If you thus circulate a coinage of your
own, I will send to Spain the pay of the troops in ingots.  Your
coinage will be increased,t and that always has a good political
effect.
[502.]            NAPOLEON TO BERTHIER.
Jan. 19, 1S09.
My Cousin,-I have desired the 10th marching battalion,
composed of conscripts whom I found at Irun, to proceed to St.
Sebastian, and to wait there for further orders.  I have ordered
the battalions of the 28th, 58th, and 32nd, 3000 men strong, to
proceed to Madrid by way of Aranda.  When they reach Madrid, the battalions are to be equalised, and a few old soldiers put
into the 4th. The companies have marched 180 strong, in order
that some part of them  may be spared.  I have ordered a
detachment of 400 men of the 32nd, and an equal number of
the 12th, to proceed to Madrid to be incorporated in the 4th battalion of the latter regiment.  If the cadres of the 5th battalions are there, send them back. An equal detachment of the
2nd and 4th light infantry is to join the Duke of Dalmatia.
Let them remain for a week at Valladolid, and then send them
by the shortest road whithersoever the Duke may be.
These are the changes to be made in the route.
Arrange these things so as to allow another day between
Bourdeaux and Bayonne; let them rest for two days at Bayonne;
take two days to go from Bayonne to Irun.  Let the troops rest
at Tolosa, Vittoria, and Burgos. Whenever a detachment is intended for Madrid, it should go thither straight by way of Aranda,
* Illegible. —ED.         f By coining them.-TR.




JAN. 1809.           ROUTE OF TROOPS.                  43
where it should halt; these detachments should consist of at least
400 men, and take three days between Burgos and Aranda. It is
essential to spare the detachments going to Madrid the great
detour by Valladolid.  For this purpose, a staff-officer should be
established at Burgos, where he will be better placed than at Valladolid. The route from Vittoria to Irun seemed to me to be
well arranged: not so that from Burgos to Vittoria. I remarked
that there were many both horse and foot soldiers in all the towns.
It would be well to send an adjutant to oblige every man to join
his regiment.
Let General Thouvenot know that I have sent to him another
battalion, and that he should occupy in force the post of Passage,
and let his conscripts be exercised twice a-day. This battalion,
added to the one he had before, will enable him to send back to
their regiments all the men who do not belong to him, but he
must be particularly careful that they want neither clothing nor
arms. He must apply to Kellermann for whatever is required.
You will order Kellermann to supply him.




44                REMITTANCE OF QUININE.           CHAP. XIIL
CHAPTER XIII.
THE letters in this chapter extend from the 24th of January
1809 to the 12th of April. During this time Napoleon was in
or near Paris, engaged first in the negotiations, and afterwards
in the preparations, which preceded the war with Austria of
1809.
E[503.]            NAPOLEON TO JOSEPH.
Paris, Jan. 24, 1S09.
My Brother,-I send you a letter from M. Champagny, containing some details concerning the affairs of Spain.  I arrived
here on the 23rd at 8 o'clock in the morning in excellent health.
All is going on well here.
[504.]             NAPOLEON TO JOSEPH.
Paris, Jan. 25, 1S09.
My Brother,-You mentioned having sent me a large cargo
of quinine. All that has arrived does not amount to more than
468 arrobas or 2450 lbs., gross weight. This is not the tenth
part of what you announced to me. Let me know if you have
sent some in other ways.
[C 505.]          NAPOLEON TO JOSEPH.
Paris, Jan. 27, 1809.
My IDrother, —I received your letter of the 15th at 11 o'clock
at night, and also one from Marshal Victor. I am waiting to
hear the consequences of the battle of Alcazar, and that he has
overtaken and dispersed the rest of the Duke of Infantado's




JAN. 1809.        FORMATION OF REGIMENTS.                45
army. The Emperor of Russia has written to you a letter
which M. de Romanzoff will send to you. MI. de Strogonoff has
received his letters of credit.* He has reached Vienna, and he
is coming to Paris, whence he will return to Madrid; you may
announce him in your newspapers. I have ordered a Spanish.regiment to be formed, and I have given the command of it to
General Kindelau. It is being assembled and trained at Nancy.
Send the prisoners to France; keep only those whom you can
trust. As a general rule it is best to form regiments in France,
which can be sent to you, but this need not interfere with your
forming those which I have already recommended.
My prompt arrival in Paris has already changed the tone of
Austria, and fear has succeeded to her arrogance and her extreme
confidence. The conscription continues to be levied with rapidity, and numerous detachments are marching towards Italy
and the Rhine.  Let Marshal Victor know that I have granted
the favours which he asked for General Villate, Colonel Meunier,
Chef-de-bataillon Reyeau, Colonel Mouton, Jamin4 Rouzi6, of
the engineers, Adjutant-commandant Ayme, the Chefs-d'escadron
Chateau (Auguste), Leroy (Franeois), Leroy-Duverger, &c. &c
Among the 12,000 balls found at Zamora with other ordnance,
of which I send you a list, there may be some 24-pound shot
which is wanted for the guns at Madrid. The four mortars are
also necessary for arming the fortifications of Madrid.
[ 506.]       NAPOLEON TO GENERAL DEJhAN.
Paris, Jan. 27, 1809.
M. Gen6ral Dejean,-The provisional adjutants who have
been appointed in Spain are poor creatures.  I think that it
is better not to send all the commissaries to Spain; there are
enough there. The rest must be kept for the armies of the
Rhine.
* To Joseph. He had been Russian Minister at the court of Charles IV
Joseph thought him friendly to the Bourbons.-TR.




46                    JOSEPH'S APANAGE.               CUAP. XIII.
C 507.]             NAPOLEON TO JOSEPH.
Paris, Jan. 28, 1809.
My Brother,-I have received your letters of the 15th and
16th. Pray number your letters in future; so the first which
you write to me after the receipt of this letter will be No. 3;
I have ordered the same thing to be done with my letters. We
may thus be sure that we have not lost any.
The suppression of your apanage was part of a general measure; remarks were made about it, and I did not choose it to
appear in the accounts: but you need not be in the least uneasy.*
[ 50.]            NAPOLEON TO BERTHIER.
Paris, Feb. 3, 1809.
My Cousin,-Draw up yourself a list of what will be required
by the 5th and 6th corps, the fortress of Burgos and that of
Valladolid, in order that the money may be sent thither straight
from  Bayorne.  It must not be sent first to Madrid, to be
brought back again to Saragossa, which might be difficult.
Order 200,000 rations of biscuit to be sent from Bayonne to
Pampeluna, and ask for exact returns of the state of the fortifications and provisions; if you have them, send them to me.
Desire the 4 mortars and other ordnance at Zamora to be forwarded to Madrid for the defence of the Retiro. Give this order
directly to Marshal Bessieres, and give notice of it to the king.
As to the castle of Zamora, it must be furnished with ammunition, a small garrison, and a commandant. This castle will serve
as a basis of operations, as 200 men are sufficient to defend it.
A convalescent hospital should be established within its walls for
Lapisse's division.
[509.]              NAPOLEON TO JOSEPH.
Paris, Feb. 6, 1809.
My Brother,-I have received your letters of the 24th and
25th. I wish the confiscated estates to be mine; to make sure
* Napoleon continued in fact to pay this pension of 1,500,000 fr. out of
his own privy purse to the Queen of Spain, who never quitted Paris.-ED.




FEB. 1809.        JOSEPH TOO INDULGENT.                   47
of the allegiance of the Spanish families it ought not to be in
your power to restore them.* I am sorry that you are changing
the system of government at Madrid, and becoming too indulgent.
Nothing could be worse than to allow the prisoners to remain
there and have intercourse with the people, and to take 3000 of
them for your regiments.  O'Farrill committed a great error
when he allowed the dispersion of the Spanish army. Do you
wish for a repetition of what took place at this time last year?
The prisoners ought to be sent to France. You may fill the
cadres of your regiments, putting safe' officers at their head, not
with prisoners, but with deserters, and with men who wish to
quit the insurgent army.  I am raising a regiment of prisoners
in France, composed chiefly of those who have been here for
some time. You must show some severity, and excite no false
or premature hopes; or the men whose arms you restore will
assassinate the French, and turn those arms against you on the
first hope of success. It is a pity that when the members of the
council of Castile were arrested they were not permitted to come
to France.  A residence of two or three years in France would
have changed their ideas, and they might have been turned into
useful citizens.
E 510.]            NAPOLEON TO JOSEPH.
Paris, Feb. 7, 1809.
My Brother,-I am waiting to speak to the Queen of her
departure, till I hear of the fall of Saragossa.  I wish Belliard
to retain the governorship of Madrid, and Fr6ville the management of affairs relating to the confiscated estates which I take
for myself. It is more important to destroy these ten families
than to get rid of the Bourbons. My aide-de-camp Lacoste was
killed on the 1st of February before Saragossa.  We were masters of part of the town.
According to the rules of war, the movement on Merida should
not be unmasked until the Duke of Dalmatia reaches Oporto,
and he cannot be there before the end of the month.
* Joseph wished to keep for himself the houses and furniture of the ten
families whom Napoleon had selected for confiscation. —TR.




48         CORUNNA AND FERPOL TO BE DISARMED.    CHAP. XIIL
You ought not to allow the enemy to establish himself either
at Cuenqa, or in the plain of the Manzanares. Keep Sebastiani's
division at Madrid, and provide in every way for their comfort.
They are your best troops in an emergency. If I had money I
would willingly send you some; but my expenses are enormous.
My cavalry amounts to more than 100,000. The new conscription which I am levying costs me an immense sum.
[ 511.]            NAPOLEON TO JOSEPH.
Paris, Feb. 17, 1809.
My Brother,-I have received your letters.  Marshal Ney
has more troops than are wanted for Gallicia; his notions are
absurd: when he wants 3000 men for Corunna and 4000 for
Ferrol, he requires what is impracticable. Give strict orders for
the complete disarming of these two towns. Subdue them by
making examples of the worst characters. Construct an intrenchment or species of citadel in which the French garrison may take
refuge and hold the town. Never think of weakening your main
force by keeping up garrisons.
[512.]             BERTHIER TO NEY.
Feb. 18, 1809.
I have laid before the Emperor, M. le Due, your letters of
the 29th and 30th of January. His Majesty does not approve
the plan of placing a garrison of 3000 men in Corunna or in
Ferrol.
This is the Emperor's view of your position:Gallicia is a peninsula with more than 100 leagues of coast.
If you cannot guard the whole, you can overlook the whole; if
you cannot occupy the batteries which keep off the English, you
can require the inhabitants to man them.  By making expeditions with moveable columns you can punish any misbehaviour.
As a general rule, you should have many troops in motion
and few stationary.  In order to follow out the Emperor's plans,
the first thing to do is to choose a centre of operations, which
ought to be on the road between Ferrol and Astorga. You




FiB, 1809.         INSTRUCTIONS TO NEY.                49
should select a small town, protected by its situation from a coupde-main; such, for instance, as Lugo. You should collect there
your magazines, your hospitals, both for the sick and for the convalescent, your park of artillery, and your means of transport,
so that the columns which you keep watching the coast may be
able to unite at Lugo without losing a man, a hospital, or even a
waggon. Thus, if even the whole province were in insurrection,
you need lose nothing, all your resources being collected in your
depot, the centre of your operations. You will take care to keep
there well-provided magazines and a reserve of 200,000 rations
of biscuit. This being done, you may garrison Ferrol with a
regiment of infantry, two squadrons and four guns, commanded
by a brigadier-general. In Corunna you may place one battalion, one squadron, and two guns. You will place at Betanzos a
brigadier-general, the two other battalions, and 100 horse with
two guns, which will render safe the communication with your
general dep6t. The two points of Ferrol and Corunna will thus
be occupied. You will order the commandants of these places
each to raise a redoubt, where, under unforeseen circumstances,
they may defend themselves until you come to their assistance.
Ferrol and Corunna will thus be advanced posts: in neither of
them ought more than 100 sick to be left; all above this number
should be sent to the general depot. Their garrisons should
always be ready to retire to the general depot on twenty-four
hours' notice.
The moveable column, consisting of a regiment of infantry,
a few hundred horse, and two guns, may be charged with watching Vigo and Tuy, and should be ordered to be stationary nowhere,
but to present itself frequently at the important points of the
coast to make examples. The commander of this column will
avoid having any incumbrances by sending them all to the general depot: its action may extend even as far as Santiago.  You
will thus, M. le Martchal, find yourself at the head of six
regiments of infantry, collected in your central point of operations for the purpose of marching wherever it may be expedient,
and even to assist the Duke of Dalmatia if extraordinary unforeseen circumstances should make it necessary.
VOL. II.-3.




50                 INSTRUCTIONS TO NEY             CHAP. XIII.
Your first operation, M. le Due, is to select your central
point of operations where your magazines, parks, hospitals, and
means of transport are to be collected.
Your second is to disarm  the inhabitants of Ferrol and
Corunna, taking especial care to seize their fire-arms, to arrest
the most disaffected, and to send to Valladolid thirty hostages;
you may then leave the duties of police to the Spanish authorities.
Your third business is to reduce to submission all who are in
arms towards Orensa.
Lastly, your fourth object ought to be to make use of March
and April, when nothing is to be feared on the coast of Gallicia,
to subdue the Asturias.
The marching battalions belonging to your corps will hold
Benevento, Astorga, and Villa Franca, will rest there, and be
relieved successively by the new-comers.
Such, M. le Duc, is the manner in which you should conduct
your operations. Look for no reinforcements; think it more
probable that one of your divisions may be called away. Organize the province and make examples; severe and well-chosen
examples do more than garrisons. Lastly, until the Duke of
Dalmatia is in Lisbon, and in communication with Madrid, watch
what happens to him and support him.
[ 513.]            JOSEPH TO NAPOLEON.
Feb. 19, 1809.
Sire,-It grieves me to infer from your letter of the 6th of
February that, with respect to the affairs at Madrid, you listen
to persons who are interested in deceiving you. I have not your
entire confidence, and yet without it my position is not tenable.
I shall not repeat all that I have frequently written on the state
of the finances. I devote to business all my faculties from 7 in the
morning till 11 at night. I have not a farthing to give to anybody. I am in the fourth year of my reign, and my guards are
still wearing the coats which I gave to them four years ago. All
complaints are addressed to me; all prejudices are opposed to
me. I have no real power beyond Madrid, and even at Madrid
I am every day counteracted by people who grieve that things




FEB. 1809.    JOSEPH'S COMPLAINTS OF IS POSITION.      51
are not managed according to their own system. They accuse
me of being too mild; they would become infamous if I were
more severe and left them to the judgment of the tribunals.
You thought proper to sequester the property of ten families;
more than twice that number have been thus treated. Officers
are in possession of every habitable house; 2000 servants belonging to the sequestered families have been turned into the streets.
All beg; the boldest try to rob and to assassinate my officers. All
those who with me sacrificed their positions in the kingdom of
Naples are still billeted on the inhabitants. Without any capital,
without any revenue, without any money, what can I do? This
picture, dark as it is, is not exaggerated. I am not dismayed; I
shall surmount these difficulties. Heaven has given to me qualities which will enable me to triumph over obstacles and enemies,
but what Heaven has not given to me is a temper capable of
bearing the opposition and the insults of those who ought to
serve me, and, above all, a temper capable of enduring the displeasure of one whom I have too much loved to be able ever to
hate him.
If, then, Sire, my whole life does not entitle me to your
perfect confidence; if you think it necessary to surround me by
poor creatures who make me blush for myself; if I must be
insulted even in my own capital; if I am denied the right of
naming the governors and the commanders who are always before
me, and make me contemptible to the Spaniards and powerless to
do good; if, instead of judging me by results, you put me on my
trial in every detail-under such circumstances, Sire, I have no
alternative. I am King of Spain only through the force of your
arms; I might be so through the love of the Spanish people, but
for that purpose I must govern them in my own way. I have
often heard you say, every animal has its instinct and ought to
follow it. I will be such a king as the brother and the friend of
your Majesty ought to be, or I will return to Mortefontaine,
where I ask for no happiness but to live without humiliation and
to die with a good conscience.
Only a fool remains long in a false position. In forty years




52          JOSEPH'S COMPLAINTS OF LIS POSITION.   CHAP. XIII.
of life I have learnt only what I knew almost the beginning, that
all is vanity except a good conscience and self-esteem.
A Spaniard has let me know that he has been ordered to give
to Marshal Duroc, day by day, an exact account of all that I do.
I am complained of for having allowed five councillors of Castile
to return, while fifteen more were free. Why did I do so? Because advantage had been taken of their absence to pillage their
houses. Sire, my misery is as much as I can bear; what I
deserve and what I expect from you is consolation and encouragement; without them the burthen becomes intolerable: I must
slip from under it before it crushes me.
If there is on earth a man whom you esteem or love more
than you do me, I ought not to be King of Spain, and my happiness requires me to cease to be so.
I write to you my whole thoughts, for I will not deceive you
or myself.
I do not choose to have an advocate with you; as soon as that
becomes necessary I retire. During my whole life I shall be
your best, perhaps your only, friend. I will not remain King of
Spain unless you can think this of me. Many illusions have left
me; I cling a little to that of your friendship; necessary as it is
to' my happiness, I ought not to continue to risk losing it by
playing the part of a dupe.
[514.]             NAPOLEON TO JOSEPH.
Paris, Feb. 20, 1809.
My Brother,-I have received all your letters.  I believe
that Roederer has asked the senate for leave of absence in order
to join you. I am most anxious to hear that the country between
Badajoz and the Tagus has been conquered, and that your king
dom is tranquil.
[ 515.]            NAPOLEON TO JOSEPH.
Paris, Feb. 21, 1809.
My Brother,-The chief of the staff has sent to you his military instructions. I am sorry to see that you have dismissed the
chief commissioner of police from Madrid. I had already sent




FEB. 1809.  COMPLAINTS OF JOSEPH'S PROCEEDINGS.          53
one to Lisbon. You astonished me by giving as a reason that the
constitution forbids you to retain him.* Tell me whether it is
forbidden by the constitution that the King of Spain should be
at the head of 300,000 French troops, that the garrison of
Madrid should be French, that the governor of Madrid should
be a Frenchman?  Does the constitution say that the houses in
Saragossa are to be blown up one after the other? It must be
owned that these views are narrow and pitiful. You must not
give way to temper and to petty passions; your views should be
calm and suitable to your position. The regiment which was
formed at Leon has deserted with its arms and baggage; t the
other regiments will do the same. Assassinations already take
place in the streets of Madrid; if a commissioner of police were
established. at Madrid on the French system this would not
happen. You will not be able to govern Spain without vigour
and energy. Your pretensions to indulgence and clemency will
do no good; you will be applauded as long as my armies are
victorious, you will be abandoned when they are beaten. Some
of the members of the council of Castile whom you set at liberty
have rejoined the rebels. Considering the time that you have been
in Spain and the events which you have seen, you ought to understand the Spanish nation. As for police, employ people who
will be of use, whoever they may be, and accustom yourself to
consider your mere royal authority as worth very little.
[ 516.]            NAPOLEON TO JOSEPH.
Paris, Feb. 27, 1809.
My Brother,-I have received your letter of the 17th of
February in answer to my letter No. 2,$ of which you think that
you have a right to complain, as well as of the advice given to
the commander-in-chief of my armies in Spain. My letter does
not justify or even account for many passages in yours. I think
* Joseph had sent away from Madrid to Lisbon a M. Lagarde, sent to him
by Fouche as head of the police.-TR.
t It was formed by the Emperor's orders.-ED.
$ The letter of the 6th February.-TR.




54          REINFORCEMENTS SENT TO SARAGOSSA.    CIAP. XIII.
that if you were to read it over again calmly you would share
my opinion. I earnestly hope that events may not oblige you
some day to acknowledge that there were many things in my letter
requiring consideration.
r 517.]            NAPOLEON TO JOSEPH.
Paris, March 4, 1S09.
My Brother,-I have received your letter of the 22nd of
February. You were wrong in sending reinforcements to Saragossa, there were quite enough troops there already; sappers and
miners were more wanted.  Generals are always making fresh
demands-it is in the nature of things: there is not one who can
be trusted in that respect. It is natural that a man who has
only one duty to perform should think only of that; the more
troops he has, the more he ensures success. It is a great mistake
to consider their requests when they cannot be granted.
[ 518.]            NAPOLEON TO JOSEPH.
Paris, March 6, 1809.
My Brother, —I have received your letter of the 25th. Why
does not Marshal Ney carry the Asturias? What is the use of
his lining the coast? If the country is not impracticable on
account of the snow, he ought by this time to have conquered it.
[519.]            NAPOLEON TO BERTHIER.
Paris, March 9, 1809.
My Cousin,-Order the portion of my guard which is left at
Valladolid, namely, the infantry, cavalry, and artillery, to proceed
to Vittoria, where it will receive further directions: so that not
one man belonging to my guard may be on the other side of Vittoria. Give the same orders with respect to my horses, and
everything belonging to my stables which may be still at Valladolid.




MiB. 1809.          FALL OF SARAGOSSA.                   55
[ 520.]            NAPOLEON TO DEJEAN.
Paris, March 9, 1809.
M. le General D6jean, —I send you back your return, that
you may make in it the changes necessary in consequence of two
decrees which I have issued this week ordering the incorporation
of the provisional regiments which are in Spain into different
corps, and the men and horses to be struck off the lists of their
former regiments. By one of these decrees several detachments
from the depots in Spain are to be sent to the armies of the
Rhine. I have decided on making the infantry return from the
depot of Niort to their respective depots. It is useless to send
horses to Spain. Considering our present circumstances, there is
too much cavalry in Spain. This measure will reduce the
expenses.
[ 521.]           NAPOLEON TO JOSEPH.
Rambouillet, March 11, 1809.
My Brother,-I have read an article in the'Gazette de
Madrid,' giving an account of the fall of Saragossa. The defenders of the town are covered with praise; of course in order to
encourage those of Valencia and Seville.  This is indeed strange
policy. There cannot be one Frenchman who has not the most
thorough contempt for the defenders of Saragossa. Those who
make such blunders are more dangerous to our cause than the
rebels.  I do not think that O'Farill had any bad intentions,
but this is his second offence of the kind.
In one of his proclamations he has most improperly alluded
to Saguntum.
[ 522.]            NAPOLEON TO JOSEPH.
Rambouillet, March 13, 1809.
My Brother,-I have received your letter of the 2nd of
March. I am impatiently waiting to hear that the Duke of
Belluna has swept all before him, and that he is marching upon
Andalusia. Everything here is warlike, and my armies are being
assembled and prepared in Germany.




56            ORDERS TO JOURDAN AND DA]JEAN.       CHAP. XII
[ 523.]          NAPOLEON TO BERTHIER.
Rambouillet, March 14,1809.
My Cousin,-Order the three companies belonging to the
principal battalion of artillery-drivers of my guard which were
at Saragossa to start for Paris twelve hours after they receive
your order.  They will transfer their horses to the other battalions if wanted, if not they will bring them with them. Desire
these troops to make as much haste as possible.
Order the sixteen waggons containing tools at Saragossa, and
a company of sappers and miners, to be sent without delay to
Bourdeaux, where they will receive further orders.
[ 524.]            NAPOLEON TO BERTHIER.
Rambouillet, March 14, 1809.
My Cousin, —Write to the general in command of the artillery
of the army of Spain, and to the general in command at Saragossa, and desire them to arm and fortify the citadel, to place
anortars upon it, and to let the park of artillery be put under its
protection. When you send me Marshal Jourdan's correspondence, let an abstract be made of it, in order that, in the midst of
my various occupations, I may see what is important. Send me
a summary of what you have written to Saragossa. Repeat the
order for all the dismounted men in the cavalry depots of Aranda,
Madrid, Palencia, Pampeluna, &c., to proceed to Bayonne. Ask
Marshal Jourdan for a return of the army of Spain on the 15th
of March. I get no returns from that army, and I do not know
in what state it is. Write to General Kellermann for a list of
the troops in the depot of Bayonne.
[ 525.]            NAPOLEON TO JOSEPH.
Paris, March 16,1809.
My Brother,-I have received your letter of the 7th March.
I cannot imagine how the pay should be in arrear. I have large
funds at Bayonne; how is it that the paymaster-general does not
remit? He must be a fool.
I am giving orders. Everything is warlike: Russia is on




MAI. 1809.        INSTRUCTIONS TO JOSEPH.                57
my side against England, Spuin (as it is called), Austria, and
Turkey.
[ 526.]            NAPOLEON TO DEJEAN.
Paris, March 17, 1809.
M. D6jean,-No Spanish prisoners must be kept at Bayonne
or Bourdeaux. Order all those who are there to be forwarded to
Saintes and Angouleme. Take measures to prevent any Spanish
prisoners from passing through Bourdeaux.
[ 527.]          NAPOLEON TO BERTHIER.
I aris, March 17, 1809.
My Cousin,-Write to Marshal Jourdan and to the Duc de
Valmy, and to the different general officers, that they are in
future to correspond with the minister of war, as you are appointed head of the staff of the army of Germany. Repeat the
order that all the men at Santander and Bilbao, belonging to the
1st and 2nd provisional regiments at Bayonne, join their respective
corps.
[528.]             NAPOLEON TO JOSEPH.
Malmaison, March 21, 1809.
My Brother, —I have received your letter of the 11th March.
All that is taking place in Gallicia is in consequence of the Duke
of Elchingen's error in establishing his head-quarters at Corunna
instead of a more central position, at Lugo for instance, or even
still nearer to the frontier. Corunna and Ferrol ought to have
been occupied only by heads of columns. I presume that as
soon as the Duke of Belluno has commenced his measures you
will support him with all your available troops. You have at
Madrid the division of Sebastiani, of Dessolles, and the Poles.
You must take care that the Duke of Belluno has his three divisions and that of General Leval quite complete. He will want
much cavalry in Andalusia, especially as the enemy will have
very little; for though the English may have some infantry, they
cannot have an? cavalry. All my troops are in Germany. The




58               THE GUARD TO GO TO PARIS.        CzAP. XIII,
Duke of Auerstadt is at Wtirzburg with the army of the Rhine;
the Prince of Ponte Corvo is at Dresden; the Duke of Rivoli is
at Ulm with the army of observation of the Rhine; General
Oudinot is with his corps upon the Lech; the Bavarians occupy
the Inn; my army of Italy is assembled on the Tagliamento. An
inconceivable warlike fury has seized Austria; she has taken
subsidies from England; but in the middle of these warlike
preparations our two cabinets continue to communicate amicably.
One would think us the best friends in the world. Russia supports me in every way. The court of Vienna has no voice in the
matter, and, like the court of Aranjuez, is carried away by a faction stronger than itself. My carriages are gone, but I am not yet
quite determined upon starting myself. I have been forced to
furnish a fresh supply of artillery carriages and military transports, and to remount part of my cavalry, to make up for the
deficit caused by the affairs of Spain. All this throws me into
enormous expenses. Push on your operations with vigour, for the
hot weather will soon set in. The fortifications of Madrid ought
soon to be ready; therefore, should the worst happen, 2000 men
will soon be in perfect security within them.
[ 529.]            ORDERS OF NAPOLEON.
March 24, 1809.
M. le G6neral Clarke, —All the infantry of my guard, coming
from Spain, is to travel post to Paris. It is composed of three
parties,-one of 1000 chasseurs and grenadiers, who are to reach
Poitiers to-morrow; a second of two regiments of fusiliers and
the remainder of the grenadiers and chasseurs, altogether 5000
men, who ought already to have arrived at Bayonne; a third of
three battalions belonging to the rear-guard of the chasseurs,
grenadiers, and fusiliers, in the whole 1200 men, who will reach
Bayonne in a few days.
Desire General Walther to send an officer of my guard to
superintend the execution of this order. Let the troops make
three days' march every day, and reach Paris as soon as possible.
Order the cavalry, the artillery, and other detachments of the




MABcH, 1809.       THE'COURIER ESPAGNOL.                   59
guard, to hasten their march from Bourdeaux to Paris without
too much tiring their horses. I trust this to the superior officers.
Order the surgeons belonging to my guard to travel hither
by post.
[ 530.]             NAPOLEON TO JOSEPH.
Paris, March 25, 1809.
My Brother,-War appears imminent; I have sent off my
carriages. One of my couriers has been stopped by the Austrian
police at Braunau.  I wish to have General Lasalle.  Generals
of cavalry in Spain do not require much experience. Put whomsoever you like in his place, and send him to me without delay.
[ 531.]             NAPOLEON TO JOSEPH.
Paris, March 27, 1809.
My Brother,-I cannot understand what you mean about
M. Frbville's correspondence.*  You imagine me to be much
more occupied with that subject than I really am. I take for
myself the estates of twelve proscribed families, and I have no
other pretensions. I read to-day five numbers of a newspaper
called the' Courier Espagnol,' written in French; I do not know
what purpose it is intended to serve. If it is to act upon the
army, ought I not to have known who the editor was, and how
far he could be trusted?  If it is intended to influence France
and Europe, that matter might have been very well left to me, at
least as far as France is concerned. This paper indulges in
literary discussions on Paris, and is the Don Quixote of Spain
against France. If it were written in Spanish, and for the
Spaniards, this would be only absurd; but in French it is also
improper. France, engaged as she is in so cruel a war in Spain,
ought at least to hope to regenerate and liberalize that country.
They must be ill disposed who, at such a time as this, publish in
French that Spain was well governed under Charles III., and
* Joseph had complained that M. de Freville, who managed for the
Emperor the estates confiscated from certain Spanish families, corresponded
directly with the Emperor and disobeyed Joseph. —Tr.




60               THE'COURIER ESPAGNOL.'          CHAP. XIIL
give a pompous eulogy of a man like Jovellanos, who is unknown
in Europe, and who is our bitter, unrelenting enemy. This newspaper must be suppressed, or published in Spanish. I have
ordered all copies of it to be stopped. The Minister of War is
writing to you about your military operations, which appear to
me to be very feeble. You must re-establish at any price your
communications with the Duke of Elchingen and with the Duke
of Dalmatia. It seems that a month has elapsed since letters
have been received from the Duke of Elchingen, and that La
Romana has been permitted to place himself between Gallicia
and the Castiles. If this should continue, the affairs of Spain
will get rapidly worse. Those operations must be conducted with
great care and activity. The Prince of Neufchatel is just starting. I am assured on all sides that Austria will attack Bavaria
in a few days.: 532.]            ORDERS OF NAPOLEON.
March 27, 1809.
M. ]e G6n6ral Clarke,-Some intriguers are publishing at
Madrid a newspaper in French, called the c Courier Espagnol,'
which may have the worst effect. Write to Marshal Jourdan
that no French paper is to be allowed in Spain, and that this one
is to be suppressed. I do not intend any French paper to be
circulated where I have troops, unless it is published by my
orders. Besides, do not the French receive newspapers from
France? As for the Spaniards, they should be addressed in
their own language. Your letter on this subject should be a
positive order.
[533.]            ORDERS OF INAPOLEON.
March 28, 1809.
M. le General Clarke,-Write to General Kellermann, who
is in command at Valladolid, that I am sorry to see that the
hospitals in Biscay and in Old Castile are in need of necessary
articles; that it is his duty to furnish them with mattresses,




Apmn, 1809.       INSTRUCTIONS TO JOSEPH.              61
blankets, sheets, &c., and to take care that his requisitions are
obeyed in the country.
Give the same orders to the commandants of Pampeluna,
St. Sebastian, Burgos, Vittoria, Bilbao, and Santander, and
stimulate their zeal in this respect.
[534.]            ORDERS OF NAPOLEON.
March 31, 1809.
M. le G6n6ral Clarke,-Order the Duke of Valmy to place a
column on the borders of Aragon, towards....* to keep up
the communication with Jaca. You will let him know that I
order Adjutant-commandant Lomet to collect his moveable column
in that fort; that it is to be victualled; that a company of
artillery of the line and two engineer officers are to be placed
there; and that it is to be made capable of keeping the communication open between Saragossa and France.
You will order the general who commands in Aragon to
place 1000 men in Jaca, under Adjutant-commandant Lomet,
with a company of artillery, two engineer officers, a superior officer
of artillery, and a commissariat officer; to victual the place for
six months, in order to keep the valley quiet, and to maintain the
communication direct and uninterrupted between Pau and Saragossa. Desire the commandant of Aragon to open a shorter
communication by that road.
[ 535.]           NAPOLEON TO JOSEPH.
Paris, April 2, 1809.
My Brother,-Things are going on very ill in Spain. How
is it possible that you should be so long without news of the
Duke of Elchingen, and that, in spite of La Romana's manceuvres
between Gallicia and Castile, combined with the insurrection of
the Asturias, you should march the division of Lapisse upon the
south, instead of employing it in the north? I cannot understand all this, and I foresee nothing but misfortunes. The north
will again rise, and the losses which I shall sustain in quelling
* Illegible.-ED.




62                INSTRUCTIONS TO JUNOT.          CRAP. XIII
these partial insurrections will be,quivalent to a great defeat.
You are deceived by false reports and by hopes of La Romana's
submission. During this time the fragments of his army are
re-organizing themselves, and for the last month they have been
left to do so without interruption. In Spain the north is allimportant. The first thing, therefore, to be done is to re-establish
communications with the Duke of Elchingen.
[536.]            ORDERS OF NAPOLEON.
April 5, 1809.
M. le G6neral Clarke, —Order General Suchet to repair to
Saragossa and to take the command of the 3rd corps. The Duke
of Abrantes is to return as soon as he is replaced by General
Suchet.
[537.]            ORDERS OF NAPOLEON.
April 5, 1809.
M. le G6neral Clarke,-Write to the Duke of Abrantis
that before he leaves Aragon he is to settle three important
points:1. To fix, in concert with the commanding officer of engineers,
upon a plan for a fortress at Tudela, and for a redoubt upon the
heights, with detached lines to keep up the communication with
the river. These works are to be for the present of earth, but to
be capable of being faced with stone, so as to become a good
fortress.
2. To make the castle of Saragossa capable of sustaining a
siege, and to place in it six mortars commanding the town.
3. To let all the artillery return to France.
It is necessary that there should be a colonel of engineers at
Saragossa to superintend and keep up the fortifications of Jaca,
and the details of those of Tudela and of the citadel of Burgos.There must be another at Burgos to superintend the details of
the fortifications at Burgos and Miranda, and of everything
relating to Passage and to St. Sebastian.
Desire the works which I have ordered at Miranda to be




APBr, 1809.      PREPARATIONS OF AUSTRIA.                63
begun without delay, and those at Burgos to be carried on with
the utmost diligence.
Attend from time to time to the correspondence relating to
the fortifications of Tudela, Miranda, Burgos, and the fortress of
Jaca. It is necessary that Jaca should re-establish quickly, and
keep up, the communication with France by way of Pau.
[538.]             NAPOLEON TO JOSEPH.
Paris, April 10, 1809.
My Brother,-I have received your letters of the 2nd, containing the news of Marshal Victor's victory: two days before,
I received the news of General Sebastiani's success. The Minister
of War sends you word of all that passes in Catalonia. It seems
that the want of provisions made General St. Cyr think that he
ought to draw nearer to Barcelona. The King of Sweden has
been beaten. The Duke of Sudermania has written to ask me
for peace; he is regent of the kingdom. Austria is hastening
her movements. I have reason to think that she will make an
attack on the 15th. To-morrow, or the day after, I shall start
for the army. Do not engage the enemy imprudently, and, above
all, prevent La Romana from stirring up the north. The position
of Lapisse's division seems to fit it for this operation. I want
cavalry generals. General Lasalle has been ordered to return:
I do not know why he has not been sent. There are four times
as many cavalry generals in Spain as there ought to be, and
Spain is the country which requires them least, as cavalry cannot
manoeuvre there. I do not know how General Junot can march
upon Valencia, unless the 5th corps be sent thither; * however,
I have sent for it to Biscay, that it may be directed either
on the north or on France, according to circumstances. Th6
Asturias and Gallicia will at last play you a trick if you neglect
them.
* Joseph had proposed that Marshal Junot should marcn on Valence.
-TR.




64                THE ENGLISH IN LISBON.           CRiAP. XIII
[539.]            NAPOLEON TO JOSEPH.
Paris, April 12, 1509.
My Brother,-It seems that the English have not been able
to enter Cadiz, and that since the 15th of March they have
occupied Lisbon with between 10,000 and 12,000 men. It is,
therefore, of great importance to know what has happened, or is
likely to happen, in that quarter.




JuI. 1809.          CAMPAIGNS OF 1809.                65
CHAPTER XIV.
THE letters in this chapter extend from the 12th of June to the
10th of October, 1809.
During the two months which separate the first order in this
chapter from the last letter in the previous chapter, Napoleon
had entered Ratisbon after a succession of battles which lasted
-five days, and ended on the 23d of April.  He had entered
Vienna on the 13th of May, had fought on the 21st and the 22nd
of May the undecided battle of Aspern, and he was now in the
Imperial palace of Schonbrunn, master of Vienna, and preparing
for the battle of Wagram.
In the mean time Sir Arthur Wellesley, having landed at
Lisbon on the 22nd of April, had marched with the English and
Portuguese army against Marshal Soult, then occupying Oporto,
had surprised him on the 12th of May, and driven him out of
Portugal, and was advancing towards Talavera. At the date of
this first order Napoleon was not acquainted with Soult's surprise
and retreat, nor of his bitter quarrel with Ney, which made it
peculiarly imprudent to place Ney under Soult's command. To
this order, and to the jealousies which it excited among the
French authorities in Spain, the French historians attribute the
ultimate defeat and expulsion of Joseph.
The battle of Wagram, fought on the 5th and 6th of July,
1809, was the last of Napoleon's great military triumphs, as the
peace of Vienna, signed on the 14th of October, 1809, was the
last of his diplomatic triumphs. During the three months in
which the letters contained in this chapter were written, the




66                SOULT COMMANDER-IN-CHIEF.           Coiu. XIV.
greatness and the power of the empire rose to their highest point,
but the vast edifice already gave signs of weakness. Among the
most striking were the surprise of Oporto and the battle of
Talavera, which showed that an English army and an English
general could be formidable on the Continent.
[ 540.]             ORDERS OF NAPOLEON.
June 12, 1809.
M. le Gen6ral Clarke,-You will send a staff officer to Spain
to order the corps of the Duke of Elchingen, of the Duke of
Treviso, and of the Duke of Dalmatia, to be formed into one
army, under the command of the Duke of Dalmatia. These
three corps are to manoeuvre together, march upon the English,
pursue them without stopping, rout them, and drive them into
the sea.
Putting aside every other consideration, I give the command
to the Duke of Dalmatia, as senior officer. These three corps
ought altogether to consist of from 50,000 to 60,000 men.
If this junction takes place quickly, the English will be destroyed, and the affairs of Spain brought to a close; but it is
necessary to concentrate and not to march in small bodies.  This
is a general principle in all countries, but above all in a country
without the means of communication. I cannot point out the
place of junction, as I am not acquainted with the events which
have occurred.
Despatch this order to the King, to the Duke of Dalmatia,
and to the other marshals, by four different channels.*
* This unlucky order was sent from Germany by the Emperor at the very
minute when the conduct of Marshal Soult at Oporto, and his failure in the
agreement made with the Duke of Elchingen at Lugo, rendered its execution
impossible. How could it be hoped that the two marshals, Ney and Mortier,
would obey a colleague who, by his obstinacy in remaining at Oporto, had
just compromised the fate of the Peninsula? Further on it will be seen what
mischief this measure, on which Napoleon depended, did to the affairs of
Spain.-ED.




JULY, 1809.          ORDERS FOR THE EAST.                   67
541.]               NAPOLEON TO CLARKE.
Schonbrunn, June 21,1809.
M. le General Clarke,-I have received your letter, with
the Spanish correspondence. You must write word to the
King that the north is the first object; that if Saragossa is carried and he loses Aragon, he will find himself in a most unpleasant position.  How is it that nothing is attempted from Madrid?
You must write to General S6narmont that the demands made
by the artillery are all absurd; that I see by his return that he
has 6000 horses, and that he can at any rate replace them with
mules of the country.
[542.]             NAPOLEON TO THE MINISTER.
Schonbrunn, July 18, 1809.
It is of great importance that the Duke of Castiglione should
advance beyond Barcelona, and put himself into communication
with Aragon, which will cover Aragon and Madrid on that side.
Tell the King that, if the English should land in Spain, he is not
to engage them till all his forces are assembled.* He has the
1st and 4th corps with the garrison of Madrid, which makes more
than 50,000 men; the 2nd, 5th, and 6th corps form altogether
about 60,000. The English know all this and will not run such
a risk..... t  Send some one to visit the fortress of Burgos
to ascertain in what state it is.  The fortress of the Inquisition, $
and that of Tudela, are equally important.
C 543.]            NAPOLEON TO THE MINISTER.
Schtnbrunn, July 18, 1809.
The Duke of Castiglione and General Suchet must be informed that immediately after Girona is taken I wish Hostalrich
to be attempted, in order to secure the communication with Bayonne, and to commence the siege of Lerida. Half the artillery
for the siege is to be furnished by Barcelona, and half by Sara* The battle of Talavera showed the wisdom of this advice.-TR.
t Illegible.-ED.
$ At Saragossa.-TR.




68                 ORDERS FOR THE EAST.           CHAP. XIY.
gossa, and the two armies will join in this important operation.
The abundant provisions with which I have supplied Barcelona,
this year's harvest, and the plenty which exists generally in
Aragon, ought to render its accomplishment easy. Order the
works of the fortress of the Inquisition at Saragossa, and those of
the fortress of Tudela, to be gone on with. It seems possible to
besiege Lerida and Hostalrich simultaneously. Transmit these
orders to the King, to the Duke of Castiglione, and to General
Suchet, by two different officers.  Ask General Suchet what
troops he can furnish to invest Lerida on the Aragon side, while
on the other side it is invested by the 7th corps, and while he occupies a position in front to hold the enemy in check towards
Valencia, and to protect the siege.
r 544.]             ORDERS OF NAPOLEON.
Schbnbrunn, July 29, 1809.
M. le General Clarke,-General St. Cyr must not leave the
army till he is replaced by the Duke of Castiglione.
Write word to Spain that no attack is to be made on Portugal during the month of August (it is much too hot there), but
that they are to prepare to make this expedition in February.
Ask the King and the Duke of Dalmatia for a report on the
opening of the campaign in the month of September. Before
that period there will be time enough for them to receive my
orders.
If, however, General St. Cyr is so ill as to be obliged to
leave the army, he must first re-establish the communication with
Barcelona, and he will leave General Duhesme in command of his
troops.
[ 545.]             ORDERS OF NAPOLEON.
Schonbrunn, Aug. 7, 1809.
M. le G6neral Clarke, —You send me no news from Spain.
I learn by a letter from the King, 6f the 25th July, that
General Wellesley has arrived at Talavera de la Reyna with
25,000 English, and has joined Cuesta.




AUG. 1809.               TALAVERA.                       69
It is very unfortunate that Marshal Soult should have manoeuvred so ill as not to have joined the King. I hope that the
King, with the garrison of Madrid, the 1st and 4th corps, forming 55,000 men, will have placed himself so as to prevent the
enemy from attempting to attack Madrid, and will have effected
his junction with Marshal Soult. He will then have more than
100,000 men.  It will be an excellent opportunity for giving
the English a lesson, and finishing the war.
[546.]              NAPOLEON TO CLARKE.
Aug. 15, 1809.
M. le Ge6nral Clarke,-I have received your letter of the
8th.* I cannot understand the affairs of Spain, nor what has
taken place there. Where was the French army on the 29th and
30th? and where was the English army during these two days?
The King says that for the last month he has been manoeuvring
with 40,000 men against 100,000. Tell him that it is his own fault,
and that it is the very thing of which I complain. The bringing
Marshal Soult to Placentia is wrong; it is against all rules; it is
open to every objection, and has no advantage. 1st. The English
army may cross the Tagus, support its rear on Badajos, and from
that moment need not fear Soult; t  2ndly. It may beat our two
armies in detail. If, on the other hand, Soult and Mortier had
proceeded towards Madrid, they would have reached it on the
30th; and the army, assembled on the 3rd of August, and 80,000
strong, might have given battle, and conquered Spain and Portugal. I advised a battle to be avoided unless the five' corps, or at
least four of them, were assembled. At Madrid they know nothing of great military operations.
[ 647.]             ORDERS OF NAPOLEON
Sch6nbrunn, Aug. 21, 1809.
M. le Gen6ral Clarke,-Express to Marshal Jourdan my extreme displeasure at the inaccuracies and falsehoods in his report of
the transactions on the 26th, 27th, 28th, and 29th of July. Tell
* The battle of Talavera was fought on the 28th of July, 1809. —TR.
t This is what happened.-TR.




70                      TALAYVERA.                CHAP. XIV.
him that his despatches do not describe events as they took
place, and that it is the first time that the Government has been
so trifled with.*
He says that on the 28th we were in possession of the British
army's field of battle-that is to say, of Talavera and of the
table-land on which their left flank rested-whilst his subsequent
reports, and those of other officers, say the exact contrary, and
that we were repulsed during the whole day.
Make him feel that this dishonesty towards the Government is
a real crime, and a crime which was nearly having fatal results;
for as I was told that the English had been beaten, and that half
our troops had been enough to rout them, I had settled my plans
in consequence, when I fortunately heard in time that it was my
army that was beaten-that is to say, that we had taken neither
Talavera nor the table-land. Tell him that he might have put
what he pleased into the Madrid newspapers, but that he had no
right to disguise the truth to the Government.
In a separate letter you will let Marshal Jourdan know that
the whole affair has been ill managed; that Marshal Soult ought
to have marched from Salamanca by way of Avila to Madrid;
and that, if the corps d'armee had started separately by the 27th
or 28th, the head would have arrived in time; that the army
ought then to have retreated by short stages, and not have offered
battle under the walls of Madrid till all our forces were assembled; that the march of Marshal Soult and of his three corps
d'armee upon Placentia was dangerous, and, above all, uselessdangerous, because the other army might have been beaten at
Talavera without receiving from him any assistance, so that the
safety of all my armies in Spain was compromised-useless, because the English had nothing to fear, for in three hours they
might gain the opposite bank of the Tagus; and whether they
crossed the river at Talavera or Alamaraz, or at any other point,
their line of operations on Badajos would have been protected.
That my best troops and the fate of Spain were therefore endangered through ignorance of the rules of war, and without a
chance of obtaining a result even in case of success.' The battle of Talavera was fought on the 28th of July.-TR.




Aro. 1808.              TALAVERA.                      71
That at any rate, though the great fault had been committed
of dividing the army into two portions of 50,000 men each, separated by mountains and by a large tract of country, neither corps
should have attacked the enemy except at the same time, or
nearly at the same time, as the other.
Now it was evident that Marshal Soult could not reach Placentia before the 4th, as he was not so unwise as to arrive without
the 6th corps, which was at Astorga, and could not at soonest
have reached Placentia till then; but the other army of 50,000
men might have manceuvred near Madrid, and have gained a few
days before coming to an engagement. The English would certainly have rusd no risks if they had found our army in a good
position.
That, when at length Talavera was reached, it was well known
that we were in presence of the English-it was known from
the prisoners taken on the preceding days; that it was therefore
utterly absurd to attack without having reconnoitred them; that
as they had rested their right on Talavera, where were the Spaniards-who, if they are worth nothing in the field, are nevertheless good troops when they can entrench themselves behind houses
-and their left on the table-land, it ought to have been ascertained whether the table-land could not be turned; that this position of the enemy therefore required previous reconnoissances,
and that my troops were led blindly as if to slaughter.
That, when at last it was resolved to give battle, it was done
without vigour, since, though our arms were disgraced, a reserve
of 12,000 men did not even fire a shot; that a battle should never
be risked unless the chances are 70 per cent. in favour of success;
that, in fact, a battle ought always to be the last resource, as
from the nature of things its result is always doubtful; but that,
when once a battle is resolved on, one must conquer or perish,
and that the French eagle should never stoop to retreat till all
have done their utmost.
That this sort of generalship excites my displeasure the more,
as I know that it was the Duke of Belluno's opinion that, if the
reserve had been placed under his orders, he would have carried
the English position.




72                      TALAVERA.                  CHAP. XIV,
That, for 30,000 English to have defied such an army as mine,
it was necessary that all these faults should have been committed;
but that as long as they continue to attack good troops, like the
English, in good positions, without reconnoitring and ascertaining
whether these positions can be carried, my men will be led on to
destruction, and to no good purpose.
[ 548.]           NAPOLEON TO CLARKE.
Schonbrunn, Aug. 25, 1809.
M. le G6neral Clarke,-You will find annexed a report from
General Sebastiani, which the King has sent to me.
As soon as I receive that of the Duke of Belluno, which he
tells me is coming, I shall see whether it ought to be put into the' Moniteur.'
In the despatch of the English General Wellesley you will see
that we have lost 20 guns and three standards. Express to the King
my surprise, and to General Jourdan my displeasure, at not being
made acquainted with the real state of things, instead of receiving
from them schoolboys' stories; I wish to know who were the artillery men who abandoned their guns and the infantry regiments
that allowed them to be taken. In your letter to the King hint
that I disapprove his order of the day; that it tells the soldiers that
they are conquerors; that this is ruin to the troops; that I am in
want of correct information; that I wish to know the number
of killed and wounded in each regiment, of guns and standards
taken, &c. Say that in Spain affairs are undertaken without reflection or knowledge of war; and that on the day of action there is
neither union, nor plan, nor decision.  Write to General Sebastiani that the King has sent to me his report; that it is not the report of a soldier describing what has been and what is; that it is
full of nothing but fine speeches; that I had rather that he had
told me his real opinions, and had given an exact and faithful account of what happened. In short, I have a right to be told
the truth; it is necessary for the good of my subjects.  Let
every one know that it is wanting in respect towards the Government to attempt to hide from it facts which it learns from the
letters written to their friends by all ranks in the army, and that




SMPT. 1809.              TALAVERA,                       73
even the falsehoods of the enemy are thus in danger of being believed.
[549.]            NAPOLEON TO CLARKE.
Sch6nbrunn, Aug. 29, 1809.
M. le G6neral Clarke,-I see in the newspapers more news
from Spain than I have received; it seems as if some of the
King's couriers had been intercepted.
Write word to the King that, if he can spare Marshal Ney,
he may send him to France, where he will be of use.
[ 550.]            NAPOLEON TO JOSEPH.
Schonbrunn, Sept. 2,1809.
My Brother, —I have received the letter which you wrote to
me on my birthday. I thank you for all your good wishes.
[ 551.]            NAPOLEON TO CLARKE.
Schonbrunn, Sept. 4,1809.
M. le General Clarke, —I have seen the details which you
have inserted in the' Moniteur' on the affairs of Spain; they are
not sufficient; this manner of bestowing information on the public will not counterbalance the long narratives of the English.
Letters from the different generals must therefore be put in, suppressing all that is intended only for the Government; for instance, there are some letters from the Duke of Dalmatia, the
Duke of Treviso, and General Sebastiani which would bear publication. Ask the Duke of Belluno for the account which he
ought to send me of his operations. You must also tell General
Senarmont that he did not send a correct account of his artillery;
that the English took more than he acknowledged; that I approve
of his putting what he likes into the newspapers, but that when
he writes to me I must have the truth. Desire tetes-de-ponts,
strong enough not to be carried by assault, to be constructed on
the left bank of the Tagus. The information which I possess is
not sufficiently precise, sufficiently clear, or sufficiently true to
admit of my giving orders. Ask General Sebastiani for a return
TOL. II.-4




74                  ORDERS TO JOURDAN.             CHAP. XIV.
of the losses in his corps, similar to the one sent by the Duke of
Belluno.
[552.]            NAPOLEON TO CLARKE.
Schonbrunn, Sept. 7, 1809.
M. le G6neral Clarke,-I see, in a letter from General Jourdan, that you have written to him that nothing is to be attempted
in Spain until February.  I said that nothing was to be attempted
until the heats were over. The heat is over at the end of September.
553.]            NAPOLEON TO CLARKE.
Schfnbrunn, Sept. 11.
M. le G6n6ral Clarke,-Write to Marshal Jourdan that I am
surprised that, as the Duke of Treviso had reached the Tagus,
the English were not pursued for four or five days, their stragglers
taken, and as much harm done to them as possible.
[ 554.]           NAPOLEON TO CLARKE.
Sch6nbrunn, Sept. 26, 1809.
M. le Gen6ral Clarke,-Tell the King of Spain that I am
sorry to see that the works on the Retiro are suspended; that it
would have been good policy to have worked at these fortifications
night and day for ten years; that, if the works already planned
are finished, he should trace out others to increase the outworks,
and render it capable of sustaining a longer defence; that I
should also have liked the fortifications of Somo Sierra to be gone
on with without interruption, as they are required to protect the
communication between Aranda and Burgos.
Give to General Jourdan the permission, which he asks, to return to France, and tell the King that I have appointed the Duke
of Dalmatia chief of the staff, and General Delaborde to command the 2nd corps.
If the Prince of Ponte Corvo is in good health and inclined
to serve, send him to Catalonia to command all the troops; those
at Barcelona and belonging to the corps of General St. Cyr, as




OCT. 1809.          ORDERS TO JOSEPH.                     5
well as those which are besieging Girona. In this case you will
recall the Duke of Castiglione. Tell the King of Spain that, in
appointing the Duke of Dalmatia chief of the staff, my intention
is that he should command all the marshals in the army of Spain,
and that, if necessary, he should put himself at the head of one
or two corps, and proceed to manceuvre against the enemy.
[C 555.]          NAPOLEON TO CLARKE.
Schbnbrunn, Oct. 8, 1809.
M. le Gen6ral Clarke,-Write to the King of Spain that a
strong tete-de-pont must be constructed and occupied on the left
bank of the Tagus, and several bridges built so that we may
manoeuvre easily on both sides. Let the King know that my
troops in Spain are in want of everything, because my generals
have no power over the provinces, and the feebleness of the
Spanish authorities enables the junta to obtain money through its
agents; that therefore the administration of the country must be
put into the hands of the military commanders; that in the present season, which in Spain is the good season, he ought to prevent
the enemy from approaching within several days' march of the
Tagus, falling upon the first comer; that this is likewise the way
to obtain provisions, and to cut off the enemy's supplies in men
and in subsistence; that it is against all the rules of war to allow
the enemy to place himself so as to divide the different corps,
when our army holds such a place as Placencia; that the enemy
must not be allowed to approach within several marches of Almaraz; that the position occupied by the army is weak, bad, and
can occasion only misfortunes; that if, on the other hand, there
were bridges across the Tagus, with good tetes-de-ponts to secure
a retreat, by scouring the country perpetually he would know
what the enemy is about, prevent them from assembling their
forces, and be able to collect his own when necessary; that his
present position is absurd and contrary to all military principles.
Why, as soon as 7000 or 8000 men were bivouacking before
Velvin de Monroy, were they not attacked and beaten?  Write
to Generals Kellermann and Thiebault, and to the general in
command in Aragon, and tell them not to suffer themselves to be




76              REINFORCEMENTS TO SPAIN.  C-AP. XIV
betrayed by the Spaniards, and to set to work to supply the
magazines, provide themselves with provisions, means of transport, and everything which the troops require.
[ 556.]          NAPOLEON ro CT,ARKE.
Oct. 7, 1S09.
M. le Gen6ral Clarke, —Order a marching regiment to be
formed at Bayonne, taken from the depots of the 34th, 114th,
115th, 116th, 117th, 118th, 119th and 120th. This regiment is
to remain at Bayonne till it is well clothed and drilled, and its
strength amounts to between 3000 and 4000 men. General
-Iedouville will review it on the Ist of November, and will make
me a report of its condition.
You will review in Paris the two battalions from the Vistula
and the 200 lancers; you will forward all the men who can be
spared from Sedan to these two corps, completing them to 1500
infantry and 300 cavalry; you will let me know on the 20th of
October the state of these two corps, that I may settle their
destination; you will send towards Orleans the Irish battalion,
and the other troops which you intend for Spain.
After you have completed the six provisional regiments of
dragoons up to 6000 men, collect in Paris all the rest that the
depots can furnish, and try to make the number 3000. You may
form these 3000 men in two or three marching regiments, which
will await at Tours, or in other places where there is abundant
forage, the arrival of the provisional regiments which are to join
them; in this way I shall have nine provisional regiments of
dragoons, composed of the 3rd and 4th squadrons, and forming a
body of 9000 cavalry.
I propose to assemble 80,000 infantry and 15,000 or 16,000
cavalry by the beginning of December, and to enter Spain with
these reinforcements. I conclude that the enemy will by that
time have evacuated the island of Walcheren. I think that this
corps of 100,000 men may be formed thus:9000 men, consisting of the 26th, 66th, and 82nd, of a Hanoverian battalion, and a battalion of the southern legion; 6000
men belonging to the 47th, 15th, 86th, and 76th; 3000 men from




OCT. 1809.    FORMATION OF AN ARMY OF 100,000 MEN.     77
the 22nd of the line; 8000 men of the 9th battalions of the corps
of the Duke of Abrantes and of the regiment of Berg; 3000
men of the marching regiment which is being formed at Strasbourg; 3000 men of the marching regiment which is forming at
Maestrich; 14,000 men of the six provisional half-brigades belonging to the army of the north; 3000 of the marching regiment
which is forming at Bayonne; 19,000 furnished by all the available troops in the depots of all the regiments in France, which
will be directed on Bayonne, and incorporated in regiments belonging to the army of Spain; 10,000 of my guard; altogether
80,000 infantry, 4000 allied troops. As cavalry: 9000 dragoons
of the nine provisional regiments; 2000 from the depots of chasseurs and hussars whose regiments are in Spain; 1000 of the
provisional regiment; 600 of the regiment of chasseurs from the
grand duchy of Berg; 3400 from all the depots of chasseurs and
hussars in France, to be incorporated in the regiments of the army
of Spain, including 100 men taken from the depot of the 13th
regiment of cuirassiers; total, 16,000 cavalry, which, with the
80,000 French infantry and the 4000 allies, will make the
100,000 men whom I propose to have assembled between Bayonne
and Orleans in the month of December in order to enter Spain.
I wish you to have a memorandum, based on these instructions,
carefully drawn up in your office, in order to rectify my estimates;
and I also wish for a statement of the materials for a reserve of
100,000 men, including no part of the army of Germany except
the corps of the Duke of Abrantes.
[ 557.]          NAPOLEON TO CLARKE.
Schonbrunn, Oct. 10, 1809.
M. le G6neral Clarke,-I wish you to write to the King of
Spain to impress upon him that nothing can be more contrary to
the rules of war than to publish the strength of his army, either
in orders of the day, in proclamations, or in the newspapers; that
when he has occasion to speak of his strength, he ought to render
it formidable by exaggeration, doubling or trebling his numbers;
and that, on the other hand, when he mentions the strength of
the enemy, he should diminish it by one-half or one-third; that in




78                  REPROOFS TO JOSEPH.            CHAP. XIV.
war moral force is everything; that the King deviated from this
principle when he said that he had only 40,000 men and the insurgents 120,000; that to represent the French as few and the
enemy as numerous, discourages us, and gives confidence to them;
that it is publishing his weakness throughout Spain. In short, to
give moral force to the enemy is to take it from oneself; for men
naturally believe that in the long run the small number will be
beaten by the greater. The most experienced general finds it
difficult on the field of battle to estimate the enemy's numbers,
and the instinct of every one is to imagine them gleater than
they really are. But when a man is so imprudent as to allow such
ideas to circulate generally, and to authorise exaggerated accounts
of the enemy's strength, every colonel of cavalry who goes on a
reconnaissance sees an army, and every captain of voltigeurs discovers battalions. I see, therefore, with regret, the bad influence
which has been exercised over the spirit of my army of Spain by
repeating that it opposes a force of 40,000 men against 120,000.
The result of these announcements has been to lessen our reputation in Europe, by making people believe that it rests on no
foundation, and to give moral force to the enemy and weaken our
own; for, I say again, in war feeling and opinion are more than
half of the reality. The art of great captains has always been to
make their numbers appear very large to the enemy, and to persuade their own troops of the enemy's great inferiority. This is
the first time that a general has been known to depreciate his own
resources and to exalt those of the enemy. The private soldier
does not judge; but officers of sense, whose opinion is worth
having, and who have knowledge and experience, pay little attention to orders of the day or to proclamations. I trust that no
more such blunders will be made, and that on no pretext whatever orders of the day or proclamations will be made tending to
make known the real strength of my armies. I desire that all
means, direct and indirect, be taken to spread the highest opinion of
our numbers. The French troops which I have in Spain are twice
as good, three times as good, as regards steadiness, bravery, and
even numbers, as those that I have in any other part of the world.
When I conquered the Austrians at Eckmiihl I was one to five,




OCT. 1808.         REPROOFS TO JOSEPH.                 79
and yet my army fancied itself at least equal to the enemy; and
even now, although we have been so long in Germany, the enemy
has no idea of our strength, and we try to make it out greater
and greater every day. Far from owning that at Wagram I had
only 100,000 men,* I try to prove that I had 220,000. Constantly, in my Italian campaigns, when I had only a handful of
men, I exaggerated their numbers; this served my purpose without diminishing my glory. The skill of my operations, including
that of exaggerating my strength, was afterwards recognised by
generals and intelligent officers. With paltry motives, petty
vanities, and small passions, nothing great has ever been done. I
hope, therefore, that faults so great and so mischievous will not
be repeated in my army of Spain.
* Thiers maintains that the French army at Wagram amounted to between
140,000 and 150,000 men.-TR.




q0               REINFORCEMENTS TO SPAIN.           CHAP. XV.
CHAPTER XV.
THE letters contained in this chapter extend from the 30th of
October to the 21st of December, 1809.
During this period Napoleon was in Paris or in its neighbourhood, employed in preparing and effecting his divorce, and in arranging a second marriage.
[ 558.]           NAPOLEON TO CLARKE.
Fontainebleau, Oct. 80, 1809.
M. le G6n6ral Clarke,-I have written to you three letters:*
the first on the organisation of Loison's division, the second on
that of Reynier's division, and the third on the organisation of the
8th corps, or the corps of the Duke of Abrantes; and lastly, one
on the formation of the 4th corps, or a third division of reserve.
I have supposed Loison's division to consist of 12,000 men;
Reynier's of 20,000; the Duke of Abrantes' corps of 50,000 or
60,000; and the 3rd division of reserve to be completed to
20,000. In the midst of the occupations which besiege me, I was
forced to make these calculations very hastily. It is urgent that
you should give orders in accordance with my letters; but if, on
consideration, you think that means can be found to make this
corps more numerous, you must suggest them to me. In Spain
we must proceed step by step. The first thing wanted is a corps
to proceed to the rear of the army. As it is now November, it
would be impossible to collect all our resources, especially powder
and artillery, before the beginning of January; and in a peninsula
* These letters do not appear.-TR.




OCT. 1809.       REINFORCEMENTS TO SPAIN.                81
like Spain, intersected by lofty mountains, nothing can be attempted at that season. The reinforcements which I intend for
Spain may therefore be sent in the following manner: first, the
12,000 men of Loison's division-I hope that they will be able to
enter Biscay before the 1st of December; next Reynier's division,
which will arrive, I hope, in the beginning of January; the Duke
of Abrantes' corps in the beginning of February; and lastly, the
third division of reserve, which will enter Biscay towards the
beginning of March. I wish your chief secretary to prepare his
arrangements on this plan, and when he has finished his work, to
bring it to me himself, that I may discuss with him the formation
of the divisions and other details. But what I care about just
now is, that you should not lose a moment in sending off Loison's
division.
[ 559.]           ORDERS OF NAPOLEON.
Fontainebleau, Oct. 30,1809.
M. le G6neral Clarke,-I told you that I wished Loison's division, which will consist of 12,000 men, horse and foot, to enter
Spain as soon as possible, and before the 1st of December. I
told you that I wished Reynier's division, which will be composed
of 15,000 infantry and 4000 cavalry, to be assembled at Bayonne
towards the end of December.
Lastly, I told you that I wished the 8th corps to be directed
on Paris and Huninguen, and to arrive before the 30th of November.
The divisions of Loison and Reynier are to be incorporated
successively into the regiments in Spain, as the corps of which
they are composed belong already to the army of Spain; but I
must also tell you*... respecting the organisation of the 8th
corps, which I wish to enter Spain towards the end of January.
This corps is to be commanded by the Duke of Abrant6s.
The first division is to be composed of 4 battalions of the 22nd
of the line, and of the 8 battalions at present with Rivaud's
division, in the whole 12 battalions. The number of each of
* Illegible. —ED.




82               REINFORCEMENTS TO SPAIN.         CHAP. XV.
these battalions is to be filled up to 840, by the incorporation of
what they have in the 6 provisional half-brigades in the north.
For instance, the 19th has 360 men in the 6th half-brigade, the
25th 300, the 28th 400, the 36th 200, &c.
I imagine that by the 1st of December I shall have part of
these provisional half-brigades at my disposal. I intend to withdraw as many as possible. The first division is therefore to be
composed of 10,000 present under arms, forming 2 brigades.
The 2nd division, commanded by General Lagrange, will be
composed of 3 battalions of the 65th, one of the 46th, and of the
8 battalions of the 8 regiments in Paris; in the whole 12 battalions or 10,000 men.
The 3rd and 4th divisions will be composed of all that the
depots in France are able to furnish on the 1st of December; if
we estimate the numbers to which each of these divisions may be
brought as 10,000, it is speaking within the mark. The Duke
of Abrantes will thus have a corps of about 40,000 men under
his command. That it may be properly organised, I wish your
chief secretary, who drew up the memorandum which you sent to
me for the formation of a reserve of 100,000 men for Spain, to
come to Fontainebleau. He will announce his arrival to M.
Monnier, my cabinet secretary, bring with him as many returns
as possible, and draw up the plans under my superintendence.
Among the materials and information with which he ought to be
provided, there must be returns of all the existing provisional
half-brigades and marching regiments, of the available troops in
the different depots in France, of all the Ist, 2nd, 3rd, and 4th
battalions, and of the 1st, 2nd, 3rd, and 4th companies of the 5th
battalions. By working for a couple of hours with M. Monnier
he will understand how I wish this to be done.
I shall make your secretary draw up a scheme for the cavalry.
I wish it to be composed of all the 2nd and 4th squadrons of the
24 dragoon regiments; and I think that I shall thus be able to
collect 10,000 horse towards the 1st of December. They will
bring the Duke of Abrantes' corps up to 50,000. Loison's division ought to amount to 12,000, Reynier's to nearly 20,000:
altogether, therefore, there will be an army of 85,000 men ready




Nov. 1808.       REINFORCEMENTS TO SPAIN.                83
to be sent to Spain. When we have done with the 8th corps,
there remains the formation of a third division of reserve, to
consist of 20,000 men, both horse and foot. This division should
enter Spain at the beginning of March, and will complete the
100,000 men who, I think, may be easily brought together there.
[ 560.]        NAPOLEON TO GENERAL DkJEAN.
Fontainebleau, Oct. 31, 1809.
M. le G6n6ral D6jean,-I have received your two letters. I
do not know what is meant by sending three ships to Barcelona:
who gave the order? Send me a copy of it.
[ 561.]            NAPOLEON TO JOSEPH.
Fontainebleau, Nov. 11, 1809.
My Brother,-I send Tascher to you. We hear nothing of
what goes on in Spain. Yet, how is it possible that with so large
and so good an army, opposed to enemies so little formidable, so
little progress should be made?
[562.]             ORDERS OF NAPOLEON.
Paris, Nov. 20, 1809.
M. le Gendral Clarke, —Order General Loison to be at Bayonne on the 28th of November; from thence he is to start on the
29th, with the first brigade of his division, and repair to Vittoria.
He is to collect there his 2nd brigade and all his cavalry.  He
will take the chief command of the three provinces of Biscay, and
correspond directly with the King, but especially with you. I
depend upon his occupying them by the 4th of December. You
will give notice of this to the commandants of the provinces and
of St. Sebastian, and you will desire them to obey General Loison
in every respect. All the unembodied men in these provinces, all
the detachments joining the garrisons of St. Sebastian, Bilbao, and
Vittoria, in short, all the troops of every kind, who on any pretext have retired into Biscay, are to be sent off immediately by
General Loison to the interior of Spain, to join their respective
regiments.




84               0REINFORCEM]PNTS TO SPAIN.          CHAP. XV
[ 563.]            NAPOLEON TO BERTHIER.
Paris, Nov. 28, 1809.
My Cousin,-I have just ordered that from and after the 1st
of December you are to have nothing more to do with the army
of Germany, but that you are to keep up the correspondence of
the army of Spain.  From  that time you are to undertake the
duties of chief of its staff. Set about organising your staff and
your offices. Send your baggage and that of your aides-de-camp
to Bayonne. You will send me an account of the formation of a
reserve for the army of Spain, to be composed of Loison's and
Reynier's divisions, and of the 8th corps; and of the execution
of my dispositions for sending a reinforcement of 100,000 men to
Spain, and of every detail relating to the artillery. Many of
these corps have neither a general nor a staff. Obtain information
on this subject. I think that you should send one of your aidesde-camp to Madrid to-morrow, to give notice all along the line of
the present dispositions, and that you ought to have sent to you
by express the returns from Navarre, Aragon, the three Biscays,
Burgos, Valladolid, and Bayonne, in order that I may shortly
resume the direction of the Spanish affairs.
[ 564.]            NAPOLEON TO BERTHIER.
(Returning a Report on Spain.)
Paris, Dec. 9, 1809.
Returned to the chief of the staff, to express to General
Suchet my satisfaction at the good condition of his corps; to impress upon him the necessity of having a million of biscuits at
Saragossa, to enable him to march on Valencia the day that I
enter Spain,* and to prepare the means necessary for besieging
the town. The chief of the staff is to ask General Suchet for a
plan of it, and to let him know that the 13th cuirassiers and the
4th hussars are to be increased to 1500 men; that before the 20th
of December the 2nd cavalry regiment belonging to the army of
* It appears from this letter and the previous one that Napoleon contemplated returning to Spain. —TR.




DEa. 1808.       REINFORCEMENTS TO SPAIN.              85
Spain will have reached Saragossa, and reinforced his cavalry;
that 1500 men of the Vistula regiment are at Vittoria on their
way to Saragossa to reinforce his 3 Vistula regiments; and that,
in fact, in the month of January detachments will be sent to his
corps to increase its numbers to 30,000 men present under arms.
[ 565.]           NAPOLEON TO BERTHIER.
Paris, Dec. 9, 1809.
My Cousin,-Pray order without delay the 2nd marching
cavalry regiment of the army of Spain, which will reach Bayonne
on the 14th of December, to be forwarded from Bayonne through
Tolosa and Pampeluna to Saragossa, where it is to be broken up
and incorporated in the following manner: the detachments belonging to the 4th hussars in that regiment, and those belonging
to the cuirassiers in the 13th. You should desire the officers and
quartermaster-generals to return by post to their depots. By this
means General Loison's cavalry will consist only of the 1st
marching regiment and the regiment of Polish lancers. I beg of
you to let General Loison know that I am most anxious that all
the troops in Biscay should be incorporated into either the battalion at Vittoria, or that of Bilbao, or the battalion of unembodied men at St. Sebastian, and that all other unembodied men
join their own regiments, in order to increase the companies, so
that his may be the only corps in the three Biscays. You will
tell him also that I wish him to send columns to pursue sharply
the banditti in the environs of Logroiio and Santo Domingo, on
the frontiers of Navarre, and on the roads between Vittoria and
Burgos; that he is authorized to send expeditions of even 2000
or 3000 men, and to direct them towards Navarre and Castile as
far as 3 days' march from Biscay, in order to dissolve insurrectionary meetings, disarm the towns, and restore obedience; that
he must make the parts of Navarre and Castile which are nearest
to Biscay sensible of his influence, of his authority, and of his
presence at Vittoria. Simon's brigade belonging to Loison's
division, 6000 strong, was to reach Vittoria on the 5th of December; the 2nd brigade, commanded by General Gratien, also 6000
strong, ought to be there on the 8th. Write to the commandants




86               REINFORCEMENTS TO SPAIN.             CHAP. XV.
of St. Sebastian and of the three Biscays to desire them to send
all their troops back to their regiments.  Beg General Loison to
send you a report on the condition of the three provinces, and on
the way in which they are governed. Tell him that I depend
upon his taking all the measures requisite for keeping the country
quiet, and arresting ill-disposed persons; that he must refer these
measures to me; that in other respects his division of 12,000 men
ought to rest, drill, and perfect themselves. Let him know that
he is not to dispose of the troops under his command without your
order; but that on an emergency he may act on his own judgment, but without leaving the provinces of Biscay; in short, that
he is not to venture farther into Spain.
Let me know when the Ist brigade of General Reynier's corps
will be able to enter Spain.
[566.]             NAPOLEON TO BERTHIER.
Paris, Dec. 13, 1809.
My Cousin,-I send you the last despatches from Spain. Acknowledge the receipt to the King and to General Suchet. Intimate to the King that the colours taken by my troops at the battles* of Medellino, Oca~a, &c. &c., ought to be sent to France to
be presented to me, and to adorn our public buildings. You will
repeat this to the Duke of Dalmatia. Write also that the prisoners must be sent to France, retaining the Germans, Swiss, and
French to serve in my army, but that no Spaniard must be employed; they are habitual traitors.
Order the Irish who belong to Loison's division to repair to
Burgos to join their regiments.
L 567.]           NAPOLEON TO BERTHIER.
Paris, Dec. 14, 1809.
My Cousin,-I see by your letter of the 13th of December
that the 2nd brigade of Reynier's division, under the command
of General Valentin, and the 3rd brigade under General Lamar* In the original, bataillons is inserted, by the error, probably, of the
copyist, for batailles.-TR.




DEo. 1809.       REINFORCEMENTS TO SPAIN.                87
tini6re, both of which are preparing at Bayonne, may be ready in
the beginning of January. Order the 1st provisional regiment
of chasseurs to leave Saintes on the 18th to continue their march,
and let me know when they reach Bayonne. They must enter
Spain immediately.
The 5th marching regiment of horse, which is to reach Tours
on the 14th, will leave it on the 16th, and proceed on its way to
Bayonne, in order to enter Spain as soon as possible. I approve
of the 3rd, 4th, and 5th marching regiments of the army of Spain
proceeding to their destination as soon as they are ready. The
detachment of the 4th hussars which is in the 3rd marching regiment should be put into the 2nd, as the 2nd is intended for Ara
gon, where the 4th hussars are.
[ 568.]           NAPOLEON TO BERTHIER.
Dec. 15. 1809.*
My Cousin,-General Loison ought to have reached Vittoria
on the 4th; I am surprised that to-day, being the 15th, you have
as yet no news of him. He was to occupy St. Sebastian and Bilbao, and to send to the army of Spain the battalions of unembodied
men and the marching battalions, with the exception of the battalion of the national guard which is to remain in Biscay. Write
to the Duke of Dalmatia that I am anxious to see all the corps
brought together; that he is to order all the men belonging to the
32nd, 15th, 66th, 26th, and 82nd to repair to the north, to Benevento, and to Valladolid to join General Loison's corps; that all
belonging to the 51st, 43rd, 55th, 58th, 47th, and 12th of the
line are to join their respective regiments at Madrid; that the
2nd corps is to be composed only of the 2 divisions under Generals Merle and Heudelet, consisting, as at present, of the 2nd, 4th,
17th, and 31st light troops, and the 15th, 36th, 47th, 70th, and
86th of the line. Tell him that in General Loison's corps there
are 6000 men belonging to the 2nd corps, and that an equal number are on their way from France to complete these 9 regiments.
* This letter was written on the day on which Napoleon and Josephine announced to the imperial family their divorce.-TR.




88                   ORDERS TO SOULT.               CHAP. XV.
You will repeat to him that he is not to touch General Loison's
corps, of which I reserve to myself the disposal. There are
many unembodied troops at Madrid, such as the 10th marching
battalion and several detachments from different corps, which he
must order to join their regiments.
You will let him know that I am going to order General Loison's corps to occupy Burgos; this will set at liberty the 118th,
with which I intend to reinforce Bonnet's division. To recapitulate: you will give him orders that all men belonging to the 15th,
32nd, 26th, 66th, 82nd, 122nd, 120th, 119th, 118th, to the legion
of the South, to the regiments of Westphalia, Prussia, and the
guard of Paris, are to remain in the north to keep Castile quiet,
restrain the Portuguese insurgents, and the enemy in Gallicia;
that all men belonging to the 6th corps are to remain near Salamanca, where they are to be joined by all the troops of the 5th,
1st, and 4th corps, that they may be ready to receive reinforcements on my arrival, and to finish at last the conquest of Spain.
There is also a battalion of the 2nd light infantry, which must be
sent to join its regiment, as well as many detachments from cavalry regiments.
[569.]             NAPOLEON TO JOSEPH.
Trianon, Dec. 17.
Monsieur mon Frere,-I send your Majesty the' Moniteur,' *
which will inform your Majesty of the step which I have thought
it my duty to take.
I received your Majesty's letter of the 4th of December by
the aide-de-camp entrusted with it.
[ 570.]           NAPOLEON TO BERTHIER.
Trianon, Dec. 17, 1809.
My Cousin,-Send positive orders to Spain that in the newspapers and returns the Polish division is not to be called the
* The Emperor is alluding to his divorce from the Empress Josephine. —
ED.




Dze. 1809.             THE CAVALRY.                      89
Polish division,* but that of the Grand-Duchy of Warsaw, and
that the German division is to be called not the German division,
but the division of the Rhenish Confederation.
[571.]            NAPOLEON TO CLARKE.
Trianon, Dec. 18, 1809.
M. le Duc de Feltre,-I intend to countermand all the
remounts, in order to diminish my expenses. I have advised
the Minister of War to direct upon Niort all the horses already
on their way to Italy; for I am no longer in want of horses there,
and a thousand more in Spain will be of great use to me.
I write this letter to ask you for a general report on the
cavalry; my expenditure is enormous, and I must think seriously
of reforms. My army in its present state would devour three
times the revenue of France. I want therefore, in the first place,
to know the number of men, horses, and saddles in all my cavalry
regiments on the 1st of December; and 2ndly, what are the
reductions which must be made as to men and as to horses to
bring the cost of these regiments within reasonable limits. A
further advantage of such a reduction will be that I shall be able
to withdraw from the cavalry depots many conscripts, and put
them at your disposal to form battalions of artillery-drivers for
the army of Spain.
All the budgets must be made on the footing of peace as
regards Germany, and of war in respect of Spain.
The men, horses, and harness of my cavalry are divided into
two parts, one with the army, and the other in the depots.
Fourteen of my cuirassier and a great many of my chasseur and
hussar regiments are in Germany. Whatever may be my peace
establishment, my squadrons on service in Germany may be immediately reduced by getting rid of the dismounted invalid men
and the unserviceable horses; but the important thing is to
reform my depots, that I may not leave in France a useless horse,
and that next year I may save much on forage. I intend,
* Alexander had just extorted from Napoleon an engagement that the
word Pole should not be used officially in France.-TR.




90                    THE CAVALRY.                 CHAP. XV.
therefore, that there shall not be more than 50 horses on an
average for each regiment in the depots of my regiments in
Germany. Supposing there to be 30 depots, this will make only
1500 horses to be fed in France for my army of Germany.
At most, there ought to be in the depots twice as many men as
horses.
After the cavalry of Germany, comes that of Italy. I have
regiments of horse in my army of Illyria, and likewise in my
army of Italy. I wish my cavalry depots in the Alps to be,
generally speaking, on a higher footing than those in the interior,
and my squadrons to be more numerous in Italy on account of
the difficulty of obtaining remounts; but I do not choose to pay
dearer for forage in Italy and Piedmont than elsewhere. There
is abundant forage in Italy; it can therefore be only an abuse to
charge so highly for it. I shall authorize the prefects to procure
it at the rate of 18 sous or a franc at most, and even to levy it by
requisition, if necessary.
I am inclined to place in Normandy the four depots of my
cuirassiers in Piedmont; they will be nearer their remounts, and,
besides, I am always in want of cavalry and other resources on
the coast.
I have 25 dragoon regiments in Spain; I do not intend them
to have more than from 25 to 50 horses apiece in their depots in
France. The same with respect to the 12 regiments of chasseurs
and hussars which are in Spain; and as in that army the horse's
keep is not at my expense, it ought in general to be proposed to
me to send thither all the available horses in the depots; in
Spain they will be of use, yet cost me nothing, and my finances
will, in consequence, be much relieved.
I have 80 cavalry regim6nts, therefore 80 depots, which, at
the rate of 40 horses, one with the other, will not make more
than between 3000 and 4000 horses to feed; the whole amount
of forage will thus be reduced from 15 millions to less than 4
millions for the year 1810, a great and important saving.
I believe that I have added a 9th company to all my regi-ments of dragoons and of light horse. I think that next year
these 9th companies had better be suppressed, for four squadrons




DEC. 1809.             THE CAVALRY.                      91
will be sufficient for my cavalry regiments in Germany, as they
will be upon a peace establishment, and the regiments in the
army of Spain are so full that three squadrons apiece will be
quite enough. I think that the 5th squadron in the cuirassiers
should also be reduced, which will bring us back entirely to a
peace establishment.
Send to me therefore a report on the additions which the war
has made unavoidable, a general return of the state of my cavalry
as respects men, horses, and harness, and,.aitly, the draft of a
decree which may carry out the views which I have indicated to
you.
[ 572.]           NAPOLEON TO BERTHIER.
Trianon, Dec. 19, 1809.
My Cousin,-I see by your letters of the 18th that you allow
the 1st brigade of the 1st division of my guard, under the orders
of General Roguet at Tours, to remain there only on the 23rd
and 24th; let it stay at Poitiers on the 27th and 28th. The 2nd
brigade may rest on the 27th and 28th at Chatellerault; I wish
to give it an additional halt. Order quarters for this division to
be prepared at Bourdeaux, that it may stay there at least a week,
in order to recover itself completely. Write to General Reynier
that, as soon as he enters Biscay, he is to set about destroying
the parties of insurgents. Let General Loison know that I am
sorry that he has left so few troops about St. Sebastian, and that
he has taken no measures for getting rid of the gangs of banditti
which are there.
[ 573.]            ORDER OF NAPOLEON.
Dec. 19, 1809.
M. le Duc le Feltre,-Express to the Duke of Castiglione my
satisfaction at the capture of Gerona, and my regret that my
troops were not long ago placed under his command.
Tell me what is the state of his health, and whether he is fit
for active service. Let your messenger be an officer who will
report to you on the state of the army, and bring back informa



92                AUGEREAU AND STUCHET,            CHAP. XV.
tion about everything of interest to me in the country. Direct
the Marshal to proceed to Barcelona to raise the blockade, supply the town with provisions, and exercise a general influence.
It is of great consequence to take Fort lHostalrich, in order
to ensure a safe communication between France and Barcelona.
[ 574.]           NAPOLEON TO BERTHIER.
Trianon, Dec. 20, 1809.
My Cousin,-Write to General Suchet that he does not pay
sufficient attention to the banditti in Navarre; that I am sorry to
see that he has allowed them to take Tudela; and that, although
they only momentarily occupied the town, it was a great misfortune, and that such a post as Tudela ought not to have been
in danger of an attack.
[ 575.]           NAPOLEON TO BERTHIER.
Trianon, Dec. 21, 1809.
My Cousin,-Among the prisoners taken at the battle of
Oca~a there are some officers who were included in the armistice, and who, since then, have served against the King. Order
them to be arrested at Bayonne. Desire the Duke of Dalmatia
to send such offenders to Bayonne, in order that severe justice
may be executed upon them.




JAN. 1810.        CHANGES IN THE ARMY.                93
CHAPTER XVI.
THE letters contained in this chapter extend from the 11th of
January to the 26th of December, 1810. Napoleon passed the
whole of this year in the French empire.
He met Maria Louisa at Compiegne on the 27th of March,
and married her at St. Cloud on the 1st of April.
On the 1st of July he annexed Holland to France.
These were the principal events of the year.
[ 576.]          NAPOLEON TO BERTHIEn.
Paris, Jan. 11, 1810.
My Cousin,-I sent to you by one of my pages this morning
a despatch containing orders for the movement of various troops
in my armies in Spain.
I have thought proper to make the following changes:Provinces of Valladolid and Leon.-General Loison is allowed
to fix his head-quarters at Benevento or at Astorga. The principal object of his division is to hold in check all the troops in
Gallicia, and to bring into order and defend the whole kingdom
of Leon. His division will be composed according to my former
orders, except that General Feret, who is already at Leon, is to
command one of the brigades. In this position General Loison
will rest his right on General Bonnet, and his left on the Duke
of Elchingen, who is at Salamanca. Communicate these dispositions to the Duke of Elchingen. General Kellermann is to
retain the command of the province of Valladolid. Write to




94                CHANGES IN THE ARMY.            CAP. XVL
General Kellermann for information as to the amount of artillery
belonging to F6ret's brigade, which is at Leon, and repeat the
requisite orders for providing General Loison with eight or ten
pieces of cannon.
Navarre and Biscay.-General Montmarie is to command the
brigade of Reynier's division which is intended to enter Navarre,
and the other brigade, which is in Biscay, is to be commanded
by General Lamartiniere. The brigade intended for Navarre,
instead of being directed on Logrono and Tudela, will be assembled at Pampeluna, and General Montmarie, who is energetic,
and who will be under the orders of General Dagout, will command the province and take all necessary measures for the
destruction of the bands of insurgents. By this means Suchet,
having no longer anything to do with Navarre, may withdraw all
his troops thence to strengthen himself. All the detachments
from the regiments of the Vistula, all those of the 14th and 44th
regiments, and all others which are at Navarre belonging to
General Suchet's corps, will receive orders to join their corps in
Aragon.
Province of Santander. —Desire General Reynier to send
General Valentin to occupy Frias and Pont-di-Lara, and to send
you constantly the correspondence of General Bonnet. You
will express to General Bonnet my approval of all that he has
done during the past year. You will let him know that I am
sending the 118th and the 122nd to reinforce him; that General
Loison is on his way to Astorga with 12,000 men; that I leave
General Bonnet at liberty either to enter the Asturias or to
undertake the expedition on Gallicia in concert with General
Loison; that I wish to know what he thinks about this expedition; that perhaps at this season the snow is an obstacle; but
that, if he can enter from his side, it may be useful to attack
Gallicia by the coast, while General Loison threatens it from
Astorga, for, after all, it is better to carry the alarm home to the
enemy than to allow him to make a diversion and take the offensive. Tell General Bonnet that he has the fullest powers to take
all proper measures for obtaining the money and clothes which
he wants in order to put my troops into the best condition possible.




JAN. 1810.          CHANGES IN THE ARMY.                   95
I also wish him to provide for their pay. Santander is a rich
province; it ought not to be difficult to obtain from it a million.
I only stipulate that all be done according to rule and without
any kind of peculation.*
Aragon and Catalonia.-You will let General Suchet know
that he must have 500,000 rations of biscuit in Saragossa, and
100,000 in Alcaniz; that he must also collect a reserve of cartridges and other ammunition at Alcaniz; that I wish to know
whether he prefers to lay siege to Lerida or to march on Tortosa;
that I estimate his corps, when joined by all its detachments, at
16,000 infantry and 2,000 cavalry; that I wish him to hold himself ready to go to the assistance of Barcelona, and to promote
the arrival there of the 7th corps, which is advancing under the
command of the Duke of Castiglione, that he must put himself
as soon as possible in communication with the Duke of Castiglione,
who has just obtained great successes, and is in possession of
Gerona and of the greater part of Catalonia.  Send to General
Suchet a copy of the last return which you have of the 7th corps.
Let him know that he ought to supply his troops abundantly
with all that they want-clothing, shoes, cloth, &c., as well as
pay; that Aragon is rich enough to afford large resources, and
my expenses are becoming so considerable that I shall in future
find a difficulty in providing for them all.
Old Castile. —I wrote to you that Solignac was to command
a French division of from 8000 to 9000 men. Send him word
that, as soon as Gratien's division reaches Burgos, he is to collect
together the German division and forward it to Segovia, where it
will be under the orders of the King. Let the King know that
I think that he had better reorganize this division, and let it
garrison Madrid or else Segovia, and keep quiet all the environs.
8th corps and Biscay.-General Reynier will continue to hold
his head-quarters at Vittoria, to hasten the formation of his three
brigades, and to direct all the movements necessary for restrain* That is to say, that all that was taken from the Spaniards was to be
accounted for to the French authorities. No limit whatever is set to the
amount which General Bonnet might take. But he was not to keep, or allow
others to keep, any portion of it unaccounted for.-TR.




96                CHANGES IN THE ARMY.            CHAP. XVL
ing the insurgents in Navarre and Biscay, and keeping up the
communications with Santander, through Frias, with Burgos,
Tudela, and Pampeluna, between Tudela and Burgos, &c. You
will give notice that I propose to assemble the whole of the 8th
corps at Logro~o. For this purpose General Lagrange, with the
1st brigade of his division, will enter Spain on the 14th, and
proceed straight to Logroilo. The commissary-general and the
chief of the staff will repair thither as soon as possible. The
commander-in-chief and all the staff will be there on the 8th of
February. Every order shall be given to enable the divisions
formerly belonging to Rivaud and Lagrange to reach Logrolio
with the utmost expedition, as well as the commissariat and the
artillery; this makes between 16,000 and 17,000 men who are
to be at Logroiio in the tfrst ten days of February. The 10th
provisional baggage battalion will leave Pau for Logroilo on the
21st. On passing through Bayonne it will take charge of clothing
and biscuit for the 8th corps.  Order General Lagrange and the
chief of the staff to have 200,000 rations of biscuit made at
Logrofio. Order General Reynier to complete the supply of
biscuit at Vittoria to 500,000 rations. Give the same order with
respect to St. Sebastian and Burgos. Let the supply of biscuit
at Madrid be completed to 1,200,000 rations. The cavalry of
the 8th corps is composed of the Ist brigade, which includes the
Ist, 2nd, and 3rd provisional regiments formed out of the 3rd
and 4th squadrons belonging to the regiments of the division of
Latour-Maubourg; and of the 3rd brigade, which includes the
6th and 7th provisional regiments composed of the 8 squadrons
belonging to Milhaud's division. That will make therefore 20
squadrons, able to furnish more than 5000 men present under
arms. Of the 5 dragoon brigades there remain 2 to dispose ofthe 2nd and the 4th. You will order the 2nd and 4th brigades,
as soon as they reach Bayonne, to continue their march, and both
to proceed to Burgos.
Sundry orders.-Desire the battalion of Neufchatel, and all
the troops at Bayonne belonging to head-quarters and to the first
battalion of drivers, to leave Bayonne for Vittoria, where they
will wait for further orders, taking with them 180,000 pairs of
shoes.




3AN. 1810.          CHANGES IN THE ARMY.                   97
The company of guides, the horses of the staff, and half of
mine,* will leave Bayonne under the escort of the battalion of
Neufehatel. Order all the lancers to be sent from Bayonne.
Repeat the order to Generals Loison, Reynier, and Suchet, to
forward to Madrid all the Polish lancers whom they have under
their orders. Desire the 11th baggage battalion to start for
Bayonne as soon as possible. Immediately on the arrival at
Bayonne of the infantry belonging to the gendarmerie of the army
of Spain, make it cross the frontier and proceed toward Vittoria.
The Duke of Abrantes' 3rd division, composed of 4 marching
regiments and 12 auxiliary battalions, is not to move without
further orders from you.
Let me know what will be the situation of these corps on the
ist of February, as well as that of the 20 squadrons of gendarmes
and the rear-guard division which I ordered to be assembled at
Orleans. Will it be brought together at Orleans by the 1st
February?  Besides the 4 marching regiments of infantry, the
12 auxiliary battalions, the 20 squadrons of gendarmes, the 3
divisions of the guard, and the rear-guard which is preparing at
Orleans, I have ordered the formation of several marching regiments of cavalry. Send me a return of these corps, mentioning
their strength and their position.  Write to the chief of the
staff in Spain to repeat all the orders he has already given for
assembling the corps and collecting the detachments of infantry
and cavalry, as well as artillery, and even the baggage and train
battalions; for dispersion produces nothing but disorder.
[577.]            NAPOLEON TO BERTHIER.
Paris, Jan. 20, 1810.
My Cousin,-Tell General Buquet that as soon as the 16 first
squadrons of gendarmes, which are placed between Bourdeaux
and St. Benoit, have each more than 150 men present under
arms, I propose that he should distribute them in the following
manner:-The Ist at Irun, the 2nd at Ernani, the 3rd at Tolosa,
* This order that one half of his own horses should be sent to Spain shows
that Napoleon had resolved to go there himself.-TR.
VOL. II.-5




98                  ORDERS TO SOULT.              CHAP. XVI.
the 4th between Tolosa and Vittoria, the 5th at Vittoria, the 6th
at Miranda, the 7th at Briviesca, the 8th at Burgos, the 9th at
Lerma, the 10th at Aranda, the 11th between Aranda and Somo
Sierra, the 12th at Somo Sierra, the 13th at Buytrago, the 14th
at Cabecillas, the 15th at Alcorendas, and the 16th at Madrid.
The other 4 squadrons of gendarmes will be formed into a reserve
to reinforce the line wherever they may be wanted, or to remain
at Madrid, where I wish to have 6 available squadrons. As soon
as the first 6 squadrons are ready to start, you will desire General
Buquet to distribute them between Bayonne and Miranda, and to
push them on in succession towards Madrid as fast as the others
are ready to replace them.
You will inform the Duke of Dalmatia of these dispositions,
and of the strength of these squadrons, which, as they will
amount to 4000 men and 1600 horses, will be able to maintain
perfect security all along the line from France to Madrid.  You
will also let him know that I wish the line of communication
between Bayonne and Madrid to pass through Somo Sierra, as
it is the shortest road, and the least exposed to attack from
Portugal. You will order 300 infantry, with 3 or 4 pieces of
cannon, to be always placed at Somo Sierra, and carry on the
works of the redoubt which I ordered to be raised there, in order
to prevent this communication with Madrid from ever being intercepted, so that, even if the enemy should penetrate as far as
Salamanca, Valladolid, and the Guadarrama, he may yet be far
from cutting off our passage by Somo Sierra.
You will ask the Duke of Dalmatia to give you a plan enabling the captains of gendarmes to see to the safety of the road
for 10 leagues on the right and on the left For this purpose it
will be necessary to have considerable magazines and establishments at Aranda and Burgos.  The troops must take their
bread at Burgos, Aranda, and Buytrago.  This will be in future
the line of operations of the army of Spain, Aragon being subdued.
That by Valladolid may be interrupted at any time from Portugal. Let General Hedouville know these arrangements, that
he may inform you when the first companies of gendarmes under
his command will be ready to move.




JAIN. 1810.         SUCCESS OF SUCHET.                 99
[ 578.]          NAPOLEON TO BERTHIER.
Paris, Jan. 20, 1810.
My Cousin,-Put an extract into the' Moniteur' from
General Loison's despatch of the 1st of January, in which he
relates the destruction of the insurgents. You will remark on
the importance of the services thus rendered by General Loison.
Write to the King of Spain that, out of the 1,500,000 francs
which General Loison has levied by contribution, 400,000 should
be assigned to the artillery, and 400,000 to the engineers. Let
my minister of war in Paris know this.
You will insert in the' Moniteur' an extract from General
Solignac's letter of the 5th of January, announcing the defeat of
Cubichas, and a narrative of the whole of Milhaud's expedition,
when he destroyed the bands of Empecinado. Take care that
in these insertions neither the word "Pole" nor the word
"German" be used.
You will extract from General Suchet's correspondence a
history of his late successes in Aragon, of the capture of Venasco,
of the engagements of Alfara, and of his march upon Terruel
and Mora, after General Musnier's actions with the garrison of
Tortosa in the neighbourhood of Alcaniz and Balca.
[579.]           NAPOLEON TO BERTHIER.
Paris, Jan. 20, 1810.
My Cousin,-Write to General Lagrange, who will reach
Logrolo on the 25th February with part of his division, that he
ought to make incursions to the distance of five or six days'
march from Logroho, to attack the banditti, destroy them, and
keep the communications open for 40 miles round, in concert
with the commandants of Navarre, the Biscays, Burgos, and
Aragon; that he should form moveable columns, and make use of
the time during which his division remains there to pacify and
disarm the country.
Write the same thing to General Solignac. The dragoons
who will reach Burgos on the.....,* added to the troops in
* Illegible. —Ed.




100              INSTRUCTIONS FOR AUGEREAU.             CHAP. XVI.
the provinces of Valladolid, Santander, and Bilbao, will enable
him to pursue the banditti to a distance of five or six marches,
rout them, and deliver the country from them.
[ 580.]            NAPOLEON TO BERTHIER.
Paris, Jan. 20, 1810.
My Cousin,-Write to General Avril that I am  much surprised at his not having marched with all his forces to destroy
the enemy when he heard that they had re-appeared at Frias,
and even in the neighbourhood of Orduna. At Orduna itself
there were 515 men of the 26th of the line whom he ought to
have put in motion.
Tell General Reynier to order his troops to march upon Frias,
and to clear the whole country as soon as possible; to levy contributions, as General Loison has done, and to deposit them provisionally in the hands of a French paymaster.
[ 581..]           NAPOLEON TO THE MINISTER OF WVAR.
Jan. 20, 1810.
MI. le Due de Feltre, —Desire the Duke of Castiglione to
express to General Souham my satisfaction with the manner in
which he conducted the assault and capture of Olot.  You will
let me know the proposals which he makes for rewarding and
promoting his officers.
Urge the Duke of Castiglione to put his troops in motion,* in
order to raise the blockade of Barcelona and re-provision it, and
to lay siege to Hostalrich, that in future there may be no obstacles in the way of his communications.
Put into the' Moniteur' an account of General Souham's
expedition to Olot, Campredon, Ribas, &c., and of the services
* The words of the original are, "pour faire le blocus de Barcelone, et
pourvoir a son retablissement."  They are obviously corrupt. Barcelona was
then in the hands of the French, and blockaded by the Spaniards. Probably
the word " faire " ought to be read " lever," and the word " retablissement"
ought to be " ravitaillement," and the translation then will be, as I have made
it, " in order to raise the blockade of Barcelona and re-provision it." —TR.




JAN. 1810.                 ORDERS.                       101
rendered by the Duke of Castiglione in directing this important
operation.
[ 582.]           NAPOLEON TO BERTHIER.
Jan. 22, 1810.
My Cousin,-My orders relating to the disposition of the
gendarmes' squadrons are to be executed in the following manner:-The 1st squadron is not to be at Irun, the 2nd at Ernani, &c. &c. As soon as the first six squadrons are ready, they
are to be placed thus: —The 1st at Miranda, the 2nd at Vittoria,
the 3rd between Vittoria and Tolosa, the 4th at Tolosa, the 5th
at Ernani, and the 6th at Irun. When the 7th is fit for service,
it must proceed to Irun, and the 1st to Briviesca, and so on in
succession as the other squadrons are ready to start. Order all
these changes to be made.
[ 583.]           NAPOLEON TO BERTHIER.
Paris, Jan. 27, 1810.
My Cousin,-Order General Digeon to repair to Madrid to
take the command of the 1st brigade of the 4th division of
dragoons, which is with the 2nd corps. Desire General Fouler
to proceed likewise to Madrid, to take the command of the 4th
brigade of the 3rd division of dragoons of the 4th corps. Write
to General Solignac that General Loison did right in raising
contributions to the amount of 1,500,000 reals,* but that this
money must be paid into the military chest, to supply the wants
of the army. Write to the same effect to Generals Loison and
Reynier. I approve of all the French and foreigners, who were
taken with General Dupont, returning to France. They must
be distributed among the different dep6ts, clothing and arms
given to them, and they will recover heart and French feelings.
* So in the original. But it appears from the letter of the 20th January
that the contribution was 1,500,000 francs, which is more than four times as
much.-TR.




102        SPAIN TO PROVIDE FOR FRENCH ARMY.        CHAP. XVI
[ 584.]           NAPOLEON TO BERTHIER.
Paris, Jan. 27, 1810.
My Cousin, —Send back the King's aide-de-camp (Clermont
Tonnerre) to Spain, with a letter which you will write to the
King. Do not send him until you have received my orders.
[ 585.]           NAPOLEON TO BERTHIER.
Paris, Jan. 28. 1S10.
My Cousin.-Let the King of Spain know that my finances
are getting into disorder; that I cannot meet the enormous cost
of Spain; that it is become absolutely necessary that the funds
required to keep up the artillery, the engineers, the administration, the hospitals, surgeons, and administrators of every description, should be furnished by Spain, as well as half the pay of the
army; that no one is bound to do what is impossible; that the
King ought to feed the army of Spain: that all I can do is to
give two millions a month towards its pay; that, if all this cannot
be done, there is but one course left, that is to administer the
provinces for the benefit of France, seeing that the state of my
finances will not allow me to continue to make such great sacrifices.  You will acquaint the intendant-gene'ral and the commanding officer of engineers with this state of affairs.
F 586.]           NAPOLEON TO BERTHIER.
Jan. 31, 1810.
My Cousin, —Despatch the King of Spain's aide-de-camp, and
let him carry the following instructions:1. When marching on Seville and Cadiz, care must be taken
to be provided with all materials necessary for siege operations;
for if the enemy is aware that the means for bombarding and
mining are wanting, it will increase his resistance.
2. It must be foreseen that the English may make a diversion
by marching upon Talavera. The 5th corps, which is composed
of our best troops, should therefore be left to oppose them; and
all the small bodies whose duty it is to keep up the communication with Madrid should be put under the orders of the com



FEn. 1810.            PLANS OF CAMPAIGN.                   103
mander of the 5th corps, that he may be able to assemble them,
and check the English. This corps might proceed to Alcantara, and even to the frontier of Portugal, to find out what the
English are about, and to correspond with the Duke of Elchingen.
3. If the English should not make their diversion by a march
upon Madrid, they may move on Salamanca; in this case the
6th corps should be reinforced by Loison's division, by the 8th
corps, and by 1200 cavalry, which would make any serious
operation in the plain impossible.
4. If the corps opposed to the English is not sufficiently
strong; if the detachments between Sierra Morena and Madrid
are not under the same command; if the English can hope to
make an aggressive movement; Cadiz will be encouraged to
resist. The least retrograde movement on the part of one of the
corps belonging to the Andalusian expedition would be contrary
to all military principles, give spirit to the insurgents, and
discourage the French army. Only the necessary troops must
therefore be sent to Andalusia, since a diversion on the part of
the English must be foreseen.
5. His Majesty was not satisfied with the' plans which I submitted to him; there is a want of strength in the arrangements.
The English alone are to be feared in Spain, the rest are mere
partisans, who can never keep the field.
The communication between Lisbon and Seville is rapid. If
an insufficient corps is left upon the Tagus, the success of the
operation will be endangered.*
[ 587.]                NAPOLEON TO BERTHIER.
Paris, Feb. 8, 1810.
My Cousin, —Send an officer with the annexed decree to
the King of SpaiD  and to Marshal Soult, to whom  he will
* This is the first time that the Emperor gives any advice on the Andalusian expedition, although the reports of his minister, to whom Marshal
Soult had given every detail, had informed him of the dispositions made at
Madrid for the approaching campaign.-ED.




10.4                DECREE OF FEBRUARY S.              C~RAP. XVI.
deliver your letter.*  All orders must be issued in accordance
with this decree. I can no longer stand the enormous expense
of my army of Spain.  I intend the administration of the
conquered provinces to be in future in the hands of the military
commandants, in order that all their resources may be applied
to the maintenance of the army. In future I shall be able to
send only two millions a-month to pay the troops which surround Madrid, and which form the nucleus of the army. You
will take care that possession is not taken of the new government of Navarre till General Dufour arrives there with his
division.
L 588.]            NAPOLEON TO BERTHIER.
Paris, Feb. 8, 1510.
My Cousin,-Write to the general commanding in Aragon
that he is to employ the revenue of the province, and, if necessary, even levy extraordinary contributions, for the pay and
support of his army; that France can no longer supply all these
demands. You will see in my decree that I intrust General
Dufour with the government of Navarre. Give similar instructions to him.  There are enough troops in Biscay.  Write to
Generals Thiebault, Bonnet, and Kellermann, and to the Duke
of Elchingen, that the provinces which they occupy afford
resources sufficient for the maintenance of their troops; that
they must not trust to the French treasury, which is exhausted
by the immense sums which it is constantly obliged to send out;
that Spain swallows up a prodigious amount of specie, and thus
* By this decree, often referred to as " the Decree of the 8th of February,"
the provinces of1. Catalonia,
2. Aragon,
3. Navarre,
4. Biscay,
5. Burgos,
6. Valladolid, Placencia, and Toros,
were erected into six governments under the absolute control, civil as well
as military, of six French generals, who corresponded with Napoleon and
were virtually independent of Joseph.-Tr.




FEB. 1810.           SOULT AND JUNOT.                 105
impoverishes France. Let the Duke of Dalmatia's aide-de-camp
take your letters. You will write at the same time to General
Suchet to desire him to attack with one of his divisions, and
press vigorously, Mcquinenza; at the same time he is to continue
to threaten Valencia, and to maintain the tranquillity of Aragon.
Tell him that Dufour's division, 7000 or 8000 strong, will reach
Navarre towards the end of February, and that Montmarie's
brigade, which is composed of detachments belonging to these
corps, is about to proceed to Saragossa.
[ 589.]           NAPOLEON TO BERTHIIER?aris, Feb. 8, 1810.
My Cousin,-Order the brigade oi dragoons, composed of
the 4th and 5th provisional regiments, under the command of
General Gardanne, which has reached Burgos, to repair to
Valladolid, where it is to be broken up, and the squadrons
belonging to the 3rd, 6th, 10th, and 11th dragoons are to rejoin
their corps, which will raise the numbers of General Kellermann's division to nearly 4000.  Order the 11th provisional
regiment of dragoons, which is at Vittoria, to proceed to Madrid,
whence it will be sent to the 2nd corps and dissolved. Thus
the 13th and 22nd dragoons will each have their four squadrons.
As by this means the 11th, 12th, 4th, and 5th provisional
regiments, will be broken up, there will remain only eight
regiments, amounting to more than 6000 men, who will form
part of the 8th corps. Desire the Duke of Abrantes to occupy
the plain with this body of cavalry, to establish magazines, and
to pursue the banditti. Ask him if it would be possible to raise
a couple of millions from the province of Burgos to supply the
wants of his army.
[ 590.]          NAPOLEON TO BERTIIER.
Paris, Feb. 12, 1S10.
My Cousin,-Order Valentin's brigade to be broken up as
soon as it has been replaced at Bilbao; and all the detachments
of this brigade belonging to the 32nd and 6th light troops, and
to the 76th of the line, to join the 6th corps, to be incorporated
VOL. II.-5*




106                  MILITARY ORDERS.             CHAP. XVI
in their respective regiments, and all belonging to the 118th,
119th, and 120th, to repair to Santander; General Valentin is
himself to follow these three regiments, and to be under the
command of General Bonnet. Montmarie's brigade:-As soon
as this brigade has been replaced by General Dufour, you will
order General Montmarie to assemble it at Tudela, and thence
repair to Saragossa, where General Suchet will incorporate the
detachments of which it is composed into their respective regiments in the 3rd corps. Lamartiniere's brigade:-Order all the
men in this brigade belonging to the 3d corps to proceed to
Saragossa, and the remainder to Burgos, whence it will supply
garrisons to keep order in the province; it should send strong
detachments towards Frias to keep up the communication with
Santander. Dufour's division:-Order this division to be composed of only the 1st and 2d marching regiments; the 4th marching regiment is to continue its progress to Salamanca, where it
will be incorporated into the 6th corps (with the exception of the
detachments of the 43rd and 55th, which are to garrison the
citadel of Burgos till further orders), and the 3rd foot marching
regiment of this division is to be broken up at Tolosa, and to be
thus disposed of: The 700 men belonging to the 4th Swiss regiment, and the 30 men of the 3rd, will proceed to Valladolid,
under the orders of General Kellermann, which will complete the
numbers of the Swiss battalions in his division to 2000. All
troops belonging to the Hanoverian legion are to join the 6th
corps. All belonging to the Irish battalions are to join the 8th
corps. All belonging to the legion of the Vistula and to the
Polish regiments will repair to Saragossa to be embodied in the
legion of the Vistula.  8th corps: —Order all the men in the
8th corps who belong to the 14th and 121st regiments to proceed
to join these regiments at Saragossa; all those of the 122nd to
join Bonnet's division; and all belonging to the 15th light infantry to join the 6th corps. In consequence of these dispositions, Lagrange's division will in future be divided into only
two brigades; Bonnet's division will receive an addition of more
than 2000 men; and the 3rd corps of more than 4000. Order
the Duke of Abrantes to carry his head-quarters to Valladolid,




FmB. 1810.   ORDERS FOR THE DISTRIBUTION OF TROOPS.   107
to collect all his troops there, to occupy the kingdom of Leon,
Benevento, and the frontier of Gallicia with small detached posts
of cavalry, in order to enable Loison's division to fall back upon
Salamanca; to keep up a constant communication with the 6th
corps, and to subdue the whole plain. Kellermann's division:Order Kellermann's division of dragoons, that is to say, the 3rd,
6th, 10th and 11th regiments, as soon as they are completed by
the 4th and 5th provisional regiments, which will carry their
numbers to 3400, to march towards Salamanca, wHere they will
be under the orders of the Duke of Elchingen, who commands
the 6th corps. When you inform the Duke of Abrantes that
Kellermann's division forms part of the 6th corps, you will direct
him to send his cavalry to occupy the posts which were held by
General Kellermann. 6th corps:-mYou will write to the Duke
of Elchingen that, in consequence of the arrival of the Duke of
Abrantes at Madrid, and the occupation by him of the kingdom
of Leon and the frontier of Gallicia, the Duke of Elchingce
ought to desire Loison's division to join him; that with the additions which his corps has received in cavalry, and, lastly, by
his junction with Kellermann's division, he must have at least
between 6000 and 7000 cavalry; that Loison's division will increase his numbers to more than 36,000; that besides these,
the Duke of Abrantes, with another corps of 30,000 men, is on
his rear, ready to support him; that he must not lose a moment
in filling the passes from Portugal with strong patrols of cavalry,
in order to find out what is going on, alarm the English, and prevent them from coming south; that he may spread in Portugal
the news of the Emperor's arrival with 80,000 men; that he
should occupy the summit of the pass which separates the Portuguese frontier from Ciudad Rodrigo, and place strong detachments round the town. Confer with General Lariboissiere as to
the possibility of sending 1000 horses, laden with siege materials,
from Burgos to Valladolid, and thence to Salamanca. Let a
return of the 6th corps be drawn up for me, including the additions which I have ordered it to receive. Bonnet's division:
Let General Bonnet know that he is to take possession of the
Asturias, and be under the command of the Duke of Abrantes,




108       ORDERS FOR THE DISTRIBUTION OF TROOPS.  CHAP. XVI.
who occupies the kingdom of Leon and the frontiers of Gallicia;
that his principal business is to threaten Gallicia perpetually
through the Asturias, find employment for enemies' troops there,
and prevent their marching elsewhere.  Gendarmes:-Write to
General Buquet that the four first squadrons of gendarmnes which
enter Spain are to be placed in the three Biscays; that the next
four are to occupy Navarre; that he is to place them in such a
manner as to keep perfect order in the Biscays and in Navarre;
that he is to send in a report on this matter; that I wish the
other squadrons to be posted in Aragon, on the left of the Ebro,
to secure the communications between Jaca, Venasco, and the
frontiers of France; lastly, that no squadron is to go beyond
Miranda or the Ebro without my order, except it be to a distance
of only two or three marches to pursue banditti or escort convoys. 3rd corps:-Tell General-Suchet that, since the 1st of
January, his corps has been increased by more than one half, and
his cavalry has been more than doubled; that I expect him to
send moveable columns all over Aragon, to endeavour to put himself into communication with the 7th corps, and before the Ist
of March to invest Mequinenza and Lerida, and push on both
sieges vigorously. Let him know that I intend to send gendarmes,
both horse and foot, to bring into order all the portion of Aragon
which is between the Ebro and the Pyrenees, and that I wish him
to send me a proposal for the details.
SUMMARY.
In consequence of the dispositions contained in this letter,
Reynier's division is broken up; Montmarie's brigade becomes
part of the 3rd corps: Valentin's brigade is sent, half to the 6th
corps, and half to Bonnet's division; and Lamartiniere's brigade
is to repair for the present to Burgos. I intend to send it farther
as soon as the six auxiliary battalions arrive.
The six auxiliary battalions are to continue to march towards
Vittoria. Communicate these dispositions to the King and to the
Duke of Dalmatia. Send to them copies of all the orders issued
since the 1st of January, in order that, if any of the expresses
should have been lost, they may have the duplicates.




Fb. 1810.           ORDERS FOR JUNOT.                 109
[ 591.]          NAPOLEON TO BERTHIER.
Paris, Feb. 15. 1810.
MIy Cousin, —I do not approve of changes being made in the
organization of the gendarme squadrons. They will set off as
soon as they are complete or nearly so. The first four squadrons
will proceed to Biscay, and the four next to Navarre. I wish
them to enter Spain on the 1st of March. Desire the Duke of
Abrantes to take with him the first provisional battaL.on of the
field equipages. By this means the Duke of Abrantes will have
140 carriages belonging to the 10th battalion, and 140 belonging
to the 2nd provisional battalion, altogether 280 carriages. Desire
him to put them into a good condition, to establish a good system,
and to keep them loaded with biscuit, which he will procure either
from Bayonne or from Burgos. He will thus be ready for any
undertaking.  Hasten the departure of the 11th battalion of field
equipages for Bayonne, and let me know when it arrives there.
Write to General IIedouville to keep at Bayonne the 51,000
pairs of shoes which were left there by the 1st battalion of field
equipages. They will supply the troops which pass thrcugh.
[592.]           NAPOLEON TO BERTHIER.
Paris, Feb. 17, 1810.
My Cousin,-Let General Suchet know that I reiterate my
order that he lay siege to Lerida and Mequinenza, and employ the
rest of his troops on the frontier of the kingdom of Valencia;
that I am especially anxious to finish with Catalonia. Tell him
that the Duke of Castiglione has reached Barcelona, and that he
is to try to put himself into communication with him. Give
notice to General Suchet that, if he should receive from Madrid
any orders contrary to mine, he is to consider that they have not
reached him, particularly in administrative matters.
[ 593.]          NAPOLEON TO BERTHIER.
Paris, Feb. 19, 1810.
My Cousin,-Desire the 1000 artillery horses which will
reach Bayonne on the 28th, and the 370 which will arrive on the
24th-making nearly 1400 horses-to proceed to Saragossa,




110        ORDERS TO FRENCH GOVERNORS IN SPAIN.   CHAP. XVI.
where they will be at the service of General Suchet for the siege
of Lerida. They will draw the powder and every thing that is
required for the siege, taking care to carry from Bayonne only
such things as cannot be procured at Pampeluna or at Saragossa.
Order all the detachments of the 3000 horses which are coming
from Germany to be filled up with mules on passing through
Poitiers.  Desire General Lariboissiere to send an artillery
officer to superintend the operation. Write to inform General
Suchet of this, and tell him that after the capture of Lerida he
may make use of these horses for Tortosa and Valencia; that he
must invest Lerida between the 1st and the 8th of March; that
the Duke of Castiglione has received notice to put himself into
communication with him.
[ 594.]  BEIRTHIER TO GENERALS THOUVENOT AND DUFOUR.
Rambouillet, Feb. 22, 1810.
T have sent to you the Emperor's order, appointing you
governor of the province of..., which has been placed in
a state of siege. Placing this province in a state of siege gives
you full power, both military and civil, and you will in future
correspond directly only with me. Your relations with the staff
of the army of Spain are concerned only with the movement of
troops and other purely military arrangements.  As I have
already informed you, all the resources of the province must be
devoted to the pay, the food, and the clothing of the troops,
taking, of course, proper precautions that every thing be done
regularly and economically
[ 595.]             BERTHIER TO SUCHET.
Rambouillet, Feb. 22, 1810.
I repeat to you, M. le Comte, the order to take possession of
Lerida and Mequinenza, and to put yourself in communication
with the Duke of Castiglione. The Emperor wishes that Aragon,
which is placed in a state of siege, should communicate as little
as possible with Madrid. Placing this province in a state of siege
gives to you absolute authority, and it is your duty to employ all




APRIL, 1810.         JOSEPH'S DISGUST.                  111
its resources to the pay, the food, and the clothing of your army.
If the King, as commander-in-chief of the armies of Spain,
should give you any orders affecting your administration, then
and then only you will declare that, as Aragon has been placed in
a state of siege, your army receives its orders only from the Emperor. You must feel, M. le Comte, that this declaration is to
be made only in a case of absolute necessity: his Majesty relies
on your prudence, on your devotion to his person, and on your
attachment to the French empire. You must be aware that
some portions of Aragon may have to be included within the
new frontier of France. This communication, M. le Comte, is
between you and me alone.
[ 596.]          JOSEPH TO QUEEN JULIE.
Cordova, April 12.
My dear Friend,-M. Deslandes will explain to you my position, and will tell you how necessary it is that it should end, and
that I should know what are the real feelings of the Emperor
towards me. As far as I can judge from the facts, they are unfavorable, and yet I cannot account for them. What does he
want with Spain and with me? Let him once announce to me
his will, and I should be no longer placed between what I appear
to be and what I really am, in a country in whioh unresisting
provinces are given up to the discretion of the generals, who tax
them as they like, and are ordered not to attend to me. If the
Emperor wishes to disgust me with Spain, I wish for nothing
but to retire immediately.  I am satisfied with having twice
tried the experiment of being a king; I do not wish to continue
it. I wish either to buy an estate in France, far from Paris,
and to live there quietly, or to be treated as a king and a
brother.
If the Emperor has been irritated against me by mischiefmakers, by the persons who calumniated me to the Spanish
people (and thus indeed did me good when I became known),
and if you cannot make him see the truth, I repeat that I must
retire.
I beg you, therefore, to prepare for me the means of living in



112                JOSEPH-THOUVENOT.             COaAP. XVL
dependently in retirement, and of being just to those who serve
me well.
I embrace you and Zenaide and Charlotte.
[597. ]           NAPOLEON TO BERTHIER.
Paris, Feb. 28, 1510.
My Cousin, —I rturn General Thouvenot's letters to you.
Tell him in answer that it would be as yet premature to send for
hostages; that he should govern the country with a steady hand,
and make use of the resources which it affords for the maintenance
of the troops; that four squadrons of gendarmes must have arrived; that he is to post them, and to make them do duty as in
France; that six auxiliary battalions, amounting at least to 3000
men, ought to have arrived; that 3000 marines, armed with
muskets, and commanded by Colonel Baste, will reach St. Sebastian in the beginning of March; that a division of my guard,
6000 strong, is at Logrono, and that, on an emergency, he may
put them in requisition; that 6000 of the rear-guard, under the
command of General Seras, are on their way; and that General
Dufour has entered Navarre with a division of 6000 men; that,
therefore, he cannot be in want of troops, and that he ought not
to be uneasy; that he must be prepared to find that the measures
which he has taken are not agreeable to the King's ministers, but
that this must not prevent his carrying them out, and that he is
to allege that he has orders from me. Let him know also that
the American merchandise should be sent to Bayonne, where it
will be sold more easily. Tell him likewise that the crews of the
American ships ought not to be treated as prisoners.
[ 598.]           NAPOLEON TO BERTHIER.
Paris, March 2, 1810.
My Cousin,-Order General Lamartiniere's brigade, 5000
strong, to repair to Valladolid, where it will be under the orders
of General Kellermann, who will unite it to the Swiss regiment,
and to the other detachments under his command; he will thus
have between 7000 and 8000 infantry. Desire him to support




MAE. 1810.          MILITARY ORDERS.                  113
General Bonnet, and to keep Castile quiet; the Duke of Abrantis
will thus be free to proceed in any direction without uneasiness
as to his rear. Order the six auxiliary battalions to continue
their march from Vittoria to Burgos, and appoint a brigadiergeneral who is on the spot to command them. These battalions
are to be drilled and exercised, and at the same time maintain
order and security in the Castiles; they will communicate with
Santander, and proceed whithersoever their presence may be required.  General Seras with the vanguard will continue his
march, and proceed to Biscay. By this means General Thouvenot will have at his disposal a good division of infantry, the
43rd and 44th battalions of the flotilla, and four squadrons of
gendarmes-more than enough to make the country perfectly
safe. You will inform the Duke of Abrantes of these movements,
that he may dispose of the troops in case of emergency.
[ 599.]           NAPOLEON TO BERTHIER.
March 5, 1810.
My Cousin, —Repeat the order that all colonial merchandise
seized in American ships in the ports of St. Sebastian, Bilbao,
Santander, and others, be sent to Bayonne for sale. The money
thus obtained is to be paid into a special fund, and an account
kept of it. I send you an answer to a question proposed by
General Thouvenot. Tell him that the money must be paid into
the custom-house fund at Bayonne, and that, until that has been
done, the goods must not be delivered.
I 600. ]          NAPOLEON TO CLARKE.
March 12, 1810.
M. le Duo de Feltre,-Send this despatch to the chief of the
staff. He will answer to the Duke of Abrantes that the funds
necessary for supplying all the wants of his army must be raised
by the duke in the provinces of Valladolid and Burgos, and that
they must be paid into his paymaster's chest.




114                  MILITARY ORDERS.              CHAP. XVL
[ 601. ]          NAPOLEON TO BERTHIER.
Paris, March 16, 1810.
My Cousin,-Write to the Duke of Abrantes that General
Kellermann is to receive all his orders from him. General Gardanne is to join the corps of Marshal Ney, who will give him employment in his cavalry. General Marancin, who is at present at
Valladolid, will be employed in the corps of the Duke of Abrantds.
[602.]            NAPOLEON TO BERTHIER.
Paris, March 16, 1Si0.
My Cousin,-Express to General Bonnet my satisfaction at
his conduct in the actions against the insurgents in the Asturias
on the 14th and 15th of February.  Desire the Minister of Marine Affairs to send from Bayonne some brigs or other small ships
to carry off from Gijon the prisoners and any others who may be
in General Bonnet's way.  Write to the Duke of Abrantes that
he must attack Astorga immediately, in order to support General
Bonnet in the Asturias, establish a communication with him, and
strike terror into Gallicia.
[603.]            NAPOLEON TO BERTHIER.
Paris, March 16, 1S10.
My Cousin,-.Write to the Duke of Abrantes that he must
levy contributions on the provinces of old Castile, Valladolid,
and Leon, sufficient to pay his troops. Desire the Duke of Elchingen to do the same thing in the provinces which he occupies,
and to arrange with the Duke of Abrantes the limits of the provinces from which they respectively are to raise contributions.
Give the same order to General Bonnet, that there may be no
arrears in the pay of his troops.  Tell General Heldouville to let
me know the state of his funds at Bayonne, and what sums he
has sent to Spain up to the 1st of April; desire him to send no
more to Navarre, Aragon, Biscay, Santander, Old Castile, or to
the 6th corps. I wish, for my decisions, to know what money
there is at Bayonne available for Spain. You must see the Minister of the Public Exchequer, and ask him what can be spared




APRIL, 1810.         MILITARY ORDERS.                 115
for Spain in the months of March and April, and do nothing till
you have let me know the result.
[ 604.]          NAPOLEON TO BERTHIER.
Compiegne, April 9, 1810.
My Cousin, —Order General Buquet to distribute the twenty
squadrons of gendarmes in the following manner:-Four in
Biscay; four in Navarre; six in the portion of Aragon which is
between France and the Ebro; so that all the valleys which lead
into France may be watched, and that these gendarmes may be
in communication with those of France; and six in the province
of Santander, so that the communication between Vittoria, Bilbao, and Santander may be always open. Total twenty squadrons.
My object in establishing this service is, that the provinces of
Biscay and Navarre, the portion of Aragon which lies between
the Ebro and France, and the province of Santander, may be
reduced to perfect order and under a regular police. The six
squadrons in the province of Santander will keep order round
Miranda, Briviesca, and as far as Burgos. Write to General
Suchet that I do not wish him to keep a single gendarme squadron at Saragossa. Let him keep them in cantonments in all the
Aragonese valleys between the Ebro and France.
[ 605.]          NAPOLEON TO BERTHIER.
Compiegne, April 9, 1810.
My Cousin, —Order General Abbe to repair to Saragossa,
where he will be employed in the 6th corps. I approve of
General Marancin's being employed in the 5th corps. Desire the
horses which are wanted for the king's remounts to be sent
to Spain. Order the 1st company of the 12th battalion of fieldequipages, containing thirty-six ambulance carriages, to repair to
Valladolid.  Order the 2nd brigade of the rear-guard of the
army of Spain, commanded by General Brenier, which will reach
Bayonne on the 18th of this month, to continue its march towards Vittoria, where it will be at the disposal of General Seras.
Desire the Duke of Elchingen to break up the first provisional




116                 ARMY OF PORTUGAL.              CHAP. XVI.
regiment of chasseurs, and to despatch the different detachments
out of which it was composed to their respective regiments.
Write to the Duke of Elchingen that the province of Avila
ought to be included in his command, and to supply provisions to
his army. Order 250,000 rations of biscuit from Burgos, and an
equal quantity from Valladolid, to be sent to Salamanca, and
placed there at the disposal of the Duke of Elchingen.
L 606. ]            IMPERIAL DECREES.
Compilgne, April 17, 1810.
Napoleon, Emperor of the French, King of Italy, and Protector of the Confederation of the Rhine,We have decreed and do decree as follows:
Art. 1. An army is formed under the name of the Army of
Portugal. It will be composed of the 2d, 6th, and 8th corps
of the army of Spain; they will preserve their present organisation.
Art. 2. The accounts of this army will be separate from those
of the army of Spain, dating from the 1st of May; it will have
a chief of the staff, an intendant general, a general in command
of the cavalry, another to command the artillery, and a third,
commanding the engineers.
Art. 3. Our Ministers of War, of the Administration of War,
of the Public Exchequer, and the Chief of our Staff, are intrusted with the execution of this decree, which will not be
printed.
Marshal the Duke of Rivoli, Prince of Essling, is appointed
commander-in-chief of the army of Portugal, created by our
decree of the 17th of April, 1810.
[607.]             NAPOLEON TO CLARKE.
Comp)igne, April 17, 1810.
Monsieur le Duc de Feltre,-Write to the Duke of Castiglione that the plains between Lerida and Villa Franca are very
fruitful, that General Suchet lost nothing in his retreat from Valencia, and that he has always beaten every thing before him. I




APRIL, 1810.  CONFISCATION OF ENGLISH GOODS.            117
presume that by this time the Duke of Castiglione has taken Tarragona, and that he is in communication with the army of Aragon.
[ 608.]           NAPOLEON TO BERTEIIER.
Compilgne, April 17, 1810.
My Cousin, —I send you back M. Denniee's report.  The
King of Spain is to have no voice as to the confiscation and disposal of the British goods in Andalusia. He is only the commander of my army. All the English goods, all the money
owing to the English on any grounds whatever, are to be paid
into the treasury of the army. It is not with Spanish troops
that the King is conquering Spain. I do not understand this
constant refusal to use the means of paying the army.
[ 609.]           NAPOLEON TO BERTIIIER.
Compiegne, April 17, 1810.
My Cousin, —Write to General Suchet that I am extremely
displeased at his having marched upon Valencia, instead of
marching, as I desired him, upon Lerida. You will also express
to him my displeasure that he was not before Lerida in the beginning of March. Although his artillery was not to arrive till
the 20th of April, he ought to have taken up his position in front
of Lerida, and to have sent forward strong detachments to open
a communication with the army of Catalonia.  He ought to
have left a strong division to watch Valencia, hold the country in
check, and look out for the enemy's movements by sea. General
Suchet went, in spite of my orders, to Valencia; he returned
without sufficient cause, and risked his troops. Instead of performing his appointed task, he left inactive the fine army with
which I intrusted him.  His conduct has in no way answered my
expectations.  The Duke of Castiglione must have been much
surprised, when he marched upon Villa Franca on the 20th of
March, to find no troops to support his right flank. It is essential that General Suchet should repair his blunders.




118                      DORSENNE.                 CHAP. XVI.
[ 610. ]           NAPOLEON TO CLARKE.
Compiegne, April 22, 1510.
Monsieur le Due de Feltre, —I wrote to you a few days ago to
order the Polish light-horse to proceed to Spain. I wish you
to give them counter-orders. It will be enough for the general
in command of the guard to choose, from among the men most
fit for active service, a sufficient number to complete the two
squadrons of the regiments in Spain to four hundred men.
I told you to send the division of the Guard under General
Dumoutier's command to Spain. Send immediately counterorders to the brigade of fusileers, and stop it at Angers, or
wherever it may be. Let General Dumoutier continue his march
with the rest of his division. Order the brigade of conscripts
which is at Paris to march from thence and replace the fusileers
in the division of General Dumoutier. This division, reinforced
by 6000 conscripts, will proceed to Spain. Give strict orders
that these troops be marched carefully, without fatiguing them.
The brigade of fusileers will remain at Angers, and the old guard
at Paris.
The detachment of fusileers which is at Bayonne will remain
there to garrison the castle of Marrac. Let me know what is
the general depot of cavalry which appears in your return as
being in Paris.
[ 611.]           NAPOLEON TO BERTHIER.
Compibgne, April 20, 1810.
My Cousin,-General Dorsenne is ordered to Burgos to take
the command of my guard, composed of Roguet's division, consisting of two regiments of fusileers and tirailleurs, and of Dumoutier's division, consisting also of two regiments of fusileers
and tirailleurs, which is under orders to march from Angers to
Burgos. Each of these divisions is 6000 men strong, and has
eight heavy guns.
Twelve pieces of light artillery will join Dumoutier's division
as it passes through Bourdeaux, making altogether twenty-eight
pieces. I have ordered to Bayonne the Berg lancers and the




APRIL, 1810.      SPANISH CORRESPONDENCE.               119
Polish light-horse, which, joined to the two regiments of chasseurs,
the dragoons, and the heavy horse, will make up the cavalry to
2500 men. I have ordered General Lepic to take the command
of this cavalry. You will order General Dorsenne to correspond
with you and to receive orders only from you. He will occupy
Burgos and Aranda, and keep up the communication with Santander, Vittoria, and San Domingo.  You will give him the chief
command in the province of Burgos. I have added to my guard
a corps of marines, commanded by General Baste, and a corps of
marine-artificers, which will make this corps amount to 16,000 or
1'7,000 men. You will instruct General Dorsenne that, if the
English march against the Duke of Rivoli, he is authorised to
move to his assistance; but that, except in that case, his business
is to keep quiet the country along the Douro, and as far as Santander, and to employ columns to protect the communications with
Navarre and Valladolid. You will order him to be at Burgos on
the 12th of May, to have always 500,000 rations of biscuit ready
to move with the guard, to improve the fortifications of Burgos,
to put the whole country in a state of defence, and to keep it
quiet. You will join the battalion of Neufchatel and the coumpany of guides to my guard. I have ordered the 3rd, 4th, and
7th provisional demi-brigades and the infantry regiment of the
Grand Duchy of Berg to proceed under the orders of a brigadiergeneral to Bayonne, and from thence to Vittoria.  You will let
me know the day of their arrival that I may give them further
orders.
[ 612. ]          NAPOLEON TO BERTHIER.
Compilgne, April 26, 1810.
My Cousin,-I send you back the whole correspondence with
Spain; extract from it articles for the'Moniteur,' which you
will show to me to-morrow at St. Quentin before you send them
to the press.  Under the title " Siege of Cadiz " you may insert
the journal of the siege from the beginning until now, suppressing
any objectionable matter. Under the title of "Daily accounts of
skirmishes and unimportant affairs which have occurred in different parts of Spain," you will insert a short narrative of the ac



120                       SUCHET.                    CHAP. XVI.
tions of Malaga and Ronda, of the smaller landings of the English, of the little affair of General Foy, of General St. Croix's
reconnaissance in the North, of the affairs of General Bonnet;
printing the notes which we have of them. The officers who
have distinguished themselves should be named, for, although the
actions were of little importance, they risked their lives in them.
Besides, all this will throw light on the affairs of Spain.
[ 613. ]          NAPOLEON TO BERTHIER.
Berg-op-Zoom, MIay 9, 1810.
My Cousin,-Let the King of Spain and the Duke of Dalmatia know that, if the armies of La Romana and of the other
insurgent generals obtain recruits, the reason is twofold: 1st, the
creation of a Spanish army into which the peasants fear that they
shall be pressed, and therefore leave their homes; and 2ndly, the
errors committed in the treatment cf the prisoners taken at
Ocana and elsewhere.
[ 614. ]          NAPOLEON TO BERTHIER.
Lille, May 23, 1810.
My Cousin,-Write to General Suchet that I approve highly
of his exchanging Spaniards for French; that I give him carteblanche, provided that he does not allow himself to be cheated,
and that the exchanges take place simultaneously.
[ 615. ]          NAPOLEON TO BERTHIER.
May 27, 1810.
My Cousin,-Send a staff-officer to General Suchet with
orders to destroy Lerida, employing the powder which he found
there to blow up the fortifications in such a manner as to render
it impossible for them to be rebuilt. Ile will keep only a citadel
or fort commanding the town, in which 500 or 600 men may hold
out for a long time. This citadel must be furnished with arms
and provisions for six months.  I shall wait till a report is
sent to. me before I decide on the preservation of the existing
citadel or fort. All the rest of the stores will be sent to France by




MAY, 1810..          SOULT AND JOSEPH.                121
the shortest road.  I conclude that General Suchet has commenced the siege of Mequinenza, and that I shall soon hear of
its having been taken.  After doing this he will march upon
Tortosa, take the place, and write to Marshal Macdonald, who,
at the same time, will march on Tarragona..You will order General Suchet to levy a contribution of
several millions on the town of Lerida, to enable him to pay his
troops in full.
Lerida is capable of paying a war-tax of 12 million reals.*
[ 616.]          NAPOLEON TO BERTHIER.
May 27, 1810.
My Cousin,-Write to the Duke of Dalmatia that Lerida
and HIostalrich are taken; that by this time Mequinenza is no
doubt also taken; and that I have ordered General Suchet to
march upon Tortosa, and Marshal Macdonald to take Tarragona;
that, when these two places are captured, General Suchet may,
with a corps of 30,000 men and the necessary siege materials,
march upon Valencia, and reduce it; that General Suchet's operation was premature, and could only occasion the loss of our men;
that the siege of Ciudad Rodrigo may cause a battle; that therefore General Reynier with the 2nd corps should proceed towards
Abrantes, under the orders of the Prince of Essling, to manoeuvre
on the right bank of the Tagus; that the 1st, 4th, and 5th corps
and Dessolles' division are more than enough for the South; that
the 5th corps should move towards Portugal on the side of
Badajoz; that the Emperor cannot understand what is meant by
arming all the towns in Spain, and how it is that experience has
not shown the danger of putting arms into the hands of a people
who have always made such a bad use of them; that such policy
is madness; that it is equally inconceivable that no contributions
should be raised in the country occupied by the army, in order to
pay and to feed it.
* About 120,0001. —TR.
VOL. II.-6




122                 MASS]tNA-REYNIER.            CHAP. XVI
[ 617.]          NAPOLEON TO BERTHIER.
Dieppe, May 27, 1810.
My Cousin,-Write to the King of Spain that it grieves me
to see him arming the Spaniards to such an extent; its only
effect is to increase their resistance, and to spill the blood of the
French soldiers. It is difficult to understand this obstinacy in a
false system after having been so repeatedly deceived.
Write to the Prince of Essling that it appears from the
English newspapers that the English army consists of only 23,000
English and Germans, and 22,000 Portuguese; that therefore, if
the English attempt to interfere with the siege of Ciudad Rodrigo,
he has more than enough troops to beat them; that he should
march on that town with the 6th and 8th corps; that he should
leave with General Kellermann 2000 dragoons and from 3000 to
4000 infantry belonging to the 8th corps, so that General Kellermann, with these troops, the auxiliary battalion, and his own,
will have a body of about 10,000 men, infantry, cavalry, and
artillery, which is enough to keep up the communication; that
he, the Prince of Essling, with the 6th and the remainder of the
8th corps, making altogether more than 50,000 men, ought to
take Ciudad Rodrigo, and to beat the English if they advance.
Order General Reynier to approach Alcantara with the 2nd
corps to manceuvre on the right of the Tagus with the Prince of
Essling, under whose orders he is.
XWrite to the King of Spain that, as the English alone are to
be feared, he should put General Reynier, with the 2nd corps,
under the orders of the Prince of Essling, to march upon Alcantara and manoeuvre on the right of the Tagus; that the 1st, 4th,
and 5th corps and Dessolles' division are more than enough for
Andalusia; that this will assist the Prince of Essling to prevent
the siege of Ciudad Rodrigo from being raised, to take the place,
and to fulfil my intentions.
You will also write to the King of Spain that he is to give
no orders to the army of Aragon; and that he ought to combine
his operations with judgment, in order to finish this business once
for alL




MAY, 1810.    MASStNA-CAMPAIGN OF PORTUGAL.           123
[ 618.]          NAPOLEON TO BERTHIE.R.
Havre, May 29, 1810.
My Cousin, —Order General Reille, my aide-de-camp, to
repair to Pampeluna, where he is to undertake the command of
the whole of Navarre, with the title of Governor.  You will
give him instructions similar to those formerly given to General
Dufour.
You will order General Dufour to proceed without delay to
Seville, where the Duke of Dalmatia will employ him in a division
on active service.
You will let General Reille know that, besides the troops
already in Navarre, others are about to repair thither; that
General Dorsenne may even furnish him with a few battalions of
my guard, relying on his prudence to give them suitable employment, and not to compromise the honour of the corps.
[C 619.]          NAPOLEON TO BERTHIER.
HIavre, May 29, 1810.
My Cousin, —Send word to the Prince of Essling that, according to the English accounts, the army of General Wellington
consists only of 24,000 men, English and Germans, and that the
Portuguese have only 25,000; but that I do not choose to enter
Lisbon at present, because I should not be able to feed the town,
the immense population of which obtain their provisions by sea;
that the summer must be spent in taking Ciudad Rodrigo, and
afterwards Almeida; that the campaign must be managed, not
by unconnected expeditions, but methodically; that the English
general, as he has less than 3000 horse, may wait for the attack
in a country where cavalry is useless, but will neyer offer battle
in a plain. 
The 3 infantry divisions of the 6th corps alone amount to
24,000 men. The 8th corps is to consist of two divisions, thus
composed: —lst, Clausel's division as it stands, with the addition
of the battalion of the 46th which is with Lagrange's division;
this will bring it to 8500 men. 2ndly, Solignac's division with
the 65th, which will raise it to 9000. Total of the 8th corps,




124          MASS]NA-CAMPAIGN OF PORTUGAL         CnHA. XVL
17,500 men. These 5 divisions will therefore amount to more
than 40,000 men. The battalions of the 2nd, 4th, and 12th light
troops, the 32nd and 58th of the line, under the orders of Brigadiers Corsin and Janin, will form part of the division of General
Seras, who will thus have under his command these 5 battalions,
3000 men; the 4 auxiliary battalions, 3000; the 113th and the
4th battalion of the Vistula, 3000; in the whole 9000 men.
General S6ras will also have under his command BIigadiers
Corsin and Janin.
The cavalry is to be disposed in the following manner:The 3rd hussars and the 15th chasseurs, which ought to
amount to 2000 men, will remain attached to the Duke of Elchingen.
The 15th, 25th, 3rd, 6th, 10th, and 11th dragoons, altogether
6 regiments and nearly 5000 cavalry, will compose the cavalry
reserve which is to be commanded by General Montbrun. These
alone will amount to 7000.
The 1st brigade of dragoons, 1500 strong, and composed of
the 1st, 2nd, and 3rd provisional regiments, will remain attached
to the Duke of Abrantes. The 2nd, composed of the 6th and 7th
provisional regiments, will be attached to General Kellermann;
and the 3d, composed of the 8th, 9th, and 10th, to General
S6ras.
The Prince of Essling will therefore have 40,000 infantry
and between 9000 and 10,000 cavalry, without counting the artillery, sappers and miners, &c., which will constitute for him an
army of 50,000 men. He will besiege with them first Ciudad
Rodrigo, and afterwards Almeida, and will thus prepare himself
to march systematically on Portugal, which ought not to be
entered till September, when the heats are over, and, above all,
after the harvest.
Lahoussaye's division will remain with the army of the south.
[written in the Emperor's own handwriting.]
General Reynier will proceed towards Alcantara with two
divisions of infantry, forming 14,000 men, with the 1st hussars,
the 22nd chasseurs, the Hanoverian chasseurs, and the 8th dra



MAY, 1810.    MASS]ANA-CAMPAIGN OF PORTUGAL.          125
goons, altogether 2000 cavalry, which will form a corps of between
16,000 and 17,000 men.
General Reynier will thus be placed to the left of Ciudad
Rodrigo, occupying Alcantara, threatening Portugal from that
side, and keeping up the communication with Madrid.  The
Prince of Essling is to maintain him in this position, and not
allow him to be driven from it.
The Prince of Essling will thus have under his command
seven infantry divisions, 54,000 strong, and 11,000 cavalry,
which will make an army of from 65,000 to 70,000 men.
On his right will be General Seras, who, with 9000 foot and
1500 horse, will manceuvre between Astorga, the kingdom of
Leon, and Zamora, so as to keep up his communication with
General Bonnet, threaten Portugal on the side of Braganza, and
cover the plain of Valladolid. General Seras will be under the
orders of General Kellermann, who will have 1200 cavalry,
counting the Swiss and the different dep6ts, to keep the plain
quiet. In this way General Kellermann will have at his disposal
between 12,000 and 13,000 men.
It is to be added that before the Prince of Essling enters
Portugal a reserve of 20,000 men will have reached Valladolid.
Give all the requisite orders to the Prince of Essling and to
Generals Kellermann and S6ras; let General Bonnet be informed;
and, lastly, let the Duke of Dalmatia know of all these arrangements.
[ 620.]           NAPOLEON TO BERTHIER.
Havre, May 29, 1810.
My Cousin,-Order General Seras, with the 113th of the
line and the regiment belonging to the legion of the Vistula, to
repair to Valladolid. He will take under his command the four
auxiliary battalions, of which you will desire him to take particular care: his division will thus be composed of eight battalions. The Prince of Essling will give him 1200 horse and
3000 foot, that his corps may amount to 10,000 men. With
these General Seras will hold the army of Gallicia in check.




126                     DORSENNE.                 CHAP. XVI
[ 621.]          NAPOLEON TO BERIrHIER.
Havre, May 29, 1810.
SMy Cousin,-Answer to General Dorsenne that he has absolute command over the province of Burgos, over the military as
well as over the police and the finances; that the troops of all
kinds, artillery, engineers, French and Spanish, and of every
nation, are under his orders.  Fix clearly the boundary of
General Dorsenne's command; tell him that I wish nim to keep
his troops in constant motion to repress the banditti; that he
should even send columns to the frontiers of Navarre, to the
defiles of Santander, and wherever they are required; that for
this purpose he must form seven or eight moveable columns, consisting of Polish light horse and young soldiers; but desire him
to keep my old soldiers together, so as to lose none by any accident. The 400 Polish light horse, the 800 lancers from the
Grand Duchy of Berg, make together 1200 cavalry, which he
may form into six columns, adding to them one or two companies
of infantry, according to circumstances.  These detachments
may proceed in every direction, pursue the banditti without
mercy, and drive them out of the borders of Navarre and the
province of Santander. Besides these, he should always have in
hand between 2000 and 3000 men, infantry and cavalry, to proceed whithersoever they may be wanted.
Send word to General Dorsenne that there are more troops
on their way to him; that he must, therefore obtain from Soria,
Aranda, and other parts of the province, provisions enough to
supply him always with 500,000 rations of biscuit and several
million rations of provisions stored in the country surrounding
Burgos.
Write to the Prince of Essling to let him know the extent
of General Dorsenne's command, and inform him that that command is independent, as General Dorsenne may at any time receive orders from me; but that General Dorsenne is to send
columns in every direction, and not to refuse anything which
may keep up and secure the communications.




MAY, 1810.     REMODELLING SPANISH PROVINCES.           127
[ 622.]          NAPOLEON TO BERTHIER.
Havre, May 29, 1810:
My Cousin, —Write a circular to the different marshals commanding in Spain, and to the governors, to express my displeasure
that, by their orders, sums of money have been taken out of the
hands of the paymasters appointed by the Minister of the
Treasury; that this step is illegal, and contrary to the rules of
administration.
In the Emperor's hand:-They have no right to appoint
receivers; those who receive contributions must be the men of
the treasury.
[ 623.]           NAPOLEON TO BERTHIIER.
Havre, May 29, 1810.
My Cousin,-Write to General Dufour that I am extremely
displeased at his want of activity; that, instead of remaining idle
in the town, he ought to be at the head of his columns, and proceed in all directions to destroy the banditti.
r 624.]           DECREE OF NAPOLEON.
llavre, May 29, 1810.
Napoleon, Emperor of the French, King of Italy, Protector
of the Confederation of the Rhine, Mediator of the Swiss Confederation, &c., —We have decreed and do decree as follows:Art. 1. The province of Burgos is to form a separate government, under the name of the Fifth Government of Spain.
Art. 2. The provinces of Valladolid, Palencia, and Toro, are
to form a separate government, under the name of the Sixth
Government.
Art. 3. The Chief of our Staff, and our Ministers of War and
of the Treasury, are charged with the execution of this decree.
[ 625.]           DECREE OF NAPOLEON.
Havre, May 29, 1810.
Napoleon, Emperor of the French, King of Italy, Protector
of the Confederation of the Rhine, Mediator of the Swiss Corfederation, &c.;,-We have decreed and do decree as follows: —




128           REMODELLING SPANISH PROVINCES.         CHAP. XVI,
Art. 1. In each of the six governments of Spain are to be
receivers, who will be appointed by our Minister of the Treasury,
and who alone will receive the revenue arising from ordinary or
extraordinary contributions.
Art. 2. In the other parts of Spain the ordinary and extraordinary contributions intended for the army shall be paid into
the chests of the military paymasters.
Art. 3. The six receivers established in the six governments,
and the paymasters acting as receivers in the other parts of Spain,
will correspond with the receiver-general of the contributions of
Spain, who will reside at Bayonne.
Art. 4. All our generals, intendants, and civil and military
officers in our armies, are expressly ordered to have the contributions paid only into the receivers' chests for the six governments, and into the paymasters' chests for the other parts of
Spain.
Art. 5. The receivers appointed by any other authority than
that of our Minister of the Treasury will cease their functions
as soon as this decree is made public, and will repair to Paris
with the utmost diligence, and carry all the papers containing
accounts of their receipts and expenditure to our Minister of the
Treasury.
Art. 6. The Chief of our Staff, and our Ministers of the
Treasury and of War, are charged with the execution of this
decree as it concerns them respectively.
[ 626.]           NAPOLEON TO BERTHIER.
Rambouillet, July 10, 1810.
My Cousin,-Order the 2nd division of the rear-guard of the
army of Spain to continue its operations in Navarre, with the
exception of the 1st provisional regiment, which is to remain at
Tolosa, and to keep the whole province of St. Sebastian. This
arrangement will allow the posts of my guard to collect together
at Vittoria and Bilbao.
The 1st provisional regiment will stay in the province of St.
Sebastian till fresh troops arrive to take its place. Desire General Reille to send back to their corps all the troops which do




JULY, 1810.           MILITARY ORDERS.                  129
not belong to him. With his 6000 men, the gendarmes, and the
two squadrons of the 9th hussars, he ought to re-establish order
in Navarre.
[ 627.]          NAPOLEON TO BERTHIER.
Rambouillet, July 10, 1810.
My Cousin,-Write to General Dorsenne that he is to scour
the country, by keeping in constant motion six or seven columns,
composed each of 200 cavalry, and from 600 to 700 infantry, and
to combine their movements so that two or three may a:ways be
able to unite. Ask him why this has not been done already, and
tell him to take advantage of the harvest to fill his magazines at
Burgos.
628.]            NAPOLEON TO BERTHIER.
Rambouillet, July 14, 1810.
My Cousin, —Write to General Reynier that I am waiting to
hear that he has raised contributions in the country which he occupies, in order to feed and pay his troops; that war is supported
by war. Write the same thing to General Dorsenne; tell him
that as yet I have not seen one letter from him giving an account
of his administration, of the contributions which he levies, and
of his resources. Send the annexed letter* to the King, to let
him know that he must provide for the wants of the army.
[ 629.]    INSTRUCTIONS FOR THE DUKE OF DALMATIA.
Rambouillet, July 14, 1810.
I enclose to you, M. le Duc, an Imperial decree, which M. le
Due de Feltre, the Minister of War, has sent to me. You will
see by this decree that the Emperor has considered it expedient
for the good of his service to appoint you commander-in-chief of
his army of the South in Spain. His Majesty's object in this
arrangement is, that your authority and your movements may be
more direct and unembarrassed.
* The next letter but one.-TR.
VOL. II. —6*




130              INSTRUCTIONS FOR SO0ULT.         CHAP. XV1.
In the Emperor's hand:-It  The territory subject to your army
must be added that I wished to
throw the responsibility upon extends to the left of the Sierra-Morena.
him.
His Majesty's desire is, that you should
take the most effectual means of providing for the pay and the
requirements of your army. You must act on the principle that
war is supported by war. You must push forward the operations
on Cadiz, and take measures for getting rid of the banditti. His
Majesty supposes that you have occupied and entrenched the most
important posts, to keep open your communications, and to prevent their being insulted by the banditti which infest the country.
If necessary, M. le Due, the Emperor authorizes you to sell
the English goods, and even to levy [in the Emperor's hand] extraordinary contributions, to supply the wants of your army. In
case the ordinary contributions be not sufficient for the pay, you
must raise large contributions, chiefly upon the countries which
are yet unsubdued.
Your appointment as commander-in-chief of the army of the
South makes no change in the actual state of things, since in fact
you already command. A few words in your general orders will
be enough. This new arrangement ought to excite as little sensation as possible.
I need not remind you of the respect which you owe to the
King. You must act in concert with his ministers, although you
have in reality the chief command. The Emperor did not choose
to leave the movements of his army of the South any longer undecided. He thought that it was time to prove the confidence
with which you have inspired him. Your talents prevented his
having any doubt as to who should fill so important a command.
N.B. Write to the Dukes of Belluno and of Treviso, and to
General Sebastiani, to give them notice that they form part of
the army of the South, under the command of the Duke of Dalmatia.
[ 630.]            BERTHIER TO JOSEPH.
Rambouillet, July 14, 1810.
Sire,-The Emperor copimands me to have the honour of
writing to your Majesty to inform you that, in consequence of
your residence at Madrid, he considers the army of Andalusia as




JULY, 1810.      THE COMMAND IN ANDALUSIA.              131
having no immediate chief, the Duke of Dalmatia having no
legal authority; so that no one is responsible for what may happen to the three corps which combine their operations in the
south of Spain, in the event of the slightest disturbance or insubordination on the part of one of the commanders of the three
corps [five illegible words in the Emperor's handwriting], to
form one army of the South, composed of the 1st, 4th, and 5th
corps.  Your Majesty sees that the appointment of a general
directly responsible will enable the operations of this army to be
more rapid. The Duke of Dalmatia, as he has been so fortunate
as to deserve your Majesty's confidence, and also that of the Emperor, might be intrusted with this command.
The Emperor, Sire, is deeply grieved to hear that the army
which is laying siege to Cadiz is in a state of complete destitution
-that their pay is nine months in arrear. This state of things
may be productive of serious misfortunes. His Majesty can send to
Spain no more than the two millions a month which he has assigned
to that employment, because the money of France is exhausted;
because, in the present state of affairs in Spain, war must support
war; because all the resources in the country must be employed
to feed, pay, and clothe the troops which conquer it; because to
discipline and pay Spanish troops is to discipline and pay one's
enemies; because, lastly, soldiers must be paid before civilians,
and above all the French troops, who alone support your Majesty
in Spain. The Emperor thinks that Seville, Cordova, Malaga,
and all those fine countries, ought to supply abundantly the wants
of the army of the South, and furnish its pay.
[ 631.]            BERTHIER TO SUCHET.
PRambouillet, July 14,1810.
The Emperor, M. le Gen6ral Compte de Suchet, desires me to
tell you that he wishes you, as soon as you have taken Tortosa, to
put it into the hands of the Duke of Taranto, and to assemble
your army in Aragon, to enable you to second the invasion of
Portugal, which his Majesty proposes after the capture of Tortosa
and Tarragona [illegible words in the Emperor's writing].
Divide your army into two bodies. With the first, consisting of




132             INSTRUtCTIONS FOR SUCHET.         C11AP. XVL
about 15,000 men, you will march towards Valladolid, manceuvring so as to support our operations until the English have been
beaten and driven into the sea. You will leave the other corps,
consisting of 12,000 men, to hold Aragon; and as soon as the
English are turned out of Portugal, you will return to Aragon
with your first 15,000 men, and march upon Valencia with your
whole army. At the same time the army of Catalonia will send
a division by Tortosa, and the Duke of Dalmatia will assist your
expedition with a corps of from 15,000 to 20,000 men.
While you are marching upon Valladolid, the horses belonging
to your siege artillery will recover themselves, and your siege
materials will be repaired ready for the attack upon Valencia.
[In the Emperor's writing.]  In short, you must take Tortosa, and afterwards assemble your army and hold yourself ready
to execute the Emperor's orders. You must, however, be somewhat governed by events; and after the capture of Tortosa you
must not leave that part of the country without the Emperor's
orders.
[ 632.]          NAPOLEON TO BERTHIER.
St. Cioud, July 19, 1810.
My Cousin,-Order three millions to be sent in one convoy to
the head-quarters of the army of the South, escorted by a corps
of 1200 men, which is to be formed by General Quesnel at
Bayonne, of all the available detachments from the 1st, 4th, and
5th corps, and of all that can be obtained from the Polish depots.
You will put this escort under the command of one of your aidesde-camp, or of an intelligent colonel, who will have orders to take
this convoy untouched to its destination, and will be responsible
that no money be subtracted from it, even at Madrid. He will
carry an order from me to this effect. Governors Thouvenot and
Dorsenne will make arrangements for adding to this escort of
1200 men, detachments of infantry and cavalry from every post
in their governments. Write to the Dukes of Dalmatia, Belluno,
and Treviso, and to General Sebastiani, that they also are to reinforce the escort in La Mancha and in the districts occupied by
their armies. This convoy of three millions will go straight to




JULY, 1810.     CAPTURE OF CItUDAD RODRIGO.             133
Seville. It is intended to bring up all arrears in the pay of the
army of the South.
[ 633.]            NAPOLEON TO CLARKE.
St. Cloud, July 27, 1810.
M. le Duc de Feltre,-Let the King of Naples know that all
his troops in Spain desert, and are in a wretched state, and that I
will have no more of them.  Order Marechal Perignon not to
send any more, and General Miollis to let none pass.  They are a
gang of thieves, and poison the country through which they pass.
You do not say that Girona is destroyed, nor whether my
orders have been fulfilled with respect to the destruction of
Lerida.
[ 634.]           BERTHIER TO MAASE'NA.'aris, July 29, 1810.
The Emperor, M. le Prince d'Essling, desires me to express
to you his satisfaction on the important capture of Ciudad Rodrlgo. His Majesty sees with pleasure that according to your
arrangements Almeida is now invested. It is essential to take
Almeida as well as the fortress of the Concepcion; you will then
be well supported when you march on Lisbon.
Ciudad Rodrigo ought to be put in good order, and to be the
general depot for the army of Portugal, both for provisions and
ammunition   You have of course ordered the harvest to be
brought in, and have collected in Ciudad Rodrigo all the provisions which can be obtained.
The Emperor is of opinion that Almeida may be taken
towards the end of August, and that in the beginning of September you may be ready to march upon Lisbon. His Majesty
leaves it to you to give battle or not to the English, as you think
proper.
The Emperor considers that Badajoz ought not to be taken,
as it would engage us in a long siege, and afterwards it would be
necessary to lay siege to Elvas, which is stronger still; but when
once the English have been well beaten, and have re-embarked,
Badajoz and Elvas will fall of themselves.




134              INSTRUCTIONS TO MASSENA.          CHAP. XVL
General Drouet [in the Emperor's hand] will reach Valladolid on the 1st of September with a corps of infantry and cavalry amounting to 12,000 men, which, joined to the divisions of
Sbras and Bonnet, will form  an army able to hold Gallicia in
check, and to take possession of it as soon as you have marched
on Lisbon [in the Emperor's handwriting], or to keep up your
communications.
[635.]            NAPOLEON TO BERTHIER.
St. C.oud, July 21,1810.
My Cousin, —I send you back the Prince of Essling's proposals for granting rewards on account of the capture of Ciudad
Rodrigo.  Let me know the names of the individuals mentioned
in the despatches relating to the capture or to the details of the
siege, and tell me what rewards you propose. Let me also know
what regiments were employed in the siege; they alone have a
right to be rewarded.
[636.]             NAPOLEON TO CLARKE.
St. Cloud, Aug. 3, 1810.
M. le Duc de Feltre,-The 9th corps of the army of Spain
will be composed of two divisions, the 1st commanded by General
Claparede, the 2nd by General Conroux, who is useless in Catalonia.
General Cottin will command the artillery, Colonel Dubreuille
the engineers.  Brigadier-General Fournier will command the
whole of the cavalry. Brigadier-General Gerard will be employed in one of these divisions. General Dupellin, late colonel
of the 85th, will be ordered to join Friant's division. Propose to
me another brigadier to put in his place.
I do not approve of 12-pounders being replaced by 8-pounders.
I choose to have 12-pounders: they are more useful in Spain
than elsewhere, because they are wanted against convents and
against the walls of the smaller towns.  There are a great many
12-pounders at Burgos. General Drouet, having gunners, horses,
and ammunition, may take 12-pounders from thence.




AUG. 1810.               ARTILLERY.                      135
To take your artillery companies from Boulogne seems going
too far. Have you none at Toulouse, or in the islands of Re and
Oleron?
I approve of your sending some Dutch artillery officers. I
will not have any of the artillery belonging to my army of the
North sent to Bayonne; the distance is too great. Keep back
300 horses from the train intended for Seville.
I think that the 5th company of the 2nd battalion, and the
5th company of the 1st battalion of sappers and miners at Alexandria, are too far off to be sent for; find some who are nearer.
It is necessary to have some waggons filled with engineering
tools in the suite of the army. All these things will be found at
Metz.
[ 637.]           NAPOLEON TO BERTHIER.
Trianon, Arg. 8, 1810.
My Cousin,-Let the Prince of Essling know that the 44th
battalion of the flotilla which is at Valladolid is at his disposal,
and that it will be of use to him in crossing rivers, and above all
when he crosses the Tagus before Lisbon.
If there are any shoes at Bayonne, order 6000 to be sent to
Burgos.
Wlrrite to General Bonnet that he is authorised to send back to
their dep6ts the invalided officers and soldiers who are unfit for
active service. Tell him also that, if the regiments under his
orders are reduced to less than 2000 present under arms, he had
better send back to France the cadre of the 4th battalion, distributing the men among the other battalions, but not unless these
regiments are reduced to less than 2000 men.
Write to General Drouet that on his arrival at Tolosa he is to
obtain information with respect to Navarre, and that, if it is in so
bad a state that his presence is absolutely indispensable, he may
turn aside to re-establish order, and to pursue the banditti vigorously; but he is not to make this expedition if it be not absolutely
necessary.




136        NEAPOLITAN TROOPS-JOSEPH'S POSITION.    CHAP. XV1.
[ 638.]            NAPOLEON TO CLARKE.
Aug. 6, 1810.
M. le Duc de Feltre, —I see in the' Journal de l'Empire'
that the 5th marching battalion, consisting of 1,000 men left
Naples for Catalonia on the 25th of July. Order this battalion
to be stopped as soon as it is met with, to be examined and kept
back till further orders. I have no wish to crowd Catalonia with
bad soldiers, or to increase the troops of banditti. If this battalion be composed of convicts or of banditti, or even ill clothed
and armed, it must be sent back to Naples.
Write to the King, for his guidance in future, that I do not
want any more Neapolitan troops in Spain, and that I will have
no more.
[ 639.]           JOSEPH TO NAPOLEON.
Madrid, Aug. 8, 1810.
Sire, —My position in this country, always difficult, often deplorable, is now such that it cannot continue under the arrangements which have been made and are threatened.
I shall endeavour to let the answer which I hope from your
Majesty find me in Madrid, but I implore you not to make me
wait long for it, for things are stronger than men; and on the
day when I shall be completely abandoned by my guard, by my
servants, and by all that constitutes a government, my only course
will be to return to France to put myself at the disposition of
your Majesty, requesting you to allow me to join my family, from
which I have been separated for six years, and to find in obscurity
and in domestic affections a peace of which the throne has robbed
me, without giving me any thing in exchange. I find it a seat
of punishment, from which I look passively on the devastation of
a country which I had hoped to make happy.
I cannot now, as I did last year, take refuge in the army.
When I was fighting the enemies of your Majesty and of Spain,
my eyes were drawn aside from the sights which now afflict me,
and my position was, at least, not dishonourable. If what is
rumoured by the officers who come from Paris, and rendered




AuG. 1810.      OSEPH'S COMPLAINTS OF HIS POSITION.   131
probable by the Prince of Neufchatel's letter of the 14th of July,
turns out to be true; if your Majesty deprives me of the command of the army of Andalusia, and devotes the revenues'of the
province exclusively to the army, I have nothing to do but to
throw up the game; in so doing I should be scarcely a free agent.
In the present state of affairs in Spain the commander-in-chief in
a province is its king. All its resources become inadequate, because what are called the wants of the army are indefinite, and
the general increases them as he sees the means of supplying
them. Thus the provinces commanded by generals who are not
under my orders are nothing to me. In Andalusia alone I hoped
to find a few resources, after having assigned to the army what
was supposed to be sufficient, if your Majesty continues to send
two millions every month. But to give the command of the
troops to a general who does not recognise my authority, is to
give him the administration and the government of the country.
It is to take from me the only province in which I could hope to
live: it is to confine me to Madrid, which gives me only 800,000
francs per month, while my indispensable expenses exceed four
millions per month. I am here surrounded by the ruins of a
great nation. I have a guard, I have depots, I have hospitals, a
garrison, a household, a ministry, a privy-council, refugees from
all the other provinces, &c. &c. Even if my honour, if the sentiment of what is due to me allowed me to maintain so humiliating
a position, this state of things could not last two months. For,
in fact, if the army of Andalusia is taken from me, what shall I
be? The porter of the hospitals of Madrid and of the dep6ts
of the army, and the jailor of the prisoners.
Sire, I am your brother. You presented me to Spain as a
second self. I feel the exaggeration of this praise as respects my
talents, but I shall not fall below it as respects the truthfulness
of my character, the magnanimity of my feelings, and the tenderness of my love for my brother.
I always hoped that your Majesty would come to Spain.
With this expectation I bore up against every thing; but this
hope recedes, and circumstances press on me. The step which I
take is involuntary. I send to your Majesty M. Almenara, who




138                 JOSEPH'S COMPLAINTS            CHAP. XV1.
has been my Minister of Finance since the death of M. de Cabarrus, and who knows the wretched details of his own office and
of those of the other ministers, so as to enable your Majesty to
act with full knowledge.
As for myself, Sire,. who owe to you my full opinion, and give
it to you, after having above expressed my unalterable decision, I
think that if, in the first place, the French army is put under my
orders; if, in the second place, I have a right to send back the
officers who behave manifestly ill; if, thirdly, I am authorised to
tranquillise the nation as to the changes of nationality and the
partitions with which- all who come from  Paris threaten it; if,
fourthly, your Majesty relies on me sufficiently to allow me to say
and write to the Spaniards what appears to me suitable to their
position and to mine, without being exposed to the poisonous interpretations of malignity and of sententious mediocrity; on these
conditions I engage, 1st, that the French army shall not cost
France one farthing beyond the two millions a-month which your
Majesty has already dedicated to it (I hope, indeed, that in a few
months I could release your Majesty from this burthen); 2ndly,
that Spain will soon be made as quiet as Naples was; and, 3rdly,
that Spain will soon be as useful to France as she is now mischievous.
If, on the contrary, I am forced to retire, and the provinces
are divided into military governments, and ruled by generals, I
fear that your Majesty will not witness the last of these terrible
convulsions.
I implore your Majesty to see in this letter only what I have
endeavoured to put. into it-the simple truth, dictated by the
fraternal friendship which attached me to you in your cradle, and,
whatever may happen, will accompany me to my tomb. Can the
emotion which I feel at this instant, and which interrupts my
writing, be caused by personal feelings or by selfish regret? No,
Sire, it is not so. I weep over the weakness of human nature;
over the dispersion of a family once so united; over the change
in the heart of my brother; over the gradual diminution of an
immense glory, which would have been better preserved by generosity and heroism than by any extension of power.




AUG. 1810.            OF HIS POSITION.                    139
Sire, if the conclusion of my letter does not recall to you the
tender and valued friend of your infancy; if it does not tell you
that I am to you what no other man can be, I have nothing to do
but to retire.
P. S. During the two days which have elapsed since I wrote
this letter, my position in Madrid has become still more dangerous, and I think of moving into Andalusia. It is possible that I
may be there when your Majesty receives this letter.'
[ 640.]           NAPOLEON TO BERTHIER.
St. Cloud, Aug. 14, 1810.
My Cousin,-Answer to the Prince of Essling that you have
shown me his letter of the... of July, and that I have desired
you to tell him that he is to repress severely all disorder and insubordination; that it is he who commands; that he ought to put
an end to robbery, and to manage so that all the money which is
raised for contributions may be employed for the benefit of the
army; and that the slightest negligence in this respect is
criminal.
[ 641.]           NAPOLEON TO BERTHIER.
St. Cloud, Aug. 19, 1810.
My Cousin, —I am surprised that you have heard nothing of
General Drouet. Let me know when his troops reached Bayonne.
Write to General Drouet, as well as to General Dorsenne, that I
think it advisable to reinforce Navarre with the whole of the
Berg lancers, which, with the 9th hussars, will put 1500 cavalry
under General Reille's orders. I also think that the brigade of
the guard under General Dumoutier's command had better be
sent to General Reille. He will therefore have his four marching regiments, the 5th, which he retains, two squadrons of the
9th hussars, and, lastly, the four regiments of the guard, with
their horses, and the regiment of lancers. General Drouet may
replace the regiments of the guard with some of the troops which' This letter was not answered.-TR.




140                       DROUET.                    CHAP. XVI.
he brought from France.  Write to him that I am too far off to
give these orders positively; that I leave it to him either to execute them or to substitute others which he thinks more suitable;
that what inclines me to send the regiments of the guard to General Reille is, that they are more accustomed to serve under him,
and that, therefore, there will be less chance of insubordination;
that besides, as the guard is intended for active service, it will be
suitably employed in his hands. You will send General Dorsenne's orders open to General Drouet, who will send them on if
he thinks proper. I wish you to choose for me four or five colonels, lieut.-colonels, or majors, all men of action, for General Reille
to put at the head of his moveable columns; such men, for instance, as Colonel Ameil of the 24th chasseurs.
Order General Burke to proceed to Navarre, to serve under
General Reille.  Desire him to run no risks in the Spanish roads,
and not to move without a strong escort.
[642.]   BERTHIER TO THE GOVERNORS OF THE PROVINCES.
[CIRCULAR.]
Paris, Sept. 15, 1810.
I told you, M. le Gen6ral, in my letter of the 22nd of July,
that I had been informed that there existed abuses in the collection of the contributions in some of the provinces of Spain, and I
desired you to endeavour to put an end to them, and to prevent
their occurring in your government. It appears from the information which I have lately received that the irregularity still continues in some parts of Spain.  The complaints which ensue
excite the displeasure of the Emperor. His Majesty's wish is
that all the funds raised by contributions or by extraordinary
taxes be paid into the hands of the officers of the treasury, to furnish the pay and requirements of the army, and that every individual guilty of peculation in collecting these funds be severely
punished, as contributing towards keeping up the spirit of rebellion by exasperating the inhabitants against the French administration.




SEPT. 1810.  CIRCULAR TO PROVINCIAL GOVERNORS.          141
[ 643.]          NAPOLEON TO BERTHIER.
St. Cloud, Sept 16, 1810.
My Cousin,-Write to General Suchet that, after the capture
of Tortosa and Tarragona, Valencia will no doubt be his next
object if circumstances allow it; and that our affairs with Portugal seem to be making so much progress that I probably shall
decide on his marching upon Valencia when he has taken both
those towns. Tell him that I have read the report of Colonel
Haxo, of the engineers; that if it is possible to hold the citadel
and fortifications of Lerida with 1000 men, I consent to preserving the walls of the town; but that the forts must be armed and
provisioned, and only light artillery placed upon the walls, in
order that, if necessary, it may be removed to the citadel, and
that the heavy artillery and the real defence must be in the forts.
[644.]            NAPOLEON TO BERTHIER.
St. Cloud, Sept. 16, 1810.
My Cousin,-I am told that many Spaniards are sending their
merinos to France, and that a flock of 10,000 is on its way.
Order my generals and other authorities to protect the passage
of these animals into France.
[645.]            NAPOLEON TO BERTHIER.
St. Cloud, Sept. 16, 1810.
My Cousin,-Write a letter to General Girard in my name to
express my satisfaction at his good conduct in the affair of Villa
Garcia; and insert in the order of the day that on this occasion
I recognised the accustomed bravery of the troops of the 5th
corps. Propose to me the rewards for which General Girard
asks, both as regards the Legion of Honour and promotion.
[646.]            NAPOLEON TO BERTHIER.
Sept. 17, 1810.
My Cousin,-Let General Drouet know that serious complaints are lodged against the general in command of Santander;
that I wish him to be superseded by another general, and a severe




142                     PECULATION.                CHAP. XVI.
inquiry to be set on foot into the depredations which have been
committed in the country, and that the same thing is to be done
with regard to General Avril. You will write to him that great
fault is found with General Drouet's nephew; that striking examples must be made; that the corruption is carried so far that the
liberation of prisoners is made a matter of traffic; that I desire
him to use the utmost zeal in hunting up these abuses. Tell him
that similar depredations are committed in Biscay. Order him
to seize all the depots of colonial merchandise, cotton, sugar,
coffee, &c., in the Biscays, in Navarre, and on the frontiers, which
are intended to be smuggled into France. You will let him know
that I do not wish my consuls on the coast to be displaced; that
he is to allow them to correspond with the Minister for Foreign
Affairs, and that I have not abolished the consulships.  Write
also to General Drouet that I desire him to obtain information on
the contributions which have been levied in the provinces of
Spain; that I require them to be all paid into the military treasury and employed for the benefit of the soldiers. Tell him that
I pay the greatest attention to this subject, and that I shall require an account of all the contributions which are raised.
[647.]           NAPOLEON TO BERTHIER.
Sept. 17, 1810.
My Cousin,-Heavy charges are brought to me on all sides
against General X. Send an officer to him with a letter, in
which you will express to him my extreme displeasure at the
abuses committed in his government; and ask him for a categorical statement of all the contributions which he has levied. In
his government, at Valladolid, for instance, even the liberation
of the prisoners of war is sold.  Tell him that. I consider him responsible for abuses which are sd opposed to the well-being and
the interests of the army. Let him know that I have asked for
a report on these complaints; that the officer whom you send is
desired to bring back an answer in which I expect you to be told
that he has arrested the individuals guilty of these crimes, and
tried them by a court-martial.  Give him to understand that, if
he does not deal severely with these horrible abuses and remedy




zsrT. 1810.              PECULATION.                       143
them, I shall believe the general rumour that he connives at them.
Tell him that, of all the governments in Spain, his is that in
which most robbery is perpetrated.
[ 648.]            NAPOLEON TO BERTHIER.
Sept. 17, 1S10.
My Cousin,-Extortions of every kind are committed in
Spain; even the freedom of the prisoners is made a subject of
traffic. Send an officer with the letter which you are to write to
General X-.  Write at the same time to the Prince of Essling
to arrest the individuals guilty of these crimes. Send officers to
examine the garrison of Ciudad Rodrigo,* and especially the commanding officer of the artillery, from whom it is said that 200,000
reals were asked as a price for which the garrison would be allowed to go free. Desire General Buquet to inquire into this
affair. It is time to put an end to this robbery. The Prince of
Essling, in one of his letters of the 30th of August, says that he
sent to you a return of the contributions levied by the Duke
of ---—, and not paid in. You did not show me this return.
Let me have a report on the subject.
[ 649.]            NAPOLEON TO BERTHIER.
Fontainebleau, Sept. 17, 1810.
My Cousin,-The rumour of a marriage between Prince Ferdinand and a Princess of Austria gains considerable credit. It
is important that you should write to' all the generals who have
the command of corps in your army, to warn them that this report is a mere piece of gossip, the fruit of the idleness of Paris;
that they ought to reject with indignation the bare idea of our
making a retrograde: step; and that nothing of the kind has ever
been thought of.
* Apparently the Spanish prisoners belonging to that garrison.-TR.




144      lIMASS],NA ORDERED TO ATTACK TIHE ENGLISH.   CHAP. XVL
[ 650.]            NAPOLEON TO BERTHIER.
Fontainebleau, Sept. 18, 1810.
My Cousin, —I see that General Kellermann exhibits utter
carelessness, and that, instead of placing his forces so as to support the army of Portugal, he allows them to be scattered in every
direction. It seems to me that I included the province of Avila
in the district of the army of the centre. Write again to General Drouet that I attach the greatest importance to receiving
news from the army of Portugal; that the attempt to hold every
post is impracticable; that he must content himself with holding
only those in which there are depots and hospitals, and must keep
his troops in hand ready to act wherever they may be wanted,
and, above all, on the rear of the army of Portugal.
[ 651.]'           NAPOLEON TO BERTHIER.
St. Cloud, Sept 19, 1810.
My Cousin,-Send off to-morrow an officer with a letter for
the Prince of Essling, in which you will let him know that it is
my wish that he attack and destroy the English; * that Lord
Wellington has not more than 18,000 men, of whom only 15,000
are infantry, and the rest cavalry and artillery; that General
Hill has only 6000 infantry and cavalry; that it would be absurd
for 25,000 English to hold in check 60,000 French: that if they
are attacked boldly and without hesitation, they will experience
great reverses. The troops to be left in the rear should be the
provisional regiments of cavalry. The army has 12,000 horse;
only 6000 are wanted in Portugal: there are, therefore, 6000 to
leave between Ciudad Rodrigo, Alcantara, and Salamanca.  The
Prince of Essling should leave with them some guns, for artillery
is the complement to cavalry. The Prince of Essling has four
times as much artillery as is needed against the enemy's army.
I am too far off, and the position of the enemy changes too often,
for me to give advice as to the way in which the attack should
* The battle of Busaco was fought on the 28th of September, 1810. Mas.
Ena could scarcely have received this letter, but acted in its spirit,-TR,




SEPT. 1810.          MILITARY ORDERS.                   145
be conducted; but it is certain that he is not in a state to resist
it. According to the best intelligence, derived from secret sources
in London, if to the British army in the Peninsula you add 4000
men who are at Cadiz, you will find that it consists of 28,000
men, and this is the entire strength of the English, though they
have reinforced their army from Malta and Sicily.
[ 652.]            NAPOLEON TO CLARKE.
Fontainebleau, Sept. 27, 1810.
M. le Duc de Feltre,-Order the officer of the dep6t of the
28th dragoons, who was desired to furnish 100 men to the marching regiment of dragoons belonging to the army of Catalonia, and
who presided over the formation of this detachment, to be placed
under arrest for a month.
The detachment sent by this officer was in so bad a condition
that Prince Borghese very properly sent it back; it was composed of men taken from the hospitals or on the point of being
discharged; bad horses were substituted for good ones,-for instance, there was a lame waggon-horse, and two trumpeters'horses, both lame and blind. The coats, trousers, boots, &c., belonging to the dragoons were taken away, and old rags given to
them instead; their pistols were without cocks or pans. Their
saddles, housings, cloaks, saddle-bags, all had been changed and
replaced by worn-out articles.
Let me know the name of the officer who dared to take such
a liberty, and order the depot of the 28th to furnish immediately
another 100 dragoons, well mounted and equipped, in good health,
and able to take an active part.
[ 653.]          NAPOLEON TO BERTHIER.
Fontainebleau, Sept. 28, 1810, at night.
My Cousin,-In my two letters of this evening I told you
that I had altered the employment of General Drouet, and that
I was most anxious that he should repair as soon as possible to
Valladolid, in order to watch the rear of the army of Portugal.
I told you that General Reille, who is in Navarre, had under his
VOL. II.-7




146                      BISCAY.                  CHAP. XVL
orders the division of the rear-guard, composed of four provisional
regiments, more than 8000 strong, and Dumoutier's division of
the guard, which amounts to more than 6000, making altogether
14,000 men; the two squadrons "of the 9th hussars, 900 strong,
and of the Grand Duchy of Berg, 800 strong. General Reille,
therefore, has 15,000 men; order him to provide himself with a
diviJiorI of artillery with 6 pieces, which, added to General Dumoutier's artillery, will form a corps with which he may go all
over Spain. The 5 regiments forming Claparede's division will
receive orders to proceed to Valladolid. The two squadrons of
the 20th, of the 7th, and of the 13th chasseurs, making 1500
men, will follow in the same direction. The battalion of Neufchatel will join this division. General Dorsenne will contribute
waggons for the infantry, 4 howitzers, and 2 guns, with 250
rounds of ammunition for each of General Drouet's guns. The
addition of from 10,000 to 12,000 men, with Seras' division and
4000 or 5000 cavalry, will make General IDrouet strong enough
to beat all the Spanish armies that may fall in with him, to keep
a strong hold upon Ciudad Rodrigo and Almeida, to march to
the assistance of Astorga, and to keep up his communications
with General Bonnet. Meanwhile, his 2nd division, of which
two demi-brigades reached Bayonne long since, will repair to
Vittoria as fast as they can; the other two demi-brigades will
follow them. See that these four demi-brigades have their fieldpieces.
Biscay will thus be held, but it must have a Commander-inchief. Order my aide-de-camp, General Caffarelli, whom I intended to place at the head of the division of reserve in Catalonia, to start in the course of to-morrow, and to travel post to
Vittoria, where he will take the command of the three provinces
of Biscay and of Santander. You will instruct him to act in
concert with Generals Reille, Dorsenne, and Bonnet, to keep all
quiet in our rear, and to secure our communications. You will
give him information as to all the troops which are in Biscay, and
the demi-brigades which are on their way; and you will order
Generals Thouvenot and Barth6lemy to consider themselves
under his orders. The Minister of War will order the 1st and




SEPT. 1810.               DROUET.                        147
2d provisional regiments of light-horse, which are to reach Niort
to-day, to go straight to Vittoria. By this means General Caffarelli will have under his command in Biscay two infantry regiments, consisting of six battalions, and four squadrons of horse.
Notice must be given to General Drouet, that if, before the arrival of Claparede's division, and of General Fournier's cavalry,
he is obliged to collect his detachments in order to march upon
any troops threatening Ciudad Rodrigo or Almeida, he must call
in his smaller outposts. In this case he must communicate with
Madrid more slowly, and diminish the number of couriers and
expresses, and, to ensure their arrival, send them once a week, or
twice if possible, with large escorts. Tell General Drouet to
take General Thi6bault as chief of his staff. His acquaintance
with Gallicia and Portugal will make him useful. Let General
Thi6bault know that I expect him to assist General Drouet by
all the means in his power, and that the services which he will
render on this occasion will give me great satisfaction. Write to
General Drouet, that when he passes through Burgos he is to
take one of the squadrons of gendarmes which are there. You
had better repeat the order to send off General Conroux's two
demi-brigades from Bayonne, and the two others as soon as they
arrive. You must also reiterate the order to send off the 600
artillery horses from Bayonne to Burgos, if they have not already
started.
[ 654.]           NAPOLEON TO BERTHIER.
Fontainebleau, Sept. 28, 1810.
My Cousin,-Order General Thouvenot to confiscate all the
English and colonial merchandise in his government. I am assured that he has let in English goods on paying a duty of 10 per
cent. If this is true, he must pay back these sums and confiscate
the goods which he has permitted to land. In so doing he committed a great fault.




148                      DROUET.                  CHAP. XVL
[ 655.]          NAPOLEON TO BERTHIER.
Fontainebleau, Sept. 28, 1810.
My Cousin, —Order General Drouet to go in person to Valladolid without delay, to take the command of the troops in Old
Castile, with the title of Commandant of the 9th corps of the
army of Spain, and to protect Almeida, Ciudad Rodrigo, Salamanca, and Astorga. Give orders to Generals Kellermann and
S6ras, to the Commandants of Ciudad Rodrigo and Almeida, and
to all the Commandants of my forces in the rear of the army of
Portugal, whatever their titles may be, to obey General Drouet's
commands.
You will let General Drouet know that he will have under
his orders, in the first place, General Seras' division, composed of
the 113th of the lifie, the 4th regiment of the 1st legion of the
Vistula, the 4th battalion of the 12th light infantry, the 32nd
and 58th of the line, the 2nd, 4th, and 5th, and 7th auxiliary battalions, the 4th brigade of dragoons, consisting of the 9th and
10th provisional regiments; making in the whole from 6000 to
7000 infantry and 1500 cavalry; that he is also to have a battalion of the guard, 4 Swiss battalions, and 1200 dragoons of the
6th and 7th provisional regiments. He will, therefore, have more
than 3000 horse. Besides these forces, he will have his own
corps d'armee. With this cavalry General Drouet will be master
of the field, and may bring together all his detachments to
march to the assistance of Ciudad Rodrigo and Almeida, and
afterwards return to the aid of Astorga. The hospitals and establishments which are at Benevento and elsewhere should be
placed in fortresses or in Valladolid.
The above-mentioned troops are, no doubt, not enough to
hold every post in Old Castile; but General Drouet, with a
column of 8000 foot and 2000 horse, will be able without withdrawing troops from the most important posts, to prevent Ciudad
Rodrigo and Almeida from being blockaded, or at any rate to
raise the blockade. The Prince of Essling must have left several
thousand horses in his rear, as he was ordered to leave behind
him the provisional brigades of dragoons. I count on General




SEPT. 1810.           DROUET-SOULT.                     149
Drouet's reaching Valladolid the first week in October. to be
ready to execute the necessary manoeuvres.
You will desire General Drouet, when he leaves Vittoria, to
order Claparede's division, composed of five provisional demibrigades, to start for Valladolid, as well as the 20th and 7th
chasseurs, and 13th chasseurs, which reached Bayonne on the
25th. These three regiments will give more than 1500 first-rate
cavalry.
With regard to the 2nd division, the two demi-brigades which
have reached Bayonne, and which have been ordered to repair to
Vittoria, will be enough to keep the province quiet, and will await
the arrival of the other two demi-brigades.
Dumoutier's brigade, with General Reille's division, reinforced by the 5th provisional regiment, which ought already to be
incorporated into it, altogether 12,000 men, are more than sufficient to hold Navarre.
The other two demi-brigades, which are to reach Bayonne
immediately, will join the two first at Vittoria and reinforce the
2nd division, which General Drouet may withdraw, as there is
another division on its way to Biscay.
SUMMARY.
General Drouet will set off twenty-four hours after he receives.your order, which you will send to him by an officer.
He will immediately set in march for Valladolid the five demibrigades forming his 1st division, and his six squadrons of
horse.
As it passes through Burgos, the 1st division will be joined
by the battalion of Neufchatel with its two pieces of cannon.
Let these orders be given immediately.
[ 656.]          NAPOLEON TO BERTHIER.
Fontainebleau, Sept. 29, 1810.
My Cousin,-Desire the Duke of Dalmatia to march directly
with the 5th corps on La Romana, so as to hold him in check if
he should attempt to cross the Tagus, or to attack the rear of the




150                   SOULT-SUCHET.               CHAP. XVI.
army of Portugal. Let the Duke know that the English have
weakened themselves in Cadiz to reinforce their army in Portugal; that he has more troops than he wants; that his chief object
should be to make a diversion; and that he is to support himself
on the army of Portugal.
Write to the King that I am forming an army of the centre,
which will consist of his guard, and of all the Spanish foot and
horse; of the 26th regiment of chasseurs, of the Hanoverian
Dutch, and Westphalian chasseurs; of General Lorge's division
of dragoons, making nearly 4000 cavalry; and of two divisions
of infantry, the first composed of the French regiments in Dessolles' division, or, instead of this division, of the battalions in
the district of the army of the centre, amounting to 6000 men;
* and of the 2nd division of the troops of the Confederation of the
Rhine, also amounting to 6000, which will make either way more
than 15,000 men; that it is necessary to form a division of artillery to add to this army, that it may be in a condition to proceed whithersoever it may be wanted.
You will also tell the King that the Duke of Dalmatia has
orders to press on the rear of La Romana, not to let him cross
the Tagus, and to hold him in check.
Let the King and the Duke of Dalmatia know that General
Drouet is on his way to Valladolid, with the 9th corps, to take
the command of the country in the rear of the army of Portugal;
that General Caffarelli is on his way to Vittoria to take the command of the provinces of Biscay and of Santander; that I am expecting to hear of the capture of Tortosa, which will be followed
by that of Tarragona; and that we shall then be able to march
upon Valencia with 25,000 men.
[C 657.]         NAPOLEON TO BERTHIER.
Fontainebleau, Oct. 2, 1810.
My Cousin,-Send an officer from your Staff to order General
Suchet to despatch, as best he can, three convoys to Barcelona,
each of them consisting of 5000 quintals, either in flour or
corn, to provision the town. The first convoy must arrive in the
course of the month of November, the second in December, and




OCT. 1810.     CONFISCATION OF ENGLISH GOODS.           151
the 3rd in January. You will also let him know that as soon as
the first convoy has left Aragon, a sum equivalent to its value
will be sent to him from Barcelona, towards the pay of his army.
Tell him likewise that the army of Portugal under the command
of the Prince of Essling, commenced on the 16th of September
its march into the interior of Portugal. As soon as Tortosa is
taken, it must be provisioned, and arrangements made for the
siege of Tarragona, while, at the same time, detachments are to
threaten Valencia. The glory of subduing this important province is reserved for General Suchet, after Catalonia has been
reduced. But above all, it is of the greatest consequence to
supply Barcelona well with provisions, that the new garrison
which the Emperor intends to put into it may be able to subsist
there, and to hold the country in subjection.
[ 658.]          NAPOLEON TO BERTHIER.
Fontainebleau, Oct. 3, 1810.
My Cousin,-I send to you a decree which I have issued, to
the effect that, in the six governments which I have established
in Spain, English and colonial goods be seized and confiscated,
and that all the goods which have been taken in prizes or sold by
my agents, be subject to the duties mentioned in my decrees of the
5th of August and the 12th of September last. Send a courier to
the Duke of Dalmatia and the Prince of Essling, and write to
the King of Spain that all colonial and British goods are to be
confiscated, and the others subjected to the tariff. This will give
considerable funds.
[659.]           NAPOLEON TO BERTHIER.
Fontainebleau, Oct. 4, 1810.
My Cousin,-I approve of the plan for the formation of the
army of the centre under the comand of the King of Spain, with
General Belliard as Chief of the Staff, and at the same time
Governor of Madrid, and General Dessolles at the head of the
French division. I think that you do not allow sufficient cavalry
to this corps. You deprive them of the four regiments of La



152                  MILITARY ORDERS.             CHAP. XVI.
houssaye's division and the two regiments belonging to Marisy's
brigade. I think that it will be enough if you withdraw the two
regiments belonging to Digeon's brigade, which form part of Lahoussaye's division, and are on the other side of the Sierra
Morena; and that they must be replaced by the two regiments
belonging to Marisy's brigade, which you will put under the
orders of General Lahoussaye. By this means the King will
have a cavalry division consisting of four French regiments.
This army will, therefore, have 4000 horse, including the royal
guard; this number it requires.
I send you back your plan, that you may return it to me
with these corrections. You must also divide into districts the
provinces of Segovia, Avila, Soria, Guadalaxara, part of Estremadura, and the little provinces on towards Aragon. Add likewise Cuenga. You must also specify in this plan that the marching squadrons, composed of detachments belonging to the regiments in Lahoussaye's division, which form part of the army of
the centre, are to proceed to Madrid; which will bring up this
division. to 2400 men. The King has 600 men in his guard;
with the 1900 light-horse his cavalry will amount to 5000.
[ 660.]          NAPOLEON TO BERTHIER.
Fontainebleau, Oct. 12, 1810.
My Cousin,-Write to General Caffarelli that the first brigade
of his division, called the division of reserve, will arrive on the
first of November; that the 2nd and 3rd will arrive in succession
between the 1st and the 10th; that, as General Drouet cannot
have too many troops, I wish him to send on to Valladolid the
two first demi-brigades which are at present under his orders:
he is to keep the two last, which will arrive towards the middle
of October, to hold the country till his division reaches him; but
he will send them also to Valladolid as soon as he is joined by
his first brigade. Send him word that I leave it to him to
hasten or to defer the departure of these corps by a few days, according to the turn of events in Portugal; that the three brigades
of his division, with General Vattier's brigade of cavalry, make
altogether 10,000 men. Tell him that I expect great firmness on




OCT. 1810.           MILITARY ORDERS.                   153
his part in putting down depredation, of which there has been
much. You will desire him to set on foot an inquiry into the
conduct of General Avril at Bilbao, and of General Barthdlemy
at Santander.  He is even to tell me his opinion of General
Thouvenot. He must take means of suppressing instantly every
kind of abuse. Let him know confidentially that I intend to
annex Biscay to France; that it is not to be mentioned, but that
it must influence his conduct. Impart the same seret to General Reille with respect to Navarre. Desire these two Generals to
arrest all the military commandants who are guilty of peculation,
to inquire into past abuses, and to have the funds which were
collected for the benefit of private individuals restored.
[ 661.]           NAPOLEON TO BERTHIER.
Fontainebleau, Oct 25,1810.
My Cousin,-The officer whom you send to General Drouet
must go on to Madrid and Seville. He is to take to the Duke
of Dalmatia news of the army in Portugal, extracted from the
English newspapers, and orders to attack La Romana, if it be
true that he has marched upon Portugal.
[662.]            NAPOLEON TO BERTIIIER.
Fontainebleau, Oct. 25, 1810.
My Cousin,-Repeat the order to General Reille that he is
to send back to Madrid the 1st and 2nd marching regiments of
infantry, which were formed some time ago.  Order the 1st
marching regiment, which was to reach Madrid on the 20th, to
proceed towards Andalusia. The Duke of Dalmatia is to incorporate this regiment, and may employ the colonel and the officers
in his corps.
[ 663.]           NAPOLEON TO BERTHIER.
Fontainebleau, Oct. 27, 1j10.
My Cousin, —Ask the Spanish Ministers in Paris to give you
a precise statement of the abuses of which they accuse General
X. Send word to him that I am surprised at his having
VOL. II.-7*




154                     DROUET.                  CHAP. XVI
taken money which was not due to him; that he has taken 16,000
francs a-month, which is more than the pay of a marshal commanding an army; and that the Treasury will probably consider
this sum as not having been legally received.
[ 664.]          NAPOLEON TO BERTHIER.
Oct. 30, 1810.
My Couein, —I send to you a letter from the Spanish Minister. Let me know what right had General X- to change
the forms of civil government, and why he stops the post.
[665.]           NAPOLEON TO BERTHIER.
Fontainebleau, Nov. 2, 1810.
My Cousin,-I am surprised that General Drouet was still at
Valladolid on the 23d. You must tell him that I am anxious
that he should make a diversion to endeavour to re-open communications with the Prince of Essling.
Convey to him the news which we have from Portugal, that
Lord Wellington was on the 17th of October with his army at a
distance of four leagues from Lisbon, and that the Prince of
Essling was in front of him; and that on the 18th no battle had
taken place.
Express to General Dorsenne my displeasure at his having
kept back a detachment of the 27th light infantry, forming part
of the marching regiment. Desire him to send this detachment
as soon as possible to Madrid.
[ 666.]          NAPOLEON TO BERTHIER.
Fontainebleau, Nov. 3, 1810.
My Cousin,-I have received General Drouet's letter of the
22nd of October. His arrangements for re-opening the communication with Portugal do not appear to me to be sufficient.
Repeat to him the order to go to Almeida, and to collect a considerable force to be of use to the Prince of Essling, and to communicate with him. He must give a detachment of 6000 men,
with six pieces of cannon, to General Gardanne, or to some other




Nov. 1810.               DROUET.                        155
general, to re-open the communications; and he must place an
equal force at Almeida to correspond with General Gardanne.
The power of communicating with the army of Portugal is of
great consequence, in order that our rear may be protected till
the English have re-embarked.
Send the'Moniteur' of to-day to General Drouet.  It contains news from Portugal extracted from the English newspapers.
As soon as the English have re-embarked, General Drouet
will carry his head-quarters to Ciudad Rodrigo. I do not intend
the 9th corps to be engaged in Portugal unless the English
maintain themselves there; and even if this should happen, the
9th corps must not allow itself to be cut off from Almeida; it
must manoeuvre between that town and Coimbra. Make General
Drouet understand that I am most anxious for news of the army
of Portugal; that it is important in every point of view; and
that the communications must be re-established, so that we may
receive intelligence, if not every day, at least every week.
Ask General Drouet for a return of all the troops which are
left in the rear of Sbras' division, and those left by the Prince of
Essling, cavalry, artillery, and infantry; in short, of all the
troops in the 6th government. He may withdraw those that he
has at Avila, and occupy the town with detachments from the
army of the centre. There are many unembodied men who would
do for this purpose. Let me have a report on all the country
contained in the 6th government. Do not Leon and the country
between Ciudad Rodrigo and Salamanca form part of it?
[ 667.]          NAPOLEON TO BERTHIER.
Fontainebleau, Nov. 8, 1810.
My Cousin,-Express my satisfaction to General Dorsenne,
and desire him to take severe measures against the officers who
have permitted the powder to be stolen. This carelessness must
be repressed by severe punishment.




156                       DROUET.                  CHaP. XVL
[ 668.]           NAPOLEON TO BERTHIER.
Fontaineblcau, Nov. 9, 1810.
My Cousin,-Repeat the order to Navarre that General
Dumoutier is to repair with his brigade to Burgos, and to take
with him the regiment of the Grand Duchy of Berg.
Reiterate the order to General Dorsenne to keep a strong
division of at least 8000 men, with artillery and cavalry, between
Burgos and Valladolid, ready to set off, if necessary, to the assistance of the army of Portugal.
Order General Caffarelli to hasten the departure of Conroux's
division, and of all belonging to General I)Drouet's corps, and to
keep columns of infantry and cavalry in continual motion, to act
in concert with those of General Reille and of General Dorsenne,
and drive the banditti far away.
Repeat the order to General IDrouet to proceed to Almeida
with the brigade of light cavalry belonging to General Fournier,
Claparede's and Conroux's divisions, General Gardanne's brigade
of horse, and all other available troops.
The advanced guard will consist of General Gardanne, with
his brigade, sustained by General Drouet and his corps. They
will pursue the banditti, re-open the communication, and obtain
at any price news of the Prince of Essling, but with a general
direction not to allow themselves to be cut off from us. You
will let General Drouet know that a division of from 7000 to
8000 of the guard are to be placed between Burgos and Valladolid, and will support him in case of an emergency; that it is
absolutely necessary to obtain news of the army of Portugal, and
to afford assistance to it.
Write to General Drouet that, if the squadrons of horse which
have been ordered to join the army of the centre are still near
Valladolid, he is to keep them till news is obtained from Portugal. They will be of great use in keeping order in the environs
of Valladolid. They will continue their march towards Madrid,
as soon as the state of the army of Portugal is ascertained.
[In the Emperor's hand.] Send one of your officers from
Paris, with orders not to return without news from Portugal.




Nov. 1810.                SOULT.                        157
669.]           NAPOLEON TO BERTBIEmR.
Fontainebleau, Nov. 14, 1810.
My Cousin,-Express fully to the Duke of Dalmatia my displeasure that there is little energy in his operations; that the
5th corps, instead of following up La Romana (who, it appears,
has sent a detachment to Lisbon), and thus threatening the left
bank of the Tagus, opposite to Lisbon, and preventing the English
from assembling their forces on the right bank, has fallen back
upon Seville; that the French army is kept in check by rumours
that ought to be despised, and that 10,000 wretched Spaniards,
without steadiness, are defending alone the island of Leon. Tell
him that there have never been more than three English regiments at Cadiz, and that they are gone to Lisbon; that, therefore, the whole island of Leon and the fortress are defended only
by a Spanish garrison; that I am the more surprised at the
return of the 5th corps to Seville, as I had given orders to them
to press close upon the rear of La Romana, and to prevent his
advancing towards Lisbon; that no progress is made against
Cadiz; that nothing is attempted against the island of Leon,
which cannot fail of being ill defended, as it is occupied only by
Spaniards. I am sorry to see that there is no vigour whatever
in the military operations in that quarter.
[ 670.]          NAPOLEON TO BERTHIER.
Fontainebleau, Nov. 15, 1810.
My Cousin,-I wrote to you on the changes to be made in
the squadrons of the gendarmerie in Spain. On thinking over
the matter, I prefer making these changes myself.
The Minister of War will send to you the decree which I
have issued. I, however, annex a copy, in order that you may
gain two days. Despatch this decree to General Buquet, and
order him to proceed in this organisation without delay. Prescribe the number of men which each governor is to furnish.
Propose to me a safe man to command this legion, either a colonel
taken from the gendarmerie d'slite, or one of the excellent
soldiers whom we knew when we were with the army. Some of




158               PORTUGUESE CAMPAIGN.           CHAP. XVI
the gendermarie d'elite in Spain may be made quartermasters
by way of promotion. Consult General Durosnel; he will point
out the men whom General Buquet may take, if he requires
them.
[ 671.]            NAPOLEON TO BERTHIER.
Paris, Nov. 20, 1810.
My Cousin,-You will find annexed an extract from the last
English newspapers. You will feel the importance of despatching a staff officer to General Drouet to tell him that on the Ist
of November no battle had taken place; that the left of the
French army was at Villa Franca, and the right at Torres Vedras,
and that the British army is in position at four leagues from
Lisbon; that 10,000 militia occupy Coimbra, and intercept the
road; that cavalry is of scarcely any use; that he must, therefore, beware of sending small detachments, but that he must
employ a larger corps in re-opening the communication with the
Prince of Essling; that for the rest I depend upon his prudence
not to allow himself to be cut off from Almeida.
It seems from the English newspapers that between the 10th
and 15th of October the garrison in Coimbra allowed itself to
be surprised, and 1500 sick and wounded to be taken prisoners.
Repeat the orders which I gave lately to Generals Caffarelli,
Dorsenne, and Reille, to assemble the guard at Burgos, and to
send to General Drouet all the troops which belong to him.
Desire General Kellermann not to keep back Conroux's division,
but to allow it to proceed towards Salamanca.
Let me know on what day the fusiliers of my guard reach
Bayonne. I wish them to have a day's rest there.
The detachments which are at the camp of Marrac are to
join their companies. Write to the Duke of Dalmatia to let him
know what the English say of the army of Portugal, and to impress upon him the importance of making a diversion in its
favour.




Dro. 1810.       BURNING OF ENGLISH GOODS.              159
[ 672.]          NAPOLEON TO BERTHIER.
Paris, Nov. 22, 1810.
My'ousin,-I send you some extracts from the English
newspapers. Send a memorandum of them to the Duke of Dalmatia, and express to him my displeasure at his inactivity, and
at the amount of the Spanish divisions at Lisbon.
[ 673.]          NAPOLEON TO BERTHIER.
Paris, Nov. 28, 1810.
My Cousin,-Order all the goods of English manufacture,
seized in any of the towns in Spain occupied by my troops, to be
burnt without delay.
[ 673.*]          NAPOLEON TO BERTHIER.
Paris, Dec. 2, 1810.
My Cousin,-Write to General Reille that I have ordered
6 chefs-de-bataillon, 10 captains, 15 lieutenants, and 15 ensigns
to be sent to him. Let him know that I regret the loss of a
convoy of powder; that these things ought not to occur; that
convoys should be sent only twice a-week, or once if need be, and
should be composed always of men joining their regiments,
couriers, &c., with the addition of troops enough to carry the
numbers of the escorts to 500; that I desire that this rule be
adhered to, that I may never again hear of a convoy being intercepted. Write the same thing to General Caffarelli, and say that
he is to despatch his couriers regularly thrice a-week, from Tolosa
to Navarre, from Irun to Burgos, and from Vittoria to Bilbao,
so escorted as to be safe. Powder, money, unembodied men
leaving the hospitals, are all to wait for the departure of the
convoys. We shall then hear no more of these accidents, now so
frequent. Write in the same sense to Generals Buquet, Dorsenne, and Kellermann.




160               PORTUGUESE CAMPAIGN.            CHAP. XVL
[ 674.]          NAPoLEoN TO BERTHIR.
Paris, Dec. 15, 1810.
My Cousin, —Let me know if it be true that merinos are
exported from  San Sebastian for America.  Order General
Thouvenot to forbid this, and to send them to France. Order
the commandant of Burgos to allow the Bishop of Calahorra to
pass and to receive him as bishop.
[ 675.]          NAPOLEON TO BERTIIER.
Paris, Dec. 15, 1810.
My Cousin, —How is it that the gendarmes in Santander,
Biscay, and Aragon are not paid? Write to General Caffarelli
respecting Biscay and Santander, and to General Suchet'respecting Aragon, to take measures for paying them immediately.
Gendarmes must be paid before any others.
[ 676.]          NAPOLEON TO BERTHER.
Paris, Dec. 26, 1810.
My Cousin, —Send off to-night an express to Bayonne, and
let General Foy know that we have news from London of the
22nd, from which it appears that up to the 3rd of December
the Prince of Essling continued to occupy Santarem; that there
have been some skirmishes with the advanced guard, in which
the English were repulsed; that Lord Wellington has resumed
his position near Lisbon; that Silveyra boasts of having succeeded in an attack upon General Gardanne's advanced guard;
that it seems from the details given by Silveyra that his force
was inconsiderable; and that, if General Gardanne had continued
to march upon him, large magazines of corn and biscuit would
have been exposed to us.
Send three copies of the'Moniteur' of to-day to General
Foy; it contains the news received from London yesterday: and
tell him that the' Moniteur' of to-morrow will be sent to him,
with some articles in it bearing reference to these details, and
also to the Regency in London, which is not without some influence on the affairs of our army.




J". 181.               SUMMARY.                      161
CHAPTER XVII.
THE letters contained in this chapter extend from the 16th of
January to the 31st of December, 1811.
Napoleon passed this year, as he had passed the previous one,
within the French empire.
The annexation of the Hanse Towns and of Oldenburg to
France, and the increasing disputes with Russia, were the principal events connected with the North of Europe.
In Spain, Napoleon was preparing to annex to France the
provinces to the north of the Ebro, and was striving to seize and
to apply to the use of his own army the whole resources of the
remainder of the country.
The sufferings and the terror inspired by these measures, the
constantly increasing influence of Lord Wellington and his army,
and the jealousies and insubordination of the French generals,
convinced Joseph that his cause was hopeless. He spent the
year in fruitless attempts to escape from his uneasy throne.
[ 677.]         NAPOLEON TO BERTHIEE.
Paris, Jan. 16, 1811.
My Cousin,-I approve of your draft of the instructions for
the Duke of Istria. Send them on to him, as well as my decree,
which you are to consider as having been signed, and which you
are to transmit to the Minister of War. Let General Lecamus
join the Duke of Istria without delay. The Duke of Istria may
act exactly as he thinks best; he may concentrate his hospitals




162                     BELLIARD.                 CaHa'. XVIL
and magazines; in short, whatever the good of my service requires. You will authorise him to correspond with the King of
Spain, the Duke of Dalmatia, Generals Suchet and Drouet, and
the Prince of Essling, that he may know what they are about.
Tell him that, if General Drouet's corps returns to Spain, he is
to command it, and that in unforeseen events he is to support the
army of Portugal.
[678.]            NAPOLEON TO BERTHIER.
Paris, Jan. 17, 1811.
My Cousin,-Let the King of Spain know that, having given
the government of Madrid to General Belliard,* who has continued to serve me well, I do not choose that it should be taken
from him, nor, above all, that it should be given to an officer who
is not in the service of France; that, if it be true that the King
has deprived General Belliard of the government of Madrid, he
must restore it to him without delay; that this is my formal
order; that generally speaking I do not intend any French troops
to be under the command of officers in the Spanish service.
r 679.]          NAPOLEON TO BERTHIER.
Paris, Feb. 6, 1811.
My Cousin,-I think that you ought to send the' Moniteur'
of to-day to the Duke of Dalmatia, to the Duke of Treviso, to
General Belliard, to the Duke of Istria, and to the commandant
of Ciudad Rodrigo and Almeida. When you send the'Moniteur' to the Duke of Istria, tell him that he will find in it the
latest news from Portugal, apparently of the 13th; that things
seem to be turning out well; that, if Badajoz was taken in the
course of the month of January, the Duke of Dalmatia may have
marched upon the Tagus, and assisted the Prince of Essling in
establishing a bridge; that it is therefore of great consequence to
make all the arrangements which I ordered, so that General
" Napoleon had appointed General Belliard chief of the staff of the army
of the centre. Joseph thereupon deprived him of the government of Madrid
and gave it to General Blaniac.-TR.




MaRCH, 1811.            FINANCE.                      163
Drouet with his two divisions may be at the disposal of the
Prince of Essling. Write at the same time to inform the Duke
of Dalmatia of the position of the Duke of Istria, and to reiterate
to him the order to assist the Prince of Essling in crossing the
Tagus; tell him that I hope that Badajoz was taken in the
course of the month of January, and that he joined the Prince
of Essling on the Tagus towards the 20th of January; that, if
necessary, he may withdraw troops from the 4th corps; that, in
short, everything turns upon the Tagus.
[ 680.]          NAPOLEON TO BERTHIER.
Paris, March 8, 1811.
My Cousin,-There are three millions at Burgos and two
millions at Valladolid; the two millions which are at Valladolid
are intended for the army of Portugal, as well as one of the three
millions which are at Burgos. Order the Duke of Istria to
collect the three millions intended for the army of Portugal, and
to send them as soon as that army appears to have decided either
to proceed towards the Alentejo or to return upon Coimbra.
Everything inclines me to think that by this time the decision
has been made. One of the other two millions at Burgos is
intended for the army of Madrid; order the Duke of Istria to
send it thither. The other million was intended for the army
of the South, but it is less needed there. I authorise the Duke
of Istria to dispose of 500,000 fr. in paying the detachments from
the army of Portugal which are in the provinces of Salamanca,
and to send the other 500,000 to Madrid for the use of the army
of the Centre.
[ 681.]          NAPOLEON TO BERTHIIER.
Paris, March 8, 1811.
My Cousin, —Order three millions to be sent from Bayonne
to Burgos. 500,000 fr. are to be distributed among the regiments in the province of Santander, and the other districts
belonging to the army of the North which are most in want of
money, particularly paying in full the gendarmes. You will set
apart 1,500,000 fr. for the army of Portugal, which, with the




164                      SUCHET.                 CHIAP. XVIL
31500,000 fr. which I have already ordered you to send thither,
will make in the whole five millions. Send one million to the
army of the Centre, and take this money from the funds of the
armies of Spain and Portugal of 1810.
Let me know what is owing by the Treasury for the year 1810
and for the present year.
[ 682.]          NAPOLEON TO BERTHIER.
Paris, March 9, 1811.
My Cousin,-I beg of you to write a private letter to General
Suchet to express to him my satisfaction at his good conduct in
the last campaign; tell him that I expect great things from his
zeal in pushing forward the siege of Tarragona. This town
taken, he will have conquered Catalonia. The officer whom you
send must tell him verbally that in Tarragona he will find his
marshal's baton. Write to him that he will have 40,000 men
under his command; that with so large an army he may leave
behind him troops enough to hold Aragon and threaten Valencia,
while he lays siege to Tarragona. I agree with him that Valencia will fall of itself. It is there that the armies of Aragon and
of Catalonia will find the rewards of their labours.
[ 683.]          NAPOLEON TO BERTImER.
Paris, March 9, 1S11.
My Cousin,-Write to the King of Spain that his aide-decamp, Clermont Tonnerre, brought me favourable news as to
Valencia, but that unhappily it is not confirmed; that it seems
however from the last reports, that there is much disturbance in
the town; that General Suchet asks for 30,000 men and 40
pieces of artillery to subdue it; but that at present Tarragona is
the chief object, and must be taken first of all.
[ 684.]          NAPOLEON TO BERTHIER.
Paris, March 9, 1811.
My Cousin, —Write to the King of Spain that General La.
houssaye was very wrong to put himself into communication with




MARCH, 1811.              ARAGON.                       165
the Duke of Dalmatia; that we have no news of the army of the
South; that we know only from the English newspapers that on
the 25th of January Ballesteros was entirely defeated by General
Gazan; that the troops ought not to have been sent towards
Cuenqa, but towards Portugal, where the most important events
are being decided.
[685.]           NAPOLEON TO BERTHIER.
Paris, March 9, 1811.
My Cousin,-The governmerit of Aragon will be increased
by the provinces of Tortosa, Lerida, and Tarragona, and by the
country which lies to the west of a line drawn from the tower
of Garraf, on the sea-coast, crossing the pass of Ordal, following
the course of the Noya as far as Horra, that of the Llobregat to
the Segra, and from thence along the frontiers of the provinces
of Lerida to the Noguera, which will separate, as it formerly did,
the two governments as far as the Pyrenees. You will inform
General Suchet of this arrangement, and tell him that all the
troops belonging to the army in service in Catalonia are immediately to pass under his orders,-that is to say-the 7th of the
line, the 42nd of the line, the 1st light infantry, and the 10th
of the line, the Italian and Neapolitan divisions, the 24th dragoons, the dragoons of Napoleon, and the Royal chasseurs. He
will leave under the command of the Duke of Taranto the 29th
chasseurs, the battalion of the 93rd of the line, the battalion of
the Grand Duchy of Berg, and a company of artillery; this detachment will proceed to Barcelona to reinforce the garrison, and
to form part of the army of Catalonia, of which the head-quarters
will be at Barcelona.
The squadron of the 24th dragoons, and the Italian and Neapolitan detachments of the corps belonging to the army of Aragon which are in Upper Catalonia or Barcelona, will rejoin their
corps as soon as they can do so with safety. The army of Catalonia is to occupy Montserrat, and to besiege Cardona, Berga,
and Urgel; it is the business of the army of Aragon to lay siege
to Tarragona. General Suchet and the Duke of Taranto will




166                      SUCHET.                 CHAP. XVIL
consult together respecting the march of the Duke and his detachment towards Barcelona.  They will see whether it be
better for all the division of the army of Catalonia, which is on
active service, or a part of it, to move, either to take final possession of Montserrat and drive the enemy back upon Tarragona,
or, if this is not considered to be absolutely necessary, to protect
the re-entrance of the Duke of Taranto's detachment into Barcelona. In the latter alternative the Duke of Taranto will threaten
Montserrat with an attack, to keep in the enemy and prevent his
disturbing the siege of Tarragona. You will consult with the
Minister of War as to the means of your each sending an officer
carrying a duplicate order, mne by way of Pampeluna, and the
other by way of Jaca.
The officer sent by the Minister of War will carry both your
orders and his; he will go first to General Suchet, whose orders
he will deliver; he will not proceed to deliver those of the Duke
of Taranto until he is directed to do so by General Suchet.
The officer whom you send by the other road with duplicates of
your orders and those of the minister, will likewise proceed first
to General Suchet, who will give him directions as to the day
and hour he is to reach Lerida.
I wish General Suchet to join the army soon after the arrival
of this officer. You must choose intelligent officers who understand their duty, so that, in case of General Suchet's absence, or
even death, they may deliver no order to the Duke of Taranto,
if they have not seen General Suchet. You are aware of the
importance of not leaving the army of Catalonia without a general, and of giving General Suchet such instructions that he may
be able to direct the whole operation.
Desire General Suchet to set about the siege of Tarragona
immediately; he will choose his line of occupation either by
Lerida or by Mora, and fortify the intermediate posts. It seems
to me to be of great importance to intrench that of Mont Blanc
thoroughly. He will provision largely the Col Balaguer, and
consider whether he had better provide himself with some boats
on the sea. I leave it to him to compose his divisions as he
pleases, mixing the troops of the army of Catalonia with those of
the army of Aragon.




MARCE, 1811.       AFFAIRS IN CATALONIA.              167
The capture of Tarragona will crown the glory obtained by
General Suchet in this campaign, and will give him new claims
upon me.
[686. ]           NAPOLEON TO CLARKE.
Paris, March 9, 1811.
M. le Duc de Feltre,-I send to you the Duke of Taranto's
report upon the state of affairs in Catalonia.
He has not advanced the war in that province by a single
step. He does not appear to be acquainted with the system to be
observed among mountains. The marches which he has forced
his army to make across a difficult country, and without a wellconcerted plan of operations, must have fatigued his troops without a hope of advantage.
If latterly he had marched without hurry from Lerida to
Tarragona, and establishing fortified posts all along the Mont
Blanc road, he would have reached Reuss, and been safe against
the efforts of the insurgents.
I approve, however, of the principal measures which he
proposes.
[The beginning of the last letter to Berthier is here repeated,
with the exception of the following two passages.]
The 102nd of the line, and all the detachments belonging to
the 93rd and to the other regiments at Barcelona, will be added
to the garrison, which will then amount to 8000 men.
When Montserrat is taken, a garrison of from 1000 to 1200
men must be properly entrenched and established there.
[ 687.]          NAPOLEON TO BERTHIER.
Paris, March 10, 1811.
My Cousin,-Despatch orders to the army of the Centre to
send its detachments to establish a communication with the Duke
of Dalmatia by way of Merida, and to obtain news of his operations. Write at the same time to the Duke of Istria to send a
circular to all the generals in the district of the army of the




168                ARAGON-CATALONIA.             CHAP. XVII
North to put them on their guard against the news and the ridiculous reports which are brought to them; they ought to knoN
that they are victims of the impostures of the English, Portuguese, and Spaniards.
[688.]            NAPOLEON TO CLARKE.
Paris, March 10, 1811.
M. le Duc de Feltre,-I return to you General Baraguay
d'Hilliers' letters. Send an officer to him. It is not yet time to
lot him know of the changes which I have made in Catalonia, as
it would not be proper for the Duke of Taranto to hear of them
indirectly; but you must send word to him that, as soon as General Quesnel reaches Puycerda and attacks the fortress of Urgel,
the enemy's attention will be drawn in that direction; that he
must occupy the positions of Olot and Vico, reconnoitre the other
positions which should be occupied in order to keep up effectually
the communication with Barcelona; that the enemy is about to be
hard pressed at Tarragona, and threatened at Urgel; that he
must prevent the enemy from establishing himself between Puycerda and the valleys of the Segra and Girona; that for this
purpose Olot, Ripoll, and Vico must be occupied, and one or two
posts between Barcelona and the castle of Hostalrich fortified
and loopholed; these forts should be placed towards Granoller,
where the two roads of Vico and Hostalrich meet; that if General Baraguay d'Hilliers is able to occupy Granoller and Vico,
he will be in communication with Barcelona, and he may execute
a combined movement with the garrison: in this case it will be
useless to send the 102nd to Barcelona, as the same effect will be
produced; but that for this purpose, as soon as he reaches Vico
and Granoller, he must begin to turn up the ground and to loophole the houses, in which he should place a few pieces of cannon,
and in short take every precaution to protect himself against the
banditti and other enemies. Tell him that it is the duty of the
officer whom you send to him to bring back his opinion on this plan,
and on the means of accomplishing it and of preventing the enemy's
establishment between the Cerdagna and Girona;. also his opinion
whether it be advisable to occupy Olot and Ripoll with our forces,




MARCH, 1811.            CATALONIA.                    169
and to place them at Vico and Granoller, so as to send detachments of between 200 and 300 men to communicate with Barcelona; it being always understood that the columns of Vico and
Granoller will make sorties in concert with the garrison of
Barcelona whenever the enemy presents himself.
Tell him that these operations will become easy when Quesnel's division reaches Puycerda, Tarragona is invested, and the
army re-enters Catalonia (for I do not consider it as in Catalonia
when it is at Lerida on the other side of the mountains); that
all these dispositions will contribute greatly to the subjection of
the country; but that in order to obtain this result ne must fortify himself so strongly that detachments of 50 or 60 men, if
they have guns, will be exposed to no attack; that this is done
in the interior of Spain, and succeeds everywhere; that he has
sappers and miners and artillery, and that he may immediately
fortify Vico and the other posts which he thinks fit to occupy.
That this plan presents more advantages than that of reinforcing Barcelona, especially as the troops which he sends thither
may occupy posts on the road and in advance of the town.
[689.]           NAPOLEON TO CLARKE.
St. Cloud, March 12, 1811.
M. le Duc de Feltre,-Send word to Marshal Macdonald
that it would be of great use if, without endangering the blockade of FiguBras, he could march towards Barcelona to scour the
country, advance upon Vico, and disperse the bands which are
collecting there, and endeavour to take Montserrat, or, if he considers it imprudent to attack, at any rate to threaten it, and make
a diversion in favour of Tarragona. He should be accompanied
by a corps of from 5000 to 6000 men, to which, if he pleases, he
may add the squadron of the 20th which is at Mont Louis. But
that the chief thing is to keep up the blockade of Figueras; that
I intrust it to his care, and that I conclude that he has forced the
English, who had effected a partial landing, to re-embark.
VOL. II.-8




170              BIRTH OF THE KING OF ROME.           CITAP. XVIL
[ 690.]           NAPOLEON TO BERTHIER.
Paris, March 16, 1811.
My Cousin, —Impress upon the King of Spain the necessity
of sending to Seville all the detachments of the 4th, 5th, and 1st
corps which are in the district of his army; let him know that
this is indispensable, and that General Lahoussaye must rest his
army on the left bank of the Tagus, to put himself in communication with the Duke of Dalmatia.
[691.]              NAPOLEON TO JOSEPH.
Paris, March 20, 1811.
Monsieur mon Frere, —I hasten to announce to your Majesty
that the Empress, my dear wife, has just been safely delivered of
a prince, who at his birth received the title of King of Rome.
Your Majesty's constant affection towards me convinces me that
you will share in the satisfaction which I feel at an event of such
importance to my family and to the welfare of my subjects.
This conviction is very agreeable to me. Your Majesty is
aware of my attachments, and cannot doubt the pleasure with
which I seize this opportunity of repeating the assurances of the
sincere esteem and friendship with which I am, &c. &c.
-692.]              NAPOLEON TO JOSEPH.
Paris, March 20, 1811.*.......This evening at eight o'clock the child is to be privately
baptized. As I do not intend the public christening to take place
for the next six weeks, I shall intrust General Defrance, my
equerry, who will be the bearer of this letter, with another in
which I shall ask you to stand godfather to your nephew.
[ 693.]            NAPOLEON TO BERTHIER.
March 30, 1811.
The chief of the staff will take 200 copies of to-morrow's'Moniteur,' and send them off before 10 P.M. by an extraordinary
* This letter begins by some surgical details as to the birth of the child,
which I have not thought worth translation.-TR.




MARCH, 1811.     INSTRUCTIONS FOR SOULT.              171
express, with orders that they may be despatched from Bayonne
to Spain, likewise by a special courier.
The Prince of Neufchatel will transmit 50 copies of the'Moniteur' to the commandant of Bayonne, who will give 25
to Casabianca as he passes through, and will send some to General
Reille in Navarre.
The Prince of Neufchatel will send the remaining 150 copies
to the Duke of Istria, who will pass some on to Madrid and to
the army of Portugal, and will distribute them all over Spain.
[ 694.]          NAPOLEON TO BERTHIER.
[Undated.]
DESPATCHES AND INSTRUCTIONS TO BE SENT TO THE DUKE OF
DALMATIA.
The Prince of Neufchatel will write by this express, and will
send a duplicate by the officer whom he is to despatch to-morrow,
to explain to the Duke of Dalmatia the state of affairs since the
capture of Badajoz; and he will also tell him that I was sorry
to see the disasters which happened to the 1st corps before
Cadiz; * that I cannot approve of the dispositions which he made
in that quarter; that these misfortunes would not have occurred,
and that the siege of Cadiz would not have run such risks, if, on
leaving Estremadura, the Duke of Dalmatia had placed Godinot's
division and General Sebastiani's corps under the command of
the Duke of Belluno; that by this means he would have had six
French and three Polish regiments, that is to say an extra force
of nearly 20,000 men; that when he found himself threatened
by the landing at Algesiras, by ordering 8000 men from General
Sebastiani's corps and a brigade of General Godinot's to join
him he would have had three times as many troops as he wanted;
that the only two posts worth holding during the expedition to
Estremadura were Seville and Cadiz; that all the hospitals should
have been collected within Seville; that, besides, a third part of
the 4th corps would have been more than enough to keep at a
* The battle of Barrosa, fought on the 5th of March, 1811. —TR.




172              INSTRUCTIONS FOR SOULT.         CHAP. XVIL
distance such troops as those in Murcia, and generally to hold
the whole of that country.
The Duke of Dalmatia has 60,000 men under his orders; he
might have given up 30,000 to the Duke of Belluno, and yet have
had more troops than he wanted before Badajoz. The mania of
attempting, in a moment of difficulty, to hold every point may
be productive of great misfortunes. The Emperor is displeased
that, whilst the siege of Cadiz ran great risks of being raised, the
12th, 32nd, 58th, and 43rd, altogether a division of more than
8000 men, were scattered about in posts of trifling importance.
The six Polish battalions and General Senarmont's light
horse were more than enough to watch that side; and thus the
four French regiments and Count Milhaud's division of cavalry
would have been available for sustaining the siege of Cadiz. On
the other hand, General Godinot's two regiments, consisting of
six battalions, were perfectly idle and useless in their cantonments.
The chief merit of a general lies in the proper disposition of
his troops. His Majesty sees with regret that on this occasion
the proper dispositions were not made. IIis Majesty desires
that all the hospitals may be collected within the walls of Seville,
in order that, although the country may be generally occupied
for the purpose of obtaining food and other resources, it still may
be possible, in an emergency, to assemble the troops and hold only
a few citadels.
Neither does His Majesty approve of the decision which has
been taken of holding Olivenza; it should be blown up and the
fortifications destroyed. As to Badajoz, everything depends upon
the possibility of victualling it: if it can be done quickly, and for
six months, the town should be kept; if not, only the citadel
must be preserved, and the fortifications of the town must be
blown up.
The Emperor has ordered all the men belonging to the 51st
and 55th regiments which are at present with the army of the
Centre to march immediately towards Andalusia. The Emperor
has given similar orders with respect to the 5000 men, both
foot and horse, belonging to the army of the South, which




MARCH, 1811.     INSTRUCTIONS FOR SOULT.              173
are at present with the army of the Centre. I transmit His
Majesty's orders positively, in order that they may be executed
without delay. At the same time I order the Duke of Istria to
send to you 8000 infantry and 2000 cavalry, also belonging to
the army of the South, which are at present under his command.
These reinforcements will repair all losses, and reinstate the
army of the South in a suitable position. Besides these, in the
course of the next fortnight another corps of 6000 men, belonging to the army of the South, will join it. As soon as these
dispositions are made, the Duke of Dalmatia must prepare himself for resisting an attack from the British army; and, when the
time comes, for marching upon Lisbon with 30,000 men, whilst
the army of Portugal advances upon the town in another direction with 60,000. But this aggresive movement is adjourned till
the North of Portugal is brought into order.*.... Coimbra
will continue to be the head-quarters of the army of Portugal;
Oporto will be occupied by a detachment. The strength of this
army amounts to 60,000 men under arms; its orders are to fight
Lord Wellington if he advances on Coimbra; to harass and to
threaten him incessantly towards Lisbon, in order to prevent his
sending large detachments against Andalusia. Lord Wellington
has only 32,000 English under his command; he can therefore
send detachments of only 8000 or 9000 men with between 5000
and 6000 Portuguese. A body of 15,000 men, consisting of
cavalry, infantry, and artillery, in good condition, and belonging
to the best regiments, must be always kept at Badajoz, so that,
if the English should make the slightest movement in that direction, the Duke of Dalmatia may march thither with 8000 or
10,000 men, and assemble between 25,000 and 30,000 in Estremadura. In this emergency only a corps of observation should
be left at Granada, which should be under the orders of the Duke
of Belluno.
The Duke of Dalmatia should correspond with the Prince of
Essling and the army of the Centre by way of Madrid. The
King should always keep a body of 6000 men (cavalry, and
* Illegible.-ED.




174              INSTRUCTIONS FOR SOULT.         CHAP. XVII.
artillery) between the Tagus and.Badajoz, ready to join the Duke
of Dalmatia's corps if the English move on Andalusia. But,
for this purpose, the country must be entirely cleared, the hospitals collected in Seville, and Cadiz, Seville, and Badajoz the only
posts held, keeping at the same time a corps of observation at
Granada. In this case the Duke of Belluno would have the
command of the troops remaining at Seville, of those before
Cadiz, and of the corps of observation towards Granada, whilst
the Duke of Dalmatia commands the corps which is to oppose
the English. He will likewise have under his orders the division
of the army of the Centre, and will thus be able to assemble
30,000 or 36,000 men. The siege of Cadiz ought to be pushed
on with the utmost vigour; the requisite number of men may be
placed there, with a better distribution. The 51st and 55th
should be replaced by the regiments which have suffered most at
Cadiz; some French regiments belonging to Sebastiani's division
should be changed. In short, the Duke of Dalmatia, having with
him the division of the army of the Centre, would have 35,000
men to resist 30,000 English, supposing Lord Wellington to
march upon him with the whole of his army; but this supposition is impossible, as the Prince of Essling would then march
upon Lisbon, and the English would be placed between two fires,
and cut off from their base of operations. The Prince of Essling
will remain at Coimbra, and threaten Lisbon, which will be attacked after the harvest by 70,000 men belonging to the army of
Portugal, and by all the troops which can be procured from
Andalusia to manoeuvre, according to circumstances, upon Badajoz, and the Tagus. These 100,000 men, resting on Coimbra and
Badajoz, will accomplish the conquest of Portugal, an event
which will have serious consequences for the English.
The Prince of Neufchatel wiil annex to this despatch a return of the detachments which are ordered to join the army of
the South. In two days the duplicate of this order will be taken
by one of the Prince of Neufchatel's officers.




MARwn, 1511.    MISSION OF MONTHION TO BAYONNE.       17.5
MISSION OF GrENERAL MONTHION TO BAYON'E.
The Prince of Neufchatel is to send General Monthion to
establish a staff-office at Bayonne. General Monthion will command the dapartment and the different depots. General Boivin
will return to Bourdeaux. General Monthion will appoint agents
to ascertain what officers pass through, and will send on the news
which they bring, if it be interesting, by an extraordinary express, so as if possible to precede their arrival in Paris by 24
hours.
General Monthion will manage all the details relating to the
departure of money and of convoys; he will send off as many
extraordinary couriers as he pleases. The Prince of Neufchaitel
will give notice of this to Count Lavalette.* I wished to diminish the number of expresses traversing Spain, because their
frequency fatigued the escorts, but between Bayonne and Paris
there are not the same objections. General Monthion will correspond regularly with Generals Caffarelli, Thouvenot, and Reille,
and with the Duke of Istria.
DESPATCH FOR THE KING OF SPAIN.
The chief of the staff will send a despatch to the King of
Spain, to acquaint him with the existing position of the armies
of the South and of Portugal, and with that which I have ordered
them to assume; he will inform the King that, if the English
advance upon Badajoz, the army of the Centre must send a division thither, or even as far as Cordova, to support the army of
the South if it should be attackd by Lord Wellington. The
Prince of Neufchatel will let the King know how much money
has been sent to the army of the Centre, and the amount which
is to follow.
+ The Postmaster-General. TRY




176           INSTRUCTIONS FOR SOULT, ETC.      CHAP. XVII.
DESPATCH FOR GENERAL SEBASTIANI.
The Prince of Neufehatel will write to General Sebastiani
that I am displeased at his keeping 16,000 of my best troops
doing nothing; that what has happened at Cadiz is his fault; that
he commanded the army of observation, and that it was his duty
to protect the besieging army.
SUPPLEMENT TO THE DUKE OF T)ALMATIATS DESPATCH.
The Prince of Neufchatel will, as soon as possible, let me
have a memorandum of all the rewards for which the Duke of
Dalmatia asks, and which appear to be just, that they may be sent
off in a few days; and, in the mean while, he will write word to
the duke that he will soon receive them. The Prince of Neufchatel will also announce to the Duke of Dalmatia the arrival of
several marching regiments, commanded by lieutenant-colonels,
to whom he may give vacant regiments.
The Prince of Neufchatel will tell the Duke of Dalmatia that
a company of 80 men belonging to the 1st regiment of footartillery is at Cordova, and that several other artillery companies
are scattered in the same way; that they must be assembled to
be sent to Cadiz.
FRESH REINFORCEMENTS FOR THE ARMY OF THE SOUTH.
The Prince of Neufchatel will order the whole of the 29th
chasseurs to join the army of the South; this order must be peremptory, and the Duke of Dalmatia will be advised to despatch
this regiment towards Bladajoz to strengthen his cavalry against
the English. The Prince of Neufchatel will order the 8th company of the 7th artillery, which is at Guadalaxara, the 7th company of the 3rd artillery at Segovia, the company of the 6th regiment
which is at Madrid, the 2nd company of the 2nd battalion of
sappers and miners at Madrid, and the 3rd company of the train
of engineers, composed of 70 soldiers and 63 horses, also at




APRIL, 1811.  INSTRUCTIONS FOR MASSANA, ETC.            177
Madrid, to proceed to Andalusia to reinforce the army of the
South. The Prince of Neufchatel will let me know whether there
are at Bayonne any companies of artillery, which may likewise
be sent to Andalusia.
[695.]           NAPOLEON TO BERTIER.
Paris, April 9, 1811.
My Cousin,-I wish you to send off this evening Senator
Lecoulteux's son, aide-de-camp to the Prince of Essling; he will
take with him  several copies of the'Moniteur' of to-day addressed to the Prince of Essling, to the Duke of Istria, and to
General Caffarelli. Tell the Prince of Essling that an express
has been intercepted, and it is to be feared that it contained despatches from him, since between those which Colonel Pelet
brought, and the one written from Guarda, none have been received from him.
You will send the Prince of Essling by his aide-de-camp a
duplicate of yesterday's despatch; you will let him know that I
have given the command of the 1st division of the 6th corps to
General Foy; that therefore there is no occasion to appoint General Maucune general of division; that he should arm Almeida as
soon as possible, since it appears that it would take a long time to
destroy the place and to remove the artillery.
Desire him to hasten the departure of General Drouet and his
corps for Andalusia, and let them take the shortest road: this is
important, for it is to be feared that the English will use their
utmost endeavours to raise the siege of Cadiz. He must take
measures to protect Almeida and Ciudad Rodrigo, and, on the
other side, communicate with Madrid and Seville, in order to combine operations with the army of Andalusia, and to afford it assistance.
Send word by the same officer to the Duke of Istria to hasten
the departure of all the provisional regiments which are intended
for Andalusia, as it seems that the enemy is turning all his efforts
in that direction. Reiterate my orders with respect to the expresses. You will send' Moniteurs' to Madrid and to the Duke
of Dalmatia. You will let it be known at Madrid that it is neces.
VOL. II. —8*




178                     BELLIARD.                CHAP. XVIL
sary to communicate with the Prince of Essling; that he was at
Guarda on the 27th, extending his left flank towards Alcantara;
that he is in want of powder, ammunition, and provisions, which
must be sent to him, if possible, by way of Alcantara and Placencia.
You will let General Belliard know that we are waiting impatiently for news from Andalusia; that the 3rd corps, under the
orders of General Suchet, has received' a reinforcement of 16,000
men; that in the course of the month of May, General Suchet intends to commence the siege of Tarragona, an undertaking which
will be difficult on account of the want of provisions, but which
will decide the submission of those provinces; that General Quesnel has entered Puycerda, and is proceeding to lay siege to Urgel;
that Campoverde has been decoyed even into the ditch of the fortress of Montjouy, and has lost 3000 men.
Tell General Belliard that he must send patrols as far as Cordova to obtain news of the army of Andalusia. Write to the
Duke of Dalmatia, when you send the' Moniteurs' to him, to inform him that General Suchet, whose corps has received a reinforcement of 16,000 men, is about to lay siege to Tarragona, and
that, as soon as the town is taken, this fine army will be available.
Let him know the situation of the Prince of Essling, and the necessity of putting himself into communication with that army,
whose chief object is to hold Lord Wellington in check, and to
combine operations with the army of the South. You will send
him a duplicate to inform him of General Drouet's march towards
Andalusia.
Write to him in cipher, if you have one, that two French
frigates and a transport of 800 tons, laden with ammunition and
600 conscripts, are on their way from Toulon to Malaga; that
this expedition takes the shells and ammunition which are wanted
for the siege of Cadiz: that it sailed from Toulon on the 4th of
April, and took in troops at Porto Ferrajo.  If you have no,
cipher, it will be enough if you give this information viva voce to
the officer, who will repeat it to the Duke of Istria, who again will
transmit it through an officer to the Duke of Dalmatia. It will
be sufficient to write in a memorandum-book:- " Two frigates
and a transport of 800 tons, shells and shot; 600 conscripts.




ArRIL, 1811S              SUCHET.                       179
Porto Ferrajo Malaga, April the 4th."  These indications will
be enough.
You will let the Duke of Ragusa know that I have appointed
General Foy to command the 1st division of the 6th corps; you
will order him to hold himself in readiness to start. Send off all
these despatches.  When they are gone) you will come to the
Tuileries at 6 o'clock, or at half-past 6 o'clock, with the general
orders which you will despatch to-morrow by another officer to
the Prince of Essling. Bring me at the same time the proposals
for rewards and promotions.
[ 696.]           NAPOLEON TO BERTHIER.
Paris April 15, 1811.
My Cousin,-I return to you General Suchet's letter of the
6th of March. Order the supplies of corn for which he asks to
be sent to him from Navarre; write also to General Suchet that
he must absolutely present himself before Tarragona by the 1st of
May at latest. It is the only means of preventing the insurgents
from invading Upper Catalonia,
[ 697.]           NAPOLEON TO BERTHIER.
Paris, April 24, 1811.
My Cousin,-You must send an officer to General Suchet to
inform him that, in consequence of the treachery of two magazine,
keepers, who were Catalonians, a door of one of the magazines of
Figueras, which looked towards the ditch, was opened at 2 o'clock
in the morning, and that 800 Miquelets thus got into the fortress
and took in their beds 500 Neapolitans and Italians and 150
French; that this unpleasant event has forced General Baraguay
d'Hilliers to concentrate his forces round Figueras; that it is
therefore indispensable for General Suchet to advance upon Tarragona, to hold in check Campoverde, and prevent his making a
diversion; that the season is favourable, and that it would be a
great pity if his fine army were to remain inactive.




180                      MARMONT.                 CHAP. XVII.
[ 698.]          NAPOLEON TO BERTHIER.
St. Cloud, April 27, 1811.
My Cousin,-Desire General Thouvenot to take particular
care of St. Sebastian, and to watch the service of that place, so as
to prevent the possibility of a surprise.
[ 699.]           NAPOLEON TO BERTHIER.
St. Cloud, April 27, 1811.
My Cousin,-Write to the Duke of Ragusa, under cover to
the Duke of Istria, to inform him that he must take all the measures which are requisite for the organisation of his army; that I
permit him to form it into six battalions, without making a corpsd'armee; that he may send back to France the generals and officers who do not suit him. He will desire them to march first
towards Valladolid, where they will await further orders. Send
word to him that as soon as General Brenier, who is commandant
of Almeida, enters the line, attention must be paid to him, and he
should be employed as general of division; that it is useless to
promote him as long as he remains at Almeida; that he is an excellent officer, and may be usefully employed.
[700.]           NAPOLEON TO BERTHIER.
Fontainebleau, May 7, 1811.
My Cousin, —I send to you a translation from the English
newspapers. You will see that on the 18th of April Wellington
had crossed the Tagus. I beg you to have copies made of these
despatches, and to send them this evening to the Dukes of Istria
and of Ragusa, and even to General Belliard.  It seems that, at
that time, only half the British army was in Castile.  What has
occurred near Almeida must have already made these facts known
to the generals, and have taught them how to support their troops
upon the Tagus. You see that what I foresaw has come to pass;
some troops were foolishly left at Olivenza, and 300 prisoners
have been taken.
Olivenza was captured on the 14th. It seems to me strange
that, although the Duke of Dalmatia heard that Lord Beresford




MAY, 1811.               SUCHET.                      181
had crossed on the 4th, he should have taken no measures up to the
25th of April for relieving Badajoz before Lord Wellington's arrival. Return these newspapers to me as soon as you have had
them copied.
[ 701.]          NAPOLEON TO BERTHIER.
St. Cloud, May 20, 1811.
My Cousin,-Send back  General Suchet's aide-de-camp,
Ricard, with orders to General Suchet to march upon Tarragona.
Impress upon him the necessity of leaving Klopiski's brigade to
defend the country on the side of Navarre. Tell him of General
Baraguay d'Hilliers' victory, on the 3rd of this month, over Campoverde, who, at the head of 12,000 of his best troops, endeavoured
to introduce a convoy into Figueras; 1200 mules, which composed
the convoy were seized, 100 officers and 2000 men taken prisoners, and the rest killed and dispersed in every direction. Say to
General Suchet that it is mortifying, that, while he has such a
force in his hand, he allows them to go to sleep instead of taking
advantage of these events to invest Tarragona.
[ 702. ]          NAPOLEON TO BERTIIIER.
Caen, May 25, 1811.
My Cousin,-There are many fathers of families in the gendarme squadrons which are in Spain; I am told that a return of
them has been sent to you; let me have it, that I may see whether
I can permit some of them to return.
[703.]           NAPOLEON TO BERTHIER.
Caen, May 26,1811.
My Cousin,-I have received your letter. I have not yet
seen Lecoulteux, so I can tell you nothing of what is going on in
Portugal. I do not lose a minute in desiring you to write every
day to General Marmont, and to send the' Moniteurs' to him;
several of them contain news from Spain. Let General Marmont
know that he has full powers to reorganise his army, to form it into
six or seven divisions, and to send back the generals who do not suit




182                 MARMONT-BESSIERES.            CHAP. XVI1.
him; that he may take lieutenant-colonels from General Drouet's
corps to put at the head of the vacant regiments, choosing for this
purpose men of action: that he should send back the commissaries who are of no use to him, and collect his troops so as to be in
hand; that he must seize all the mules in the province of Salamanca, and in his rear; that there are many in those provinces;
that the Duke of Istria has orders to assist him with all the means
in his power, and even to give him as many of my guard as he can
spare; that I have contracted for the purchase of 4000 pack, saddle, and draft mules at Bayonne; but that, of course, it will take
some time.
Write to the Duke of Istria that he must contribute 500
horses or mules, and even the necessary materials, horses and harness; in short, everything that is required to put the Duke of
Ragusa's artillery into perfect order, for it is essential that it
should have the proper means of transport and be in a good condition; that he may take mules to supply the place of his horses
till fresh ones arrive; that 4000 artillery and baggage horses are
at this moment on their way to Bayonne; that he must keep no
useless stores at Salamanca, but despatch them all to Burgos;
that he is to provide for the wants of the army of Portugal with
the utmost activity; that if the English advance upon Ciudad
Rodrigo, he must assemble all his forces, proceed to the assistance
of the Duke of Ragusa, and, finally, engage the English in a decisive battle.
Remark to him that his letters are not sufficiently frequent;
that instead of writing every day he scarcely writes at all, and
gives no intelligence of what is going on. Desire the Duke of
Ragusa to put his army into proper order, and fight the English
if they march upon Ciudad Rodrigo; that in this case he may be
reinforced by the Duke of Istria with a division of infantry composed of 10,000 of my guard; that he should announce my approaching arrival and his own march upon Lisbon as soon as the
harvest is over.
Desire the Ministers of War and of the Administration of the.
War, to hasten the purchases which I have ordered for remount



MAY, 1811.              MARMONT.                      183
ing the detachments of the artillery train and the horse artillery,
which are in the depots at Auch, Pau, and Toulouse.
I think that an officer should be sent to inform the Duke of
Istria that I expect him to take every means of giving decisive
assistance to the army of Portugal.
r 701.]          NAPOLEON TO BERTHIMER.
Cherbourg, May 29, 1811.
My Cousin,-I send to you your Portuguese correspondence. Let the Duke of Ragusa know that I have appointed
General Maucune to be a general of division. Repeat to him
that he may send back to France all the generals who do not
suit him, and that he is to organise his army in the way which
he thinks best.
[ 705.]          NAPOLEON TO BERTHIER.
Havre, May 29, 1815.
My Cousin,-Let there be long details put into the'Moniteur' on all that has taken place at Lerida. Send the plan of
attack to the War-office to have an engraving made of the siege
of Lerida, as well as of that of Girona. Express my perfect
satisfaction to General Suchet, and let him know that I have
granted all the promotions for which he asked.
Reiterate to him the order to levy a contribution of several
millions upon Lerida, in order to obtain food, pay, and clothing
for his army. Tell him that the war in Spain makes such an
increase of forces necessary, that I am no longer able to send
money thither; that war must support war. Order him to have
no Spanish officers in Spain, but to send them all to France; I
should have censured the whole capitulation if he had approved
of that article.
Write to him that he ought to suffer no other than the
French flag to be planted on the castle of Lerida. Repeat the
order for him to blow up the fortifications of the town. Write
to him that I suppose him to be master of Mequienza; that
he should take measures for the capture of Tortosa; that Mar



184                      MAIRMONT.                CHaP. XVIL
shal Macdonald is to march at the same time on Tarragona;
that he is to collect all the artillery and materials which are
required to march on Valeneia and force his way through its
walls; but that, before this is attempted, Tortosa and Tarragona
must be taken.
[ 706.]          NAPOLEON TO BERTHIER.
Alenpon, June 1, 1811.
My Cousin, —I return to you your Portuguese and Spanish
correspondence, in order that you may present to me the decrees
for the appointment of the different lieutenant-colonels, and
for their employment in the regiments of the army of Andalusia, which are without commanding officers. You may
show most of my letters to the King of Spain;* they will prove
to him how insane it is for him and the Spaniards to assert that
they can do without French troops.
[ 707.]           NAPOLEON TO BERTHIER.
Chartres, June 3, 1S11.
My Cousin,-I send to you the English account of the
action at Fuente de Onoro. Send a copy to the Dukes of Ragusa and of Istria. You may have copied even what is scratched
out, that they may know the whole. You may bring this account back to me to-morrow, on my arrival at St. Cloud.
[ 708.]           NAPOLEON TO BERTHIER.
St. Cloud, June 8, 1811.
My Cousin,-Write to the Duke of Istria that he is to
think twice before he orders General Bonnet to evacuate the
Asturias; that I consider this measure as in itself very bad;
that General Bonnet, by occupying Oviedo with 6000 men,
covers the whole plain of Valladolid and Leon, and threatens
Gallicia; that his position is defensive with respect to Valladolid, the mountains of Santander, and Biscay, and offensive as
* Joseph was now in Paris. He arrived there on the 15th of May.-TR.




JUNE, 1811.             BESSIERES.                    185
regards Gallicia; that I attribute to it the inactivity of the Gallicians. as they are in constant fear of being attacked by him by
their rear; that, if General Bonnet were to evacuate the Asturias, the Duke of Istria would be obliged to place him at
Santander, the only effect of which would be, that Leon and
Valladolid would be unprotected, and the insurgents would
have full liberty to disturb the plain, and even to march upon
Astorga and Benevento; that this would be a retrograde step;
that the Junta of Oviedo would be formed again, and would
infest all those mountains; that it would be a detestable operation.
General Bonnet should not evacuate Oviedo, unless it were
necessary at some particular time to assemble the whole army
to give battle to the English. It would be a fortnight's absence,
after which he ought to return; but this emergency is not probable, as at present the South is the field of action.
As to the frontiers of Portugal, all the stationary artillery,
powder, ammunition, and everything which is not wanted for
the defence of Ciudad Rodrigo, should be sent to Burgos.  There
are some waggons without horses, and some ordnance at Salamanca, which ought to be sent to Burgos; and if some unexpected event were to force the Duke of Istria to evacuate
Valladolid, he should leave nothing of the kind in the town. I
am told that there are waggons at Placencia and in other places.
Desire them to be sent to Burgos.
[ 709.]          NAPOLEON TO BERTHIER.
St. Cloud, June 10, 1811.
My Cousin,-Order General Caffarelli to trace out and
begin to construct a tete-de-pont at Miranda, in order that,
whatever happens, the passage of the Ebro may be secured.
The position of this tete-de-pont requires that it should be of
some extent; a square tower of the second size must be built in
masonry, to serve as a guard-house, magazine, and redoubt for
the tete-de-pont. The Minister of War will send to you a plan
of this tower.
The tete-de-pout ought to be so constructed as to enable the




186                ERECTION OF TOWERS.            CHAP. XVII.
army to cross the Ebro at any time without molestation. Send
word to General Caffarelli that it would be advisable to build
some towers on the heights in the defiles between Vittoria and
Irun. Ten of these towers, placed upon the highest points,
affording a retreat to twenty men, would be of great use. They
would serve as outposts to reconnoitre the heights, and to keep
us always masters of them. These towers would not cost more
than 10,000 francs a-piece, and it would be money and labour
well employed.
[ 710.]          NAPOLEON TO BERTHIER.
St. Cloud, June 14, 1811.
My Cousin,-I see that at Mequinenza, in Aragon, there
are 6000 tools; why are they not sent to Madrid? Order this
to be done.
[ 711.]            NAPOLEON TO CLARKE.
St. Cloud, June 23, 1811.
M. le Duc de Feltre,-I am told that some generals, staff,
and commissariat officers, are in the habit of taking as servants
men from the army, and thus weakening the regiments. This
abuse is particularly frequent in Spain. Order the soldiers to
be arrested and sent back to their corps.
[ 712.]          NAPOLEON TO BERTHIER.
St. Cloud, June 25, 1811.
My Cousin,-Order the Duke of Istria and the general in
command of the army of the centre to give proper escorts to
20,000 merinos belonging to me, which are at Madrid, and are
to be brought to France.
[ 713.]          NAPOLEON TO BERTHIER.
Trianon, July 11, 1811.
My Cousin, —Order 10,000 pairs of shoes out of the 20,000
which are at Valladolid, and 6000 out of the 12,000 pairs
which are at Madrid, to be sent to the army of Portugal: which




JULY, 1811.         ERECTION OF TOWERS.                 187
will make altogether 16,000 pairs of shoes for that army. The
Duke of Ragusa will dist.ribute them  to the different regiments.
[ 714.]           NAPOLEON TO BERTHIER.
Trianon, July 17,1811.
My Cousin,-Let Marshal Jourdan have the necessary sum
to equip himself and proceed without delay to Spain, where he
may be of use. Arrange everything so as to enable him to start
as soon as possible.
[715.]               NAPOLEON TO BERTHIER.
St. Cloud, July 31, 1811.
My Cousin,-The tower of the Bidassoa is to be constructed at Bayonne. The minister of war should have given
orders to this effect. It does not in the least concern Biscay.
The towers should be built only on the tops of the heights.
They are all to be of the third size; there are to be none of
either the first or second.
The first tower must be placed on the height of Salinas,
situated so that signals made from it may give information as to
what is going on in the mountains. The officer who examined
the country did not quite understand what was intended: three
towers were to be constructed; one at Salinas, and the others
on the watersheds of the mountains.
It must be seen how many such there are from the Bidassoa
to Miranda, and the three principal positions chosen for the construction of three towers. As soon as these are finished, three
more positions must be determined on, and the towers must be
placed so as to overlook the road and the defiles which join it,
to correspond easily with each other by means of signals, to give
notice of what is going on in the mountains, and in short to
serve as a refuge for my troops. Towers of the third size will
cost 15,000 fr. apiece, that is to say, 45,000 fr. for the three.
Too much haste cannot be made in establishing one of these
towers on the heights of Salinas. The plans sent by General




188                  JOSEPH —DORSENNE.            CHIAP. XVIL
Thouvenot do not carry out my intentions; they must be begun
all over again.
[ 716.]           NAPOLEON TO BERTHIER.
St. Cloud, Aug. 6, 1811.
My Cousin,-Write to General Souham that, as his regimental artillery, his waggons, and the artillery belonging to his
division cannot yet be ready, I wish him in the mean while to
second General Reille in Navarre; that one of his regiments
should guard the valley of Bastan; that, with the other three,
he should pursue Mina, and do all he can to des+roy the banditti
and pacify Navarre; that while this is taking place the great
heats will pass off, the artillery will be brought into order, and
he will then be directed to proceed whithersoever he may be
wanted.  He should fix his head-quarters at Logroio.
Write to this effect to General Reille; tell him that I also
intend to send the Italian division to Navarre; but that he
must at length make an end of the banditti, terrify them,
shoot them by hundreds, disarm the country, and keep safe the
ammunition and horses.
[ 717.]            NAPOLEON TO BERTHIER.
St. Cloud, Aug. 24, 1811.
My Cousin,-It will be easy for you to make the King of
Spain* understand that, as the whole of his left is safe, now
that the army of Portugal is at Almaraz, he must have a sufficient number of troops, and that he should send to the army of
the South all that belong to it; that the 26th chasseurs is most
useful to the army of Portugal, the cavalry of which has been
ruined. Repeat the order to General Dorsenne to assemble all
the men belonging to the 75th and 28th, as well as to the
dragoons of the army of the centre. Reiterate the same orders
to the Duke of Dalmatia, and include the Germans, who ought
not to form part of his corps. Tell the King of Spain to send
* Joseph was now at Madrid. He returned on the 15th of July.-TR.




AuG. 1811.     ADMINISTRATION OF PROVINCES.           189
back all the dismounted men belonging to the army of the
South who are in any of the dep6ts within the district of his
army.
[ 718.]            NAPOLEON TO JOSEPH.
Trianon, Aug. 25, 1811.
My Brother, —I thank you for your letter on my birthday.
I entreat you not to doubt my friendship or the interest which
I take in you. My affection for you will always remain unchanged.
[ 719.]            NAPOLEON TO BERTHIER.
Trianon, Aug. 25, 181.
My Cousin, — Answer to General Dorsenne that Baron
Dudon, intendant of the provinces under the jurisdiction of the
army of the North, is not to follow the army, but to stay at
Valladolid; that he is invested with the government of the
province. under the immediate orders of the general commanding in chief, who is to let every administrative measure pass
through General Dudon's hands, and to pay every contribution
to the agents of the treasury; that the commissary-general is
always to follow the army and to provide for its wants; that
the Intendant Dudon represents the administration of the country, and is to be considered in the same light as a prefect in
France; that the commissary-general is to have the management only of the administration of the army; that Spaniards
must not be employed under the intendant; first because no
reliance can be placed on their fidelity or attachment, and
secondly because they would have no influence over the French
governors and military authorities, and could not prevent the
irregularities which are so frequent in Spain, and which have
been the chief cause of the crimes which have been committed
there.  On the other hand, French auditors, who keep up a
correspondence with France, know the limit to the authority
of each, and will not allow themselves to be imposed upon, may
be consulted as witnesses whenever a point is in dispute; that




190           INSTRUCTIONS FOR MACDONALD.        CHAP. XVIL
therefore auditors must be placed everywhere; that the commander-in-chief must give no administrative orders except through
the medium of the Intendant Dudon, and that the revenues are
on no account to be paid except into the hands of the French
cashiers, and the expenses are to be defrayed only by the paymasters of the treasury; that in this case all intervention of the
Spanish authorities would be suspicious; that I wish General
Dorsenne to make use of the talents of Baron Dudon, and of
the zeal of the auditors: that it is the only way of placing everything under supervision, and of putting an end to irregularities.
That I have no objection to the creation of superior intendants, each with the command over a whole province; that I
established one lately in Navarre; that similar officers may be
placed in all the provinces; that, with respect to the King, my
general orders must have shown clearly enough that he is to make
no appointment in the district of the army of the North except
to ecclesiastical or judicial functions; but that no military or administrative agent is to be appointed by the King; that in short
I wish General Dorsenne to act in accordance with the administration, and, instead of causing annoyance to the intendant and
to the auditors, he is to encourage and support them.
[ 720.]            NAPOLEON TO CLARKE.
Trianon, Aug. 25, 1811.
M. le Due de Feltre, —I am delighted to hear of the capture of Figueras. Send an extraordinary courier to the Duke
of Taranto to express to him my satisfaction, and tell him that
I have asked you to send me a report on the promotions and
rewards to be given to the army. You will tell him that 1
have issued a decree for uniting Catalonia to France (you will
receive it in a few days); that Marshal Suchet occupies at present Montserrat; that I have ordered him to place a French
division, composed of 4 regiments and 10 pieces of artillery,
between Barcelona, Montserrat, Tarragona, and Lerida; likewise
to garrison Mequinenza and Tdrtosa with his troops; that both
these places will continue under the command of Marshal Suchet,
who is ordered to march with the remainder of his army upon




SEPT. 1811.               DUDON.                      191
Valencia; that I wish the Duke of Taranto to repair to Barcelona and inspect Montserrat, to see what use can be made of
that important position; that he is to add 6000 of his troops to
the division which Marshal Suchet gives up to him; that he is
to take as many men as possible from Barcelona, and to form
an effected corps of from 12,000 to 14,000 men to manoeuvre
between Tortosa, Lerida, Barcelona, and Montserrat; to take
Cordova and Urgel, disperse the assemblages in Catalonia, and subdue the country. An aggressive movement on Valencia will concentrate there all the efforts of the enemy, which will be a real
deliverance for Catalonia. The Duke of Taranto should establish
a good commandant at Figueras, and supply it with provisions
for several months. It would be a good thing to publish an order
prohibiting any stranger, not belonging to the garrison, from
entering the fortress on pain of death. I suppose that he- has
inflicted severe punishment upon the traitors who gave it up.
C 721.]           NAPOLEON TO BERTHIER,
Compilgne, Sept. 11, 1811.
My Cousin,-I return to you the Duke of Dalmatia's and
General Dorsenne's letters; give orders yourself as to these
trifles. The notion of paying duty on the clothing of the officers
and men is absurd; write to put an end to it. Answer to General Dorsenne that he ought not to place the intendant-general
on the same footing with the receiver of taxes; that the way to
obtain assistance from the intendant is to treat him with proper
respect; that Baron Dudon may be of great use to him, if it be
only in repressing abuses and depredations; that to offend him
therefore shows a want of regard to his own interests. Write to
M. Dudon that a functionary does not resign; that if he has any
complaints he should make them, but not talk about quitting the
service; that this proceeding does him no honour, and shows a
want of knowledge of his duty.




192                   MILITARY ORDERS.            CraP. XVIL
[ 722.]            NAPOLEON TO CLARKE.
Antwerp, Oct. 3, 1811.
M. le Duc de Feltre,-I enclose to you the Duke of Taranto's
letters. Give the command of the army of Catalonia to General
Decaen.
Answer to the Duke of Taranto that he ought not to correspond with the King of Spain upon any subject, nor to answer
any letters from his ministers.
Give the same instructions to General Decaen.
C 723.]            NAPOLEON TO BERTHIER.
Utrecht, Oct. 9, 1811.
My Cousin,-Write to the King of Spain that, till further
orders, he may keep everything that reaches Madrid from
France, intended for the army of the south, as that army is in
want of nothing.  Repeat at the same time the order that
everything belonging to the army of the centre, which is now
in the possession of the army of the south, may be returned
without delay to the army of the centre. Write also to the
King to tell him that I have ordered the money which he requires to be sent to him.
I approve of the Duke of Dalmatia's measure for raising independent companies composed of the French who are in Andalusia.
[ 724.]            NAPOLEON TO BERTHIER.
St. Cloud, Nov. 19, 1811.
My Cousin,-The last letters which you sent to me from
General Monthion were dated the 29th of October. That is
now three weeks ago: I am surprised at his not sending his
reports more frequently. Nor have I heard anything for the
last three weeks from Generals Caffarelli and Reille: such negligence is intolerable.  Generals Monthion, Thouvenot, Caffareli, and Dorsenne must be desired to write to you every day,
and your correspondence must contain more information. Let
me have the last returns from the army of the north, that I may




Nov. 1811.         SUCHET-MARMONT.                    193
know how many sick there are in Biscay. Let me also have a
report of the orders which you have given to the marching
battalions, and of those which you have sent to General Monthion as to the disposition of these battalions.
[ 725.]           NAPOLEON TO BERITHIER.
St. Cloud, Nov. 19, 1811.
My Cousin,-Despatch immediately an officer to Marshal
Suchet to inform him that General Reille is about to march
towards Aragon in order to support him. Tell him that on the
very day when he thought that Mina had joined Empecinado to
assist Genral Blake, Mina was near Mondragona, fiercely pursued by General Burck; tell him that we have news from
Gibraltar of the 25th of October; that the army of the south
has carried the camp of St. Roch and Algeciras; that Ballasteros is hemmed in under Gibraltar; that General Decaen has
gone to succour Barcelona, and will do all that he can; that the
King writes word that since the Ist of November he has occupied Cuenca in force in order to support him, and that the Duke
of Ragusa has orders to send thither a division. Inform him
that the English have 18,000 sick in Portugal, and are unable
to undertake anything; that the Duke of Dalmatia is ordered
to send a column to make a diversion in MIurcia; that, therefore,
Valencia must be vigorously attacked and taken.
Send back the Duke of Ragusa's aide-de-camp to him; let
him know that the great object at present is the capture of
Valencia; tell him of the successes lately obtained by Marshal
Suchet: send the' Moniteur' of the last month to him; he will
see that the English have 18,00.0 sick, and appear to be determined to remain on the defensive.
If Valencia has not yet fallen, he must send a detachment of
6000 men to join all the available troops belonging to the army
of the centre, and to march to Marshal Suchet's assistance. As
soon as Valencia is taken, a great many troops will be set at
liberty, and he will be largely reinforced; his army will then
commence its great operations. At this period, that is to say,
towards the end of January, after the rains, he should march
VOL II.-9




194                 MOVEABLE COLUMNS.             CEIAP. XVII.
with the army of Portugal and part of the army of the south
upon Elvos, and overrun the Alentejo, whilst the army of the
north, reinforced by part of the army of reserve, advances on
Coa and Alfayates. But the important point now is to take
Valencia; he must therefore put a division in motion without
delay.
Write to the King to this effect. I conclude that he has sent
all his available troops to communicate with Marshal Suchet and
to support him. Tell him that, if Valencia is not yet taken, I
have ordered the Duke of Ragusa to send a division to join him,
so as to form altogether a corps of from 10,000 to 12,000 men,
who will march to General Suchet's assistance.
Send the'Moniteur' for the last month to the King, to
Marshal Suchet, and to Generals Reille, Caffarelli, and Dorsenne. Write to General Reille that I hope that he received
news of the 6th from Marshal Suchet, whom he must support
by sending without delay to him Severoli's division, and by
marching himself with his whole division towards Aragon: tell
him that General Decaen is advancing on Barcelona.
Order General Caffarelli to proceed with his division against
Mina; to pursue him in every direction till he is utterly routed;
to assume the command of Navarre, and to support General Reille
in Aragon. General Dorsenne is sufficiently strong; write to him
that the great object is to take Valencia.
[ 726.]           NAPOLEON TO BERTHIER.
St. Cloud, Nov. 20, 1811.
My Cousin,-Write to Generals Dorsenne, Caffarelli, and
Thouvenot, that a detestable system is followed in the countries
where they are; that immense forces are stationed in the villages
to resist troops of banditti that are in motion; that this produces
continual misfortunes; that the opposite course should be adopted,
only the principal posts should be occupied, and moveable columns
sent from them in pursuit of the banditti; that if things were
managed in this way, many accidents would be prevented; that
this plan must be immediately adopted and the banditti actively
attacked; that experience in La Vendee has taught us that the




DEa. 1811.              CATALONIA.                      195
best way is to have moveable columns scattered and multiplied in
9very direction, and not stationary bodies.
C727.]            NAPOLEON TO BERTHIER.
St. Cloud, Nov. 20, 1811.
My Cousin,-Express my displeasure to General Dorsenne
at his not having relieved the troops belonging to General Wandermaesen's division at Soria and Aranda, so that they have not
yet been able to rejoin the army of Portugal. To act in this
manner is to try to destroy the army.
[ 728.]            NAPOLEON TO CLARKE.
Paris, Dec. 6, 1811.
M. le Duc de Feltre, —I return to you the papers belonging
to the Catalonian correspondence.
I can determine nothing about the army until I have more
recent returns; send me those of the 1st of December, or at
least of the 15th of November.
The losses in the army of Catalonia are produced by its
obstinacy in remaining at Figueras. I have advised them perpetually to leave Lampourdan, a country which is said to be
as unwholesome as Walcheren. This obstinacy will destroy the
whole army.
When the siege of Figubras rendered it necessary to assemble
a great many troops there, the presence of the army may have
been required; but as soon as the fortress was taken they should
have passed on and quitted Lampourdan, which has always been
fatal to the French.
A million francs has been sent to bring up the arrears in the
pay. I am expecting to hear of the arrival at Barcelona of tho
convoy under General Decaen's escort.
[ 729.]           NAPOLEON TO BERTHER.
Paris, Dec. 6, 1811.
My Cousin,-I return to you the Spanish correspondence.
Make a list of the promotions and rewards which are demanded,
as I propose to grant them. Write to the Duke of Ragusa that,




196                      GIRARD.                 CHAP. XVII.
if the enemy's movements force him to march towards the north,
General Dorsenne will be under his orders; but the great thing
at this juncture is to take Valencia. Express to the Duke of
Dalmatia my disapprobation of the flank movement performed by
General Girard in the presence of the enemy, a march which lasted
for three days, and was so ill managed that the enemy might
have cut him off at any time: he should have been supported by
a strong detachment. It is unfortunate that, with an army of
80,000 men, they could not make the dispositions which prudence
demanded to avoid being beaten by a troop of 6000 English.*
Remind him that, when one has to fight, particularly against the
English, one must not divide one's forces, but collect them and
present imposing numbers: all the troops which are left behind
run the risk of being beaten in detail or forced to abandon their
positions. Repeat to him the order to provision Badajoz for a
twelvemonth. If the capture of the island of Leon is considered
impossible, Murcia must be vigorously attacked, in order to relieve the army of Valencia. Tell him that I have issued a decree
with respect to the expedition. I do not intend it to be made
at my expense; it would cost me enormous and absurd sums.
Write to him that he may organise his army as he thinks proper,
in six or seven divisions, retaining always the generals according
to their rank and seniority. I grant permission to the Duke of
Belluno to return to France; but as he may be engaged in some
operation requiring his presence, you will enclose this permission
to the Duke of Dalmatia, who will deliver it at the right time to
the Duke of Belluno. The Duke of Dalmatia has the finest army
in the world, and yet he holds in check neither General Hill nor
the army of Murcia, the whole of which has marched to the assistance of Valencia.
You will render an account to the ministers of the treasury
of the 500,000 francs which were missing in the convoy escorted
by General Avy to the army of the south.
NB
* At Arrozo del Morino, where General Girard was surprised and defeated
by General Hill on the 28th of October.-TR.




Dw. 1811.                BISCAY.                      197
[730.]            NAPOLEON TO BERTHIER.
Paris, Dec. 6, 1811.
My Cousin,-Suspend Colonel X-  of the 12th dragoons,
employed in the army of the south, whose incapacity has occasioned the loss of a detachment in the Alpujareis: give notice of
this to the minister of war, that he may be sent for to give an
account of his conduct. Express my displeasure to Major Pillay
at his not attacking the army of Mina in Biscay; let him repair
to Bayonne, where his conduct will be examined into. Obtain the
necessary information from Generals Thouvenot and Buquet.
Order the Italian soldiers who were taken prisoners by Mina,
but thrown upon the coast of Bilbao and set free, to be clothed
immediately and kept at Bayonne: let General Monthion take
the greatest care of them. Order General Thouvenot to pay
the marching regiments which are placed in Biscay out of the
revenue of the province.  Wine should be distributed to the
troops which are there; there is plenty to be had in Spain. The
soldiers fall into bad health for want of proper food.
Tell General Dorsenne that I am surprised to see that the
magazines are empty; they have never been so low. General
Dorsenne spoils everything by his attempt at centralisation.
This system acts as a perpetual clog in Biscay and Navarre.
Convoys must start from Bayonne without delay.
Let me have a report upon Santona, and of all that it has
cost me up to this time: propose to me to grant large sums this
winter in order to finish the fortifications. Measures must also
be taken for sending thither all the requisite ammunition and
provisions by sea from Bayonne and San Sebastian, under an
escort of fishing-boats. I allow 100,000 francs out of the funds
which I have at Burgos to the engineers for the works of that
fortress. Write to General Dorsenne that I am sorry to see that
he has not yet marched regularly upon Potes, and destroyed
Mendizabal and the Marquisito; this was the first thing to be
done after reconquering the Asturias.
General Bonnet should employ all the contributions which he
levies on the Asturias in paying his troops and improving their




198                OFFICERS RECALLED.           CnAP. XVIL
condition; he has made frequent levies; his accounts must in
future be kept with regularity. Write to the King that the
Dutch hussars are free to enter his service; he must incorporate
them in his guard.
[ 731.]          NAPOLEON TO BERTHIER.
Paris, Dec. 9, 1811.
My Cousin, —I have three divisions to add to the army of
observation on the Ebro, the 6th, 8th, and 9th. The 6th and
9th should be composed of troops who speak German; the 8th
of French troops. Let me know whom to appoint to these commands. The 9th division will consist of eight Swiss battalions
and of the Illyrian regiment: the command of this division may,
I think, be given to General Legrand: can he speak German?
The 6th division may be given to General Daendels, and the 8th
to General Verdiere. The Duke of Padua and General Sebastiani and Belliard have no command; ask them what they wish
for; would they like to serve in the infantry or in the cavalry?
You must also find me out some brigadier-generals among those
who are now in Paris, and who want employment.
General Compere is in the King of Naples' service; he is an
excellent general, and might be employed in the army. He has
nothing to do in the Neapolitan service.
L 732.]          NAPOLEON TO BERTHIER.
Paris, Dec. 15, 1811.
My Cousin,-I wish to recall General AMontbrun to France.
Let me know to whom I can give the command of the cavalry
belonging to the army of Portugal, and who are the cavalry
generals still remaining in that army. If I recall the guard,
General Chastel will come back. Tell me what generals would
remain, capable of commanding the cavalry of the army of the
North. Before I consent to the return of the General of Division Latour Maubourg to France, let me know what other
generals of cavalry there are belonging to the army of the South.
I have already asked you when the reserve at Bayonne will be




DEC. 1811.            ARMY RETURNS.                     199
able to send off the men who are wanted to complete the battalions which are with the different marching regiments. Tell the
Duke of Ragusa that 300 men of the 14th chasseurs, among
whom is the company of picked men, are on their way to join
him, and will complete that regiment to at least 800 men; that
he is not to consider it as belonging exclusively to Souham's
division, but has perfect liberty to place it wherever he pleases;
that I am most anxious to hear that his artillery is at length
organised, and that his army has 100 pieces of cannon.
[ 733.]          NAPOLEON TO BERTHIER.
Paris, Dec. 15, 1811.
My Cousin,-I wish you to draw up a report on the army of
the North. I believe that I have already ordered my grenadiers,
a company of foot artillery, my gendarmerie d'elite, and the
guides, to return to France: if this order respecting the gendarmerie d'elite has not yet been delivered, let it go without delay,
and let all my gendarmes belonging to the guard proceed to
Bayonne. I think that I ordered the Duke of Ragusa to give a
company of light artillery to General Dorsenne: repeat this
order. Let me know what companies or detachments of artillery
and of the train are under General Dorsenne, for I wish to recall
to France, first, my two companies of horse artillery, and,
secondly, all the drivers belonging to my horse artillery. I have
no objection to leave the horses and harness there, but I want
the men to return to France. There would remain then only
the companies of conscript gunners and the teams which are
required for the guns belonging to the infantry. Let me know
if I could not obtain from Auch, Carcassonne, and Bayonne
artillery officers and men, teams, and drivers to relieve those
belonging to my guard. Let me also have a detailed report on
the artillery of the army of the North. I should like to recall
immediately to France my chasseurs, Poles, and dragoons, but I
must first have a report on the cavalry of the army of the North.
The Grand Duke of Berg's lancers, the legion of gendarmes, the
1st hussars, and the 31st chasseurs will remain there; altogether
four regiments, including the men engaged in Spain, those in the




200                   ARMY RETURNS.               CHAP. XVII
marching regiments, and even those in the depots, that I may
endeavour to make their numbers as large as possible. As there
is more cavalry in the army of the South than is wanted, tell me
whether from the marching regiments belonging to that army
which have not yet got beyond Burgos, a sufficient number might
not be taken to increase General Dcrsenne's cavalry to 3000 men.
I consider all questions respecting the cavalry of the army of the
North to be connected with those respecting the cavalry of the
army of Portugal; for my reason for wishing General Dorsenne
to have more than 3000 men is clearly that I foresee the possibility of his having to repulse the British army, and, in that case,
I should like the armies of Portugal and of the North to be able
to assemble 9000 horse on the field of battle, which would prevent
any movement on the part of the English; I say on the field of
battle, not 9000 effectives, and you know what an immense difference that makes.
Let me therefore have a return of the cavalry belonging to
the armies of Spain, including all the marching regiments on
their way to it. I shall wait till I have received this return
before I give final orders to the cavalry of my guard. As to the
infantry of my guard, I certainly wish it to return, but I am
waiting till Valencia is taken; besides infantry have the advantage of being able to travel by post. I wish you also to give me
an accurate account of the army of Portugal, including all the
provisional regiments in the rear, as well as those which are at
Bayonne.
[ 734.]            NAPOLEON TO CLARKE.
Paris, Dec. 26, 1811.
M. le Duc de Feltre,-I return to you General Decaen's
despatches. Write an account of what has taken place; make
it of sufficient importance to satisfy the generals, without, however, magnifying too much operations which were merely against
peasants.
Write to General Decaen that I am sorry to see that he has
broken up Freyre's division, as, in consequence, there is no
longer an efficient force in the south of Catalonia, between Lerida,




DEC. 1811.            ARMY RETURNS.                   201
Tortosa, and Barcelona; that he must disperse the rebels who
are collecting about Vico, and that he must prepare to send a
convoy, by land, to Barcelona. Let me know the number of
coasters which have sailed from Agde since last October, how
many have reached Barcelona, and how many have been taken.
Write to General Decaen and to Adjutant Carrion-Nisas that up
to this time the contracts made with the coasting-trade have not
answered. A contract must be made for the transport of provisions by land; I have on this subject some uJew ideas, which I
will explain. I suppose the garrison of Barcelona to require
8000 rations, which makes 3000 quintals a month. All the
contracts which have hitherto been made with the coasting-trade
must be considered as intended for the supply of a place besieged.
A regular contract should now be made with a company for the
transport of 4000 quintals a month, conveyed in great waggons,
capable of holding from forty to fifty quintals. The army of
Catalonia must provide an escort for this convoy every month.
I shall bestow a great privilege upon this company-that of
bringing back foreign goods and merchandise on its own account.
At present the important thing is to insure the arrival of a convoy at Barcelona in. the month of January, and another in
February, that there may be no anxiety about the daily supply
of the place. I have ordered the Minister of the Treasury to
send to Barcelona one million francs, half of which is for the
troops, and the other half to be given to the commissary-general,
for the purchase of corn, meat, vegetables, and other provisions.
There will be 400,000 francs in money and 600,000 in a draft.
I conclude that Marshal Suchet has blown up the fortifications
of Tarragona, at least all that constituted it a fortress, and that
he has preserved only a redoubt.
Inform General Decaen that Marshal Soult was to invest
Valencia on the 25th, and open the trenches on the 26th; he
hopes to carry the entrenched camp on that day, which will give
him such facilities for attacking the town, that he may become
master of it in the course of January.
Propose to me some rewards and promotions for the army of
Catalonia.
VOL. II.-9*




202                      SUPPLIES.                CHAP. XVIl
[ 735.]          NAPOLEON TO BERTHIER.
Paris, Dec. 30, 1811.
My Cousin,-I beg of you to make an extract of the different
corps belonging to the army of the South, so that I may see at
once the state of every infantry regiment, how many they have
under arms, detached no matter whither, sick, &c., including
only those belonging to the army of the South; you will afterwards make a similar abstract of all that are to be found belonging
to the army of the South in the districts of the armies of the
Centre and of the North.
You will have a similar account drawn up of the foot-artillery,
including all the companies of the same regiment which are with
the army of the South, without distinguishing the different corps:
the same thing with respect to the train, the baggage-train, the
engineers, and sappers and miners. I require these abstracts to
be made in order to see how to curtail the cadres, particularly
those of the artillery and engineers, and to recall some of the
officers to France.
Express my displeasure to the Duke of Ragusa at his having
sent no return of the army of Portugal to me since the 1st of
October. Similar abstracts must be made of his army.
[ 736.]          NAPOLEON TO BERTHIER.
Paris, Dec. 31, 1811.
My Cousin,-Order the Duke of Dalmatia to send Generals
Girard and Britche back to France




JA. 1812.                SUMMARY.                      203
CHAPTER XVIII.
THE letters in this chapter extend from the 2nd January to the
24th of December, 1812.
Napoleon's power, which at the beginning of this year appeared
to have acquired its greatest strength, before its end was irrecoverably broken.
His reverses began in Spain, where Lord Wellington took
Ciudad Rodrigo, Badajoz, and the forts of Salamanca, defeated
Marmont at Salamanca, drove Joseph from Madrid, and forced
Soult to raise the siege of Cadiz. Napoleon left Paris on the
9th of May, reached Dresden on the 16th, and held there his
celebrated receptions, in which kings were the courtiers; crossed
the Niemen on the 24th of June; fought the battle of Borodino
on the 7th of September, entered Moscow on the 14th of Sept.,
left it on the 19th of October; crossed the Berezina on the 26th
of November; left the remains of the Grand Army on the 5th
of December, and reached Paris on the 18th.
[ 737.]          NAPOLEON TO BERTHIER.
Paris, Jan. 2,1812.
My Cousin,-I wish you to write for me a report, which will
be printed, on the correspondence respecting General Girard's
affair. It seems that General Britche was posted on the side by
which the enemy attacked; that he was completely surprised,
not in his bivouac, but in bed in a comfortable house, while the




204                   GIRARD-SUCHET.              CHAP. XVIIL
horses of his hussars were unsaddled. I will dictate tlis report
to you. My object is to impress on the colonels and generals of
light troops the general principle that a colonel of chasseurs or
hussars who goes to bed, instead of spending the nights in bivouac
and in constant communication with his main-guard, deserves
death. I think that Marshal Mortier has some information on
the subject. As my object is not merely to punish General
Britche, but to excite the zeal of the whole light cavalry, this
report must be vigorously drawn up.
1 738.]          NAPOLEON TO BERTHIER.
Paris, Jan. 6, 1812.
My Cousin,-Among the Reveries of MNarshal Saxe, mixed
up with much that is extremely commonplace, are some hints on
the means of levying contributions on foreign countries without
fatiguing the army, which seem to be useful. Read them, and
put the contents into the form of instructions for my generals in
Spain.
[ 739.]          NAPOLEON TO BERTHIER.
Paris, Jan. 14, 1S12.
My Cousin,-Prepare the following instructions, which I
wish to have sent to Marshal Suchet, as soon as I have approved
of the draft.
You will tell him  that, immediately after the capture of
Valencia, I intend the Polish generals and staff officers, as well
as the 1st, 2nd, and 3rd regiments of the Vistula to return to
France. You will point out the shortest road for their return.
Marshal Suchet will retain the government of Valencia, together
with the command of the 3rd corps of the army of Spain, which
he will organise in the following manner:-He has the 114th,
121st, 7th, 116th, 44th, 16th, 117th, and 5th light infantry;
total 8 regiments. As soon as I hear of the fall of Valencia, I
shall order the provisional regiment of Aragon, which is at Pampeluna, to repair to Valencia to complete the numbers of those
eight regiments. Let me know the effective, the number of sick,




JAN. 1812.                SUCHET.                       205
and the present under arms of the eight regiments, supposing
the provisional regiment to have been already incorporated in
them.
These eight regiments will be formed into three divisions in
the manner which he thinks best. They will be joined by all the
detachments in Aragon. The cavalry will consist of the 4th
hussars and the 13th cuirassiers. You will desire him to send to
me all the companies of the artillery-train, all those of the
baggage-train, and all the companies of sappers, miners, and
artillerymen whom he does not want.  For this purpose you will
send me a return of them in the greatest detail, and you will
propose to me to incorporate the men who are required to complete the companies which will remain with the army of Valencia.
The skeletons of the artillery-train will be composed of all the
men who have no horses; the skeletons of the sappers, miners,
and pontoneers will consist of the non-commissioned officers and
corporals, and of 20 soldiers chosen by the captain, so that each
company which is sent to me may amount at least to 30 men,
who will animate and encourage the conscripts placed in their
regiments.  I suppose that the necessity of occupying several
strong posts and of defendring the coast will make it requisite to
keep some of the officers and men attached to the siege-train.
Marshal Suchet's corps will consist, therefore, of between 20,000
and 22,000 men; he will retain the Neapolitan division, which is
1200 strong.
Palombini's division, consisting of from 5000 to 6000 infantry
and 400 cavalry; Severoli's division of 5000 infantry and 400
cavalry (altogether 11,000 Italian foot and 800 horse, with the
artillery which belongs to them), with Reille's division of 9000
infantry and 600 cavalry, will form a corps of from 20,000 to
21,000 foot and 1500 horse. This division will proceed to
Tortosa, and Reille will take the command of Lower Catalonia.
You will afterwards organise the artillery of these three
divisions; it will be necessary to take some companies from the
army of Aragon in order to form the park.
You will divide the territory of Catalonia into two parts; one
will include Tortosa, Mequinenza, Lerida, Tarragona, Mont.




206                       REILLE.                 CHAP. XVIIL
serrat, and Barcelona, near which place it will end. You will
consult on this subject General Guilleminot, who has been on
the spot.
General Reille may carry his head-quarters to Tarragona,
Lerida, or Barcelona; his corps will be increased by the garrison
of each place, with the exception of the detachments forming part
either of the garrison of Girona or of the army of Valencia, composed as I have already described.
You must see the Minister of War in order to obtain from
him all the details respecting the army of Catalonia and the different fortresses, to enable you to propose to me the organisation
of the army of Catalonia, which will receive all the detachments
belonging to it in the garrison of Barcelona, and will send back
all that ought to belong to the army of Valencia.
Caffarelli's division will also be added to General Reille's corps,
which will thus amount to 30,000 infantry and more than 2000
cavalry.  Its duty will be to defend the whole of Aragon.
General Labbe will take the command of Caffarelli's division.
General Reille's division will be called the corps of the Ebro.
You will submit for my approbation a scheme for the final organisation of the whole of Catalonia, both Upper and Lower, dividing
it into departments.*  General Reille's chief duties will be to
keep the country quiet, and to supply Barcelona amply with provisions; he will keep open the communication with the army of
Valencia, with the army of Portugal at Valladolid, and with the
army of the centre at Madrid, and he will protect Aragon; his
general orders will be to have always one or two of his divisions
placed so as to afford a strong support to the army of Portugal,
if the English should move against Valladolid.
General Dorsenne, with the whole of my guard, is to return to
France. General Caffarelli will take the command of the army
of the north at Burgos, and will have under his orders the 130th,
34th, and 113th regiments (as the 4th regiment of the Vistula is
Polish, it must return to France). Let me have a detailed ac* This order shows that Napoleon had decided on the annexation of Catalonia to France.-TR.




JN. 1812.          MILITARY CHANGES.                  207
count of the strength of this army: Palombini's Italian division
ought perhaps to be added to it.
I also wish to make an exchange: to return to the army of
Portugal the four marching regiments, and to send a division from
the army of Portugal to Burgos, consisting of an equal number
of men. The army of the north will thus be sufficiently strong,
and composed of good troops. Write to the Duke of Dalmatia to
despatch immediately the three regiments of the Vistula, the
regiment of lancers of the Vistula, and all the Polish staff. This
diminution in strength of the army of the south is of no consequence, and you will desire the order to be executed in 24 hours
after the receipt of your letter. You will send to me a plan for
recruiting the cadres which are to be withdrawn from the different
armies, and also the skeletons of the companies of artillery, and
the battalions of the train, as well as of the sappers and miners
who are to be recalled.
The three companies of baggage-mules which are with the
3rd, 4th, and 13th battalions at Pau are to be sent to the corps
of the Ebro; they will therefore leave Pau with a strong escort,
taking advantage of that which will convey the prisoners from
Valencia to Saragossa.  General Reille will thus obtain 600 baggage-mules, which will be of great use to him. As these three
companies belong to three different battalions, you will desire the
general of the army of Portugal to settle about the exchange with
General Reille, in order that the army of Portugal may have one
complete battalion, and the corps of the Ebro another. Lastly,
propose to me to add to the grand army the company of engineers
which was at Bayonne, intended for the army of observation, a
company of pontoneers, another of sappers and miners, and, I
think, two companies of artillery, which were intended for the
same corps. There will still be left a, considerable number both
of men and materials. I intend to make use of the teams, as soon
as I understand the nature of those belonging to the army of
Portugal. As this army is in the presence of the English, it
should be well provided in this respect. If you have no return,
the Duke of Ragusa's aide-de-camp, who is an artillery officer,
may be able to supply you.




208                 ARMY OF PORTUGAL.             CHAP. XVIII.
I consider it as of the utmost importance that the army of
Portugal should have at least 100 mounted guns, with proper
ammunition. Souham's division ought to have 22, the army of
Portugal 80, Bonnet's division 4 or 5, making in the whole 110.
It requires quite as much, and the artillery must be well horsed
and of large calibre. As soon as I know the organisation of the
artillery of the army of Portugal, of the corps of the Ebro, of the
army of Valencia, and of the corps of the army of observation, I
will give a destination to the 1000 artillery horses which I have
left at Toulouse. The army of reserve being thus broken up, let
me know the respective destination of each of its parts, whether to
be joined to the corps of the Ebro or to some other corps. Let me
have a detailed report on the subject, supported by the returns.
The result of these measures will be to deprive the armies of
Spain of the four regiments of the Vistula, consisting of eight
battalions; of three Polish regiments, composed of six battalions:
in the whole seven regiments or 14 battalions, which will make a
splendid division for the Grand Army.
I have desired the 40th and the 34th to return to France;
you will repeat these orders. I shall likewise have deprived the
armies of Spain of the regiment of Polish lancers, of a few Polish
generals and staff officers, and of 22 battalions of the guard, altogether 36 battalions. But a short time ago I sent thither
Souham's division, which consists of 14 battalions, and Reille's
division, and Caffarelli's, which are both equally strong; in the
whole 42 battalions.  Therefore, instead of having lost, the
armies of Spain will find that they have gained.
It is essential that you should let the Duke of Dalmatia know
that, as soon as he has parted with the 34th and 40th, as well as
the three Polish regiments, the nine marching battalions which
are in the 5th government, and which belong to his corps, will set
off to join him.
When the Minister of War has shown to you the return of the
troops in Catalonia, I wish you to propose to me to diminish the
number of their cadres, and to recall those which are fit to receive
conscripts.




JAN. 1812.                REILLE.                       209
[ 740.]          NAPOLEON TO BERTHIER.
Paris, Jan. 25, 1812.
My Cousin,-I have not yet decided upon giving the command of the army of the North to General Caffarelli; let this
decree be kept back. If Marshal Suchet persists in returning,
and his health renders it necessary that he should, I shall send
General Caffarelli to take the command before Valencia.
[741.]            NAPOLEON TO BERTHIER.
Paris, Jan. 25, 1812.
My Cousin,-Write to General Reille that I bestow upon him
the command of the army of the Ebro; it will be composed of 4
divisions in the field; 1st, his own division; 2ndly, Palombini's;.
3rdly, Severoli's; and 4thly, Ferino's division; to which he will
add the 1st light infantry, and the 14th, 115th, and 5th of the
line.
As soon as he occupies the country round Barcelona with the
part of his army which is in the field, the depots of the regiments
from Nassau, the 2d battalion of the 23d of the line, the 2d battalion of the 18th light troops, 4 companies of artillery, and the
sappers and miners, will make the garrison of the town sufficiently
strong.
With these 4 divisions he ought finally to subdue the whole of
Lower Catalonia, to keep Aragon quiet, and be able to bring the
administration of the country into order.
You will find annexed the decree by which Catalonia is
divided into 4 departments; you will send a copy to General
Reille.
His cavalry will be composed of the 9th hussars, the regiment
of royal Italian chasseurs, a regiment of Neapolitan dragoons,
and the 24th dragoons.
General Caffarelli will not have the command of the army
of the North. If Marshal Suchet cannot remain at Valencia,
General Caffarelli will be sent thither.
General Caffarelli will despatch the 2 battalions of the 5th
light troops to reinforce the army of Valencia.




210                  MILITARY ORDERS.             CHAP. XVIIL
Add to General Reille's orders that he may take a company
from the legion of gendarmerie which is at Burgos, and send it to
Barcelona; it will be useful in a large town.
Order General Dorsenne to forward to the army of Portugal
the marching cavalry regiments belonging to it; and to send those
which belong to the armies of the Centre and of the South to
Madrid.  The King may keep them if he thinks proper.
To the Minister of War:-Desire General Decaen to forward
to Barcelona all the troops belonging to the 18th light infantry
and the 23d of the line.
To Marshal Suchet:-If General Musnier is not wanted, the
Emperor would like him to proceed to the army of observation of
the Ebro, to receive from General Reille the command of Aragon
and Saragossa. Write to General Reille.
Order the King to forward to Valencia one of the 4 regiments of dragoons which are with the army of the Centre.  This
regiment will form part of the army of Valencia, where it is required by the difficulty of the country.
Order the King to occupy Cuenqa, and to keep up his communications with Marshal Suchet.
[ 742.]          NAPOLEON TO BERTHIER.
Paris, Jan. 27, 1812.
My Cousin,-Write by to-night's express to General Dorsenne
that I have received intelligence of the advance of the English
upon Ciudad Rodrigo;* that this being the case, I approve highly
of his putting off the departure of the guard, in order that he may
support the Duke of Ragusa with his whole force; that General
MIontbrun must shortly arrive, since Marshal Suchet sent a messenger to desire him to return; and that on the 11th he ought to
have commenced his retreat on Madrid, where, according to my
calculation, he may have arrived on the 18th, and have joined the
army towards the end of the month; that on his arrival the army
of Portugal was to take up its final position.
* Lord Wellington took Ciudad Rodrigo on the 19th of January, 1812.
-TR.




FEB. 1812.       INSTRUCTIONS TO MARMONT.               211
The English appear to have marched in order to effect a
diversion from the siege of Valencia, and because they heard of
the strong detachment sent from the army of Portugal. Say that
I am not so anxious for the return of my guard as to wish it to
be sent before affairs assume a different aspect in the north.
[ 743.]           BERTHIER TO MARMONT.
Paris, Feb. 11, 1812.
The Emperor regrets, M. le Due, that, having with you
Souham's division and the other three divisions which you had
assembled, you did not return to Salamanca to see what was
going on. This would have embarrassed the English, and might
perhaps have been of use to Ciudad Rodrigo. In your present
position you should fix your head-quarters at Salamanca, and
concentrate your forces there, despatch one division towards the
Tagus, re-occupy the Asturias, and force the enemy to stay at
Almeida and in the north, for fear of an attack. You may even
march upon Ciudad Rodrigo, if you have enough siege artillery,
and retake the place (your honour requires this); or if a deficiency
of provisions or artillery force you to adjourn this operation, you
may at least invade Portugal, and advance upon the Douro and
Almeida. This threat would hold the enemy in check.
The army of the South is powerful; its right is protected by
the army of Valencia, which extends its outposts towards Alicante.
Your position, therefore, at Salamanca should be offensive as
respects Almeida. As long as the English know that your forces
are assembled at Salamanca they will attempt nothing; but if you
proceed in person to Valladolid; if your troops are sent to be
wasted in your rear;* if, above all, your cavalry is not prepared
for action after the rains, you will expose the whole of the north
of Spain to disasters.
It is absolutely necessary to re-occupy the Asturias, because
more troops are required to keep the borders of the plain as far
* Si vos troupes sont envoyees se perdre sur les derrieres." I am not quite
sure of the meaning of this sentence.-TR.




212             INSTRUCTIONS TO MARMONT.         CHAP. XVIIL
as Biscay, than to hold the Asturias. Since the English have
divided their army in two, one part towards the south and the
other against you, their numbers cannot be very considerable;
yours are much greater. My letter which you received on the
13th told you what to do,-to threaten the English; and if you
think it impossible at present to retake Ciudad Rodrigo, you
should repair the roads leading towards Almeida, fortify Salamanca, collect your siege-artillery, and send large detachments
upon Ciudad Rodrigo.  This plan will hold the English in check
without fatiguing your troops, and is open to far fewer objections
than that of again scattering your forces, as you propose.
I conclude that Montbrun has arrived, and that you have at
length collected together your army.
The capture of Valencia has considerably strengthened the
army of the South, and you must think the English mad if you
imagine that they are capable of marching upon Badajoz while
you are at Salamanca, that is to say, of allowing you to reach
Lisbon before they do. They will go south. If you should unadvisedly despatch two or three divisions towards the Tagus, the
English will be re-assured, for it will tell them that you intend to
attempt nothing against them.
I repeat, therefore, that the Emperor desires you not to quit
Salamanca, to re-occupy the Asturias, to rest your army on Salamanca, and to threaten the English from thence.
[ 744.]           NAPOLEON TO CLARKE.
Paris, Feb. 17, 1812.
M. le Due de Feltre,-Order the intendants, prefects, and
sub-prefects whom I have appointed for Catalonia to start before
next Sunday for their destination. Give notice of their arrival
to the generals in command of those provinces. These functionaries must have no absurd pretensions; their duty is to bring
the administration of the provinces into order, and to assist the
governors instead of thwarting them.




FEB. 1812.    DISSATISFACTION WITH MARMONT.           213
[ 745.]           NAPOLEON TO BERTHIER.
Paris, Feb. 1S, 1512.
My Cousin,-Write to Baron Dudon that he does wrong when
he interferes with the operations of war; that I was sorry to see
his reports on the subject; that it is no business of his; that all
he had to do was to send the Spanish newspapers to General
Dorsenne, without observations of his own; that he has too little
experience of the profession of arms either to blame or to praise
the generals.
[746.]            ORDERS OF NAPOLEON.
Feb. 20, 1812.
The chief of the staff will write to the Duke of Ragusa that
I read his letter of the 6th of February; that I lament his
having sent Bonnet's division to the army of the North; that
this division is the only one which could have occupied the
Asturias with advantage, because the troops are acquainted
with the country and with the inhabitants; that it would
have been better to send nothing to the army of the North, and
to order General Bonnet's division back to the Asturias; that I
require, be it where it may, that it return thither; that, even as
respects the north, Bonnet's division is better in the Asturias
than at Burgos; that the army of Portugal is unsupported; that
communication between *.... and Irun cannot be kept up if
the Asturias are not held; that the Asturias must be occupied
when the army has reached as far as Salamanca, and the lines of
posts and of Reynosa when it has reached as far as Valladolid or
Burgos; but that to allow the peasants to be masters of the
mountains which communicate with the sea is the greatest misfortune which can happen to us in Spain; that the population of
Gallicia will flow into the provinces occupied by the army; that
this theory has been proved by experience; that when the Duke
of Istria evacuated the Asturias, the whole country was in commotion; that more than' 6000 men are required to hold the
mountains; that whether they are placed in the Asturias or in
* Illegible-ED.




214               DISSATISFACTION WITH         CHAP. XVIII.
Santander does not signify, except that from Santander they will
not cover the kingdom of Leon, nor occupy that province, which
is the most important to the insurgents.
Tell him that I put Bonnet's division at his disposal for this
purpose; that he is to order it to proceed towards the Asturias,
taking the route which General Bonnet thinks the best; that I
disapprove of his armies being scattered, and see nothing but
indecision in his conduct. How can he expect at Valladolid to
be informed in time of the enemy's movements? It would be
impossible in any state of things, but especially if the country
be in a state of rebellion. How, from Valladolid, can he foresee
what the enemy will do? Say that you can do nothing but
blame him; that, in the Emperor's opinion, the only operation
honourable to his arms is to occupy Salamanca, to have advanced
posts of light troops exchanging shots on the frontiers of Portugal and with Ciudad Rodrigo, and to have his army collected
around him, so that it can be united in four or five marches;
that until the army of the Centre is able to place troops at A1maraz, till the army of Portugal occupies Salamanca, and the
Duke of Dalmatia's movement upon Merida and Badajoz produces
some effect upon the enemy, he may occupy Almaraz with a light
division, which may rejoin him at Talavera; that, when he has
occupied Salamanca, and placed his outposts, as I have ordered,
in that direction, and this military blister has had its effect on
the enemy, he may order the division which he left upon the
Tagus to rejoin him, and the army of the Centre may send troops
to hold the valley; that he attends too much to things which do
not concern him, and not enough to his own business; that his
duty was to defend Almeida and Ciudad Rodrigo, and that he
allowed them both to be taken; that he has to keep down and to
govern the North, and yet he gives up the Asturias, that is to
say, the only means by which the North can be kept in subjection and managed; that he gives himself trouble because Lord
Wellington sends one or two divisions towards Badajoz, although
Badajoz is extremely strong, and the Duke of Dalmatia's army
amounts to 80,000 men, and can be reinforced by Marshal
Suchet; when, in short, if Lord Wellington were to march upon




FEB. 1812.        MARMONT'S PROCEEDINGS.              215
Badajoz, there would be a certain, prompt, and decisive method
of recalling him, by advancing upon Ciudad Rodrigo and Almeida.
That his army is composed of eight divisions, one of which
should remain in the Asturias, and be employed only in marching
upon Gallicia; that, if even he were beaten by the English, he
should not allow this division to abandon the Asturias, but make
it retire into the mountains on the right; that in a few days
there will be fighting at Mondragona, unless the mountains are
occupied; that in case of the evacuation of Salamanca or Valladolid the division of the Asturias should move towards the
mountains, as otherwise Burgos would not be tenable, nor even
Vittoria; that, I repeat again, he has to oppose not only the
English army but the whole of Gallicia; that these 6000 men
would advance by the defiles into Gallicia and hold the province;
that 6000 men in the Asturias stand in lieu of 18,000 at Astorga
or on the coast; that after the fall of Valencia the rebels, as their
communications were cut off, were in despair; that the arrival
of bands at Potu and Oviedo and the re-establishment of their
communication with the coast* restored their courage: and that
all this was caused by the want of reflection and of local knowledge.
To sum up —one of his eight divisions should be placed in the
Asturias and not suffered to move from thence; the remaining
seven should be collected round Salamanca. He will thus have
an army of 50,000 French and 100 pieces of cannon, which, in
a country with which they are acquainted, protected by fieldworks, sure of their provisions, and supported by Salamanca,
would not be beaten by 80,000. But add that he must take
care not to make an intrenched camp round Salamanca; that the
English would conclude that he had taken up the defensive and
would no longer fear him, and that what is wanted at Salamanca
is merely a fortress.
* In the original " avec la cour," which must be corrupt: probably the
word is " cte."-TR.




216           DISSATISFACTION WITH MARMONT.    CHAP. XVIII.
[747.]            NAPOLEON TO BERTHIER.
Paris, Feb. 22, 1812.
The chief of the staff will write to the Duke of Ragusa that
he has mistaken my intentions with regard to Valencia; that I
ordered 12,000 men to be sent to Valencia, including the troops
belonging to the army of the Centre; that I expected their route
to lie through Cuenqa, where there were already 4000 men; that
the King would have contributed 3000 more, and that therefore
only between 3000 and 4000 men should have been sent by the
army of Portugal to Cuenqa; that his complaints are unfounded,
that it would have been madness in the King to have proceeded
from Cuenqa to Albacete; that this manoeuvre would have
allowed the enemy, who was at Requena, to march on Madrid;
that it was plain that this manoeuvre could not have been effected
without an immense force, as it required an extensive line of
operations; and that it would have been of no assistance towards
subduing Valencia, since it would have been useless if Marshal
Suchet had been foiled in breaking through the Spanish lines;
that the art of war consists in keeping one's forces undivided;
that the march from Cuenqa to Requena, so as to be in communication with the left of Marshal Suchet before he attacked Valencia, would have been an operation according to the rules of
war; that detaching 3000 men under General Darmagnac would
not have weakened the army of Portugal in the least; that the
English would not have found it out; that this operation might
have been effected by sending troops from the army of the Centre
to Cuenca, and replacing them by troops from the army of Portugal; that the road by Cuenga is no doubt ill-suited for artillery,
but that none was wanted against the rebels, and that at any rate
Marshal Suchet had some; that the Duke of Ragusa's fault cannot be justified, as he was in front of the enemy, and evidently
exposed the whole of the north of Spain; that, if a grand military
operation had been intended, the Duke of Dalmatia would have
been chosen for the purpose; and that the chance of the English
advancing upon Madrid or Salamanca would have been provided
against.




MARCI, 1812.     INSTRUCTIONS FOR REILLE.               217
[ 748.]            NAPOLEON TO BERTHIER.
Paris, Feb. 29, 1812.
My Cousin,-Write to General Reille that I have ordered
General Decaen to join him in investing Urgel and occupying the
valleys of Puycerda.  Tell him of the incursions of the rebels
into our territory, and that it is necessary'to obtain possession of
Urgel in order to put an end to these insults. Send him word that
for this purpose he must direct a strong column either upon Berga
or upon Urgel; that he must harass the enemy, and finally act in
concert with General Decaen.
[ 749.]            NAPOLEON TO BERTHIER.
Paris, March 8, 1812.
My Cousin, —Repeat the order to General Reille to advance
upon Berga and the French part of Cerdagna, in order to drive
out the rebels. It is but too true that they obtain their provisions from France, and that they are cantoned at Puycerda,
and do not stir from thence. Order him again to send one
Italian division to Navarre; he will leave the other in Aragon
and will keep with him the French division.
L 750.]            NAPOLEON TO BERTHIER.
Paris, March 11, 1812.
My Cousin,-Despatch the Duke of Ragusa's aide-de-camp
to-day. Tell the Duke that you showed me his last letter; that
uniting his forces at Salamanca is not sufficient for the object
which he has to accomplish; that he must throw a bridge across
the Agueda, and construct a tete-de-pont there, so that, if the
enemy leaves less than five divisions on the right bank of the
Tagus, he may be able to advance upon the river Coa and Almeida, and lay waste all the north of Portugal; that the rainy
season must come to an end; that if Badajoz should be taken by
no more than two English divisions, while the Duke of Ragusa
keeps the other five engaged on the right bank, he will not be
answerable for its capture, which will be entirely laid to the
charge of the army of the South; that if, on the other hand, the
VOL. II.-10




218              INSTRUCTIONS FOR DECAEN.        CHAP. XVIII.
enemy leaves only two, or even three or four divisons on the
right bank, the army of Portugal will be in fault, unless it
marches on the enemy's main body, invests Almeida, lays the
north of Portugal waste, and sends out detachments as far as the
Mondego. That, in short, the duty of the army of Portugal
reduces itself to this: to hold in check six or at least five divisions of the British army; take up the offensive in the north, or,
if the enemy should begin the attack, or if any other circumstance
should render it necessary, in order to raise the siege of Badajoz,
to send across the Tagus by Almaraz as many divisions as Lord
Wellington has despatched.
When you have finished this letter, you will desire the aidede-camp to come to the Elys6e at 8 o'clock; I have something to
say to him.
C 751.]            NAPOLEON TO CLARKE.
Paris, March 14, 1812.
Monsieur le Due de Feltre,-I have seen General Plauzonne
to-day, and I return to you General Decaen's despatches to acquaint him in a few words with General Plauzonne's mission.
He is ordered to proceed to Girona and to return within eight
or ten days, bringing me a detailed plan of operations and administration for Catalonia. Tell General Decaen especially that I
give him carte blanche as to the military manceuvres, which, as
they are directed against rebels without artillery or line of operations, can be conducted only by the commander-in-chief on the
spot. Desire him, however, to keep an eye continually on my
frontiers and to observe them with particular care. Whenever
more than 3000 of the enemy approach the frontier he should
attack their rear and drive them into France.  Let him know
that I wish General Quesnel to occupy Puycerda, in order to
begin the organisation of that department; that I suppose that
he must enter it with 5000 men; but that, when once he is established there, 1500 good French troops, formed into two or three
battalions, will be sufficient, as he will be immediately joined by
General Gareau from Mont Louis, who will bring with him 1200
men, at present under his orders, as well as the provisional




MARCU, 1812.    INSTRUCTIONS FOR DECAEN.             219
regiment which has been taken from Bayonne, consisting of 1500
men, with the Berg battalion 700 strong, which might be completed by the addition of 4000 National Guards. These forces
and the 1500 good troops, contributed by General Decaen, would
form a column of 5000 men, enough to keep Puycerda. General
Travot should send thither a company of artillery: this division
should live in the valley or perhaps be fed from France; it should
construct works or a fort in the pass between Puycerda and Urgel, place in it artillery from Mont Louis, which with a little
labour would protect it from the rebels, who have no cannon.
General Travot would furnish 200 cavalry from the provisional
regiments which General Avyce is forming. Thus at the sacrifice
of only two or three battalions, the army of Catalonia would gain
the important advantage of an active force of 6000 men, who
would protect our frontiers and threaten Urgel.
Say to General Decaen that this operation ought not to be
performed till General Travot is able to furnish the 4000 men,
nor until the other movements of the army render it advisable
in General Decaen's opinion; that this column might even be
increased progressively, as the country behind it is brought into
order; that I wish the four departments of Catalonia to be placed
under the orders of General Decaen; that Upper Catalonia
may be under the command of General Lamarque, who may
have at his disposal two columns, each consisting of 4000 men;
that a reserve of 3000 men may be attached to General Decaen,
who thus would have 11,000 men under him; that 1500 should
be placed at Puycerda; there would therefore be from 6000 to
7000 inactive remaining in the garrisons to support General
Lamarque, if he should require them; that General Maurice
Mathieu should also have two brigades, consisting each of 4000
or 5000 men, in Lower Catalonia, between Lerida and Barcelona,
and between Barcelona and Tarragona, and, besides these, 6000
men garrisoning Barcelona, Lerida, and Tarragona; that a good
commandant must be placed in Barcelona; that General Decaen
would have in hand five divisions in the field, consisting of from
20,000 to 24,000 men; that he should combine his movements so
as to be constantly pressing on the rebels; that he should




220            INSTRUCTIONS FOR DECAEN.         CHAP. XVII1.
correspond every week with Barcelona; and that General Maurice
Mathieu should correspond every week with Lerida and Tarrar
gona.
Say that, as a part of this plan, it would perhaps be advisable
to have an intrenched position at Monblanc, and another between
Tarragona and Barcelona; that when General Decaen wishes to
proceed in person to Lower Cataloinia he should take with him
his own 4000 men, and be escorted half way by a portion of
General Lamarque's troops, which he should immediately send
back to protect Upper Catalonia; that he would find in Lower
Catalonia 12,000 men in the field, to whom he would add his own
3000; that with this force of 15,000 he should pursue the rebels
in whatever direction they take, even towards the Ebro, Tortosa,
or the frontiers of Aragon; that small garrisons are sufficient
when the communications are occupied by divisions in the field,
who hold the country in check, and prevent the enemy from collecting in numbers.
Say that, in order to carry out this plan, which, if well
executed, ought to subdue Catalonia, from 33,000 to 34,000 men
are requisite; that there are already 30,000 under General Decaen, including those in Barcelona, Lerida, and Tarragona; that
I will withdraw 6000 men from General Reille to add to this
army; that in this manner both Puycerda and Upper Catalonia
would be well defended.
The general commanding in chief should hear every week
from the different divisions of his army, and with his characteristic activity should march sometimes on Upper, and at other
times on Lower Catalonia, become master of the province, raise
his own reputation, and beat the insurgents until the country
becomes quiet. Moveable columns and small garrisons are better
than large garrisons and stationary armies; the towns are safer
and the cantonments are better protected; besides that this
aggressive attitude would be productive of events which would
secure the tranquillity of the province. The harvests of the
plains of Vich, Urgel, and others in Catalonia, may be gathered
in to supply the army, and the enemy's magazines seized.
This state of things being established at the end of March,




MARcH, 1812.     INSTRUCTIONS FOR DECAEN.               221
General Quesnel (who would have had time enough to make
frequent reconnaissances on Urgel, and to prepare his siege-train
at Mont Louis) might in the course of the month of April at
length take this last refuge of the insurgents. General Decaen,
in arranging his marches, would take care to advance upon
Cardana, Berga, and every other post where the rebels have
formed magazines, and perhaps the time is not far distant when,
after a few successful rencounters, he may fix his head-quarters
at Barcelona, which is the centre of public opinion and of the
administration of the province, and, by assembling the notables
and the other usual means, gain influence, and reorganise Catalonia, which the existence of two separate commands renders
difficult at present.
Summary of the arrangements relating to Catalonia communicated by the Emperor to General Plauzonne:Catalonia is no longer to be divided between two commandersin-chief. General Reille's division is to pass under the orders
of General Decaen, who will have at his disposal about 8000
men between Barcelona and Lerida, exclusive of the garrisons
of those towns. General Mathieu will command this division in
the field, having under his orders the governor of Barcelona, who
is to be proposed to his Majesty by General Decaen. Thus, while
General Lamarque will manwuvre with his division in Upper, and
General Mathieu in Lower Catalonia, General Decaen will repair
in turn to the point from which he wishes to act, reducing or increasing one or the other corps, according to circumstances and
to the scheme of his operations. The principal aim of General
Decaen ought to be the protection of the frontier of France,
without losing sight of the objects for which he proposed to
occupy the coast. His Majesty does not insist upon forming a
corps of 5000 men in Cerdagna if the frontier can be otherwise
protected. The corps may consist of only 3000 men, if 3000 be
enough. In short, the integrity of the territory of France ought
to be the chief care and the great object of the movements of
General Decaen: the arrangement of their detail will belong to
him; and for this purpose his Majesty places in him entire confidence. He will propose, on the above principles, the measures




222             INSTRUCTIONS FOR DORSENNE.        CHAP. XVIII.
which he thinks expedient. He will propose a chief of the staff
in place of General Plauzonne. He will propose as governor of
Barcelona an energetic officer, capable of commanding, under the
orders of General Mathieu.  General Garnier, the present commandant of Barcelona, will be recalled.  From these arrangements it follows that the garrison of Barcelona will continue to
receive its supplies by the old line of communication.
[752.]           NAPOLEON TO BERTHIER.
Paris, March 15, 1812.
My Cousin,-Give strict orders to General IDorsenne to despatch
the three marching regiments belonging to the army of Portugal
to their destination. This order must not be delayed; these three
regiments must'join their corps.
Order him to send some officers to hasten the march of Palombini's division. The marching regiments of infantry belonging to the army of the south, forming one column, with the marching regiments of cavalry, will proceed to Madrid, and from thence
to Seville, to reinforce their regiments. All the marching regiments of the army of Portugal are to repair thither, be broken up,
and the cadres to rejoin their dep6ts.
The army of the north will be composed in the following manmer: of Caffarelli's division, Palombini's division, the division of
the guard, the 2nd and 3rd regiments of voltigeurs and tirailleurs,
the 2nd and 3rd of the Vistula, and a division formed of the 40th
and 34th of the line, and the remainder of the 34th light troops, of
the 113th of the line, and the Swiss detachments.
Repeat the order that all troops belonging to the Parisian
guard are to return to France without delay.
Let General Dorsenne know that marching regiments are to
be sent to St. Sebastian, Vittoria, and Bayonne; but that it is essential that, when troops are leaving Spain, the Spaniards should
at the same time see others entering.
Order all troops belonging to the army of Valencia to leave
the army of the north and repair to their own corps. All these
orders must be executed immediately.




MACau, 1812.    INSTRUCTIONS FOR DORSENNE.            223
[ 753.]          NAPOLEON TO BERTHIER.
Paris, March 16, 1812.
My Cousin,-Order General Dorsenne to keep at Vittoria
the 40th, as well as the 34th of the line. Into the 40th, he will
incorporate the 250 men of the marching battalion which are intended for the army of the south, and into the 34th the 63 men
in the same battalion which are intended for the army of Portugal. He will incorporate into the Polish regiment the 73 men of
the 6th battalion of the marching regiment belonging to the army
of the south. Tell him to form into: single column and send off
to Madrid the seven marching battalions of the army of the south;
he will also send off the 386 men of the 1st marching regiment of
light cavalry to that army, and the 145 men of the light cavalry
and dragoons belonging to the armies of the south and of the
centre. He will order the 200 men of the 7th Polish light horse
who are at Haro, to return to Bayonne. These measures will
deprive his army of seven marching battalions, but instead of them
he will have six battalions of good troops of the 4th and 34th of
the line, and he will lose a weak cavalry which is of little use.
He must therefore despatch these troops immediately, by way of
Aranda, if he thinks proper.
The Belle-Isle battalion must be broken up and incorporated
into the 130th. Order all the troops which are at Bayonne or
in the valley of the Bastan belonging to the 40th and the 34th to
join their regiments at Vittoria.  Announce to the Duke of
Dalmatia the arrival of this reinforcement of 6000 infantry and
500 cavalry, and repeat to the King of Spain the order to send
to the south all the detachments of infantry and cavalry which
belong to the army of the south.  Reiterate the order to
Palombini's division to proceed to Navarre, to be at General
Dorsenne's disposal, and to form part of the army of the north.
Let me know what there is at Bayonne or elsewhere belonging to
the 34th and 113th of the line, as well as what they have at
Ciudad Rodrigo, that I may see how many battalions can be
organised.
If you do not possess the requisite information, obtain it from
General Dorsenne; make him draw up a report. Repeat to the




224            JOSEPH COMMANDER-IN-CHIEF.       CHaP. XVIII.
Duke of Albufera the order that, if the English advance on Badajoz, he is not to remain idle with an army of 20,000 men; he
should send a detachment to occupy Murcia and enable the
Duke of Dalmatia to assemble a large force to disengage his
right; he ought even, if necessary, to send a strong division
towards Madrid, to relieve the troops at Almaraz.
[ 754.]          NAPOLECNS i0 BERTHIER.
Paris, March 16, 1812.
My Cousin,-Send an extraordinary express this evening
to inform the King of Spain that I intrust to him the command
of all my armies in Spain, and that Marshal Jourdan will perform the duties of chief of the staff. You will send this order
at the same time to Marshal Jourdan. Inform the King that
I shall let him know my wishes on political matters through my
ambassador.
You will write to Marshal Suchet and to the Dukes of Dal-,matia and of Ragusa that I have bestowed the command of all
my armies in Spain upon the King; that I have appointed Marshal Jourdan to be chief of the staff; and that they are to obey all
the King's orders, so as to prevent discordant action.
You will also write separately to the Duke of Ragusa that
the necessity of obtaining concurrent action in the armies of the
south, of Valencia, and of Portugal, has determined me to give
the command of these armies to the King of Spain, by whose
orders he is to regulate his movements.
In the course of to-morrow you will write to the King more
in detail; but it is necessary to despatch this evening an express
to Bayonne. You will desire General l'Huillier to send an officer
by post to take your letter to the King.
[ 755.]          NAPOLEON TO BERTHIER.
Paris, March 80, 1812.
My Cousin,-I beg you to send me a return of what there is
belonging to the 34th and 40th regiments in the seven marching
battalions belonging to the army of the south, and in the reserve




MARCH, 1812.    INSTRUCTIONS FOR DORSENNE.            225
at Bayonne, and of the troops belonging to the 20th dragoons and
10th hussars which are in the different marching companies.
Repeat the order to General Dorsenne to complete the 34th
and 40th by calling in all the detachments in the different
marching regiments, and to fill up in the same manner the 10th
hussars and 20th dragoons, and hasten the arrival of Palombini's
division in Navarre; and to take advantage of this union of forces
to march on Mendizabal, clear the mountain, and carry Potes.
Write to General Dorsenne that the presence of General Caffarelli is enough to keep down Navarre, and that he ought to
proceed in person to Vittoria, to check the disturbance in
Santander.
Reiterate the order'for the three Polish regiments to continue their route.  Ask again for a return of the 113th and
34th.
Despatch an officer to carry these orders to General Dorsenne.
[756.]          NAPOLEON TO BERTHIER.
Paris, April 3, 1812.
My Cousin,-Write to Marshal Suchet that I think it necessary that General Reille should proceed to Aragon, to take the
command of that important province.
I wish General Reille to leave under the orders of General
Maurice Mathieu 6,000 men, that is to say, one French and one
Italian brigade, and at least 300 horses. He is to take with him
to Aragon a French and an Italian brigade.  General Reille
should also leave in Catalonia all that belong to the corps in garrison at Tarragona, Lerida, and Barcelona. The whole of Catalonia, except Tortosa and Mequinenza, will be under the command of General Decaen, for the sake of concurrent action.
General Reille, when placed at Saragossa, will be able to prevent
the spread of mischief in Aragon, and he may pursue the banditti
in concert with Generals Maurice Mathieu and Caffarelli.
Tell the Duke of Ragusa that his aide-de-camp will inform
him that I leave him carte blanche; that, seeing the importance
of combined operations, I have given to the King of Spain the
command of the armies of Portugal, of the South, and of Valencia,




226              INSTRUCTIONS FOR JOSEPH.         CHAP. XVIIL
in order that they may be all directed towards one and the same
end; that occupying the Asturias is the greatest possible economy of troops, as otherwise the rebels will advance upon St.
Sebastian and the rear, and will require six times as many troops
to put them down as would suffice to occupy the Asturias.
Write in cipher to the King of Spain that I have intrusted
him with the political and military direction of all the affairs in
Spain; that the army of Portugal, consisting of eight divisions
of infantry, is ordered to keep one division in the Asturias, and
is forced by the present state of things to place two divisions in
the North, to hold Gallicia and the north of Portugal; that there
will remain therefore only five, or at most six divisions available to succour Badajoz; but that in this case he may dispose of
the division of his guard and of the division of dragoons, which,
joined to the Duke of Dalmatia's forces, will be enough to baffle
the attempts of the English; that perhaps the Duke of Albufera
might threaten Alicante and occupy Murcia; that, if the Duke
of Ragusa has marched on Almeida, which is not yet protected
against a surprise, and has sent out detachments in every direction, I think it improbable that Lord Wellington would risk
seeing the French enter Lisbon in seven or eight marches; but
if, on the other hand, the Duke of Ragusa has remained at Salamanca without making preparations for the war in the Agueda,
and has allowed General Wellington to take up the initiative, or
if, either for want of provisions, or on account of some other local
difficulty, he should be obliged to follow the enemy's lead, he
may, as soon as the siege of Badajoz is begun,* collect together
five or six divisions of the army of Portugal, the available troops
of the army of the Centre, which, joined to the army of the
South, will bring his numbers to double those of the English, for
at most they have not more than from 25,000 to 30,000 men, and,
counting the Portuguese, 50,000.
Either we must take the initiative by providing for the defence of Salamanca, constructing a t   pte-de-pont on the Agueda,
~ At the date of this letter the siege of Badajoz was nearly terminated.
The place was taken on the 6th of April, 1812. —TR.




APRIL, 1812.   ENGLISH FORCE IN THE PENINSULA.          227
keeping up the war in the north of Portugal and pursuing the
enemy, which is taking the initiative, or, if this is not done, we
must follow the enemy's lead, and go wherever he goes. In this
case, several divisions of the army of Portugal must undoubtedly
proceed towards the Tagus, leaving at Salamanca sufficient
forces to fortify that important post and to hold the north. It
appears that the English have 1500 men in Carthagena, as many
in Alicante, 3000 or 4000 at Cadiz, ana 30,000 in Portugal, and
besides these from 20,000 to 25,000 Portuguese disciplined and
under arms.
[ 757.]          BERTHIER TO MARMLONT.
April 16, 1812.
M. le Marechal, —I have laid before the Emperor your letters
of the 22nd and 25th of March. * In my despatches of the 18th
and 20th of February I prescribed to you the measures necessary
for taking the initiative, and giving the war a character suited to
the glory of the French arms, by getting rid of the irresolution
and change of plans which at present belong to it, and which foretell a conquered army; but instead of studying and trying to act
up to the spirit of these instructions, you have chosen to misunderstand the letter of my orders, and to act in absolute contradiction to their spirit. These instructions were carefully reasoned
out, and their motives developed, as the orders of a Government
ought to be; they were given at 300 leagues of distance, and six
weeks of time; they supposed you to be in front of the enemy, and
they enjoined you to hold him in check, and to oblige the greater
part of his army to remain in the north by fixing your head-quarters at Salamanca, and exchanging shots perpetually with Ciudad
Rodrigo and Almeida. In these instructions you were told, " If,
under these circumstances, the enemy remains before you with less
than five divisions, march towards him, keep him in view. As
his hospitals and magazines are between Lisbon and the Coa, he
will not be able to empty them so rapidly as to prevent your com* These letters do not appear.-TR.




228        INSTRUCTIONS TO MARMONT AND JOSEPH.   CHAP. XVIIL
ing up with him." I added that, in these circumstances, it was
absurd to think that the English General would abandon the
whole of the north to attack a place which threatened.....*. 
You are recommended to second the King, and, for the sake
of your attachment to his person and the glory of his arms, to
do all that is in your power to prevent 40,000 English from
spoiling all the affairs in Spain, which will infallibly be the case
if the generals of the different corps are not animated by the
desire of glory, and by the patriotism which alone can overcome
obstacles, and prevent the sacrifice of the public good to personal
ambition and private passions.
When His Majesty returns from Poland he will proceed to
Spain: he hopes that your conduct will in future deserve nothing but praise, and that you will acquire fresh claims to his
esteem.
[758.]            BERTHIER TO JOSEPH.
Paris, April 16, 1812.
Sire,-I had the honour of acquainting your Majesty with
the letter which I wrote to the Duke of Ragusa on the 18th
of February last. As the dispositions contained in it were misunderstood by the Marshal, I sent to him on the 12th March,
by his aide-de-camp, Colonel Jardet, the annexed letter,t which
reached him on the 25th. Acknowledging the receipt of this
despatch, in a letter dated the 27th, the Duke of Ragusa informs
me that on the 1st of April he will be, with three of his divisions, before Ciudad Rodrigo; but from the same letter it appears
that he proposed to direct upon Placencia General Foy's division,
which was at Almaraz. The Emperor trusts that better information as to the English position prevented his committing this error.
In another letter, dated the 30th, the Duke of Ragusa says that
he has received the letter by which I announced to him that your
Majesty had the command of the armies in Spain; I have no
doubt but that he has hastened to take your orders.  I send to
you, Sire, my answer to his letter of the 27th of March. Just
* Illegible.-ED.                  f See this letter p. 180.-TR,




APRIL, 1812.        SUCHET'S COMMAND.                 229
now, when the English have assembled their forces to lay siege to
Badajoz, the movements and the direction of the armies of the
Centre, of the South, and of Portugal are so important, that the
Emperor is persuaded that your Majesty bestows serious attention
upon them, and that you have taken Marshal Jourdan and General Daultanne into your councils.
Reinforcements are on their way to Spain, and convoys of
money are despatched regularly every month.  The Duke of
Albufera sends word that nearly half of the contribution imposed
on Valencia has been paid.
The French troops in Spain are very numerous, and your
Majesty is empowered to direct them. You have doubtless given
the requisite orders to the Duke of Ragusa's army, that it may
hold the English in check, and act in concert with the army of the
south.
The Emperor expects your Majesty to act with vigour, and
to enforce obedience.
[ 759.]           BERTHIER TO SUCHET.
Paris, April 24, 1812.
M. le Marechal,-In the present state of affairs the Emperor
may at any time set off to join the Grand Army. Before removing further from Spain, His Majesty thinks fit to place under
the same command Upper and Lower Catalonia, Aragon, and the
kingdom of Valencia, and this command the Emperor bestows
upon you.  The army of Catalonia, which is under General
Decaen's orders, is at your disposal. You will therefore, M. le
Due, immediately furnish all the places in Upper and Lower
Catalonia with provisions, and pay particular attention to Barcelona. You are to employ all the forces under your orders for
the general good of the country which you command, including in
your plans the garrison of Barcelona and the troops under
General Decaen.
The Emperor desires that from the day on which you receive
this letter you correspond with the Minister of War instead of
with me: you will continue nevertheless to correspond with
the King, who is commander-in-chief of all the armies in Spain.




230              INSTRUCTIODS FOR MARMONT.        CHAP. XVIII.
You are to make no change in General Decaen's command,
except that he is under you, as your command will in future extend over Upper and Lower Catalonia, Aragon, and Valencia.
You are aware of the importance of supplying the places in
Catalonia with sufficient provisions, and of keeping the country
quiet.
I will inform General Decaen and General Maurice Mathieu
that they are under your orders.  General Reille and the troops
under his command continue to form part of your army.
I will send a copy of your cipher to the Minister of War..
[C 760.]           NAPOLEON TO CLARKE.
St. Cloud, April 28, 1812.
M. le Due de Feltre,-I see no change to be made in the
army of Catalonia. General Decaen may take the title of Governor of Catalonia. You must make him understand that the
superior command of Marshal Suchet is not to prevent his corresponding with you and doing whatever is necessary.  My
motive for this measure was that all the troops in that part of the
country might, in case of an emergency, be united for the same
object.
[761.]            NAPOLEON TO CLARKE.
Dresden, May 28, 1812.
M. le Duc de Feltre,-I return to you the Spanish correspondence. Write to the Duke of Ragusa that he is to take his
orders from the King; that I suppose that he conducted his
retreat according to the rules of war, not retiring before Lord
Wellington's light cavalry, but obliging him to bring up his forces
in large bodies; that he has preserved his tetes-de-pont upon the
Agueda, which alone will enable him to obtain every day news
of the enemy, and to hold him in check; that if, on the other
hand, he has placed 30 leagues between himself and the enemy,
as he has done twice before, against all military principles, he permits the English general to proceed whithersoever he pleases, he
perpetually loses the initiative, and is no longer of any weight
in the affairs of Spain.




JULY, 1812.       PROCEEDINGS OF MARMONT.                231
That Biscay and the north are in a dangerous position in consequence of General Bonnet's division having evacuated the
Asturias, which have not yet been re-occupied; that the north
is exposed to disasters; that Santona and St. Sebastian are in
danger; that the free communication of the guerillas with
Gallicia and the Asturias by sea renders them formidable; that
unless the Asturias are speedily re-occupied, his position cannot
improve.
Desire General Caffarelli to keep his troops more together and
to have always a column in hand.
Write to General l'Huillier to keep an eye on St. Sebastian,
and always to hold 3000 men ready to send thither, if it should
require assistance.
In order to guard against the ill-concerted movements and the
unfortunate direction given to our affairs by the Duke of Ragusa,
it is necessary to have generally many troops at Bayonne.
Hasten the march of the 3rd, of the 105th, and of the 5th provisional demi-brigade to Bayonne, and keep two brigadier-generals there; that there may always be sufficient forces at the
disposal of General l'Huillier to enable him to act according to
circumstances.
Collect 1000 cavalry from the dep6ts of the armies of Spain,
form them into a marching regiment, and send them to Bayonne.
Write to General l'Huillier to keep his troops in the valley
of the Bastan, at Bayonne, at St. Jean de Luz, and at Irun; to
feed them well, hut them; drill and exercise them. If the Duke
of Ragusa continues to commit blunders, this reserve will prevent their becoming irremediable.
[ 762.]             MARMONT TO JOSEPH.
Arevalo, July 25, 1812.*
I have the honour of giving an account to your Majesty of
the events which took place before my arrival on the Douro, and
of the motives which led me thither.  Having increased my
* This letter of Marmont's is inserted in consequence partly of its intrinsic interest, and partly to render intelligible Napoleon's criticisms on it in
the next letter.-TR.




232                BATTLE OF SALAMANCA.           CHAP. XVIII.
artillery and cavalry, and joined by General Bonnet's division, I
set about to resume the offensive. On the 17th of this month,
after having, in order to deceive the enemy, manceuvred for four
or five days to my right in the direction of Toro, I crossed the
bridge of Tordesillas and arrived without difficulty upon the
table-land of Rueda: the same night the army halted at N1ava
del Rey. On the 18th, having surprised the advanced guard of
the enemy at Tordesillas, I pressed it with vigour, and forced it
to make a retreat of more than three leagues with much precipitation and great danger, and coLstantly under the fire of my
artillery. That day I reached the banks of the Zuarena, where
the enemy took up a position. The strength of that position
having prevented me from attacking, I manceuvred to effect the
passage of the river, which took place on the 20th. The enemy,
who had followed me in my movement, sought to gain possession
of the table-lands, on which depended the security of my operation, but he failed, and we manceuvred under a constant cannonade from each other's artillery. This sort of operation is the only
one which is good against the English, who have a peculiar talent
for taking up positions, and whom therefore it is advisable to
thwart by preventing them as much as possible (before entering
into action) from establishing themselves as they wish to do. On
the 20th the enemy moved to the strong position of St. Cristobal.
On the 21st I effected the passage of the TormBs, after having
taken possession of the bridge of Alba; the army placed itself
between Alba de Tormes and Salamanca, at the entrance of the
woods. On the night of the 21st the English army passed the
Tormes, and placed itself in position opposite to me at a distance
of three-quarters of a league.
I made a reconnaissance at daybreak, and I passed the morning in making my dispositions, first with a view of preparing a
good defence, and secondly with that of attacking, if circumstances should appear favourable.  Everything promised well.
I thought it necessary to occupy a table-land which completed
our system of defence, and, at the same time, would be very
useful in case we should act upon the offensive, on which I had
almost determined. I caused it to be occupied by the 5th division




SEPT. 1812.        BATTLE OF SALAMANCA.                 233
and the reserve of the horse-artillery, with strict orders to confine
themselves to taking possession of the table-land. As it was possible that the enemy, when he saw that we were masters of it,
would attack it before I had time to collect all my forces, I
directed two divisions to draw near as a support. General Maucune broke and drove off the English detachment which occupied
the heights.
Up to that time we had had nothing but success, and everything
promised that it would be complete. I thought it necessary to
bring up fresh troops to act with vigour in support of General
Maucune, and to crush the enemy, who was assembling his forces.
I immediately collected together all the troops at my disposal,
and I was proceeding to lead them and to take the immediate
command of this part of the battle, when, by a cruel accident,
at the moment when my presence was most required, a round of
grape-shot threw me over, shattering my right arm, and inflicting
two severe wounds in my side, thus rendering me incapable of
taking any part in the command.  The anarchy consequent upon
this accident and on the wound of General Bonnet, my next in
command as the senior general of division, who was struck a few
instants afterwards, prevented the execution of my orders; so
that General Maucune, notwithstanding the brilliant success which
he had obtained, was forced by superior numbers to retire. The
troops which came to his assistance, performing prodigies of valour, but acting without concert, were also forced to retreat. At
length, Sire, the army, having maintained the combat for three
hours, quitted the field of battle.
General Clausel, who is in command, has judged it necessary
to recross the Tormes, and will take a position on the right bank
of the Lesma and the Douro.
The condition in which I am, obliges me to offer to your
Majesty a very brief report.  As soon as I can, I shall have the
honour of entering into fuller details upon this event, which illustrates but too forcibly the caprices of fortune and the dissipation
of the most flattering hopes by sad realities. The army has to
regret the loss of a considerable number of officers of every rank.
The Generals Ferez-Thomiere and Desgravier have fallen; Gen



234                 CONDUCT OF MARMONT.               CRAP. XVIII.
eral.       has received a ball through the thigh; General
Menne is wounded, as is also General Clausel, but slightly. We
estimate our loss at nearly 5000 men: that of the English must
be much greater. I can hardly describe the mischief which was
done to them by our artillery.
[763.]              NAPOLEON TO CLARKE.
Ghiast, Sept. 2, 1812.*
Monsieur le Duc de Feltre,-I have received the Duke of
Ragusa's report on the battle of the 22nd. It is impossible to
read anything with less meaning; it is fuller of intricacies and
wheelworks than a clock, and it contains not one word of information as to the real state of things.
Here is the view which I take of the affair and of the conduct
to be held by you:You will wait till the Duke of Ragusa has arrived, till his
wounds are cured and his recovery is nearly complete. You
will then ask him for a categorical answer to the following
questions:Why did he offer battle without the orders of his commanderin-chief?
Placed, as he was, by the general dispositions of the army, at
Salamanca, it was natural that he should defend himself if attacked; but since he had evacuated Salamanca, and left it several
marches behind him, why did he not inform his commander-inchief? Why did he not ask for orders as to his conduct, dependent as that ought to have been on the general system of my
armies of Spain?
His insubordination has caused all these disasters.  And even
supposing that he was not obliged to put himself into communica* Ghiast, or Gjatz, is a town about 95 miles from Moscowv and about 30
from Borodino. Napoleon remained there from the 1st to the 4th of September preparing for the battle of Borodino. This letter, calm, considerate, full,
and precise, written at a moment of such anxiety, and almost on the eve of so
tremendous a struggle, is a striking example of Napoleon's moral and intellectual strength.-TR.




OcT. 1812.         BATTLE OF SALAMANCA.              235
tion with his commander-in-chief and to obey his orders, what
could have induced him to abandon his defensive position on the
Douro, when, without overstraining his imagination, he might
have supposed it possible that he might be reinforced by the arrival of the division of dragoons, of 30 pieces of cannon, and by
more than 15,000 French troops whom the King had in hand?
How could he exchange his defensive for an offensive position,
without waiting for the junction and assistance of a corps consisting of from 15,000 to 17,000 men?
The King had ordered the army of the North to despatch its
cavalry to his assistance; they were on their way; the Duke of
Ragusa must have been aware of it, as the cavalry arrived on the
evening after the battle.
There are several marches between Salamanca and Burgos;
why did he not make a delay of two days in order to obtain this
reinforcement of cavalry, which was of so much consequence to
him?
You must demand an explanation of the reasons -which induced
the Duke of Ragusa to offer battle without the orders of his
commander-in-chief, and without waiting for the reinforcements
which the King, as commander-in-chief of my armies of Spain,
might have collected from the armies of the Centre, of Valencia,
and of Andalusia?
The army of the Centre alone furnished 15,000 men and 2500
horse, which might have arrived at the very time when the Duke
of Ragusa was occasioning the defeat of the French army; indeed, from his two armies the King might have brought to him
40,000 men.
Again, when the Duke of Ragusa knew that 1500 horse were
on their way to him from Burgos, why did he not await their
arrival?
Putting these two circumstances together-his taking up the
offensive without the orders of his commander-in-chief, and his
not postponing the battle for two days in order to receive the
15,000 infantry which the King was bringing to him, and the
1500 cavalry which were coming to him from the army of the
North-one is inclined to think that the Duke of Ragusa was




236             REPORTS FOR THE' MONITEUR,'     CHAP. XVIIL
afraid of the King's sharing in his success, and that he sacrificed
to personal vanity the glory of his country and the good of my
service.
Order the generals of divisions to send returns of their losses.
It is intolerable that false accounts should be sent and the truth
disguised.
Order General Clausel, who is in command of the army, to
send a return of the troops before as well as after the battle.
Ask the generals of the different corps also for precise returns.
At a fitting moment you will let the Duke of Ragusa know
how much I am offended by his inexplicable conduct in not waiting two days for succours from the armies of the Centre and of
the North.
I am anxiously expecting the arrival of the King's aide-decamp, that I may obtain some real information; what the King
has written is of little value.
C 764.]            NAPOLEON TO CLARKE.
Ghiast, Sept. 2, 1812.
MI. le Duc de Feltre,-I think it advisable to put the Duke
of Ragusa's justification into the'Moniteur.' You must also
insert the staff officer's report, describing the subsequent state of
things, and an article, with the date of the day on which the King
with his troops reached Olmedo, and that on which the cavalry
from the army of the north arrived.
Ask General Clausel also to send you a detailed report, to be
inserted in the' Moniteur,' with some passages softened.  The
public will thus understand what has happened, and will see that
the check which the Duke of Ragusa has sustained does not prevent our affairs in Spain from being prosperous, as our armies are
excellent, and our losses are about equal to those of the enemy.




OCT. 1812.            JOSEPH AND SOULT.                    237
[ 765.]             NAPOLEON TO CLARKE.
Moscow, Sept. 12, 1812.*
M. le Duc de Feltre, —I think General Reille the man best
fitted to command the army of Portugal. If nothing has occurred
to the contrary, I think that you will do well to give him that
command.
[ 766.]             NAPOLEON TO CLARKE.
Moscow, Oct. 19,.812.t
M. le Due de Feltre,-An aide-de-camp from  the King of
Spain has brought letters to me dated the first week in September.
You are aware that at this distance I can do nothing for the
armies of Spain.
Let the King of Spain and the Duke of Dalmatia know how
little help they are to expect, and how necessary their present
situation makes it that they should unite, and diminish as much as
is in their power the disasters caused by a pernicious system; that
it was very absurd in the King to allow 400 men to be taken at
Guadarrama, and 1300 at the Retiro; these men were of use
against the town and the guerillas, but were incapable of making
a defence against any other enemy; that it is grievous that the
Duke of Ragusa permitted garrisons to be taken at Salamanca,
Toro, Zamora, &c. Such events are calamities.
Write to the King that I desire that such things may not recur; that Lerida, Tarragona, and the other fortresses in Catalonia
must be blown up; that if we are to lose this frontier, it must not
be left in a state in which it would be difficult to take it again. I
have given this order repeatedly.
Let the cohort of La Rochelle and the other cohorts in the
interior advance towards the frontier to defend it.
They should not pass beyond the frontier, but remain there to
prevent invasion.
* This date is erroneous. The advanced guard of the French army did
not enter Moscow until the 14th of September.-TR.
t If the date of this letter be correct, it must have been written as Napoleon was in the act of quitting Moscow. He marched out before daybreak on
the 19th of October. —TR.




238                     SIEGE OF BURGOS.              CHAP. XVIII.
[ 767.]             NAPOLEON TO CLARKE.
Bienitza, Dec. 5, 1812.*
M. le Duc de Feltre,-I have read with interest the journal
of the siege of the castle of Burgos; I think that it ought to be
put into the' Moniteur.'
Let me have a draft of a decree for rewarding General Dubreton and the officers and soldiers who distinguished themselves in
that defence.
[ 768.]              NAPOLEON TO CLARKE.
Paris, Dec. 24, 1812.
M. le Duc de Feltre,-I wish your relations with the army of
Spain to remain unaltered. You will insert in the' Moniteur'
whatever you think proper.
* On the night of the 5th of December Napoleon left the Grand Army,
having previously dictated the 29th bulletin. He reached Paris on the
18th. —TR.




JALt. 1818.         PROCEEDINGS OF 1513.                239
CHAPTER XIX.
THIS chapter embraces the first six months of the year 1813.
Napoleon passed a small part of that year in France. He left
Paris on the 15th of April; he returned on the 9th of November.
During his absence he appears to have paid little attention to the
affairs of Spain, and when he returned he found his armies driven
across the frontier of France, and Joseph quietly established as a
country gentleman at Mortefontaine.
I have translated an interesting letter from Desprez, Joseph's
aide-de-camp, describing his interview with Napoleon a few hours
before the commencement of the retreat from Moscow, and the
retreat itself up to Wilna.
I have also translated four letters from Clarke to Joseph, the
only ones which seem to have been dictated by Napoleon.
Others appear to have been written. In a letter dated the
11th of July, Joseph alludes to orders of Napoleon's dated the
8th, and to a letter dated the 9th, and he afterwards refers to
one of the 16th.
None of these documents are inserted by M. du Casse, nor is
their absence explained.
[ 769.]             DESPREZ TO JOSEPH.
Paris, Jan. 3, 1818.
Sire,-I have already had the honour of announcing to your
Majesty my arrival in Paris; but as the express was my means
of communication, I was forced to use the utmost discretion




240               INTERVIEW OF DESPREZ          CnAP. XVIIf.
The Queen having advised me to write to you in detail, and
offered to send my letter by the first courier whom she despatches,
I take the opportunity of giving an account to your Majesty of
the result of my mission, and of some of the events which I have
witnessed.
I arrived at Moscow on the evening of the 18th of October.
The Emperor had just heard that the advanced guard, under the
command of the King of Naples, had been attacked, and forced
to retreat with only part of their artillery. The withdrawal of
the troops was already decided upon, and they had begun to put
themselves in motion. My arrival was announced to his Majesty,
who returned at first an answer which was but little favourable.
However, in the middle of the night I was called. I delivered
to the Emperor the despatches with which your Majesty had
intrusted me, and, without opening them, he questioned me as to
the contents; he then made upon the campaign some of the reflections which your Majesty anticipated.
He said that your march to assist the army of Portugal was
commenced too late; that it might have been made a month
sooner; that he himself had dictated the course to be adopted
under such circumstances when, in 1808, he had left Madrid without hesitation to march upon the English who had advanced as
far as Valladolid. I replied that your Majesty set off a few
hours after the arrival of Palombini's division, that you were
obliged to wait for this division in order to carry to the army of
Portugal such a reinforcement as to put success beyond a doubt;
that you thought it less necessary to hasten the movement as
Marshal Marmont had frequently written to say that he considered
himself too weak to engage the English without assistance; that
he had the power of choosing his own time; that he was not
beaten in his position on the Douro, but on a field of battle, on
which his presence was uncalled for. The Emperor then observed that, on hearing of the loss of the battle of Salamanca,
your Majesty should have proceeded towards the Douro to join
yourself to the army of Portugal. I reminded him of your
march from the Guadarrama on Segovia, and of the critical
position in which you were left by the Duke of Ragusa, who him



J3a. 1813.         WITH NAPOLEON AT MOSCOW.                    241
self had proposed this manceuvre.* The Emperor said that he
was well aware of all the reproaches which might be addressed to
Marshal Marmont on this subject. He added that, having effected
a retreat upon Madrid, the army of the centre ought to have held
the defiles of the Guadarrama for a longer time; that they
crossed the Tagus too soon; that, at any rate, when this retreat
was resolved on, the garrison should have been withdrawn from
the Retiroe, all the gun-carriages broken up, the eagles carried off,
and the clothing burnt; that he never had considered this post
as fit for more than to keep down the people of Madrid; that, as
the enemy was master of the field, it should have been abandoned
to him; and that of all the faults of the campaign this was the
one which he least understood. I answered these remarks in the
manner agreed upon with your Majesty.t  The Emperor then
proceeded to the Duke of Dalmatia's letter; he told me that it
had already reached him through another channel, but that he
had attached no importance to it; that Marshal Soult was in
error; that he could not attend to such trifles while he was at
the head of 500,000 men and engaged in enormous undertakings
-these were his expressions; that, however, the Duke of Dalmatia's suspicions did not much surprise him; T that they are
shared by many generals belonging to the army of Spain, who
think that your Majesty prefers Spain to France; that he was
convinced that you had a French heart, but that those who judged
* Joseph had advanced to within two marches of Salamanca when he heard
of Marmont's defeat, and retreated across the Guadarrama pass towards Madrid. Letters from General Clausel induced him to suspend his retreat, to cross
again the Guadarrama, and march to Segovia, where he hoped to join Clausel.
He waited for Clausel four days, and, finding that he was marching on Burgos,
returned himself to Madrid, remained there from the 2nd to the 10th of August,
and then retired to Valencia.-TR.
t What this answer was does not appear, nor is it easy to conjecture it. The
reader will probably agree with Napoleon, that Joseph's conduct in this matter
was inexplicable. —TR.
t Soult had written to Napoleon to express his suspicions that Joseph was
betraying the French cause, in the hope of pleasing the Spaniards, getting rid
of the French, and retaining his throne through the allies. Joseph had reouired that Soult should be recalled and punished.-TR.
VOL II.-11I




242              THE RETREAT FROM MOSCOW.            CHAP. XIX.
you by your public speeches might think otherwise. He added
that Marshal Soult's was the only military head in Spain; that
he could not withdraw him without endangering the army; that,
on the other hand, he was perfectly easy as to Marshal Soult's
intentions, as he had just learnt from the English newspapers that
the Marshal was evacuating Andalusia, and joining the armies of
the centre and of Aragon; that this junction will make them
strong enough to take up the offensive; that he had no orders to
send; that it was impossible to give orders from such a distance;
that he did not disguise from himself the extent of the evil; and
that he more than ever regretted that your Majesty had not followed his advice not to return to Spain.*
He added that it was useless for me to return; that I should
stay with the army, where employment would be given to me.
I entreated then to be sent back to your Majesty in a manner
which seemed to make some impression on the Emperor; and he
ended by telling me that I should be sent back, but that it was
impossible just at present; that, as I was in want of rest, I
should remain at Moscow; and that, since I was an engineer, I
should be charged with the direction of the works and defence
of the Kremlin, under the command of the Duke of Treviso. I
received, in consequence, an order written by the Prince of Neufchatel.  When, after the complete evacuation of Moscow, Marshal Mortier's corps rejoined the army, I asked and obtained
permission to remain attached to it till I was sent back. I feared
that, if I stayed at head-quarters, new duties, which might prevent my return, would be assigned to me, and that perhaps they
would avoid sending to your Majesty an eye-witness of the events
which were taking place, and I remained with Marshal Mortier,
waiting for an opportunity of returning.  Having reached Wilna
a short time after the Emperor left it, I obtained the Duke of
Bassano's permission to proceed to Paris and wait there for orders. In a former letter I had the honour of announcing to your
* It is difficult to suppose that this advice was not actually given, when we
find it thus referred to by Napoleon. But there is no trace of it in the Correspondence, and Joseph's supposed refusal to follow it is inconsistent with his constant and earnest entreaties to be allowed to quit his Spanish throne.-TR.




JAN. 1813.       THE RETREAT FROM MOSCOW.               243
Majesty that the state of my health forced me to postpone my
return to Spain.
The army, when I quitted it, was in the most horrible misery.
For a long while previously the disorder and losses had been
frightful; the artillery and cavalry had ceased to exist. The
different regiments were all mixed together; the soldiers marched
pell-mell, and sought only how to prolong mechanically their existence. Although the enemy was on all sides of us, thousands
of men strayed every day into the neighbouring villages, and
fell into the hands of the Cossacks. Nevertheless, large as is the
number of prisoners, that of the dead exceeds it. It is impossible to describe the famine; during more than a month there
were no rations; dead horses were the only resource, and even
the marshals were frequently in want of bread. The severity
of the climate rendered hunger more fatal; every night we left
at the bivouac several hundred corpses. I think that I may,
without exaggeration, estimate those who have been lost in this
manner at 100,000-the truth is best expressed by saying that
the army is dead. The young guard, which formed part of the
corps to which I was attached, was 8000 strong when we left
Moscow; at Wilna it scarcely numbered 400. All the other
corps are reduced in the same proportion; and as the flight did
not end at the Niemen, I am persuaded that not 20,000 men
reached the Vistuia.- It was believed in the army that a great
many soldiers were on in front, who would rally when it was possible to suspend the retreat.  I convinced myself of the contrary; at 5 leagues from head-quarters I met no more stragglers,
and I was then aware of the extent of the calamity.
A single fact may give your Majesty an idea of the state of
things. Since crossing the Niemen a corps of 800 Neapolitans,
the only corps which has preserved any sort of order, formed the
rear-guard of a French army the strength of which once amounted
to 300,000 men.  It is impossible to say how contagious was
the disorder: the corps of the Dukes of Belluno and Reggio
amounted together to 30,000 men when they crossed the Beresina; two days afterwards they had melted away like the rest of
the army. Sending reinforcements only increased the losses, and




244              THE RETREAT FROM MOSCOW.          CHAP. XIX.
at last we became aware that fresh troops must not be allowed to
come in contact with a disorderly multitude which could no longer
be called an army. The King of Naples declared that, in delegating the command to him, the Emperor exacted the greatest
possible proof of his devotion. Both the moral and physical
strength of the Prince of Neufchatel were completely exhausted.
If your Majesty were now to ask me when the retreat is to end,
I can say only that it depends on the enemy. I do not think that
Prussia will make much effort to defend her territory.  M. de
Narbonne, whom I saw at Berlin, and who was the bearer of
letters from the Emperor to the King of Prussia, told me that
both the King and his prime minister were favourably disposed,
but that he was aware that the feeling of the nation was different.
Already several brawls had taken place between the citizens of
Berlin and the soldiers of the French garrison; and when I
passed through Prussia I had opportunities of convincing myself
that no trust could be placed in our recent ally.
It seems also that in the Austrian army the officers declaim
openly against the war.
Sad as this picture is, I believe it to be painted without exaggeration, and that my observations have been made with impartiality. My estimate of the extent of the evil is the same now
as it was when I was nearer to the scene of action.
[ 770.]            CLARKE TO JOSEPH.
Paris, Jan. 4,1813.
Sire, —I have laid before his Imperial Majesty the letters
which your Majesty did mc the honour of writing to me from
Arevalo on the 30th of November, and from Madrid on the 4th
of December.
The Emperor assumes that the 29th bulletin* has informed
your Majesty as to the affairs of the north, and shown that they
require all our cares and all our efforts, and that Spanish questions must be subordinate to them. In these circumstances the
* The celebrated bulletin, announcing the destruction of the French army
in Russia.-TR.




FEB. 1813.        INSTRUCTIONS TO JOSEPH.               245
Emperor thinks that your Majesty should move with your headquarters to Valladolid, and let Madrid be occupied only by one
of the extremities of your line. The communication between
your head-quarters and France will thus be shorter and safer,
and the north will be better protected. When your Majesty is in
this new position, the Emperor hopes that you will turn to account the inactivity of the English by pacifying Navarre, Biscay,
and Santander. The increase of the guerrillas in this direction
has rendered Caffarelli unable to perform all his duties. Forced
as he is to escort convoys, to protect communications, to guard
our portion of the coast, and to collect contributions and subsistence, he ought also to retake the posts seized by the enemy, and
to drive them from Santander, Castro, Bermeo, and Bilbao.  The
support and the reinforcements which your Majesty can give will
afford the means, and the tranquillity of the north of Spain will be
the result.  As to the various demands contained in your Majesty's letter, I will answer them successively, and I trust that
you will rely on my eagerness to comply with them.
C 771.]             CLARKE TO JOSEPH.
Paris, Feb. 12,1813.
Sire,-I had the honour of writing three times to your Majesty during January, to transmit the Emperor's wishes on the
management of Spanish affairs, and, as my despatches were, at
the least, triple, I trust that they reached their destination. I
received to-day a duplicate of your Majesty's letter of the 8th
February, the first not having arrived, which shows the continuing difficulty of communication. The inconvenience becomes
more sensible as the prompt execution of the Emperor's orders
becomes more urgent. His Majesty is most anxious to know
what has been done in Madrid in pursuance of his instructions;
and his constant disappointment leads him to dread that the precious period of two months, during which the English have been
inactive, has been lost. He trusts that, at latest, the 29th bulletin has shown to your Majesty the necessity of opening and
securing by every possible means your communication, with
France. This can be done only by throwing the forces in your




246              INSTRUCTIONS TO JOSEPH.         CHAP. XIX,
Majesty's hands on the line of communication between Bayonne
and France, and by sending into Navarre and Aragon troops
sufficient to destroy the bands which lay waste those provinces.
The army of Portugal, acting with that of the North, is
sufficient for these purposes, and the armies of the Centre and
the South can hold in check the English until circumstances
change. The Emperor commands me to reiterate to your Majesty that the use of Valladolid, as a residence and as headquarters, is an indispensable preliminary. From thence must be
directed on the Burgos road, and on the other fit points, the
troops which are to reinforce or to second the army of the North.
Madrid, and even Valencia, form parts of this system, only as
posts to be held by your extreme left, not as places to be kept by
a concentration of forces. Valladolid and Salamanca are now
the essential points between which the troops that are to be ready
to take the offensive against the English, and to defeat their plans,
are to be distributed. The Emperor hears that they are strengthening themselves in Portugal, and appear to intend either to enter
Spain or to send from Lisbon an expedition of 25,000 men,
English and Spanish, to invade the French coast while we are
fighting in the north. To prevent this we must always be ready
to move forward, and to threaten a march on Lisbon, or the conquest of Portugal. At the same time the communication with
France must be easy and safe, which, as I have already stated to
your Majesty, can be effected only by employing the time while
the Fnglish are inactive, to pacify Biscay and Navarre.
As the Emperor's anxiety respecting the affairs of Spain has
led me to reproduce his wishes on several occasions, and in
different forms, I now recapitulate the most important suggestions
which I have had the honour of making to your Majesty.
To occupy Valladolid and Salamanca, to use the utmost exertion to pacify Navarre and Aragon, to keep the communication
with France rapid and safe, to be always ready to take the offensive-these are the Emperor's instructions for the campaign, and
-the principles on which all its operations ought to be founded.
I need not add that, if the French armies in Spain are inactive,
and allow the English to invade our coasts, the tranquillity of




FEn. 1818.       INSTRUCTIONS TO JOSEPH.              247
France will be endangered, and the ruin of our cause in Spain
inevitable.
E 772.]            CLARKE TO JOSEPH.
Palis, Feb. 26, 1813.
Sire,-After I had written to your Majesty on the 12th of
February, in reply to your letter of the 8th of January, I received a further letter from your Majesty of the same date. The
latter part of it is a copy of the letter which I have answered.
The earlier part is a statement of the wants of the army of Spain
and of your Majesty.
I have laid both letters before the Emperor. His Majesty
commands me to send to you by General Lucolle a copy of my
last letter, and to repeat his wishes respecting the conduct of the
war.
I trust that General Lucolle will find the head-quarters at
Valladolid, and troops sent to pacify Navarre and Aragon.
Madrid will be held by a moveable corps, and the Emperor
wishes Salamanca and Leon to be so held. His Majesty thinks
that all the hospitals ought to be in Valladolid, Burgos, Vittoria,
Tolosa, and Pampeluna. He also wishes a siege-train to be prepared at Burgos, to threaten Ciudad Rodrigo, and make the English fear the invasion of Portugal. This measure will check
them, and must be immediately adopted.
His Majesty commands me also to say that it is important to
lay heavy contributions on Madrid and Toledo, and to exact their
full payment. Circumstances require this manner of providing
for the army and for your Majesty's immediate wants.
His Majesty also requests your Majesty to make dispositions
for receiving twice a wtek a courier from Bayonne. The interruption of our communications is always mischievous, sometimes
alarming and may become fatal. It is necessary that it be seriously attended to, and made not only safe but expeditious, by
making the couriers, escorted by infantry, travel between Bayonne and Valladolid at least a league per hour without interruption.
Such are His Majesty's wishes, and I cannot insist too much




248               INSTRUCTIONS TO JOSEPH.          CHAP. XIX
on their prompt execution.  Your Majesty will perceive their
importance, and I trust that they will not meet with any of the
obstacles of which you have had to complain. I hope that I
shall hear quickly that these instructions have been followed, and
that a freer and more rapid communication will inform me more
regularly as to all that concerns your Majesty.
[ 773.]             CLARaE To JOSEPH.
Paris, April 29, 1813,
Sire. —The Emperor, on returning to me your Majesty's despatches of the 1st and 3rd of April, ordered me to answer them
in such a manner as shall put an end to all uncertainty, and to
the conflict of authorities of which your Majesty has long had to
complain. The Emperor desires me to say that, having given to
y.our Majesty the chief command of his armies in Spain, he is surprised that complaints so often reach him of want of obedience
on the part of the generals: the Emperor thinks that this is
caused by the view which your Majesty takes of your position,
which leads you to confuse the King of Spain with the commander-in-chief of the French armies. The Emperor has no intention that his armies should, under any circumstances, be under
the orders of the Spanish ministers, in whom he has reasons for
placing no confidence, and whom he believes to be indifferent to
the welfare of his soldiers; but whenever it pleases your Majesty
to give any orders to the French generals, they will always be
punctually executed, if, with regard to military operations, they
are transmitted through Marshal Jourdan, and, respecting the
commissariat, through Commissary-general Mathieu Favier.  The
Emperor will not allow O'Farill or any other minister to be
employed by your Majesty in your relations with the French
armies, the Emperor's fixed determination being that his troops
shall never depend on Spanish administrations. To carry out
this principle it is necessary for your Majesty to strike off from
your general orders everything which puts the supplies of the
French troops at the disposal of the Spanish agents.  Commissary Mathieu Favier alone must be intrusted with transmitting
orders relating to the commissariat. The Emperor cannot make




APRIL, 1813.     INSTRUCTIONS TO JOSEPH.              249
him intendant-general, but he is the commissary-general. All
the other commissariat officers belong only to the different corps
which are under the orders of your Majesty. There is nothing,
therefore, to prevent arrangements being made for establishing,
according to your Majesty's desire, the magazines which your
Majesty finds to be necessary at Burgos. The Emperor wishes
this to be done at Santona, and wherever your Majesty thinks it
advisable. There ought to be no difficulty in attaining this object, and, the better to secure its execution, I am writing to
General Clausel, and to all the other generals belonging to the
army, acquainting them, in precise terms, with the Emperor's
wishes. Notice will be given to all of them that your Majesty's
orders for securing the communications and directing the movements of the armies will be transmitted to them through Marshal
Jourdan, and those concerning the commissariat through Commissariat-general Mathieu Favier, the Emperor's desire being
that all orders transmitted through this channel be executed
without delays or difficulties.
But while giving these orders, the Emperor directs me to
announce to your Majesty that, in the present state of France,
you are to expect nothing from him, with the exception of the
portion of pay which is provided for by the budget. This circumstance must influence your Majesty's measures, and they
must be in the spirit of the Imperial orders which I have already
had the honour of transmitting to you.
The Emperor desires me likewise to remind your Majesty
that, in order to command an army properly, it is necessary to
be incessantlj employed on it, to provide for every emergency,
and to be ever hunting for intelligence.
The Emperor is sorry to see that this is not the conduct which
has been pursued during the last four months. The troops have
been kept inactive, while they might have been occupied in reestablishing order in Navarre and in the rear of the army. By
this time all this might have been finished, and the troops now
engaged in the north would long ago have become available
against the English. It is essential that your Majesty should
now obtain news every day from Bayonne, for which purpose the
VOL. II.- 11




250              JOSEPH RESOLVES TO RETIRE.        CnAP. XIX.
couriers should be required to travel at the rate of a league an
hour. The Emperor thinks that this might be easily done by
establishing a succession of posts, and that Valladolid might then
communicate with Bayonne in four days. The Emperor attaches
great importance to this measure, and orders me particularly to
recommend its execution to your Majesty.
[774.]           JOSEPH TO QUEEN JULIE.
Yrursun, June 23, 1813.*
My dear Friend,-The day before yesterday the army was
attacked in its position at Vittoria, before General Clausel could
join it with the troops from the army of Portugal, and after it
had been weakened by having to furnish escorts to two immense
convoys. The battle was fierce, and lasted the whole day. The
killed and wounded on each side were about equal, but the state
of the roads occasioned us to lose all our baggage and artillery;
the teams only were saved. The force of the enemy doubled
ours, as they had been joined by all the guerrillas of the province, and we had not the army of Portugal.
If the Emperor has returned, tell him as soon as I have
placed my army on the frontier, and united it to those of the
North and of Aragon, I shall repair to Mortefontaine, as I told
you, at the time, that I ought to have done after Salamanca.
Let me have the Emperor's answer. Whatever it be, I shall go
home. I can do no good here.
Tell Clary to transmit, through James and Brocq, 100,000
francs to my secretary, M. Presle. Among the killed were M.
Thibaud defending my treasure, and poor Alphonse,t whom I
loved, though I scolded him.
Send me back the courier. I shall not stop at Paris, but at
Mortefontaine, whether you are there or at a watering-place.
Kisses to you and to the children.
* I have inserted this letter, as it closes Joseph's royal career. He left
Spain five days after its date.-TsR.
t He was left on the field for dead, and taken prisoner. He afterwards'oined Joseph in America.-ED.




DEC. 1813.            CAMPAIGN OF 1814.                 251
CHAPTER XX.
THE letters contained in this chapter extend from the 29th of
December, 1813, to the 9th of February, 1814.
They relate to what may be called the first act of the great
drama of 1814.
In the beginning we find Napoleon preparing for his final
struggle, sadly but resolutely. He feels that all Europe is in
arms against France, and still more against himself. His illusions are gone.  He rebukes Jostph for calling himself King of
Spain. He is not without the hope that he shall repel the invaders, but he contemplates only two results as possible-his
success or his death.
As the brothers, from the time of their reconciliation at the
end of December until the 25th of January, when Napoleon
took the command of his army at Chalons, both inhabited Paris,
few letters passed between them. After the 29th of January,
when the battle of Brienne was fought, their correspondence
became incessant, particularly during the week which Napoleon
spent at Troyes and at Nogent, watching Blucher, who was advancing from the north-east, and Schwartzenberg, who was
marching from the south-east, and ready to spring on the one
who was the most vulnerable or the most dangerous.  Schwartzenberg seemed to be the most exposed, and Napoleon was tempted to select him for attack, especially as the Emperor Alexander
was at his head-quarters. But Blucher was nearest to Paris;
and the bold scheme of leaving Paris to defend itself while he
attacked the invaders in their rear had not at this time suggested




252               JOSEPH'S OFFER TO SERVE.          CHAP. XX.
itself to his daring imagination. The first blow, therefore, fell
upon Blucher, and the last of his letters contained in this chapter was written while his horse was waiting to carry him to
Stzanne, from whence he commenced the great manoeuvres and
actions which drove back the army of Silesia from Montmirail
to Chdlons.
[ 775.]            JOSEPH TO NAPOLEON.
Dec. 29, 1818.
Sire,-the violation of the Swiss territory has laid France
open to the enemy.
In this state of affairs I am anxious that your Majesty should
be persuaded that my heart is wholly French. Recalled by circumstances to France, I should be glad to be of some use, and I
am ready to undertake anything which may prove to you my
devotion.
I am also aware, Sire, of what I owe to Spain; I see my
duties, and wish to fulfil all of them.  If I make claims, it is
only for the purpose of sacrificing them to the general good of
mankind, esteeming myself happy if by such sacrifices I can promote the peace of Europe.
I hope that your Majesty may think fit to commission one of
your ministers to come to an understanding on this subject with
the Duke of Santa F6, my minister for foreign affairs.
[776.]             NAPOLEON TO JOSEPH.
Dec. 1813.
My Brother,-I have received your letter of the 29th of
December.  It is far too clever for the state of my affairs.  I
will explain it in two words.  France is invaded, all Europe is
in arms aganst France, and above all against me. You are no
longer King of Spain. I do not want Spain either to keep or to
give away. I will have nothing more to do with that country
except to live in peace with it, and have the use of my army.




JA. 1514.           PROPOSALS TO JOSEPH.                253
What will you do? Will you, as a French Prince, come to the
support of my throne? You possess my friendship and your
apanage, and will be my subject as prince of the blood.  In this
case you must act as I have done,-announce the part which you
are about to play, write to me in simple terms a letter which I
can print, receive the authorities, and show yourself zealous for
me and for the King of Rome, and friendly to the regency of
the Empress. Are you unable to do this? Have you not good
sense enough for it? Then retire to the obscurity of some country-house 40 leagues from Paris. You will live there quietly if
I live; you will be killed or arrested if I die. You will be useless to me, to our family, to your daughters, and to France; but
you will do me no harm, and will not be in my way. Choose
quickly the line which you will take.
[ 777.]           JOSEPH TO NAPOLEON.
Mortefontaine, Jan. 1, 1814.
Sire,-I beg your Majesty to accept my best wishes that the
year which is commencing may be happy both for you and for
your subjects.
I hope that the year which has just finished has exhausted
all your ill-fortune.  Zenaide, who came in just now, bringing
some presents from the Empress, was nearly burnt close to the
fire in my room; she was saved, and is quite well. This accident
prevents my writing as well as usual, as I can use only two
fingers. I entreat your Majesty not to doubt my complete and
affectionate devotion.
[ 778.]            NAPOLEON TO JOSEPH.
Paris, Jan. 1, 1814.
My Brother,-I thank you for your good wishes, and for the
sentiments which you express on the occasion of the new year.
I am also glad that my niece's accident has been followed by no
bad effects.




254                   JOSEPH'S TITLE.              CHAP. XX.
[ 779.]           NAPOLEON TO JOSEPH.
Paris, Jan. 10, 1814.
My Brother,-I have inserted in the regulations of the palace
that you are in future to be announced under the title of King
Joseph, and the Queen under the title of Queen Julie, with the
honours due to the French princes of the blood. I send to you a
pamphlet which I have just received from London, and which is
circulated by the British government. I authorise you to take
the uniform of the grenadiers of my guard, which is what I wear
myself. I do not think that you ought to use any foreign decoration; you should wear only the French order. Forward to me
a list of the persons of whom you wish to compose your household as well as that of the Queen, and tell me on what day you
will receive the court and the authorities.
[ 780.]           NAPOLEON TO JOSEPH.
Brienne, Jan. 81. 1814.
You write to me that General Ornano has no money. The
paymaster told me that the 12th million advanced to the guard
from my treasury had been distributed since my departure in
the following manner: —400,000 francs to the cavalry, 250,000
to the foot grenadiers, 250,000 to the foot chasseurs, 70,000 to
the artillery, and 30,000 to the train. Baron de la Bouillerie,
as he received the order for this distribution, ought to have
executed it. If, by any chance, the order did not reach him, you
will present this letter to La Bouillerie, who will pay the million
in the manner above described. Propose to me the distribution
of a 13th million; but give notice to Ornano that he must look
after his quartermasters; I suspect that they rob me.
P.S.-The 13th million has just been distributed by General
Drouot.




JAN. 181L             BATTLE OF BRIENNE.                    255
E 781.]             NAPOLEON TO JOSEPH.
Brienne, Jan. 31, 1814, in the evening.
The bulletin will have informed  you of the events which
have taken place. The engagement at Brienne was very hot. I
have lost 3000 men, and the enemy's loss amounts to between
4000 and 5000.* I pursued him half-way to Bar-sur-Aube. I
have repaired the bridges over the Aube which were burnt. In
another instant General Bl-icher and the whole of his staff would
have been taken.   The nephew of the Chancellor of Hardenberg, who was close to them, was taken. They were on foot,
and did not know that I was with the army.
Since the battle of Brienne the allies have had great respect
for our armies. They did not believe that we had any. I have
reason to think, although I am not certain, that the Duke of
Vicenza has reached the Emperor's head-quarters at Chaumont.
This affair of Brienne, the position of our armies, and the opinion
which is entertained of them, may hasten the peace. It is advisable that the newspapers should describe Paris as determined
to defend itself, and should announce large numbers of troops as
arriving from every quarter.
I have ordered a column of from 1000 to 1200 horses belonging to the guard, 2 pieces of cannon, 3 or 4 infantry waggons,
and between 3000 and 4000 men of the young guard, altogether
a column of from 4000 to 5000 men to leave Paris. To these
should be joined a company of the baggage-train belonging to the
guard, if there is one ready. This column is to proceed towards
Nogent and Fismes, where it will wait for further orders. The
Duke of Treviso had evacuated Troyes in order to advance upon
* The first and indecisive battle of Brienne was fought on the 29th ot
January. Napoleon, having failed in preventing the junction of Bliicher and
Schwartzenberg, remained at Brienne until the 1st of February, when he was
attacked by a superior force of the allies under Blucher, and forced, after a
battle which lasted from about one in the afternoon till midnight, to retreat
towards Troyes, with the loss of between 4000 and 5000 killed and wounded,
3000 prisoners, and several guns. This second battle of Brienne is called by
the French historians the battle of La Rothiere, a village a few miles to the
east of Brienne, in which Napoleon's advanced guard was posted.-TR.




256                 CONGRESS AT CHATILLON.             CHAP. XX.
Arcis-sur-Aube; but I desired him to return to Troyes, and he
arrived there this evening at seven o'clock. It is very important
to reinforce as soon as possible the division which is at Troyes.
[ 782.]             NAPOLEON TO JOSEPH.
Piney,* Feb. 2,1814.
It seems that the allies have fixed the 3rd of February for
opening the congress at Chatillon; that Lord Castlereagh and
half a dozen other Englishmen will negotiate for England, M. de
Stadion for Austria, M. de Humboldt for Prussia, and Rasumowski for Russia. It appears that the allies feared lest the arrival
of the Duke of Vicenza at their head-quarters might develop and
mature the seeds of disunion already existing amongst them.
They preferred to hold the congress at a distance from their
head-quarters. I shall be at Troyes to-morrow.
[ 783.]             NAPOLEON TO JOSEPH.
Troyes,t Feb. 3, 1814.
My Brother,-I have received your letter of the 1st of February. I wish that you had sent to me a return of the troops
which you had at parade on the 31st, infantry and cavalry, both
the guards and the line. Before I give battle I wait to be reinforced by the divisions from Spain, which I have ordered to proceed towards Nogent-sur-Seine.
[784.]              JOSEPH TO NAPOLEON.
Paris, Feb. 5, 1814.
Sire,-I have received your letter of the 3rd. The march
of Leval's division has been delayed; it is expected to-morrow at Versailles. I inspected to-day 5000 infantry and 1200
horses belonging to the guard, and 600 horses from the dep6t
at Versailles.  I have retained here only 1000 foot and 400
* Piney is a village half-way between Brienne and Troyes. Napoleon
slept there on the 2nd of February, on his retreat to Troyes. —TR.
t Napoleon remained three days at Troyes, and on the 7th continued his
retreat to Nogent-sur-Seine.-TR.




FEB. 1814.       PREPARATION FOR REVERSES.              257
horse. The public mind was depressed to-day, and I had great
trouble in keeping up the spirts of many people. I have seen
the Empress twice, and when I left her last night she was more
composed; she had just received a letter from your Majesty in
which you mention the congress.
If your Majesty should meet with serious reverses, what form
of government ought to be left here in order to prevent intriguers
from putting themselves at the head of the first movement?  Jerome asks me what should be his conduct in such a case? Men
are coining in, but we want money to clothe them. Count Daru
can obtain only 10,000 fr. a day from the Treasury; this delays
terribly the departure of the troops. There are here two battalions of National Guards.
[ 785.]            NAPOLEON TO JOSEPH.
Troyes, Feb. 6, 1814.
My Brother,-I received your letter of the 5th of February
at Troyes.  The Duke of Ragusa has reached Nogent with his
corps to hold the enemy in check. I have decided on reconnoitring his position this morning, to proceed thither with the army,
and to quit Troyes. It seems to me that the only person to be left
in Paris, should anything extraordinary take place, would be an
Imperial commissioner. Think over the persons among whom I
must choose; consult on the subject the Arch-Chancellor and
the Ministers of Finance, of the Treasury, and of the Interior.
I suppose that it would not do to leave any of the ministers (but
I hope that nothing of the sort will take place).
l 786.]            NAPOLEON TO JOSEPH.
Troyes, Feb. 6, 1814, 3 P.M.
My Brother,-Your courier has just arrived.  I shall reach
Nogent early to-morrow; the Duke of Ragusa has been there
since the 5th. I am in a position therefore to cover Paris. Let
me know the exact route of all the troops and of the second division from Spain, as well as the information which you possess
as to the road to Chblons through Ipernay, and that to Vitry




258             PREPARATIONS FOR REVERSES.        CHAP. XX,
through Sezanne. The Minister of War must immediately send
muskets and cartridges to Montereau, to La Fert6, and to Meaux,
to arm the national guards. I am very much annoyed by these
arrangements, for I wished to attack Bar-sur-Seine to-morrow, in
order to beat the Emperor Alexander, who seems to have made
false dispositions; but I sacrifice everything to the necessity of
covering Paris. Send officers along the two roads which I have
just mentioned to you, that I may obtain precise information.
Send the Duke of Valmy to Meaux; he will correspond with me
by way of S6zanne. The plan of placing Paris under King
Louis, in any unforeseen event seems to me good. You remember all that I said to you about the Princesses. However, the
course which I am about to pursue will prevent your coming to
that. Take away from Fontainebleau all valuables, and above
all everything which might serve as a trophy, without, however,
unfurnishing the chateau too much; it is useless to leave in it
plate or anything that can be easily removed. I am writing to
La Bouillerie to desire him to hold a million francs at your disposal, to hasten the clothing and equipment of the troops.
[ 787.]           NAPOLEON TO JOSEPH.
Nogent-sur-Seine, Feb. 7, 1814.
My Brother,-From the return of the guard which I have
before me, of the 5th of this month, it seems that there are 700
of the Old Guard in Paris; they may be divided into two
battalions of great value to lead a column or form a reserve.
From the same return it appears that there were already 5000
voltigeurs or tirailleurs.  Of these 5000 General Ornano sends
off 1000 to-day; there will remain therefore only 4000, but at
least 6000 ought to arrive on the 6th, 7th, 8th, 9th, and 10th; I
reckon therefore on 10,000 men at the depots of the guard in
Paris on the 10th. There are in Paris 20 or 22 cadres of battalions; this would produce 20 battalions, 500 men in each, which
may be formed into two divisions, each of 5000 men. As the
conscripts arrive, the battalions must be completed to 800 men
each. In the course of to-morrow it will be advisable to distribute the 6000 or 7000 conscripts in the dep6ts of the guard of




FEB. 1814.    MEASURES FOR PROTECTING PARIS.          259
Paris among the different cadres.  It is better to have many
companies of 60 men than a few companies of 120 men. I
reckon therefore that to-morrow evening you will be able to pass
in review two divisions forming four brigades, consisting of from
22 to 24 battalions, forming 5000 or 6000 present under arms,
which will be added to every day.
There are 1200 cavalry; the artillery has 22 pieces of cannon; clothing cannot long be wanting. There is in Paris a large
provision of great-coats, cartouch-boxes, and shakos: great-coats
must be given to some, and coats to others, in order that these
men may be of use immediately; and you will distribute the
1000 or 2000 men who will arrive every day among the 24 battalions.
You must order General Boyer to travel post to take command of the 2nd division. General Charpentier will command
another division. There are cadres at Lille and at Amiens; if
necessary, they can be sent by post to Paris. I am therefore
inclined to hope that between the 10th and 12th you will have in
Paris two fine battalions of the Old Guard, two squadrons of
horse, and 22 pieces of artillery, altogether 22,200 men.  Order
these men to fire at a mark every day, that they may learn how
to use their muskets. As for the line, I am absolutely ignorant
as to what it can furnish you, but I assume that it can give you
20 battalions of from 300 to 400 men. You must act on the
same principle. As we are too much pressed to have time to
teach them, two companies of 50 men each are better than one
of 100. If the line can give you 20 battalions of 300 men
each, this will be a reserve of 6000 men. You may distribute
them in two divisions, and give them four batteries, served by
sailors from Cherbourg or by the youths of the Ecole Polytechnique. You will thus have in hand by the 10th four divisions,
60 guns, and 2000 cavalry, making an army of more than 30,000
men. The national guards of Soissons and Meaux must amount
to 6000 men. With them you would have five divisions and
one division of cavalry; altogether 40,000 men, —which would
be great.
Call in Generals Hullin and G6rard to consult as to what is




260                 MEASURES FOR THE              CnAP. XX.
possible. As soon as I hear that this reserve has been formed, I
will name a marshal to command it. In my calculations as to
conscripts I hope that the line may give me as many as the guard,
that is, from 20 to 30 battalions of from 300 to 500 men. Greatcoats, shakos, &c., are to be found at the war-office, and with common activity 3000 or 4000 great-coats may be made every day,
and you may give, as I have already remarked, a great-coat to one
and a coat to another. Write to me on this subject in detail.
Nothing is done except under the master's eye. If you do not
enter into all these details, you will have a crowd of men wasting
their time in the depots, who might defend the capital. I shall
order General Bourdesoulle to return to Paris to command all
the cavalry which you can collect at Versailles. Let a copy of
this despatch be sent to the Minister of War. I repeat that your
battalions ought to be small, in order to make use of all the cadres.
In this army my battalions are very small, and every day they do
for me as much as the large battalions used to do. Forty men per
company are quite enough. If they are conscripts that is twice
too many.
I reckon on receiving your answer to-morrow evening, and
that it will give me positive information as to your resources.
[ 788.]          NAPOLEON TO JOSEPH.
Nogent-sur-Seine, Feb. 7,1814.
My Brother,-I wrote to you this morning respecting an army
of reserve of from 30,000 to 40,000 men, which it might be possible to form by exhausting all the dep6ts, and to have ready in
Paris on the 10th. I think that 100 guns might be provided for
this reserve. If horses are wanting, 2000 could easily be furnished, on demand, by Paris. If men are wanted to drive them,
the public must send grooms with their horses.
C 789.]           NAPOLEON TO JOSEPH.
Nogent-sur-Seine, Feb. 7, 1814.
My Brother,-You tell me in your letter of the 5th that you
have sent 600 cavalry to Meaux, but you do not tell me in what
brigade or under what general these men are to be found. You




FEB. 1814.             PROTECTION OF PARIS.                     261
give me no details as to their composition; yet it is necessary that
I should know all this.  General St. Germain has at Meaux 300
horse; I have desired him to reconnoitre La Fert6-sous-Jouarre.
[ 790.]               NAPOLEON TO JOSEPH.
Nogent-sur-Seine, Feb. 7, 1514.
My Brother,-I received your two letters of this morning'
at one in the afternoon. I do not believe that the enemy has
reached La Ferte-sous-Jouarre, nor do I think that he has reached
Meaux; these are false alarms. Marshal Macdonald wrote to me
from ChAlons, on the 5th, that he covered the roads of Epernay,
Montmirail, and Sbzanne. At this instant I am sending 2000
men to occupy Sezanne; I shall proceed thither to-night* with a
sufficient force to beat and drive off all that may intercept this
line of communication. From thence I shall move rapidly towards Meaux. I think that by my manoeuvres I have forced the
main army of the enemy to move from before Troyes to Bar-surAube, and that I have gained two marches upon it. Leval's
division has reached Provins.  You must give me more precise
military details: you have sent two battalions to Meaux, but you
do not tell me which they are. I ought to know, in order to collect my troops. As you are sending a detachment of cavalry to
me, tell me from what corps. I give you no orders for La Bouillerie,t as I do not think it necessary.  At all events, he will be
* Napoleon did not in fact move on Sezanne until the afternoon of the
9th.-TR.
t The treasure in the hands of M. de la Bouillerie was gradually accumulated by Napoleon out of the contributions which he imposed on conquered
towns, and out of the sale or the revenues of the domains belonging to the
sovereigns whom he deposed or robbed. It was completely at his disposal, but
was employed by him only for military purposes. Not much is known as to
its extent, or as to the mode in which it finally disappeared; but the general
opinion is, that at the beginning of 1814 it amounted to about 150 millions of
francs, and that about 110 millions of it were spent on the army before the expulsion of Napoleon. When that event happened about 40 millions of this
treasure are supposed to have remained. It fell into the hands of the goyernment which succeeded him, but was never accounted for; one or two of the
great fortunes of the Restoration are suspected to have been created out of
it.-TR.




262                  MEASURES FOR THE               CHAP. XX.
able in six hours to load all that he has in 15 carriages, and to
draw it, with horses from my stables, in the first instance to Rambouillet. But I do not think that we have come to that yet. I
do not fear the enemy; I am full of hope as to the result.
Hold firmly the barriers of Paris. Place two guns at each
barrier. Post there the national guards who have muskets or
fowling-pieces; above all, take care that the Minister of War
sends muskets to Montereau and to Meaux.  I intend to leave a
battalion of national guards at Soissons, and to send the others
by post to Meaux.  Send the Duke of Valmy to Meaux to correspond with me, and to superintend all these details. As I shall
depend on you for news, keep me well informed in every respect.
Watch the three roads from Epernay to Meaux, from La Ferte
sous-Jouarre to Montmirail, and from  Meaux to Sezanne. Besides the soldiers who ought to be placed there by the Minister
of War, the police must have secret agents, for knowledge of the
enemy's movements is one of the great elements of perfect success.
There should be at each of the principal barriers 50 men
armed with muskets, 100 armed with fowling-pieces, and 100
armed with pikes; altogether 250 men. You must form every
day a reserve of from 400 to 500 men armed with muskets, twice
as many armed with fowling-pieces, and one-third armed with
pikes, composing a reserve of 2000 men, to proceed whithersoever
they may be wanted, with the mounted batteries of the guard and
the Ecole Polytechnique.
[ 791.]            NAPOLEON TO JOSEPH.
Nogent-sur-Seine, Feb. 7, 1814, 4 P.M.
My Brother,-I have received news from the Duke of Taranto,
dated the 6th, at 3 o'clock in the afternoon. His rear-guard was still
between Epernay and Chalons, about as far as Cherville, but he
was unable to send any troops to occupy the road leading to Montmirail or that to Sezanne. In two hours the road to Sezanne will
be occupied, as the Duke of Ragusa started at noon to march
upon that town. Thence we shall endeavour to advance upon
Montmirail. As a courier takes only four hours between La




FEB. 1814.          PROTECTION OF PARIS.                263
Fcert6-sous-Jouarre and Paris, you ought to have early information of what goes on towards Montmirail. If there should happen to be one battalion at La Ferte-sous-Jouarre and a few pieces
of cannon to check the advance of:he enemy's light troops, they
will not reach Paris; my manceuvre will surround them.
[ 792.]           NAPOLEON TO JOSEPH.
Nogent-sur-Seine' Feb. 7, 1814, 5 P.M.
My Brother,-Put into the' Moniteur' of to-morrow that on
the 5th the Duke of Vicenza gave a dinner to Lord Castlereagh,
the English Minister for Foreign Affairs; to Lord Cathcart; to
Lord Aberdeen, Plenipotentiary for England at the Congress; to
Count Stadion, the Austrian Plenipotentiary; to Count Rasumowski, Plenipotentiary for Russia; and to Baron Humboldt,
Plenipotentiary for Prussia; and that negotiations appear to be
actively carried on. This article should be inserted under the
head, not of Paris, but of Chdtillon-sur-Seine.
[ 793.]            NAPOLEON TO JOSEPH.
Nogent-sur-Seine, Feb. 7, 1814, 7 P.M.
My Brother,-I have received your letter of the 6th, but I
think that it reached me after your letter of the 7th, which I have
already answered. The state of things in Paris is not as bad as
their fears have made it. I am surprised that the ministers of
war and of police do not obtain three times every day news from
the roads about which they are uneasy. People lose their heads,
and in consequence do nothing useful. The Duke of Taranto was
not at Epernay on the 4th, as he was at Chhilons on the 5th. He
was still only at a distance of one league from Chalons at 3 o'clock
in the afternoon of the 6th. As his couriers have passed through
La Ferte, I scarcely think that any detachment of the enemy has
appeared before it. It seems, however, that the Duke of Taranto
has not been able to protect the road to Montmirail: this is unlucky. If it had been known, 300 men and some guns might
have been sent to La Ferte-sous.Jouarre, so as to provide for
every emergency
Zn~~ ~crr~ro




264                 RESOURCES OF PARIS.             CHAP. XX.
I have written to you at length on the resources of Paris. I
conclude that there are arms enough for the troops, as the
Minister of War has promised to provide 60,000. I have as yet
no news of the Duke of Ragusa, but I shall fall fiercely upon the
enemy in the direction of the Meaux and Chalons roads. The
alarm will then, perhaps, spread towards Sens; but General
Pajol is making preparations there. I think that a battery of
artillery had better be sent to him. As soon as I have an
answer to the general orders which I have given for the formation of four divisions, I will point out the positions which they
are to occupy on the different roads. The Empress thought of
visiting St. Genevieve. I fear that this would produce only a
bad result.
Without doubt this is a difficult moment, but since I left Paris
I have met with nothing but success. The bad spirit of such
men as Talleyrand, who endeavoured to paralyse the nation,
prevented my having early recourse to arms, and this is the consequence. In our circumstances the qualities wanted are confidence and audacity.
It is possible that parties of cavalry may actually threaten
Soissons. The enemy has an immense cavalry, which he pours
over France.  A few towns, such as Chalons-sur-Saone, have
resisted; Lyons has secured itself; but those who are at the head
of the Government have given a false direction to public opinion.
I presume that the Minister of War has given positive orders
for the defence of Soissons. I cannot think why your letters requiring immediate attention are not sent to me by extraordinary
expresses; they would arrive at least three hours before the
couriers. It is, however, useful to send from time to time intelligent and safe men as couriers, because I put questions to them,
and you may likewise do so. When there is urgent business tell
Lavalette to send your letters by extraordinary express.
P.S.-Keep the Empress in spirits. She is dying of grief.




FB. 1814.              WANT OF ARMS.                     265
[ 794.]            JOSEPH TO NAPOLEON.
Paris, Feb. 7, 1814.
Sire,-Our affairs are becoming more and more serious.
I have asked the Minister of War to order General Maurice
Mathieu to join me as chief of my staff. General Hullin is so
much occupied with the fortification of Paris that important
movements may escape his notice, and I require a general always
by my side.  Maurice Mathieu will arrive with the first division.
He will execute what is to be done under my eyes, and will give
orders to General Hullin, who is full of willingness and zeal.
Major Allant's relations with me continue unaltered; he has much
to do, and does it well. I consider myself lucky in having such
a man; but he himself, as well as the minister, has urged me to
keep with me an experienced general.  I have sent an officer to
the Duke of Taranto to know what he is doing. I am assured
that on the 4th he was at Epernay.  I have ordered General
Hullin to send a brigadier-general, with 1400 men, to La Fert6sous-Jouarre, to correspond with Marshal Macdonald, watch all
the roads, and report the enemy's movements. General Leval
set off to-day, with 700 horses, from the depot of Versailles. Conscripts are flowing in at the rate of 2000 a day. Your Majesty
knows what it is that we unfortunately want.  The national
guard stands in the same need. It is this deficiency of arms,
Sire, which alone can give a chance to the enemy. As for men,
your Majesty may have as many as can be required. I despatched
yesterday a courier with a letter to your Majesty; I beg you
to send me the instructions which I have asked for on several
important subjects. M. de la Bouillerie is pressing for a decision.*
The unhappy evacuation of Chalons by the Duke of Taranto
struck Paris with consternation, which was a little relieved by
the article in the' Moniteur' on the negotiations and the plenipotentiaries. Soissons is threatened. Detachments have presented themselves near Montargis. At one o'clock the Minister
* He wished to be authorised to remove from Paris the treasure, which it
required twenty-four hours to pack.-Tr.
VOL, II.-12




266                 PROTECTION OF PARIS.           CHAP. XX.
of War sent me word that the enemy had appeared at Maison
Rouge.  La Fert6-sous-Jouarre is threatened.  The general in
command of the camp at Meaux writes to me that the town is
crowded with artillery and carriages on their way from Chalons.
He has with him only 300 men with arms, the remainder are
without them. He entreats for cavalry. In this state of things,
as I have no cavalry here, and can hope for none from Versailles
under several days; as I am ignorant if the detachment which
has appeared before La Fert6 be formidable or not, and whether
Marshal Macdonald is or is not on that road, I have decided,
though with great regret, on ordering the 600 or 700 horses
which started this morning* to proceed to-morrow to Meaux;
they will be followed by three battalions. As soon as I obtain
precise information I shall desire these horses to go on to Nogent.
The state of the public mind to-day is such as to make it of the
first importance to prevent our receiving any affront on the
approaches to the capital.
[ 795,]            NAPOLEON TO JOSEPH.
Nogent, Feb. 8, 1814, 4 A.M.
My Brother,-The enemy has never been at Montmirail;
consequently he cannot have reached La Ferte-sous-Jouarre.
On the 7th he had not got farther than Chalons. The Duke of
Ragusa has entered Sezanne, thus closing up the third road.t
At Sezanne the enemy never had more than a few detachments
of cavalry. I once more request you to let me have a return of
all the troops whom you have sent to Meaux.  Scattered forces
are useless. I shall then send them orders to collect together.
P.S.-Insert in the' Moniteur' an article, headed Chdtillonsur-Seine, saying that on the 6th the members of the Congress
dined with the Duke of Vicenza; that it is remarked that all the
ambassadors are on terms of the greatest politeness, especially
those of France and England, who are full of attentions for each
other.
* Mentioned before as accompanying General Leval.-TR.
t The three roads alluded to are probably those by ChAteau Thierry,
Montmirail, and S6zanne.-TR.




Fi. 1814.    PROPOSED DEPARTURE OF THE EMPRESS.         267
[ 796.]            JOSEPn TO NAPOLEON.
Paris, Feb. 7, 1814, 11 P.M.
Sire, —I have received your Majesty's two letters of yesterday. I have seen and written to the Duke of Valmy. He starts
to-night for Meaux. He showed me a letter from the Duke of
Taranto, dated the 6th. He was still at Epernay, and had heard
nothing from your Majesty for four days. He had abandoned
Chilons after defending it for some time. The artillery was
directed on Meaux. The enemy had entered Sezanne. The intendant and the public treasure had escaped falling into the
hands of the enemy.
I enclose the exact route of the 9th infantry division of the
army of Spain.
I have sent an aide-de-camp along the Chalons road by way
of Vitry. I have desired the Minister of War to despatch
another on the road to...
The Minister of War tells me that he sent 2000 muskets to
Montereau this morning.
I wrote to him from.... * this evening. I have spoken
to Louis about leaving him here; he has written to me a long
letter on the subject. I have determined on forwarding it to
your Majesty. I believe that your Majesty told me that the
princesses were to accompany the Empress. If this should not
be the case, I ought to have positive orders on the subject. I
am most anxious that the departure of the Empress should not
take place. We cannot disguise from ourselves the fact that the
consternation and despair of the people may lead to sad and
even fatal consequences. I think, and so do all persons whose
opinion is of value, that we should be prepared to make many
sacrifices before resorting to this extremity. The men who are
attached to your Majesty's Government fear that the departure
of the Empress will abandon the people of Paris to despair, and
give a capital and an empire to the Bourbons. Although I express the fear which I see on every face, your Majesty may rest
assured that your orders will be faithfully executed by me as soon
as I receive them.
* Illegible.-ED.




268                  DEFENCE OF PARIS.              CHAP. XX.
I have spoken to General Caffarelli on the subject of Fontaine.
bleau, and to M. de la Bouillerie about the million for the war
and the removal of the treasure. I do not know how far your
Majesty may approve of my observations, but I must say that I
think it important to pay a month's salary to the great dignitaries,
ministers, conseillers d'etat, a-Ad senators. Several have been
mentioned to me who are really in distress, and, in the event of
their departure becoming expedient, it is thought that many will
be detained in Paris for want of the means of travelling.
Marshal Brune has called on me; I was not able to see him.
I have no doubt that he came to offer his services. I should
like to know your Majesty's wishes on the subject.
J6rome is annoyed that your Majesty has not yet explained
your intentions as to the request which I made for him in two
of my former letters.*
I am told that M. de la Fayette was one of the first grenadiers
of the national guard on duty at the Hotel de Ville.
The barriers will be completely fortified to-morrow, and we
shall begin to send artillery thither.
General Caffarelli answered to the Duke of Conegliano that
he had not yet received a reply from the Grand Marshal of the
Palace to his request for permission to place 25 national guards
at the Tuileries.
P.S. —I have received your Majesty's letter, dated to-day,
from Nogent. I have already ordered its directions to be followed, and I will keep your Majesty informed during the progress
of their execution.
The courier Remy will be the bearer of this letter.
[ 797.]            NAPOLEON TO JOSEPH.
Nogent, Feb. 8, 1814, 11 A.M.
My Brother,-I have received your letter of the 7th, 11 P.M.
It surprised me extremely. I have answered you on the event
* Joseoh had proposed that he should be emploved.-Ta.




FEB. 181&          SECURITY OF TEE EMPRESS.                 269
of Paris,* that you may not ask me any more about what is to
follow it,-a matter which interests more persons than me.
When that happens I shall be no more, consequently it is not
for myself that I speak. I told you that the movements of the
Empress and the King of Rome, and the rest of our family,
must be governed by circumstances, and you have not understood me. Be sure that, if the event takes place, what I have
prophesied will certainly follow; I am persuaded that she herself has the same expectation.t
King Louis talks of peace. His advice is ill-timed; in fact,
I can understand nothing in your letter. I thought that I had
explained myself to you, but you never recollect anything,
and you are of the opinion of the first comer and of the last
speaker.
I repeat, then, in two words, Paris will never be occupied
while I am alive. I have a right to be believed if I am understood.
I will add that if, through unforeseen circumstances, I should
march towards the Loire, I should not leave the Empress and
my son at a distance from me, because, whatever happened, they
might both be carried off to Vienna; this would be still more
likely to take place if I were not alive. I cannot make out how,
with all these intrigues going on around you, you can bestow
such imprudent praise upon the proposals of traitors, who are
incapable of giving honourable advice: never employ them, even
in the most favourable circumstances. Besides, no one is bound
to do what is impossible. I can no longer pay any of my officers:
I have nothing.
* If Napoleon refers to any of the letters now published, they must be the
two of the 6th February. But neither of these letters mentions the Empress
or the King of Rome. Perhaps he refers to viva voce instructions.
It is to be observed that he never mentions the capture of Paris in direct
terms. Here he alludes to it as "l've'nement de Paris." In his first letter of
the 6th he calls it "Dans des moments extraordinaires;" in the second,
-' Dans tout evbnement impr6vu." —Ti.
t This seems to be an allusion to something that passed in conversation.To.




270            SECURITY OF THE KING OF ROME          CHAP. XX
I own that I am annoyed by your letter of the 7th, 11 P.mI.
because I see that there is no coherence in your ideas, and that
you allow yourself to be influenced by the chattering and the
opinions of a set of people who never reflect. Yes, I will talk
to you openly. If Talleyrand has anything to do with the project of leaving the Empress in Paris in case of the approach of
the enemy, it is treachery. I repeat, distrust that man. I have
dealt with him for the last 1\) years; once I even liked him;
but he is undoubtedly the greatest enemy to our house since it
has been abandoned by fortune. Keep to my advice. I know
more than all those people. If we are beaten and I am killed,
you will hear of it before the rest of my family. Send the
Empress and the King of Rome to Rambouillet; order the
senate, the conseil-d'etat, and all the troops, to assemble on the
Loire: leave in Paris a prefect, or an imperial commission, or
some mayors.
I have told you * that Madame t and the Queen of Westphalia: may remain in Paris in Madame's house. If the Viceroy
has returned to Paris, he may also stay there; but on no account
let the Empress and the King of Rome fall into the hands of
the enemy.
Be certain that, from that moment, Austria, the band which
connected her with France being broken,~ would carry her off
to Vienna and give her a large apanage; and on pretence of
securing the happiness of the Empress, the French would be
forced to do whatever England and Russia might dictate. Every
[national] party would thus be destroyed, for.... 1; instead
of which, in the other case, the national feelings of the numbers
whose interest it would be to rebel, make it impossible to foresee
the result.~
* Apparently in conversation. —TR
t Napoleon's mother.-TR.
$ Jerome's wife.-TR.
~ The words of the text are, "l'Autriche 6tant d6sintercss6e." I think
that this is their meaning. —TR.
I Illegible.-ED.
~ The loss of the first part of this sentence renders the second part
obscure.-TR.




FzB. 181s        SECURITY OF THE EMPRESS.               271
However, it may happen that I beat the enemy on his approach
to Paris, and that none of these things may take place. It is
also possible that I may make peace in a few days. But, at all
events, it appears from your letter of the 7th, 11 P.M., that you
have no means of defence. Your judgment in these matters is
always at fault; your very principles are wrong.* It is for the
interest even of Paris that the Empress and the King of Rome
should not remain there, because its welfare depends on their
safety; and since the world has existed I have never heard of a
sovereign allowing himself to be taken in any open town. This
would be the first instance.
The unfortunate King of Saxony has just reached France; he
is beginning to lose his happy illusions.
In difficult and critical circumstances a man does his duty,
and leaves the rest to take its course. If I should happen to
live, I ought to be, and I have no doubt that I shall be, obeyed;
if I die, my son as sovereign, and the Empress as regent, must
not, for the honour of the French, allow themselves to be taken;
they must retreat to the last village.
Remember what was said by the wife of Philip V. What,
indeed, would be said of the Empress? That she had abandoned
our throne and that of her son. Nothing would better please the
allies than to make an end of everything by carrying them off
prisoners to Vienna. I am surprised that you do not see this.
I see that fear has turned all your heads in Paris.
The Empress and the King of Rome once at Vienna, or in
the hands of our enemies, you and all others who attempted a
defence would be rebels.
As for me, I would rather they would kill my son than see
him brought up at Vienna as an Austrian prince, and I think
well enough of the Empress to believe that she is of the same
opinion, as far as that is possible to a woman and a mother.
I have never seen Andromaque acted without pitying the fate
of Astyanax in surviving the rest of his house, nor without think* In the original, "Pour comprendre ces choses, je trouve toujours votre
jugement faux; c'est enfin une fausse doctrine "-a sentence not easily intelligible.-TR.




272             AFFAIRS OF ITALY AND SPAIN.          CHAP. XX.
ing that it would have been a blessing for him if he had died
before his father.
You do not understand the French nation.  It is impossible
to foresee the ultimate result of such great events as these.
As. for Louis, I think that he ought to follow you.
[ 798.]            NAPOLEON TO JOSEPH.
Nogent, Feb. 8, 1814, 11 A.M.
My Brother,-I think that attention must be paid especially
to the neighbourhoods of Sens and of Pont-sur-Yonne.
It seems that it is Wittgenstein and York who attack towards
Chalons.  In the course of the day I shall hav.e troops on the
road to Montmirail.
[ 799.]            NAPOLEON TO JOSEPH.
Nogent, Feb. 8, 1814, 3 P.M.
My Brother, —I have sent to the Empress an article for the'Moniteur.' If you receive this letter before 5 o'clock to-morrow
morning, and if it be possible to withdraw the article, I should
like to delay its insertion for 48 hours, because it would inform
the enemy too soon as to my plans and position, which is always
inconvenient.
[ 800.]            NAPOLEON TO JOSEPH.
Nogent, Feb. 8, 1814, $ P.M.
My Brother,-I have just written to the Minister of War
about the evacuation of Italy, and as to King Ferdinand. Send
for the minister; he will show you my letters. All the correspondence with M. de Laforest relating to the affairs of Spain
will be carried on by M. d'Hauterive, whom you will also send
for.
[801.]            MARIE LOUISE TO JOSEPH.
Paris, Feb. 8, 1814.
My dear Brother, —I received last night a letter from the
Emperor, dated the 6th. He tells me that he is well, and that




FEB. 1814.             WANT OF ARMS.                    27u
circumstances, although they are difficult, have improved during
the last week. He desires me not to be anxious: you know that
this is impossible. If you have any details, it will be very kind
in you to send them to me. You see, my dear brother, from my
teasing you in this way, the confidence which I have in your
friendship and patience. I entreat you to believe in the friendship of your affectionate sister.
[ 802.]            NAPOLEON TO JOSEPH.
Nogent, Feb. 8, 1814, 6 P.M.
My Brother,-Let this letter be delivered to the Empress
Josephine in person. It is to tell her to write to Eugene. You
will ask her to send to you her letter, which you will despatch
by an express.
[ 803.]            JOSEPH TO NAPOLEON.
Paris, Feb. 8, 1814, noon.
Sire,-I have received your letter of the 7th. I have sent
that which treats of the army of reserve to the minister. I am
perpetually tormenting him for muskets. I shall see him again
immediately, and I will let your Majesty know the result.
I have written to the Duke of Conegliano to reinforce the
posts of the national guards at the barriers. They have already
begun to serve. Muskets are what they want, or even fowlingpieces. The troops which are gone to La Ferte-sous-Jouarre are
commanded by General Minot: they consist of the 6th battalion
of the 86th of the line, the Ist and the 28th light infantry, and the
4th and 70th of the line; in the whole 2000 men. General St.
Gerinain was at CompiBgne; he has just been ordered to Meaux.
Soissons is threatened. I have desired General Hullin to send
thither a battalion.  I have written to General Berruyer to
defend the place; I am repeating the order to him. It seems
that the national guards at Soissons have no muskets. I send
back to your -Majesty the aide-de-camp whom I despatched to
the Duke of Taranto, and who met General Minot and his troops
last night near La Fert6-sous-Jouarre.  I will see directly the
VOL. II.*-12*




274                      WANT OF ARMS.                   CHAP. XZX,
Minister of War and the Minister of the Administration of War,
to deliver to them your Majesty's orders; but I must tell you
beforehand that the Minister of War has repeated to me a
hundred times that he has not 5000 muskets at his disposal, and
that the governor of Vincennes told me yesterday that he had
30,000, but out of repair.* Since yesterday I have written to
desire the minister to hasten these repairs by every means in his
power, and to let me know how many it is possible to have ready
by the 20th and by the 30th of this month. That I may not
delay the officer's departure, I will write no more to your Majesty
at present.
The bearer of this letter is my equerry, M. Monval.
[ 804.]              JOSEPH TO NAPOLEON.
Paris, Feb. 8, 1814, 10 P.M.
Sire,-I have put at the disposal of the Minister of the Administration of War the amount of the credit which your Majesty
has granted me upon your treasury, at the rate of 100,000 francs
a day. I have seen the Minister of War: M. Gerard is employed in forming the four divisions. I will transmit to your
Majesty the report of what has been done as soon as I receive it.
I have given similar orders to General Ornano. The Minister
of War assures me that he now has 11,000 muskets at Vincennes
fit for use. The artificers have arrived from Charleville; workshops are being constructed for them. We are expecting some
likewise from  St. Etienne.  I have ordered General Hullin to
appoint- an officer of the line to command each of the barriers
which is to be held. General Hullin will place this evening at
each of the principal barriers, especially on the right bank of the
* The historical importance of these figures cannot be exaggerated. The
want of muskets in Paris was the principal cause of its capture. If all who
asked for arms could have been supplied, the defence might have been prolonged for some hours, the Emperor would have had time to arrive with a portion
of the guard, and the whole state of things would have been changed. The
war with Russia, and that of 1813, had occasioned an enormous consumption
of arms, and there had not been time to replace them. A natural consequence
of previous events has been called treachery.-ED.




FEB. 1814.             WANT OF ARMS.                    275
Seine, 100 soldiers of the line, and Marshal Moncey 150 of the
national guard, armed with muskets and fowling-pieces. I have
ordered General Ornano to put six pieces of artillery belonging
to the guard at the disposal of General Hullin.
There are at Vincennes nearly 2000 artillery waggons and
700 guns without harness. I sent to you this morning a list of
the troops who are gone to Meaux. The Minister of War has
just told me that two battalions of national guards from Lille
have been sent thither; so that:here must now be at La Fert6
five battalions of infantry, and nearly 800 cavalry, 300 of whom,
belonging to General St. Germain's division, went from Compiegne, and 500 from the depot at Versailles.
I have asked the Ministers of War and of Police to Eend
officers on the roads to Sezanne and La Fert6. Arms have been
sent to 2000 of the national guards at Soissons; General Berruyer
was in the town in a state of great anxiety. He has written to
ask the Minister of War to let the 2000 men for whom the arms
are intended remain at Soissons; they will be of more use there, as
they will be armed, than at Meaux, where there are troops
without muskets. Your Majesty will see by the annexed letters
that detachments of the enemy have appeared at Montmirail and
Vieux-Maisons.  Your Majesty's letter reached me this morning.
I am glad to hear that the Duke of Ragusa has entered Sezanne.
The Minister of War assures me that he sends punctually to
your Majesty all the reports which he gives to me of the movements of the troops in the 1st division. He tells me to-day that
General Treilhard's Ist brigade * will reach Montmirail on the
10th, 15th, 17th, and 19th, each regiment marching separately.
[805.]             JOSEPH TO NAPOLEON.
Paris, Feb. 8, 1814, midnight.
Sire,-I have desired M. de la Bouillerie to make arrangements which will enable him, if I desire him to leave Paris with
the treasure, to set off in six hours after receiving the order. He
has therefore been obliged to load some fourgons and to house
* A brigade of dragoons from Spain.-ED.




276            PROPOSED RELIGIOUS SOLEMNITY.        CHAP. XX
them in the court of the Grand Ecuyer on the Carousal. This was
effected in the night, and the officers on guard in the palace alone
can have been aware of it. The director of the Museum came today to tell me that it ought to be shut up, and the things of most
value sent out of Paris, unless I gave him orders to the contrary.
As your Majesty has given none to me, I could give none to him.
If I should receive any from your Majesty, I will communicate
them without delay.
It appears to me, Sire, that the proposed solemnity at St.
Genevieve will not have a good effect. The public is already so
depressed, and so inclined to trust to accidents for its defence,
that we ought not to increase its inactivity by telling it to hope
for safety from religious intercession. I may add, that to the incredulous these prayers would be a mere ceremony, or an avowal
of danger and of distrust in our own exertions.  With respect to
the good Catholics, your Majesty may rest assured that the government will obtain nothing from them till you are publicly
reconciled to the Vicar of Jesus Christ. No, Sire, in France
none are truly religious but those who acknowledge the Pope as
their spiritual head. The rest are not Catholics, but unbelievers
or Protestants. Therefore, till I see in the' Moniteur,' " The
Pope has returned to Rome; the Emperor has ordered him to be
properly escorted and received there," I do not think that any
religious ceremony would produce an impression on the Catholics
in your Majesty's favour. This, Sire, is the truth. The Empress
is in better spirits to-day. I have passed the day in sustaining the
hopes of people who have much less self-possession than belongs
to her Majesty.
[ 806.]           NAPOLEON TO JOSEPH.
Nogent, Feb. 9, 1814, 3 A. M.
Mly Brother, —I have received your letter written at noon on
the 8th of February, which was brought to me by your aide-decamp. You tell me that at La Fert6-sous-Jouarre General Minot
is in command of a column consisting of the 6th battalion of the
86th, of the 1st of the 8th light infantry, and the 4th of the 70th,
altogether 2000 men.  The Minister of War composes this




Frx. 1814.         DEFENSIVE MEASURES.                  277
column differently, of the 6th battalion of the 86th, and the ist
and 2nd of the national guards of the North.,What is the cause
of this discrepancy?
I have written to the Minister of War that the battalions
must be composed of only 400 or 500 men each, because we have
more cadres than there are conscripts to fill them; and it is better
to have six battalions of 400 men than three battalions of 800.
I think, indeed, that they are twice as useful, that is to say, that
three battalions of 400 conscripts will do nearly as much work as
three battalions of 800. I am surprised that there are not enough
men in Soissons to hold it.  Six battalions, or 4000 men, must
be there. It would have been better, therefore, to have sent
thither 1000 muskets than more troops. It seems, from the
Minister of War's report, that to-morrow the 10th, a division of
national guards, consisting of from 8000 to 9000 well-armed men,
will reach Meaux. Urge the Minister of War to send thither
majors to command the regiments, captains to act as adjutantmajors, and officers to serve in the cadres. This division will be
a great resource. A general of division and two brigadiers will
be required. Cartridges must likewise be sent thither, that the
troops may practise every day at a mark. The divisions of Soissons and of Montereau, which are exercised every day, will also
be of great use. Paris was to furnish Montereau with two battalions; have they started? The Duke of Ragusa reached ChampAubert on the road to Montmirail early yesterday, on his way to
Epernay; my guard, both horse and foot, are at S6zanne, in order
to support him. I am expecting every instant to receive news
which will carry me thither myself; I consider the diversion in
favour of the Duke of Taranto as already made, and that the
enemy will have to fall back upon Chilons.
[ 807.]            NAPOLEON TO JOSEPH.
Nogent, Feb. 9, 1814, 11 A. M.
My Brother,-I had so much to do all last night, that I was
not able to start for S6zanne. The Duke of Ragusa has reached
Champ-Aubert.  General Sacken, with 15,000 men, was at
Montmirail. His park passed by Champ-Aubert on the 8th,




278               GUARDS FOR THE BARRIERS.          CHAP. XX.
coming from  CGhlons.*  I intend to attack him to-morrow.
Besides this, detachments have shown themselves towards Coulommiers, and in other directions; thery are mere marauders, and
are of no consequence.
[808.]             NAPOLEON TO JOSEPH.
Nogent, Feb. 9, 1814.
My Brother,-Unless you hac  some reason which is unknown to me, you were wrong in placing 8 guns belonging to
the guards, at the disposal of General Hullin.  There are
plenty of guns at Vincennes, and plenty of means of transport for
them  in Paris.  Let General Ornano, therefore, retain these
guns. The guard forms a special corps. Nothing of theirs
must be taken for the line. If you do not give the guns belonging to the guard to General Hullin, he will set to work to provide for himself; the national guards must be accustomed to
do duty at the barriers by themselves, otherwise, when the troops
of the line are moved on from Paris, the national guards will
think that they are lost. You may place a much smaller guard
at the unimportant barriers, which are not threatened. Desire
the Minister of War to fill up all the companies of gunners, to
send for their cadres from the depots, and to complete them with
conscripts. I ought to have 30t gunners in Paris; they can serve
more than 200 guns, which are absolutely necessary.
I am of your opinion about the prayers at St. Genevieve; I
think that it would do no good; it was only a piece of devotion
on the part of the Empress. Hold the 22 guns belonging to the
guard, the 1200 horse, the 24 battalions of the guard, 500 strong,
ready to start at a moment's notice. I intend to station them
halfway. Do not include them in the defence of Paris. Send to
Compiegne a battalion of the guard from 200 to 300 strong, to
be increased to 500, with 2 pieces of cannon to defend the town
and palace against the enemy's partisans. Send another battalion
* The italics in this and in the following letter are in Napoleon's hand.
-t This must be a mistakED.
t This must be a mistake. Perhaps the figures ought to be 300.-TR.




FEB. 1814.  FALSE INFORMATION FROM THE POLICE.          279
of the guard to Fontainebleau for the same purpose. The officers
whom you send to command in those towns will organise the national guards so that they may assist in the defence of the palaces,
which the towns will be willing enough to do, as the palaces may
be said almost to belong to them. Tell Demazis to remove from
Compiegne and Fontainebleau the plate, and everything that
might serve as a trophy. There are portraits of all my ministers
and of my family at Compiegne. This must be done without
disturbance or attracting attention.
[809.]            NAPOLEON TO JOSEPH.
Nogeut, Feb. 9, 1814.
My Brother,-I have received your courier of the 8th at 11
at night. The Minister of Police gives you false information.
I think that he does not know how to ask questions. He says
that M. Bonne, a superior officer of the corps of geographical
engineers, saw the enemy at La Ferte-sous-Jouarre. Send for
him, and he will tell you that he did not see them; but that he
was told that the enemy was approaching, which is a very different affair. The same thing with regard to Vieux-Maisons. I
have always found the police doing great harm by their want of
judgment: they alarm without informing. I gave to them a
printed list of questions, providing for every case: this prevented
their blundering.  Order the police to give these printed papers
to their agents in order to direct their inquiries.
[ 810.]           NAPOLEON TO JOSEPH.
Nogent, Feb. 9, 1814, 2 P. m.
My Brother,-I am setting off for Sezanne, and I hope to
attack the army of Silesia to-morrow. I have ordered General
Minot, whom you sent to La Fert6-sous-Jouarre, to push on to
Montmirail, where General Sacken is, with 15,000 men. I shall
advance upon him by way of Stezanne and Champ-Aubert. If
this manoeuvre should meet with complete success, it may decide
the fate of the campaign.
These are my dispositions; it is important that you should




280          DISPOSITION OF THE FRENCH ARMY.     CHAP. XX.
know them. I leave at Nogent the Duke of Belluno, with his
own two divisions, General Gerard's division, and General Milhaud's 5th cavalry corps. These will form a corps of infantry,
cavalry, and artillery, amounting to between 14,000 and 15,000
men. His orders are to defend the heights of Pont-sur-Seine and
the town of Nogent, which I have barricaded; and, finally, if the
whole of Schwartzenberg's army should fall upon him so as to prevent his defending Nogent, to blow up the bridge, and to take up
his position on the right bank. The great park of artillery, the
head-quarters of the Intendant, and the greater part of my household, will be placed at Provins, escorted by a division of the
young guard commanded by General Rothenbourg. The Duke
of Reggio commands the 7th corps, composed of twenty battalions
from Spain and Bourdeaux. One of his divisions is at Provins,
his head-quarters; this evening and to-morrow it will be at Nangis.
Rothenbourg's division, with the head-quarters under its protection, the division of national guards which is at Montereau and at
Sens, General Pajol, who defends the Seine between Nogent and
Bray, Pont-sur-Yonne, Sens, and in the 2nd line, Moret, Nemours,
and Montargis, up to the Loire, are under the orders of the Duke
of Reggio. I reckon that the two Spanish divisions, increased
by the battalions from Bourdeaux, will amount to 12,000 men.
General Pajol must have 2000 cavalry, the national guards of
Montereau ought to amount to 6000; Rothenbourg's division
consists of 4000.  The Duke of Reggio has therefore about
25,000 men. If Schwartzenberg's army, which is at Troyes,
should march upon Sens and Pont-sur-Yonne without attacking
Nogent, or only masking it; or if he storms the place and throws
the Duke of Belluno on the right bank; in either case the Duke
of Reggio, supported by the Duke of Belluno, will proceed, if the
enemy's manceuvre be of importance, towards Yonne and Montereau, where he will concentrate all his troops. If you have notice
that the enemy is about to -make his great attack upon Fontainebleau, you will have time enough to arm the bridges of Corbeil
and Choisy, and to despatch our reserves to Moret and the Loing.
If I succeed, in the course of the next two or three days, in crushing the army of Silesia, I shall debouch upon Nogent or Monte



FEB. 1814.    STRENGTH OF TIE FRENCH ARMY.            281
reau. With the reserves I may have 80,000 men, and give an
unexpected turn to affairs.
My army is thus divided into three corps:One which is acting under my orders: it is composed of two
divisions of the old guard (8000 men); two divisions of the young
guard who are with the Prince of Moskowa (6000 men); of the
Duke of Ragusa's corps (6000 men)-in the whole 20,000 infantry; of the cavalry of the guard (6000 men); of the 1st corps of
cavalry (2000 men); of General Defrance's cavalry (2000 men)in the whole 10,000 cavalry. I have, therefore, under my orders
30,000 men, and about 120 guns. The forces of Generals York,
Bliicher, and Sacken, are valued at from 40,000 to 45,000; but
the Duke of Taranto must find employment for at least 5000 of
them. I shall therefore have 30,000 against 40,000: this proportion gives me hopes of success. The point of support of my
corps to-night will be Sezanne; its line of march will be by the
roads to Montmirail and ChAteau-Thierry. Centre: the Duke of
Belluno, as I have said already, with 14,000 men. Right wing:
the Duke of Reggio, as before, with 25,000 men. This is my
whole force, consisting of from 60,000 to 70,000 men, including
all arms, even the engineers and artillery.
I estimate the enemy's forces at 45,000 of the army of Silesia,
and 150,000 of Schwartzenberg's army, but including Bubna and
the Cossacks; so that, if I succeed in beating the army of Silesia,
and rendering it incapable of action for a few days, I may turn
round upon Schwartzenberg with 70,000 or 80,000 men, including
the reinforcement which you will send to me from Paris, and I
do not think that on a single point he will be able to oppose to me
more than from 110,000 to 120,000 men. If I am not strong
enough to attack, I may at least hold him in check, and harass
him for a fortnight or three weeks, which will give opportunities
for new combinations.
It is essential that Albert should take this letter to the Ministers of War and of the Administration of War, that they may
each be well aware of what they have to do. If the enemy should
push on to La F6rte or Meaux, there will be no occasion for
alarm, as to-morrow I attack his rear.  I have not counted




282                 DEFICIENCY OF ARMS.              CHAP. XKX.
amonig my resources the division of the national guard of Meaux,
which I hope will soon amount to between 8000 and 10,000 men.
I have ordered St. Germain, who, with 800 horse, is at Meaux, to
proceed to La Ferte-sous-Jouarre: the division which has been
armed of the national guard may also be sent thither.
[-811.]            JOSEPH TO NAPOLEON.
Paris, Feb. 9, 1814, 4 A. Ma.
I have received your Majesty's letter desiring me to postpone
the insertion of the article in the'Moniteur.' I have sent my
aide-de-camp to the Duke of Cadore; I hope that he will have arrived in time. The annexed letter4 will acquaint your Majesty
with the state of affairs towards Laon.
I have not yet received the report of Gerard, of the war-office;
but my last night's letter will have already informed your Majesty that the Minister of War reports, after careful investigation,
that he has only 11,000 muskets, which he reserves for the Imperial guard.
[ 812.]             TOSEPH TO NAPOLEON.
Paris, Feb. 9,1814, 4 A. M.
Sire,-I have received your letter of yesterday of 11 A. M., in
answer to mine of the 7th, 11 P. M.
Your Majesty may be assured that, so far as depends on me,
your wishes will be complied with.  Circumstances may occur in
which this expression of them may contribute to such a result.
My letter may thus have been useful by eliciting this written
manifestation of your will, which will decide the conduct of many
persons now unresolved.
[C 813.]          JOSEPH TO NAPOLEON.
Paris, Feb. 9, 1814, 11 A. M.
Sire,-I have received your letters of the 8th at 8 P. M. I
have sent the one to the Empress Josephine, and I am expecting
an answer by Tascher.  After the cabinet council I will see MM.
* This letter does not appear.-TR.




FEB. 1814.       REMAINING ALTERNATIVES.                283
de Feltre and d'Hauterive.  The Minister of War has written to
me a letter which I send on to your Majesty; you will see that
our muskets are reduced to 6000. It is, therefore, useless to expect to form a reserve of from 30,000 to 40,000 men in Paris.
Things are stronger than men, Sire; and when this is clearly
proved, it seems to me that true glory consists in preserving as
much as is possible of one's people and one's empire; and that to
expose a precious life to such evident danger is not glorious, because it is against the interests of a great number of men whose
existence is attached to your own. Your Majesty may rest assured that I shall faithfully execute your commands, whatever
they may be. No one here has anything, directly or indirectly, to
do with what I am writing to your Majesty in perfect openness,
just as it occurs to me.
I see so much depression, that I fear that it is useless to expect an army of reserve, or any extraordinary effort to be made in
Paris: you must therefore submit with fortitude to necessity;
whether you are permitted to make a great nation happy, or you
are forced to yield, there being no choice left except between
death and dishonour; and, at this juncture, I-see no dishonour for
your Majesty unless you abandon the throne, because in this case
you would ruin a number of individuals who have devoted themselves to you. If it be possible, then, make peace at any price;
if that is impossible, when the hour comes we must meet death
with resolution, as did the last Emperor of Constantinople.
Should this occur, your Majesty may be persuaded that I
shall in every respect follow out your wishes, and that I shall do
nothing unworthy either of you or of me.




284                 SUMMARY OF THE              CamP. XXL
CHAPTER XXI.
THE letters contained in this chapter extend from the 10th to
the 18th of February, 1814.
They were nine days of victories. Napoleon had been posted
for some days at Nogent, on the Seine, between the army
of Silesia, and the allied grand army. The army of Silesia,
commanded by Bluicher, was advancing on Paris from Chalons
by two roads, one down the Marne by fpernay and ChateauThierry, the other across a difficult and marshy country by
Vertus, ]Etoges, Vauchamps, Champ-Aubert, and Montmirail;
the two roads meeting at La Ferte-sous-Jouarre on the Marne.
The allied grand army, under Schwartzenberg, was marching
towards Paris by the valley of the Seine, its head-quarters being
at Troyes. The reader has seen, by Napoleon's last letters, that
on the 9th he intended to make a flank movement by crossroads to S6zanne, in order to attack the Silesian army, which
was marching in 4 divisions, under Sacken, York, Alsufief, and
Blicher. He found, what he does not seem to have expected,
a part of the Silesian army at Baye, between Nogent and
S6zanne, beat it, and reached S6zanne on the 9th. The next
day, the 10th, he beat Alsufief at Champ-Aubert; on the
11th he defeated Sacken at Montmirail; on the 12th he defeated York at Chateau-Thierry; and, finding that Blucher was
advancing, he turned back to Montmirail, and on the 14th
defeated him with great loss at Vauchamps, a village between
Montmirail and Etbges, and drove him back through Etoges
to ChAlons.




FEB. 1814.           CAMPAIGN OF 1814.                285
But Schwartzenberg was profiting by Napoleon's absence to
march on Paris by the Seine. He drove Victor out of Nogent,
occupied Montereau, and penetrated beyond Nangis to Mormant, a village not more than 25 miles from Paris. Three
marshals, Oudinot, Victor, and Macdonald, were opposed to
him with a force of about 47,000 men, but they appear to have
expected defeat, and earnestly implored Napoleon's presence.
Napoleon left Montmirail on the 15th, a few hours after he had
defeated Bluicher, reached Meaux the same day, and on the 16th
joined his marshals at Guignes, a small town at the intersection
of the roads from Meaux to Melun and from Paris to Nogent.
On the 17th he drove the Russians, under Count Pahlen, from
Mormant, and entered Nangis, and on the 18th he drove the
Prince of Wiirtemberg out of Montereau, and marched on
Troyes, from whence the allied sovereigns and Schwartzenberg
fled in terror, and scarcely paused until they found themselves
more than 100 miles off at Langres. In nine days he gained
seven victories, made nine marches in the depth of winter,
most of them over cross-roads, such as the cross-roads of France
then were, and drove away or frightened away two armies, each
much larger than his own.
It is not surprising that such wonderful success, immediately
following two years of almost uninterrupted disaster, somewhat
intoxicated him, and led him to believe that the chances were
again in his favour, and even to imagine that the allies themselves had little hope of escaping with many of their troops from
France.




286                  VICTORIES AT BAYE.            CHAP. XXI.
[814.]             BERTHIER TO JOSEPH.
Feb. 10, 1814.
The Emperor left a great part of his army at Pont and
Nogent, and made a long flank march yesterday to attack
Biticher, who is taking the Mlontmirail raod with a considerable
portion of the army of Silesia. When we reached Pont St. Prix
we found that the enemy was in position at Baye to cover the
road to Sbzanne. It was Sacken's corps. He was attacked in
flank, broken, and retreated on Champ-Aubert, followed by our
cavalry. Marshal Ney's corps and a part of the guard arrived
opportunely. The enemy is cut in two-one portion is in the
direction of Montmirail, the other is falling back on ChAlons.
[ 815.]           NAPOLEON TO JOSEPH.
S6zanne, Feb. 10, 1814, 10 A.Ma.
My Brother,-Your two letters of the 9th have reached
me.  Your aide-de-camp  must have taken  my yesterday's
letter to you. I reached this place yesterday evening.  I am
mounting my horse to advance on  Champ-Aubert.  I am
much impeded by the state of the roads: they are horrible;
there are six feet of mud. I am assured this morning that the
enemy has begun to retire from Montmirail to Vauchamps.*
I cannot understand why the Duke of Taranto is retreating so
rapidly. As'the shortest way of communicating with him is
through Paris, send him  word that to-day, the 10th, at 11 A.M1.
I was at Champ-Aubert, on the rear of the enemy's column,
which is at Montmirail.
[ 816.]            NAPOLEON TO JOSEPH.
Clramp-Aubert, Feb 10, 1814, 10 P.m.
My Brother,-I attacked the enemy to-day at ChampAubert.  His force consisted of 12 regiments and 40 pieces of
cannon. I have taken the Commander-in-Chief Alsufief, with
all his generals, colonels, officers, guns, waggons, and baggage.
* This was not true. Blucher was not aware of Napoleon's march.-TR.




FEB. 1814.     CHAMP-AUBERT. AND MONTMIRAIL.            287
We have 6000 prisoners, 40 guns, and 200 carriages. The
rest were driven into a lake, or killed on the field. This corps
is entirely destroyed. We are marching towards Montmirail,
and shall be there this evening at 10 o'clock. I shall reach it
in person to-morrow morning before daybreak, to march with
20,000 infantry upon Sacken at La Ferte-sous-Jouarre. I am
treading close upon the enemy's heels. The Duke of Taranto
has between 8000 and 10,000 men, with the national guard of
Meaux, and all that you can spare from Paris. [This force]
alone will be sufficient to hold the enemy in check. I am in
great hopes that Sacken is lost, and, if fortune continues to
second us as she has done to-day, the state of affairs will be
changed in an instant; for the whole strength of the Russian
army consists in Sacken's corps which contains 10 divisions, or
60 regiments. Bliicher is cut off from Sacken; he has 2 divisions; he is 8 leagues off on the Bergeres road. He will be
held in check during my march. I do not think that we have
lost 200 men.
[817.]             NAPOLEON TO JOSEPH.
Farm of Epine-aux-Bois, between Montmirail and Vicux-Maisous,
Feb.11, 1814, 8.PM.
My Brother, —Berthier despatched a courier to you from
the field of battle. Since that time I sent off young Montesquiou to you. It is eight o'clock, and before bed-time I wish
you to have these two lines to let you know that to-day has
been decisive. The army of Silesia has ceased to exist; I have
completely routed it. We have carried off all their guns and
baggage, and we have taken several thousand prisoners, perhaps
more than 7000,'and they continue to arrive every instant;
5000 or 6000 of the enemy are left on the field. All this has
been done, although only half of my old guard were engaged;
they did more than one has any right to expect from men.
The enemy fled disbanded towards Chateau-Thierry.  I presume that the Duke of Treviso pursued them to La Ferte-sousJouarre and ChAteau-Thierry. These two days have entirely
* This was a mistake.-TR




288               PUBLIC OPINION IN PARIS.         CHAP. XXI.
changed the state of affairs. Sacken was killed,* many of their
-getierals are prisoners, some are wounded, and several left on
the field. Here then are 10 Russian divisions, forming 60 regiments, almost annihilated. I think that in the night we engaged York's corps, which arrived on the field. He shared the
fate of the Russians. I have desired the Empress to fire a
salute of 60 guns. Our loss is slight. General Michel of the
guard is wounded in the arm. I do not think that I have lost
more than 1000 men. My foot-guard, my dragoons, and horsegrenadiers performed miracles.  I hope to be to-morrow  in
communication with La Ferte-sous-Jouarre.  I think then that
these two days place Paris completely out of danger, for the
army of Silesia was the best that the allies had. Tell me what
is going on towards Sens and Montereau.  I must know, in
order to arrange my further operations.
[ 818.]            JOSEPH TO NAPOLEON.
Paris Feb. 11, 1814, 7 A.M.
Sire,-I did not receive your letter dated S6zanne, the
10th, 10 A.M., till to-day at seven. I have despatched a courier
to inform Marshal Macdonald of your Majesty's arrival at
Champ-Aubert, on the rear of the enemy's column then at
Montmirail.
Nothing remarkable is going on here. The public mind
continues in the same state. The wives and children of many
of the principal public functionaries have left the capital. The
rise in the funds which took place yesterday is attributed to
a letter from the Duke of Vicenza, giving hopes of the negotiations terminating favourably. Every one is persuaded that
our affairs can be re-established in no other way; the state of
the exchequer and the arsenals is known to all the world; and
whatever prodigies may yet be expected from the experience
and skill of your Majesty, it is not thought possible that you
can struggle alone against numbers and circumstances. The
ministers have doubtless already informed your Majesty that
one of the Bourbons has joined Lord Wellington's army, and
that another is in Holland.  Many sick have arrived here.




FEB. 1814.      VICTORY AT CHATEAU-THIERRY.            289
Money is wanting to pay the troops; they commit in consequence all sorts of irregularities, which exasperate the inhabitants to such a degree (I can speak chiefly of those of Versailles,
Compiegne, and Senlis), that it is not uncommon to hear it said
publicly, " The enemy could not do worse."
I do not write these disagreeable truths to your Majesty for
the sake of persuading you to make peace-I know that you
desire it more than any other person-but in order to console
you, if you should be forced to submit to conditions to which
France would not be reduced, if the strength of mind of all her
people were in proportion to that of her sovereign. I entreat
your Majesty to believe that my language to the rest of the
world is very different; but I am obliged to own that there is
no salvation for us but in the speediest peace, on whatever conditions. I know no one who is of a contrary opinion. Your
Majesty's most faithful servants are chiefly distinguished by
their profound conviction that, with peace, your Majesty will
find in your own genius, and in the confidence of the nation,
means to restore our affairs.
r 819.]          NAPOLEON TO JOSEPH.
Faubouig de Chateau-Thierry, Feb. 12, 1814.
My Brother, —I am in the suburb of ChAteau-Thierry. I
pursued the enemy's rear-guard; as I had cut him off from
Chflons, his army was obliged to cross the Marne to gain the
road to Soissons. I carried off the whole rear-guard, which consisted of four Russian battalions, three Prussian battalions, and
three pieces of cannon. I took them all, even the Russian
general who was in command; 2000 prisoners were made to-day.
The Duke of Ragusa is about to march from Etoges upon
Epernay and Chalons. If Marshal Macdonald had manceuvred
on the right bank of the Marne, as I hoped, not one man would
have escaped. We have, however, taken between 8000 and
10,000 prisoners, among whom are five or six generals; they
start to-morrow for Paris. We have taken almost all the enemy's
artillery and baggage, and killed immense numbers. His force,
VOL. 11. —13




290            WANT OF MONEY AND CLOTHING.         CHAP. XXI.
which was 35,000, does not amount to-day to 12,000, and they are
in horrible confusion. If the movements of the Austrians do
not recall me towards the Seine, I shall seize the enemy in the
rear. Considering the great results, I engaged very few troops;
my guard, both horse and foot, has covered itself with glory.
[ 820.]             JOSEPH TO NAPOLEON.
Paris, Feb. 12,1814, 10 A.M.
Sire,-The funds set apart for the use of the guard are exnausted. We have no credit, and General Ornano urges me to
obtain from your Majesty another million, to be divided equally
between the cavalry and the infantry. If we have no money, both
horses and men must remain in the state in which they now are.
There are 1500 men who want clothing. Your Majesty is aware
that between 1000 and 1500 recruits arrive every day for the
guard. A remount of 1000 horses is also required, otherwise
the cavalry must remain here idle. I send a return of the guard
to your Majesty; I intend to inspect it at noon to-day. Marshal
Macdonald tells me that he has heard nothing directly from your
Majesty. He has received the intelligence which I sent to him
yesterday of the action of Champ-Aubert. He heard a loud
cannonade in the direction of Montmirail. He despatched thither
General St. Germain with 300 horse, who captured a few horsesoldiers at St. Fiacre. A great mistake was made in blowing up
the bridge of Trilport; an officer whom I sent yesterday to Meaux
assures me that they are preparing the means of crossing the
river on rafts. He thinks that the enemy's artillery will not be
able to retire, as the bridges towards La Ferte-sous-Jouarre have
been cut.
[C 821.]           NAPOLEON TO JOSEPH.
Farm of Lumeron, near ChAteau-Thierry,
Feb. 13, 1814, 10 A.M.
My Brother,-During the whole of the 11th the enemy
attacked the town of Nogent. The Duke of Belluno had passed
over to the right bank with all his troops, and had left in the




FEB. 1814.            ATTACK ON NOGENT.               291
A-own only 1200 men, under the command of General Bourmont.
(This Bourmont is the famous chief of the Chouans; I am extremely pleased with him.) The enemy tried to enter in close
columns, and was shot down from the houses and barricades. In
short, he was repulsed in three successive assaults, and lost, as
was to be expected in such fighting, between 2000 and 3000 men.
General Bourmont was wounded, but in other respects our loss
was slight. The enemy, enraged, then brought forward howitzers
and set fire to the town, but with no effect; and on the 12th, our
men were ready to give the enemy a similar reception. It is said
that General Schwartzenberg, with all his army, was watching
this operation. I have heard nothing from Montereau since the
11th. General Pajol was at Fossart, near Montereau. I have
ordered the Duke of Reggio to proceed to Montereau with Rothenbourg's division and the 9th division from Spain. But this
division, which was to have arrived on the 9th, was not here
yesterday evening, the 10th. The Minister of War ought to
know the cause. This division should be sent to Montereau. I
ordered Leval's division to join me; but as I do not want it! this
has become a false march. By the return which General Ornano
has sent to me, I see that the guard has 2000 cavalry and 8000
infantry under arms, altogether 10,000 men, and 22 pieces of
cannon. I have ordered two more batteries to be added, so that
they will have 32 pieces.
The Minister of War writes reports and waits for my approbation before executing my orders. This is not the way to act
at this juncture; it did very well when I was in Paris. You
must immediately place at General Ornano's disposal the two
companies of artillery from Spain with 16 pieces of ordnance.
They alone will form a good reserve corps. Let it march towards
Fontainebleau.  Generals Charpentier and Boyer should go with
them. Some brigadier-generals will be required; the Minister
of War must appoint them. These troops, however, must not be
sent to a distance from Paris; instead of cantoning them on the
roads to Meaux and Villette, they must be placed near Charenton, Villejuif, and Essonne, and one division always kept in Paris.
The Minister of War has also sent to me a report on the forma



292                MOVEMENTS OF TROOPS.           CHAP. XXIL
tion of two divisions of reserve for the line; I have not yet read
it with attention.  The chief thing is to act, and not to forget
that with conscripts it is better to have battalions of only 300
men than that they should be more numerous. Send a courier
to Soissons to obtain news of the enemy, and let the commandant
of that town hold to the death; for the enemy will be considerably
embarrassed if he cannot enter Soissons. I do not think that
Schwartzenberg will entangle himself with Fontainebleau as long
as we remain masters of the bridge of Nogent. The Austrians
are too well acquainted with my mode of action, and bear its scars
too deeply, to doubt that, if they suffer us to retain possession of
the bridge of Nogent, I shall fall upon their rear, as I did here.
However, if the enemy were to bring together a considerable
force and make a decided movement, I should desire the Duke of
Belluno to proceed from Nogent to Montereau to support the
Duke of Reggio. He will have orders to blow up the bridge of
Nogent, and to leave on the opposite right bank troops sufficient
to prevent the enemy from rebuilding it. I have not yet settled
my plan of operations for to-day, but if it be necessary I shall
march rapidly towards Montereau, accompanied by the Duke of
Belluno's corps, the Duke of Reggio, and Ornano's reserve, and
my force will be strong enough to hold Schwartzenberg in check.
I tremble lest those rascally Russians should retaliate by setting
fire to Fontainebleau. I hope in the course of the day to rebuild
the bridge over the Marne at Chateau-Thierry; I shall then fix
my plans. What I hear from Sens proves that General AIIix
has repulsed the enemy; he held his ground on the evening of
the 11th. He had obliged the enemy to open trenches. All the
cavalry which arrives from Spain ought to proceed, as I have
already ordered, to Montereau, to be under the command of General Pajol and the Duke of Reggio.
[ 822.J            NAPOLEON TO JOSEPH.
Chateau-Thierry, Feb. 13, 1814.
My Brother,-General Drouot tells me that he has distributed
the 14th million. I have received your letter of the 12th at
10 A.M. I enclose a letter from the Duke of Treviso; you may




FEB. 1814.        DEFENCE OF MONTEREAU.               293
insert an extract from it in some of the smaller newspapers. Everything which I hear here proves to me more and more the extent
of the enemy's disaster. The inhabitants assure me that of that
immense army not 12,000 came back. I hear nothing more of
the 2nd division of the line. I told you to forward a division of
the guard in the first place to Essonne; those whom you have sent
to Fontainebleau will do instead. I sent to you this morning my
orderly officer, Gourgaud. If Soissons hold out, the enemy will
be extremely embarrassed. They endeavoured to retreat upon
Reims, and tried in vain to find a road. Whatever happens,
despatch an officer to desire Berruyer to hold out. The bridge
at ChAteau-Thierry is not yet rebuilt.
[ 823.]            NAPOLEON TO JOSEPH.
Chlteau-Thierry, Feb. 18, 1814, 2 P.M.
My Brother,-The chief of the staff will communicate to you
the dispositions which I have made for the defence of Montereau.
As soon as you are acquainted with them, forward them by express to the Duke of Reggio. You must send off immediately
General Charpentier with two batteries of foot artillery, and a
division of the guard consisting of 12 battalions. He may reach
Essonne to-morrow. He will occupy Corbeil, La Ferte-Alais,
and all the little bridges across the Essonne. You must give
him 1000 horses belonging to the guard. The other division,
also with 1000 horses, will be cantoned at Charenton and in
Paris, and will hold themselves ready to take up a position on
the Yeres, if it should be required. I do not know to what extent your regiments of the line are organised. If you have a
division ready, send it to Villeneuve-sur-Seine, and let me know
the state of the Paris reserve. It is probable that the news of
the disasters of Sacken and of York may stop the enemy's movements. The police and the war-office should send agents to discover the effect which has been produced upon them. All these
divisions must be properly provided with artillery. I have just
ordered the available part of the national guard, which is at
Meaux, to proceed to Montereau under the orders of the Duke
of Taranto.




29M4              JOSEPH'S AIDE-DE-CAMP.           CHAP. XX1.
[ 824.]          N. APOLEON TO JOSEPH.
From the Lumeron Farm, near Chateau-Thierry,
Feb. 13, 1814.
My Brother,-I have seen the officer whom you sent to me.
I am told that he is an excellent man, but he has neither the
education nor the talents which ought to belong to your aide-decamp. He talked nothing but nonsense to me about Nogent and
Provins. You should choose men of more acuteness, information,
and cleverness to be your aides-de-camp. This man, who was a
very good captain of grenadiers, would perhaps be useful at.the
head of a battalion.
[825.]             MARIE LOUISE TO JOSEPH.
Paris, Feb. 13, 1814.
My dear Brother,-I have received two letters from  the
Emperor: he is well. He overtook yesterday and routed the
rear-guard of the enemy, and General Sacken, who was in command, was killed. If you have any further information, pray,
my dear brother, pass it on to me. When I see you this morning,
I shall ask you to help me to decipher my letters, for I am to put
the Emperor's news into the' Moniteur' under the head of Paris.
I entreat you to believe in my sincere friendship.
[ 826.]           NAPOLEON TO JOSEPH.
ChAteau-Thierry, Feb. 14, 1814, 3 A.M.
My Brother,-It is 3 o'clock in the morning. The Duke of
Treviso crossed yesterday the bridge of Chateau-Thierry at 5 in
the afternoon, and followed up the pursuit. The enemy became
entangled in the cross-roads between this place and Reims,
through Fere en Tardenois, and abandoned there the remainder
of his carriages. The Duke of Ragusa was yesterday at Etoges,
and fell back upon Fromentiers, on seeing Blucher, with, as he
supposed, a superior force, ready to fall upon him. I am just starting; by 8 o'clock I shall be there. I intend to attack the enemy,
and I hope to beat him thoroughly in the course of the day, and
thus destroy another of his corps; this corps seems to be Witt



FEB. 1814.         INTENTION TO FIGHT.                295
genstein's.* As it appears that the enemy will not pass by
Soissons, I have ordered the Duke of Treviso, as soon as he has
covered the town, to withdraw some of the troops and national
guards who are there, in order to reinforce his corps, leaving,
however, a few troops to defend the town. Let the Minister of
War order the fortifications of this important post to be gone on
with.
I have received your undated letter, apparently of the 13th.
Inspect the national guards; hasten their preparations. I think
that the Minister of the Interior should send a conseiller d'etat
or some other official to report on the crimes committed by the
enemy in the places which he has evacuated, and of the conduct
of the inhabitants. His report should be inserted in the' Moniteur.'
The Duke of Belluno writes to me, dated yesterday, the 15th,
at noon, that he has blown up the bridge of Nogent, and fallen
back on Provins, to be nearer to Montereau. His motive was
that he heard that the enemy was strengthening his forces to
attack Montereau, and was threatening Paris from Fontainebleau.
I have ordered the Duke of Taranto to proceed towards Montereau with all his troops, which amount to more than 16,000
men, including the national guard of Meaux. The Duke of
Reggio ought to be there with General Rothenbourg's division
and the 9th division from Spain, which, as the Minister of War
assures me, arrived there on the 12th.
The troops at Montereau may, therefore, be stated as follows:
the Duke of Belluno, 10,000 infantry and 3000 cavalry, with 40
pieces of cannon; the Duke of Reggio, 15,000 infantry, including the division of the national guard of Montereau; 4000 cavalry
under Bourdesoulle and Roussel, and 50 pieces of cannon; the
Duke of Taranto 12,000 infantry, 3000 cavalry, and 40 pieces of
cannon. Here, then, is a force of between 50,000 and 60,000
men,t without including the Paris reserve.
If, as I hope, to-day turns out well, and I succeed in ridding
myself of this corps, which I suppose to be Wittgenstein's from
* It was Blucher's.-Ta.     t 47,000.-TR.




296                FORCES AT MONTEREAU.           CHAP. XX1.
the Rhine, I may go immediately in person to Montereau, unless
the enemy should have ceased to act on the offensive.
Order the Minister of the Interior to have the bridge at
Trilfort repaired in 24 hours, as well as that at La Ferte-sousJouarre. If the bridges cannot be repaired, let them make
bridges of boats, so that I may be able to cross. Desire the
Minister of War to send to La Fert6-sous-Jouarre a commandant
with a battalion, and to send anothor to Meaux. Tell the
Minister of the Interior to write to the Mayor of Meaux that I
am not satisfied with the conduct of the inhabitants: they must
behave so as not to oblige me to make examples.
[827.]            NAPOLEON TO JOSEPH.
Montmirail, Feb. 14, 1814.
My Brother,-It is 9 o'clock in the evening. I write a
line to acquaint you with the happy result of the battle of
Vauchamps.
Blicher's head-quarters were at Vertus.* He had been joined
by Kleist from Germany with 24 battalions, and by a new Russian
corps of 12 battalions, in all 20,000 men, but was separated from
the rest of his army. On the 13th he moved on ]toges and
Champ-Aubert. The Duke of Ragusa retired without fighting.
I left Chateau Thierry at 3 this morning, and reached Montmirail
as the enemy was just at its gates. He took up his position at
the village of Vauchamps. I beat him, took 8000 prisoners, 10
colours, and three guns, and drove him back, fighting up to the
gates of Etoges. His loss in killed and wounded must have been
more than 4000 men. My killed and wounded were not 300.
The means by which I obtained these great results were that
he had little cavalry, while I had from 6000 to 8000, and very
good, with which I kept outflanking and surrounding him; and
that he could use few of his guns, for fear of losing them, while
I crushed him all day with grape-shot from 100 pieces of cannon.
My three household squadrons covered themselves with glory.
* A village about half-way on the road between Chalons and Montmirail
-Tr.




FEB. 1814.        BATTLE OF VAUCHAMPS.                297
I had them always in hand, made them charge repeatedly, and
they took 1000 prisoners. I think that I mentioned to you
yesterday that the Duke of Treviso is closely pursuing the
shattere&-re-mains of Sacken and York by the cross-road to
Reims.
[ 828.J            NAPOLEON TO JOSEPH.
Montmirail, i eb. 15, 1814, 3 Am.
My Brother,-I have received your letter of the 14th, which
was brought to me by young Montesquiou. I shall start as soon
as the day breaks, and I shall reach La Ferte-sous-Jouarre early
with my guard; thence I shall proceed in person towards Meaux.
I cannot understand why the Duke of Reggio did not defend the
bridge of Bray.
Yesterday, the 14th, the Dukes of Belluno, Reggio, and Taranto were to join between Nangis and Guignes. I have no
doubt that I shall soon learn what has taken place. In the
article which you will insert in the' Moniteur' on the battle of
Vauchamps, you must mention as prisoners Prince Woronzow,
Russian general of division, and a Russian brigadier-general.
Their corps acted as rear-guard during the night, was charged
and routed; 1200 prisoners and four pieces of cannon were
taken.
It seems that the enemy's operations are confined to the right
bank of the Seine. The cavalry from Spain might therefore
have assembled at Fontainebleau; as the bridges of Melun and
Montereau are cut off, it can join us only by the bridge of Corbeil.
It appears that there still are 1000 men of the national guard of
Montereau without arms, and that they are all in want of camputensils. Order them to be properly provided. Send General
Radet's gendarmes (which ought to reach Paris to-day) to meet
the 7000 or 8000 prisoners who are about to start from hence.
The peasants have picked up here on the battle-fields more than
40,000 muskets, which the rapid movements of our troops prevented us from collecting. Perhaps the national guard of Paris
might obtain many of them by sending agents among the country




298               MOVEMENTS OF THE ENEMY.            CHAP. XXI
people. As the enemy is manceuvring on the right bank of the
Seine, and has partisans on the left bank, it is important to reinforce the cordon which protects Paris on that side.
[ 829.]             NAPOLEON TO JOSEPH.
La Fert&-sous-Jouarre, Feb. 15, 1814, 2 p.M.
My Brother, —Your letter of the 14th reached me at 5 o'clock.
I am surprised that by that time you had not received the courier
whom the chief of the staff sent to you from the field of battle,
at one in the afternoon. I shall be at Meaux early this evening
with my guard. I do not know whether the whole of my footguard will be able to get so far, but I hope that it will march beyond
La Ferte this evening. It will be difficult therefore for the footguard to reach Guignes* before to-morrow afternoon. The wisest
plan will bet to retire behind the Yeres, and to avoid engaging the
enemy. If this position is such as to make it impossible for the
enemy to attack the army to-morrow, it should remain there. If,
on the contrary, an attack should be feared, the army, leaving a
light corps to protect the road from Brie, might fall back upon
Fontenay, on the road to Meaux, and meet me. The great park,
after passing Brie-Comte-Robert, should move to the road between
Fontenay and Paris.  However, I shall probably before night
receive news of the army, and I shall then give positive orders;
I shall be at Meaux this evening in person. At any rate I will
not lose a moment in informing you of my intentions. I presume
that the barricades towards the Jardin des Plantes are finished,
and that you have placed there troops and guns. A commandant
must also be appointed for Bicetre, and a battalion and some guns
placed there: this advanced post sweeps the whole road. If the
enemy, notwithstanding the checks which he has experienced,
should persist in his advance, which would probably occasion his
" A village to the south of Meaux, between Paris and Sens. The Yeires
runs to the north of Guignes. —TR.
t This advice is given to the army consisting of three corps, amounting in
the whole to about 47,000 men, under the command of Oudinot, Victor, and
Macdonald. Napoleon was now marching to join this army.-TR.




EZB. 1814.  ORDERS TO OUDINOT, VICTOR, AND MACDONALD.      299
total ruin, all our forces, artillery, infantry, and cavalry, should
be brought together by the bridge of Corbeil or by that of Choisy.
These bridges must/be held, not destroyed; they are necessary to
me in order to manoeuvre on both banks; for as soon as the
enemy begins to retreat in good earnest I shall cross over to the
other bank to pursue and to surround him. For this purpose I
must use the bridges of Corbeil and Choisy, as those of Melun
and Montereau are destroyed. The Yeres has overflowed and is
not fordable; it will protect the army for at least three days.
On the 17th I shall be ready to attack.
[ 830.]            NAPOLEON TO JOSEPH.
Meaux,! eb. 15, 1814, T.m.
My Brother, —I have just arrived; my guard will be with
the army to-morrow.*
[ 831.]             NAPOLEON TO JOSEPH.
Meaux, Feb. 15, 1814.
My Brother, —It is useless to build a bridge at VilleneuveSt.-Georges, as that at Choisy will do for me: nor do we want a
new bridge at Charenton. A stone bridge fit to gallop over, and
wide enough for two carriages abreast, is enough, especially as I
have that of St. Maur. To build these new bridges would therefore alarm Paris unnecessarily and occasion useless expense.
[ 832.]             JOSEPH TO NAPOLEON.
Paris, Feb. 15, 1814, 5 A.M.
Sire,-General Bordesoulle has arrived with two letters which
I send on. He says that it is absolutely necessary that your Majesty
should determine which of the three marshals is to command.
All are anxious to see your Majesty at their head; they certainly
will be attacked to-morrow, and they appear to have little confidence in one another. I am writing to the Minister of War to
request him to send all the cavalry from the depot of Versailles,
* The rest of the letter is scratched out.-ED.




300           DESIRE FOE NAPOLEON'S PRESENCE.      CHAP. XX1.
that is disposable, towards Brie-Comte-Robert.  The Imperial
guard which was in Paris will also take part in this decisive
battle, so that if we are beaten I shall have no escort for the
Empress and the King of Rome. No one doubts that your
Majesty's presence would weigh immensely in our favour; and
as the safety of the capital, perhaps of the empire, may depend
on our success, I have no doubt that you will endeavour to reach
this army, whatever be the state of things on the Marne.
[ 833.]            JOSEPH TO NAPOLEON.
Paris, Feb. 15, 1814, 10 A.M
Sire, —I have no news of your Majesty, or of the Dukes of
Reggio, Belluno, and Taranto, since your Majesty's last letter
from the field of Vauchamps. I have written to your Majesty in
duplicate, and I wait in the utmost anxiety for your orders to the
corps of the Dukes of Belluno, RPeggio, and Taranto. I need not
say how indispensable your Majesty's presence is, on the eve of a
battle on which the fate of the empire may rest.
I hear again from General Bordesoulle that the Dukes of
Reggio and Belluno were to march at 9 last night towards the
small river Yeres, resting their left on Remy and the forest of
Crecy. I requested Bordesoulle to entreat them merely to keep
the enemy in check until the arrival of your Majesty.
[834.]             NAPOLEON TO JOSEPH.
Meaux, Feb. 16, 1814, 8 A.M.
My Brother,-It is 8 o'clock; I start for Guignes. I shall
attack to-morrow. Send by diligences all the men belonging to
the old guard; I hear that you have 800 of them in Paris.
Send also all the men of the old horse-guard to repair the losses
which it has sustained.  The Duke of Treviso is manoeuvring
between Soissons and Reims. Do not send any cavalry either to
Rambouillet or to Chartres, but direct it all on Fontainebleau.
As soon as I have accomplished my march, the enemy will disperse.
I missed yesterday a splendid opportunity: 6000 Bavarians were
two leagues off from me, near Montmirail, in the cross-road.
The enemy manceuvres with such ignorance that I hope to do
great things in the next few days.




FEB. 1814.        MOVEMENTS OF TROOPS.                301
[ 835.]            NAPOLEON TO JOSEPH.
Guignes, Feb. 16, 1814, 4 P.M.
My Brother,-I received your letter of to-day, 9 A. M.  I
reached this place at 3 in the afternoon. I shall put the army in
motion immediately. It will take its position to-night, so as to
reach Nangis by daybreak to-morrow. I shall also have Melun
occupied, and the bridge repaired. I have sent to know what is
going on at Fontainebleau. If anything new had occurred there,
you would have heard of it and have let me know. Send all the
available cavalry to join us by Brie-Comte-Robert.  I have
ordered the parks to come back.  The prefet of Melun was
away; if he is in Paris, tell him to return to Melun directly.
There are many national guards dispersed in different directions;
the Minister of War must make a return of them, and let them
all join and reinforce our army. There is no objection to your
placing your aide-de-camp Lecapitaine in the young guard; send
him off immediately.
[836.]            NAPOLEON TO JOSEPH.
Guignes, Feb. 16, 1814, 6 P.M.
My Brother,-I have received your letter of the 16th, 11
A.M. I think that no troops are wanted near Rambouillet. My
present manceuvre will recall all the enemy's parties. The Duke of
Treviso has orders to watch Soissons and Reims. He has two
divisions of cavalry and one of infantry. The Minister of War
must write to him, and keep him informed as to all the parties
which approach Paris. The remounts at Versailles must be kept
up as actively as possible. Recall the detachments from Rambouillet and keep them in reserve. They may be sent if necessary towards Soissons and Villers-Cotterets.  General Dombrowski, who is in the neighbourhood of Compiegne, should
remain there   Let the Duke of Treviso know that General
Dombrowski is under his orders.




802            RETREAT OP SCHWARTZENBERG.          CRAP. XXI.
[ 837.]            NAPOLEON TO JOSEPH.
Guignes, Feb. 17, 1814, 4 A.M.
My Brother,-I send to you a report from the Minister of
War addressed to La Bouillerie. You will see by it that I have
put two millions at the disposal of the Minister for the Administration of the War for the remounts at Versailles, and that of
these two millions 500,000 francs were paid before,ny departure;
and yet they complain of want of money. It seems that the
depot for remounts makes no progress.  Make them give you an
account of the horses which have been bought in the public
markets and elsewhere. I wish to employ these two millions in
remounts, but I want cavalry directly. It appears that up to the
present time very few horses have been purchased.
[ 838.1            NAPOLEON TO JOSEPH.
Guignes, Feb. 17, 1814, 5 A.Mr.
My Brother,-The Duke of Treviso was yesterday evening
at Villers-Cotterets.  He tells me that the enemy have evacuated
Soissons, and recalled all the detachments which they had sent
out in the direction of Compibgne. Their defeat has so terrified
them, that the Duke of Treviso thinks that they are retreating as
fast as possible to the Ardennes. They have marched by Fismes;*
so you see that you are safe in that quarter. Write to the Minister of War to assist the Duke of Treviso's operations.  On the
evening of the 14th, at about 8 o'clock, the Duke of Ragusa attacked again the Russian army at Etoges, and did them much more
harm than appears by the bulletin, as he took nine pieces of cannon,
and left the field covered with dead. The enemies are extremely
worn out and frightened. Collect all the scattered battalions.
[ 839. ]           NAPOLEON TO JOSEPH.
Guignes, Feb. 17, 1814, 6 A.M.
My Brother,-Paris is no longer threatened on any side, since
the Duke of Treviso is at Villers-Cotterets. I do not approve
of the Minister of War sending battalions to Meaux, Lagny, and
* On the road from Soissons to Reims.-TR.




FrB. 1814.      RETREAT OF SCHWARTZENBERG.              303
other places; he should keep all these resources to form the Ist
and 2nd divisions of the Paris reserve.
I see that the 1st brigade of the 1st division, under the command of the Duke of Padua, is organised. I have ordered it to
Villeneuve-St.-Georges. See that it is immediately provided with
eight pieces of cannon.
The Duke of Padua must establish his head-quarters at
Villeneuve to-day, and the brigade must have its artillery, as the
Duke of Padua may receive orders in the course of the day.
The Duke of Padua must make sure that each soldier has his
four packets of cartridges. The 2nd brigade'ought to be fornied
immediately, and brought together, with its six pieces of artillery,
at Charenton. I wish it to be there to-morrow, ready for service.
There is at Corbeil a battalion of the 65th, which may form part
of this division. Other battalions may be collected, which have
been improperly scattered. I have ordered General Charpentier
to proceed to Melun, and from thence to Fontainebleau. I have
desired General Boyer, who is at Charenton, to take General
Charpentier's place at Corbeil and Essonne.  It is possible that
I may give him definite orders to-morrow. Organise quickly,
therefore, the 2nd division of the Paris reserve. Once more,
pray tell the Minister of War to make a return of all the detachments, and recall every one of them. Send off a battery of
horse-artillery to join General Charpentier; let it proceed along
the right bank to Meaux. This battery may nearly reach Melun
to-day.
[ 840.]            NAPOLEON TO JOSEPH.
Nangis, Feb. 17, 1814, 3 P.M.
My Brother,-I ordered 1000 muskets to be sent to-night
from Vincennes to Brie-Comte-Robert for the national guard; but
as they were able to arm themselves on the field of battle, I think
that the minister should desire these muskets to be returned to
Paris. All this grand army, Austrian, Russian, Bavarian, and
Wurtembergian, is recrossing the Seine in every direction, and
with the utmost precipitation. By to-night there will probably




304       SCHWARTZENBERG REQUESTS AN ARMISTICE.  CHAP. XXI.
be not one man left on this side; but time, which is of the utmost
importance to me, will be lost while I am repairing the bridge at
Miontereau.
841.]            JOSEPH TO NAPOLEON.
Paris, Feb. 17, 1814, 10 A.M.
Sire,-I have received your Majesty's letter of yesterday, 6
P.M. The national guard will escort the prisoners only within
the walls of Paris. As up to this time it has been impossible to
furnish it with muskets, it is irregularly armed; and to have
permitted several hundreds of the national guard to leave Paris
would have hindered the equipment and arming of several thousands.  The institution of the national guard has singularly
quieted the public mind: it is likewise very useful as a municipal
force; but we should lose all these advantages if we treated it as
a force capable of acting beyond the walls. My opinion is shared
by all the higher authorities.
[ 842.]            NAPOLEON TO JOSEPH.
Nangis, Feb. 18, 1814.
My Brother,-Prince Schwartzenberg has at last shown signs
of life. He has just sent a flag of truce to ask for a suspension
of hostilities. It is hard to be dastardly to such a degree. He
constantly, in the most insulting terms, rejected every species of
suspension of arms or armistice; and after the capitulation of
Dantzic and that of Dresden he refused even to receive my flags
of truce, a barbarity of which there are few examples in history.
On the first repulse these wretches are on their knees. Happily
the Prince of Schwartzenberg's aide-de-camp was not allowed to
come within our posts. I received only his letter, which I shall
answer at my leisure. I shall not grant any armistice till I have
cleared my territory of them. From what I hear, the allies seem
to have quite changed their minds. The Emperor of Russia,
who, a few days ago, broke off the negotiations because he wished
to impose upon France worse conditions than those of our ancient
limits, wishes now to renew them; and I hope that I may soon
attain a peace rounded on the terms of Frankfort, which are the




FEB. 1814.             TERMS OF PEACE.                      305
lowest that I could accept with honour.* Before I began my
last\operations, I offered to sign on the basis of the ancient limits,
provided they would cease hostilities immediately. This proposal
was made by the Duke of Vicenza on the 8th. They refused.
They said that even the signature of preliminaries would not put
a stop to hostilities; that the war should last till all the articles
of peace were signed. They have been punished for this inconceivable answer, and yesterday, on the 17th, asked for an armistice!
You may well imagine that on the eve of a battlet which I
was resolved to win, or to perish, when, if I failed, my capital
was taken, I would have consented to anything rather than run
so great a risk. I owed this sacrifice of my pride to my family
and to my people. But since they refused these terms; since the
danger has been encountered; since everything has returned to
the ordinary risks of war; since a defeat no longer exposes my
capital; since all the chances are for me, the welfare of the
empire and my own fame require me to make a real peace. If I
had signed on the terms of the ancient limits, I should have
rushed to arms in two years, and I should have told the nation
that I had signed not a peace, but a capitulation. I could not
say this in present circumstances, for, as fortune is again on my
side, I can impose my own conditions. The enemy is in a very
different position from that which he occupied when he made the
Frankfort propositions; he must now feel almost certain that few
of his troops will recross the frontier. His cavalry is worn out
and low; his infantry is exhausted by marches and countermarches; he has lost all heart. I hope, therefore, to make a
peace such as will satisfy a reasonable man; and I wish for no
more than the conditions of Frankfort. Whisper that the enemy,
* The terms offered by the allies from Frankfort were what the French
have called the " natural limits" of France, namely, the Alps, the Pyrenees,
and the Rhine.
The term " ancient limits" signifies the frontier of France before 1789, and,
with slight modifications, her present frontier.-TR.
t Napoleon uses the word battle to signify his whole connected operations
against BlUcher. —TR.




306                   TERMS OF PEACE.               CHAP. XXI.
finding himself embarrassed, has asked for an armistice, or a suspension of hostilities, which was absurd, as it would have deprived
me of the fruit of my operations: add that this shows how
thoroughly he is disheartened. Do not let this be printed, but
let it be repeated in every quarter.
[843.              JOSEPH TO NAPOLEON.
Paris, Feb. 18, 1814, 11 P.M.
Sire, —I have received the letter in which your Majesty does
me the honour of announcing to me the enemy's request for a suspension of hostilities, and your Majesty's determination to grant
nothing until peace is signed. It is certain that they have been
treating long enough to be ready to sign the preliminaries without delay; and as they themselves proposed the Frankfort conditions before crossing the Rhine, those conditions may well be accepted by both parties. With regard to your Majesty, it signifies
little whether, at the time of signature, the enemy have recrossed
the Rhine or not, if what he signs on this side of the river is what
was proposed when he was on the other side. Such a signature
will prove that he was wrong in not adhering to the terms which
he had been the first to offer, and I consider the honour of France
secured by the signatures of the conditions proposed at Frankfort,
whether they be signed here or there, provided that the natural
limits be recognised.  It is plain that the enemy, confused by
your Majesty's manceuvres, wishes for a suspension of hostilities
to have time to look about him and to collect his scattered troops,
and that your Majesty is right in refusing it. I have represented
things as they really are; and however eager, however devouring
be the thirst for peace, every one will acknowledge the wisdom of
your Majesty's conduct in requiring the immediate signature of
the peace which was offered by the enemy at Frankfort.




FEB. i814                SUMMARY.                       307
CHAPTER XXII.
THE letters contained in this chapter extend from the 19th to
the 26th of February inclusive.  During these seven days
Napoleon made only three marches, from Montereau to Nogent,
from  Nogent to Chatres, and from  Chatres to  Troyes, and
fought no battle, except a hot skirmish with Bliicher on the
23rd at Mery, between Chatres and Troyes, which seems to have
been an accident, neitheir party being aware of the neighbourhood
of the other.
His activity was probably relaxed by the prospect of peace,
which at this time seemed not improbable, and might certainly
have been attained if success had not raised his hopes and his
demands, still more than failure depressed the allies. And the
violent exertions of the previous nine days must have made some
repose necessary.
[ 844.]           NAPOLEON TO JOSEPH.
Surville, opposite to Montereau, Feb. 19, 1814,  A.M.
My Brother,-I beat yesterday two divisions of the reserve
under the Austrian General Bianchi, and the W irtemberg troops.
Their loss in men was great; we took their colours, and from
3000 to 4000 prisoners; but the real subject of congratulation is,
that I had the good fortune to carry the bridge before they could
cut it.
I have sent back the Duke of Belluno on account of his ex



308            MARCH TOWARDS SCHWARTZENBERG.             CHAP. XXIL
treme slowness and carelessness.* I am glad that 1200 horses have
left the dep6t at Versailles. All the men belonging to the 1st
cavalry corps, which is under the Duke of Ragusa, must be kept,
as I intend them to remain on the Chalons road. They must all be
sent from Versailles or      t towards Meaux, to reinforce him. I
think that you were wrong in permitting the Danish officer t to
communicate with his minister. You should have waited for my
orders, and I should not have given them quickly. Even now I do
not choose that he should go away without my express permission.
I may keep him for a long time. All the men belonging to the
guard of honour, and to the 10th hussars, must be forwarded to
Compiegne to reinforce the Duke of Treviso's corps.
Surville, 8 A.M.
All the available soldiers of the old guard should be sent to
the Duke of Treviso. Form a column of 1200 men, cavalry, infantry, and artillery, of the troops which belong to that Marshal,
and send it to him.
r 845.]               NAPOLEON TO JOSEPH.
ChAteau de Surville, Feb. 19, 1814, 9 P.m.
MIy Brother,-It has taken us the whole day to pass the horrible defile of Montereau. I have just thrown a bridge over the
Seine, and another over the Yonne. General Roussel and his
* The bridge alluded to was the bridge over the Seine at Monterean. Victor had been ordered to seize it on the 17th, but had lost time in resting his
men, and had found it occupied by the Wiirtemberg troops. Napoleon ordered
him to leave the army. Victor answered that he would carry a musket.
Napoleon, relenting, gave him a command in the guard. In the attack on
Montereanu on the 18th, both Victor and Napoleon exposed themselves like
common soldiers. Napoleon resumed his earliest profession, and himself
pointed many of his guns.-TR.
t Illegible.-ED.
t Joseph had allowed a Dane, carrying despatches from his Court to the
Danish Minister, to enter Paris, accompanied and watched by a French
officer.-T&.




FEB. 1814.    WANT OF AMMUNITION-AUGEliEAU.              309
cavalry, and General Gerard with the 2nd corps,* have reached
Pont-sur-Yonne. General Allix is on his way to Nemours; General Charpentier is at Montereau. I suppose that General Boyer
will reach Melun this evening, with a division of the guard, and
that one of his brigades will be at Fontainebleau.  My advanced
guard is at Bray.
The Emperor of Russia and the King of Prussia were at
Bray. As soon as they heard that I had forced the bridge of
Montereau, they ran away as fast as they could. Their whole'army is terrified.  The three sovereigns spent a few days at
Pont, with Madame. They intended to reach Fontainebleau
to-morrow, and in a very few days Paris: they cannot understand what is taking place. To-day we have snow, and the
weather is rather severe. I am sending an article for the'Moniteur' to the Empress, but you may put into the' Moniteur,'
as well as into the other newspapers, under the head of Provins,
a notice of the precipitation with which the sovereigns quitted
Bray.  The Austrians protected my palace at Fontainebleau
from the Cossacks. We have taken several convoys of baggage,
and some carriages going towards Bray. Several hundred Cossacks have been taken in the forest of Fontainebleau. MRy ad
vanced guard will reach Bray to-morrow.
Try to hasten the supplies of artillery horses. Ammunition
must likewise be provided  more quickly.  They have only
40,000 rounds more at Vincennes. What is that if I fight a
great battle? I shall consume between 80,000 and 100,000!
The Duke of Ragusa is at Montmirail; the Duke of Treviso at
Villars-Cotterets; General Grouchy is still at La Ferte-sousJouarre, with from 6000 to 7000 men. The Duke of Castiglione's
corps must by this time amount to 15,000 men.t I conclude
that he is about to march. Tell the minister to write to him
* The corps which had been Victor's.-TR.
t This alludes to Augereau's army at Lyons.-TR.
Augereau at this time, and for some days longer, may be said to have
held in his hands the destinies of France. He disobeyed the repeated orders of
the Emperor to attack the enemy in flank, and march on Geneva. He was one
of the causes of the failure of the campaign.-ED.




310               HOSPITAL ACCOMMODATION.           CHAP. XXII.
again: it is in his power to do the enemy great harm. I could
not be better pleased than I am with the spirit both of the towns
and of the country, and in fact, of all my people. I am much
grieved at General Chateau's wound; he was an officer of promise:
I was told this morning that it was fatal, but this evening they say
that it is not. I am not satisfied with General Maison; he gives
no proof of the talents which I supposed him to possess. I have
ordered him to collect the garrisons of the different places in
Flanders; to march towards Antwerp, and resume operations.
[ 846.]              JOSEPH TO NAPOLEON.
Paris, Feb. 19, 1814.
Sire,-The Minister for the Administration of War has
informed your Majesty that the hospitals in Paris already contained more than-.* The Minister of the Interior proposes to
make use of the " Invalides " for the reception of the sick, and
to place the invalids in private houses. Others think rather of
using the great Courbevoie barrack, which is nearly empty. The
guard might select their conscripts at the Ecole Militaire, instead
of, as at present, at Courbevoie. In my opinion, Sire, the " Invalides " should not be touched. I see fewer objections to using the
Courbevoie barrack. At any rate, I thought that I ought to ask
your Majesty for orders. Letters from the South incline me to
think that Lord Wellington is meditating an attack upon the
army of Spain. Every person whom I have seen has spoken in
terms of the highest praise of your Majesty's conduct in insisting
on a speedy and lasting peace, and refusing a suspension of hostilities, which would be employed by the enemy in assembling his
troops, collecting his resources, and postponing peace indefinitely.
I have sent an officer to obtain news of the Duke of Ragusa.
C 847.]             NAPOLEON TO JOSEPH
Chateau de Surville, Feb. 20, 1814, 6 A..
My Brother,-I do not approve of more than 12,000 sick and
wounded being admitted into Paris. 12,000 more may easily be
* Four or five lines almost obliterated, evidently relating to the number of
sick in the hospitals.-ED.




FE 1814.         PROPOSALS OF THE ALLIES.             311
distributed between Versailles, Rouen, Evreux, St. Germain,
Chartres, and other places. It is not advisable to put too many
sick in a large town. If hospital fever were to spread, it might
destroy the population of Paris. You must not place the sick in
slaughter-houses.
[848.]            NAPOLEON TO JOSEPH.
Nogent, Feb. 20, 1814, 6 P.M.
My Brother, —I have just reached Nogent. From Montereau
the enemy fell back upon Troyes with the greater part of his army.
He has been fortunate in a frost, which has enabled him to go
across country, otherwise half of his baggage and artillery would
have been taken. We are inconvenienced too by this severe frost.
The enemy has committed crimes which cannot even be mentioned, at
Montereau, Bray, and Nogent: they ought to be known in Paris.
The Emperor of Austria has not left Troyes. From Bray the
Emperor of Russia has sent to mark his apartments at Fontainebleau. On the 18th he was forced to run away by the shortest
road.
[ 849.]             NAPOLEON TO JOSEPH.
Nogent, Feb. 20, 1814, 9 P.M.
My Brother,-The Duke of Bassano will forward to you a
copy of the proposals of the Allies. It will prove to you how out
of place your sermons are, and that I do not require to be lectured
into signing an honourable peace, if it be possible. I shall also
send to you an intercepted letter from the Duke of Angouleme;
you will take advice as to whether printing it would produce a
good effect upon Belgium.
Adieu, dear friend, adieu.
The Emperors had fixed their head-quarters at Fontainebleau
for the 18th; on that very day they were forced to quit Bray in
desperate haste for Troyes, where the allied armies have taken
refuge.




312            PROPOSED ADDRESS TO ORLEANS.       CHAP. XXII.
[ 850.]             NAPOLEON TO JOSEPH.
Nogent, Feb. 21, 1814.
My Brother,-You need not be uneasy about Orleans or
Montargis. The movement which I am about to make will
draw off the enemy immediately; his different corps will be
glad to be able to fall back as soon as they can. I think that
it would produce a good effect if the Empress were to write to
the town of Orleans in nearly these terms:-" I hear that the
town of Orleans is threatened by 1500 of the enemy's skirmishers. What! the town of Orleans, which contains 40,000
inhabitants, is afraid of 1500 horsemen!  Where then is the
energy of France? Organize your national guard; form a company of gunners; take from your own stables the horses which
are required. I have ordered the Minister of War to furnish
you with 12 pieces of cannon and five howitzers, to enable you to
defend your town and your property. The enemy who ravages
our country and plunders our towns is as implacable as he is faithless. To arms then, inhabitants of Orleans! and let your conduct confirm the opinion which. I have of you, and of the energy
of the French nation!"
Such letters, signed by the Empress, will be more effective
than if they were signed by me. Let this letter be sent with
one from the Minister of the Interior. The municipal authorities should meet to receive it, and then organize the national
guard, form a company of gunners, prepare teams, and place
the town in a state of defence. A deputation to the Empress
should give an account of the measures which they have taken.
The Duke of Treviso has cut the bridge at Soissons. The
Minister of the Interior must write to Soissons to desire the
national guard to be organised and the town placed in a state of
defence. I think that the Empress should write to Lille, Valenciennes, Cambrai, and to the other large towns on the
northern frontier, in nearly the same terms as to the town of
Orleans, varying the expressions according to circumstances, and
the proofs which these towns gave of their zeal during former
wars. These letters ought to be in the Empress's own handwriting. I think also that a proclamation made by the Empress, as




FEB. 1814.          REPORTS FROM TOWNS.                   313
Regent, to Belgium, would be of use. This proclamation might
be drawn up in the form of a letter addressed to the Mayor of
Brussels, the Mayors of Ghent, of Bruges, Mons, &c.  The Empress should acquaint them with my victories, and tell them that
the English wish to separate them from France, and place them
under the yoke of a prince who has always been hostile to their
country and to their religion: and assure them that the enemy
will soon find that no peace will be signed unless the natural limits of France are admitted.  These letters to the mayors may be
varied in their expressions so as to make as many different proclamations. Write to Montargis and Nemours to form the national
guard. Let the Minister of War send pikes everywhere. Order
the national guard of Beauvais to be organised, and above all take
care to let all this make a great noise in the newspapers.
The enemies have committed all sorts of horrors in every
direction.  The Minister of War must send good reporters to
the towns which they have occupied, to draw up narratives of
the atrocities which have been committed.  These reports are
to be inserted in the'Moniteur.' I wish also the towns of
Nogent, Provins, Nangis, Bray, Montereau, Sens, Epernay,
ChAteau-Thierry, Reims, Soissons, &c., to acquaint the municipality of Paris with all that they have suffered, and these letters
to be placarded in every direction; for, in short, one must not
deceive oneself as to the fact (and you ought to say so) that the
Russians intended to sack and burn Paris. It is therefore the
duty of the government to convince the inhabitants of this. I
even think that it would be well if deputations from these towns
came to read their addresses to the conseil-general of Paris.  It
can only do good if the Parisians hear on all sides,-" It is you
who were attacked; it is you whom they intended to pillage."
Put into the newspapers a detailed account of the noble conduct of the brave Admiral Verhuel,* and let it be known that
the squadron and the key of Holland are still ours. Speak to
the Minister for Marine Affairs on the subject.
* Though deserted by his Dutch sailors, he seized, with his French marines,
the fort of the Helder, and held out against the Prince of Orange -TR.
Vo. II. —14




314              1NISTRUCTOmS FOR JEROME.        CHAP. XXII.
The Duke of Taranto's head-quarters to-day are at St. Martin
de Bosnay and Romilly.  The advanced posts are at Chatres
and Mery. General Gerard is at Sens, and his advanced posts
at Villeneuve-l'Archeveque.  My head-quarters remain for today at Nogent. The bridge is so broken that it will be very
difficult to repair it. I have established a bridge of boats. The
route of the army will be in future by Nangis to Nogent,
[851.]            NAPOLEON TO JOSEPH.
Nogent, Feb. 21, 1814.
My Brother,-These are my intentions with respect to the
King of Westphalia.  I allow him  to wear the uniform of
the grenadier guard, and I grant the same permission to all
the French princes.  (You will inform  King Louis of this.)
The king is to dismiss all his Westphalian household. They
are free either to return home or to stay in France. The King
will immediately propose for my approbation three or four French
aides-de-camp, one or two equerries, and one or two chamberlains, all French, and two or three French ladies-in-waiting for
the Queen.  She will put off to some future time appointing
her lady-in-waiting. All the Westphalian pages must be placed
in the Lycees, and will wear the uniform of the Lycees. They
will be educated at my expense. One-third will be placed in the
Lyc6es of Versailles, one-third in that of Rouen, and the remaining third in the Lyc6e of Paris. The King and Queen will then
be presented to the Empress; and I authorise the King to occupy Cardinal Fesch's house (since it appears that it belongs to
him), and to establish his household there. The King and Queen
will continue to bear the title of King and Queen of Westphalia,
but they are to have no Westphalians in their suite.
[852.]            JOSEPH TO NAPOLEON.
Paris, Feb. 21, 1814.
Sire,-The Empress held a council to-day to settle the best
plan for obtaining the 2000 horses for which your Majesty has
asked the Minister of War. M. d'Hauterive tells me that MI.
de St. Charles has received orders to join your Majesty's head



FFB. 1814.    OPINION IN TOULOUSE AND BOURDEAUX.        315
quarters. You will find annexed a paper which will prove to
your Majesty that it is useless to rely on the princes; they will
never be able to do anything for you. The bulletin of to —day
was not very well received; some passages were interpreted as
raising doubts as to the success of the negotiations. Every one
agrees that your Majesty would have done wrong in granting a
suspension of hostilities. Peace with the natural limits is desired
by all. No one now would accept the ancient limits.
[ 853.]           JOSEPH TO NAPOLEON.
Paris, Feb. 22. 1814.
Sire,-The annexed extract from a letter from  M. Bastarreche of Bayonne, which has been forwarded to me by the Duke
of Conegliano will acquaint your Majesty with the state of the
Duke of Dalmatia's army. The Ministers of the Interior and
of the Police and the Arch-Chancellor have just left me; they
have given me a most deplorable picture of the state of things at
Toulouse and Bourdeaux. The spirit of these towns is very unfavourable; a Bourbon appearing there would be well received.
Your Majesty will be astonished at the behaviour of the Duke
of Dalmatia, unless he retreated by your orders.  He is the
only man in authority whose intentions I could venture to
suspect.
Another report, which I annex (No. 2), lends some probability to a rumour, just communicated to me by the Minister, that
the enemy has entered Amiens. The two ministers assured me
that the Russian proclamations in favour of the Bourbons have
found an echo. I suppose that we are on the eve of a battle.
Whatever may be the result, the present state of things cannot
last.  The Ministers declare to me, in the presence of the ArchChancellor, that the administration is everywhere falling to
pieces, that money is wanting, and that the system of requisition
ends by alienating all hearts, and leaving the government to
stand alone. However hard these truths may be, as they cannot
reach your Majesty through your ministers, I fulfil without hesitation the painful duty of acquainting you with them.
* I cannot explain this allusion. —TR.




316                   WANT OF ARMS.               CHAP. XXIL
[ 854.]            JOSEPH TO NAPOLEON.
Paris, Feb. 22, 1814.
Sire,-I enclose the rough drafts of two letters which the
Empress is ready to sign, should they meet with your Majesty's
approbation. I have seen the Minister of the Interior: he is
writing to your Majesty.  The plan of sending deputations from
the different towns to the Council-General of Paris seems to him
to be open to some objections. I share in this opinion, and I am
sure that, if your Majesty had time to think again on the subject,
you would relinquish the idea.
The Ministers and the Duke of Conegliano are also of opinion that it would be impossible to double the national guard
without changing its nature.  Besides, there still remains the
unconquerable difficulty of the want of arms.  The Minister of
War has been asked...... *  As to the national guard, as it
now stands, it is a safeguard against anarchy; it is well disposed;
it enters into the views of the government; it was electrified by
the account of the prodigies which have been performed by your
Majesty in such a short time; it wishes for peace to restore you
to your capital; its attachment for you is equal to its admiration.
The capital shares in these opinions; but to say more, Sire, would
be to deceive oneself as well as your Majesty. The people of
Paris, hostile to the government a month ago, touched by your Majesty's confidence in trusting your wife and your son to them, encouraged and astonished by your Majesty's successes, are yet not
in a state in which more than mere fidelity and obedience can be
expected.  They admire your genius, but they can be excited
only by the hope of a speedy peace, and they are by no means
inclined to oppose any effective resistance to a hostile army, or
to send detachments of the national guard beyond the walls.
This, Sire, is the exact truth. Your Majesty must not rely on
an exertion greater than can fairly be expected from a population so disposed.
* Illegible.-ED.




FEB. 1814.           NAPOLEON'S CONFIDENCE.                     317
[ 855.]              NAPOLEON TO JOSEPH.
ChAtres, near M6ry, Feb. 23, 1814, 2 P.M.
My Brother,-I have received your letters of the 22nd.*  I
am sorry to see that you continue to conjure up phantoms. The
greater number of the facts contained in your letters are untrue.
The enemy is not at Amiens; the  Duke of Dalmatia has not
commenced his retreat. It is an old story that the Comte d'Artois is at Basle; it is not certain, nor does it much signify,
wjlether there be, or be not, 300 rebels in Le Comtat Vefaissin:
at all events, courage, patience, and presence of mind can overcome everything. But you will do nothing if you collect together
all sorts of reports, and excite your imagination by working them
up into striking pictures. You will be cowed and hopeless.
My advanced guard by this time ought to have reached
Troyes, where I shall be myself in two hours. The allies are
retreating to Vandoeuvre.t Prince Schwartzenberg has again
asked for an armistice.   He wishes commissioners from  both
parties to meet.t  They seem  to  fear a general action and its
consequences. Winzingerode, Sacken, York, and Blhicher have
crossed the Aube, and are all to meet at Vandoeuvre; Marmont
herefore has no one before him.~
I do not deny that the state of affairs is very serious. Do not
fancy that I am ill-informed; ministers generally want presence
of mind. Placards of addresses from the different villages which
* The two last letters.-TR.
t A village on the cross-road between Troyes and Bar-sur-Aube.-TR.: They did meet; Lamartine tells the story thus: —" Napoleon appointed
the village of Lusigny, between Vandceuvre and Troyes, as the scene. He
sent thither one of his most brilliant officers, M. de. Flahault. General Duca
represented Austria, General Schuwaloff Russia, and General Rauch Prussia;
but the result was only some hours of conversation."-flistoire de la Restauration, vol. i. pp. 113-126.-TR.
~ This was a mistake, as Napoleon found a few hours later. Bliicher, who,
after his defeat at Vauchamps, on the 14th, had recovered himself almost miraculously, was then at M6ry, a few miles from Chatres, and on this very day
fought a sharp, indecisive action with Napoleon. In the night of' the 23rd he
marched northward to attack Marmont at Sezanne.-TR.




318         DEPUTATIONS FROM TOWNS-ARMISTICE.   CUAP. XXIL
have been invaded by the enemy will produce an excellent effect.
There is no objection to the council of the municipality of Paris
receiving deputations and hearing what they have to say. Let
their addresses be full of facts, and placard them immediately.
The inhabitants of Paris will see that they are threatened with
rape, pillage, and fire. As to the notion of doubling the national
guard, as you disapprove of it, I give it up. If I had listened
to the Ministers, I should not have formed a national guard, and
I should have distrusted Paris. If skilful use be made of these
addresses from the invaded towns, they will, I repeat, produce an
excellent, and incalculable effect.  When the towns tell of all
the fine promises which the enemy made on arriving, and of his
behaviour afterwards, it will rouse general indignation.  Give
the greatest possible activity to the communication between
Paris and the districts which have been occupied by the
enemy.
The placards may be headed thus:"The deputies of Sens were admitted to the sitting of the
council of the municipality, and presented the following report, &c."
This report must also be inserted in the newspapers. The
result will be that fear will teach the Parisians what they have
to do.
I am badly served in the north. General Maison is a man
of narrow understanding and of little energy. Let the Minister
of War repeat the instructions to him to issue from the fortified
places; and to attack the enemy by falling in detail upon his
quarters.  The Duke of Treviso must return  to ChfateauThierry, to draw nearer to me, and to set the Duke of Ragusa
free.
I have written to the Duke of Castiglione. I have told the
Empress to speak to his wife. I think that you ought to speak
to her also, and make the ladies of the court do the same. He
must advance, take example by me, and do himself honour.
The enemy sets fire to everything, and appears to have given
ap all thoughts of Paris. The Prince of Schwartzenberg's aidede-camp, Prince Lichtenstein, with whom I have just conversed




FEB. 1814.      hETREAT OF SCIlWARTZENBERG.              319
for some time, let it drop that they were very much alarmed by
this movement of the Duke of Castiglione. I will send to you
from Troyes the letter which I have written to the Emperor of
Austria.
Well, we have thrown back the enemy's armies nearly to
Langres. As I foretold, Montargis and Orleans are relieved;
the Cossacks are flying as fast as they can in every direction.  I
have written to Borghese to order him to send 6000 men from
his division to Chamb6ry; * let the Minister of War reiterate
this order.  Desire the Minister of War likewise to repeat
to the Duke of Dalmatia the order not to retreat without fighting.
[ 856.]            NAPOLEON TO JOSEPH.
Faubourg des Noirs, before Troyes, Feb. 25, 1814, 7 A.M.
My Brother,-I am at Troyes.  The enemy besieges me
with flags of truce demanding a suspension of hostilities. We
shall perhaps settle upon granting one this morning; but only
if the negotiations at ChAtillon proceed on the basis of the conditions of Frankfort. This evening all my troops will be at
ChAtillon-sur-Seine.
I have had several cavalry actions; I have taken 2000 prisoners and 8 pieces of cannon. I have written to the Empress
to fire a salute of 30 guns to celebrate not only these smaller
successes, but also the deliverance of the capital of Champagne.
I could have entered Troyes yesterday evening, but I must have
sacrificed the town, the enemy insisting upon holding out in
order to remove their baggage. If I had had 20 boats to cross
the Seine where I wanted, the Austrian army would have ceased
to exist: at any rate terror reigns in the ranks of the enemy.
A few days ago they thought that I had no army; now their
imagination sticks at nothing: 300,000 or 400,000 men are not
enough for them.  They fancied that I had none but recruits;
they now say that I have collected all my veterans, and that my
* To meet Augereau, who was to have marched from Lyons towards Geneva, to cut off the communications of the allies.-TR.




320       FOLLY OF THE MINISTER OF THE INTERIOR.  CHAP. XXIL
armies consist of picked men; that the French army is better
than ever, &c.  See what is the effect of terror.  The Parisian
newspapers must confirm  their fears.  Newspapers are not
history, any more than bulletins are history: one should always
persuade the enemy that one's forces are immense.
I do not agree with the remarks which have been made on
the communications between the country and Paris; I wish my
orders on the subject to be executed. The Minister of the Interior is a coward: he has absurd ideas about men. Neither he
nor the Minister of Police knows more of France than I do of
China. When the deputies from the country show the letters
which they have received, the prefet must assemble the notables
to hear them read. This is not a got-up thing nor an imposture:
the enemy has committed such atrocities that the whole of France
will be indignant. Here, on the spot, the most moderate people
speak of them with rage. If the French were as contemptible
as the Minister of the Interior believes them to be, I myself
should blush to be a Frenchman. With regard to the project of
doubling the national guard, I yield to your observations the
more readily as the measure does not appear to be necessary.
[ 857.]            NAPOLEON TO JOSEPH.
Troyes, Feb. 25, 1S14, 4 P.M.
My Brother,-My troops have entered Bar-sur-Seine and
Vandoeuvre.  It seems that the enemy is retreating towards
Langres.  General Blticher. after crossing the Aube and advancing on M6ry, recrossed it yesterday the 24th, and marched
upon Anglure with between 8000 and 10,000 men, the remainder
of the corps which he commanded.*  The Duke pf Ragusa reconnoitred him yesterday, the 24th, but was not strong enough to
* Napoleon, fatally for himself, miscalculated the force of Blficher. Baron
von Muffling' shows that Bliicher's army, at this instant, consisted of 53,000
men. He estimates the allied grand army at 71,000, and the army under
Napoleon at Troyes at 62,000. It is not probable that Marmont thought of
attacking Bliicher.-TR.
I Life and writings, p. 453.




FEB. 1814.        WANT OF RECRUITS-MURAT.                  321
attack him.  The Duke of Padua is at Nogent; the Duke of
Belluno at Mery.  As soon as I see what Blucher intends to do,
I shall try to fall upon his rear and to cut him off.
I have written to the Minister of War that General Maison
does not know what he is about; that he ought to march out of
his fortresses, collect all the garrisons of Antwerp, &c., and fall
upon the rear of the enemy.
I have told the Minister of War to transmit similar orders to
the commandant of Metz.  He should also try to convey orders
to the same effect to Mayence, where the commandant has
allowed himself to be blockaded by a mob. The commissioners
discussing the armistice are still sitting at Lusigny. Itis' said that
the CroWn-Prince of Sweden is at Cologne.  Could you not, on
your own responsibility, send some one to make him sensible of
his folly, and persuade him  to alter his conduct?  Try, but do
not implicate me.
[858.]              JOSEPH TO NAPOLEON.
Paris, Feb. 25, 1814.
Sire,-I regret that I have to report to you that there is a
perceptible diminution in the arrival of conscripts. The imperial
guard has received 2236 between the 17th and 23rd instant inclusive. Yesterday it was joined by only 95. The line has received, between the 17th and 22nd inclusive, only 601. On the
23rd only 25 arrived. By the line I mean the general depot of
Paris, under the inspection of General Fririon.
[ 859.]             NAPOLEON TO JOSEPH.
Troyes, Feb. 26, 1814.
My Brother,-It seems that the allies have not yet ratified
the treaty with the King of Naples.* Despatch by a courier,
with the utmost haste, a letter to the King, in which you will
frankly point out to him the iniquity of his conduct, offering to
* The treaty by which Murat joined the coalition, and Austria in return
guaranteed to him the throne of Naples, was dated the 11th of January,
1814.-TR.
VOL. II. —14*




822                  CONDUCT OF MURAT.             CHAP. XXIL
mediate for him if he will return to his duties. -Tell him that
this is his only hope; that if he take any other course he must be
destroyed either by France or by the allies. I need not point out
all that you may say. Even the English do not recognise him as
king. There is still time to save Italy and to replace the Viceroy
on the Adige. Write also to the Queen on her ingratitude, which
revolts even the allies. Say that, as no battle has yet taken place
between the French and Neapolitan troops, all may be arranged;
but there is not a moment to lose. As Senator Fouche6 is still
in those parts, you may write to him to converse with your messenger li these subjects.
[ 860.]             JOSEPH TO MURAT.
Paris, Feb. 28, 1814.
My dear Brother,-I sent long ago an answer to the letter
which you had the kindness to write to me on the 31st of December.
I find that it has not reached you, and I am anxious to atone
for my apparent neglect, and to repeat to you my gratitude for all
the friendliness and affection contained in your letter. This was
the only subject of my answer; but I now think it my duty both
towards you and towards your family, to express to you my opinions and my feeelings on the grave circumstances in which we are
placed. I will not enter into political discussions, but what strikes
me, as well as every other Frenchman, is that it is impossible that
you should be happy if France is miserable, or if you are her
enemy. I am either mistaken in your character, or you will
never be able to play the hateful part of an enemy to the very
country to which you owe your glory. You are too good and too
honest not to lament during the whole of the remainder of your
life any success opposed to the welfare of France.
Moreover the fact is that in the long run you have nothing to
hope either from the English or from the allies; your head therefore may follow the suggestions of your heart: it is not too late,
* Fouche, then at Rome and in disgrace, is said to have given Murat adnice unfavorable to Na-oleon.-TR.




Frn. 1814          CONGRESS OF CHATILLON.               323
since no battle as yet has been fought. I shall esteem myself
doubly fortunate if I can restore the good understanding which
ought always to subsist between the Emperor and yourself, for the
sake of France, of your subjects, and of our family. I entreat
you therefore to place me in a position to prove to you, at this
crisis of your fate, that I am really your friend.
I have conversed frequently with M. Faypoult, who possesses
all my confidence, and who deserves yours. I hope that you will
place sufficient reliance in him to trust him with your wishes, and
that you will empower me to attain the end which we ought both
of us to desire.... Among those who serve you how few there are
whose interests are the same as your own! Look closely into
them, and yoit will see how little they deserve to be trusted. The
enemies of France and the enemies of the Emperor are your
enemies.
861.]             NAPOLEON TO JOSEPH.
Troyes, Feb. 26, 1814, 6 P.M.
My Brother,-I have received your letter of the 25th, 9 P.M.
The Austrian commandant of ChAtillon-sur-Seine quitted the
town yesterday. I have ordered the duty to be performed by the
national guard of Chatillon, not choosing to place there troops of
the line, as it would have been a waste of two battalions, added to
which, in honour of the Congress, they must have been grenadiers.
In the mean while the Congress is in our hands, which proves how
completely the plans of the enemy have been frustrated. Lord
Castlereagh asked if he were safe, considering that he is not actually an ambassador; of course there can be no question: all
that appertains, directly or indirectly, to the Congress, is protected by the law of nations. Our troops were to enter Bar-surAube this evening. Guns were heard yesterday in the direction
of S6zanne: it seems that Bliicher, who was slightly wounded in
the action at Mery, is manoeuvring there. The Prince of Moskowa
has crossed the Aube at Arcis, in order to fall upon his rear.




324                 SUMMARY OF THE              CHPu. XXII1
CHAPTER XXIII.
THE Ietters contained in this chapter extend from the 27tL of
February to the 10th of April, 1814.
This was the third act of the tragedy of 1814.
No portion of Napoleon's military life, except perhaps his first
Italian campaign, has been so praised as the campaign of 1814.
The portion of it to which the letters in the last chapter relate
deserves all the admiration which it has received. Nothing coulo
be more masterly than the vigour, the precision, and the force of
the blows with which in ten days he drove back and broke
Blucher to the north of Paris, and Schwartzcnberg to the east.
But all the remainder of his operations were unsuccessful, and, if
an unprofessional writer may venture to criticise so great a general, unskilful. His attempt at the beginning of the campaign to
prevent the junction of Bllicher and Schwartzenberg failed. The
battle of Brienne was undecisive; in that of La Rothiere he
was beaten. And although the destruction of the allies in those
two battles probably exceeded that of the French, yet the loss of
5000 men to Napoleon was more injurious than that of 10,000 to
his enemy.
The success, the skill, and the decision of Napoleon in the
last part of the campaign may be estimated from the following
summary:
On the 27th of February Napoleon broke up from Troyes and
marched northward to attack Bldcher, leaving Oudinot and
G6rard in Bar-sur-Aube to keep Schwartzenberg in check.
On the 28th he was at S6zanne.




FEB. 1814.          CAMPAIGN OF 1814.                325
On the 1st of March at Jouarre.
On the 2nd at Jouarre.
On the 3rd at La Fert6-sous-Jouarre, where he crossed the
Marne: in the mean time Oudinot and G6rard had been driven
out of Bar-sur-Aube, and Schwartzenberg entered Troyes on
the 4th.
On the 4th of March Napoleon was at Fismes. Bliicher's
army had retreated before him with some loss, and Napoleon believed that Marmont was before it at Soissons, and that it might
be attacked from the front as well as from the rear. Soissons,
however, had surrendered on the 2nd, and Blucher had passed
through it on his march to the strong position of Laon.
The 5th Napoleon remained at Fismes. He ordered a levee
en masse.
On the 6th he crossed the Aisne at Bery-le-Bac, having failed
in an attack on Soissons.
On the 7th he attacked Blucher at Craonne. The loss on
each side was great: the only result was that Bl(icher retreated a
few miles to Laon.
On the 8th, 9th, and 10th he attacked Bliicher in the formidable position of Lamn, was repulsed, and retreated to Chavignon.
He slept on the 10th at Chavignon.
On the 12th at Soissons.
On the 13th, 14th, 15th, and 16th at Reims.
The attack on Blicher had failed, except in driving him back
to Laon; and Schwartzenberg had established himself within four
days' march of Paris.
Napoleon now thought it time to turn on Schwartzenberg. He
marched
On the 17th to IEpernay;
On the 18th to Fere-Champenoise;




326                  SUMMARY OF THE             Cnal. XXIII.
On the 19th to Plancy-on-the-Aube; and
On the 20th to Arcis-sur-Aube.
Here he was attacked by Schwartzenberg, whom his advance
had, as he expected, recalled from Troyes, and repelled the attack
with difficulty, and with the boldest personal exposure.
On the 21st he left Arcis. Between him and Paris were
Blicher and Schwartzenberg. Instead of attacking either, he
turned to the north-east towards Luxemburg or Lorraine.
On the 22d he was at Olcomte on the road to Vitry, which
was held by the allies. He summoned in vain the commandant
to surrender it, and
On the 23rd reached St. Dizier.
On the 24th and 25th, he remained at Doulevent, in the neighbourhood of St. Dizier.
On the 26th he returned to St. Dizier, and skirmished, without much result, with the corps of Winzingerode; which had been
left to watch him.
On the 27th he made another unsuccessful attempt to frighten
the Prussian commandant of Vitry into a surrender, and then
fell again on Winzingerode, and beat him.
On the 28th his advanced guard had proceeded a further
march to the eastward, and reached Bar-le-Duc in Lorraine.
It is supposed that on that day he heard that the allied armies,
having left only Winzlngerode's corps to watch him, were marching direct on Paris.
He returned to Doulevent, and
On the 29th reached Troyes, having marched 50 miles in
one day.
On the 30th he started from Troyes early in the morning with
what remained of his guard, left them behind him at the first
station, and in a light carriage, with Berthier and Caulincourt by
his side, passed through Sens at midnight, where he ordered rations




FEB. 1814.           CAMPAIGN OF 1814.                827
to be prepared for 150,000 men, who, as he said, were following
him, and reached the post-house of La Cour de France, about 10
miles from Paris, at about four in the morning of the 31st.
On that morning the allies entered Paris.
Now, if one of the Marshals had been in command,-if he had
had to report that such had been the employment of the last army,
and the last month, of the empire,-what would have been the
storm of reproach and invective with which he would have been
assailed by Napoleon!
The ill-success of the first fortnight may be excused. In his
desperate state Napoleon was forced to run great risks, and the
defeat of Bliicher would have been a glorious prize. But from
the time that he marched eastward, to the rear of Schwartzenberg, he seems to have wandered without any definite plan, at
least without any definite military plan. He relied on the terror
of his name. He had so often repeated that "' in war moral force
is everything," that he seems to have believed it to be literally
true. He believed that all the armies that were advancing on
Paris would turn back as soon as they found that he was in their
rear, and would follow him till he could be succoured by his garrisons on the Rhine. In this expectation he marched and countermarched, approached Vitry on the 22nd, was in St. Dizier on
the 23rd, left it on the 24th, returned to it on the 26th, tried
Vitry again on the 27th, and awoke from his dream on the 28th
to find that, while he was in Lorraine, the allies were within a
march of Paris.
There is a wonderful resemblance between the conduct of
Napoleon at the close of his struggle against the allies and that
of Turnus, when, in the last battle before his capital, he left its
front unprotected in order to fall on the rear of the invaders:



328              ARCIS-MOVEMENT OF BLUCHER.             CHAP. XXIIL
Interea extremo bellator in sequore Turnus
Palantes sequitur paucos, jam segnior, atque
Jam minus atque minus successu letus equorum.
Attulit hune illi caecis terroribus aura
Commixtum clamorem, arrectasque impulit aures
Confusae sonus urbis et illaetabile murmur.
---- --   Medios volat ecce per hoetes.
Vectus equo spumante Saces, adversa sagitta
Saucius ora, ruitque implorans nomine Turnum"Turne in te suprema salus, miserere tuorum,
Soli pro portes Messapus et acer Atinas
Sustentant aciem. Circum hos utrinque phalanges
Stant densae strictisque seges mucronibus horret
Ferrea, tu curmum deserto in gramine versas."
862.]                NAPOLEON TO JOSEPH.
Troyes, Feb. 27,1814, A.M.
My Brother,-I am moving to Arcis-sur-Aube to attack the
corps which is advancing on La Ferte-Gaucher. The greater part
of the army remains at Bar-sur-Aube.
[ 863.]              NAPOLEON TO JOSEPH.
Arcis-sur-Aube, Feb. 27, 1814, 5 P.M.
My Brother,-I am at Arcis.  I intend to sleep at Herbisse;
to-morrow at 9 A.M. I shall reach La Fere-Champenoise; thence,
according to circumstances, I shall march either on Sezanne or on
La Ferte-Gaucher. I shall thus be in the rear of the whole of
the enemy's army. Give notice of this to the Duke of Ragusa,
who to-day, the 27tL, ought to be between La Fert6-Gaucher and
La Ferte-sous-Jouarre. The Duke of Treviso sends me word that
he was to join him yesterday evening, the 26th; that they are
pressing on the enemy, and preventing him from turning upon me
with his whole force. As your courier may be captured, write in
cipher, and select an intelligent man who will carry your orders
in his head. I hope that my courier will reach you to-morrow
before 3 A.M., and that the Duke of Ragusa will receive your let



FEB. 1814.      MOVEMENT AGAINST BLUCHER.              329
ter before nine o'clock. The main body of the Austrian army
continues to retreat upon Langres.  I have recalled none of
my troops from Bar-sur-Aube.
I have received some engravings of the King of Rome. I
wish you to change the inscription, " May God watch over my
Father and France," to this, "I pray to God for my Father and
for France;" it is simpler. I also wish some copies to be
struck off representing the King in the uniform of the National
Guard.
[ 864.]           NAPOLEON TO JOSEPH.
Herbisse, Feb. 28, 1814, 2 A.M.
My Brother,-To-day I shall be near La Fert6-Gaucher.
Tell the Dukes of Ragusa and Treviso that they may manoeuvre
accordingly.
L 865.]            NAPOLEON TO JOSEPH.
S6zanne, Feb. 28, 1814, 3 P.M.
My Brother,-The Prince of Moscow is by this time halfway to La Ferte-Gaucher, which we shall reach to-morrow in good
time. A division of Cossacks and of light troops under Tetenborn were driven out of La Fere-Champenoise.  The Duke of
Ragusa ought to know this. Write to him. If the enemy
have taken up his position at La Fert6-Gaucher, we shall attack
him to-morrow; the marshals must, therefore, act with a view
to this.
[ 866.]           JOSEPH TO NAPOLEON
Paris, Feb. 28, 1814.
Sire, —The Duke of Ragusa has sent word to-day to the
Minister of War that a superior force of the enemy advancing
from Reims has forced him to retreat on Jouarre, whence he goes
on this morning to Meaux. The Duke of Treviso has joined him,
and does the same.
The Duke of Ragusa believes that the enemy is marching on
Paris: he implores reinforcements, and I have little to give.




330          ADVANCE ON BLUCHEMR-LA FERT].       CHAP. XXIII.
I am preparing to guard the bridges of Lagny, St. Maur, and
Charenton, and to form a small reserve.
[ 867.]           NAPOLEON TO JOSEPH.
Jouarre, March 1, 1814, 8 P.M.
My Brother,-Your three letters of the 28th reached me at
9 A.M., at noon, and at 1 P.M.
I have not yet communicated with the Duke of Ragusa, and
know nothing of the events of yesterday. I am at Jouarre; I
have taken La Fert6-sous-Jouarre, and at the same time I cut off
the bridges which the enemy had placed across the Marne. I
captured some baggage, and took between 300 and 400 prisoners.
The whole of the enemy's army is thrown upon the right bank of
the Marne. By Preval's report I see that the Poles are to start
to-morrow, the 2nd: send them to La FertU-sous-Jouarre. Order
all the cavalry which is on its way to the Duke of Ragusa, and
which does not belong to him (that is to say, to the l st cavalry
corps), to proceed to Meaux; I shall then send them to their different corps, for the great thing is to keep all the cavalry together. Let me have a return of the troops at St. Maur and at
Lagny. Besides the 600 Poles who are coming, 1200 more ought
to be ready; they are my Cossacks. I wish them to start soon.
General......    has obtained from  me a decree, putting
150,000 francs, which were in General Dombrowski's chest, at the
disposal of his regiment. Write to General Preval to watch this
operation, and let these men join me without delay. I have left
the Duke of Tarento, the Duke of Reggio, and General Gerard
upon the Aube, between Bar-sur-Aube and Vandoeuvre. I have
placed General 8ebastiani in Troyes as governor. Send an officer
to find out what is going on there. It seems to me that General
Ornano is not sufficiently active in re-organising the cavalry of
my guard. He has 2200 men ready and 1400 horses; why has
he not as many more in preparation? Let him bestir himself a
little more, for I am anxious to keep at a high complement the
cavalry of my guard, as in these forced marches many men are
* Illegible.-ED.




FzB. 1814.              NEGOTIATIONS.                    331
lost. In all the reports which have reached me of conversations
among the officers in Blficher's army, he is spoken of as a madman, and his manoeuvre blamed. The express which should have
left Paris yesterday morning with my newspapers has not yet
arrived.
r 868.]            NAPOLEON TO JOSEPH.
Jouarre, March 2, 1814.
My Brother,-On the receipt of the present letter I wish you
to call together, in presence of the Regent, the high dignitaries,
my ministers, and the President of my Conseil d'Etat, and to read
to them the note of the allies, containing their proposals; my
letter to the Emperor of Austria; the letter from Prince Schwartzenberg to the chief of the staff, with his answer; and the draft
of a note which I have just dictated to be presented by the Duke
of Vicenza to the Congress; in short, the different papers which
give information as to the state of the negotiation for the armistice,-in order that the proper councillors of my government may
know how the question stands. The Duke of Cadore will take
down all that each of them says. I do not ask for formal advice,
but I wish to know different people's impressions.
[ 869.]            NAPOLEON TO JOSEPH.
La F6rte-sous-Jouarre, March 2, 1814, P.a.
My Brother,-Up to this time nothing has reached La Fert6
from Paris through Meaux, yet I despatched to you yesterday
evening a courier by the direct road. Desire Lavalette to regulate the posts properly.  The bridge of La Fert6 will be repaired
this evening. At midnight I shall be in pursuit of the enemy; it
is said that his movements are considerably embarrassed by the
mud. We may possibly meet with great success.  I have ordered
Prince Borghese, through the minister of war, to send from 6000
to 8000 men, with horse artillery, to Chambery: repeat this order.
Converse sometimes with the Ministers of War and of the Interior. I think that Gantheaume should be recalled; he is a pessimist. The National Guard of Toulon alone would render what




332          DEFICIENCY OF MEN, ARMS, AND MONEY.   CHAP. XXIII.
he fears improbable,* still more the addition of 8000 or 10,000
men from the squadron. Reiterate the order for all the disposabie men in the 7th and 8th divisions to repair to Lyons; it is there
that troops are required. I have desired that the pontoon-train,
which, as I hear, left Paris to-day, may travel night and day till it
reaches me-it is my greatest want.  If I had had one at Mdry I
should have cut to-pieces Schwartzenberg's army, and this morning I should have destroyed Blficher. I am preparing to carry
the war into Lorraine,t where I shall collect all the troops which
are in garrison on the Meuse and the Rhine. There are many
soldiers in Paris; I see in the return that there are a number
ready for service. Why are they not sent off? —more activity is
required. It is necessary to organise as soon as possible the 4th
provisional division of the guard, to remount 2000 cavalry, and to
form the 4th division of the line, in order that you may always
have troops at hand in Paris.
[ 870.]             JOSEPH TO NAPOLEON.
Paris, March 2, 1814, 5 P.M.
Sire,-We hear to-day that the commissioners for the armistice have separated. The ministers held a council to-day. It
seems that, in every respect, we are at the end of our resources.
I have sent 700 men to Lagny. They are old soldiers picked up
in the hospitals, left when Laval's division marched.  They are
to join their corps.
[ 871.]              JOSEPH TO NAPOLEON.
Paris, March 3, 1814, 6 A.M.
Sire,-I have received  your letter from   La Ferte-sousJouarre, dated on the evening of the 2nd of March. I have
* Napoleon alludes to the fears expressed by Admiral Gantheaume and
Mass6na of the English effecting a landing at Toulon, where Gantheaume
commanded the fleet and Massena the district.-ED.
t This is the first notice of the march on the rear of the allies, leaving them
between himself and Paris, which Napoleon effected three weeks afterwards.
-TR.




MARCHr, 1814.    ADVANCE AGAINST BLUCHERI.                333
desired M. Lavalette to send his couriers by the most direct road.
I have written to the minister to remind Prince Borghese to send
troops to Chamb6ry.  He tells me that this order has been
executed; and with respect to placing a proper garrison in Alexandria, that the order was despatched long ago. I have sent to
ask if the pontoon-train has started. I was not aware that one
was to be sent. If what we hear of Schwartzenberg's movements
be true, it seems to me that it will be difficult for your Majesty to
quit the neighbourhood of Paris. General Hullin has no soldiers
who can be sent out of Paris, unless the veterans are included.
I have already written to your Majesty that, in order to form the
4th provisional division of the guard, we want conscripts, arms,
and money. It shall be formed as soon as we have men and
arms, if your Majesty consents to the distribution of the 17th
million. To mount 2000 men, it would be necessary to begin to
spend an 18th million. With regard to the 4th division of the
line, similar obstacles exist; they shall be surmounted as quickly
as possible. Until the division of the guard is formed, that of
the line cannot be, as the guard; anxious to fill up its ranks
speedily, spares few men to the line. I have not yet received the
papers relating to the negotiation, which your Majesty has desired
me to read.
[ 872.]            NAPOLEON TO JOSEPH.
La Ferte-sous-Jouarre, March 8,1814.
My Brother, —The cavalry has been filing off since 10 o'clock
this morning. By this time it must have reached the parks of
artillery. I go myself to Montreuil.* One of our columns has
gone to Chateau-Thierry to repair the bridge.  I have heard
nothing to-night from the Duke of Ragusa. I think that we
shall have news from him before long. Yesterday evening he was
in the neighbourhood of Gesvre and Crouy.t The enemy was
yesterday opposite to Mareuil.
* A village three or four miles from La-Fert6-sous-Jouarre, on the road to
Chateau-Thierry.-TR.
t Five or six miles to the north of Meaux.-TR.




334              ADVANCE AGAINST BLUCHER.         CHAP. XXIII
P. S.-Send some officers to Troyes to learn what is going on.
The papers which were mentioned in last night's despatches are
annexed. There are six.
[873.]             NAPOLEON TO JOSEPH.
Bezu, March 4, 1814.
My Brother,-The prefect of Melun's news is false.* Desire
Count Lavalette to punish his agents who spread such mischievous
reports. In fact, Bar-sur-Aube was not a position which could be
held. It was necessary either to advance or to retreat. In consequence of my manoeuvre on the Marne, it was advisable to retreat. We had an action in which we lost from 700 to 800 men;
but our enemy's loss was double, and we did not evacuate the
town till night. There are more than 3000 unattached men in
Paris; but General Hullin is by no means active in filling up his
cadres. You should appoint a general who has no other duty.
The 2nd division of reserve ought to have been ready, and to have
marched to Meaux to the assistance of the Duke of Ragusa. I
say again, all these men are scattered among the five battalions
which are in the 1st military division. Desire the minister for
Marine Affairs to answer Admiral Verhuel that he is to hold out
to the last gasp; that the loss of two frigates and 500 or 600 men
is not to be thought of in comparison with the advantage of keeping for five or six months Holland in blockade, by holding Fort
Lasalle.
[874.]            NAPOLEON TO JOSEPH.
Fismes, March 4, 1814.
My Brother, —I have reached Fismes. The enemy has been
driven back in every direction. We have taken 2000 prisoners,
and between 400 and 500 baggage and ammunition carts. The
Duke of Ragusa must be at Soissons, and my skirmishers before
Reims. The enemy seems to be moving towards Laon and
* It does not appear what this news was. Oudinot and Gerard were
driven out of Bar-sur-Aube by Schwartzenberg on the 27th of February.
-TR.




MARCH, 1818.      ADVANCE AGAINST BLUCHER.                 335
Avesnes, he is in the greatest confusion.  He has sustained an
immense loss in men, horses, and carriages.
Send one of your officers to Troyes, to tell the Dukes of Taranto and Reggio that I may possibly manoeuvre by Vitry, St.
Dizier, and Joinville, on the enemy's rear, which will set them
free, as the enemy will be forced to abandon the Seine to fly to
the assistance of his rear. One advantage of this operation will
be the raising the blockade of my fortresses, whence I shall draw
large garrisons and reinforcements. I am writing by express to
the Minister of War to say that I am displeased with General
Maison, who commits blunders. Let the Minister of War order
him, in my name, to collect the garrisons of the different fortresses, the garrison of Antwerp, and part of that of Ostend, and
to fall upon the enemy's rear. It is a fact that I have more
troops in those posts than the enemy, but General Maison's inexperience and timidity render them inactive. Tell the Minister
of War to forbid him, in my name, to enter any fortress; he must
place himself at the head of all his troops, and march, either by
Antwerp on the enemy's rear, or on the rear of his line of operations, which is by Avesnes and Mions. This general, who formerly
distinguished himself, has not fulfilled my expectations, or deserved
the trust which I placed in him. I am, however, still willing to
suspend my judgment. The Minister of War will write to him
that he must show more energy, boldness, and intrepidity. The
Minister of War should also send word to the Duke of Castiglione
that he is to advance; that, with the troops which he has, he is
able to beat double the enemy's force, if he will be the most constant and the most forward under fire.*
[ 875.]            JOSEPH TO NAPOLEON.
Paris, March 4, 1814, 6 P.M.
Sire,-I have had no letter from you since the one of yesterday from La Fert6-sous-Jouarre. The Empress held to-day the
* On that very day the Duke of Castiglione, who had under his command
20,000 old soldiers from the armies of Spain, gave up his march on Geneva,
which had caused so much uneasiness to the allies, and fell back upon Macon.
Little desirous to head his troops in the field, and tired of war, he spoke of the
Emperor in terms of bitter reproach.-ED.




336         PEACE INDISPENSABLE-TO BE A TRUCE.  CHAP. XXIII.
special Council ordered by your Majesty.  I read the papers
which you sent to me. All the members of the council seemed to
be of one mind: the enemy's proposals were considered most unjust, and perfect confidence was expressed in whatever commands
your Majesty may think fit to give to your plenipotentiary, in
order to enable France to benefit immediately by the enormous
sacrifices which are exacted of her. They are all convinced that
your Majesty will never consent to such sacrifices, unless driven
to them by absolute necessity, and that your Majesty is a better
judge of this necessity than any one else can be.
But they almost unanimously agreed in thinking that it would
be better to accept conditions, reducing France to her limits in
1792, than to expose the capital.*  The occupation of the capital
is dreaded as the end of the present state of things, and the commencement of great misfortunes. The whole of Europe joins in
wishing to reduce France to what she was in 1792. Let it therefore be the foundation of a treaty which is rendered imperative
by circumstances, but let the country be evacuated immediately.
To sum up: an immediate peace, whatever may be the terms,
is indispensable. It will be a truce lasting for two or three years;
but, whether it be favourable or not, we must have peace. The
Emperor will obtain the best terms that he can. At this juncture it is sure to do good, as it will enable the Emperor to pay
exclusive attention to the interior, and a wise system of administration may place him in a position to regain what has been
unjustly demanded and wisely yielded. The natural limits would
be a real boon both for France and the rest of Europe: we might
then hope for a lasting peace; but impossibility relieves from every
obligation. Peace now is indispensable; it may be broken on
the day when France is able to re-assert her rights.  Make then
what in your breast you will consider as a mere truce, since the
enemy's injustice will not permit you to make an equitable peace,
and the state of public feeling and of public affairs does not allow
you to hope from France efforts proportionate to the end to be
attained.
* It is said that Comte Lacu6e de Cessac was the only member of the
Council who dissented. —TR.




MARCH, 1814.       SURRENDER OF SOISSONS.               337
Your letter to the Emperor of Austria was thought full of
dignity and good sense. France will still possess you; you will
possess her as thoroughly as when she astonished Europe; and
you, who have already delivered her once, will rescue her a second
time, and also rescue yourself, by signing an immediate peace.
Make England recognise you, deliver France from the Cossacks
and Prussians, and France will make up to you in blessings what
superficial persons may think that you have lost in glory. But
I perceive that I am growing diffuse. Whether your Majesty be
victorious or not, you must turn your thoughts to peace. This
is the summary of all that is spoken here, and thought here.
[ 876.]           NAPOLEON TO JOSEPH.
Fismes, March 5, 1814, 11 A.M.
3Iy Brother,-Put the following notice into the' Moniteur:'
-" His Majesty the Emperor and King fixed his head-quarters
on the 5th at B6ry-au-Bac on the Aisne. The enemy's army,
under Bluicher, Sacken, York, Witzengerode, and Biilow, was in
retreat. Had it not been for the treachery of the commandant of Soissons, who abandoned his post, that army would have
been lost. General Corbineau entered Reims on the 5th at four
in the morning. We beat the enemy at Lizy-sur-Ourcq and at
May. We have taken in the different actions 4000 prisoners,
600 baggage-waggons, and many guns, and have delivered
Reims."
[877.]             NAPOLEON TO JOSEPH.
Fismes, March 5, 1814.
My Brother,-I thought that the Duke of Ragusa would
have been yesterday at Soissons; but the commandant basely
evacuated the town without firing a shot. He retreated, with all
his troops, with the honours of war and six pieces of cannon; he
is at Villers-Cotterets. I have ordered the Minister of War to
have him arrested, brought before a court-martial, and shot. He
must be executed in the Place de Greve, with the utmost publicity. The sentence must be printed, and its grounds well stated.
VOL. I. -I5




338                SURRENDER OF TROYES.         CHAP. XXIII.
Five generals must be appointed to try him. This business has
done us incalculable harm. I should have reached Laon to-day,
and I have no doubt that the enemy would have been routed and
cut to pieces. I must now manoeuvre and lose time in constructing bridges. See that at least an example is made.
I attacked Reims at 3 A.M. We took 2000 prisoners; more
that 100 of them were officers, among whom are several colonels;
and we captured a great quantity of baggage. I am writing to
the regent to fire a salute.
[ 878.]           NAPOLEON TO JOSEPH.
Bery-au-Bac, Bkrch 6, 1814, noon.
My Brother, —If the Duke of Taranto is ill, he must give up
the command to the Duke of Reggio, and place General Sebastiani at the head of the 11th corps. I am assured that Troyes
has just been evacuated; I cannot believe in such incapacity.
There can be no finer position than Troyes, where the enemy is
forced to manoeuvre upon both banks. I am going to drive the
enemy to-day towards Laon. I shall then march upon ChAlons
and Arcis. It is indispensable to hold the Seine for five or six
days at Nogent, Bray, and Montereau. I could not be worse
seconded than I ant. I left a splendid army and excellent cavalry
at Troyes; but the soul is wanting. I am sure that this army
is stronger in the field than any which Prince Schwartzenberg
can oppose to it. Consult the Minister of War: a sick general
is worse than any thing. The Minister of War will give the
command to the Duke of Reggio, and the Duke of Taranto's
corps to General Sebastiani.
[ 879.]           JOSEPH TO NAPOLEON.
Paris, March 7, 1814.
Sire,-I enclose to you the duplicate of a letter from the
Duke of Taranto to the chief of the staff; I hope that the original will have reached you two hours earlier, and I have no doubt
that the army is marching to the assistance of Paris. The Minister of War has received intelligence that the Duke of Taranto




MARCir, 1814.      BATTLE OF CRAONNE.               3839
is perfectly well, and able to retain the command...  *
De la Bouillerie up to now.....* A debt of 200,000
francs for the requirements of the guard has been covered by the
funds which your Majesty placed subsequently at the disposal
of the generals. M. de la Bouillerie has warned me to-day to
trust no longer to this resource, unless your Majesty will give an
express order. The Duke of Conegliano having informed me
that he has been unable to obtain the pikes which he asked the
Minister of War to give to him for the use of the national
guard, I have authorised him to have some made, as well as to purchase 3000 muskets, which he hopes to find means of doing in
Paris. The municipality of Paris will defray these expenses,
which may amount to from 200,000 to 300,000 francs. In order
not to lose time, I have promised to pay him to-morrow 50,000
francs in advance, for which I shall be reimbursed by the municipality. I depend, however, on M. de la Bouillerie's kindness
for this purpose. Nothing can now be done here on credit.
[ 880.]           NAPOLEON TO JOSEPH.
L'Ange-Gardien,* March 8, 1814, 11 A.M.
Yesterday, the 7th, I beat Witzingerode, Langeron, and
Woronzow, with the remains of Sacken's corps.  I captured
2000 prisoners, took some of their guns, and drove the enemy
from Craonne to l'Ange-Gardien. The battle of Craonne was
glorious.  The Duke of Belluno and General Grobier are
wounded. My killed and wounded amount to between 700 and
800: the enemy has lost from 5000 to 6000. My advanced
guard is before Laon.  Send everything by way of Soissons:
convey this news to the Duke of Taranto. I have heard nothing
from you since the 6th. I am well although the weather is cold.
My love to you and to your wife.
P.S.-Put the news contained in this letter into the'Moniteur.'
* Illegible in MS.-ED%
* A small inn between Craonne and Laon.-TR.




340           NECESSITY OF NAPOLEON'S RETURN.    CHAP. XXIII,
[ 881.]           JOSEPH TO NAPOLEON.
Paris, March 8, 1814.
Sire,-I have had no letter from you since that of the 6th
at noon. I wrote to you this morning. The news from the
Duke of Dalmatia's army increases our alarm.
We already see the English at Bourdeaux; nor do we see
how their progress is to be arrested, unless it be opposed by the
Duke of Dalmatia in the centre of France. The Austrian army is
on the Seine, and we are uneasy that your Majesty should be at
such a distance from us. The Dukes of Taranto and Reggio do
not agree; no good can come of the combined services of these
two marshals.
It is -most important that your Majesty should proceed instantly to the Seine and the neighbourhood of your capital:
considering what is passing on the Garonne, the consequences of
the occupation of Paris are to be feared; and if....   and
therefore our hopes....  repeat the same things.
[ 882.]           JOSEPH TO NAPOLEON.
Paris, March 9, 1514, 11 A.M.
Sire, —I have received your letter from l'Ange-Gardien of
the 8th at 11 A.M. I had had none since that of the 6th at noon.
I have communicated to the Duke of Taranto the victory of
Craonne. I presume that Soissons is ours, and that you are
drawing nearer to Paris in that direction. This is indispensable.
The Duke of Taranto's army seems to have been outflanked
on the left; detachments of the enemy having entered Sezanne,
and even advanced as far as Coulommiers.  The funds fell
yesterday to 51.  The Duke of Dalmatia's movements cause
the greatest anxiety with respect to Bourdeaux, which might
easily become a hot-bed of civil war. After your recent victory, you may honourably sign a peace on the ancient limits.
Such a peace would restore the prosperity of France after the
long struggle which began in 1792; and there could be nothing dishonourable to her in it, as she would lose no portion
* Illegible.-ED.




MARCH, 1814.     ONLY 7575 DISPOSABLE TROOPS.            341
of her territory, and has arranged her affairs at home as she
thought fit.*
As for you, Sire, who have been so repeatedly victorious, I am
convinced that you possess all the qualities which might make
the French forget, or rather might recall to them, the best
features of the reigns of Louis XII., Henri IV., and Louis
XIV., if you will make a lasting peace with Europe, and if,
returning to your natural kindness and renouncing your assumed
character and your perpetual efforts, you will at last consent to
relinquish the part of the wonderful man for that of the great
sovereign.
After having saved France from anarchy within, and from
all Europe without, you will become the father of your people,
and you will be adored as much as Louis XII., after having
been admired more than Henri IV. and Louis XIV.; and in
order thus to accumulate every species of glory, you have only to
will your own happiness, as well as that of France.
[ 883.]            JOSEPH TO NAPOLEON.
Paris, March 9, 1814, midnight.
Sire, —I have the honour of transmitting to your Majesty,
1st, a report from General Preval, who asks for 2,200,000 francs
to mount 6000 men in the course of this month; 2ndly, a summary from the return of the Ist military division on the 8th
instant.   Your Majesty will see that throughout the empire
there are only 7575 disposable men. There are no longer any
in Paris, as they have all been sent in succession to Meaux, and
thence to Moret.
884.]             NAPOLEON TO JOSEPH.
Chavignon, March 10, 1814.
My Brotler,-I have received your letter of the 9th.  The
army which I beat at Craonne was the Russian army, commanded by Sacken, united to Witzingerode; they have sustained a
* In allusion to the threats of the allies in 1792, if France dethroned the
Bourbons. -TR.




342                    LEVY EN MASSE.              CHAP. XXIII.
great loss, and have retreated to Laon, where they have joined
the Prussian army, consisting of the corps of Bulow, York, and
Kleist. As they are strongly posted, I was satisfied yesterday
with observing and reconnoitring them. Paris is in greater danger
from this army than from that of Schwartzenberg. Nevertheless I
will draw near to Soissons, in order to be more within reach of
Paris; but until I have been able to obtain another victory over
this army, I can hardly proceed elsewhere.  The detachments
which Schwartzenberg's army has sent to its rear have considerably diminished its strength, and it seems to fear to venture crossing the Seine.
The Duke of Ragusa has marched from B6ry-au-Bac to the
neighbourhood of Laon. He had driven the enemy before him;
but in the night, as he was taking up his position, he was suddenly attacked, and his infantry fell into confusion. His soldiers
lost their heads, and he was obliged to fall back for several
leagues somewhat in disorder, and to abandon a few pieces of
cannon. This is only one of the accidents of war, but it is very
annoying just now when I am in want of success. It has determined me not to engage the enemy to-day, although I had
already made arrangements for a vigorous attack, however superior might be his numbers.
I think that you ought to assemble the ministers to consult
as to the means of raising 30,000 men from among the masses
who have taken refuge in Paris, and the workmen who are without employment. This levy should be called the lev6e en masse
of the national guard. As you have muskets, you will have no
difficulty.* All the workmen who have nothing to do will thus
be well provided for. This measure seems to me to be indispensable. The national guard ought to co-operate in it, as by this
means the mob will be used to protect the town instead of
threatening an insurrection against property.  See what you
can do.
* This remark of Napoleon's would appear very extraordinary, after all Joseph's letters, if there had not been already frequent opportunities for observing that the Emperor often chose not to understand what was written to him,
especially on the subjects of money, arms, and materials.-ED.




MARCIE, 1814.      DIFFICULTIES IN PARIS.               343
[ 885.]            NAPOLEON TO JOSEPH.
Chavignon, March 11, 1814.
My Brother,-I have reconnoitred the position of the enemy
at Laon; it was too strong to be attacked without severe loss.
I have therefore determined on returning to Soissons.  It is
probable that the enemy would have evacuated Laon in the
fear of an attack if it had not been for the skirmish with the
Duke of Ragusa, whose behaviour was that of an ensign. The
enemy's loss has been immense; he attacked yesterday the village of Clary five times, and was each time repulsed.
My young guard melts away like a snowball; the old guard
is still in good order. My horse-guard also disappears rapidly.
It is essential that General Ornano should take every means for
remounting the dragoons and chasseurs, beginning with the old
soldiers. Preval shall have the two millions for which you have
asked me; order them to be given to him, and let some of the
public works which are wanted in Paris be made as a means of
giving charity. I think that some redoubts on the heights would
be of use, especially with regard to their moral effect. Let some
be immediately constructed at Montmartre.
[ 886.]           JOSEPH TO NAPOLEON.
Paris, March 11, 1814, 10 P.M.
Sire,-I have received your letter from Chavignon. I have
assembled the Ministers; those of the Interior and of the Police
were of opinion that it was utterly impossible to find 1000 men
who would leave Paris to join the army; the Minister of War
has given me a return of our arms, of which I annex a copy.
The result is that, far from having 30,000 muskets, there are
not 6000 fit for service, and that these 6000 are for the daily use
of the battalions of the line and of the imperial guard.
The result of all that I hear from the Ministers, from the
chief officers of the national guard, from all the persons whom I
know to be attached to the present order of government, is, that
circumstances render peace imperative. There is not one individual in Paris who would not loudly ask for it if it were not for




344                DIFFICULTIES IN PARIS.         CHAP. XXIIL.
the fear of offending you; and, in truth, none but your enemies
can endeavour to persuade you to refuse a peace with the ancient
limits.
The spirit of the Duke of Taranto's army is very bad. The
annexed letter * will acquaint you with the situation of the Duke
of Dalmatia's army, and of the departments south of the
Garonne. Unpleasant reports, tending to diminish the popularity of your Majesty, are beginning  to  circulate in the
capital  For instance, it is said that the Duke of Conegliano,
who is lihed, is about to be recalled; that he is to be replaced
by General Sebastiani, who has been here for the last five days;
that the Duke of Padua will shortly arrive; that he is to be employed in Paris, and that Paris is to be defended. The month
of March is slipping away, yet the fields are not sown. It is
however superfluous to enter into further details. Your Majesty
must feel that there is no longer any remedy but peace, and an
immediate peace. Every day that is lost is mischievous to our
personal popularity. Individual distress is extreme; and on the
day when it is believed that your Majesty has preferred prolonging the war to making even a disadvantageous peace, there is
no doubt that disgust will incline the public mind in another
direction. If Toulouse or Bourdeaux should set up a Bourbon,
you will have civil war, and the immense population of
Paris will support the side which promises to give them peace
soonest.
Such is the state of opinion; no one can change it.  This
being the case, the only way is to submit. If the peace be
unfavourabie, it will be no fault of yours, as all classes here
insist upon it. I cannot be mistaken, as my view is that of all
the world. We are on the eve of total destruction; our only
hope is in peace.
I was with the Empress when she received a letter from her
father. From what she told me, he appears to be well-disposed.
It seems that he has answered your letter. I earnestly hope that
his reply was in favour of a speedy termination.
* It does not appear.-TR.




MARChI, 1814.    FORTIFICATIONS OF PARIS.               345
1060 men, who have been mounted at the Versailles depot,
are to sleep to-night in Paris, and start to-morrow morning for
Soissons. I have just received the minutes of proceedings in
council to-day, which I annex.
[ 887.]            JOSEPH TO NAProION.
Paris, March 12, 1814.
Sire,-I have written to General Preval to tell him to be, if
possible, doubly active in obtaining remounts; and that he may
depend upon receiving the two millions. Your Majesty orders
works of defence, which are to be at the same time works of
charity, to be constructed on the heights above Paris beginning
at Montmartre.  The committee for the defence of the city has
sketched a plan; its execution is stopped only by the want of funds.
In my letter of the 5th, when I proposed to your Majesty to levy
a contribution of from 400,000 to 500,000 francs upon the city of
Paris,* I proposed at the same time that you should order M. de
la Bouillerie to pay this sum in advance, because I foresaw the
delays which would take place in levying a contribution which
must first be resolved on in the municipal council, then in the
conseil d'6tat, &c. In your letter of yesterday your Majesty
orders me to commence these works. I have written to M. de la
Bouillerie to know whether he is authorised to advance the sum.
If your Majesty has not yet written to him for this purpose, it is
indispensable that you should do so immediately if you wish these
works to be executed without loss of time.
[ 888.]            NAPOLEON TO JOSEPH.
Soissons, March 18, 1814.
My Brother,-Before commencing the fortifications of Paris,
I must see the plan; the one which was sent to me seems to me
to be very complicated; I want something simple. The people
complain everywhere of the mayors and authorities who prevent
them from defending themselves. I see that in Paris it is just the
same. The people possess energy and good faith. I fear greatly
* No such letter appears.-TR.
VOL. II.-15*




346                CAPTURE OF REIMS.              CHAP. XXIIL
that the difficulty consists in the unwillingness to fight of certain
principal personages, who will be confounded, after the event has
taken place, by finding what will be their own fate.
[ 889.]            JOSEPH TO NAPOLEON.
Paris, March 13, 1814, 11 P. ar.
Sire, —The person* whom I sent to the Crown-Prince of
Sweden returned to-day; he left the Prince at Liege on the 10th
ult. If your Majesty would like to question him, your orders
will find him at the quarters of the Prince of Neufchatel, for
whom I shall give him a letter. This person is a Frenchman,
formerly Bernadotte's physician, and his wife's secretary for
the last eight years; he is somewhat slow, but very sensible. If
your Majesty should think fit to see him, he can give you important military details as to the country which he has passed
through. I hasten to communicate to your Majesty the news
of a sortie effected by General Carnot; he drove the enemy back
to Mechlin, and re-entered Antwerp with provisions and 600
prisoners. The Prince of Sweden talks openly and perpetually
about the Bourbons; he says that he is temporising to give you
an opportunity for making peace; he is anxious for it in order to
return home.... t
[890.]             NAPOLEON TO JOSEPH.
Reims, March 14, 1814.
My Brother,-Yesterday I reached Reims, which was occupied
by the commander-in-chief St. Priest, with three Russian divisions, and a new Prussian division coming from the blockade of
Stettin. I beat them, retook the town, captured 20 pieces of
cannon, a quantity of baggage and ammunition waggons, and
5000 prisoners. General St. Priest is mortally wounded, one of
his thighs has been amputated. The extraordinary part of the
affair is that the gun was fired by the artilleryman who killed
General Moreau; it seems really like a stroke of Providence.
* M. de Franzemberg.-ED.     t Several lines illegible.-ED:




MAtcE, 1814         FIRMNESS NECESSARY.                 347
[ 891.]           NAPOLEON TO JOSEPH.
Reims, March 14, 1814,
My Brother,-I have received your letter of the 12th of
March.* I am sorry that you repeated to the Duke of Conegliano what I had written to you. I do not like all this gossip.
If it suited me to remove the Duke of Conegliano, all the idle
talk of Paris would have no effect. The national guard of Paris
is a part of the people of France, and, as long as I live, I will be
master everywhere in France.  Your character is opposed to
mine; you like to flatter people and to yield to their wishes;
I like them to try to please me, and to obey my wishes. I am
as much a sovereign now as I was at Austerlitz. Do not permit
any person to flatter the national guard, nor Regnaud or any
one else, to set himself up as their tribune. I suppose, however,
that they see that there is some difference between the time of
La Fayette, when the people ruled, and the present time, when
I rule.
I have issued a decree for raising 12 battalions in Paris out
of the levde en masse.  On no pretext must the execution of
this measure be delayed. I have written my wishes on this
subject to the Ministers of the Interior and of the Police. If
the people find that, instead of doing what is for their good,
one is trying to please them, it is quite natural that they
should think that they have the upper hand, and that they
should entertain but a mean opinion of those in authority over
them.
[ 892.]           NAPOLEON TO JOSEPH.
Reims, March 16, 1814.
In accordance with the verbal instructions which I gave
to you, and with the spirit of all my letters, you must not allow,
happen what may, the Empress and the King of Rome to fall
into the hands of the enemy. The manceuvres which I am about
to make may possibly prevent your hearing from me for
* I am inclined to think that the letter, to which this is an answer, is that
of the 11th of March.-TR.




348          REMOVAL OF COURT TO THE LOIRE.         CHAP. XXIIl
several clays. If the enemy should march on Paris with so
strong a force as to render resistance impossible, send off towards
the Loire the Regent, my son, the great dignitaries, the ministers,
the senators, the President of the Conseil d'Etat, the chief officers
of the crown, and Baron de la Bouillerie, with the money which
is in my treasury. Never lose sight of my son, and remember
that I would rather know that he was in the Seine than that he
was in the hands of the enemies of France: the fate of Astyanax,
prisoner to the Greeks, has always seemed to me to be the fniost
lamentable in history.
[893.]             JOSEPH TO NAPOLEON.'aris, March 16, 1S14, 5 P. as.
Sire,-General Ornano has just told me that the Imperial
Guard set off this morning in consequence of your iMajesty's
orders.  The arms of the National Guard, including muskets,
fowling-pieces, and pikes, are sufficient now for 12,000 men.
[891. ]             NAPOLEON TO JOSEPII.
Reims, MIarch 17, 1814, noon.
MIy Brother,-I have seen the person attached to Madame
Bernadotte's service whom you sent to me.  He gave me some
important intelligence, as well as some which was false. If you
can trust him, I think that it would be useful to send him back
again, and to depute others, if it were only for the purpose of
acquiring information as to those provinces.  The Duke of Bassano has written to desire Count d'Hauterive to send to you a
copy of the declaration of the allies at Chitillon, that they four intend to treat for all the other powers. You may forward this paper
confidentially to the Crown-Prince, and advise him to endeavour
to have a minister at the congress; for it cannot possibly be for
the interest of Sweden that this Quadrumvirate should take
possession of the whole of Europe. She must continue to do
what she has always done, watch over her own affairs herself.
Before you send the person in question, make sure that he is not
a traitor, and intreat him to be perfectly discreet.




MARCH, 1S14.  MARCH AGAINST SCHWARTZENBERG.              349
[ 895.]             NAPOLEON TO JOSEPH.
tpernay, March 17, 1814, P. x.
My Brother,-I reached Epernay this evening.  To-morrow
at daybreak I shall resume my march towards Arcis-sur-Aube,
which I shall reach by noon on the 19th. I shall construct three
bridges, and proceed, according to circumstances, either towards
M6ry or towards Troyes, to fall upon the rear of the enemy. The
Duke of Taranto must therefore dispute every foot of ground.
To-morrow night, at 10 o'clock, my dispositions will have already
begun to take effect, for the enemy will then become aware of my
manoeuvre, and it will influence all his operations. The Duke of
Ragusa remains at Be'ry-au-Bac; the Duke of Treviso is at
Reims; General Charpentier is at Soissons. I have desired the
Minister of War to send a brigadier-general to Compiegne.  I
shall leave Brigadier-General Vincent at Epernay; he has a few
detachments of cavalry, and is charged with superintending the
levees en masse.*
I do not think that Bliicher, who has suffered considerably,
will be able to move for the next few days.- He will then have
to cross the Aisne, and the Dukes of Ragusa and Treviso will
dispute every inch of ground with him. I expect great things
from my manceuvre, which will throw the rear as well as the
head-quarters of the enemy into the utmost disorder and confusion. If the enemy should still be at Troyes, you must despatch couriers to me by way of La Fert6-sous-Jouarre, and
thence, through Epernay or Montmirail, to Arcis-sur-Aube.
Desire the Ministers of War and of Police to say nothing which
is unnecessary, and to write the important 1 arts in cipher, until
I have re-established the communication through Nogent.  Send
an officer to Compiegne, to Soissons, to Reims, and to Epernay.
I have ordered a division of 12,000 men, whom I am collecting
together at Metz, to repair to Chalons; I do not know whether
this order will reach them; it would be a great piece of good
fortune.
* Napoleon, while at Reims, issued a decree ordering a lev6e en masse
against the invaders.-TR.




350          MARCH AGAINST SCHWARTZENBERG.    CHAP. XXIII
[896. ]           NAPOLEON TO JOSEPH.:tpernay, March 18, 1814.
My Brother,-I have received no letter of yesterday from
Paris; I conclude that the express continues to make the detour
by Soissons. All my army is in motion, in order to sleep tonight on the other side of Fere-Champenoise, thence to advance
upon Arcis and the bridges held by the enemy; I am in communication with my garrisons at Verdun and Metz. I am expecting a division of 12,000 men, which I draw from all,hose fortresses. It seems that the enemy has left Noyon, which sets
Compiegne free; that town has behaved perfectly well.
[ 897.]            NAPOLEON TO JOSEPH.
tpernay, March 18, 1814, noon.
My Brother,-I have received your letter of the 17th.
General Preval has still 450,000 frs. in hand, besides the
500,000 frs. which remain to his account with M. de la Bouillerie from the two millions. There are consequently 900,000
frs. still to spend; he therefore does not require 2,200,000 frs.,
but 1,700,000 frs. As soon as he has exhausted his present
credit, I will open for him a further credit for 1,700,000 frs.
[ 898.]            NAPOLEON TO JOSEPIL
Plancy, March 20, 1814, 6 A. M.
My Brother, —I crossed the Aube yesterday at Plancy. I
immediately advanced on MWry. I attacked the town, and took
possession of it at 7 P. M. My cavalry forded the Seine, turned the
bridge of M6ry, and cut off the road between Nogent and Troyes.
The chasseurs of the guard carried off a quantity of baggage and
an excellent pontoon-train. The Emperor Alexander reached
Arcis on the 18th.  He remained there only an hour; we found
ourselves nearly face to face.  He returned to Troyes, which
their head-quarters quitted immediately after. We constantly
pick up prisoners; the enemy is flying in every direction.
The enemy began to retreat early on the 17th, as soon as he




MARncH, 1814.           BATTLE OF ARCIS.                      351
found out that I had retaken Chalons, and that I was marching
on his rear. Put the annexed article into the' Moniteur.'*
[899.]               BERTHIER TO JOSEPH.
Arcis-sur-Aube, March 21,1814.
Sire,-The Emperor reached Arcis yesterday before his
advanced guard. General Wrede's corps endeavoured to take
Arcis by assault. He was repulsed, and 400 of his men taken
prisoners.  He captured two of our guns, and ire took two of
his. In the night he retired. Prince Schwartzenberg's army
seems to be retreating upon Brienne. The Emperor has recrossed
the Aube, and is advancing upon Vitry. We lost no person of
importance in yesterday's action. His Majesty is in excellent
health. Our communication at present is through Coulommiers,
La Fert6-Gaucher, and Sezanne.t
[ 900.]              JOSEPH TO NAPOLEON.
Paris, March 22, 1814, 11 A.M.
Sire,-The march of Bliicher on Reims and Fismes, and that
which the Dukes of Treviso and Ragusa have been ordered to
make on ChAlons, lay open Paris. This was remarked by the
Duke of Treviso himself to the officer by whom I sent the order.
As your Majesty is kept by the Duke well informed, I have no
doubt that you will give such orders as the circumstances require.
[901.]               JOSEPH TO CLARKE.
Paris, March 24, 1814.
Monsieur le Duc,-The appearance of the enemy on the banks
of the Oise makes necessary immediate means of resistance.
As the feelings of the country people are good, and require
only to be directed, a general officer should be sent to Senlis, if
* This is the last of Napoleon's letters before the battle of Paris. The
manceuvre upon Vitry took place almost immediately, and the communications with the capital were entirely cut off.-ED.
t This was the beginning of the march upon Vitry and St. Dizier, which
nearly saved, but, as things turned out, in reality lost Paris.-ED.




352               TIME ENEMY ON THE OISE.       CHAP. XXII1
there be not one there already, to call out the national guards oi
the levee en masse, to raise some works which may prevent the
town from being taken by assault, and to occupy and defend
the bridges of Creil and Pont St. Maxence, and the heights of
Verberie.
If it were possible to send some troops of the line to those
points, to head the national guards and the armed inhabitants,
they would be very useful.
The same remarks apply to Pontoise. Pray give the necessary orders. These measures appear to me to be urgent.
[902. ]            JOSEPH TO CLARKE.
Paris, March 25, 1814.
Monsieur le Duc,-The reports of several commandants of
fortresses, and especially that of the Commandant of Meaux,
prove that a great number of soldiers are without arms. It
seems to me that it is urgent to find out the cause of this state
of things, and to apply an immediate remedy. I am convinced
that posts such as La Ferte, Meaux, &c., are worse defended
by 2000 men, half of whom are unarmed, than by 1000 with
arms: and that the remaining 1000 who are without arms would
do better in Paris, where their comrades could not be demoralized
by their example, as they would not be in presence of the enemy;
nor would they desert so readily as if they were in the field and
felt their helplessness. This leads me to the importance of knowing day by day the number of arms which can be distributed in
Paris. It seems to me indispensable —ist. To give arms to the
troops engaged in active service and who require them; 2ndly.
After this has been done, if there should be any arms left, to
insist upon the completion and arming of the two battalions of
national garde mobile which Paris is bound to supply. Other
measures may then be proposed for arming the soldiers. I intend
to advise the Regent to neglect no measures for attaining an
object so important to the public safety. The first thing to be
done is to have a double return-ist, of the troops without arms;
and 2nd, 6f the arms which have not been distributed for want
of soldiers. I have written to Count Daru to supply the shoes
which are wanted here.




MARCH, 1814.          DEFENSIVE MEASURES.                     353
[903.]               JOSEPH TO NAPOLEON.
Paris, March 26,1814.
Sire,-I have no letters since that from Arcis-sur-Aube of
the 21st.  The Empress has received one of the 22nd.  Tomorrow a column will move on the Oise, where the inhabitants
are in arms to repel the enemy's parties. The spirit of Paris is
good. We are at work on the outer posts.
[ 904. ]             JOSEPH TO CLARKE.
Paris, March 27, 1814.
Monsieur le Duc,-Before I received your letter of yesterday
I directed General Hullin to send the 11th marching cavalry
regiment with the column which is on its way to the Oise.
There remains for to-day's inspection only the 12th marching
cavalry regiment, which may after the inspection move towards
its destination, which I suppose to be Meaux. Pray let me
know.*
[ 905.]              JOSEPH TO NAPOLEON.
Paris, March 28, 1814, 9 A.M.
Sire,-I have announced to you the arrival of the Dukes of
Treviso and Ragusa at -Provins.t Troops have gone from hence
towards Claye,$ to assist the garrison which has marched out of
Meaux. Soissons held out on the 26th. No letters from your
Majesty since those of the 21st.  One from  M. Fain to M.
Lavalette is the only one which has reached us. We wait impatiently for the news of your return to the capital.
* Thus, on the 28th of March, there would have been no troops left in
Paris; and if the troops of Marshals Marmont and Mortier had not retreated
on the capital, the only force to resist the enemy would have been the reserves
of the guard under General Ornano. —En.
t About fifty-five miles from Paris on the road to Troyes. This letter does
not appear.-TR.
$ A village about fifteen miles from Paris on the road to Meaux. —TR.




354             MOVEMENTS OF THE EMPRESS.       CHAP. XXIIL
[ 906.]          MARIE LOUISE TO JOSEPH.
Rambouillet, March 29, 54 P.M.
My dear Brother,-I have this instant reached Rambouillet,
very sad and very harassed. It would be very kind if you would
let me know what is going on, and whether the enemy has advanced. I wait for your answer before I decide whether I ought
to go farther or to remain here. If I ought to move I beg you
to tell me what place you think would be best and saiest for me.
I earnestly wish that you could write to me to return to Paris;
it is the thing of all others which would give me most pleasure.
A thousand remembrances to the Queen. Pray believe in the
sincere friendship with which I am your most affectionate sister.
[ 907.]            JOSEPH TO CLARKE.
Paris, March 29, 1814.
Monsieur le Duc,-To prevent misapprehension as to that we
have agreed on, I think that I ought to remind you to order the
Duke of Treviso to move to-night with his corps to La Villette,
where he will take the command of the troops under General
Ornano. The Duke of Ragusa will join in the neighbourhood of
Pantin the corps of General Compans, and take it under his
command.
Thus the Duke of Treviso is charged with the defence of
Paris from La Villette to St. Denis inclusively; the Duke of
Ragusa from La Villette to Charenton. At daybreak to-morrow
I shall be at Montmarte to watch the movements of the enemy
and give orders in consequence.
[ 908.]          JOSEPH TO QUEEN JULIE.
Montmartre, March 30, 1814, 8 A.n.
My dear Friend,-There has been firing for the last two
hours; as yet nothing is serious, but we are only beginning the
day. I think that if your health will permit, you should set off
with the children, Miot, Presle, and any other people whom you
may like to take. If not, you must send on our children with




FEB. 1814.       MOVEMENTS OF THE EMPRESS.                 355
Miot and Madame Danneri.  Your sister's house is your best
refuge; but I hope that you will be able to start. Let Maillard
return with your verbal answer as soon as possible.
[909.]          JOSEPH TO TH E GREAT JUDGE
Paris, March 30,1814.
Monsieur le Comte,-I think that you should give notice
to the Ministers that it is advisable that they should follow the
Empress in her retreat. Tell this to the Senators, the Conseillers
d'Etat, &c.
[910.]         JOSEPH TO THE HIGH TREASURER.
March 80, 1814.
Monsieur l'Architresorier,-I think that the high dignitaries should follow the Empress in her retreat from Paris towards
Chartres.
Have the kindness to communicate with the other high dignitaries.
[911.]        JOSEPH TO THE ARCH-CHANCELLOIR.
Chartres, March 31, 1814.
Monsieur l'Archichancelier,-I have received a letter from
the Emperor, from the post-house of La Cour de France, dated
four this morning.
The Emperor met the armies of the Dukes of Ragusa and
Treviso, which are to join our other armies near Fontainebleau.
I propose to set out myself to-morrow at daybreak.
[ 912. ]            JOSEPH TO NAPOLEON.
Chartres, March 31, 1814, 5 P.M.
Sire,-I wrote to you this morning by a courier in disguise.
I have your Majesty's letter of this morning.* I have sent on to
the Empress the one which was addressed to her. I shall set off
this evening to follow the Empress. She intended to proceed
* This letter does not appear.-TR.




356             INSTRUCTIONS FOR THE COURT.      CHAP. XXIIU
first to Tours. In obedience to your Majesty's wishes she will
go to Blois with all the members of the government. The ministers who are here agree in thinking this course the best; they
will start this evening. The Empress and the King of Rome are
well, I saw them this morning; they will reach Chateaudun this
evening.
The Ministers of War, of the Administration of War, of
Finance, of the Treasury, of the Interior, and of Marine Affairs
are here. Your Majesty must be already acquainted with all
that has passed from the Marshals' reports, and from what I told
to M. Dejean, your Majesty's aide-de-camp.  The enemy's force
was very large; the corps of the Dukes of Treviso and of Ragusa
could not possibly make head against it.
[ 913. ]           NAPOLEON TO JOSEPH.
Fontainebleau, April 2, 1814.
I desired the Grand Marshal to write to you on the necessity
of not crowding into Blois.*  Let the King of Westphalia go to
Brittany or towards Bourges. I think that Madame had better
join her daughters at Nice, and Queen Julie and your children
proceed to Marseilles.  The Princess of Neufchaitel and the
marshals' wives should go and live on their estates. It is natural
that King Louis, who has always liked hot climates, should go to
Montpellier. As few persons as possible should be on the Loire,
and let every one settle himself quietly, without attracting attention. A large colony always excites a sensation in the neighbourhood. The Provence road is now open-it may not remain
so for one day. Among the other ministers you do not mention
the Minister of Police. Has he reached you? I do not know
whether the Minister of War has his cipher. I have none with
you, and as this is the case I cannot write to you on important
subjects.
Advise everybody to observe the strictest economy.
* This letter was not received.-ED.




APRIL, 1814.         DESIRE FORl PEACE.                 357
[ 914.]            JOSEPH TO BERTHIER.
Vend6me, April 2,1814.
I have received your letter of the 31st of March from Fontainebleau. We shall be at Blois this evening. The Ministers
of the Interior and of War are answering your Highness. The
want of arms remains an insurmountable difficulty. The other
ministers will not reach Blois before to-morrow.  The Empress
has already started, and will be there to-night; she wibhes to rest
there to-morrow. When I reach Blois, I hope to receive letters
from your Highness with the Emperor's final decision as to the
destination of the court and the government. I entreat your
Highness to believe in my constant and long existing friendship.
In two words, the wish of all here is for repose. If it be possible to treat, it should be done at any price. The royalists begin
to raise their heads. Peace, on whatever terms, would quell a
party which the war, if it continues, will render more than
threatening.
[ 915.]             JOSEPII TO NAPOLEON.
Blois, April 8, 1814.
Sire,-I have received your letter of the 2nd. Mamma and
Louis are ready to fulfil your wishes. Mamma is in want of
money; six months of her pension is due. Neither has Jrr6ome
any money. My wife has no longer any friends at Marseilles.
What occasions our train to appear so large is the number of
empty state-carriages belonging to the court. I have received no
letter from the Grand Marshal on this subject or on any other.
The Minister of Police has returned hither from Tours. The
council to-day was unanimous in its opinions and wishes. We
are waiting for your Majesty's decision as to the place of residence.
May the fears which have been excited by the Duke of Vicenza's
report never be realised! The Minister of War has no cipher
with your Majesty, nor have I.  The Ministers of the Treasury
and of Finance know no longer how to discharge their duties
M. de la Bouillerie asks for orders to ensure the safety of his
convoy. One of his fourgons, containing two millions, has reached




358                 JOSEPH'S LAST APPEAL        CHAP. XXIII,
Orleans —it was left in Paris when the Empress went away,
Might not J6r6me be sent to command the army of Lyons?
[ 916.]           JOSEPH TO NAPOLEON.
Orleans, April 10, 1814.
Sire, —I wrote to you yesterday that we should be here today, and here we actually are. General Schuwaloff, aide-de-camp
to the Emperor of Russia, accompanied the Empress. He came
to Blois yesterday with M. de Saint-Aignan, who said nothing on
the subject of his mission. If what is reported should prove
true, and the Bourbons should be called to the throne, I am most
anxious not to be obliged to ask anything from them. I could
not possibly live in France, nor could I take-my wife and children
to the island of Elba. If sad necessity should force your Majesty
thither, I will go to visit you, and to prove to you my attachment; but it will not be until I have placed my wife and children
in safety on the continent.
All that takes place, Sire, justifies my old and fatal predictions. You must take a decided course, and put an end to this
cruel agony. Why not appeal to Austria if necessary? Your
son is the grandson of Francis. Why not speak the truth openly
to France, and at length proclaim peace, abolish the conscription
and the droits reunis, issue a general amnesty, and adopt a real
constitutional monarchy? France wishes for peace and a liberal
monarchy, but she does not wish for Bourbons. She prefers
them to perpetual war, but she receives them only as a punishment, to which she resigns herself because she is beaten.
M. Faypoult has just returned from Italy; the army there is
in excellent order; the Viceroy is quietly at Mantua; the King
of Naples prays for your success, if you desire universal peace
and the independence of Italy. A single effort might perhaps
extricate France from the abyss into which she is falling. An
immediate decision with regard both to military affairs and to
politics may perhaps repair all in favour of your son; be bold
enough to try. Save the state from imminent danger by getting
rid of princes who will revive old hatreds and inflict a fresh




APRIL, 1814.          TO NAPOLEON.                   359
injury upon the country by internal disturbances, brought on by
the pride of the old nobility and the vanity of the new, and the
character of the people raised by the revolution to a level at
which we may lament that it was not left.
The Cossacks have appeared on the road from Beaugency to
Orleans, and robbed some of the carriages belonging to the
convoy.




360       INSURRECTIONARY JUNTA OF SPANIARDS.  CIrAr. XXIV.
CHAPTER XXIV.
THE letters from Napoleon contained in this chapter extend from
the 22nd of April to the 16th of June, 1815. I have added one
from Fain, one from Soult, and three from Bertrand.  They were
necessary to complete Napoleon's autobiography, as sketched in
this Correspondence. I have added in an appendix a letter from
Prince Louis Napoleon, which does not properly form a part of
this work; but its intrinsic interest, and the great position now
held by its author, tempted me to insert it.
[ 917.]           NAPOLEON TO JOSEPH.
Paris, April 22, 1815.
My Brother,-I send the plan of a constitution for your
private consideration. If you have any improvements to suggest,
you can bring them to me this evening.
[918.]            NAPOLEON TO JOSEPH.
Paris, May 2, 1S15.
My Brother,-It is necessary to organise the Spaniards who
are in France. A junta must be created composed of five members from the most active and enterprising. They will reside
here, and correspond with the Minister of Foreign Affairs. The
existence of this junta must be kept secret. It must have agents
on the principal points of our frontier on the Pyrenees. The
agents must be known to our civil and military officers, and their
correspondence with the junta be post free. The business of the
junta will be to edit in Paris a Spanish newspaper, to appear




JvUR, 1815.         NEW HOUSE OF PEERS.                 361
every two days, and to be circulated by these agents through
every channel and in every part of Spain. The objects of the
newspaper will be to enlighten the Spaniards, to make known to
them our constitution, and to induce them to rebel and to desert.
A further duty of the junta will be to raise guerillas, and to introduce them into Spain. The president of the junta will be
accredited to the Minister of Foreign Affairs. All the pecuniary
assistance afforded to the Spaniards, at the rate of 120,000 trancs
a month, will be distributed by the junta.
[919.]             NAPOLEON TO JOSEPH.
Paris, May 19, 1815.
My Brother,-I wish to create a house of peers, and to appoint at first eighty members. As I desire to profit by the
advice of those in whom I place confidence, I ask you to present
to me on Sunday a list of 120 persons, whom you will select as
if their nomination depended upon you. If there are any among
them with whom I am not acquainted, please to add notes to their
names. This list will remain a secret between you and me. You
do not require to be told that no one need know that I have
asked you for it.
I have despatched a similar letter to each of my ministers,
and to other persons on whose judgment and attachment I can
depend.
[ 920.]            NAPOLEON TO JOSEPH..
Paris, June 2, 1815.
My Brother, —Having resolved to assemble the House of
Peers on Saturday next at 3 o'clock, in the room which we have
appointed for its sittings, our wish is that you be there, and that
you take your place, that by your influence you may contribute
to the good of the state and the consolidation of our Imperial
authority. As this letter has no other object, I pray God, &c.
VOL. II. —16




362                   CAMPAIGN, OF 1815.          CHAP. XXIV
[ 921.]            NAPOLEON TO JOSEPH.
Avesnes, June 14, 1815.
My Brother,-I shall carry my head-quarters this evening to
Beaumont; to-morrow, the 15th, I shall march upon Charleroi,
where the Prussian army is, the consequence of which will be
either a battle or the retreat of the enemy. My army is excellent,
and the weather tolerably fine; the country is perfectly well-disposed. I will write to you this evening as to whether the communications should be made on the 16th.* In the mean while
preparations must be made. Adieu.
[ 922.]            NAPOLEON TO JOSEPH.
Beaumont, June 15, 1815, 3 A..m
My Brother,-As the enemy has made an aggressive movement, I am advancing to meet him. Hostilities will therefore
commence to-day. Consequently I wish you to publish the declaration which has been prepared.
[923.]            BARON FAIN TO JOSEPH.
Charleroi, June 15, 1815, 9 P.M.
Monseigneur,-It is 9 o'clock. The Emperor, who has been
in the saddle since three in the morning, has just come in, overpowered by fatigue. He will throw himself on his bed to sleep
for a few hours, and get on horseback again at midnight. As his
Majesty is not able to write to your Highness, he has desired me
to send to you the following intelligence.
The army forced the passage of the Sambre, near Charleroi,
and placed advanced guards half way between Charleroi and
Namur, and between Charleroi and Brussels. We have taken
1500 prisoners and six pieces of cannon. Four Prussian regiments
are destroyed. Few of our men were killed, but the Emperor
has sustained a loss which grieves him deeply: his aide-de-camp,
General Letort, was killed on the table-land of Fleurus as he was
leading a charge of cavalry.  It is impossible to describe the
* The declaration of war.-En.




JULY, 1815.          BATTLE OF LIGNY.                     363
enthusiasm of the inhabitants of Charleroi, and of all the country
through which we have passed; the feeling is the same as it was in
Burgundy.  The Emperor, Monseigneur, wishes you to communicate this news to the ministers, and to make any use of it which
you may think proper. An action of the utmost importance may
take place to-morrow.
[ 924.]            NAPOLEON TO JOSEPH.
Charleroi, June 16, 1815.
My Brother,-The bulletin will acquaint you with what has
passed. I am carrying my head-quarters to Fleurus. The whole
of the army is in motion. I regret deeply General Letort. Our
loss yesterday was small; it fell almost entirely on the four
squadrons of household troops.
P.S.-Letort is better.
[ 925.]                 SOULT TO JOSEPH.
Ligny, June 16, 1815, 8-30 P.M.
Monseigneur,-The Emperor has just obtained a complete
victory over the Prussian and British armies, united under the
command of Lord Wellington and Marshal Blficher.  The army
is advancing in pursuit of the enemy through the village of Ligny
beyond Fleurus.  I hasten to announce this happy news to your
Imperial Highness.*
[ 926.]             BERTRAND TO JOSEPH.
Isle of Aix, July 14, 1815.
Prince,-The Emperor communicated this morning with the
British cruisers. The admiral's answer has not reached us, but
the captain i is ordered by his government to receive the Emperor, if he should present himself, with the persons composing his
suite. The captain is not acquainted with the further intentions
of his government, but he does not doubt that the Emperor will
* This letter was the last which Joseph received from the army. —ED.
t Captain Maitland of the Bellerophon.-TR.




364              CLOSE OF NAPOLEON'S LIFE.      COHAP. XXIV
be well treated; for even if the government should wish to act
otherwise, public opinion in England will, he thinks, force them to
behave as they ought to do on such an occasion. M. de Las-Cases
has returned on board,* and to-morrow morning the Emperor will
repair thither. His Majesty desires me to give you this information.
[927.]            BERTRAND TO JOSEPH.
Lo:.don, Sept. 10, 1821.
Prince, —I write to you for the first time since the awful
misfortune which has been added to the sorrows of your family.
Uncertain whether a letter would reach you, as I was not quite
sure of your address, I hoped that a letter from you or from
Rome would acquaint me with it. J have decided on depositing
this letter with Messrs. Baring, and I hope that you will receive it.
Your Highness is acquainted with the events of the first years
of this cruel exile; many persons who have visited St. Helena
have informed you of what was still more interesting to you-the
manner of living and the unkind treatment which aggravated the
influences of a deadly climate.
In the last year of his life, the Emperor, who for four years
had taken no exercise, altered extremely in appearance: he became
pale and feeble. From that time his health deteriorated rapidly
and visibly. He had always been in the habit of taking baths;
he now took them more frequently and stayed longer in them:
they appeared to relieve him for the time.
Latterly Dr. Antomarchi forbad him their use, as he thought
that they only increased his weakness.
In the month of August he took walking exercise, but with
difficulty; he was forced to stop every minute. In the first years
he used to walk while dictating; he walked about his room, and
thus did without the exercise which he feared to take out of doors
lest he should expose himself to insult. But latterly his strength
would not admit even of this. He remained sitting nearly all day,
and discontinued almost all occupation. His health declined sensibly every month.
* Of the Bellerophon. —TR.




SEPT. 1821.          HIS LAST ILLNESS.                  365
Once in September, and again in the beginning of October,
he rode out, as his physicians desired him to take exercise; but
he was so weak, that he was obliged to return in his carriage.
He ceased to digest; his debility increased. Shivering fits came
on, which extended even to the extremities; hot towels applied
to the feet gave him some relief. He suffered from these cold
fits to the last hour of his life  As he could no longer either
walk or ride, he took several drives in an open carriage at a footpace, but without gaining strength. He never took off his dressing-gown. His stomach rejected food, and at the end of the year
he was forced to give up meat; he lived upon jellies and soups.
For some time he ate scarcely any thing, and drank only a little
pure wine, hoping thus to support nature without fatiguing the
digestion; but the vomiting continued, and he returned to soups
and jellies. The remedies and tonics which were tried produced
little effect. His body grew weaker every day, but his mind retained its strength.
He liked reading and conversation; he did not dictate much,
although he did so from time to time up to the last days of his
life. He felt that his end was approaching, and he frequently recited the passage from' Zaire' which finishes with this line:A revoir Paris je ne dois plus pretendre.
Nevertheless the hope of leaving this dreadful country often presented itself to his imagination; some newspaper articles and false
reports excited our expectations. We sometimes fancied that we
were on the eve of starting for America; we read travels, we
made plans, we arrived at your house, we wandered over that immense country, where alone we might hope to enjoy liberty.
Vain hopes! vain projects! which only made us doubly feel our
misfortunes.
They could not have been borne with more serenity and courage, I might almost add gaiety.  He often said to us in the evening, "Where shall we go? to the Theatre Franqais, or to the Opera? " And then he would read a tragedy by Corneille, Voltaire,
or Racine; an opera of Quinault's or one of Moliere's comedies.
His strong mind and powerful character were perhaps even more




366              NAPOLEON'S LAST ILLNESS         CHAP. XXIV.
remarkable than on that larger theatre where he eclipsed all that
is brightest in ancient and in modern history. He often seemed
to forget what he had been. I was never tired of admiring his
philosophy and courage, the good sense and the fortitude which
raised him above misfortune.
At times, however, sad regrets and recollections of what he
had done, contrasted with what he might have done, presented
themselves. He talked of the past with perfect frankness; persuaded that on the whole he had done what he was required to
do, and not sharing the strange and contradictory opinions which
we hear expressed every day on events which are not understood
by the speakers. If the conversation took a melancholy turn, he
soon changed it; he liked to talk of Corsica, of his old uncle Lucien, of his youth, of you, and of all the rest of the family.
Towards the middle of March fever came on. From that
time he scarcely left his bed, except for about half an hour in the
day; he seldom had the strength to shave. He now, for the first
time, became extremely thin. The fits of vomiting became more
frequent. He then questioned the physicians on the conformation
of the stomach, and about a fortnight before his death he had
pretty nearly guessed that he was dying of cancer. He was read
to almost every day, and dictated a few days before his decease.
He often talked naturally as to the probable mode of his death;,
but when he became aware that it was approaching, he left off
speaking on the subject. He thought much about you and your
children. To his last moments he was kind and affectionate to us
all; he did not appear to suffer so much as might have been expected from the cause of his death. When we questioned him,
he said that he suffered a little, but that he could bear it. His
memory declined during the last five or six days; his deep sighs,
and his exclamations from time to time, made us think that he
was in great pain. He looked at us with the penetrating glance
which you know so well; we tried to dissimulate, but he was so
used to read our faces that no doubt he frequently discovered our
anxiety. He felt too clearly the gradual decline of his faculties
not to be aware of his state.
For the last two hours he neither spoke nor moved; the only




SEPT. 1821.             AND DEATH.                      367
sound was his difficult breathing, which gradually but regularly decreased; his pulse ceased; and so died, surrounded only by a few
servants, the man who had dictated laws to the world, and whose
life should have been preserved for the sake of the happiness and
glory of our sorrowing country.
Forgive, Prince, a hurried letter, which tells you so little,
when you wish to know so much, but I should never end if I attempted to tell all.
You are so far off, that I know not when I shall have the honour of seeing you again. I must not omit to say that the Emperor was most anxious that his correspondence with the different
sovereigns of Europe should be printed; he repeated this to us
several times. In his will the Emperor expressed a wish that his
remains should be buried in France; however, in the last days of
his life he ordered me, if there was any difficulty about it, to lay
him by the side of the fountain whose waters he had so long
drank.








APPENDIX.
PRINCE Louis NAPOLEON TO JOSEPH.
New York, Apri 22, 1837.
My dear Uncle,-On my arrival in the United States I hoped
to find a letter from you. I own that your displeasure grieved me;
knowing, as I do, your good sense and your kindness, it surprised
me. Indeed, uncle, my conduct must have been strangely misrepresented to you before you could have been induced to repel as enemies the men who sacrificed themselves for the empire. If, having
succeeded at Strasbourg (and I very nearly did so), I had marched
on Paris, followed by a people fascinated by the recollections of
the empire, and, arriving in the capital as Pretender, I had seized
the government, then to disavow me and to break with me might
have been noble and magnanimous! But when I attempt one of
the bold enterprises which alone could bring back what twenty
years of peace have effaced; when I offer to it the sacrifice of my
life, persuaded that even my death would be of use to our cause;
when against my will I escape from the bayonet and the scaffold
to a foreign shore, I find there only contempt and disdain on the
part of my family!
If my respect and esteem for you were less sincere I should
not be so sensitive, for I venture to say that the public will never
allow that there can be a schism between us. None will believe
that you repudiate your nephew because he has perilled his life for
your cause; no one will believe that you can treat as enemies men
who have exposed their lives and their fortunes to replace the eagle
on our standards; any more than it would have been believed that
VOL. II. —16*




370             LOUIS NAPOLEON TO JOSEPH.             App.
Louis XVIII. had repulsed the Prince de Conde or the Due d'Enghien because they failed in their enterprises.
I know you too well, dear uncle, to doubt your affection, and
not to hope that you will in time do justice to me, and to others
who have compromised themselves for our cause. As for me, however you may treat me, my behaviour will not alter; the general
sympathy, the tranquillity of my conscience, and, above all, the
persuasion that, if the Emperor looks down on me, he approves
me,-these are the considerations which compensate for the
many mortifications and injuries which I have endured. My attempt failed, it is true; but it proved to France that the family
of the Emperor is not yet extinguished, that it possesses devoted
friends; in short, that its pretensions are not to reclaim a few
pence from the government, but to re-establish in favor of the
people what the foreigners and the Bourbons have destroyed. This
is what I have done; is it for you to reproach me?
I annex the account of my removal from the prison of Strasbourg, in order that you may be acquainted with all my proceedings, and that you may be convinced that I have done nothing
unworthy of the name which I bear.
I beg you to present my respects to my uncle Lucien; I trust
my cause to his judgment and to his affection.
Pray, dear uncle, do not be offended at the brevity with which
I represent facts as they really stand. Never doubt my unalterable attachment.
Your affectionate and dutiful nephew,
NAPOLEoN-Louis.
P. S. I have delayed writing because you left my letters from
Europe unanswered. I own that in this respect I was wrong.
On the 9th of November, towards 8 o'clock in the evening, Director Lebel came to tell me that I was to be removed from prison. Immediately afterwards the door was opened and I was desired
to enter a carriage where were already General Voirol and the prefect. Believing at first that I was to be transferred to another
prison, I entreated General Voirol to leave me in the same place
with the other prisoners. On reaching the court of the Prefecture




ApP.          HIS REMOVAL FROM STRASBOURG.            371
we got out of the carriage; I then perceived two post-chaises with
horses. Fancying that I was to be taken from Strasbourg, I urged
General Voirol to let me remain in prison. Soon afterwards I was
placed in a carriage with three persons whom I did not know, and
who informed me that they had orders to take me to Paris.
I then understood that I was to receive a special pardon; and,
unable to restrain my tears, I explained to the officers who accompanied me how painful to me was the thought of a pardon which
might make me pass for a coward, and would deprive me of the
means of dissipating the calumnies by which my intentions had
been misrepresented to the country.
M. Cugnat and M. Thibau.tot, whose consideration and attention I cannot sufficiently praise, tried to console me by saying that
my removal might be useful to my companions in misfortune.
We reached Paris on the 11th at two in the morning. I was
taken to the Prefecture, where I found M. Delessert, who is the
only person whom I saw while I was in Paris. He informed me
that my mother had come to France to ask my pardon of the
King, and that I was to be taken to Lorient, and thence transported to the United States of America.
I expostulated once more with the Prefect on my removal, adding that my absence would deprive my fellow-sufferers of much
evidence in their favour.  The Prefect answered, "When you
reach Lorient you may make in writing any depositions which you
think proper."  Was he aware that Commandant Cugnat had express orders not to let me write one word before I embarked?orders so strict that, when I wrote to Madame Laity, through
the Prefect of Lorient, to give her news of her son, the government telegraphed to M. Cugnat that he was to execute precisely
the orders which he had received.
My fate being irrevocably fixed, there remained only to do all
that I could to be useful to my friends. I wrote to the King to
say that life was a small favour, since I had renounced it when I
planted my foot on French ground; but that, if he would pardon
my companions in misfortune, I should be eternally grateful.
At four in the morning I quitted Paris. On reaching the citadel
of Port-Louis I wrote secretly to M. Odillon Barrot a letter in




372             LOUIS NAPOLEON'S -REMOVAL.         Ar
which, taking all blame upon myself, I endeavoured to clear my
friends of acting with premeditation.
On the 21st we sailed from Lorient, imagining that we were
going to New York. When we reached latitude 32~, the captain
of the frigate opened sealed orders, in the handwriting of the
Minister for Marine Affairs, which enjoined him to take me to RioJaneiro; to allow me to speak to nobody; to remain there only
long enough to take in water, and then to sail for New York. As
the frigate had no business in the Brazils, she must have been
ordered out of her way in order to prevent me from communicating with the prisoners at Strasbourg until the trial was over.
THE END.




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Wardrobe, the Choice and Making-Up, the Child's Bath, O,;t-of
Door Dress, Worsted Knitting, Flannel Embroidery, the Clothes
of Older Children, etc., etc. 1 vol. square 16mo. 371 cents.
The Iron Cousin; or, Mutual Influence. By
MARY COWDEN CLARKE, author of "The Concordance to Shakspeare," etc. 1 vol. 12mo. Price, $1 25.
The Chemistry of Common Life. By JAMEs W.
JOHNSTON, M. A, F. R. S., etc., author of "Lectures on Agricultural
Chemistry and Geology." Parts 1 to 4 now ready. Price 25 cents
each.
Johnson's Treatise  on  Words..  1 volume, 12mo.
Price, $1 00.
Thiers' Frenlch Revolution. New edition. With
Steel Engravings. 4 vols. 8vo. Price )5 00.




D. APPLETON  & COMPANY'S PUBLICATIONS.
The Summer Land: a Southern Story. By a
Child of the Sun. 1 vol. 12mo., 300 pages. Cloth, 75 cents.
A History of the Christian Church. By Dr.
CHARLES HASE, Professor of Theology in the University of
Jena. Translated from the Tenth German Edition, by Charles
E. Blumenthal and Conway P. Wing. 1 vol. 8vo., 720 pages,
$3.
A Compendium of Mercantile Law. By the late
JOHN WILLIAM SMITH. Third edition, greatly enlarged and
revised throughout from the last English edition. - By James
P. Holcombe and William T. Gholsen. 1 vol. 8vo., bound in
law sheep, $4 50.
The Nature of Evil. Considered in a Letter to
Edward Beecher, D. D., author of the " Conflict of Ages."
By HENRY JAMES. 1 vol. 16mo. Beautifully printed. Price $1.
Kenneth; or, The Rear Guard of the Grand
Army. By the author of " The Hleir of Redclyffe." 1 vol.
12mo. Paper covers, 50 cents; cloth, 75 cents.
Uhlemann's Syriac Grammar. Translated from
the German by ENocii HUTCHINSON, with a course of Exercises in Syriac Grammar, and a Chrestomathy and Brief Lexicon, prepared by the Translator.  1 vol. 8vo. 367 pages.
Price $3 50.
A Winter Wreath of Summer Flowers. By S.
G. GOODRICH. 1 vol. 8Vo., with colored designs. Cloth, gilt
edges, $3.
The Practical American Cook-Book; or, Practi.
cal and Scientific Cookery. By a Housekeeper. 1 vol. 12mno
Cloth,'5 cents.
History of Turkey. By A. DE LAMARTINE. To
be completed in Three Volumes. Vol. I just ready. Cloth, $1.




THE SPECTATORg ENTIRE.
TH[E MIOST BEAUTIFUL EDITION EVER PUBLISHEDt
D. APPLETON & COMPANY
HAVE JUST PUBLISHED
r.H E " SP E CTATOR:"
WITH  PREFACES, HtISTORICAL AND BIOGRAPIIICAL,
By Alexander Chalmers, A. M.
A  New  ariA  Carefully  Revised Edition,;mplete in six volumes, Svo., pica type.  Pirice in cloth, $9; half call
extra or antique, $15; calf extra or antique, $20.
"It is praise enough to say of a writer, that, in a high department of literature, Is
which many eminent writers have distinguished themselves, he has had no equal; and
this may, with strict justice, be said of Addison.... Ie is entitled to be considered
not only as the,greatest of the English essayists, but as the forerunner of the great English novelists. Ilis best essays approach near to absolute perfection; nor is their excellence more wonderfill than their variety. ITis invention never seems to flag; nor is
he ever under the necessity of repeating himself, or of wearing out a subject." —lacaulay.
"lie was not only the ornament of his ace and country. but he reflects dignity or
the nature of man. Ile has divested vice of its meretricious ornaments, and painted
religion and virtue in the modest and graceful attire which charm and elevate the
neart." —Dr. Anderson.
" In Addison the reader will find a rich and chaste vein of humor and satire; lesbons
of morality and religion, divested of all austerity and gloom; criticism at once pleasing
and profound; and pictures of n.ational character and manners that must ever charm,
from their vivaoity and truth."-D-r. ItHrd.
" Of Addison's numerous and well-known writings, it may be affirmed, that they
rest on the solid basis of real excellence, in moral tendency as well as literary merit.
Vice and folly are satirized, virtue and decorum are rendered attractive; ntid while
polished diction and Attic wit abound, the purest ethics are inculcated." —3fausder.
" His glory is that of one of our greatest writers in prose. Hlere, with his delicate
sense of propriety, his lively fancy, and, above all, his most original and exquisite
humor, he was in his proper waik. I-Ie is the founder of a new school of popular writing, in which, like most other founders of schools, lie is still unsurpassed by any who
have attempted to imitate himn. Ilis Spectactor rave us the first examples of a style
possessing all the best qualities of a vehicle of general amusement and instruction; easy
and familiar without coarseness, animnated without extravagance, polished without unnatural labor, and, from its flexibility, adapted to all the variety of the gay and th&
serious."-Penstny Cyclopedia.
"To correct the vices, ridicule the follies, and dissipate the ignorance, which too
generally prevailed at the con-mencement of the eighteenth century, -were the great
and notle objects9 the SpecttLtor ever holds in view; and by enlivening morality with
wit, and tempering wit with morality, not only were those objects attained in an emlinent degree, but the authors conferred a lasting benefit on their country, by establishing
and renlltering popular a species of writing which has materially tended to cultivate tle
anderstanding, refine the taste, and augment and purify the moral feeling of successive
generations." -C halm ers.
"l ie not only brouhllt a good philological taste into fashion, but gave a pleasing ele
ration andrl In)lar turn to religious studies, and placed Milton upon a pedestal from
which he car. never be pulleil down." —Aiken.
" It stands at'the head of all works of the same kind that have since been produced,
and as a miscellany of polite literature, is not surpassed by any book whatever."Chambers.
" I consi(ler the Spectator invaluble, as containing on the subject of religion all
that th6 world would then bear. Had Addison or his friends attempted meore, it would
sot have been endured. The work was a stepping-stone to truth of the highest order
ud. an buch, our obligations to it are great."-John Wesley.




APPLETON'S EDITION OF THE BRITISH POETS.
PROSPECTUS
OF A
New and Splendid Library Edition
OF TIHE
POPULAR POETS AND POETRY OF BRITAIN
EDITED, WITIH BIOGRAPHICAL AND CRITICAL NOTICES,
BV THE RlEV. GEOIRGE GITFILLAN,
AUTHOR OF "GALLERY OF LITERARY PORTRAITS," "BARDS OF THE BIBLE," ETO.
ia damy-octavo size, printed from a new pica type, on superfine paper, and neatly bonad
Price, only $1 a volume in cloth, or $2 50 in calf extra.
Strangely enough, we have never had as yet any thing at all approachillg a satitfactory edition of tile English poets. We have had Johnson's, and Bell's, and Coo;e's,
andi Sharpe's smnall sized elitions —we have ha(l the one ilhundred volume edition from
the Chiswick press-we have had the double-collmnecd editions of Chalmners and ALnderson —and *we lave the, as yet, irlperfect Aldins edition; but no( series has hitherte
given evidence that a lman of cultivated taste anl researchll directed he whlole."-AtJ/ere.
T'le splendid series of books now offere(l to the public at such an unusually loO
rate of chiarge, wMill be got up with all the care and elegance which the present advanced
state of the publishing art can command.
Thlle well-known literary character and ability of the editor is sufficient guaranty for
the accuracy and general elucidlation of the text, while the paper, printingl and binding
of thle volumles will be of the highest class, forming, in these respects, a striking conltrast
to all eNistilg cheap editions, in which so few efforts have leen made to comlbine
s,.lpc'riority in production with low prices.
UnIlder the inlmpression tat a cllronological issue of tile Poets would not be so acceptable as one Imiore diversified, it 11has been deemed advisable to intermix tile earlier
and tle later l'oets. Care, ilowever, will be taken tllat either the author or the vollumes
are in themnselves complete, as publtiishled  so tlhat nv purcllaser discontinuing the series
at any tinle, will be possessed of inlperfect books.
Thile absence in tile book market ofany handsome uniform series of the Popular Brit
ish IPoets, at a moderate price, has induced the publishers to project the present edlitioln,
undler tile inmpression that, prlodulcedl in suI)eri,,r style, deserving a place on tile shelvoes
of tile best libraries, and offered at less than one half tile usual selling price, it will meet
that amount of patronage which an enterprise, based on such liberal terms, requires.
The series will conclude with a few volumes of fugitive pieces, and a History o,
British Poetry, in which selections will be given from the writings of those author,r;vhose works do rot possess sufficient interest to warrant their publication as a whole.
It is believed that this will render the present edition of the British Poets the Inoss
complete which has ever been issued, and secure for it extensive support. The series i
Intended to include the following autllors:ADDISON.       COWPER.        GRAIIAME.       OPIE.           SPENSER.
AKENSIDE.      CRABBE.        GRAY.           PARNELL.       SUCKLING.
ARMSTRONG.    CRASIIAW.        GREEN.         PENROSE.        SURREY.
BARBAULD.    CUNNINGHAM.  IIHAMILTON, W.  PERCY.              SWIFT.
BEATTIE.       DAVIES.         HARRINGTON.   POPE.            TANNAHILL.
BLAIR.         DENHAM.        IIERBERT.       PRIOR.          THOMSON.
BLOOMFIELD.   DONNE.          HERRICK.        QUARLES.        TICKELL.
BRUCE.         DRAYTON.       HOGG.           RAMSAY.         VAUGIIAN, U
BURNS.         DRUMMOND.    JAMES I.          ROGEIS.         WALLER.
BUTLER.        DRYDEN.         JONES.         ROSCOMMON.    WARTON, J.
BYRON.         DUNBAR.        JOHNSON.        ROSS.           WARTON, T.
CAMPBELL.      DYER.           JONSON.        SACKVILLE.      WATTS.
CAREW.         FALCONER.       LEYDEN.        SCOTT, J        WHITE, IL 1J
GCATTERTON.   FEIGUSSON.    LLOYD.           SCOTT, SI I W.   WITIIER
ICHAUCER.      FLETCHER, G.   LOGAN.          SIIARSPEARE.   WILKIE.
CHURCIHILL.    GAY.           MACPHES0ON.   SHIELLEY.         WOLCOTT.
CLARE.         GIFFORD.        MALETT.       S 11ENSTONE.    WO I.FE
COLERIDGE.    GLOVER.          MARVEL.        SMART.          WYATT.
OOLLINS.       SOLDBSMITI.    MILTON.         SMOLLETT.       YOUNG.
COWLEY.        GOWER.         MOORE.          SOMEEVILLE.
The follcJwiny Authors are nwo  ready:
JOHN MILTON, 2 vols.; JAMES THOMSON, 1 vol.; GEORGE II ERBERT, I,od
JAMES YOUTNG., 1 vol




D. APPLETON & COMPANYrS PUBLICAT1OYVS.
The Great Work on Russia.
Fifth Edition now ready.
RUSSIA AS IT IS.
BY COUNT A. DE GUROWSKI.
One neat volume 12mo., pp. 8328, well printed. Price $1, cloth.
OONTENTS.-Preface.-Introduction.-Czarism: itshistorical origin-Th
Czar Nicholas.-The Organization  of the Government.-The Army and
Navy.-The Nobility.-The Clergy.-The Bourgeoisie-The Cossacks.The Real People, the Peasantry.-The Rights of Aliens and Strangers.
-The  Commoner.-Emancipation.-Manifest  Destiny -A ppendix.The Aimazons.-The Fourteen Classes of the Russian Pullic Service; or,
the Tsechins.-The  Political Testament of Peter the Great.-Extract
from an Old Chronicle.
Notices of the Press.
"The author takes no superficial, empirical view  of his subject, but collecting a rich
variety of facts, brings the lights of a profound philosophy to their explanation. IIis work,
indeedl, neglects no essential detail-it is minute and accurate -in its statistics-it abounds
in lively pictures of society, manners and character.     *  Whoever wishes to obtain an
accurate notion of the internal condition of Russia, the nature and extent of her resources,
andi the practical influence of her institutions, will here find better materials for his purpose than in any single volume now extant." —N. Y. Tribunze.
"This is a powerfullly-written book, and will prove of vast service to every one who
desires to comprehend the real nature and bearings of the great contest in which Russia is
now engaged." — V  Y. Courier.
"It is original in its conclusions; it is striking in its revelations. Numerous as are the
volumes that have been written about I'ussia, we really hitherto have known little of that
Immense territory-of that numerous people. Count Gurowski's work sheds a light which
at this time is most welcome and satisfactory." — N. Y. Tilnes.
"The hook is well written, andi as might be expected in a work by a writer so unusually conversant with all sides of Russian affairs, it contains so much important information
respecting the Russian people, their government and religion."-Com. Advertiser.
"This is a valuable work, explaining in a very satisfactory manner the internal conditions
of the Russian people, and the construction of their political society. The institutions of
Russia are presentesd as they exist in reality, and as they are determined by existing and
obligatory laws."-N-. Y. leracld.
" A hasty glancf- over this handsome volume has satisfied us that it is one vworthy of
general perusal.   *  *  It is full of valuable historical information, with very interestlug accounts of tie various classes among the Russian people, their condition and aspirations."-N-. Y. San.' This is a volume that can hardly fail to attract very general attention, and coYnmand a
wide sale in view of the present juncture of European affairs, and the prominent part
therein which Russia is to play."- Utica Gazette.
"A timely book. It will be found all that it professes to be, though some may be start
id at some of its conclusio)ns."-Bosto,  Atlas.
" This is one of the best of all the books caused by the present excitement in relation to
Russia. It is a very able publica.tions-one that will (lo much to destroy the general belief
in the infulliililitv of' [Iussia. TI'e awritter shosws hlimself omaster of hlis sulbiect, and treats of
the internal condition of Raussia, her insltlltions atd custoulm, society, laws, &c., ill an ea
tightened and scholarly manner."-City Item.




D. APPLETON' C O.'S PUBL TCA TIONS
CAPT. FOOTE'S NEW AND HIGHLY INTERESTING WORK
Africa and the American Flag.
BY COMMANDER ANDREW H. FOOTE,
Lieut. Commanding U. S. Brig "Perry," on the Coast of Afries
A. D. 1850-51.
ILLUSTRATED WITH HANDSOMELY TINTED LITHOGRAPHIC PLATE&
One Volume, 12mo. 379 pages. Price $1 50.
CONTENTS.
Discoveries by French and Portuguese along the Coast-Slave Trade Systematized
-"Horrors of the Middle Passage"-African Nations —Formation of the American
Colonization Society-Disposal of Recaptured Slaves by the American Government —
The Commonwealth of Liberia-Thos. H. Buchanan-Use of the American Flag in
the Slave Trade-Slavers at Bassa-Expedition against them-Conflict-Death of King
Bentrerai-Expedition of Buchanan against Gaytinuba-Death of Buchanan-His
Character-Condition of Liberia as a Nation-Aspect of Liberia to a Visitor-Condition
>f the People compared with that of their race in the United States-Schools-Condition of Slaves on board of the Slave Vessels-Capture of the Slave Barque Pons-Affair
with the Natives near Palmas-Cruise of the " Perry"-Abuse of the American Flag —
An Arrangement made with the British Commodore for the Joint Cruising of the
"Perry" and Steamer "Cyclops"-Capture of the American Slave Ship "Martha"Claims to Brazilian Nationality-Letters found on board illustrative of the Slave Trade
*-St. Ilelena-Appearance of the Island-Island of Madeira-Interference of the British
Consul with the " Loui~a Benton"-Necessity of Squadrons for Protection of Commerce and Citizens Abroad.
This very interesting volume makes us acquainted with very important facts connected with the efforts of the American Government
to suppress the Slave Trade on the Coast of Afiica. Lieut. FOOTE not
only places before us a record of what occurred whilst he was in command of the U. S. Brig " Perry," but gives us an account of the History
and Government of the African Race-their Manners and Customs, an
Account of the Establishment of the Commonwealth of Liberia, ite
Condition, Prospects, &c., &c.  It abounds with every variety of incident and adventure, and will, from  the very novelty of the subject,
have a wide sale. In order that some idea may be formed of the chai
racter of the work, a selection from the table of contents is ] refixed.




D. APPLETON &c CO.'S PUBLICATIONS.
LIGHT LITERATURE, BY LADIES OF TALENT.
I.
Juno Clifford.
A TALE,
BY A LADY.
1 vol. 12mo., cloth, with two plates, $1,25.
(From the Evening Traveller.)
This is a work of more than ordinary ability and interest. In its conception the plan is
certainly original.
(From the N. E. Farmer.)
The unfolding of the plot, and the delineation of the characters, evince talents of a high
order; and it is evident that the authoress possesses a good degree of skill, if not experience
in this department of literature. We think her work will rank above the common run of
novels.
(From the New Itaven Palladium.)
This is one of the most fascinating books of the season, and will doubtless find many
admirers. It is a story of American life, and most of the scenes are laid in Boston and
New York. The characters are painted in vivid colors; the rroud and stately heroine, to
whom no more fitting name than Juno could have been apphcd; her adopted son, Little
Sunbeam and Grace Atherton will not soon be forgotten. The style is beautiful and the interest quite absorbing.
(From  the True Flag.)
The conceptions of character in "Juno Clifford" are almost unequalled by any
American woman, and the plot has a straightforward intensity and directness rarely found
in a woman's book. The death * cenes are inimitable, and the love passages are no sickly
sentimentalism, but the utterance of that holy passion which outlives time and death.
II.
LIGHT AND DARKNESS
OR THE
Shadow of Fate.
A STORY OF FASHIONABLE LIFE,
BY A LADY.
1 vol. 12mo., cloth, 75 ets.
(From the N. Y: Dispatch.)
This is a pleasant and graphic story, the scenes of which are laid in the city of New
York. The light and dark, or the good and bad, of fashionable life are vividly intermin.
gled, and described by a fertile and glowing pen, with much talent and skill.
(From the Philadelphia City Item.)
The whole work is so complete, finished and artistic, that we cannot but anticipate a
brilliant and successful career for the writer, if she will devote herself faithfimlly to the high
and influential department of art in which she has made so triumphant a debut.
(From Godey's Lady's Book.)
Her creations are all life-like; her scenes natural; her personages such as one meets
every day in the haunts of fashion or domestic life. We read her story believingly, and remember the characters afterwards as old acquaintances. To produce such an effect upon
ourself is to give assurance of an accomplished artist. May this author live to write many
stories not only of fashionable, but of all sorts of life, and may we have them to read.




D. APPLETON & CO.'S P UB3LICATIONS.
t QUITE EQUAL. TO PUNCH."-Knickerbocker
PHCENIXIANA;
or.
Sketches and Burlesques.
1 Vol. 12mno. Cloth. With Portrait of the Author. $1.
Tins VOLUME UNQUESTIONABLY EXCELS ANY BOOK OF HUMOR
THAT HAS EVER BEEN PUBLISHED IN AMERICA; AND, AS A PROOF
OF THE FACT, WE ANNEX THE OPINIONS OF SOME OF THE LEADING AND INFLUENTIAL JOURNALS OF THE COUNTRY, NEARLY ALL OF
WHOM3 HAVE PRONOUNCED JOHN PII(ENIX "THE GREAT WIT
OF THE AGE.'7
(From the Utica Ierald.)
These Sketches are characterized by much humor, and will be found highly entertaining. The illustrations-especially the frontispiece-are worthy of Cruikshank.
(From tihe Boston Evening Traveller.)
The volume will make the most serious reader shake his sides at its mirthful delineations of character and sketches of events.
(From the Boston Telegraph.)
These Sketches are essentially in Punch's vein-more so than any other American
writing we are acquainted with. The Lectures on Astronomy, the Review of the New
Musical Symphony, and some other things, are equal to any thing we have ever seen in
Punch.
(From the P/hiladelphia Pennsylvanian.)
These are a collection of humorous sketches, well calculated to tickle the fancy of the
humor-loving portion of the human family.
(From the New Orleans Delta.)
Who is John Phcenix? We surmise that he is a reproduction, in human form, from
the ashes of Foote, or Mathews, or Lamb, or some other great master of English burlesque.
* * *  We advise all who like fresh and genuine humor to prepare their money to purchase an early copy. "' Doesticks" was but a first imitator of John Phcenix, who has orizinated a school of the hyperbolical and burlesque.
(From the Southern Literarsy Messenger.)
A very dangerous volume to be generally circulated, inasmuch as immoderate laughter
sometimes ends in convulsions, and we have seen no such provocative of explosive mirth
in this our day and generation. John Phoenix is the very genius of fun, and elicits merriment from the driest subjects. We can commend his Sketches and Burlesques to all per
sons of strong mind and vigorous constitution, who desire to be amused; but weak natures
should be careful how they venture upon them.
(From the Batosi Rouge Comnet;)
Phoenix has taken his Sketches from life, in that great fructifying region of Uncle Sam s
domains bounded on the West by the Pacific and our celestial (very) cousins in the antipoles, where the bottoms of the rivers are paved with the baser metals, and the mountains made of gold. A fig for your " Fern Leaves" by the side of the book of John Phoenix,
with its motto, " In the namne of the Prophet-Figs."  John Phocenix, besides being a satirist, is a philosopher. His satire flows naturally and gently as "Sweet Afton," cutting off
weak-kneed humanity at the sockets, and washing all down into the great ocean of joviality-which is the " hatters" so often spoken of, where politicians and priests, lawyers and
loafers, gentlemen of the Peace Society and gentlemen of the war department, who have
snuffed the odor of battle afar off, meet on a perfect platform of equality, to laugh at the
several follies and deceptions they have each practised upon a credulous world in the great
wanqutwrade of humanity.




D. APPLETON & CO.'S PUBLICATIONS.
Songs and Ballads of the American
Revolution.
LOYAL AND WHIG. WITH NOTES AND ILLUSTRATIONS.
BY FRANK MOORE.
More solid things do not show the complexion of the times as well as Ballads and
Libels." —Selden.
1 vol. 12mo., with two illustrations by Darley. Price $1.
(Extract from Editor's Preface.)
This volume presents a selection from the numerous productions, in verse, which applared during the war of the American Revolution. Many of them are taken from tilhe
newspapers and periodical issues of the time, others from original ballad, sheet, and broadsid,-; while some have been received from the recollections of a few surviving soldiers,
whe, heard and sang them amid the trials of the camp and the field.
N.'ewly every company had its "smart one," a poet who beguiled the weariness of the
march or the encampment, by his minstrelsy, grave or gay, and the imperfect fragments
which wurvive to us, provoke our regret that so few of them have been preserved.
(From the Boston Eve/ing Transcript.)
It it 4 curiosity of literature, a patriotic treasury of quaint, yet honest verse, an antiquarian gen,, a native and primitive fruit-in short, a delectable book for the curious in literature, and the lovers of the native muse, in her rude infancy. The notes illdicate patient
research, And give historical value to the work. * *  * The verses to the memory of
Hale are La: urnfully graphic; and, as we take up the book, fresh from Irving's page, it
seems to trwvrport us to hamlet and bivouac, and reproduce the life of the people, when
the events ot the Revolution were gradually unfolding.
(From the Albany 2~or-ning Experess.)
The real lIk of a people may be found in its songs and ballads. The prosaic pen of the
historian gives valy an outline of the picture; the true color and complexion of the times
are preserved in those traditionary legends and songs, which conceived on the impulse of
the Inoment, insplied by the time and the occasion, and the absorbing scenes of heroic
action, are handed down from father to son, and cling to the very heart of the people. Mr.
Moore's collection has been long needed, and is a valuable contribution to our national
literature.
(From the Criterion.)
Mr. Moore has d'ne a real service to the country, not only in a literary, but a historical
point of v ew; and so library or private collection, of any pretension or value, can l)e
without this volume of poetical history. Moore's collections of the BALLADS AND SONos
OF THE REVOLUTION must fill the same place in the literature of this country that is filled
in Great Britain by SCOTT's MINSTRELSY OF THE SCOTTIsii BORDEa.
(From the Transoript and Eclectic.)
The work fills a void in our national and historical literature; and also addresses itself
especially to the tastes and comprehension of the masses of the people.
(From Correspondent of Boston Post.)
I regard this volume as an exceedingly valuable contribution to our historic literature.
t * * With the rude effusions here first collected, was born American liberty; and the
harp of Horner or Milton could not have been tuned to a nobler resolve than that which
called them forth.
(From tle N. Y. Entr' Acte.)
Mr. Moore has done for his country what Herder did for the Jewish nation-what
Goethe and Schiller labored to perform for Germany, early in the last century-namely, to
give to the land of his birth a ballad literature; not, indeed, created by his own genius,
but collected from among those emanations which were called forth when the forefathers
of o&u country were upon the battle-field, in defence of human rights, and with arms in
their hands. The fruits of his labors will be received with enthusiastic delight. His work
breathes of Bunker Hill, of Concord, and Lexington. Its poetic productions are associated
with that struggle, which is among the most noble in history-American Independence.
And every America, will read it.