s^ University of California Department of University Extension University of California Department of University Extension oRri d^. in ^' of A ^-f O • U^Ajtif- RECOLLECTIONS OK MARSHAL MAC DON A LI) DUKE OF TARENTUM ' (iciieral Macdoiiald, one of the most intrepid men zvho ever appeared in our armies, experienced, shrewd, cold, and knowini^ how to make himself obeyed.^ — Tiiikks. <^ K Plon Noumt dc C'Tedii Marshal Macdonaliv I DUKE OF TAHENTUM I From the oridinal Vy David .„/,«Sy4..J5«.t«!i»».i^—^-S«n-«!'J' RPXoLLiu rioxs OK Marshal Macdonald DUKE O/- TARENTUM EUITKl) BV CAMILLE R()USS?:T (member of thk i-rencm acaukmv) "SEranslatcli bn STEPHEN LOUIS SIMEON NEW AN^- .\'i:vrskn rmv/oN NEW NORK CHARLES S C R I B N E R S S (^ N S •893 ^^^-S^. -v^ HlSTORf ! ' Because I cannot flatter, and speak fair, Smile in men's faces, smooth, deceive, and coy, Duck with French nods and apish courtesy, I must be held to be a rancorous enemy. Cannot a plain man live, and think no harm, But thus his simple truth must be abused By silken, sly, insinuating Jacks ?' Shakespeare. *** See page 126. c INTRODUCTION Bv M. CAMILLK KOUSSET. In the nioiuh ol May, 1825, the sexagenarian Marshal Macdonald, left a widower for the third time, was plunged in the deepest grief. By his previous marriage he had only daughters ; the last marriage, solemnized scarcely four years before, and which had terminated so sadly, left him a son, heir to his name. It was for this child still in the cradle that, far from I'aris, far from the conventional consolations and condolences of the Court, the Marshal undertook— not to distract, but to occupy the isolation caused by his sorrow — to note down the various stages of his long and glorious career. He did not pretend to write memoirs ; they are merely recollections destined for the child who was alone to see them in the future. Sixty-live years have elapsed since they were penned ; more than fifty have come and gone since the Marshal died, and his grand-daughter, the Baronne de Pommereul, has thought that, in the interest and for the advantage of history, as well as for the reputation and fame .372783 vi INTRODUCTION of her ancestor, the moment has come to lift the veil which, until now, has covered these ' Recollections,' and has entrusted to me the task of revealing them to the pubhc. It is a great honour, for which I am grateful to her. I could not help feeling respectful emotion as I turned over those pages impregnated with sincerity, and which breathed forth truth like a refreshing perfume. On no occasion, nor in an) presence, did Macdonald conceal his thoughts, even when with the greatest of men, with Napoleon or with Louis XVIII. There is no single erasure or alteration in this manuscript of 472 folio pages ; there are consequently a few incomplete sentences, of which it has been found necessary to restore a word or two. With these exceptions, and with the omission of a few intimate details of precious interest for the family, but not for anyone unconnected with it, the text has been treated with the respect it merits. C. R. Paris. OTHER EDITIONS OF MARSHAL MACDONALD'S RECOLLECTIONS ARK 2 vols., demy 8z'c. , with port)ait. Paris: E. Ploii, Noiirrit et Cie., 1892. 2 vols. , demy %vo. , with poj-trait and illustrations, and Table of Battles. London: Richard Bentley and Son, 1892. 2 -c'ols. , demy Svo. , similar to English edition above. New York : Charles Scribner's Sons, 1892. ^ THE RECOLLECTIONS OF MARSHAL MACDOXALD DUKE OF TARE STUM CHAI'TKR I. Introduction — Journey to the Hebrides — Parentage — Brothers and Sisters — With Maillebois — Life at Sancerre — Gentleman-Cadet — At St. Germain — Marriage. Counellcs-le-Roi,* May i6, 1825. The idea has occurred to me, my son, of beginning this sketch of my life for you, without caring to knaii< when it will be finished ; nevertheless, I set to 7i.'ork, having for guide and assistance nothing but my memory. 1 let my pen travel on and write these lines, as you 7Ciill observe, in the simplest and most familiar style possible. Truth needs no adornment, and, moreover, I am not writing for the public ; these lines are not intended for the light of day. I write in haste from an old habit of never leaving anything till to-morroii.' ; besides, my return to Paris cannot long be postponed, and once there, / shall have no time to continue this work, as J am contemplat- ing a journey of six weeks or tivo months, in order to see the three kingdoms of the British Empire, viith which I am un- acquainted, and to visit my father s birthplace in the Hebrides. * Siluatetl in the department of the Loiret. — Translator. I < C C ff « c «3 ''• -' c'^ ; '/lll'ARSliAL -.MACDdNALD'S RECOLLECTIONS Paris, June i, 1S25. You and my fatnily wil/ probably be surprised, and Justly, at finding among my papers as yet no special recital oj my campaigns, twt even a diary ; I owe you some explanation upon this point. Twenty years ago I had ample leisure, as I was not being employed,''' but I had recently acquired Courcelles. It was the first time that I had owned an estate, and it was Imt natural that I should wish to enjoy all its pleasures. Sur- rounded with books on agriculture, I discovered attractions hitherto unknown to me. I Jorgot the papers locked up in my chest, and all my fine schemes Jor writing my military lije were temporarily abandoned. IJ Heaven prolongs my desolate existence,^ I wdl include in this narrative an account oJ my military career, atid oJ the different ranks that I have held. As Jor events, they are written in eveiy history oJ the time ; but bezvare oJ them, especially upon any subject connected with me, Jor histories, narratives, and biographical notices must be affected by our recefit troubles, and consequently by the passions oJ f?ien and by party spirit; liowtver, impartial history zvill some day avenge those who have Jallen victims. J have never had reason to reproach myself, nor have I ever had to biiish for any circumstance in my life. I received an untarnished name. I trans ui it it to you, Jeeling sure that you will keep it pure. My conscience during a long and active lije has nothing to reproach me, because I always JoUowed three *' After the trial of Aloreau, in which a futile and unjust attempt was made to implicate Macdonald, he remained five years in disgrace, and was not recalled to service until 1809. + He had just lost his third wife, mother of the son to whom these recollections are addressed. She was jVIademoiselle de Bourgoing, and had previously married her cousin, Baron de Bourgoing. She had two children by the Marshal : this son, Alexander, afterwards Duke of Tarentum, and a daughter who died in infancy. — Trajislator. THE MARSHAL'S FATHER 3 safe ^i^iiidfs : Honour^ Fidelity^ and Disinterestedness ; and I like to believe that my i;//ides will he yours also. Coiin-ellcs-li-Koi, August 6, 1.S25. My rapid journey has been brought to a satisfactory con- clusion. The coast of France looked to nie like the Promised Land. I hai'c once more seen France, my beloved country .' This is the first anniversary of your birth. What Joy and happiness that event caused us ! But, alas ! how many re- grets and painful memories have come since ! I ought to tell you something about your family upon your father's ?ide. I alone can give you details, which I knew but imperfectly, but which, in the course of my travels, I collected on the spot. Vour paternal grandfather was born in 1719, in the parish of Coubry, or Boubry, in South Uist, one of the Hebrides.* He was educated in France at the Scotch College at Douai, and was probably destined for an ecclesiastical career. I know not what were his tastes, or wishes, but I do know that, after completing a brilliant course of study, he returned to the place of his birth. rhence he was summoned by Prince Charles [PMward] Stuart, styled the Pretender. Throughout the disastrous expedition of 1745 my father attached himself to the good and bad fortune of the Prince, like a loyal Scotsman. The cup of their common mis- fortunes, and of so many others besides, was filled by the loss of the battle of Culloden, near Inverness, in 1746. The details of this disastrous event are written in history, and it would be superfluous to repeat them here ; but what * I learn from Mr. John Macdonalcl, of (Jlenaladale, whose father accomjxinied the Duke on his journey to the Ilehriiles, that the district in which the Marshal's father was born was that of Iloughbeag. See also note on next ^a^e. — Translator. 4 MARSHAL MACDONALD'S RECOLLECTIONS are less known are the results that this unhappy affair had upon the life of the Prince, who was compelled for several months to seek shelter in caves and barns, in order to save his head, upon which a price had been set. He Avandered from island to island, guided by my father, until at last a heroine. Flora Macdonald, of the Isle of Skye, succeeded in baffling their pursuers, and exposed herself in order to assist their flight on board a French man-of-war. Miracu- lously saved, they reached France.* Your grandfather was * ' Marshal Macdonald used to remit money to his relatives in Uist, and one of his cousins visited him in France at his request. In 1825 the Marshal visited Great Britain, and was eveiywhere receiv-ed with distinguished honour, both by the Government and people. The Cordiality of his reception in London was only equalled by that of his reception in Edinburgh and Inverness. He visited the field of Culloden, and expressed strong disapprobation at the Highlanders for engaging the Royal troops in such a place. ' Marshal Macdonald visited the Western Isles in a revenue cruiser placed at his disposal by Government, accompanied by Mr. Ranald Macdonald, Writer to the Signet in Edinburgh, who was a son of Mac- donald of Boisdale, a scion of the Macdonalds of Clanranald. ' The Marshal walked from the ford at Lochdar to Houghbeag, a distance of ten miles. On coming in sight of the river he exclaimed : ' " That is the river Hough ! I know it from my father's description ! Many a salmon has he caught there !" ' He sent for all his relations in the neighbourhood. , When his blind old uncle was brought to him, he embraced him afiectionately, saying : ' " You dear old man, how like you are to my own father !"' ' He addressed his relations in French and broken Gaelic, they answering him in Gaelic, for none of them could speak any English. He distributed sums of money, varying in value among them, giving to some ;^20, and to others larger amounts or fixed annuities. He took earth from the floor of the house where his father was born, and potatoes from the garden, and these he placed in a bag and carried home with him to France. He planted the potatoes in his garden, and gave orders that the earth should be placed in his coffin after his death. ' From Houghbeag he crossed the hills to (jlen Corrodail to visit the cave in which Prince Charlie and a few faithful followers lived for six weeks after Culloden. It is a walk of about two hours over very rough THE MARSHAL'S MOTHER put into Ogilvy's Scotch regiment, and the Prince never gave him another thought I After the peace of 1763, nearly all the foreign regiments were disbanded. Among them was Ogilvy's, and your grandfather, proscribed in his own country, and abandoned in this one, was reduced to live upon the modest pension of three hundred /i'i'res (about jC2>°). Almost immediately afterwards he made what, in military parlance, is called a ' garrison marriage " ; that is to say, he wedded a girl with- out any fortune. Your grandfather had settled himself at Sedan, where I was born [November 17, 1765], when he was invited by Lord Nairn, proscribed like himself, to the little town of Sancerre [near Bourges]. The cheapness of living, and probably of the wine, which is good, had deter- mined these gentlemen to settle there ; other Scotsmen had preceded them. In this retreat, with his friends and his books, he consoled hunself for the cruelty of fortune. He was very studious, well versed in the Greek and Latin tongues, which he spoke roads ; but the Marshal, then about sixty years of age, travelled the mountains with ease. ' From Corrodail he re-embarked on l)oarix miles farther north is IIough!>eag, where Neill Macachaim, father i>f the Marshal, was born." — Xotc by Mr. .lle.xautUr Carniichael, of Edinhuri^h. MARSHAL MACDONALD'S RECOLLECTIONS easily, as well as French, English, and Gaelic, his native language. He never saw his country again, although in 1784 an Act or Amnesty was passed by the English Parlia- ment, permitting fugitives to return. My father died at Sancerre in 1788, in all probability from the effects of a fall he had had some years previously, and which had dislocated his hip, which had been badly set by an inexperienced surgeon. I was at that time quartered at Calais. One of his compatriots, Mr. MacNab, undertook to represent me. He collected all his books and papers, with the intention of restoring them to me. Among them I should certainly have found many details about my family, and about the events of which your grandfather had been both witness and victim ; but MacNab, at that time corporal in the Bodyguard, was, like so many others, seized during the Revolution, arrested and imprisoned. His papers and mine were carried off, and are lost for ever. I have these unlucky details from himself. I have little information about your paternal grandmother. I only know she was of good family. She was born at St. Omer, but as her father, a soldier by profession, was a stranger in the town, nobody remembered her, and I could obtain no information when I caused inquiries to be made. Unfortunately, while I was moving from garrison to garrison, your grandfather and grandmother had, two or three years before the death of the former, differences of so serious a nature that they voluntarily separated. I fancy that your grandmother, perhaps embittered by trouble, had some slight affection of the mind, but it was scarcely notice- able, and certainly not so apparent to others as to me. She retired to Fontainebleau, where she ended her days twenty- five or twenty-six years ago. Your grandfather was very gentle, she was quick-tempered ; she was a great talker, he was naturally silent. I have heard him, however, talk very BROTHERS AND SISTERS 7 well ; his memory was well stored, full of anecdote, and he was a good musician, playing the violin ; he was much esteemed and sought after by the society of that time. They had four children, two boys and two girls ; two died at an early age, my sister and I have survived. Your aunt was educated in a convent at Rouen, and marri-d a Swiss doctor at Soleure, who afterwards gave up the ' fruit- less science of (ialen,' became a soldier, and was killed, holding the rank of Lieutenant-Colonel, at the passage of the Beresina, in the fatal e.xpedition of 1S12. They left three girls and a boy, who is now in India, in command of a company of Sepoys at Pondicherry. One of the daughters is a nun ; the eldest married Major-C.eneral the Viscount de Saint-Mars, and the second Colonel de Couessin, attached to my staff. They are all living and have children. Your aunt, after the death of her husband. Colonel Weltner. settled at Beaulieu, near me, and died there two years ago. My early studies had been somewhat neglected at San- cerre. I was sent to Paris to a school kept by Chevalier Pawlet (sic). His foreign name caused the proscription of the tutor, and his establishment was suppressed at the begin- ning of the Revolution. I had profited fairly well by his instruction. Before going thither, I had been destined for the Church, in the hope of obtaining a canonry at Cambrai. But my military tastes were developed by my studies and surroundings, and especially by Homer, the reading of which set my brain on fire. I thought myself an Achilles '. They wished to make an engineer of me, and I was encouraged to study mathematics. Two comrades and I had to undergo an examination ; we failed, and were sent back for another year ; but in the interval powerful patrons, Prince Ferdinand de Rohan, Archbishop of Cambrai, 8 MARSHAL MACDONALD'S RECOLLECTIONS Countess d'Albestrop, Lady Mary and Lady Lucy Stuart, obtained for me, in 1785, a lieutenancy in Alaillebois' regiment, then serving the Dutch. The seven United Provinces formed at that time a re- pubhcan federation, which on more than one occasion had fought successfully against states much stronger than her- self This time she had to face her neighbour, the Emperor of Austria, Sovereign of the Netherlands, who had quarrelled with her on behalf of Antwerp and Ghent, for the free navigation of the Scheldt. The Dutch, trusting in the defences which gave them safety — their good fleet, their frontiers surrounded by rivers, and their bristling fortresses — maintained only a small standing army ; but threatened as they were at this moment, they were seeking everywhere for generals, officers, and men. On hearing of my appointment, and the object for which the regiment was being raised, I was nearly beside myself with pleasure. My head was already crammed with books upon the art of war, with histories of sieges, campaigns, combats and battles. I was already planning out various schemes of attack and defence, and flattered myself that I should reap at least a colonelcy in this campaign, and that in the next I should become a rival to the great Turenne. Such were my ideas when I first put on my uniform at the beginning of 1785, and started with a number of other officers for our corps at Nimeguen, Arnheim, and Bois- le-Duc. Vou will easily conceive with what ardour I commenced the work of training my men. I had learnt the rudiments at Chevalier Pawlet's school, which was organized upon the lines of military schools, enjoying some of their prerogatives, notably the privilege of receiving officers' commissions, without counting those granted to such as passed from there into the special colleges for the artillery and engineers. DISBANDMENT OF REGIMENT Vou will experience, I hope, my son, the real joy that is caused by a first uniform and a first commission ; and although I have reached the highest rank, I assure you, in l)ertect sincerity, that my colonelcy was the crowning point to me. My new brother oflicers and I thought of nothing but how- soon we could take the field against the Austrians. All our conversations turned upon this subject, so full for us of charm and attraction, whereon we each founded his ambition, his promotion, and his fortune, when we learned with deep chagrin that peace had been concluded, and that our regiment would be disbanded. The Dutch thus justi- fied the sarcasm of Frederick the Great, who on one occa- sion inquired of their ambassador how matters were going with them. 'Very well," was the answer. 'We shall hold our own against the Emperor.' ' Nonsense :" replied the King. ' I know exactly what will happen : you will give a tip ' {pourboire) ' to his Imperial Majesty, and there will be an end of the matter.' This opinion, though expressed in jest, was found to be borne out completely when the treaty was published. In the statute ordering the regiment to be raised of which the Count de Maillebois was Colonel (as well as Com- mander-in-chief of the Dutch forces), a proviso had been inserted that, in case of peace and consequent disbandment, the officers should receive as pension half their pay, on condition of spending it in the country, or a sum down, equivalent to four years of the said pension, with ])ermission to leave the country at their pleasure. It was not a very large sum, for the Dutch, a frugal people, had only eight months in their financial year, each month containing six weeks. After taking the advice of my father and patrons, I lo MARSHAL MACDONALD'S RECOLLECTIONS returned to France. They then put their heads together to save me from living in idleness at Sancerre, where I was wearing out my uniform by showing it off at Mass and vespers on Sundays, and to the country people on market days. Everyone made way for me, and this could not fail to increase my stock of vanity. It was very difficult to be reinstated in a regiment in the service of France. Government seems to have viewed with displeasure the custom prevalent among our officers, of leaving their rank in their own army for a superior rank in the Legion. The Austrian Minister had made representa- tions, and, in order to give no justification for the suspicion of connivance, the French Minister refused to reinstate those who had willingly abandoned their ranks ; c) fortioi'i he would refuse to give even a sub-lieutenant's commission to the others. They were, however, permitted to begin their career as gentlemen-cadets, according to the established rules. These obstacles were pointed out to me, together with the necessity of coming to a decision. I did not hesitate. The lazy life of Sancerre wearied me. I had had a taste of life in garrison ; the work, exercises, parades, inspections, manoeuvres, which bored so many others, especially the old officers who had fought in America, were attractive to me. Count Arthur Dillon, who fell a victim to the Revolution, after having served it loyally, offered me a cadetship in the regiment that bore his name, of which he was proprietary Colonel. I put on the red coat ; a white aiglet, distinctive mark of the gentlemen-cadets, took the place of my lieu- tenant's epaulettes. I am bound to admit that it was not without a heavy heart that I took this courageous resolution, nor without a lively feeling of grief, which, however, diminished upon my hearing that I should soon be made an officer. That was a crumb of comfort, certainly, but it AMUSEMENTS U seems to me a very long way off, seeing that up to the rank of Captain promotion only went by seniority, that there were several cadets above me, and that the list of officers was very long. Some of these were there as substitutes, etc. Modifications have now been introduced into the laws governing promotion, more favourable to talent, and especi- ally to i)atronage. 1 thus spent several years continuing my studies, and always keenly interested in my ];rofession. I had chosen my friends well : they also were fond of work. They were good musicians and draughtsmen. I have always regretted that I could do no more than scrape my fiddle. I had begun too late, and my masters, independendy of their bad method, knew little more about it tlian I did. My other amusements were fencing, dancing, and the theatre. My taste for music and good acting had helped me to store my memory ; it became stronger while I was employed in Italy. It is an advantage to a young officer to be able to play an instrument ; the best society is always open to him, especi- ally if to his talent he joins good breeding and education, as well as good behaviour. The Revolution broke out ; every officer's brain was in a ferment ; no one dreamed of anything save war and promo- tion. The camp of St. Omer, where I was with my regiment, was able, by means of meetings and conventions, to free itself from the severe and humiliating discipline to which the council of war wished to subject all regiments and officers. At the period when the officers obtained their long leave, I profited by mine, at the end of 1 790, to go to my sister at Andrezy, and to St. Germain. I was at that time a Lieu- tenant, a little bit of a musician, and, though I could only scrape my violin. I was presented in several houses, and voted passable. 12 MARSHAL MACDONALD'S RECOLLECTIONS A young and pretty Creole* reciprocated the attentions I paid her. I offered her my hand, which was accepted ; her mother gave her approval, but the father's consent was yet to be obtained. He was a wily fox, who had amassed a fortune in the West Indies, and was more than economical, not to say stingy. The only fortune I could offer was my youth and my military prospects ; he wanted something more solid. He politely refused my proposal, but I would not take ' No ' for an answer. We set Colonel Beurnonville, afterwards a Marshal of France, to work ; he was well acquainted with the family, and had the ear of the father, who was his wife's uncle. The latter, who was afraid of the Colonel, though he had declined my offer, thought fit to make inquiries among the patrons already named, and whom I had mentioned to him. At last, worried and tormented, he finished by giving his consent to our union, which was celebrated on the 5th of May, 1791. From that time to the day of his death he was very kind to me ; he became very fond of me, and I honestly reciprocated his affection. * Mademoiselle Jacob, by whom he had two daughters, the Duchesse de Massa and the Comtesse de Perregaux. See Michaud, ' Biographic Universelle,' art. ' Macdonald.' — Translator. [ 13 J CHAPTER II. First Campaign— Battle of Jemniappes — Appointed Colonel— Arrival at Lille— Duniouriez's Treacher)— Events at Lille — Interrogation — End of the Incident. The Revolution made giant strides ; war seemed imminent, and I was recalled to my regiment. Hostilities broke out at the beginning of 1792. Beurnonville received a command, and took me as his aide de-camp. There had been considerable emigration among the officers of the army, and particularly among those of my regiment. Efforts were made to induce me to go, too ; but I was married, and very much attached to my wife, who was near her confinement. These were surely good reasons ! Besides, I cared nothing about politics. The campaign opened, and its first start was not fortunate; there was no feelings of camaraderie and a great deal of insubordination. General Dumouriez came to take com- mand of the northern frontier ; his headquarters were at the camp at Maulde, then under the orders of General Beurnonville. He gave me several commissions, which I carried out satisfactorily, and wished to keep me near him, with the rank of Captain. Beurnonville, seeing that it was for my interest, strongly urged me to accept. Gratitude and friendshii) compelled me to refuse, and I resisted, but ended by submitting to reiterated pressure, the more readily that he and I should still continue in the same corps d'armee. 14 MARSHAL MACDONALD'S RECOLLECTIONS I will enter here into no details of the events of the war, even so far as they concerned me personally ; they have passed into the domain of history, and to do so I should have to write memoirs, which is not at all my intention. Perhaps I will collect them some day, if I can find time and my papers ; but now I have too much to do, and niy career has been too full to admit of my undertaking such a lengthy task. Some months later. General Dumouriez received orders to join the Army of the Ardennes. He took up his quarters at Grandpre, then at St. Menehould, called V.almy, or CamJ> de la Lime. The Prussians attacked him there ; he resisted ; the enemy retired.* I was not forgotten amid the numerous promotions that took place. I was made Lieu- tenant - Colonel, now called Chef de bataiUon. General Dumouriez left orders with Beurnonville, who was Lieu- tenant-General, to lead a body to the assistance of Lille, and went himself to Paris to devise the ulterior plan of action. I followed him thither. After a short stay, we rejoined the army assembled under the ramparts of Valenciennes. The plan decided upon in Paris was to invade Belgium. For the execution of this enterprise the Commander-in-chief caused reconnaissances to be made all along the frontier, and his aides-de camp were sent to the principal points of attack, in order to report upon the strength of the troops opposed to him. He was to decide from these reports where to concentrate his troops and commence the main attack. He sent me to Lille. I accompanied the reconnoitring party sent to Tournai, and commanded by General Lamarliere. Our men were now to meet an enemy for the first time '' Had the Marshal, who wrote very rapidly and never re-read what he had written, looked over this brief but pithy passage, he would doubtless have found more to say concerning the Argonne campaign. RECONNAISSAMCh 10 LILLE 15 face to face, upon his own ground. We were not to j-ro- voke a pitched battle ; our chief object was to gauge the strength of the enemy by the resistance opposed to us. We were very superior to them, besides which a strong reserve, following us at a distance, had orders to support our move- ments, or to cover us in case of a repulse. This was the last part played by this troop, commanded by Lieutcnant- (leneral la Bourdonnaie in person ; he bore the title of General-commanding, but was subordinate to Dumouriez, who was a 'General of the Army' (^General d'armee), a rank corresponding to that of Marshal, which title had been abolished, though such as already bore it were allowed to keep it. At the first shot, our reconnoitring party broke and fled to Lille, carrying with them the panic that had seized them. However, the enemy did not deploy more than twelve hundred men of all arms and two pieces of cannon, and I am confident that they had no more at that particular spot. \'ainly did we try to stop our runaways ; but the enemy did not advance much, and the reserve, on being brought u]j, made a good stand. I reported the event, which was absolutely the second Pas de Baisieux on the frontier.* The Generals were kind enough to quote the efforts I had made to carry out the mission with which I was charged, as well as my demeanour during the skirmish, and, in truth, I was able to render some services upon this occasion. The receiift of complete intelligence satisfied us that the enemy's forces, commanded by Duke Albert of Saxe Teschen, were drawn up before us in an entrenched camp upon the heights of Mons and Berlaimont, covering the latter town, and General Dumouriez resolved upon giving battle. * An allusion to the rout of April 29, 1792, after which the fugitives, hurrying from baisieux to Lille, nia.ssacred their (ieneral, Theobald Dillon. 1 6 MARSHAL MACDONALD'S RECOLLECTIONS After all our preparations were made, the army advanced and took up a position parallel to that of the entrenched camp. Orders were given along the lines for a general attack at noon on the following day. Every watch was set by that of the General in command. Feints were to be made upon the principal points on the frontier, and at the same time. It was somewhat late for a battle, but the plan had been regulated by the march of General d'Harville, who was bringing 10,000 men from the camp at Maubeuge^ and was to turn Duke Albert's left wing. A discharge from the twelve-pounder battery announced the hour of noon. The army advanced upon the enemy, and opened the attack with plenty of determination.* The firing became very brisk, and the resistance obstinate. Ob- stacles such as entrenchments, epaulments, abattis, and chevaux de frise, favoured the defence ; they were trouble- some, but not insurmountable. However, our lines began to reel, and even to fall back. Dumouriez was at hand with a remedy ; but General d'Harville, who was to support our right and turn the enemy's left, did not arrive, notwithstand- ing repeated orders to him to hasten his march. Our left did not advance ; the General went to discover the reason, and recognised the difficulty of forcing the Austrians' right. Our advanced guard, commanded by Beurnonville, on the right of the line, had just been repulsed ; a second charge had produced no Letter result. Our centre was stationary, and losing many men. The Due de Chartres, who was commanding it, received orders to try to pierce that of the enemy, or so to fix their attention as to prevent them from withdrawing any men, while, with a few fresh troops, whom he would himself command, Dumouriez would make another effort on his right. I had just informed him that the head of General d'Har- * Battle of Jemmappes, November 6, 1 792. BATTLE OF y EMMA P PES 17 ville's column had appeared at last, but that he would require some hours and a little rest before he could execute the movcnicnl required of him, in order lo turn ihe enemy's left from the formidable position it occupied. ! )umouriez left me with the Due de Chartres, wlio desired me to bring him a regiment of dragoons left in reserve. While this regiment was coming up, we saw Dumouriez and Beurnon- ville rush forward at the head of the advanced guard, and, after a feeble resistance on the i^art of the Austrians, we saw our men crowning the heights. This rapid and decisive attack, coupled with the advance of D'Harville on our extreme right, appeared to decide the enemy to retreat, as they did not wish to expose themselves to having the road to Brussels closed against them, an operation which was clearly indicated by the movement of this body. The Due de Chartres, as soon as he perceived the progress and success of the advanced guard, ordered his troops to charge. The positions so long defended were overcome, and I myself led the regiment of dragoons at a gallop to the heights, where they still found some work to do ; but we only entered Mons the next day, after the Austrians had evacuated it. During the battle, Beurnonville received orders summon- ing him to take command of the Army of the Moselle. Dumouriez, who had appointed him Lieutenant-General, and hoped to keep him with his army, was displeased at this arrangement, and I was very vexed at it. However, there was nothing for it but to obey, and Beurnonville took leave of us, promising not to forget me. The army continued its march, skirmishing as it went, and took up winter quarters on the Meuse and the Roer, instead of pushing on to the Rhine. Dumouriez started for Paris, permitting me to accom])any him. He only remained there long enough to plan the invasion of Holland, and prolonged my leave. 1 8 MARSHAL MACDONALD'S RECOLLECTIONS While Dumouriez was subduing the fortresses on the Dutch frontier, the army left on the Roer and Meuse was surprised in its cantonments, and sought to rally on the hitherward side of Liege. Dumouriez received orders to hasten there. All officers on leave were ordered to join, and I was preparing for my departure, when I learned that Beurnonville had arrived in Paris, and had been appointed War Minister. I went to see and take my leave of him ; but he retained me, and a few days later presented me with an appointment as Colonel of the Picardy regiment. Two important promotions in six months surely ought to have satisfied the most boundless ambition ! I had no right to expect such a rapid rise, and was consequently the proudest and happiest man in the world. I could only hope, sup- posing that there had been any favouritism or any friendship on the part of Beurnonville, that the regiment I was about to command would not find me unworthy of such a rank, especially as it was one of those that I had supported during our reconnoitring expedition near Tournai. We soon had news of the loss of the battle of Neer- winde, and of Dumouriez's retreat. His enemies declared that treason had been at work ; from that moment he was lost, and the important services he had rendered in Chsm- pagne, Flanders, and Belgium were forgotten. Such is the fate of men who serve revolutions ! Mine only hung by a thread. Scarcely had I crossed our frontier when I met bands of fugitives returning to France, and screaming national songs at the top of their voices. I reached Brussels, where I found the staff not yet recovered from the confusion con- sequent upon the loss of the battle. No one knew w^hither the troops had betaken themselves, especially the Picardy regiment. Dumouriez was covering the army, or what re- mained of it, with the rear-guard, which was on its way LAST INTERVIEW Will! DUMOURIEZ 19 back from Louvain, so I waited for him. Some hours later I was told that an officer had come from my regiment for orders ; I sent it into temporary quarters in the neighbour- hood of Tournai. I saw Dumouriex on his arrival. He reproached me, as he had previously done Beurnonville, with having aban- doned him. I answered that the friendship of the latter for me had caused him to reward and encourage some small efforts on my part, and that no doubt, under more fortunate circumstances, he (Dumouriez) would have obtained an ap- pointment for me. I added that I was not abandoning him, as my regiment formed a part of his army. This reasoning soothed him. He talked over our unlucky position with me, begging me to hasten to my post, and desiring me to do my utmost to keep my regiment together, and to preserve it from the bad influences caused by the disorder into which everything had been thrown. I em- braced him, and departed ; each of us had tears in his eyes. Little did we think that this was our last farewell. I reached my quarters, and made myself known, to the .indignation of a Lieutenant-Colonel, who exclaimed to all who would listen to him that the most outrageous injustice had been done him by the appointment of a superior officer. He asked for leave, which I granted him, and he never re- appeared. As our retrograde movement continued, we did not stop till we were once more on our own territory. General Miac/inskis brigade, to which I belonged, came to Orchies. I was struck by the half heartedness of the enemy, who never attacked us. A few days later, while at dinner, a corporal of my regi- ment came to tell me that the War Minister was changing horses at the post-house, and desired to see me immediately. Surprised at this unexpected arrival, I went to him. .\fter 20 MARSHAL MACDON ALU'S RECOLLECTIONS embracing me, he presented me to four Commissioners from the Convention, who questioned me as to our retreat. I was unable to give them much information, as I had only arrived a few days previously, a statement which was con- firmed by the Minister. They were in a hurry to go on and fulfil their mission, the object of which was not disclosed to me. I questioned Beurnonville, but he also was discreet ; he recommended me, however, to hold my regiment in readiness, as he would review it on his return from the head- quarters at Boues de St. Amand. Next morning Miaczinski sent for me. I found him in great spirits. His room was full of officers, one of whom was reading aloud to the General a despatch that had just arrived. I gathered simply that the War Minister and the Commissioners had been seized and taken to Tournai. Miaczinski ordered me to have my regiment under arms, adding that he would shortly send me further instructions. In a few minutes an aide-de-camp brought me verbal in- structions to take command of the camp, to set the troops in motion, and march upon Lille, whither the General would precede me. I sent forward my quarter-masters,* and we. followed. A halt being necessary, I stopped at Pont-a- Marcq. Fresh orders from the General desired me to hasten my advance, and we started again. On the road, some of my officers informed me of what had happened at St. Amand ; our General had made no secret of it, and it had gradually leaked out to the regiment. They tried to discover what I thought ; my answer was simply that we had to obey orders without troubling ourselves about future events. The head of the column had just reached the Faubourg des Malades (a suburb of Lille), when I received a note from Miaczinski ordering me to stop wherever this note reached me, to provide refreshment for my men, and not to * Officers charged with the duty of furnishing provisions and lodgings. ARRIVAL AT LILLE ii leave th(."in. Tlicy had just readied llic ;j;lacis of the fortress. 1 ordered them to face about, according to the regulations, and pile their arms. No victuals ! I sent to Lille for some. The gates and barriers were shut, and the drawbridges raised. This circumstance led me to the conclusion that something very unusual was taking place in the town, seeing that the gates of a fortified town are not shut, except for form's sake, on the arrival of a fresh garrison. The proxi- mity of the enemy could not account for it, for we on the glacis were a goodly number of defenders. While I was discussing this strange reception with some of my officers, I was informed that a municipal official wished to see me. I went to him, and found him in considerable agitation. He told me that the council, assembled at the town-hall, wished to see me. I answered by showing him the note from the General, in which I was ordered not to leave my troops ; that I presumed that the object of this municipal invitation was to concert measures for food and quarters ; that the (ieneral was there as well as my quartermasters ; that they should address themselves to hini ; that I only held the command in his absence ; that I would send a Captain in my place, who would bring me back his orders. Our disasters, which extended the whole length of our frontiers, and especially in the north, were all laid at the door of the leaders, and the policy of the day was rather to sacrifice them than to accuse the number of cowards who had brought them into such straits. That is why Dumouriez was declared a traitor to his country. A decree of accusa- tion had just been issued against him. The four Commis- sioners whom I have mentioned were sent to carry it out at head-quarters, and to bring Dumouriez to the bar of the Convention. l>eurnonville was ordered to reorganize the army, of which he was to take command. Dumouriez, however, had been warned, and had taken such measures 22 MARSHAL MACDONALD'S RECOLLECTIONS that, after an excited discussion with these gentlemen, he had caused them to be arrested and carried to Tournai. Here they were handed over to the enemy, with whom he had made a secret treaty whereby he was to be supported in his march upon Paris to upset the Convention. After this coi^/> d'i'faf, trusting too imphcitly upon the affection of his army, he divided it into several columns, which were to march upon the capital from different quarters, and, wishing at the same time to secure the northern strong- holds, he ordered Miaczinski to take possession of them. The latter, who had a cause of complaint against the Com- missioners, who had treated him very abruptly at Orchies on the preceding evening, because a detachment that was to escort them was not ready at the moment they wished to start, was enchanted at the prospect of having his revenge. He imparted his orders and all that had happened to those who were about him, and one of these, St. Georges, his friend, accompanied by the courier who had brought Du- mouriez's orders to Miaczinski, started immediately for Lille and warned the authorities of the danger threatening their town, and all the others in the department. Such were the reasons that had decided them to shut their gates. Poor Miaczinski, urged by a double desire to avenge himself and to lose no time in executing his orders, hastened thither, and thus lushed blindly on his ruin. He was to have had an interview with the general officer in command of the place, but the latter, warned by the information of St. Georges, hastened to join the civil authorities, who promptly took all the measures rendered necessary by the difficult circumstances in which they were placed. While awaiting the return of the Captain whom I had despatched into the town, I learned the details of all that had happened at St. Amand, and the orders that had been given in consequence. My officer returned without any A CK1SI5 instructions for me. Night was coming on. i'he men, who had heard something of wliat was going on, put various interpretations upon tlie news, hut I paid no heed to them. I was, however, in the utmost anxiety as to my position and that of my men, who were loudly complaining that they had a worse reception from their fellow countrymen than they would have had from foreigners. They were ravenously hungry. This state of aff;iirs could only end in a crisis, when they cried to us from the walls that the troops were to march to the Faubourg de la Madeleine, where we should find rations, tents, victuals, etc. ; but that we must go round the glacis, as the gates were not allowed to be opened. The men accordingly started, marching in a disorderly manner, which I could see from some distance off, but for which I could not account, until I came close up to them, when I discovered the reason. It was impossible to bring this multitude into order, so I contented myself with accom- panying them. On reaching the gate of the Faubourg de Fives, we found the barrier of the glacis closed. We sum- moned them to open it, but our demand was refused. .\ voice from within the gate added that the Colonel of the Picardy regiment was to come at once to the assembled council. My grenadiers mutinied, and replied in the nega- tive, adding that if their Colonel went they would go too. Th's was refused. I had nothing to reproach myself with. I at once determined upon going alone. The soldiers then raised very alarming cries, declaring, among other things, that these had killed their poor Capet (Louis X\T.), and so on. They also began to shout, ' I-ong live the King !' I addressed them with severity, threatening them and pretending that I could recognise individual voices, which frightened them ; and I then extracted from them a promise to remain (juiet until my return. The barrier was 24 MARSHAL MACDONALD'S RECOLLECTIONS opened for me, but I was not even allowed to take with me a servant to hold my horse. On passing under the gateway I was surrounded by about thirty men. The oiificer in charge said to me : ' Colonel, don't be afraid.' ' I have never been afraid of an enemy,' was my answer ; ' why should I fear Frenchmen ?' I put several questions to him, but could get no intelli- gence. ' I entered the great vestibule of the town-hall. All the authorities were assembled. The meeting was public, and a considerable number of inhabitants were present ; profound silence reigned. The president interrogated me. His first question was as to my Christian name and surname, rank, etc. I answered him. ' Are you in command of the troops on the glacis of the town ?' ' Yes, in the absence of General Miaczinski, who must be here.' I looked round for him, but failed to see him. ' By whose orders have you come ?' ' By those of the General I have named.' ' Can you show us his order ?' ' It was given by word of mouth. We were in camp. The General sent for me as the senior Colonel, and ordered me to put my men under arms. 1 obeyed, and immediately afterwards an aide-de-camp came and told me, on behalf of the General, to march my troops forward to this town, whither he would precede me.' ' Did he tell you the reason for this movement ?' 'No.' ' What did you think ?' ' That, having entered this territory, provision was to EVENTS AT LILLE 25 be made to safeguard the different places, and that we were intended to defend your town.' ' What do your men say ?' 'I cannot conceal from you that they are discontented. The grief caused by their reverses, the privations they have endured during the retreat, their fatigues, needs, devotion, all tended to make them anticipate help from their fellow- citizens ; but, instead, they meet only distrust. They are saying very unfitting things, and 1 have had considerable difficulty in appeasing them. In order to calm them I said that in all probability you desired to concert with me as to the best means of satisfying their pressing wants, and that I would not delay in bringing them good news. Unless such be the case, I cannot answer for any disorders or excesses which they will most certainly commit.' I called upon the officer who had come with me, and who had witnessed my efforts to calm the irritation of the men who had put their trust in me. He endorsed all that I had just said, and even went beyond it. The president, who at first had addressed me very severely, seemed much appeased by my speech, and, when the officer had concluded his report, said to me : ' Colonel, return to your post ; keep order among your men. Lead them to the camp of La Madeleine ; you will there find provision for all your needs. Orders have been given that nothing should be left unprovided.' I saluted the assembly and returned to the l-aubourg de Fives. ' Well, my friends ' I said to the soldiers on my arrival, ' 1 knew that it was simply to discuss your needs.' They all began to cry, ' Long live the Republic !' Such is the inconstancy of the multitude. ' Forward I' I cried ; ' we shall soon find plenty.' But what was my disappointment and theirs I On reach- 26 MARSHAL MACDONALD'S RECOLLECTIONS ing the place we found nothing. I sent to the town, and an answer was returned from the ramparts that it was too late that night, but that it should be attended to in the morning. On receiving this answer, I could no longer control my men. They broke away and dispersed, so much so that not a single soldier was left to guard the flag of the regi- ment, which I myself had to carry to the inn where I lodged. I passed a wretched night, thinking over all the disorder that might be brought about by such a state of things. Fortunately, there was less of it than might have been ex- pected ; but the town authorities were very much to blame — hunger has no ears. Early next morning I caused the assembly to be sounded, and a few hours later I had gathered together nearly all my men. I was again summoned into the town, but this time I went with less anxiety. Fearing a fresh outbreak during my absence, I ordered that the men should remain under arms. The meeting at the town-hall was less crowded, but I quickly perceived that the feeling was less friendly than it had been the previous night when I left the town. How- ever, I was soon reassured by the advent of my friend Dupont,* Adjutant-General, an old comrade in the Maille- bois regiment, charged by the authorities to settle with me all military details. We decided upon provisional canton- ments until all that was necessary for a camp should be distributed. * It was this (ieneral Dupont who afterwards capitulated at Baylen, and l)ecanie War Minister at the first Restoration. [ 27 1 CH.\rri:R in. C'.cneral Lamarlicro— Macilonald appuiiilcd AdjiUaiU-General— Execu- tion of Laniarliere— Skirmishes at Linselles and Commines— Entry into Lille— A Warlike Commissioner— Denunciation— A Loyal yrii-nd — A Hroken Reed — Extension of Command— (Jeneral I'ichcgru— Belgium and Holland— Battle of Ilooglede— On the Waal. Mkanw iiii.K, all the movements ordered by Dumouriez had been paralyzed. He himself ran i:;reat dangers, and was compelled, to save his head, to throw himself into the arms of the enemy, with whom, according to the admission made by himself in his memoirs, he had been treating secretly. General Dampierre, who succeeded him, sent General Laniarliere to take command of Lille and of the northern frontier. Immediately upon his arrival someone prejudiced him against the Picardy Colonel, whose name he did not even know. He was 'suspected.'* The General sent for the Colonel, and when I appeared, great was his suiprise. He had not forgotten the I'as de Baisieux, where he had noticed me ; and without further e\i)lanation said to me : ' Return to your ])Ost ; I will vindicate you.' This magnanimity touched me. He himself became shortly afterwards 'suspected,' and fell a victim, although innocent. • Persons supjiosed not lo he thoroughgoing revolutionists were commonly known as ' susjiects.' — Translator. 28 MARSHAL MACDONALD'S RECOLLECTIONS More Commissioners came to Lille from the Convention. They were also biased, as General Lamarliere had been, against me. One of them had served as Captain in my regiment, and had but recently left it. He was an intimate friend of the I.ieutenant-Colonel who was so vexed when I arrived to take over the command. This man chanced to be in Lille, profiting by the leave I had given him. He also took advantage of his friendship with the Commissioner to try to have me removed as a ' suspect,' owing to my having been aide-de-camp to Beurnonville and 1 )umouriez, the former of whom had also become 'suspected' since his arrest. My conduct underwent severe inquiry. Poor General Lamarliere justified it, adding that I had ceased to be aide- de-camp some four or five months previously. As they could not injure me on that score, they proposed to appoint me Adjutant-General (now called Staff-Colonel), a rank corresponding to that which I already held. My good friend Lamarliere spoke to me about it, pointed out the danger of a refusal, and, regarding mere objections as equivalent to consent, announced my acceptance, without my leave, to the Commissioners. The deed of appointment was then and there drawn up, for they had plenary powers, and worded in very complimentary terms, based upon my excellent conduct, my patriotism, etc. Possessed of this document, I went straight to the General, and, while thanking him for his kindness, declared that I could not take advantage of it ; that in the eyes of the army it would appear that I was incapable of command- ing a regiment ; that my susceptibilities were wounded, my honour compromised, and that I would rather be deprived of my command altogether ; that he, whose own feelings were of the keenest and most honourable, could, better than anyone else, feel for my position ; that I already owed so much .J.V HXCtlANGli Ut AITUINTMENTS 29 to liim that I should be glad to increase my debt by another service, and, as I saw that he did not insist, I added : 'Besides, it will be just as much to tlie interest of the Commissioners as to nu'ne to let this affair go no further, seeing that the dullest individual will easily understand that they are acting in private and not public interests' (they had appointed the Lieutenant-C'olonel to succeed me). ' Moreover, this officer is unpopular with the regiment ; he is narrow-minded and ill-tempered.' I ended by saying that, if they thought I should make a good Adjutant-General, I considered that I could render more service at the head of a regiment. ' by the way,' I exclaimed, ' why should they not give him the title they have conferred upon me ? He wants to be L'olonel. Well and good, his aml:)ition would be gratified.' This idea had not occurred to Lamarliere. It seemed to strike him, and he said : ' (jive me the letter containing the orders, and your com- mission. I will take them to the Commissioners, and beg them to make the exchange you propose.' ' No, certainly not. I cannot part with them. They are much too nattering, and, besides, they are my justifica- tion.' The Commissioners could find no serious objection to the plan proposed by the General. It was adopted, and 1 was left in peace. I occupied myself seriously, with ardour and activity, in exercising and drilling my regiment, and in accustoming it to warfare by marches and reconnaissances on the frontier. The enemy occujjied the adjacent woods, and I sometimes obtained some little successes in skirmishing. Other corps followed my example, and we thus accustomed our men to see and face the enemy. 1 forgot to say that my regiment MARSHAL MACDONALD'S RECOLLECTIONS had been divided. I had but one battalion ; the second was with the Army of the Moselle, and the Commissioners had appointed a Colonel to it. All communications ceased between us as soon as our accounts were settled. Another Captain belonging to the regiment, named Beru, who was away on leave, returned to Lille. He was also an intimate friend of the Commissioner, and was by him made General-of-Brigade, and had command, under Lamarliere, of the troops collected in our camj). Thus I saw one of my subordinates put over my head ; however, I made the best of it, and set the example of obedience. The new General came to the camp with some prejudices against me. A straightforward explanation ensued ; he was honest, and we became and remained friends. Shordy afterwards General Lamarliere was deprived of his command, arrested, and taken before the revolutionary tribunal, to which he soon fell a victim. I regretted him deeply. My superior Captain succeeded him with the rank of General- of-Division, and I was appointed General-of-Brigade."*" This came upon me like a thunderbolt, as, although for several months past I had performed the duties of the office, I had not had the responsibilities attaching to the rank. I represented that I was youthful and inexperienced, but they would not listen. I had to bow to their decision under pain of being treated as a ' suspect,' amd arrested. I resigned myself accordingly. My Captain, now General of- Division, who had also made some representations on his own account, was not listened to either, so we agreed to help each other. I was charged with the command of the frontier from Menin to Armentieres, and my quarters were fixed at * Macdonald received this appointment from Houchard, Commander- in-chief, and it was confirmed by the representatives with the Army of the North, Levasseur and Bentabole, August 26, 1793. ENTITY INTO LILLE 3' 1, annoy, it" 1 remember rightly, for I have no map at hand. Partial and simultaneous attacks were made almost daily during August at Linselles, Commines, Blaton, Pont-Rouge, etc., and ahnost invariably terminated in our favour, which gained me some reputation. These attacks were but the jirelude to a real onslaught, which the enemy at last made, advancing with a large body of troops against my hnes. Linselles, Commines, and Blaton were all carried at once. The General-of-Division and I consulted together. He- sent me some reinforcements, raised his camj) at La Madeleine, marched upon Linselles and Jupon, Commines and Blaton. Having made all my dispositions, I charged the enemy with the bayonet. They retreated ; we pursued eagerly. We regained possession of the two places, and our success was crowned by a large number of killed, wounded, and prisoners. We got ten pieces of cannon, all the ammu- nition, baggage, etc. Affairs went otherwise at Linselles, where we lost the same number of guns. My poor General was in despair. He came to see me, and 1 consoled him as best I could ; and before he left me we learned that the enemy had retired from Linselles, which comforted him. \\'e entered Lille in triumph with our captures, so as to dissipate the bad impression caused by the reverses at Linselles. Everyone hailed us as victors ; my troops who had taken part were intoxicated, and, to say the truth, I enjoyed the moment as much as anyone, though as modestly as I could. My name appeared honourably mentioned m the official despatches, and this caused me to be regarded as an important person, and loused jealousy and enmity against me. After these events I daily harassed the enemy, but they had caused so much vexation to the General-of-Division that he asked permission to retire, which was granted. 32 MARSHAL MACDONALD'S RECOLLECTIONS The four Commissioners, to my great bliss, had been recalled or sent elsewhere ; they Avere replaced by another, who, having heard of my success at Commines, and other partial successes, wished for my personal acquaintance. I went to Lille, where he received me with civility, returning my visit a few days later ; the outposts thought he was making an inspection. In this interview he expressed to me his desire to be present at a little brush with the enemy. I undertook that he should see one, and promised to let him know the day, hour, and place at which it should occur. The enemy had replaced by fresh troops those which had been lately worsted, and among the newcomers was a regiment commanded by the Duke of York. Their men swaggered considerably, and gave themselves great airs, and I determined to give them a lesson. Having made my preparations and taken all precautions, I sent word to the Commissioner, who arrived in hot haste towards the end of the brush. He saw the rout of the enemy, and a good many prisoners taken, after we had killed and wounded a considerable number. He heard balls and bullets whistle past him, and was beside himself with joy. I asked leave to quote his name in my report ; he himself drew one up in which he praised me, and was not too modest about his own share. Finally, when the action was over, and my troops were recalled, he complimented them, gave me the kiss of fraternity, and said aloud that I might count upon him till death. Such protection was by no means to be despised during those horrible times of revolutionary crises, and I thought myself safe from all anxieties, whatever denunciations might be brought against me from any quarter. I have said that the General-of-Division had retired ; while awaiting the appointment of his successor, the General DENUNCIATION AND TIIREAIS T,i in command at Lille held his place. The successor came at last. He was General Souham, who struck up a friend- shij) with me which still endures. I-'eeling quite easy about the point where I commanded, he turned his attention to the others, and left me a free hand. Security was re- established upon part of the frontier, and I was determined to see that it was respected. It was then that the good idea occurred of amalgamating all the volunteer battalions, whether of old or new formation, with the regulars, putting two of the former to one of the latter, and I was charged to carry out the operation ; but such confusion reigned that nobody seemed to know where these battalions were quartered, because, as it transpired, if they did not like the place where they had been sent, or if it did not suit them, they moved on somewhere else without giving any notice, so that I was ordered to travel through all the neighbouring departments, in order to send in as many battalions as possible to Lille. While these events were in progress, two new Com- missioners Extraordinary arrived, with greatly extended powers. I had been denounced to them ; their first act was intended to be my disgrace, arrest, and eventual arraignment before the revolutionary tribunal at Arras, from which no one ever escaped. I admit that I had made a terrible enemy of a republican and superlatively revolutionary General by laughing at him for cowardice in a skirmish at Menin. He had become the butt and laughing-stock of the troops, even of those who shared his opinions. It was he, moreover, who had de- nounced and ruined poor General Lamarliere ; but Divine justice allowed him to perish eventually by the same means. Another enemy whom I strongly suspected was a former and very bad comedian, now a General commanding a 3 34 MARSHAL MACDONALD'S RECOLLECTIONS revolutionary army,* who used a seal engraved with a guillotine, but who nevertheless simulated some friendship for me. His functions, however, and his intimacy with the other, left me no doubt, and I received a warning. I despised these men too much to pay the least attention ; I was wrong, and too self-confident, for in those terrible times a clear conscience, upright conduct, without blot or blemish, were no guarantees ; they only exxited jealousy by making others ashamed. General Souham fought loyally and generously against the accusations, denunciations, etc., and succeeded in staving off the execution of the warrant against me until the return of the Commissioners, who were to go to Dunkirk in order to see and hear me. I was in ignorance of all that was being plotted against me, and was quite comfortable in my quarters, when the General sent for me and told me of all that had happened. He then added : ' Look here, you are done for ; therefore consider what steps you had better take, and decide quickly, for you are going to be suspended from duty.' He then advised me to put myself out of the reach of the warrant, the execution of which was only postponed. The Commissioners, in granting the delay, had imperatively de- manded that my command should be taken from me, and that Lille should be my temporary prison. Therefore it was open to me to go abroad. But if I did, what should I do ? What would become of me ? I should have found numerous enemies among the emigrants, who never forgave those who refused to join them in 1791. I then had recourse to the papers given to me when I was appointed Adjutant-General, and which I had kept. * It was not the revolutionary army of Ronsin and Rossignol, which was specially attached to the northern district. A DIFFICULT POSITION! 35 'They will he no use to you,' said Souliain. ' The very men who signed them are now "suspects" themselves.' 'There is my friend the warlike Commissioner,' said I. ' I will go and see him.' ' He I' replied Souham. 'Why, he was present at the discussion. I called upon him to speak up for you, hut he was silent.' ' Never mind,' I answered ; ' mayhe he was intimidated hy the presence of his colleagues and superiors. I should like to try him, and perhaps inspire him with a little pluck, if he wants it.' ' Go and try,' was the answer, ' and then come hack to me.' I departed in search of my friend. ' Look here ! you know that I have fallen into disgrace, and I have come to ask your help. I thought that my con- duct and services would save me, but I learn that damaging suspicions have heen sown broadcast by enemies who remain in shadow, concealed like those whom we are fighting every day.' ' Indeed !' he replied. ' Do you wish me to speak quite openly to you ? I tell you you are not a republican, and I neither can nor will mix myself up with you.' ' But,' I answered, ' I have not changed, as far as I know, since the day when we met on the frontier at the skirmish at Commines ; and on that occasion you assured me pub- licly ' ' I remember what you mean,' he said roughly, interrupt- ing me ; ' but times are changed,' and thereupon he turned on his heel. I returned directly to Souham and related this conversa- tion to him. He implored me to take some steps for my safety. ' They are already taken,' I said. ' I will be, if necessary. 36 MARSHAL MACDONALD'S RECOLLECTIONS one of the thousand victims sacrificed daily. I shall re- main.' ' But have you thought it over carefully and weighed all the consequences ?' ' Yes.' I was right in acting as I did. The Commissioners Ex- traordinary were recalled to Paris from Dunkirk, and I was sent back to my post and forgotten. I continued to maintain respect for the frontier under my command, which was considerably extended. In it was included all the territory between Armentieres and the sea, and my headquarters were moved to Cassel. Although I was only General-of-Brigade, I had eleven of the same rank under my control, and about forty thousand men scattered over this long frontier-line, which vastly increased my re- sponsibility. I had made representations with a view to being relieved, for, notwithstanding this force, scattered as it was, we were weak everywhere. A promise had been given me that I should be replaced by the first General-of-Division who should arrive, and I experienced great satisfaction when he was at length announced to me. I was to have returned to my former quarters, but my destination was altered, and this change of plans was coloured by a representation as to the necessity of retrieving some checks that one of my comrades had received. As a matter of fact, this comrade had started in his military career with the rank of General, and his troops had no confidence in him. I took his place, and my command extended from Menin to Tournai. About this time serious thoughts arose as to the advisa- bility of assembling the whole army and taking the offensive. For this purpose a new Commander-in-chief '■' came down, accompanied by two Commissioners Extraordinary, A * General Pichegru. DECREE OF EXPULSION 37 decree had just been published ordering all 'nobles' to move thirty leagues from the frontiers, to (juit the army and Paris. Under these circumstances I ought to have retired. I had furnished the headciuarters staff with all the informa- tion in my possession upon the frontier, the enemy, their strength, positions, weapons, etc. My services and conduct had also been mentioned with praise, and the Commander- in-chief begged the Commissioners to retain me, and exempt me from this measure. They desired me to come to them, and informed me that, by virtue of their plenary powers, they required my services. I answered that I wished nothing better, and that they might count upon my zeal and my efforts, but that they should give me a written com- mission. I added that, should we have the misfortune to meet with reverses, I should assuredly be accused of treachery, and of having remained with the army in order to secure its defeat, notwithstanding the decree of expulsion. Despite my arguments, they refused to satisfy me, where- upon I said : ' Very well, then. I shall send in my resignation.' ' If you leave the army, we will have you arrested and brought to trial.' I had no choice but to submit, so I remained where I was, in spite of the twofold odds against me. Success alone could ensure my position and save me. After various ups and downs. Victory at length declared herself for us. I took the most important share in the engagements at Lannoy, Roubaix, Tourcoing : at the battle of Hooglede, where I was alone in command ;* at the capture of Vpres, Menin, Courtrai, Ostend, dhent; at the passage of the Scheldt, and of the canal at Mechlin ; then at the taking of Antwerp; at the battles of Turnhout and • At the l).ittlL- of Hrx)gli.'(If, fought on the 26 I'rairi.il, year iii. (June 13, 1794), Macdonald comniandcd the centre. J 8 MARSHAL MACDONALD'S RECOLLECTIONS Boxtel ; at the capture of Bois-le-Duc, which the Dutch did me the honour of attributing to me because I had been in their service and garrisoned there, though in truth I did nothing but cover the besiegers ; and finally at the passage of the Meuse and the taking of Nimeguen. The Waal stopped us. We took up quarters for the winter, which promised to be very severe. Mine were temporarily at Kronenburg. While there I received, most unexpectedly, and, above all, without wishing for or desiring it, my commission as General-of-Division,* and my quarters were shifted to Nimeguen. * 8 Frimaire, year iii. (November 28, 1794). [ 39 ] CHAPTER IV. I'assagc of the Wanl — Its Results — Reconnaissance at Arnheim — Arrival at Naarden — Capitulation of Naarclen — On the Banks of the Yssel — Delfzyl — The Peace of Basle — Command in Overyssel — Ordered to Walcheren — Fever — Removal to Utrecht — Convalescence. l'icnK(;Kr, the new Commander- in-chief, being ill, had retired to Brussels, and the command was meanwhile made over to Moreau, the senior (ieneral-of-Division ; the latter's division was added to mine, which extended my command from Fort St. Andre to Urdingen, where I joined the left of the Army of the Sambre and Meuse, now in position on the Rhine. We took advantage of this interruption of operations to revictual our troops and reorganize them, and to train and discipline our recruits. \Ve had no means, no possibility of crossing the Waal, a considerable river, whose right bank was defended by fortified dykes. The forts of Knodsenburg, opposite Nimeguen, and Kekerdam, opposite Kronenburg, were well armed. We constantly exchanged shots along the entire line ; from one point of view this meant a considerable waste of ammunition ; from another, however, it gave us a valuable chance of familiarizing our new recruits with the fire of the enemy. The frost came to our assistance. I had the ice sounded tw^o or three times a day. .\s regards provisions we were 40 MARSHAL MACDONALD'S RECOLLECTIONS unfortunately situated ; our communications with our stores at Antwerp and Bois-le-Duc were cut off, the bridge had been destroyed, and the country between the Meuse and the Waal was exhausted, while we could only get very slender resources from our right towards Cleves. I myself was reduced to regimental bread and cheese, and that only irregularly. The Nimeguen shopkeepers had closed their doors, as we could only offer them assignats,* which they would not accept. We were compelled, therefore, to leave our present quarters and cross the river in search of plenty. All my preparations for crossing the river were made, and instructions given to start at the first signal. The ice was thickening, and we observed that the enemy were making ready to retire, as we imagined, when I suddenly received intelligence that they had evacuated Thiel, opposite Fort St. Andre. I saw with my own eyes a cannon being removed from the right bank. Never doubting that a retreat had been determined upon, the General in command at that point received orders to cross the river, now sufifi- ciently frozen, and to follow the enemy, who had taken the direction of Arnheim. I signalled to the rest of the troops that they were to attempt the passage at the points indicated. All the columns moved forward simultaneously at break of day, and crossed the river, almost without resistance, some- what above and below Nimeguen. The stream had not frozen in the middle of the town. As soon as I could distinguish through the fog the head of the first column nearing the fort by the dyke, I caused several skiffs that I had previously prepared to be launched, and crossed to the other side with two companies of grenadiers. The fort had just been evacuated. I ordered my men to pursue slowly, so as to give time for all our columns to come up with us, and for the cannon to pass. That was the difficulty. The * Paper-money. — Translator. PASSAGE OF Till-: WAAL 41 small ordnance was brought up without trouble, then the larger, and fuially the howitzers. During this operation we heard a violent explosion, which made the very ground tremble. It was, as I imagined, the enemy blowing up their magazines and setting their camp on fire. Fearing lest this terrible explosion might astonish the troops, I sent the Generals, who had come to take my orders, to their posts, desiring them to explain this event, which signified the absolute retreat of the enemy, and to watch our right, while I took upon myself the "charge of the centre. They arrived just in time, for a hot and well-sustained fire had broken out. My troops were engaged and attacked by a considerable force. The right division had only succeeded in putting one regiment across, and was repulsed on the left bank of the river ; but the General who had provisional command of this division arrived with two other brigades, rallied the first, and finally, after a severe struggle, broke the enemy's ranks. The intermediate division, which was mine, had left its place, and so had the centre, where I was ; we were without news from the left. I advanced my lines as far as the Linge, the point which I had named in my orders as that at which we were to concentrate. This day brought about two important results : first, it facilitated the invasion of Holland by separating her cause t'rom that of her allies, who were forced to evacuate the country ; secondly, it put into our hands at least a hundred pieces of cannon, with which the dykes and fort of Knod- senburg, which served us as a tete-de-pont* were armed, besides ammunition and a large number of prisoners. This event proves that in war it is necessary on many occasions to trust to chance ; for I repeat now what I said at the time, that I owed more to luck than to wisdom, * Works coveiing the approach to a bridge. 42 MARSHAL MACDONALD'S RECOLLECTIONS although success is generally supposed to depend upon plans, schemes, and arrangements. On this occasion the evacuation of Thiel seemed to me the evident result of a retrograde movement, whereas in reality that movement was caused by a misunderstanding. The General commanding rny left wing had conscientiously carried out his instructions, and begun his march, when he met the evacuating body, who, having notified their retreat, received injunctions to return to the post they had quitted. But it was too late — the place was already occupied. The two bodies marching in contrary directions met, and an engagement was the result ; but, notwithstanding the numerical superiority of their adversaries, our men kept their ground. The success- ful crossing of the Waal above and below Nimeguen, together with the advantages gained by my extreme right, which took the offensive after its first brigade had been repulsed, checked the enemy who were opposed to them and broke their lines. Our success was complete. Shortly afterwards the enemy's corps sent to Thiel was recalled to Arnheim. This is a very simple explanation of the reasons that caused my left to remain stationary ; it could not come up or set out for the Linge until the following day. I went to Nimeguen to make my report. The Com- mander-in-chief* and the Commissioners came to meet me. I was alm.ost ashamed to receive their congratulations, because chance had had a much greater share in the success of the day than my combinations, which, as a matter of fact, were founded upon the apparent retreat of the forces opposed to me, who in reality had no idea of such a thing ; but the manner I had adopted in spreading out my lines, and the various points I had attacked, had made the enemy believe that they were bearing the brunt of the whole * Pichegru had returned from Brussels. RECONNAISSANCE AT ARNHEIM 43 I'rench army, wlulc their own was scattered over a wide extent of territory. Next evening, towards dusk, we made a reconnaissance in the direction of Arnheim. The noise and shouting that we heard, combined with tlie accounts of some deserters and country folk, confirmed our unanimous opinion that a general retreat was going on, and the Commander-in-chief gave his orders in consequence. Wc were, however, too weak to pursue the enemy, invade Holland, and surround the strongholds at one and the same time. This condition of affairs was explained to the Commissioners, and they were requested to write to their colleagues with the Army of the Sambre and Meuse, to which we had now come very close; while our Commander-in-chief asked his colleague* to lend him for the time two divisions to replace those under my command. This request, approved by the Com- missioners, was granted without delay, and I quitted my position in order to strengthen my left. A general movement had been caused on the one side by the enemy's retreat, and on the other by the general advance of the army. I crossed the Leek at Amerungen without meeting any enemies, and advanced towards Amers- fort, after having turned the lines of the Creb, armed with two hundred guns. The Dutch troops were drawing away from their allies, but being too weak to make a stand against us, they retired into fortresses or distant provinces. None of our corps remained long bivouacked. They only needed a few hours' rest, for great emulation existed as to who should first reach and take Amsterdam. I ilid not waste any time, but I had a diagonal line to follow, while the others could march straight ahead. The floods were out and the roads under water, but that was no obstacle, on account of the frost. 1 arrived in front of * ( jcneral Jounlan. 44 MARSHAL MACDONALD'S RECOLLECTIONS Naarden, one of the strongest places in Europe, on the ice. This is the masterpiece of Cohorn, emulator and rival of Vauban f but the water, the principal defence of the place, was now useless. I invested it, and ordered the gates to be opened. The garrisons had orders to commit no act of hostility, to offer no resistance, and to make the best terms possible. They therefore parleyed with us. The cold was very sharp, and we warmed ourselves at our bivouacs on the ice. My injunctions were to agree to every- thing, provided that the place were handed over to me on the spot. The articles of capitulation were at length signed, and I took possession of the town. As I reached the gates, a Dutch officer, who had just been replaced by one of ours, and who was drunk, threw himself at the feet of one of my aides-de-camp, exclaiming : ' Brave republican, I owe you my life !' Observe that we had fired neither cannon nor musket, and that we had not even drawn our swords from their scab- bards ! At sunrise next day, leaving a strong garrison at Naarden, I started for Amsterdam, and oh the road learned that the capital of Holland had been occupied by our troops the previous evening. Mine thus became useless, so I sent them into cantonments, going myself to Amsterdam to take the news cf the capitulation of Naarden, and to receive fresh orders. On arriving in presence of the General in command, I presented him with the signed articles. He answered jokingly : ' I pay no attention now to anything less than the sur- render of Provinces !' * Cohorn (1641-1704) the famous Dutch engineer and General of artillery, and afterwards Ciovernor of Flanders. He defended Namur against Louis XIV. Vauban (1633-1707) fortified Dunkirk, Lille, iMaestricht, Ghent, etc., and was created a Marshal of France by Louis XIV. — Translator. ON THE BANKS OF THE YSSEL 45 As a matter of fact, and since the general capitulation of the Netherlands, with the exception of a few j^laces still held l)y the enemy, my conquest decreased in importance, whereas under other circumstances it would have redounded to the credit of the General who had succeeded in subduing it. It was against this very place that Louis XIV., himself there in person, in the zenith of his power, had failed. I received orders to move upon the Yssel, to occupy Harderwick, Kampen, ZwoUe, Zutphen, Deventer, and to replace the troops of the Sambre and Meuse Army at Arn- heim. The enemy retreated at our approach. The weather had become milder during my short stay at Amsterdam, and the thaw had begun. It was thawing rapidly when I reached the Yssel, and the ice had broken in several places, causing a dyke to burst. The bridge of boats at Kampen could not be removed, and the ice accumulated round it. Half my men had already crossed; the remainder had halted, on learning from the inhabitants that they could only cross at imminent risk, as the bridge must infallibly be carried away. At this moment I came up. Reflecting that the troops already on the other side ran a great risk of falling into the hands of the enemy, I deter- mined to chance it, and gave orders to advance, rapidly crossing the bridge, which was already much strained. The bridge bore us because the waters that had carried away the dyke on the right bank had found an outlet, and were spreading over the country ; but then we incurred another danger, that, namely, of inundation. However, all my men got safely acro.ss ; we reached higher ground, and escaped with nothing worse than wet feet. Having thus carried out my orders, I received fresh ones to drive the enemy out of the provinces of Frisia, Cironingen and Drenthe. This portion of the campaign was very difficult because of the thaw ; the roads were shocking, and 46 MARSHAL MACDONALD'S RECOLLECTIONS for the most part under water. The country through which we were marching was perfectly flat. We had to redouble our speed and activity, so as to prevent the enemy from fortifying and victualling Groningen, Delfzyl, and Coevorden. Frisia, owing to its situation, had been already evacuated, but the inhabitants of Groningen came to me, imploring me to hasten our march, and to deliver them from our common enemies, as they expressed it ; in making this request they were almost asking for a change of enemies, although my troops kept most rigorous discipline. My advance-guard entered the town as the enemy quitted it. We pursued, overtook, and defeated their rear-guard near Delfzyl. At the same time I heard that Coevorden had opened its gates, and I extended my line as far as the Ems, which the enemy had recrossed. We respectively took up our positions on either side of the river, having, both of us, great need of rest. While I was inspecting my lines, I was informed of the march of the Prussian army, and shortly afterwards a messenger with a flag of truce brought me a letter announc- ing that the latter Power had just concluded the Peace of Basle ;* but as I had no official notification, I at once communicated with the Commander-in-chief, who was also in ignorance of the event. I asked for large reinforcements, and meanwhile kept a very strict look-out. Two fresh divisions were sent to join and precede me, and these would not have been too many had the first news of this un- expected peace proved untrue, because the Prussians would have effected a junction with the allied army that I already had in front of me. We at length received confirmation of the news, to the joy of both sides. The line of demarcation laid down by the treaty followed * The treaty of peace between France and Prussia was signed on the i6 Germinal, year iii. (April 5, i795)- ORDERED TO IVALCHEREN 47 the right bank of the Rhine and the Ems to its mouth ; the Prussians took the place of their former aUies on this bank, while we occupied tlie left. Territorial divisions were formed, of which I had command of the first, composed of the provinces of Drenthe, Frisia, and (ironingen, and I established my headquarters in the town of that name. After three months' rest, of which we all stood in great need, I was called to the command of the provinces of Overyssel and Gueldres, and later on to Utrecht and Holland. Zealand being at this time threatened by the English,* I was ordered to go either to Middleburg or Flushing, which- ever I preferred, in the island of Walcheren, and a most unhealthy country. Five-sixths of my men were soon down with fever, and I was so violently attacked that, in fear of my life, I was ordered back to France to recover. All the events I have just described occurred in the years 1794-5. It was towards the end of the latter year that I returned to France, where my fever, which had been somewhat checked before I left Flushing, seized me again at the end of six weeks. By the end of the summer, 1795, I had recovered, and w^as ready to return to my duty, when I had the jjleasure of greeting Beurnonville, who had just been exchanged and restored from his captivity. The command of the army in Holland had l)een given to him. He offered to exchange with me. I refused from a mistaken sense of delicacy, on account of our friendship, fearing lest this preference should prejudice other Generals against him. Scarcely had I returned first to P'lushing, and then to Middleburg, when, coming back from a tour of inspection round the island, I was again seized with fever, and not- * The attack on the island of Walcheren by the Knglish was deferred until 1S09. 48 MARSHAL MACDONALD'S RECOLLECTIONS withstanding all the measures employed, especially quinine in large quantities, it could not be subdued until the follow- ing spring, when the doses were trebled, and I was removed from that horrible climate. My friend Beurnonville had his headquarters at Utrecht. He summoned me thither to recover. I had to diet myself very severely ; but my relapses, though still acute, were but the prelude to a fresh attack, which I believe has remained unparalleled. Beurnonville was away at the time. On hearing of the danger I was in, he hastened back at once. At length skill and perseverance checked the fever, and I was sent to pass my convalescence at Deventer, in Overyssel, where troops were assembling for the manoeuvres at Gorssel. They were put under my command. I spared no pains to instruct and train them, and thus got nmch exercise, which was good for my health. Beurnonville came to inspect us. [ 49 1 CHAPTER V. Army of the Sambre and Meuse — Donauwerth — Operations on the Rhine— Neuwied— Mistake of General Castelvert— His Excuse and Recall — At Diisseldorf— F'resh Hostilities on the Rhine— Arrival of General Augereau— Politeness antl Literary A'.tainments of General Lefebvre— Macdonald summoned to Paris. We foresaw that we should be called ere long to play a part in the events that were in progress on the other side of the Rhine. The .\rmy of the Sambre and Meuse was com manded by General Jourdan, that of the Rhine by General Moreau ; each acted without any concert or consideration for the movements of the other. The new campaign had opened brilliantly and decisively, but this, unfortunately, did not last long. A clever and well-designed feint on the part of the Archduke Charles of Austria deceived General Mortau. The .\rchduke unexpectedly crossed the Danube at Donauwerth, and fell, with overwhelming numbers, upon the right flank of the Army of the Sambre and Meuse, which was on the Rednitz, while that which General Jourdan was pressing back from the Rhine suddenly turned and attacked in front. The inequality of numbers and the great extent of ground occupied by the French army compelled a retreat Prompt succour was necessar}-. In September, 1796, the camp at Gorssel was raised and set in motion, as well as another division of the Army of the North stationed in 4 50 MARSHAL MACDONALD'S RECOLLECTIONS Belgium. The latter advanced to the tcte-de-pont at Neu- wied, while, with the former, I advanced to the enormous en- trenched camp at Diisseldorf. During our march the Army of the Sambre and Meuse, being hard pressed, fell back upon the Lahn, which position it endeavoured to hold until our arrival. General Castelvert, who commanded the Belgian division, was ordered to put himself in line on the right of this army, in touch with the division temporarily under the command of General Marceau, which extended along the right bank of the Lahn as far as its mouth. General Castelvert's orders, in case the enemy should force the passage of the river, were to retire to the tete-de-po7it of Neuwied, and to preserve that post on the Rhine at all costs. For this he was to answer with his head. Completely engrossed with this responsi- bility, he learned that the enemy had taken possession of the town of Nassau, and, without reflecting that this town was situated on the left bank, and that its occupation was consequently immaterial to his position, he hastily retreated to the teie-de-pont ^\'\\hovLX. giving notice to General Marceau,* and thus left absolutely uncovered the extreme right of the Army of the Sambre and Meuse, which that very day was defeated and compelled to retire. This army, of course, threw all the blame upon Castelvert, and there is no doubt that he had committed a serious blunder in compromising the position. The excuse that he made to me is too curious not to be quoted. ' Why,' I asked him, ' did you retire without being com- pelled to do so, and without giving any notice ?' ' There !' he replied. ' Of course they want to throw all the blame for their defeat upon the Army of the North ; but * This General was mortally wounded on September 20, 1796. His remains rest by treaty in a few feet of French territory in Germany on the banks of the Rhine. The spot was recently visited, we believe, Ijy President Carnot, the head of the present Republic. 1 OPERATIONS ON THE RHINE 51 they were dying to have an excuse to get away, and as they were retreating eight leagues, surely I had a right to retreat ten, and be d d to them !' He was recalled. I advanced from Diisseldorf to Miilheim, but the enemy left us quiet on the Wupper and the Sieg. General Beur- nonville succeeded General Jourdan, bringing with him imperative and reiterated orders to take the offensive ; but besides the lateness of the season, the Army of the Sambre and Meuse was not really in a condition to advance ; it had scarcely anything. A tacit understanding was arrived at between the two opposing Generals to the effect that the troops should have a rest on condition of ten days' notice- being given on each side should either Government order the reopening of hostilities. I took up my quarters on the right bank of the Rhine, extending my left to the line of demarcation settled by the Prussians at the Treaty of Basle. I established my headquarters at Diisseldorf, and thus we passed the winter. In February, 1797, I recrossed the Rhine, in order to execute a mission in Belgium, leaving my command at Diisseldorf to General-of- Division Desjardins, and thai of my titular division to General-of- Brigade Gouvion. In my absence the troops of the Army of the North were echeloned from Diisseldorf to .\rnheim. I rejoined at Nimeguen. Hostilities broke out afresh upon the Rhine. General Hoche was in command of the Army of the Sambre and Meuse, when he died suddenly. I have never heard that the cause of his death was satisfactorily cleared up. It was said that he had been poisoned by an opposing faction. This corps d\i>mie of the North, under my orders, returned to the Rhine ; but on the road we heard of the Treaty of Campo P^ormio, which stopped the .Xrmies of the Rhine and of the Sambre and Meuse in the midst of their successes. 52 MARSHAL MACDONALD'S RECOLLECTIONS A political revolution occurred in Paris,* and General Augereau came to take command of the three armies com- bined under the name of the Army of Germany. He re- viewed us at Cologne, and was struck with the smart appearance of the Army of the North, directly under my orders. Instead of praising it, he said : ' I observe and understand that these troops are drilled in the Prussian manner, but I will soon put a stop to that.' A halt was called before the march past. The soldiers crowded round the new Commander-in-chief. His dress was startling ; he was covered with gold embroidery even down to his short boots, thus contrasting strongly with our simple uniforms. He related his Italian campaigns, spoke of the bravery of the troops, but without even mentioning the leader of that army.t He said that the soldiers were very well treated there, and that there was not a man among them, bad character as he might be, who had not ten gold pieces in his pocket and a gold watch. This was a hint to our fellows. On one occasion the theatrical manager came to offer him a choice of plays. Augereau insisted on something very revolutionary, and chose, if I remember rightly, either ' Brutus ' or the ' Death of Csesar.'j General Lefebvre, who had held the command temporarily, was his principal lieu- tenant. Trigny, commandant of Cologne, had offered his carriage, in the hope, probably, that the Commander-in- chief would give a seat in it to his wife. This idea, how- ever, never seemed to occur to the latter, so Trigny very respectfully suggested it. Lefebvre, seated beside General Augereau, put his head out of window, and inquired : ' What did you say ?' * The coup d^i-tat of the i8 Fructidor, to which Augereau had given his support. t General Bonaparte. + Both l)y Voltaire. RETURN TO HOLLAND 5J Trigny repeated his proposition. 'Go to blazes !' replied Lcfebvre ; ' we did not come here to take your wife out driving !' Lefebvre, who had not the remotest acquaintance with literature, applauded heartily with his clumsy hands, believ- ing that the play had been written that very morning in honour of the occasion. He kept nudging me with his elbow, and asking : ' Tell me, where is the chap who wrote this ? Is he present ?' On the conclusion of peace, I think in November, I re- turned to Holland. General Beurnonville was recalled. General Dejean, who held the command provisionally, made it over to me, and I exercised it through the winter, until the moment when General Joubert came to take it over permanently, and T received orders to go to Paris. [ 54 ] CHAPTER VI. Ordered to Italy — The Army of Rome — General Championnet — Insur- rection in Rome — Championnet's Flight — Evacuation of Rome — General Mack — Nepi and Otricoli — Differences with Championnet — Explanation. In the spring of 1798 I was ordered to betake myself to Italy. The Egyptian expedition was prepared and ready to set sail. I had no doubt that at Milan I should receive orders to go either to Genoa or Civita-Vecchia. I had been able to gain no intelligence in Paris, but on arriving I found, with pleasure, that the expedition had already started. Italy was denuded of troops. They had all been em- barked, but more were expected from the interior of France. General Prune, who was in command, allowed me to make a journey to Rome and Naples. I passed two well-employed months in the first-named city, but was refused permission to enter Neapolitan territory, as I was both a Frenchman and a soldier. I returned to Milan, whence I made various excursions, one of which was nearly fatal to me. I vvas almost drowned while bathing in the canal at Mantua. General Delmas, then in command, rendered me every service that friendship could suggest — he has since been killed in Saxony — and Mayer, now General, saved my life. Shortly afterwards I was sent to Rome to take up a com- mand under General Gouvion St. Cyr. He was, I believe, THE ARMY OF ROME 55 at that time engaged in a in Tuscany, part of the .Slalu fkgli I'rc^i'iii. which vrcrc safely rcachcil l)y lhi-< cnluinn. 68 MARSHAL MACDONALD'S RECOLLECTIONS The Commander-in-chief had listened in silence to this conversation, but at last, stung by my remarks, he said : ' Well, let us go and see what has really happened.' We went, and found exactly what was to be expected, not a creature ! Then we had to follow ; but the small number of our troops in front were resting, or dispersed, believing that an armistice had been concluded, and mine had halted behind, so that it took us some time to collect a small force of cavalry. At about the distance of a league they came upon a very well-posted rear-guard ; a brush took place, but with no result, and, as night was coming on, we recalled the detachment. I asked for orders, and was told to guard the Ponte Molle and the town ; I remarked that the important point was the road to Naples, but was told that it would be attended to. Nevertheless, I sent a regiment to the Lateran Gate, another in reserve to the Cohseum, and the Piazza di Venezia. Thus supported, I went to see the Torlonias* and get some news, as the commandant of Sant'-Angelo knew nothing, and I re-entered my former dwelling, which I had quitted seven- teen days previously. I had kept my promise within two days ! About eleven o'clock the same night, I received news from the "Lateran Gate and from (leneral Championnet that a body of the enemy was advancing on that side ; the General himself, in great anxiety, rode up with his staff. ' Make yourself easy,' I said ; ' 1 have seen to everything ; my reserves are now marching towards that point. I know the way ; let us go.' But it was unnecessary. On reaching the gate we found that the regiment I had placed there, the nth, if I recollect rightly, had sufficed to repulse the assailants to the number of 5,000 or 6,000 men, as I learned from some prisoners, * The Roman hankers. — Trai/sla/oj; A SPEEDY DECISION 69 led by Cicneral Mack in person. This was nearly all that remained to him of the formidable army which had so boast- fully declared that in a very short time it would drive us out of Italy. (leneral Mack did not think that we were again occupying Rome, or else he hoped to sur[)rise us, and enable Conite de Damas to get through. This expedition having failed, the General, no longer hoping to effect a junction, gained the road to Capua, and we returned to Rome. I was just about to get into bed, when a parlementaire was brought to me, asking leave for another column to pass through the town on its way from Viterbo to Ponte MoUe. ' .\re you in earnest in making such a request ?' I asked. • Certainly ; they tell nic a truce has been proclaimed.' ' Vou have been misinformed ; lay down your arms, that is the best thing you can do.' ' \\'hat ! lay down our arms? We will defend ourselves. We are in force.' • Very good,' I said ; then, turning to the officer who had introduced this man, I continued: 'Take him back, and give orders from me to the commandant of Ponte Molle to put all these gentlemen to the sword ; I am going to bed.' ' Is that your fmal decision ?' asked the messenger. • Yes, it is.' ' In that case I will surrender.' I discovered that he was the chief of the band of from 1,200 to 1,500 men, which had been skirmishing about my right flank while we were at Civita-Castellana, and had given us a considerable amount of trouble. Ne.xt morning I sent a report of what had occurred to the Commander-in-chief, adding that I had not cared to disturb his slumbers for so small a matter. A general order emanating from headquarters announced all these happy results ; to our great surprise, my division 70 MARSHAL MACDONALD'S RECOLLECTIONS was hardl)' mentioned, although the army did us justice and gave us the honours of this short campaign ; but what will scarcely obtain belief is that the staff received all the promo- tions and rewards. This injustice and partiality made me as angry as the rest of the army. I went straight to the (General, and a second and very sharp altercation followed, but without producing any favourable result for my division, and, as if to punish it for the advantages it had secured, it was ordered to march at the rear of the column. We had to swallow this insult ; but a few days later, as we met some rear-guards, they sent us forward to the front again. We thus arrived at the intrenched camp at Capua, where we received overtures for a suspension of hostilities which tempted the Commander-in-chief 1, however, opposed them strongly at the meeting that was called of all the Generals-of-Division. Nothing was settled that day, but on the following a delay of forty-eight hours was granted in my absence. I was furious ; but I had to submit, and made all my preparations for a desperate attack at the expiration of the delay allowed. The excuse given for this ill-timed concession was the absence of news of Generals Duhesme and Lemoine, who were marching upon Naples by the Abruzzi ; but the excuse was a bad one. The terror of the Neapolitans was increas- ing, disturbance was rife in the country, fear in the capital, the court was fleeing to Sicily ; therefore there should have been no cessation of hostilities, 'ihis state of things might have been taken for granted even had it not been officially known to exist, and there was every reason, nay, necessity, for advancing to assist our troops in crossing the Abruzzi by the prom.pt and decisive occupation of the capital, instead of allowing time for a reorganization of the remains of the army, for the defence of Capua and its intrenched camp, and insurrection and rebellion among the inhabitants. BEFORE CAPUA 71 At the conclusion of this ill-advised armistice I ordered a reconnaissance ; (leneral Maurice Mathieu commanded it, and I followed to support him. All the Neapolitan outposts gave way, and vanished as fast as their horses could carry them. They gave the alarm in the camp and town, whence the defenders began to retire, when (ieneral Mack conceived the idea of sending a messenger with an offer of capitulation. Ill accordance with an old custom, the advance-guard stopped the officer and conducted him to General Mathieu, who sent him on to me. I, unfortunately, was at some distance supporting a detachment of our troops, who had met with some resistance in trying to cross the V^olturno. 1 was furious, and ordered the attack to be continued. I desired, and should have been able, had it not been for this circumstance, to force the intrenched camp, cross the \'olturno by the bridge, and seize Capua ; but the Neapoli- tans had had time to review their position, and to put themselves behind their intrenchments and ramparts. I was in advance of the reinforcements that I was bringing up, and arrived just in time to sec General Mathieu's arm broken by a discharge of grape-shot ; at the same moment I received an order from the Commander-in-chief to cease firing, and return to my position, just as 1 had hopes of being able' to carry the enemy's camp. I heard next day that Capua was to be handed over by capitulation, and that an armistice for an indefinite period had been signed, instead of our rapidly occupying the capital. I was bitterly disappointed at being thus balked of a concjuest not only easy in itself, and which would have put a crown to our efforts, but which must have produced a striking moral effect in the Kingdom of the Two Sicilies, and in Kurope, especially in Italy and Austria. A tresh altercation look place at Capua ; as hostilities were at an end, I asked to be relieved of my command, a rc(iuest that 72 MARSHAL MACDONALD'S RECOLLECTIONS was granted with pleasure and alacrity, and I wrote to the War Minister and to the Directory, asking to be em- ployed elsewnere. While awaiting an answer, I stayed at Capua. Shortly afterwards the truce was violated, I forget on what pretext. The lazzaroni* organized themselves for the defence of Naples, the troops were disarmed, General Mack resigned and asked for a passport into Austria, which the Commander-in-chief granted. The French Government, however, on being informed of this, refused its consent, caused Mack to be arrested at Ancona, contrary to the law of nations, and taken as a prisoner of war to Paris. On passing through Capua the General paid me a visit ; it was five o'clock in the morning, and I was in bed. I was soon up, however, and said to him : ' Well, General, a fortnight ago you would not have caught me napping.' 'Ah !' he replied ; 'you did for rne altogether at Calvi.' In the course of conversation upon past events, he told me that an attempt had been made to poison him at Capua, and to assassinate him at Naples ; he was then very far from well, and I saw him again the following year, in Paris, in the same state. ' How,' I asked at our first interview, ' could a general so distinguished by his talents expose his military reputation as a great tactician by putting himself at the head of such an army ?' 'I was urged, entreated by the King of Naples,' he replied ; ' I resisted, but my Sovereign commanded me. I was com- pelled to submit ; and on seeing the army, well drilled, well organized, well equipped, displaying such devotion, and, above all, such determination to make war upon you and to liberate Rome and Italy, I was seduced.' * Neapolitan loafers. — Translator. CO.MM.lSn'''-f\--CJIIEI' /.V XATLIlS 73 ' Perhaps also,' I added, laughing, ' the prospect of coming into France and to Paris had something to do with it.' ' All that army wanted,' he replied, ' was to have been led by a French general.' After that compliment he took leave of me and departed. 1 recommended him to the special care of all our com- mandants He passed near Gaeta first, as that fortress was yielding to our troops, under General Rey, although it had only been threatened with shells. After the violation of the armistice, as I have said, the army marched upon Naples ; the lazzaroni made some resistance, but the city was eventually occupied. Being so near, I could not help visiting it. I spent a week there, and learned what abominable exactions were being levied. I deplored them, and left for Rome, where I awaited my next instructions. One day, on returning tired from a ride in the neighbour- hood, I had allowed myself a siesta, when I was aroused by the arrival of a courier. I looked at the despatch, and, to my great surprise, read my nomination as Com- mander-in-chief OF THE Armv of Naples in place of General Championnet.* The Directory, dissatisfied with the want of continuity in the conduct of the campaign, with the armistice at Capua, and with the extortions that had been committed, had decided to recall and make him give an account of his conduct. I am bound to say that this proceeding was too severe, that the greater part of the army was innocent of these iniquities, that they were regretted by everybody ; but none had any confidence in the leader whose weakness was universally deplored, so that with truth, and without either vanity or conceit, I may say that great pleasure was manifested in my appointment, especially by * The decree conferring this appointment bears the date of 25 I'luviose, year vii. (F"ebruary 13. 179Q). 74 MARSHAL MACDONALD'S RECOLLECTIONS those troops that had served under me while I had had the command in the Roman States and during the campaign. I started and passed General Championnet at Aversa. ^\'e neither stopped nor spoke. I knew that a magnificent reception was being prepared for me at Naples ; out of modesty 1 avoided it by arriving at eleven o'clock at night, whereas I was only expected the next morning. Everything was disorganized. Communications between the divisions were interrupted, and those that occupied Salerno and the places nearest at hand were cut off even from the capital. I rearranged all the communications, reassembled a few scattered troops, and restored order in the town. In order to re-establish confidence and tran- quillity, I issued proclamations, backed up by effectual demonstrations. I organized a new government in concert with Abrial, the Commissioner sent by the Directory, a very good and worthy man, afterwards count and peer of France. I next turned my attention to military matters. Our successes against the insurgents were universal, but no sooner was the insurrection crushed at one point than it broke out at another. Communication with Rome had been frequently interrupted. Large escorts, and even cannon, were necessary generally to ensure a safe journey from Mola di Gaeta and Fondi to Terracina : but some- times impatient travellers would start alone or with slender escorts, and then fell victims to the banditti and brigands, who inflicted upon them the most abominable cruelties. I passed several months amid these disturbances, not only in the kingdom of Naples, but also in the Roman States and in Tuscany, whither my command extended ; but I succeeded in maintaining perfect order in the capitals, especially in Naples, by means of a national guard that I RISING IN NAl'LI^S 7$ formed, and of the leader of the lazzaroni, whom 1 gained over by presents, and hy conferring on liim the rank and distinctive marks of a colonel. I also formed the remains of the Neapolitan army into tletachments of troops, in order to employ those among their ofliccrs who displayed th-: greatest zeal for the new order of things— that is, for the I'arlhenopeian republic ;* but these troops soon betrayed us, giving up the tower of Castellamare to the English, after massacring some of their own officers. 1 had resolved to induce Admiral Caracciolo to take service in the new lleet ; he equipped a flotilla which secured respect for the port and coasts of Naples, frequently threat- ened by attempts of the English, who occupied the islands and were stationed in the loads.t I had a somewhat acri- monious correspondence with one of their captains, Com- mander Throwbridge (s/c).! Castellamare was a very important point, and so near Naples that its loss was likely to raise the flagging spirits of the insurgents. 'I'hey were prepared to band together, and this treachery was the signal ; but I lost not an instant, and marched in person upon Castellamare. As I crossed Naples I noticed many people who had already placed the red cockade in their hats. It becanu' necessary now to strike a decisive blow, so as to prevent this rising from gaining ground in Naples, where my garrison was but small (e.Ncept in the forts, which were well occupied, especially that of Sant'-I"llmo, thai existed as a standing menace to the town ; the fear that this fort might set fire to Nai)les had acted as a salutary check upon the inhabitants). i'he in- * I'.irlhcnopci.i, ancient name of Naples. — V'nif/s/a/or. t An inleresting account of ihcse operations will he found in Janie.s'.s ' Naval History of Oreat Britain," vol. ii., pp. 307-317. Nai>les, Kon»e, Capua, tiacta, and Leghorn were occupied l)y the f.ngli^li naval forces for a time when Mac^lonald was on the Trehhia. + Afterwarils Admiral Sir Thomas Trowbridge. MARSHAL MACDONALD'S RECOLLECTIONS surgents from Calabria and Salerno had advanced to the tower of the Annunziata, and were posted near a brook ; I attacked them : to rout and put them to flight was the work of an instant. While they were being pursued and sabred in all direc- tions, those who held Castellamare took fright ; some, after a few discharges of cannon, seeing the English put to sea, rushed mto the water to save themselves ; the rest yielded ; the principals in the rising were shot. The flags of England and Naples still remained flying side by side : I promised a reward of twenty-five louis (^20) to whomsoever should bring them to me ; half an hour later they were in my hands, though they v.-ere not obtained without some loss. Once more in possession of the tower, I turned the guns upon the vessels and those who haa taken to flight. I must say here that the skilful and brave Admiral Caracciolo contributed largely with his flotilla to the success of the expedition. He afterwards fell a victim to the English admiral Nelson, who cruelly and ignominiously caused him to be hanged from the yard arm of his own ship, a death with which I have always deeply reproached myself, as it was I who overcame his reluctance, and gained him to our side. After re-establi^hing order, giving all the commands necessary to put an end to the rising, and pursuing those in flight to beyond Salerno, I re-entered Naples, i)receded by the banners and flags of the insurgents, which were burned next day on the Piazza Reale by the public executioner. The red cockades had disappeared, and the heat occasioned by this incident had quite cooled down in the capital. Still more important events were, however, looming in the distance. Russia was marching an army into Italy to join the -Austrians, our troops were assembling on the Adige under General Scherer, and hostilities soon began. While PREPARATIONS 77 these events were in preparation I was not inactive ; I con- centrated my troops. A fresh insurrection broke out in the provinces ; another assemblage was dispersed at Cannai at the mouths of the Ofanto. I attempted to carry out orders by revictualling Malta and the Ionian Islands ; convoys started. l)ut not one reached its destination ; they were either taken or surrendered. I begged the French (lovernment to evacuate Naples and Rome, keeping only the fortresses. ' If our troops are vic- torious on the Adige,' I said, 'they will require to make good their losses ; if they are beaten, they will need rein- forcements and support. There are no troops nearer to them than mine, and these, in the latter ca.se, will be cut off from all communication. In the former case, supported by" the fortresses, I could return and reoccupy the two States.' But the principle of keeping everything, and of not yielding a foot of ground, even to imminent danger, gained the day, and my suggestions were set aside. Nevertheless, .seeing what might come lo pa-s.s, I continued my prejiarations, under the pretext of concentration, to parry any attack that might be made on the shores of the Medi- terranean, the Adriatic, or the interior. I indicated a place which I had not the remotest intention of occujiying, feeling persuaded that I should receive serious remonstrances from various private interests affected ; nor was I disappointed. I pretended to give way, and succeeded in having pointed out to me the very place whither I wished to go — namely, the neighbourhood of Caserta, on the left bank of tlie Vol- turno. No doubt it would have been better from a military point of view to take the right bank, but to do that I should have had to disclose my plan ; moreover, I had no army in front of me, and should always have time to cress the river. I provisioned the luris .u Naples, Capua, Ciaeta, Sant'- 78 MARSHAL MACDONALD'S RECOLLECl lUNS Angelo at Rome, Civita-Vecchia, Civita-Castellana, and Ancona. Rome was in want of food ; famine was begin- ning to make itself felt there. I sent provisions. The national guard and the lazzaroni at Naples were increased ; I reviewed them, they took over the duty, and I withdrew my men. I called in the divisions scattered in the pro- vinces, and concentrated all before Caserta, where I estab- lished my headquarters. Fmally, I caused the miracle of St. Januarius* to be worked for our benefit, being myself present on the occasion ; I will give a description of it later on, as I think that no one has ever been in so good a position to observe it as Commissioner Abrial and myself. I had taken careful measures in consequence of the great concourse of people, and tranquillity was not disturbed. The camp of Caserta was raised, and brought to the vicinity of Naples during the ceremony, and the troops did not return till the evening. This display of force and other similar demonstrations maintained order in the capital and neighbourhood. The victualling of the forts and fortresses went on quickly, as did also that of Rome ; but it was more difficult to keep open communications, especially with the Adriatic provinces ; strong escorts were necessary, and flying columns showed themselves everywhere. While these arrangements and preparations, which excited no suspicion, were going on, I caused all useless matter that could embarrass or encumber the march of an army to be sent to Rome, and thence into Tuscany. The Commander- in-chief of the army in Italy had asked for a considerable nuiiiber of ammunition waggons ; they were despatched to him, drawn by horses hastily requisitioned, (general Eble, * The saint whose hluod is preserved, and is said to liquefy on special occasions. He was martyred at Naples by the Emperor Diocletian, A.U. 284. — Translator. PREPARATIONS 79 whose skill is so well known, constructed a pontoon-bridge at CapiKi in order to facilitate the crossing of the rivers Volturno, Ciarigliano, and Tiber, which would help us in our march, and enable us to effect a junction with the Army of Italy, supposing it were beaten ; or, if it stood in need of reinforcement, would enable us to cross the rivers, or, on the other hand, would be of service to us both alike, supposing we were obliged to retreat. [ So ] CHAPTER VIII. Bad News — Advance to Rome — Alarm for Naples — Departure from Rome — Sarzana and Pontremoli — Rising in Tuscany — Surrender of Fort Sant'-EImo — A Brave Action— Capitulation of Ferrara— Generals Montrichard and Sclierer — Offer of Resignation. While in the thick of these preparations, I heard at one and the same time of the declaration of war, of the loss of a battle,* of the retreat of the Army of Italy, and received orders to advance immediately, leaving garrisons in such forts and fortresses as I proposed to retain in the two States, and especially taking steps to keep possession of Rome. My foresight had been of the utmost service. I only needed to recall the divisions concentrated in the provinces of Lecce and Bari and the flying columns. I hastily sum- moned the members of the Neapolitan Government, who were terror-stricken on hearing of what had happened on the Adige and of my marching orders. I begged them to remain at their posts under the protection of the forts and of the national guard. Not one of them, not one even of my own men, had divined the secret of my preparations. I am not now sure if I even confided them to Abrial, the Government commissioner. The troops returned by forced marches to camp. Scarcely had those who held Brindisi left it, when the French man- * Battle of Magnano, lost by Scherer, wlio was replaced by Moreau. BAD NEWS 8i of-war, the Ghiireitx* which liad escaped hoin tlie fatal battle of Ahoiikir r>ay(i79S), came to cast anchor there, feeling convinced that it was yet in our hands. Slie tried to forre an entrance, and was fired \\\nn\ h\ such guns as had not been rendered useless. i'he liring was heard by our retiring troops ; they turned back immediately and saved the ship, which set sail again at once, and the troops reached their destination, followed, however, by large crowds of insurgents, who compelled thcni to face about several times. The latter collected at Avellino, but their proximity was so dangerous for Naples, and kept the camp so con- stantly on the alert, that I determined to attack them. I did so. They made no resistance, and were speedily put to flight. This is the site of the ancient Caudine Forks, where a Roman host laid down their arms and passed under the yoke. Meanwhile we were hurrying on the victualling of the castles of Naples, and the fortresses of Capua and Gaeta, of the Castle of Sant'-Angelo at Rome, of Civita-Castellana, and of Civita-Vecchia and Ancona. A certain amount of baggage and artillery, and a pontoon train and other encum- brances, were forwarded to Rome. I received dismal intelligence of the results of the battle of the .\dige, and of the retreat of the .\rmy of Italy, of risings in the Cisalpine Repuljlic, in Tuscany, in the Roman .States, and in the Abruzzi provinces. Every despatch, while informing me of these occurrences, exhorted me to hasten my movements. I was, of course, most anxious to do this, but I could not make greater speed. I had already sent forward some troops into Tuscany, echeloning them from Rome to Florence. A number of empty ammunition- * The Gitu'rciix was capturcil l)y a British squadron in the Mediter- ranean in February, 1800. 6 82 MARSHAL MACDGNALD'S RECOLLECTIONS waggons under convoy had started through the Marches* for Italy ; they were compelled to retire upon Rome. Many of my orders were rendered nugatory, or were misunder- stood by other Generals, especially by the one in command in the Roman States. No one considered or thought of anything but his own immediate business, without any regard for unity of plan. Instructions had been issued to the commandants of all the strongholds and castles, which prescribed for them care- fully their conduct in every extremity. I told them that they could only be invested, and not attacked, as there were no regular troops to fear, and the Neapolitan artillery had been assembled at Capua. I further told tbem to collect all the provisions they could about them, and, as far as lay in their power, to be careful how they were used. I added that I would soon come to their relief, imagining that France was about to make great efforts to help the Army of Italy, and that by our junction we ought to be soon able to regain our preponderance and repulse the enemy. With this object, in the event of our being victorious, or of my being prevented from passing into Tuscany, I had taken endless pains to form a pontoon train, wherewith I could cross the Garigliano and Volturno, after defending the ground inch by inch. My one fear was that I might be unable to effect my junction with the Army of Italy. This army had been repulsed in Piedmont, and the risings, fomented by the enemy, were increasing. General Gauthier, commanding in Tuscany, had but few troops, and the detachments that I had been able to send up were but very feeble reinforcements. My instructions to him were to fall back upon me in case he found it necessary to evacuate the territory. Having thus provided for the garrisons charged with the * The Papal States between Romagna and Naples. — Translator. ADVANCE TO ROME 83 double task of ensuring the safety of our numerous sick and wounded, and of i)roviding me with places of retreat in case I were beaten back, I crossed the Volturno, and marched in two columns on Rome, having with me only twenty-four battalions and squadrons. The right column met wiili severe resistance at Lisola, but succeeded in forcing its way: the left rounded the Pontine Marshes, which I myself crossed, and we reached Rome, whence troops were con- tinually starting for Florence. There I learned that the Army of Italy hoped to make a stand upon the Ticino, which encouraged me ; I learned at the same time that a strong detachment which was evacuating the Abruzzi hy way of Sulmona had had much difficulty in forcing its way past Rocca d'Anzo. I think it had lost three hundred men. together with artillery, baggage, and provisions : the bridges had been destroyed, and the roads encumbered with obstacles of all kinds that had only been surmounted with ditficulty. I was in a state of terrible anxiety and worry, owing to the position in which I had left so many French people in the State of Naples, so many persons devoted to our cause, who would be exposed to the vengeance of the Court, now in exile in Sicily, if our efforts were to fail. In Rome difficulties of organization occupied me several days, though they did not retard the march of my troops. The risings in Naples had extended over the entire Roman States, as over Tuscany, and, in fact, the whole of Italy was dis- affected. Despite my letters and apparent confidence, I had good reason to fear that we should be stopped on the road by this state of things ; for our communications, already interrupted on the right bank of the river I'o, were interrupted also between Florence and Cienoa. I at length quitted Rome, after encouraging the French authorities, as well as those of the Republic, to show a bold fa< e \n these 84 MARSHAL MACDON AID'S RECOLLECTIONS times of difficulty. I left a garrison, a small one I admit, together with a few Roman troops, upon whom I did not count, especially if they once met with a reverse. I left there the pontoon train, baggage, and various things which only encumbered my march. A party had preceded us without an escort, among whom were the family of Mechin. They had all been seized on the road by the insurgents. General Monnier, who commanded the district of Ancona, the only man who did his duty, had sent to me for instruc- tions. I merely answered : ' Vou know what honour requires and what the law demands ; 1 leave it to you.' On the supposition that all my efforts were going to fail, and that I was going to be completely stopped on my march, I intended to occupy a strong position, and to keep the enemy in check as long as I could, for I felt sure that they would never dare to venture into the Roman and Neapoli- tan Republics as long as the Army of Italy was not obliged to recross the Alps. In the contrary event, I determined to dispute every foot of ground, falling back gradually upon Rome and the Neapolitan forts, to defend myself to the last gasp, convinced that France would spare no efforts to reinforce the Army of Italy, and attempt fresh diversions in order to set us free. General Moreau, on his side, tried to check the enemy, but mere pluck could do nothing against forces superior in number and Hushed with victory. His communications being hampered, he ought, in my opinion, to have managed to stretch out a hand towards me while falling back upon Genoa. This junction could alone have enabled us, if not to resume the offensive, at any rate to await assistance from France ; but he preferred to maintain his communications through Piedmont, which was already disturbed, instead of by the Cornice road. This last plan could have served the RETREAT OF MOREAU 85 double purpose of covering that road and of preventing any obstacles being placed in the way of our junction in Tuscany. Instead of executing a manoeuvre at once so simple, so natural, and so useful to our cause, finding him- self compelled to abandon the Ticino, he threw himself into Piedmont in order, as it was said, to attract thither the Austro-Russians, and to return by a forced march from Ceva to Genoa, I believe. The latter place capitulated to a band of insurgents, so that, deprived of this outlet, he was obliged to abandon part of his equipment, and to make his way over the mountains. I had left Rome in the hope that the Ticino would be held long enough for me to effect a junction, and on reach- ing Florence, or on my way thither, I learnt the position into which the Army of Italy had been thrown. My plan had been bold, hazardous perhaps ; but it was of the kind that often succeeds in war. I had never shown all my hand. Communication between Florence and Genoa had been cut off, and it was not safe to trust to the sea ; no ship was ready at the port of Lerici, in the Gulf of Spez/.ia. I knew also that Mantua wa^, in all probability, invested ; it was a very strong ]iosition, well garrisoned, I had reason to believe, well provisioned, and commanded by General Latour- Foissac, father of the present Major-General of that name. I made for Pistoia, and my first proceeding was to take up a position on the Apennines and guard all the passes. I made an attack on the enemy at Sarzana and Pontremoli. Both places were carried, and communication with Genoa re-established. General Dessole, chief of the staff of the Army of Italy, se[)arated, I forget how, from General Moreau, gave me all the sad details just related. Montri- chard and Victor had posted their divisions, one at Bologna, and the other not far from Genoa. I had matured my un- developed scheme, which was to bring about a junction 86 MARSHAL MACDONALD'S RECOLLECTIONS between the two, if they were placed under my orders, and to precipitate myself from the summit of the Apennines against the enemy's left wing, which was posted in the valley of the Po at the foot of the passes, and the principal body of which was covering Modena. I communicated this plan to General Dessole, and he approved it, at the same time, however, advising me to sus- pend its execution until the arrival of General Moreau at Genoa, an event which was shortly to take place. The operation, if successfully carried out, would paralyze the left wing of the enemy, if it did not utterly destroy it, and would separate it from the main army by cutting off its communi- cations with it, and driving it across the Po. Proceeding up the right bank of the river, threatening to proceed to raise the siege of Mantua, I hoped by that means to disen- gage the Army of Italy by forcing the enemy to retreat along the left bank, after which I should have effected my junction with Moreau at Parma or Piacenza. Meanwhile, I had made preparations to suppress a rising in Arezzo, but postponed it, as I required all my forces. It might perhaps have been better to effect the junction by the Cornice ; at any rate, it would then have been managed without obstacles, as it eventually turned out ; but I think I have already explained that there were not sufficient ships in the harbour of Lerici to transport all the artillery and baggage to Genoa, and the Cornice was then nothing but a mule-track. However, in proceeding to carry out the other plan, we did not neglect to supply plenty of transports in case of defeat, which later on saved our most precious war- material. If, on the other hand, the expedition succeeded it would bring about results of even greater importance. The gain of a single batde would enable us to reconquer all we had lost, and would put a stop to the insurrections, which would PROPOSED COMBINATIONS 87 no longer have the countenance and support of the enemy ; hut to prevent failure, the simuhaneous action of both armies was necessary, albeit at a great distance apart. The sequel will show how it failed owing to Moreau's irresolu- tion. All our reports tended to prove a determination on the part of the enemy to keep their position before Modena, and to prevent the Army of Italy from quitting the passes of the Apennines. Montrichard's division, stationed as I have said at Bologna, as well as Victor's, at Pontremoli, I think, were placed under my command. General Lapoype, with 3,000 or 4,000 men, was at Bobbio. The important matter was to retain Florence and Leghorn in my absence, and the State of Tuscany, being almost in arms, necessitated the presence of a force sufficiently imposing to maintain order and give us security. General Gauthier took the com- mand.* General Moreau, unaware of these exigencies, and imagining that I was marching with all my troops, expected that I should collect about 40,000 men, including those belonging to his army, from Tuscany and Genoa, that is to say, with Montrichard's, Perignon's, and \'ictor"s divisions ; but of the Army of Naples I left in that kingdom and in the * I think I have made a mistake in ([noting the Ticino for the Bormida. It was behind the latter river that Moreau had retired, and whence he was driven tluring my march from Rome to Florence. It will not seem strange to you, my son, if, writing as I do from menior)-, after so many years crowded with events, you find here and there little slips that you can easily correct by examining my journals and correspondence, which I have not by me, and which, even if I hatl them, are in such confusion that they wf)uld Ix: no real help to me. Moreover, I am writing for you alone, to give you a sketch of my military career. I shall presently Ix: compelled to have recourse to some of my old journals, l)ecausc an important event which took place soon afterwards, the Battle of the Trebbia, has given rise to much controversy, and will retjuire more detail. — A'o/d hy Marshal Maidonald. 88 MARSHAL MACDONALD'S RECOLLECTIONS Roman States from 14,000 to 15,000 men, including sick, and 4,000 or 5,000 in Tuscany. General Perignon's division could not act with me, for it was only later, on reaching Piacenza, that I heard that the small body belonging to General Lapoype at Bobbio would be at my disposal. The Army of Naples was now able to take the offensive, as with Montrichard's and Victor's divisions it reached the total of 25,000 men, well equipped. After so long a forced march as that from Brindisi into Tuscany, the need of a few days' rest, and for repairs to material, clothing, harness, ironwork, etc., etc., will be easily understood. The army therefore took up a position. I had only very doubtful information regarding the strength and position of the enemy, and it would have been im- prudent to risk anything. "We expected, and hoped, that the Mediterranean squadron, commanded by Admiral Bruix, was on its way with a reinforcement of 15,000 men : if this were the case, and they could be disembarked either at Spezzia or Genoa, and there joined to all the men whom Moreau could collect round the town, we might hope for some success, and look forward to repairing our losses ; but these rumours were un- founded. I learned at the same time news that had better founda- tion in fact, namely, the appearance off Ancona of a Turco- Russian fleet, conveying troops to be disembarked ; but I was quite at ease, knowing the promptitude of General Monnier. Besides, the Italian business would have to be settled before the reduction of that town, which would take several months. I thought that I might place the same reliance upon the commandants left in the kingdom of Naples, but shortly after my departure they allowed them- selves to be intimidated by masses of insurgents, supported by some English detachments, and yielded one after SURRENDER OF FORT S A NT-ELMO 89 another.* What was not the least unfortunate part of the matter was that they abandoned Fort Sant'-Elmo, giving up their compatriots to tlie vengeance of their sovereign, and Admiral Nelson did not hesitate to tarnish his glory and reputation by causing the unfortunate Admiral Caracciolo to be hanged at his own mast-head. Other patriots were courageous enough to blow themselves up in the little fort called, 1 think, the Maddalena, near Naples, on the road to Castellamare. I have never heard that after the French re- occupied this kingdom, which became that of Joseph Bona- l)arte and Murat, any steps were taken to honour this act of devotion. ^^'hile the troops were taking up the positions assigned to them, the work of making and distributing necessary articles was pushed on as fast as possible ; provisions were collected, either to cross the Apennines or to fall back upon Genoa. I discussed with General Dessole the advantages and drawbacks of an offensive movement ; if Moreau re- turned to Genoa with the rest of his troops, and we acted in concert, we might count upon a force of about 60,000 men. In any case, I urged upon (General Dessole the ad- visability of sending all ships at his disposal from Genoa to Spezzia, and I sent thither all mine from Leghorn. The event proved that this was a wise precaution. I had jubt heard that the citadel of Ferrara had capitu- lated, and that Fort Urbino was about to be attacked. General Montrichard was at Bologna. I did not know him personally, but presumed he was a man of talent and courage, as he had appeared to possess a reputation upon the banks of the Rhine, a reputation no doubt usurped, as I learned to my cost. I had praised him, never dreaming that he had been the principal cause of the loss of the Commander-in-chief, Scherer, on the Adige, that he had retired from Legnano * See James's ' Naval History of Great Hritain,' vol. ii., pj). 303-317. 90 MARSHAL MACDONALD'S RECOLLECTIONS almost without a blow, thus leaving the passage open to the enemy. This had compelled the unlucky Scherer to retreat, and his original acceptance of the command had been severely commented upon without justice. He was reproached with severity, even with harshness, I know not on what ground. I have never found cause in him for any- thing but praise, and certainly his misfortunes did not arise from want of skill. During his ministry he had quarrelled with General Bonaparte, and consequently with the Army of Italy. When the latter started for Egypt with its chief, and was replaced by other troops from the Rhine and the interior, the hostile feeling remained, and took root in the Italian soil. My troops continued their march to take up their position at the mouth of all the passes of the Apennines, and I established my headquarters at Lucca, after deciding with the commandant and the Government Commissioner at Florence upon the best means for keeping open communi- cations in Tuscany. This had become a difficult matter, owing to the partial insurrections, particularly that at Arezzo. I think I have already said that Pontremoli had been re- taken. I caused Sarzana to be occupied, so as to help and support communications with Genoa. I received good news from Naples, but none from any of the fortresses. The squadron under Admiral Bruix, which I believed to be holding the Mediterranean, was at Toulon without any troops. Porto-Ferraio, in the island of Elba, was besieged and clamouring for help, but I had none to give. I begged the General commanding in Corsica to see to it. Want made itself universally felt, even at Genoa. I visited Leg- horn. Victor's division came to Sarzana to replace the troops from Naples. I had not been warned of this move- ment, which necessitated a change of position. The civil iJl-j:,iJj^J . _r OFl-EK OF RESIGNATION 91 agents with the two armies* coukl not agree. Worn oui with these quarrels as much as with my work, and consider- ing it hopeless to bring all parts of the service into harniony — it even seemed impossible to keep a frientlly leeling between the denerals of the two armies owing to their iealousy — I explained the situation to the Directory, i^ro posing to it to unite the two under one Commander, that of the Army of Italy, at the same lime offering to resign ,iiul serve in the line. I thus sacrificed myself to the public good, but it was long ere my offer of patriotic devotion reached its destination and I obtained an answer. Mean- while, the crisis was becoming more acute ; something had to be done to stop the advance of the enemy and the constant risings of the people. • The divisions of Montrichanl and Victor, put provisionally at the disposal of Macdonaki, had not ceased to belong to Moreau's army. They kept alive a spirit of dangerous rivalry with the Army of Najjlcs. [ 92 ] CHAPTER IX. Battle of Modena— The Marshal in Danger— Severely wounded— Montrichard's Mistake— Austrian Breach of Faith— March towards the Trebbia and Tidone — Battle of the Trebbia. I HAD concerted a plan with Moreau whereby our armies should join at Parma or Piacenza ; he was to follow in person Victor's division, which would debouch near Forte- nuovo. My entire army advanced towards Modena, each column having orders to be in position by the 22 or 23 Prairial (10 and II June, 1799)- Montrichard's and Rusca's divisions, escorting the artillery, were to follow the high road to Bologna. I followed Ollivier's division by Pistoia and Formigine. Orders had been previously given for a simultaneous attack upon the enemy stationed at Modena, with a view to cutting off their retreat. This attack was to take place on the 24th. On the previous evening they attacked our advanced posts at Formigine, and were beaten back. The troops were full of ardour, and on the morning of the 24th, at a meeting of all the Generals, an action was decided upon. I had no news of Montrichard's and Rusca's divisions, and it was difficult to communicate with them. Their cannon ought to have foretold their approach ; I heard it in the direction of Fort Urbino. Then I ordered AFTER MODEM A 93 a charge ; a fuiious toiiibat began ; my loll wing even gave way a little ; I sent reinforcements, and then ordered a simultaneous charge of cavalry and infantry. The enemy were routetl and dispersed ; several regiments laid down their arms. We entered Modena pell-mell with them, encumbered with baggage. The results of this affair nearly cost me my life. My troops, unable to resist the attractions of the baggage, threw themselves ujmn it, and began to pillage. I knew by ex- perience that if we halted in our pursuit we should restore courage to the terrified enemy, and make them turn again. Some few shots were to be heard at the other side of the town, almost at the gate ; by dint of prayers more than by threats I succeeded in getting together a handful of troops to follow me, and drove off the Austrian sharp-shooters. I was on the road to Bologna ; no trace of the divisions coming from that direction. What could have become of them ? I sent out a reconnaissance of .'ifty men, followed by another troop of the same number, to support them if necessary, just as the latter were starting off at a trot, I heard a cry : ' The enemy's cavalry !' I looked round, and to the right perceived a thick cloud of dust on a cro.ss-road, with deep ditches on either side, leading into the Bologna road. This body was cut off, and was being pursued by some of our cavahy. I sent the Adjutant-General, Pamphile Lacroix, to summon them to yield, promising them that they should not be harmed. At the same moment a body of my grenadiers issued from Modena ; I had only to cry, ' Halt '. Front !' in order to bar the road. My 'guides' (guards attached to the Com- mander-in-chief) deployed at right angles with this battalion, but unfortunately without observing that a broad ditch separated them from the road, along which the enemy's 94 MARSHAL MACDONALD'S RECOLLECTIONS cavalry were advancing ; the guides thought they could attack it in flank. When my battalion was drawn up, I ordered them to present arms, but not fire without my orders, and mechanically passed in front of it, studying the map. I had advanced a few yards, when I suddenly saw Lacroix throw himself backwards, and fall from his horse. The enemy's detachment was advancing at a rapid trot, whether animated by the courage of despair, pursued from behind, barred in front, with large ditches on either flank, or whether they had not noticed this latter obstacle, I know not. They continued to advance, and were only at a short distance from me, when I wished to turn my horse, and get behind my battalion, so as not to be in their line of fire, and to draw my sword ; but a double incident occurred. I was accustomed to carry a stick with a spike at the end, a leather thong passed round my wrist, and the spike resting on my foot ; but the case for the spike had been lost, so that, not to wound my foot, I had thrust the end of the cane into my stirrup ; thus encumbered, the thong entangled round my right arm, and the left occupied in holding my horse, I could neither reach nor draw my sword, and, in spite of my orders, a shot was fired from the left of the battaUon ; that sufficed to produce a discharge*, though the bayonet would have been enough to do the work. There I was, therefore, midway between my own troop, which was firing, and the ailvancing hostile cavalry. My horse was struck, and the shock of the charge threw it with me on its back, and at the same moment I received two sabre-cuts — one on the head, and the other across the right thumb. I was thrown senseless to the ground, and there trodden under foot. I heard afterwards that not one of the cavalry had escaped ; they had all been either killed or made prisoners ; and such must have been the case, for my SEVEUELY WOUNDED 95 guides, having advanced and discovered the obstacle pre- sented by the ditch, had immediately turned and drawn up behind the grenadiers, who were iluii fighting wiili the bayonet, and. inspired by the sight of iiiy danger, were giving no quarter. Tlie most surprising — nay, almost miraculous — part uf the circumstance is that, although I was the fit'th or sixth to pass along the line of fire, only one captain of engineers attached to my staff was killed. Not one of the others was touched, not even by the enemy who collected round me, i)erhaps as a means of safety, perhaps because 1 was recognised, as I was wearing the full uniform of a Commander-in-chief. The attentions that were lavished upon me restored me to consciousness. On opening my eyes 1 found myself in a house, surrounded by Generals, among them being Mont- richard. I believe this was some three hours after the action. I was suffering horribly, not so much from my wounds, as I had lost a quantity of blood, and was, in fact, covered with it, as from the trampling of the horses, the combat having raged over me. • This is your doing,' I said to General Montrichard. ' Had your troops taken part in the action, this mischance would not have befallen me ; and not an enemy could have escaped had my combinations been carried out." His excuse was that, on reaching I'ort Urbino, the regi- ment at the head of his column had no cartridges ; that the train of artillery, at the end of both divisions, was still at Bologna, and that they had waited for it to come up. ' What !' I exclaimed, ' regiments campaigning without cartridges? Why did you not discover it sooner? Were they all without them ?' 'No; only the leading company.' ' Why did you not throw it aside and let the others take the lead ? .\ little more, and we should have been driven 96 MARSHAL MACDONALD'S RECOLLECTIONS back,' I added ; 'and it would have been your fault entirely, as you could and should have made an important diver- sion.' He dropped his eyes and made no reply. I should have done well to withdraw his command from him then and there. We should have been saved many disasters caused by him ; but he belonged to the Army of Italy, and was only for the time being under my orders. Moreau was vexed afterwards that I did not take this prudent step. They informed me that the enemy were being followed, and prisoners brought in every moment. I gave orders regarding our position, and was transported to my head- quarters at Modena. I was suffering greatly from the bruises caused by the trampling of the horses. The Generals-of-Division had followed me ; I felt that I was not in a condition to continue in command and to lead the army ; I offered the succession to the senior among them, who declined, and then to the others in turn. The position beyond doubt was difficult. It was pointed out to me that the main body of the enemy was still distant ; that, accord- ing to the plan for the junction of the Armies of Italy and Naples, which ought to take place in a few days, and ac- cording to the marches calculated both to Parma and Piacenza, they would naturally have a chief in Moreau that I could be just as easily transported to Genoa by Bobbio as by the route we were now following, and even by the valley of the Po, as our success would be assured after this junction. These arguments decided me, and orders were given to continue the movement. We pushed on, therefore, towards the places of rendezvous, manoeuvring on the right towards the Po, and spreading a rumour that we were going to raise the siege of Mantua, and that we were gathering forces for that purpose ; this was done in order to attract the enemy to the left bank. AUSTRIAN BREACH OF FAITH 97 ICmbarrassed by tlie prisoners, among whom were some of superior and many of inferior rank, I caused them to be conducted to our outposts at Ferrara, after exacting from them a promise not to servo until an agreement could be arrived at for an exchange of prisoners ; the baggage, in order to reUeve us, was sent to Fort Urbino. I even gave the officers some pecuniary assistance, although they were at no great distance from their own troops ; but far from observing the engagement promised, the Austrians had the bad faith to keep as prisoners the detachment of cavalry sent to escort their officers to a place of safety. They followed me, having obtained some reinforcements for their broken ranks, but without causing me much troubU . I felt sure that, sooner or later, they would fall into 01: r hands after our junction was effected, which would certainly give us a decisive victory. General Victor had debouched near Castelnuovo, making for Parma or Piacenza, and driving before him an Austrian division which had taken up a position on the Tidone. It was between these two towns, if I remember rightly, that this General sent me a letter from Moreau. stating that he was still in doubt as to the direction of the rest of his army — whether it should follow Victor, or whether it should debouch near Bobbio, or near La Bocchetta. The day even of his departure for either place was uncertain : but he said it would probably take place oh the 20 or 21 Prairial, and it was now the 26th, so that allowing for twenty four hours' delay, according to our calculations, and for the possible local difficulties of the march — for he had no enemies in either of the former directions — our junction ought to take place at latest on the 27th or 28th either at Parma or Piacenza. The only obstacles were on my side ; but 1 had declared positively, perhaps somewhat rashly, that 1 would surmount 7 y8 MARSHAL MAC DONALD'S RECOLLECTIONS them, and I had succeeded, inasmuch as I had defeated the hostile body that awaited me at the outlet of the Apen- nines without the help of the two divisions that were coming up from Bologna. While waiting for the arrival of the Army of Italy, I rapidly continued my march towards the 'i'rebbia and Tidone, and gave orders that our position should be occupied there without engaging in hostilities, as 1 had two divisions behind, manoeuvring on the Po, which I had called up in order to bring them into line. The enemy had sent a detachment into the citadel of Piacenza. W'e had to guard the entrance, and leave on our side of the town a rear-guard to stop the remains of the combatants at Modena from following us. My sufferings were severely increased by the movement of the carriage in which I was laid. I anxiously expected Moreau, and could get no news of him. I hastened the advance of the two detached divisions, ordering them to come into line with all speed on the Tidone. It was on the 29th* that the others took up their position. Victor's regiment, already in position, had exchanged a few volleys ; unfortunately, he had remained in person at Piacenza, where I was myself, but without informing me of the cir- cumstance. He had charged his Brigadier-General, Char- pentier, with the care of settling his position. Dombrowski's and Ruscr.'"s regiments arrived soon afterwards. All had orders not to fight ; Rusca, notwithstanding the remon- strances of General Charpentier, insisted upon trying to force the passage of the Tidone ; he partly succeeded, but was soon repulsed, in spite of the support of the two other divisions, who were compelled to take part in this unfortu- nate skirmish. All three were thrown into disorder. As I was unable to mount a horse, I had given the com- * 29 Prairial, year vii. (June 17, I799)> first of the three days' fight- ing which are together called by the name of the Battle of the Trebbia. BATTLE OF THE TREBBIA 99 niand of the four divisions drawn u[) in line* to (ioneral \'ictor, with orders to take up his position on the 'i'idone and drive the enemy to the other side ; hut this (leneral had remained at Piacenza, unknown to me. Thenceforward all was confusion, and the disorder that followed the engage- ment may in great part be attributed to this cause. I could hear the firing at Piacenza, but without being able to foresee or to fear the consequence, as the great allied army could not yet be entirely united, and ought to be harassed on its right flank and rear if Moreau had attacked those points. This was what he most likely had done, as he did not appear on our left, and I had no news either of his march or his direction ; the junction was always intended to be the chief object of our movements, especially of mine, with a view to attracting the enemy to me, and distracting their nttention when in Piedmont. This junction was made - at least, virtually — when I arrived in Tuscany ; and had it not been for the difficulty attending the transport of baggage by sea, the troops might have marched together along the Cornice road to Genoa, as has since been done. But the operations in the valley of the Po would have been far more important if the movements of the two armies had been simultan«'ous, according to the original agreement ; and I am still convinced, although it is twenty-five years since the events, that our success must have been infallible had it not been for Moreau's hesitation. By an inversion of the marching order, the reason for which I have now forgotten. General Salm, who commanded the advance-uuard, found himself behind the other divisions that were occupying positions on the Tidone, and which, when routed, fell back upon him and disordered his lines. He had the presence of mind to throw his men to the right of the road, and drew up there in order of battle ; the * Those of Victor, Dombrowski, Riisca, and Salm. 100 MARSHAL MACDONALD'S RECOLLECTIONS enemy, pursuing eagerly, thus found themselves exposed to a flank fire, which compelled them to retreat. On receiving a report of these events, I ordered them to take up a posi- tion between the Tidone and the Trebbia ; but it was urged against that proposal that there was no place suitable, and that it would be better to recross the Trebbia, as a large number of fugitives had already done. I consented, although this could only be a rallying position ; the torrent was wide and fordable everywhere. Salm, however, re- ceived orders to remain where he was, to cover the army, form his advance guard, and send out scouts. Montrichard and OUivier, still behind, were desired to hasten their advance, and to come and put themselves into line and support us. It was clear that the enemy, too, had made forced marches, and mustered on the Tidone. But where was the Army of Italy ? In what direction ? I could not tell! Until the junction was effected, prudence commanded me not to risk a battle with such unequal forces. I had no choice but to retire ; but if I went away, and the Army of Italy debouched from the mountains in the expectation of finding that of Naples, it would in its turn be isolated and exposed to certain loss. What excuse could I give if I did not venture it ? Of course, the cry of ' treason ' would have been raised. But that would not have been all. It was, indeed, stated in the Army of Italy that I had given battle before the junction from motives of personal ambition. It will be seen from these writings how devoid of foundation was this idea, and, besides, my own condition would have sufficed to prevent that. I passed a wretched night, tor- mented by the fear of being attacked next morning before all our forces had come up, and also lest we should not be able to repair the disorder that had been caused that evening. n.rrT[.h: oi- mi-: iici jnu.i loi Pay I)R)ke at last. Acting upon the rcpurls received from tlie reconnoitring parties, I had myself carried to Horgo Sant'-Antonio, near the Trebbia, and thence along my hne, which I found drawn u|) in good order, (icneral Sahn and the other Cienerals came to make their reports and observations. T made a few alterations, such, for instance, as changing the position to be occupied by the advance-guard if it were compelled to retreat ; the two divisions behind, which I summoned back by means of a forced march, were to remain in reserve. .All appeared tranquil, and our troops seemed prepared to give the enemy a good reception. I intended to be before- hand with the enemy as soon as my two other divisions arrived, and unless they previously made an attack, (ieneral Salm, trusting in his troo{)s and his position, which I wished to preserve as far as possible, had strict injunctions not to engage alone ; immediately the first serious demonstrations were made, he was to fall back and take his place in the line. So much did he trust in the apparent tranquillity of the enemy, that he asked my leave to go and spend a few- hours in Fiacenza ; I was less confident, refused permission, and did rightly, for shortly afterwards, through my tele- scope, I perceived at some distance a mounted troop on the look-out. Salm declared that it was a mounted reconnais- sance that he had sent out : I answered that it was facing us, antl that if the detachment belonged to us it would naturally turn its back to us ; but he would not be con- vinced. I even sent out to reconnoitre, although I was almost certain of what 1 had .seen. • .Make haste !' I said shortly afterwards to him. ' (iallop to your position ; that reconnaissance is advancing, an(U^^\N^ another troop is coming up behind it. Vou are goiiitf tcKjio- attacked ; be ready to fall back.' ^.<>\ ^ ^ O^ ^ kV^' x:; V >^ 102 MARSHAL MACDONALD'S RECOLLECTIONS Firing soon began, and as from the wooded nature of the ground it appeared that the whole force opposed to us had not appeared, Sahn sent to ask me for a company of grena- diers, declaring that with their help he could maintain his position. I took a different view of the matter, and in sending him the battalion asked for, which was to draw up in echelon and support him, I also sent him repeated orders to retire. This, unfortunately, he only did at the last extremity, which very nearly caused us serious loss. At the first gunshot my men were under arms. Our vanguard at length retired ; the firing increased. I saw five large columns and a large body of cavalry approaching behind our troops Wounded and fugitives came in in crowds. Salm, hard pressed, continued to retire, fighting as he came ; beinc wounded, he made over the command to General Sarrasin, who, wounded in his turn, gave it to the brave Colonel Lahure, who soon shared the same fate. The men, finding themselves without a leader, and not knowing what position in the line they were to take up, recrossed the Trebbia in disorder at another point, and covered the artillery and musketry that should have protected them. If the enemy, whose advance was continuing, had made an effort at this moment, I know not what would have become of us. At length my lines got clear, and my batteries opened fire. The Austro-Russians made a vigorous onslaught on my line, and renewed it several times without causing us to move ; their strength was great, and their cries and howls would have sufficed to terrify any troops except French ones. At length they drew off ; the artillery fire gradually slackened on either side, and ceased entirely about ten or eleven at night. We had already a large number of wounded. The close proximity of the armies required the utmost watchfulness ; BATTLE OF THE TREBBIA 103 we passed the night under arms. The two rear divisions arrived : they required rest. They stopped for the time in the second h'ne, while the first reformed and prepared to take the offensive, if opportunity offered, instead of con- tinuing on the defensive. Daybreak found the two armies facing each other on either bank of the Trebbia. A cannonade began, but without much effect ; it sensibly diminished after a few hours, and finally ceased altogether on both sides. ^\'e piled arms, as though a truce had been agreed upon. During the night I had decided upon taking the offensive, regardless of the superior strength of the enemy. My troops were excellent, and the French character lends itself better to attack than to defence. My plans were laid and orders given for nine o'clock in the morning, so that only one signal would have been necessary ; but it did not take place until noon, for, notwithstanding repeated orders, it was inpossible to get the Montrichard division out of its bivouacs. It did come up at last, but without its General, who remained behind. At the first movement to arms, the enemy formed a line of battle, and the firing began. My columns boldly crossed the Trebbia and scattered the first line. Unluckily, the Montrichard division, having no leader, sent out a party of sharpshooters, flanked by some cavalry. The enemy's horse, weak at that particular point, made a sally to drive back this body, which was causing it inconvenience ; the latter, terror- stricken, fell back upon the division and paralyzed its fire. Montrichard's cavalry, although superior, fell back, and returned in disorder, followed by the enemy, and the whole division was thrown into confusion. I deployed my reser\'e of infantry to protect them, but the cavalry reser\e, having failed to take up the positions indicated for them, so that they might support our weak points, lost time in coming up ; 104 MARSHAL MACDONALD'S RECOLLECTIONS the enemy took advantage of this to rally and make a charge. The gap made by the retreat of Alontrichard's division, whicli I stopped and formed up at the edge of the river, left Ollivier's division exposed to a flank attack. It was com- pelled in its turn to retreat, as was also General Vatrin on the extreme right, but the movement was effected in good order, and it recovered its position. The same movement was executed upon the left, commanded by General Victor, who had surprised the Russians and thrown them into great disorder. Meanwhile our cavalry reserves had come up and joined the fray. The confusion into which the enemy had been thrown gave us time to rally and to form up again into a line of defence. The enemy soon renewed the attacks of the previous evening, but found only an immovable wall of steel. Their loss of men was enormous, but unavailing ; and at length, wearied and worn out, they ceased their attack and retired to their positions. Night fell, but the cannonade continued on both sides, lest either should forget the pre- sence of the other ; but at length it ceased. I received disastrous accounts of our losses. Nearly all our Generals and superior officers were more or less seriously wounded ; our loss of men, in killed and wounded, was enormous for so weak an army. Not the least serious part of it was that nearly all our ammunition was exhausted. These events occurred on the 29 and 30 Prairial, and i Messidor (June 17, 18, 19, 1799). [ I05 ] CHAPTKR X. Alienee of Moreau — Victor's Delay — Flight of \'iclor — Plans for Retreat — Difficulties of the March — Modena and Sassuulo— Hesitation of Moreau — Blockade of Mantua — Concentration near Genoa — The Army of the Alps. Xo news arrived of Moreau, nor of the Army of Italy, nor of the detachment from Bobbio, which ought to have come up behind the enemy's right It was clear from the position of the Ausiro-Russians in front of us that they felt no uneasiness as to their rear. \V"e had been very much weakened : we had scarcely any general or commissioned otticers left, hardly any ammunition, a formidable army before us, the batteries of Piacenza, as well as another con- siderable one on the other side of the Po, barring our road (the survivors of the battle at .Modena, reinforced by some troops from the blockade of Mantua, who had come up on our rear near I'iacenza) — such was our situation. We must infallibly be attacked next morning, and if we were beaten, all would be lost. J had done my utmost to effect a junc- tion ; my efforts were fruitless. ^\ e had to preserve the remaining two-thirds of the army in order to get out of this very awkward position, and try our fortune elsewhere. It was, of course, painful to leave a battlefield where the .Army of .Naples had so much distinguished itself, and acquired so much glory ; but its safety was the first consideration. The io6 MARSHAL MACDONALD'S RECOLLECTIONS Generals having explained to me their fears, the superiority of the forces opposed to them, the want of ammunition and provisions, I reluctantly decided upon retiring from this bloody field, and orders were given for the movement to be made at midnight precisely, on the 2 Messidor (June 20). Our army was to march in three columns, leaving behind the main-guard and outposts to form a curtain to cover their movement, until the enemy attempted to advance, when they were to fall back upon their respective corps. Montri- chard's division was sent forward to open up the road that we were to follow towards Parma and Modena. It was necessary to avoid the battery on the Po and to get round Piacenza ; a road was made during the night. After I had assured myself that all my orders had reached their destina- tion and would be fully carried out, the army moved noise- lessly at midnight precisely to recross the Nura ; the point at which the three columns were to join was Cadeo. Scarcely had Montrichard's division gone a few miles ahead of us, scarcely had the right and centre columns passed the Nura and formed up beyond it, when the main-guard appeared, as well as the small body that was observing the castle of Piacenza, followed by the leading troops of the enemy. It would have been very fortunate for us if we could have passed this defile without being harassed ; but unhappily Victor's division, which, with the flank company of General Calvin, made up the third column, only started at six in the morning, instead of at midnight. Thus they lost a start which would have been as valuable to them as it was to the others, and also the precious advantage of putting the defile of the Nura between them and the enemy ; the bridges could easily have been defended by a few troops. The enemy, as yet unprepared to attack, noticed this retrograde movement, pursued the column, and discovered that there were only a few scouts left along the whole line. FLIGHT OF VICTOR 107 General Victor was pursued and hard pressed, as I could hear plainly, being only a short distance off; but I imagined that the battle was taking j)lace on both banks of the Xura. An aide-de-camp from the Cieneral came to beg me for help. In order to rescue him, I caused the whole centre column to recross the river, half to drive back the enemy in front, and the other half to execute a flank attack on their left. We succeeded. Deing thus freed, both crossed the Nura once more, and continued, without being much harassed, their movement upon Cadco, where the three columns were to join. Those of the right and centre arrived there, but the left tarried ; however, hearing no firing, I concluded that the movement was being quietly carried out. Our troops were resting, when some horsemen appeared at full gallop from the direction of the left column, followed by a crowd of fugitives in such terror that I preferred allowing them to go by to attempting to stop them. A siaff-ofticer of Cieneral \'ictor at length rode up to ask for help. I im- mediately sent my reserve, but on reaching the point men- tioned, it fimnd neither friends nor enemies, only all the artillery abandoned by the column. 'Ihe troops had been scattered and fled, some into the mountains, carrying alarm to Genoa, others, as I afterwards heard, to Castel Arquato. One of the regiments lost its flags ; I have forgotten how. On hearing of this incident, I sent out a number of artillery horses, and rescued all the guns belonging to the column, which were brought back to me by the reserve sent to the assistance of General \'ictor, who was nowhere to be found. Then we continued our march witliout further annoyance till the morning. General Montrichard, who led the march, informed me that the enemy were in front of him, but not stationary. It was important to secure the passage of the Taro, and I sent him word to hasten his advance. At length I had loS MARSHAL MACDONALD'S RECOLLECTIONS intelligence from General Victor, who stated briefly that his troops, sorely pressed by the enemy, had dispersed, that the rout had begun, and that, to his great regret, he had lost his artillery ; that, unless he received contrary instructions, he should make for Borgo San Donino. That was the very place for which I was bound. ' Set your mind at rest,' I replied, ' as to your artillery. The detachment that I sent to your help, when you begged for it at Cadeo, where I then was, reached the spot where you ought to have been, and found neither friends nor foes ; but I caused your guns to be brought in without opposition. I will restore them to you the first time we meet.' This remark cut General Victor "^ to the quick, and I do not believe he has yet forgiven it. 1 have never received a satisfactory explanation of this curious event. One grave fault was that of not quitting the battlefield at midnight, which would have given him six hours' start of the enemy. It seems that later on, while crossing the Nura, some disorder had occurred which had not been repaired, and that the appearance of a few Cossacks had sufficed to increase and turn it into a rout; for, although we were but a short distance away, we heard no sound of musketry. I have since heard that Moreau only came down from Genoa by the Bocchetta on the 2 Messidor, the very day on which I was leaving the Trebbia, that the Austro- Russians retreated from the Nura, only leaving General Ott with a division, and possibly another small troop, to follow us. If the men of the third column were really as fatigued as General Victor declared, there were certainly no symptoms of it evident in their flight, and they would have been much safer had they held their ground. On reaching Borgo San Donino, whither Victor had pre- * Victor Perrin, created Marshal of P^rance in 1S07, and Duke of Belluno in 1808, after the Battle of Friedland. PLANS FOR RETREAT 109 ceded me, I drew up fresh instructions for continuing our retrograde movement. The latter (leneral was to return to the Apennines by the pass through which he had come, and troops were successively to hold all the outlets, menace the flank of the enemy tliat was pursuing me, and thus cover the march of the rest of the army, which was to make for Modena and Bologna with the baggage, place the guns taken from the enemy in Fort Urbino, draw thence fresh ammunition and jjrovisions, take from the two principal towns sufficient food to last them for the five or six days necessary to cross the Apennines, and go to Pistoia and Lucca. It was the more important to guard the mountain passes, as it was indispensable that our junction should be effected near Genoa, and, if these passes were left unde- fended, the enemy, by taking possession of them, might reach Pontremoli and Sarzana before us, and again cut off our communications by superior forces. True, they might have forced these outlets, and thus isolated me from the Army of Italy : I had foreseen this possibility, and deter- mined to defend myself inch by inch. By my marches and movements I should have attracted a large body of troops to me in Tuscany, in the Roman States, even as far as Naples, by relying upon the strongholds. It was with this object that I had brought with me, and left in Rome, a pontoon train to enable me to cross the Garigliano and Volturno. This movement, however, of the enemy's forces was not much to be feared, for the Army of Italy was certain to be doing something somewhere, and it was not likely that Generals Souvorof and Melas, leaders of the Allied Armies, would risk themselves between two French armies ; pru dence, nevertheless, necessitated these dispositions ; nothing should be left to chance, and, as time was precious, I lost none in having them carried out. no MARSHAL MACDONALD'S RECOLLECTIONS. I sent for General Victor in order to have information from him : first, as to why he had been so late in starting from the field of the Trebbia ; and secondly, upon all that had taken place on each side of the Nura. He answered that he was busy settling his men in camp, and that he would come later. I wished also to communicate my new instructions to, and to come to a clear understanding with, him, as we were about to part. An hour or two having passed without his arrival, I sent again. He replied that he was tired, and had gone to bed. It was very obvious, therefore, that he wished to avoid a disagreeable explanation upon all that he had done. My instructions were therefore conveyed to him, and we continued our march ; but scarcely had I left San Donino when an aide-de-camp came up at full gallop to tell me that the division was attacked. We were not far away, and he begged me to suspend my move- ment, and even to come back to their help. General Vatrin, who was beside me, said : ' Nonsense ! it is only a few Cossacks, like the other day.' This speech was repeated to General Victor as coming from me, and contributed not a little to increase his ill- humour. A few minutes later I was told it was only a skirmish ; a piquet had kept a bad look-out, and had been surprised by the enemy. I therefore answered merely, ' General Victor has his instructions ; let him keep to them,' and continued my route. I have forgotten to say that we were constantly followed by a large and ever-increasing number of waggons, which added to our difficulties, notwithstanding my repeated orders to do away with them. Those who drove them, guessing that prompt measures would probably be taken, hastened to unharness and unload, and even to burn them. Nearly DIFFICULTIES OF THE MARCH m all our wounded had been deposited at I'iacenza, and, as usual, recommended to the enemy's kindness ; some few had, however, followed us. I had ordered that each baggage- waggon and cart siiould take one or two, and this had at first been done, but the projjrietors of these vehicles had left the poor fellows in the places where we stopped for the night. I was indignant at this. Several of them were put under arrest, but nothing could be proved against them at the inquiry. They declared that the wounded could not bear the jolting of the waggons, and, unluckily, now it was too late to verify this statement. The burning of these carts freed us somewhat, and it was the real owners who suffered ; but it was a necessary sacrifice, because of the trouble they caused us. ^\'e kept, however, a few for the transportation of our wounded as far as the nearest towns. The army continued its movement, occupying the Apen- nines, or marching with the baggage along the highroads. We had to seize Reggio, and fight at Modena and Sassuolo. Had we not been compelled to obtain provisions to take us over the Apennines, I should have avoided every engage- ment at these last places ; but as the Apennines offered no resources, I took up my position at Modena, after opening the road to Reggio. The enemy, who had at first displayed but few troops, attacked my entire line with a force superior to mine, and menaced the road to Pistoia, where General Calvin was. However, they made no stand, and retired into the mountains. My aide de-camp, I^croix, followed them, and carried Sassuolo :it the point of the bayonet, an affair which gained him much honour; he compelled 600 men to lay down their arms, took two flags and two pieces of cannon, and thus opened the communication for us who were engaged at Modena. We also gained a victory there, and maintained our position. Meanwhile, we collected provisions, and levied a contribution (which brou^^ht in very 112 MARSHAL MACDONALD'S RECOLLECTIONS little) to punish the town for a rising that had taken place, in which many soldiers had been assassinated and pillaged ; some of them could thus l)e indemnified. The combat finished at nightfall. The enemy had passed the river Crossolo at three or four points, but had always been repulsed. We also made a few prisoners. Before daybreak the army continued its march, leaving its positions to return to the Apennines. Montrichard's division, passing hy Bologna, was to bring away the ammunition from Fort Urbino, and to leave there the artillery and military chests taken from the enemy. I do not remember what became of the prisoners ; they were perhaps returned, to the number of 500 men, for on such a march they were a serious inconvenience, as they had to be watched and fed. (They were meant to have been exchanged later on for a similar number of our men.) We thus regained our former posi- tions in the Apennines, without being molested, although we were followed. My headquarters were established at Pistoia while waiting for news of General Montrichard and the Army of Italy, whom I presumed to have made a move- ment towards Tortona, as they had not debouched on the side where I expected them. We succeeded in reopening communications with Moreau and the Army of Italy. The latter had descended the Apennines by the Bocchetta, and had, at the foot of the mountains, a battle with one of the divisions of the great Allied Army on the very day upon which I retreated from the Trebbia. Had they come down sooner, it is probable that all the forces of (lenerals Souvorof and Melas would not have attacked me, as they would have feared for their right flank, placed between two fires, as it would have been had the corps under (general Bellegarde been forced. General Moreau has never explained his conduct, although I have often pressed him to do so by word of mouth, by BLOCKADE OF MANTUA 113 letter, officially, and by ])uhlic summons. Why these delays? I am sure there was no ill-will on his part, l)ut merely hesitation, which was part of his nature. I cannot say the same for his advisers. Among them was one nian in particular* who had great influence, and was inspired by an unjust animosity — it was more than unfriendliness— against me. It was this man, I have since been told, who principally contributed to augment this natural tendency to delay. What matters any detriment to the public weal, so long as private spite can be gratified ! .\n explanation of this will come in good time, and I will not anticipate it. Moreau returned to the positions whence he had started, having been warned that C.enerals Souvorof and Melas were retracing their steps with a portion of their forces in order to effect a junction with General Bellegarde. U'hile at Lucca I received a note from the Commandant of the fortress of Mantua, informing me that he was block- aded, but not attacked : that he had a strong and courageous garrison, and that the place was sufficiently well provisioned to stand a long siege. I hastened to communicate this reassuring report upon the condition of a place so important to us. We continued our retreat in order to concentrate ourselves with the Army of Italy within the boundaries of Liguria. All our baggage was embarked at Lerici, on the (iulf of Spezzia ; the infantry and cavalry passed over the Cornice road, and I went to (ienoa, whither I had been summoned by Moreau to consult as to our future operations, although I was under his orders. My health was at this time in a very bad state ; my wounds were not yet healed, I spat blood, I had violent pains in my chest, and a sort of general inflammation, caused by the vexations and annoyances to which I had been abandoned, by long nights and e,\cessive work, under * Cieneral Gouvion Saint-Cyr. S 114 MARSHAL MACDONALD'S RECOLLECTIONS most difficult circumstances; and I was worried by many different events which, with a httle goodwill, loyalty, and honesty, could not have failed to be productive of the best results. The concentration of the two armies in the neighbour- hood of Genoa was decided upon. It was not without keen sorrow that we found it necessary to abandon to themselves the garrisons of the territories of Naples and Rome, to evacuate Elba, Tuscany and Lucca. Instead of sending us the reinforcements of which we stood so sadly in need, a fresh army was formed on the Var or at Chambery, under the command of General Championnet. It was called, I believe, the Army of the Alps. I insisted more strongly than before upon the fusion of the two armies, and upon the necessity of leave of absence to recruit my health. [ '15 1 CHAPTER XI. A Valuable Collection lost — ^Joubert Commander-in-chief — Fall of Mantua — Death of Joubert — Back at Paris — Action against Morea.t — Landing of Napoleon — The iSth Urumaire — Reorganization cf the Armies — Moreau's Double-dealing — The Army of the Grisons — Peace of Luneville — Diplomatic Mission to Denmark. During my first command in Rome I had begun a col- lection of object.s of art, of curiosities and antiques, which I confided to the care of a faithful friend at the time of the invasion by the Neapolitan troops without any previous declaration of war. On my return to Rome, seventeen days later, I found it intact. It was considerably augmented by presents of pictures from the principal Romans, which I considered I might accept in return for important personal services that I was able to render them. After the conquest of Naples, the French Government divided the objects of art among the Generals who had taken part in it, after a commission of artists had selected objects wherewith to enrich our museum in Paris. I iiad succeeded General Championnet, and the commission was charged to set aside what should come to me. Some pictures, Etruscan vases, and ancient frescoes from the walls of Pompeii were given to me, valued at Soo,ooo francs (^32,000). I had them all packed and forwarded to Rome, with the treasures for the Government. In Rome I ii6 MARSHAL MACDONALD'S RECOLLECTIONS caused to be added to them all that I had acquired in that city, and the convoy continued its journey into Tuscany ; its destination was Genoa, whence it was to go to Mar- seilles. I thought no more about it; but on reaching Genoa I caused inquiries to be made, unfortunately too late, at the merchant's office to which they had been consigned. They had never arrived, and I discovered afterwards that the waggoners had not been able to pass beyond Pisa in conse- quence of the risings ; that having waited there a long time, and spent all their money, they had deposited these precious things there and gone away. We had just evacuated Tus- cany ; I had passed through it, stopping at Pisa to review an army ; the boxes were inscribed with my name, therefore the intention of stealing them was clear, as I was never told they were there. Had I been told, I might have sent them on board a ship at Leghorn or Lerici. They were rifled and sold. The following year we returned to Tuscany. I made every inquiry and a strict search, but the robbers and pillagers had taken flight, so that I lost one of the finest private collections of curiosities and objects of art then existing. Among them was a complete imitation of a dessert, with all the fruit made of marble, and a magnificent silver epergne ; also a valuable collection of ancient and modern marbles, carved lava from Vesuvius, etc. I had spent a good deal of my own money. There were also the j^resents that I had considered myself at liberty to accept, and the greater portion — of course the most valuable and rarest for a private individual — came from the distribution made by order of the French Government. My regret at my loss was the greater inasmuch as I was able to talk about it. I had no reason to blush for that or for anything else in my long military career. While I was in command at Naples, I had caused searches CAPITULATION OF MANTUA 117 to be made, on my own account, at Santa Maria di Gati for tombs containing ICtruscan vases. Six were discovered, and were left closed until my arrival ; they were not to be opened except in my presence. But events never permitted me to think of them again, and they, too, were thus lost to me. The French Government at length appointed a new Commander-in-chief, Joubert, for the Army of Italy, to replace Moreau. That of Naples was suppressed — united to the other ; and I received the permission, so earnestly longed for, to return to France. Moreau and I agreed to start together. I then learned by private mt-ans that Mantua, for the strength of which the Commandant had so readily answered, had capitulated. The details of this event were so precise, the means through which I had received the information so trustworthy, that doubt was to my mind impossible. However, Generals Moreau and Joubert, and his chief of the staff, Suchet, declared that the news was false, and spread with a purpose, and that they had much more recent and trustworthy infor- mation. Of course, I wished to believe them ; but, on the other hand, I could not doubt the honesty of my informanl. This uncertainty was terrible, on account of the events which would soon come to pass ; for if Mantua had really yielded, the besieging force would become an important and valuable reinforcement for the allies. Their very in- action proved to me that they were waiting for the reduction of Mantua in order to recommence active operations. At length they marched. At the first intimation, Joubert col- lected his forces and started ; I cautioned him to be circum- spect, to beware how he advanced too far, and to assure himself of the truth of the intelligence, because, if Mantua had fallen, the forces would no longer be of equal strength. Moreau and I had chartered some feluccas at Genoa ; I ii8 MARSHAL MACDONALD'S RECOLLECTIONS had been waiting several days for him, when he sent me word that General Joubert had begged him to remain with him, so I started alone, hugging the shores of the Cornice towards Savona, Oneille, Nice, and Toulon, not without some uneasiness respecting the pirates who swarmed in those waters. I was, however, escorted by a small armed boat, which scoured all the creeks and small harbours. I was within two or three days of Genoa when I heard that Joubert had been killed,* the army routed, and the news of the fall of Mantua confirmed. From Toulon I travelled by easy stages to Paris, where the somewhat cool reception given me by the Directory was made up for by public opinion. No Government ever weighs in the balance past services with a present check, and never takes circumstances, means, etc., into considera- tion. They must always have victories. No doubt the principle is a good one, but justice and equity demand that everyone should receive sohie share of the recognition due to him. Now and again newspaper articles would appear blaming my recent operations. I had a correspondence with Moreau upon the subject, as he and his staff seemed not altogether strangers to these articles. I was tired of his arguments and hesitation. He was now back in Paris. At one moment he advised me not to notice these diatribes; at another he undertook to refute them ; then his papers, which ought to have come to him by road, had been mislaid. Losing patience, I at length told him that I would bring an action against him ; and I did so, honestly and straightforwardly, but especially promptly. His defence was pitiable and confused ; judgment was given in my favour, and that ended the matter. * General Joubert was killed at the Battle of Novi, July, 1799. His widow, tii^e Mademoiselle de Montholon, became Marshal Macdonald's second wife. By this wife he had one daughter, afterwards Marquise de Roche-Dragon. — Translator. LANDING OF NAPOLEON 119 I was iK)t yet curetl of my wounds, and fears were enter- tained respecting my chest. I was put upon a diet of milk and sago. France was groaning under the weight of her arbitrary government. 'I"he Directory had neither credit nor con- sideration. It liad made itself detested by the iniquitous 'Hostage Act,' and by its forced loans. Intrigues were on foot to compass its downfall, and I was asked to put myself at the head of the movement ; I declined. I believe, but am not sure, that a similar application was made to Moreau, who also refused. All at once the news was spread of the unexpected arrival at Frc'jus of Cleneral Bonaparte from Egypt; all eyes were turned to him, and from thenceforward he was regarded as an anchor of hope and salvation. He sought me out with considerable eagerness. I was on fairly intimate terms with his wife,'-' and some of his brothers and sisters. He desired precise information upon all that had passed in Italy. At a little dinner, at which Moreau was present, we gave him an account, and the opinion of my aniphitryon was thenceforward settled in my favour. The 1 8th Ikumaire arrived. I took a considerable share in it. I was in command at Versailles, and my first care, on arriving, was to close a Jacobin club, which was never reopened. The great struggle was to take i)lace at St. Cloud ; it nearly failed. Had it done so, we should all have fallen victims to the party which, to the misery of France, would have been triumphant. The question of reorganizing the armies now arose. Moreau was to have that of the Upper Rhine, and I that of the Lower ; l)ut he worked so skilfully behind my back that * Joscpliinc, (l.Tuglitcr nl Monsieur 'rn>clxT \ 139 The unlucky Major stammered and shamefacedly ad- mitted that he had not understood. ' Why did you not ask me to repeat my orders to you ?' inquired ihv I'rince. ' I was wrong,' he replied, 'and I beg your Highness's pardon.' .\ fresh explanation was given, and we rode away. 'See,' I said to the Prince, 'how easily mistakes occur. Vou would have gone away in peace, thinking that your necessary orders would be carried out. You did not observe that that officer, no doubt a very brave, good fellow, was not very bright : for if Heaven had endowed him with ever so small a share of wits, he would, on his own responsi- bility, have caused some temporary defences to be made at a point on which depended so much of the safety of his own men and of the army. Misunderstandings and blunders are often fatal, particularly in military matters ; therefore, when I give a verbal order, I always have it repeated over to me, and have found it a good plan.' I advised him to adopt it, which he did in the future with good results. [ MO CHAPTER XIV. Defence of the Alpone — Retreat of the Archduke John— Combat on the Piave — An Incomplete Success — Capitulation of Prewald— Siege of Laybach — Advance to Gratz. We held our position for three days, and the morale of the troops was already improved. While waiting for news of what was going on in the heart of Germany, the enemy made some feeble demonstrations ; but as we were deter- mined to risk nothing, we retired behind the Alpone, where the advance-guard was stationed. The rest of the army took up a position at Caldiero, having three bridges over the Adige in case of retreat, including that of Verona. We remained there quietly, and spent the time in a complete reorganization ; losses were repaired by bringing up healthy men from the depots, and by drafting from hospital those cured of their wounds or sickness. It was considered advisable to skirmish a little, and to shoot every day, to familiarize the fresh men with fighting. A feint I made with a portion of our troops succeeded at first, but unfortunately, our left met with a slight check, which decided the Viceroy to give counter-orders. I was unaware of this, as I was preparing to cross the Alpone, the defence of which had considerably given way before the energy of my onslaught ; but the Viceroy came in person to the place to desire me to retire, and I had to obey. We RETREAT OF THE ARCHDUKE 141 returned to camp, regretting that \vc had not had liberty to reap the full benefit of our first advantages. Prince Eugene was still weighed down by the recollection of Sacilio, and this made him very nervous for long after, especially on two important occasions, of which I shall speak later. We expected the .\ustrians to make a similar demonstra- tion next day, and were prepared to give them a warm reception ; but they stayed at home. I'his immobility was not altogether natural after their recent victory at Sacilio. I pointed this out to the Viceroy, and urged him to order a strong general reconnaissance. He did so. We followed with our reserves, when, through my telescope, I noticed a hurried movement of carriages and baggage-waggons. 'We have been victorious in Germany,' T said to tlie Prince ; ' the enemy are retiring.' He also looked through his glass, saw the retreat, and gleefully stretched out his hand to me, thanking me for my foresight and for my advice, which events had so well justified. He sent orders to the camp to prepare to march, and himself rode up to the advance-guard, who were at the very moment sending back to tell him that the enemy were hastily retreating. When he left me to lead the march. I warned him to be prudent, and not to be over-excited by this adventure. Some insignificant brushes between our advance guard and the enemy's rear-guard brought us to the brink of the Piave, the bridge over which had just been burned. It is a wide and very swift torrent, like all those in Italy ; but they can all be forded except in case of heavy rain or melting snow. The decision to cross was taken, and carried out without difficulty ; but all was nearly lost owing to precipita- tion. I was at the rear, and hastened my movement, so that 1 came up just in time to witness a check given to our troop.s, especially to a body of cavalry whjrh had just 142 MARSHAL MACDONALD'S RECOLLECTIONS possessed itself of, but had soon to abandon again, one of the enemy's batteries. The charge had been so impetuous that the gunners had had no time to lire ; they were killed, and the artillery General taken prisoner. The Viceroy thought he was dealing merely with a rear-guard, but the captured General assured him on his word of honour that the entire Austrian army, commanded by the Archduke John, was there. This news disconcerted the Viceroy. Only a quarter of our army had crossed the stream, and they were now forced back in the utmost disorder. Happily the enemy only attacked feebly, being entirely occupied in covering their retreat. My troops* began to come up. The Prince begged me to cross the river in person to stop the fugitives, and to take command of all on the left bank. Anxious in consequence of what he had heard from the Austrian General, he said to me : ' What are we to do ?' ' The bottle is uncorked ; we must drink the wine,' I replied. ' We were in too great a hurry, and our troops can hardly escape ; but now that they are on the other side, we must support them as best we can.' We settled that my men should cross as fast as they came up. I ordered that it should be in platoons, and that each man should hold his neighbour's arm. The torrent had increased considerably ; stones slipped from under their feet and some of the privates were carried away by the current. It was a sad spectacle ; but I was destined, only four years later, to see one still far more horrible.! When the fugitives began to arrive in disorder, they threw them- selves into the water without observing the stepping-stones. * General Macdonald commanded a corps formed out of Lamarque's and Broussier's divisions of infantry and a brigade of cavalry. + In 1813, at the passage of the Elster, after the Battle of Leipsic. coMH.rr OS the ri \\i-: 143 1 inysL'lt" rushed in, s\vi)i(l in hand, to drive them back. After changing my clothes, I managed nearly to cross the swiftest part of the current by means of a small pontoon which happened to l)e there, and the shoulders of two men set me down dry-foot on the other bank. I assembled the Generals, and announced to tlieni that the army also was going to cross. In fact, the front column of my corps was a third of the way through the river. This movement, no doubt, stopped the enemy's attack, or, at any rate, slackened it. .\s the troops that had been pursued returned, they took up a position with their back to the left bank, so that a violent attack must cither have i)recipitated them into the water, or compelled them to lay down their arms. .My lirst care, after reassuring in a few words both officers and men, was to change this position for one perpendicular to the river, which thus flanked their left. General Grenier* had just crossed considerably below me. He attacked and pursued the enemy by the same movement that I was making, so that we found ourselves placed peqjendicularly to the river, as I have said. My own troops had been stopped and ordered to retreat by the Viceroy when they were already half-way across the river, because he had seen the rout of which I have spoken, and the pursuit of the enemy. He did not reflect that the best means of stopping it was to reinforce us. He observed to me afterwards, with some simplicity, that he regarded us as dead men, and saw no object in sacrificing more lives. I took the opportunity of addressing to him some remarks which he admitted were just, but by which, alas ! he did not profit, such was the effect produced by the loss of the first battle at Sacilio.t • He commanded a corps of two divisions. t The Viceroy at ihi.s time was very young. His after career vinili- cated him from any charge of personal want of courage. Indeed, after 144 MARSHAL MACDONALD'S RECOLLECTIONS [He did not tell me what answer the Emperor had sent on being informed of this defeat, but I learnt later that, after reading the despatch, the Emperor had sent for the courier who brought it, and asked whether he had met me, and if so, whereabouts. ' Near Verona,' answered the messenger. 'That is all right,' replied the Emperor. I had not seen this courier, but was flattered by the reply, as it showed that the Emperor relied upon me to restore affairs in Italy.] To return to the movement that I was executing. \\'hen my body of troops joined me the disorder was repaired. All who had crossed the Piave marched in splendid order and attacked the enemy, who now began to retreat. How- ever, our extreme right, commanded by General Grenier, halted, although the fire was not very hot. I also halted, but for another reason. I perceived towards the middle of our front a mass of the enemy's infantry, covered by a sort of fortification that was nothing more nor less than an enclosure of sufficient extent to pen oxen during the night — a sort of back (dossee) of a trench. Some cavalry covered this infantry, who were firing at us. We had not any guns across as yet, I think. While our troops were halting. Colonel Vallin, of the Hussars, came and begged me to give him something to do. I told him not to stir with- out orders, and added that I would soon find work for him. Thereupon I hastened off to the right, to get a better view of the enemy's central position, and to discover the reasons for General Grenier's inactivity. He told me that his troops needed rest. Just when they ought to have the rout of 1812-13, on the retreat from Russia, when even Murat deserted the army, it was the Viceroy of Italy who had the difficult task of reorganizing the army during Najjoleon's aljsence in Paris. COMBAT ON THE PI A VE 145 been pursuing vigorously! I gave orders to (icneral Grouchy, who was in command of the cavalry at this point, and while he was conveying them to his men, I turned back to regain the centre. I saw Colonel Vallin and his squadron charging. I foresaw what must inevitably, and did, happen. The enemy's cavalry hurriedly withdrew, and allowed the squadron to advance, thus exposing them to the hot fire of the masked infonlry, which I alone had perceived when I commanded the halt. My intention had been to outflank it on the right, and such were my orders to Grouchy. The enemy's cavalry, seeing Vallin's regiment hesitate, charged, and from where I was I could see that we were not getting the best of it in the melee that ensued. I spurred my horse, and came up with the unlucky leader, who was wounded in the hand, and fiercely reproached him for having disobeyed my positive orders. He replied that he had acted upon instructions from the Viceroy, who galloped up and said unreflectingly : ' Now then, hussars ! let me see you charge those black- guards !' Vallin had answered that he would have done so already, had not I forbidden him to stir. ' Never mind,' answered the Prince ; ' charge all the same !' And he did so. The Viceroy, who had been watching us from the other bank of the Piave, had made up his mind to cross, and had arrived just in time to order this grand mistake while I was away on the right. 1 rode up to him, and pointed out to him that he had most inconsiderately deranged my opera- lion. He answered that he fancied there were only a few musketeers there. ' Do you suppose t/iey would have stopped me ?' 1 answered, and then proceeded to explain my plan, which might still be carried out. 10 146 MARSHAL MACDONALD'S RECOLLECTIONS He applauded it, and congratulated me upon all I had already done ; in doing so, he was echoing the sentiments of the army, which was full of spirit and determination. In replying to the Prince's compliments, I asked to be allowed to carry out my own operation, adding that I would show him that I knew what I was about. [As I am writing only for you, my son, I need not put on airs of mock-modesty ; I merely tell you the facts with the frankness that I am generally admitted to possess.] ' See !' I said to the Viceroy ; ' the enemy's right wing is beating a hasty retreat ! I am going to cut it off, and to-night 1 will make you a present of 10,000 prisoners.' ' I can see nothing,' he answered. ' Can you not see that immense cloud of dust gradually drawing away from us ?' 'Yes.' ' Well, from that it is easy to divine that a general retreat is going on. Go to the left, make a feint as if to stop that movement, while I bring up the right, and order the centre to advance.' V/e parted in a more amicable frame of mind ; but it did not last long, for scarcely had he ordered the left to advance, when a few cannon-shot stopped him, and he sent orders to the centre and to the right, for which I was bound, to stop too. Amazed at such an order, I returned to the centre, which I found halted ; and thus we lost our chance. I went in search of the Viceroy, whom I found at last. He told me that the enemy seemed inclined to defend them- selves, and that he was unwilling to risk his army ; that enough had been done, and that evening was advancing rapidly. Vainly did I point out to him that the firing was already slackening, and that its only object had been to cover the retreat of the right wing. He would pay no heed. AN INCOMPLETE SUCCESS 147 ' In that case,' I said, ' I shall take no further responsi- bility. \'ou are in command ; give your orders, and 1 will carry them out.' However, he left me the general command, and recrossed the river to spend the night upon the other side ; while we remained in a huge meadow, or pasture-ground, without any shelter, and, what was worse still, without food for man or beast, as no baggage could come across until the bridge burned by the enemy had been rebuilt. The Viceroy joined us early next morning, and General Grenier was ordered to follow him closely. The advance- guard belonged to me as the first corps, but for the present we formed the centre I accompanied the Prince to the town of Conegliano. The principal officials of the place came out to greet him, and one of them said : ' Ah, your Highness ! had you but pushed forward two squadrons, you could have cut off the entire right wing of the Austrians, numbering at least 10,000 men. They were fleeing pell-mell, in the most hopeless confusion of men, horses, baggage, and artillery. Their leaders could not make their voices heard, nor rally a platoon ; and the con- fusion and stampede lasted all night.' The Prince looked at me regretfully ; my only answer was a smile. Indeed, he had stopped my movement in a most untimely manner. Nothing of importance occurred during the next few days : the enemy continued their hasty retreat, and we reached Udinc. My corps was detached, so I could act independently. The rest of the army marched through Tarvis to Klagenfurt, and I was charged to raise the siege of Palmanuova ; to cross the Isonzo ; to take Goritz and Trieste ; to do my best to facilitate the passage of General Marmont, Duke of Ragusa, who was under orders to evacuate Dalmatia and join us. 'I'hen I was to make for 148 MARSHAL MACDONALD'S RECOLLECTIONS Laybach ; to cross the Save, the Drave, and the Miihr ; to take Gratz ; and, finally, to effect a junction with the bulk of the Army of Italy, and to lead the whole body to join the Grand Army on the Sommering. This was a large undertaking, and presented considerable difficulties ; but I did not regard them as insurmountable. Besides, I had car^e blanche. The siege of Palmanuova was raised at my approach. The garrison and inhabitants received us as deliverers. I sent a strong detachment to Trieste, and the General who commanded it grumbled that I was ' sacrificing ' him ; but, as it turned out, he met with no resistance whatever. We crossed the Isonzo by main force, and took Goritz, where large magazines were established. We also found there some siege artillery from Palmanuova. The heights of Prewald were fortified, and connected by earthworks and blockhouses : I battered down all that covered the approaches to them. Our first attacks having been wanting in vigour, I led them myself, and thus taught the Generals that with more decision they would have lost fewer men. They combined together to hinder my opera- tions, which I determined to head and carry out in person. This line of forts was flanked on the left by precipices, and on the right by a range of lofty rocks. I sent some light infantry to escalade it, and from below they looked like pigmies : we even succeeded in hoisting up some field- guns. These demonstrations were made with no object but to deceive ; however, we succeeded in investing the forts. The detachment from Trieste came up ; its leader was charged to send emissaries to the Duke of Ragusa ; none could pass, and we had no news of him. During these operations, I sent to reconnoitre the passages leading to the quicksilver-mines of Idria, and from thence to the highroad between Trieste and Vienna ; CAPITULATION OF PRFAVALD mq there were obstacles in the way of moving our baggage, but they might be overcome. Leaving troops, therefore, to observe the forts, I surveyed the base of the chain of rocks, and came out upon the highroad with the greater part of my forces. I sent reconnoitring parties out in every direc- tion. I marched upon Laybach, where a battaHon of the advance-guard met an Austrian battalion in a bend of the road ; both were very much in fault, as no skirmishers were out from either party. To see and to rush at each other with the bayonet was the work of a moment. Our men had the advantage of coming downhill, and the enemy were crushed ; only a small handful of them remained to carry the news of their defeat to Laybach. So little did the enemy count upon the possibility of our march, that they had sent this battalion to reinforce the forts of Prewald and keep us in check. .\n immense entrenched camp was intended to protect Laybach ; but the insufficiency of their troops determined the enemy to disarm and abandon the side on our left, a well as the town, and to confine themselves to the defence of the fort and of the other side. I ordered a reconnais- sance of the approaches , they were considered impracticable for a general attack ; to besiege it we had no artillery, the bridge over the Save was in part destroyed, and we had neither time nor materials to restore it. I sent a summons, according to custom, to the Commandant of the camp and forts, but he refused to surrender. The capitulation of the forts of Prewald set a considerable part of my force at liberty, and the enemy were certain to have had intelligence of this. Their communications with Hungary and Croatia were still open ; the liberation of my detachment made it easier for me to intercept them. The fort of Laybach, as well as the entrenched camp, was covered I50 MARSHAL MACDONALD'S RECOLLECTIONS on our front by a marsh of considerable extent, and on another side by the Save. I could therefore only attack on the extreme right, as the left was unapproachable from the town. AVhile, however, I was considering the best means of carrying the position, imperative orders reached me to leave only a detachment for purposes of observation, and to make for Klagenfurt with the rest of my army. I could no longer cross the Save, and therefore could only start silently and by night in the direction indicated ; in order to prepare for my march, I made active demonstra- tions against the fort and the entrenched camp. I had caused the marsh to be sounded, and had a road cut through it for the cavalry, who could thus come out upon the Croatian road. Orders were given that the troops who were to start for Klagenfurt were to be ready at nine o'clock that evening. Scarcely had we started, when a parlemen- taire was brought to me, charged with a proposal of capitu- lation. ' You are acting wisely,' 1 replied ; ' I was just going to sound the attack.' Having thus obtained every facility for temporarily re- building the bridge, I made my way direct by Marburg to Gratz, where I joined the Viceroy, who had preceded me. The results I obtained from this operation, which I con- ducted alone, were the deliverance of Palmanuova, the forcing of the line of the Isonzo, the occupation of Goritz, Trieste, Laybach, the forts of Prewald, of that of Laybach, as well as its entrenched camp ; ten or twelve thousand prisoners, a hundred guns, ammunition, weapons, flags in proportion, and an immense quantity of provisions. The Emperor expressed his satisfaction to me through the Viceroy. While we were in front of Laybach I was seized, as well as some of my men, with dysentery, which weakened me ./ XTAC.nXISTIC GEN ERA LS terribly, ami wliich was increased by the work, and l)y the annoyances which were being secretly fostered against me by two of the principal (lenerals. One of them was weak enough in mind and wits to allow himself to be influcnrcd by the other,* who declared that the Emperor had only employed me in order to ruin me, that they would be dragged into my disgrace, that neither they nor the troops would obtain any favour or reward, etc. All this was repeated to me. I had indeed noticed that some of my orders had been tardily executed when activity was necessary, and I should ccrtainlv have failed in some of my enterprises had I not directed them myself, which served only to increase the resentment of my antagonists, who found that they only obtained a small share in the success that crowned them. The situation, however, was becoming critical, and an oppor- tunity presenting itself — two days before the capitulation of I.aybach — I reprimanded one of them sharply, and threatened to put under arrest and send to the Emperor anyone who did not obey orders on the spot. This was in presence of a considerable number of officers and men, who loudly applauded my decision, ^'henceforward my gentle- men did no more than mutter, l)ut that did not trouble me. * This was General Lamarque ; the former was General Broussier. [ 152 ] CHAPTER XV. Arrival at Gratz — Advance to Raab — Battle of Raal) — Before Koniorn. Shortly before my arrival at Gratz, I met a Russian officer, who told me of the sad results of the Battle of Essling. Our successes were such a poor compensation for such an unhappy event, that our joy was naturally turned into sorrowful regret. I found General Grouchy, who had preceded me by a few hours, at (rratz, whence he withdrew his troops to give place to mine. The Archduke John, who had retired into Hungary, had not thought it necessary to defend the town, notwithstanding a well-bastioned rampart and the river Miihr, which was not easy to cross without pontoons. Grouchy had just con- cluded an agreement whereby the elevated fort that domi- nated Gratz was not to be attacked from the town, so as to preserve the latter from all harm. By this means, too, the bridge over the Miihr was given up. I therefore contented myself with investing the fort externally, and with preparing means to obtain possession of it either by a coup-de-main or by investment. We were not even permitted to take the rest we all needed, after so much labour and so many forced marches. I received orders to march into Hungary and to cause the fort to be observed, and even attacked if I saw fit. My route lay by Kermiind, the Lake of Neusiedel and Papa ; ADVANCE TO RAAB 153 we were then on the tracks of the Archduke's Austrian army, which was retreating to the camp at Raab. The \'iceroy followed it. His cavalry had a sharp brush with the enemy, owing to their having too lightly engaged with an inferior force. One of our divisions lost its way and missed the rendezvous. Although the \'iceroy had sent me orders to take up my position at Papa, while awaiting fresh instructions, I did not think in his interest and in that of the army that I should obey. I was right, and he afterwards thanked me cordially, for he had much compromised the troops that he was lead- ing to Raab by a serious and very imprudent engagement. I had started on my march, following the cavalry, who preceded us. The distance from Papa to the place where the engagement was being fought was, if I remember rightly, seven or eight leagues.* When I had advanced about two thirds of the distance, I met an officer from the Prince, bearing orders to raise my camp and join him. ^^'hen the officer had left the Viceroy they were only skirmishing. I made the utmost speed, but it was impossible to arrive in time to take part in the attack : but at least we should have been able to assist the retreat, if such had unfortunately been necessar)-. The Commander-in-chief was actively engaged, and had already been repulsed several times when I came up ; but as I turned the corner of a wood and of the heights, the battle-field was disclosed to my view. Several regiments were retreating in disorder ; efforts were being made to rally them. I galloped up and presented myself to the Viceroy, who expressed delighted surprise at seeing me so speedily. ' I was very sorry,' he said, ' to leave you at Papa ; you would have been very useful to me in this critical situation.' * The French lieuc, which I have rendered ' league,' is about 2/i- miles in Englibh measure. — 7'ranslaior. 154 MARSHAL MACDONALD'S RECOLLECTIONS 'You have made a greater mistake than that,' I answered; ' that of giving and risking a battle with only a portion of your army, when you have that of the Archduke in front of you, in what seems to me a fairly strong position. But take comfort, here is my cor/>s d'armc'e.' ' Where ?' he asked quickly. ' Look behind you ; here it is just debouching.' ' How grateful I am to you for your foresight !' said the Prince, affectionately pressing my hand. ' Now then,' I said, ' one more attempt. Here is help ; I am going to send up my troops.' ' No,' he replied ; ' let them rest. We will call upon them later.' General Grenier, who commanded the right, succeeded at length in routing the enemy and crowning the heights. We joined him. The sight of my men had revived the spirits of his. We ought to have taken advantage of this and pressed the enemy; but he refused, thinking that he had done enough, and saying that his men were too tired and needed rest. I tried to induce the Viceroy to give his orders, but recent events had made him very cautious. The enemy's infantry, however, were in disorder; we sent out some horse, unfortunately without any support, and the enemy were allowed to retreat quietly. No notice was taken of my energetic protests, or of my saying that we should have to fight these same troops again next day, and perhaps at a disadvantage; that the Emperor's first question, on hearing of our victory, would be : ' Where are the results — the prisoners, guns, baggage ?' ' You are too enterprising,' said the Viceroy. ' But,' I remonstrated, ' here, as at the Piave, you have only to stoop to pick up everything.' He replied that he feared a sortie from the garrison at Raab if he followed in pursuit. I pointed out that if the BEFORE KOMORN "55 sortie were going to take place it would have been during the action, and not when the troops were in full flight ; that the very fact that no sortie had been made was a proof of the weakness of the garrison, which perhaps was doing its best with very inadequate forces, but which could not fail to be disheartened by what had just passed beneath their eyes. All was in vain, and the Prince gave orders for the camp to be pitched. He took me to supper with him, and on the way confirmed to me what he had already written more than once, the tokens of pleasure that the Emperor had given over my services and the rapid and surprising successes of my corps dannce. ' Next day I followed the enemy, who were much in advance of us. They were making for Koniorn, a very strong place on the right bank of the Danube. We learned that the disorder into which they had been thrown at Raab had not yet been repaired. We spent some time in observation upon the river, vainly trying to break the bridge between the fortress and the left bank by floating down the stream against it some large boats laden with stones, which the enemy had not had time to sink. They had destroyed many others laden with grain of all kinds. There were nothing but water-mills there, and their destruction was a great injury to us ; but the French soldier, always ingenious and industrious, found some smooth stones with which to grind his corn. Without this discovery there would have been no bread amid the abundance of grain. The Grand Army at Vienna and the inhabitants suffered terribly from scarcity, chiefly of meat. Hungary, a country rich in crops, wine, cattle, etc., where also many horses are bred, off"ered us boundless resources. I immediately sent large convoys of wheat and oats, as well as 10,000 o.xen, to the Emperor's headquarters. We also levied a large number IS6 MARSHAL MACDONALD'S RECOLLECTIONS of horses to remount our hussars and chasseurs, the breed being specially well adapted to light troops. Except the serfs, all the men wore hussar costume, and it is from them that it has been so universally copied. During the first days of our entrance into the kingdom we took them for irregular troops ; happily we found them very peaceable. r 157 1 CHAPTER XVI. The Eve of Wagram— Battle of VVagram— The Marshal's Baton gained on the Field of Battle— Dismissal of Bernadotte— Armistice. AriER our fruitless attempt to destroy the bridge at Koinorn, I received orders to advance towards Ofen, capital of Hungary ; but shortly afterwards was recalled by forced marches to the chief headquarters at Ebersdorf, opposite the island of Lobau. It was clear that a great operation was being prepared. We were not the last to arrive, and by nine o'clock in the evening of July 4 we were at our posts on the Danube at the crossing-place that had been selected for the surprise of the enemy. We had marched sixty leagues in three days, and notwithstanding our excessive fatigue, and the heat of the season, we had but few laggards, so anxious were the men of the Army of Italy lo take part in the great events that were preparing, and to fight in presence of their brothersin-arms of the Grand Army, and under the very eyes of the Emperor. That night an appalling storm burst upon us ; rain and hail fell in torrents, driven by a raging north wind, the whistling of which mingled with the peals of thunder and the roar of cannon. This tempest was extremely tavourable to our passage of the Danube upon bridges built on piles, at which they had been working since the fatal 22nd of the previous May ;* they were masked by the thickly-wooded • The Battle of Essling had Ijeen fought on May 2 1 and 22. 158 MARSHAL MACDONALD'S RECOLLECTIONS island of Lobau. I landed upon the island at about six o'clock in the morning : what we most wanted was a good fire to dry us, but the sun soon came out and warmed us with his kindly rays. Meanwhile, several corps of the Grand Army, which had roused the enemy from their security, were driving back their advance-guard, and this, being supported from behind, was slowly retreating towards the intrenched position of the camp. I moved forward in my turn, and was momentaril)- placed in the second rank with the remainder of the Army of Italy. Scarcely had I deployed, being myself on the extreme right, when I heard cries of ' Vive I'Empereur !' coming from the left. The soldiers, as he approached, raised their shakos upon their bayonets in token of joy. He turned his horse to- wards the direction whence the cheering proceeded, and, recognising the Army of Italy, rode down the line; as he approached the right, I moved forward shghtly. He spoke to no one, merely saluting with his hand. In spite of what the ^^iceroy had told me, that I should be pleased with my first interview, I was not more favoured than the rest. I do not know where Prince Eugene then was, but immedi- ately on hearing that the Emperor had passed, he hastened up and said : ' Well, I hope you were satisfied. No doubt he con- firmed by word of mouth all that I have written to you ?' ' He did not address a single word to me.' ' What ?' ' Not a word. He merely nodded, as if to say : "I can see through you, you rascal !" ' The amiable Prince was miserable, fearing, of course wrongly, lest I should think that he had been a well-mean- ing but clumsy interpreter ; and he gave me his word of honour, of which I had no need, so convinced was I of his THE F-VK OF WAGRAM i59 friendly and honest truthfulness, that he had only written to me the Emperor's exact words. It was aheady late. The troops of the ('.rand Army, tired with marching and fighting since the morning, formed into columns to let us pass. We thus had the honour of becoming the front rank and of pursuing the enemy, who only turned now and again in order to check our ardour. They eventually regained their positions, and we halted within short cannon range. I was then in front of the position at Wagram ; the village of that name was on the left, and that of Baumersdorf on the right. A violent cannonade continued along the whole line while we were forming. The Emperor came up to speak to the Viceroy, with whom I was talking ; I fell back some yards. He did not speak to me as yet, but 1 heard him say somewhat care- lessly : * Order General Macdonald to attack and carry the plateau. The enemy are retiring, and we must make some prisoners.' Thereupon he went away. The I'rince, joining me, said : ' Do you know what the Emperor has just been saying to me ?' ' Yes,' I replied ; * I heard his orders.' ' Well, what is your opinion ?' ' I think the Emperor is mistaken ; the enemy are not leaving, they are simply retiring to the intrenched position they have selected for the battle. Do you not see, the entire army is there, looking very brave? In order to carry through such an undertaking, although we have but an hour of daylight left, we should need to attack with the whole army. Lose no time— go, or else send these remarks of mine to the Emperor.' i6o MARSHAL MACDONALD'S RECOLLECTIONS But he was afraid of him, and answered : ' Not I ! He ordered us to attack ; let us do it.' ' So be it,' I answered ; ' but you will see how we shall be beaten,' which of course happened, as it could not fail to do. We started, well protected by artillery, but our leading columns soon stopped at the Russbach, a stream with steep banks, which covered the Austrian front. I sprang to the ground, made my staff do the same, and sword in hand we set the example of crossing it, and were followed by the men. This bold stroke drove the enemy back, and we obtained possession of the plateau. We were obliged to halt near their huts, and form into columns, in order to attack the enemy, drawn up not far off, and also to wait till General Grenier, who was crossing the stream with his troops, could come up to our support. We had passed the villages of Wagram and Baumersdorf, which other corps of the Grand Army had failed to take ; they had even re- treated. The enemy debouched in large numbers, and attacked one flank, while the columns that we had held in check advanced against us. General Grenier's troops, amazed at this unexpected on- slaught, threw themselves in disorder among my men, breaking their lines and scattering them. All my efforts to restrain them were vain, although, sword in hand, with the majority of the officers, I had drawn up a line to check the fugitives. A rout ensued, and we were carried aAvay, cross- ins: the stream in the ULuiost confusion. The Prince, who had remained on the other side, tried to stop the runaways. On coming close to him, I pointed out that he could not reform men under such a hot fire, as they were now panic-stricken, although a few minutes before they had displayed such resolution ; that what he should do was to send some detachments of cavalry out of BATTLE OF WAGUAM i6i range, and that the fugitives would naturally stop on reach- ing them. Fortunately, the enemy was satisfied with having repulsed us, and dared not cross the stream in pursuit, although a few squadrons would have sufficed to disperse us, for night had come on, and we should have imagined ourselves charged by the entire Austrian army, and the result would not be difficult to imagine. The loss of my corps in killed, wounded, and prisoners was enormous, amounting to nearly two thousand men. General Grenier had his hand shattered by a bullet at the beginning of this 'brush,' as the Emperor called it. I did not leave the Viceroy. We passed the night out in the open, as did all the army, keeping a sharp look-out while our officers tried to rally the fugitives. ' What will the Emperor think ?' asked the Prince anx- iously. ' Nothing detrimental to you or mc. He will realize, now that it is too late, that his orders were hasty. Where I think you were wrong was in not taking or sending to him the observations that I had made to you before embarking upon this unlucky attempt, the result of which was a foregone conclusion.' At daybreak, on July 6, a violent cannonade began on our extreme right. We re-established our line, and formed up. The enemy in front of us remained motionless, but soon advanced some troops on the right ; they slowly descended the heights as if to cross the stream in front of Bernadottc, who was posted on my left in front of the village of Wagram. On the right was Marshal Davoust,* who, marching against the enemy, was either warned, or else met them coming towards him. The firing was violent, and, as the Marshal believed that he had the entire Austrian force against him, all our reserves were ordered up * Duke of Auerstadt and Prince of EckmuhL— Trans/a/or. I I i62 MARSHAL MACDONALD'S RECOLLECTIONS to support him and effect a diversion. The Emperor came to the spot where I was, and addressed himself directly to me, saying : ' Last night you carried the plateau of Wagram ; you know the way up to it ; carry it again. Marmont will at the same time attack the village of Baumersdorf ; you and he seem to understand each other ; I will send him to you.' Marmont soon came, and we mutually agreed to support each other ; and, in order not to expose ourselves to a repetition of the previous evening's occurrences, the General quite understood that the village should be carried before I commenced my attack upon the plateau ; but while we were commencing operations, other events were taking place behind us on the left. Massena commanded at the real point of attack. The Marshal could not make a stand against troops much superior to his own. He was driven back with great loss on to the tete-de-pont, by which we had passed after crossing the Danube. The Austrians sent forward their right. Davoust was kept in check ; Bernadotte, repulsed before Wagram, left me uncovered. The movements of the enemy on my left and rear were concealed from me by little hillocks and inequalities in the ground. I slowly advanced towards the plateau, because Marmont had met with considerable resistance at the village of Baumersdorf, when the Emperor came up and changed my destination. The retreat of Massena, which I then learned for the first time, and the retrograde movement made by Bernadotte, had left the centre of the army exposed. I therefore received orders to change my direction — to turn almost completely round, and go and take up my position near the hillocks. The Emperor betook himself to the highest of these in order to observe, and kept sending officers, one PATTI.E OF WAGRAM 163 after another, to me to hasten my movements. The mancieuvre that I was carrying out, Iiowever, demanded some time, and, besides, I thought it would be imprudent to arrive disordered and stragghng. Vexed and anxious to know the reason lor these reiterated orders, I gallojied towards the Emperor, when I saw him leaving the hillock as fast as his horse could go, followed by his numerous staff. I continued, however, and gained the top of the hillock he had just quitted, when at once I saw what was the matter. The enemy, who were in great numbers at this point, were marching the more boldly that they encountered no resistance : I then understood (as the Emperor afterwards admitted) that his intention in thus hurrying me was to show that he was not in retreat there, as he was on the left. It was therefore necessary to risk some- thing in order to carry this out with the utmost speed ; but little did I think that this spot was to become shortly after- w:.rds the principal point of attack, against which the numerous forces of the enemy would come to shatter themselves. I therefore ordered four battalions, followed by four others which I deployed in two lines, to advance at the double ; and while my artillery opened fire, and that of the Guard took up position (which the Emperor called the hundred gun battery), my two divisions formed themselves into attacking columns. The enemy, who were still advancing, halted ; and redoubling their fire, caused us terrible loss. However, in proportion as my ranks [became thinned, I drew them up closer together and made them dress up as at drill. While I was doing this, I saw the enemy's cavalry prei)aring to charge, and had barely time to close my second line on the first one ; they were flanked by the two divisions still in column, and the square was completed by a portion 1 64 MARSHAL MACDONALD'S RECOLLECTIONS of General Nansouty's cavalry that had been put under my orders that morning. I ordered both ranks to open fire, my famous battery mowing down the cavalry. This hot fire broke them just as they were preparing to charge ; many men and horses fell pierced by our bayonets. The smoke rising disclosed to me the enemy in the utmost disorder, which was increased by their attempt to retreat. I ordered an advance at the point of the bayonet, after previously commanding Nansouty to charge, at the same time desiring the cavalry officers whom I saw behind me to do likewise. Unfortunately, they were not under my orders, and the Emperor was not there to give any. The enemy were in extreme disorder ; but still their fire during their retreat did us much harm. I was in despair at the slowness of General Nansouty. Not far from us I saw a large number of abandoned pieces of cannon ; the Austrian officers were bringing up men, by dint of blows with the flat of their swords, to remove them. At last Nansouty moved, but too late to profit by the gap that I had made in the Austrian centre. I halted to allow his division to pass ; I was, moreover, so weakened that I dared not venture into the plain to pursue the enemy (the more so as Nansouty's cavalry was repulsed, but not followed) until the Emperor sent me reinforcements. Unfortunately, the favourable moment had been allowed to slip. The results would have been enormous had Nansouty charged im- mediately, supported by the cavalry which was in the rear. I had no staff- officers round me — one of my aides-de- camp had been killed, as well as my orderlies ; the others were either incapacitated or away on a mission. While I was thus awaiting reinforcements, a general officer in full uniform rode up to me. I did not know him. After the usual greetings, he paid me great compliments upon the >> 3 =J .»,,»rnlied he, 'we require orders direct from the Emperor himself, or from our chief, Marshal Bcssieres. Now, as the latter was wounded, there only remained the Emperor, and he sent us no orders.' He added that at the Battle of Essling several (ienerals had made use of regiments of (iuards, and that they had suffered very much ; wherefore, since then, Marshal Bessieres had obtained instructions that they should only act altogether and under his orders, or under the direct command of the Emperor. ' But.' I retorted, ' there are circumstances in which such a rule cannot be considered as absolute — such a case as this, for example. The Emperor could not have failed to approve your action, as it would have secured the destruc- tion of a considerable portion of the Austrian army. And, supposing that we had been repulsed instead of gaining a success, would you not have protected us ? and would you 1 66 MARSHAL MACDONALD'S RECOLLECTIONS have retired from the field without a blow because you had received no orders ?' These questions embarrassed him ; he saluted, and returned to his troop. I afterwards learned that the Emperor had reprimanded him and the other Generals of the Guard very severely ; but the fault really lay with the Emperor himself He should not have forgotten the restriction he had imposed, and should have remained in person at the principal centre of the action to direct every- thing. Later on, in talking over these occurrences with me, he was still very bitter against his Guard. ' Why did you not make them act ?' he said. ' I put them under your orders !' ' I knew nothing about that,' I replied. ' I limited myself to repeated, but fruitless, requests. And how could I have made them charge, when I had endless trouble even to get General Nansouty to move ? He wanted so much time to form his men !' ' That is true,' said the Emperor ; ' he is rather slow.' The reinforcement I had asked for came at last ; it was composed of General Wrede's Bavarian division, and of General Guyot's brigade of light cavalry of the Guard. The enemy's retrograde movement had commenced, and I began mine to follow them. I thought the whole corps d'arin'ce were doing the same. Towards evening I caught up the rear-guard close by a village called Siissenbriinn, which was fortified with earth- works. I made a feint of attacking in front, while I made an oblique movement to outflank it ; but the Austrian General, discovering my intentions, immediately beat a retreat. I called back the outflanking party, and warned General Guyot to hold himself in readiness to charge. He sent me back word that his Guards were always ready, a boast that he justified a moment later ; for scarcely had I BATTLE OF IVAGRAM 167 given orders to attack, than both his men and the Bavarians charged together. The two troops stormed the camp, and cut off the column, bringing me back 5,000 or 6,000 prisoners and ten guns. Scarcely were these prisoners removed, when a reserve, posted on a height commanding the village, assailed us with bullets, grapeshot, and a well- sustained musketry-fire. I saw General Wrede fall, and hastened to his assistance ; his men raised him up, and he then said to me : ' Tell the Emperor that I die for him ; I commend to him my wife and children.' He was being supported, and, to reassure him, I said, laughing : ' I think that you will l)e able to make this recommenda- tion to him yourself ; and, what is more, that your wife will continue to have children by you.' It proved to be merely a slight wound from a ball that had grazed his side. The wind of the ball had made him giddy. The firing was then very severe, and the flames of the burning village helped to reveal our weakness, especially as night was coming on, and the enemy could see to shoot straighten I became seriously uneasy on looking round and finding myself isolated ; I had been so occupied in pursuing the enemy that I had failed to notice that the rest of the army was not following. I did not knosv what singular motive had stopped or suspended its movement, for at five o'clock they had taken up position, and I had received no orders countermanding my advance. The Emperor, on the other hand, was much surprised to hear such persistent firing going on far off at one particular point of the battle-field. He sent several officers to discover the cause. I had no need to give explanations ; our position spoke for itself. From these officers I learned that the whole army had been bivouacked since five o'clock. i68 MARSHAL MACDONALD'S RECOLLECTIONS Massena also was a long way to the rear of my left. He too sent to know which was the adventurous corps engaged so far ahead. Meanwhile, in the twilight, and by lying at full length on the ground, we could distinguish in the distance some bodies of cavalry coming towards us, or rather towards the fire, and this reassured me; but if the enemy had had any pluck, they could have surrounded me with superior force, seeing that all their reserves were collected on the heights. Fortu- nately, their sole idea was to cover the retreat and disorder of their wings. The firing ceased on either side about eleven o'clock, but we remained under arms till daybreak. As I then perceived that the enemy had retired, I sent my cavalry in pursuit while waiting for orders. They kept on sending back numerous prisoners, including those taken the previous evening; these amounted in the aggregate to 10,000, and fifteen guns. At the Island of Lobau 20,000 prisoners had been made. I had therefore captured half the total, and the artillery I took was all that was captured. A few hours later the Viceroy passed ; he gave us great praise, and said that the Emperor was very pleased with me, that he had as yet given no orders as to our ulterior move- ments, that I was to wait, and that he would follow my cavalry. I then noticed for the first time that my horse had received a bullet in the neck, but which had remained between the skin and the flesh ; he was taken away in order that it might be extracted. As for me, I went to one of the houses in the town, where I had passed a few hours the previous night, worn out, and suffering from a kick given me by my horse the day before.* * This is how it happened : I had my sword in my hand during the action ; having dismounted while waiting for the reinforcements, I mounted again on their arrival. In doing so I pricked the animal's MARSHAL OF FRANCE 169 I soon fell asleep, hut not for lony, as 1 was awakened by cries of ' Long live the Emperor !' which redoubled when he entered my camp. I asked for my horse, but he had been taken away. I liad no other, as the rest were far behind. As I could not walk, I remained on my straw, when 1 heard someone inquiring for me. It was an orderly officer, either M. Anatole de Montesquiou, or his brother, who was afterwards killed in Spain. He came by the Emperor's order to look for me. On my remarking that I had no horse and could not walk, he offered me his, which I accepted. I saw the Emperor surrounded by my troops, whom he was congratulating. He approached me, and embracing me cordially, said : ' Let us be friends henceforward.' 'Yes,' I answered, 'till death.' And I have kept my word, not only up to the time of his abdication, but even beyond it. He added : ' You have behaved valiantly, and have rendered me the greatest services, as, indeed, throughout the entire campaign. On the battle field of your glory, where I owe you so large a part of yesterday's success, I make you a M.\r.shal of France '* (he used this expression instead of ' of t/ie Empire'). 'You have long deserved it.' 'Sire,' I answered, 'since you are satisfied with us, let the rewards and recompenses be apportioned and dis- tributed among my army corps, beginning with Cienerals Lamarciue, Broussier, and others, who so ably seconded me.' ' Anything you please,' he replied ; ' I have nothing to refuse you.' crupper with the point of my sword, which I still held, having lost my scabbard. Had I l)cen farther away, I should have had my thigh broken, or it might have been even worse. — Marshal Macdoimld. * Macdonald was the only Marshal created on a field of battle. — Michaud, ' Biographic Universelle.' — Translator. I70 MARSHAL MACDONALD'S RECOLLECTIONS Thereupon he went away much moved, as I was also. Thus did I avenge myself for all the petty annoyances caused me by General Lamarque, who, although he had heard me mention his name first of all, still continued to worry me. Scarcely had the Emperor turned his horse's head, when many exalted personages came to congratulate and compli- ment me. The one who showed me most affection was the Duke de Bassano, at that time Secretary of State, then Berthier, Prince of Neuchatel, Major-General of the army. Both these men were in Napoleon's most intimate con- fidence. ' No doubt you knew what he intended to do ?' I said to the latter. ' No,' he replied naively. Then came embraces and handshakings that I thought would never end. Many would have passed me by had it not been for the Emperor's favour. The Emperor caught up the Viceroy, and related to him with considerable emotion the scene which had just taken place and my elevation. The latter promptly despatched an aide-de-camp to congratulate me, to invite me to break- fast, and to beg me to bring my troops forward on the hiehroad between Vienna and Wolkersdorf. I found the Prince in the hunting-lodge known as the Rendezvous ; he was at table with the Artillery-Generals Lariboisiere and Sorbier, the former of whom was killed at Konigsberg, at the end of the campaign of 1812 ; the latter is still hving in the neighbourhood of Nevers. As soon as I was announced, he hastened to meet me, and we embraced each other effusively. ' The good accounts that you have given of me have procured me this honour,' I said to him. 'I shall never forget it.' ' It is you, and you alone,' he replied, ' who have gained your baton.' MA RSHA L OF FRA NCE 1 7 1 The others joined in congratulating mc ; I only knew I.ariboisiere by reputation. ' I am sure,' 1 continued to the Prince, ' that you knew what the Emperor had in contemplation, though you con- cealed it from me this morning.' He answered frankly, ' No,' and added after a moment's thought, ' I remember now that while I was walking and talking with the Emperor in his tent early this morning we spoke of the battle. He regretted that so little had resulted from it, and after a moment's silence said : " It is not Macdonald's fault, though, for he worked very hard." I see now,' added the Prince, ' that he was then thinking of rewarding you, and was determined to give as much tr/af as possible to your nomination.' Such was the circumstance that raised me to the dignity of which, I am convinced, I had been deprived by intrigue when the first appointments were made. It was necessary to have had the conmiand in chief of armies to obtain it, and I had had temporary command of that of the North, full command of those of Rome, Naples, and the Orisons, while several others had only commanded large divisions or wings. I think that I have already said that my intimacy with a person belonging to the Emperor's family weighed against me and also the Moreau trial, in which an attempt had been made to implicate me, but which attempt signally failed, as I was proved entirely innocent of any complicity, and finally intrigue and jealousy. One Marshal the less, and especially a man who had every claim to the dignity, was a victory for the vain and the ambitious. .\fter breakfast the Viceroy proposed to me to accom- pany him to the Emperor's headquarters at Wolkersdorf, but I had no fresh horses, and, moreover, was suffering a good deal from the kick I had received. ' Here we are,' I observed, ' in hot pursuit of the 172 MARSHAL MACDONALD'S RECOLLECTIONS Austrians. If the Archduke John, who is commanding their other army, and ought to be at Presburg, pursues us in turn, he may be able to seriously interrupt our com- munications. 1 suppose that the Emperor has taken steps to provide against this ? Can you in any case question him so as to find out if he has any precise information as to the position and objective of this army. If really at Presburg, I fail to understand why it did not take part in yesterday's affair ; but it is lucky for us that it did not.' The Prince departed, and on his return told me that he had submitted my observations, to which the Emperor had replied : ' What would the Archduke do on the rear of my army ? He must know that the battle has been lost by his brother.' ' No doubt,' replied the Prince ; ' but if he meets with no opposition, nothing need prevent him from harassing you.' ' Well,' replied the Emperor, frowning, ' if he dares to do so I will wheel round and crush him !' The Prince had not recovered his stupefaction even when he related the answer to me. Nevertheless, the Emperor thought over what I had said. Shortly afterwards he learnt that the Archduke John was making a movement to follow us. W"e immediately re- ceived orders to face about, and the whole Army of Italy went to meet the Austrian Prince, who in his turn retired as soon as he learnt that we had come to fight him and to join General Reynier's force. This General had replaced Marshal Bernadotte, who had been dismissed by the Emperor for publishing a general order, wherein he attri- buted the victory of the previous day to his Saxons, although they had vanished from the field and I had taken their place. That had been the object with which I was changing ARMISTICE 173 my direction, when the Emperor himself came to me to order it, and made me hasten so much by sending constant messages to l)e quick : speed was necessary, as I have related. The Emperor, very angry with Hernadotte, issued, to the Marshals only, an order wherein he expressed his displeasure, and said that the praise given by the Com- mander of the Saxon force belonged to me and to my troops. As we were approaching the river March, a staff-officer from the Emperor's headquarters galloped up with a despatch from the Major-General. * What has happened ?' I asked. ' Upon my word, I don't know. I hear some talk of an armistice, but I am not acquainted with the contents of the despatches I have brought you.' It was indeed the armistice that was officially announced to me, with orders to hall. ' The armistice is signed,' I said to the officer. ' Quite likely,' he replied carelessly and indifferently. The next morning I received orders to recross the Danube, return into Styria, and take up my headquarters at Gratz. The results of the battle had been so scanty that I could not conceive how it was that the Austrians were compelled to beg for an armistice ; but I heard afterwards that their army was in such a state of disorganization that it was equivalent to a rout. Neither was it known then that the Emperor only granted the truce because he also needed opportunity to repair his enormous losses, and because we should infallibly have run short of ammunition. Rewards even were offered to those who collected the balls of either army. On our side we had fired close upon 100,000 rounds ! 174 MARSHAL MACDONALD'S RECOLLECTIONS ANNEX TO CHAPTER XVI. We are indebted to the kindness of Mr. MacNab for an interesting letter written by Macdonald, then newly created Marshal, to his grandfather, only two days after the Battle of Wagram. Stamersdorf, /it/j' 8, 1S09. So highly do I value and cherish your esteem, sir, and so convinced am I of the interest you bear towards me, that I lose not an instant in informing you of an event which cannot fail to exercise a powerful influence upon my future and that of my children. My misfortunes are over and done with. The Emperor, who condescended to notice my conduct at the two battles of E7izers- dorf* and Wagratn, especially at the latter, to the success' of which I was fortunately able to contribute, came next morning to my camp, publicly expressed to me in most flattering terms his appreciation of my conduct, restored to me his friendship and confidence, and, embracing me upon the battle-field, raised me to the dignity of Marshal of France. Judge, sir, of my surprise and emotion, as I had no reason to anticipate so speedy and unhoped-for a return to the good graces of his Majesty. Therefore, with all my heart and soul, I have vowed to him unlimited devotion and attachment. The crossing of the Danube was a masterpiece of prodigious genius, and it was reserved for the Emperor to conceive, create, and carry it out. It was performed in presence of an army of over 180,000 men. The enemy expected the attempt to be made at the same point as that of May 2i.t They had prepared tremendous entrenchments, and had brought up a formidable body of artillery ; but, to their great surprise, they suddenly saw us attack their left flank and turn all the lines of their redoubts. We drove them back three leagues, and when, next day, they tried conclusions with us, they lost the game. * The name given by Macdonald to the engagement of July 5. t Fir.st day of the Battle of Essling. •( r rrrr-K from tiif. marshal 175 Never, sir, had two armies a mightier force of artillery, never was battle fought more obstinately. Picture to yourself 1,000 or 1,200 pieces of cannon vomiting forth death ujjon nearly 350,000 combatants, and you will have an idea of what this hotly-disputed field of battle was like. The enemy, posted upon the heights, entrenched to the teeth in all the villages, formed a sort of crescent, or horse-shoe. The Emperor did not hesitate to enter into the midst of them, and to take up a parallel position. His Majesty did me the honour of giving me the command of a corps, with orders to break through the enemy's centre. I, fortunately, succeeded, notwithstanding the fire of a hundred guns, masses of infantry, and charges of cavalry, led by the Archduke Charles in person. His infantry would never cross bayonets with mine, nor would his cavalry wait till mine came up ; the Uhlans alone made a stand, and they were scattered. I pursued the enemy closely with bayonet and cannon for about four leagues, and it was only at ten o'clock at night that, worn out and overwhelmed with fatigue, my men ceased their firing and their pursuit. The same success attended us at all other points. His -Majesty, who directed everjthing, amazed me by his coolness and by the precision of his orders. It was the first time I had fought under his eyes, and this opportunity gave me an even higher opinion than I already had of his great talents, as I was able to form my own judgment upon them. The enemy's losses in killed, wounded, and taken prisoners arc enormous. The Archduke Charles is himself wounded. My corps suffered more than any other. Out of three aides-de- camp, I have had one killed and another wounded ; my chief of the staff and three out of my four staft"-officers were wounded, and their horses killed. Out of two orderly officers, one was wounded, and the other's horse was killed ; and, finally, my four dragoon orderlies were killed, together with their horses, close beside me. As for myself, I came through it in safety with S<5guin, my aide-de-camp ; I received nothing worse than a kick from a horse on the thigh, but it was a severe one. Mv horse received a charge of grapeshot in his neck, and my sword, which I carried in mv hand, was broken bv a ball. 176 MARSHAL MACDONALD'S RECOLLECTIONS There, sir, is my plain, unvarnished Httle story. You must send me many congratulations : first, upon the recovery of his Majesty's favour ; secondly, upon my new rank ; and thirdly, upon having escaped so miraculously from so many dangers. I embrace you affectionately, and shall yet see you again, I trust, at Courcelles. I embrace Alexander, and would beg you to place me at the feet of Mdlle. MacNab. Macdonald. [ >77 ] CHAl^Tl'R XVII. Vandamme's Outburst — Rcti-.m to Oral/. — Independence of the Arch- duke — Recognition of the Armistice — Grand Cordon of the Legion of Honour — Duke of Tarentuni— Divorce of the Emperor — Evacuation of Styria — Marriage Negotiations — Marriage of tlu Emjieror. As I ijassed near Vienna, on my way to Styria, I went into the capital, which I had not been able to visit as I came, and thence to Schonbrunn, the Emperor's headquarters, and hit'nerto the summer residence of the Emperor of Austria. Napoleon received me somewhat coldly, partly perhaps owing to some remnants of former recollections, and also partly because rumour said, both in the army and in .Austria, that it was I who had gained the battle. There were plenty of people ready to repeat this most improper speech to the Emperor — a 8i)eech to which I was a stranger, as I only appropriated to myself that which had been really personal, and mine by right. The country and the people at Schonbrunn were alike new to me — I mean the Imperial Court, which greeted me very coldly : I limited myself to returning their courtesy. However, the Emperor retained me to breakfast, together with Marshal Marmont, who had just arrived ; Bcrthier, the Major-Cieneral, was the third guest. Conversation at first turned upon the battle, and it was then that the Emjieror made the remark to me that I have already quoted, respect- I 2 178 MARSHAL MACDONALD'S RECOLLECTIONS ing the Guards who did not act, and the slowness of Nansouty. Since then he had again visited the battlefield, and gone over the positions that I had successively occupied, deeply regretting the serious losses I had suftered. My squares, outlined by the dead bodies, were still in regular order. During breakfast a despatch was brought to him from General ^'andamme. ' Do you know what he tells me ?' he said. ' Look, read for yourself !' This General, who was in command of the \\^urtemburg corps, and was preceding me on the road to Gratz in order to take possession of the town and castle according to the terms of the armistice, announced that on the way he had met the Austrian army from Croatia, led by General Gyulai, on the way to Vienna under orders from the Archduke John. Vandamme added that at a conference a temporary sus- pension of arms had been agreed upon, each army to retain its position pending fresh orders, ^^'e had risen from table, and while I was reading the letter the Emperor called in all the soldiers who had come to pay him their respects. When I returned him the letter he said quickly and aloud, so that all could hear : 'Where is your force to-day? Hasten its march — start in person : I put Vandamme under your orders. Such and such divisions will join you : take entire direction of every- thing. March against that army and crush it.' However, while I was taking my leave, he drew me aside and whispered : ' Be prudent ; try not to renew hostilities ; we need rest in order to recover ourselves.' General Vandamme, informed of the Emperor's arrange- ments, received me very coldly, although he had often before served under my orders, and instead of considering how to VANDAMME'S OUTBURST 179 carry out the frcsli ones he liad just received, lie l)egan to declaim aL,Miii>t thi' Marshals Oudinot and >hiinu)iit, who had been given that rank after mr. Hi- was quite ready to admit that I had earned it, but as for the others, no name was too bad for them. He was especially violent against the Emperor, who, at the beginning of the campaign, he said, had promised that within three months he would make him a Marshal and a 1 )uke. ' He is a poltroon/ he went on - 'a forger, a liar ! and had it not been for //n; \'andammc, he would still be keeping pigs in Corsica.' This language was used in presence of thirty military men> most of them generals and superior officers of his own army corps, and Wurtemburgers ! ^\'hen he had cooled down, he told me that an Austrian general officer had come with a message, and was waiting to see me. It was General Zach, chief of General Gyulai's staff. I knew him personally, as he had been made prisoner at the Battle of Marengo, and taken to Paris, where I frequently saw him. After exchanging greetings with him, I said : ' How comes this? Are we at war while our principal armies have agreed to an armistice?' He replied that the Archduke, under whom his chief was serving, was independent of his brother, Prince Charles, notwithstanding the latter's title of Generalissimo of the Austrian armies, and that he would not recognise the truce. * Put,' I answered, ' the Emperor of Austria has sanc- tioned it.' ' I am not aware of it,' was his answer. I put an end to the conversation, the only object of which clearlv was to gain time. ' Monsieur le General,' I said firmly, ' my orders are imperative to march upon Gratz. I shall move to-morrow morning at five o'clock, and shall attack you if I meet your l8o MARSHAL MACDONALD'S RECOLLECTIONS troops ; from that moment the suspension of arms is at an end.' He calculated that there would not be time enough to communicate my determination to General Gyulai, and to transmit to me that General's answer. He begged for an extension of tv/o hours, to which I agreed, convinced that by then the enemy would have decamped ; and this proved to be the case. I had thern followed, but after giving strict injunctions that no hostilities were to be attempted. Our troops soon caught up their rear-guard, and marched it in front of them without striking a blow, and thus we conducted the Archduke John's army into Croatia, while we ourselves went into Styria and Gratz. The Archduke at length recognized the armistice, and evacuated the fort ; his armament was composed of field-guns, which the Emperor ordered me to bring to his headquarters at Schonbrunn. My Hne of demarcation with the Austrians was the frontier of Hungary, and Croatia as far as Trieste. I improved the defences of the castle; after arming and provisioning it, I established my camp on the left bank of the Miihr, and my headquarters at the castle of Eckenberg. Negotiations were carried on during the armistice, and during several months nothing occurred save alternations of peace and fresh outbreaks of hostilities. Peace was con- cluded at last ; it was known as the Peace of Vienna. On the Emperor's birthday (August 15) I received the ' grand cordon ' of the Legion of Honour, the title of Duke OF Tarentum, and a present of 60,000 francs (_;^2,4oo). Previously to this, Generals Lamarque and Broussier had been promoted to the rank of Grand Officer of the Legion ; but this did not prevent the former from carrying on petty intrigues — it seems to have been his element. He displayed more talent in this direction than in military matters, although he believed himself the best General in the French DIVORCE OF THE EMPEROR i8i service, as he modestly remarked to General TuUy, who repeated it to me. Shortly afterwards I was able to get rid of him. At the time when I received the three favours that I have mentioned, the Emperor showered a large number upon my cor/>s d'annce : but the recipients did not all seem ecjually satisfied, and some of them were certainly very small. I do not mention those who were dissatisfied at having received nothing. While the armistice lasted, and even after the peace, fight- ing continued in the Tyrol against the insurgents in that country whom we had failed to reduce. My entire army corps was sent there except myself and my staff. I was very grieved to part with such brave troops, and they displayed great regret at cjuitting me for other leaders. General Grenier's corps replaced mine in Styria; that General was i ronimnndi-rin-chief of the iiili imp'i was dated April 10, 1813. '4 210 MARSHAL MACDONALUS RECOLLECTIONS had debouched from Pegau, were advancing towards us. The Emperor would not beheve it, because he was firmly convinced that their main force was at Leipsic. Marshal Ney, who was with him, confirmed him in that idea, and declared he had noticed nothing unusual on the Elster. However, firing began, and was directed against the \ery point occupied by the Marshal's corps ; it increased in vio- lence, and approached rapidly ; then the Emperor despatched the Marshal, and shortly afterwards followed him.* A\'arn- ings came in apace ; but, notwithstanding them, the Em- peror left Lauriston in difficulties near Leipsic, and me in position to support or protect him ; but scarcely had he reached the central position, when he changed my destina- tion, and ordered me to march straight ahead towards the Elster. I had not started, when a second order came, telling me to go more to the right ; but, as the enemy con- tinued to advance, a third order directed me to march straight on to their guns. We went at the double, and it was full time, for the enemy's cavalry had already slipped in between me and Marshal Ney, who had lost much ground. The enemy, having realized my movement, turned to retreat ; but I had had time to point thirty pieces of cannon, and they galloped rapidly through my grapeshot. We condnued to advance on their right flank, and forced them into a position covered by a little artificial canal used for floating wood. After crossing — not without loss — a little valley, we crowned the heights ; the plain lay outstretched before us, but without cavalry it would have been unsafe to venture there. Suddenly the fire ceased all along the front of the army, and was directed at us ; the enemy sent forward their cavalry reserves, composed of the Guards of the sovereigns of Russia * Battle of Lutzen, :\Iay 2, 181 3. BATTLE OF LUTZEN •i I and Prussia. Thrice they attempted to break our s(]uares, l)ut in vain ; each time they were driven back with loss, and the third time in such confusion as must have given great advantage to our cavalry had we possessed any. Only a few squadrons covered our left, commanded by the Marquis de Latour-Mauliourg,* who wished nothing better than to charge. I sent to beg him to do so ; but the Viceroy, under whose orders he was acting, refused, in spite of my entreaties, as he did not wish to risk the little body of brave men who were our only resource. The battle was gained by the infantry and the artillery. It took a second time the name of Lut/en. The battle-field, our front especially, was strewn with dead and wounded, whom, for want of means, we had been unable to move. Early ne.\t morning the Emperor paid us a visit. He was very pleased. He praised us for our energy of the previous day, and for the vigour of our attack, which had stopped the victorious march of the enemy, and turned the scale in our favour. I )uring the day, after we had crossed the Elster, which the enemy did not defend, the Emperor generously dis- tributed rewards, promotions, decorations, pensions, titles, majorats, etc., to my army corps. My reward was the com- mand of the advance guard. 'i'he enemy did not long occupy Dresden ; they blew up the bridge, and only defended the Elbe long enough to protect their retreat by the right bank. While means for rebuilding or mending the bridge were being sought, my infantry got across the breaches by means of ladders ; as soon as it was suffi'^iently repaired, the artillery crossed. * When this g.illant otticer lost a leg during this campaign his soldier servant wxs greatly concerned. ' Why, you stupid fellow,' said the (leneral (who had only just untlergone amputation), to encourage him, ' you will have one hoot the less to polish every day.' 212 MARSHAL MACDONALD'S RECOLLECTIONS The Emperor, who, on this occasion, had taken upon himself the functions of baggage-master, stopped all vehicles ; but I obtained an exemption for some of those belonging to my corps, and that evening took up my position on the heights above Dresden. Next day I followed the traces of the enemy, but we had no affair of importance till Bautzen. I thought that I was being followed by the remainder of the army ; but it had been allowed to rest, and I found myself isolated in presence of that of the enemy. In order to impose upon them, I spread out my troops like a spider's web, and waited the arrival of the other corps. Successive summons made them hasten their advance. A single step backward on my part would have exposed us to certain destruction ; I therefore preferred to run the risk of staying where I was, pretending to advance, and lighting at night fires scattered among the different lines, so as to make believe that the whole army was present. I thus passed several days, until at length our supports came up. We attacked at Bautzen, crossed the Spree, and I took a considerable share in the Battle of Wurschen, which brought us into Silesia, after two sharp skirmishes, at Bischofs- werda, and before reaching Lowenberg. The former of these towns caught fire during the engagement ; I believe the fire was the act of marauders after we had occupied it. An armistice was concluded during the action at Jauer, and after the occupation of Breslau. We went into cantonments ; I took the district of Lowenberg for my army corps. We had done enough to retrieve the honour of our arms after the terrible misfortunes of the preceding campaign. France and the army earnestly longed for peace. A Congress met at Prague, but it was obvious that none of the Powers were acting in good faith. Austria was the soul of the Congress ; she had in reality remained neutral A FUTILE CONGRESS 213 since the reopening of hostilities, but, as afterwards transpired, she had bound herself by treaty with Russia and Prussia as early as the previous February. A significant proof of this was given by the manner in which the enemy retired before the armistice ; they grouped themselves at the foot of the mountains of Bohemia, instead of recrossing the Oder. 1 )riven into the position they had taken up, they could have no choice but to lay down their arms, supposing always that Austria meant to make her pretended neutrality respected ; that was apparent. The negotiations fell through, and hostilities recommenced, the allies being reinforced by the Austrians, and soon after- w irds by the defection of the Bavarians. Before the truce was broken off, I had orders to reconnoitre all the outlets from I'ohemia, from the Saxon frontier as far as the Bober, which was the line of demarcation on my front, while my right e.xtended to the mountains. At the same time the allies entered Bohemia. They moved thither their principal forces, and attacked me two or three days before the expira- tion of the armistice. They expected to take me unawares, but I was ready for them, as, instead of cantoning my troops, I had formed camps sufficiently near each other to be able to concentrate promptly on any threatened point. The day after my return to Lowenberg I received news that the enemy were attacking. I went half-way to the point indicated, but could neither see nor hear anything. The enemy's movements were concealed by hillocks and other obstructions on the ground. As I received no further news, I concluded that the post attacked had been forced, and that the detachment which defended it had been unable to fall back upon I.owenberg according to their instructions. In order to clear up this doubt, and while my breakfast was preparing, I took a picket of cavalry, and rode out 214 MARSHAL MACDONALD'S RECOLLECTIONS slowly and carefully to the point whence news had reached me that the enemy were advancing. On reaching it I found all quiet, and learned that the enemy had advanced, but had immediately retired again. Information had been sent to me by an orderly ; I never received it, as the man must have lost his way or got drunk. I had ridden three leagues out to this point, and as many from Lowenberg, in my first reconnaissance ; our horses needed rest as much as we did ourselves. I accepted a meagre breakfast, heartily offered, with alacrity. Just as I was remounting my horse to return, an officer galloped up as fast as he could ride, to tell me that the enemy had crossed the Bober at the very point I had quitted, that the attack had been so sudden that there had not been time to harness my carriages, which were probably taken ; he was not certain about this, because, as soon as the enemy appeared, he had hastened away in search of me. I concluded that it could be only a brush at the outposts, and decided to return ; but ere I had ridden half a league, fresh information and fugitives confirmed what I had first heard. I was thus cut off from the principal point, and from almost all my forces. I waited a few hours more for the return of the scouts whom I had sent out ; their reports all tallied. At last I decided to make a great detour, and bring in my outposts ; we marched all the rest of the day and through the night, and reached Lowenberg worn out with fatigue. There I learned what had occurred. Lauriston's corps, which had joined me the previous day, had attached itself to my troops, and together they had driven the enemy back across the Bober. They had had some losses, and my carriages were gone. In consequence of the account of this event that I sent to the Emperor, he hastened up with some reserves and the SURRHS'DER OF VANDAMME 21 • Guard. We had taken some prisoners, and learned thai the principal attack of the allies was to be made on the left bank of the Elbe. The Emperor, nevertheless, thought that he would still have time to force the passage of the Bober ; we did achieve it, took Bautzen, and pushed on as far as Goldberg. The Emperor returned to Dresden. On his way he heard that the Emperors of Austria and Russia had debouched from Bohemia, and were marching upon that town. As he descended the mountain overlooking it, he could see the position of the allies. He was just in time to beat them and force them to retire, but unfortunately they were not pursued with sufficient vigour. The Emperor only sent Vandamme with his corps against them, and he, believing himself supported, pushed on boldly, and entered the defile of Toplitz. As one of the enemy's corps had become cut off, the allies returned and attacked Vandamme, who was soon attacked also from behind by this same corps, which was only seeking a way out. Thus taken between two fires, in this sort of funnel, Vandamme surrendered, was made prisoner, and nearly all his troops with him.* The * Battle of Kulm, August 30, 1S13. The Battle of Dresden, won by the Emperor, had been fought three days previou.sly, on August 27. ' Vandamme, surrounded by forces ten limes his own, refused tv) sur- render ; and, placing himself at the head of his only two available battalions, charged into the midst of the enemy in the hope of finding his death there. His horse was killed, a strong body of Russians flung themselves upon him, and he was taken prisoner. On the enemy's side, generals, officers, and privates admired Vandamme's courage, and felt the greatest esteem for him ; but, incredible as it may seem, the kind treatment ceased, and was replaced by insults when the prisoner was taken to Prague. The Emperor of Russia and his brother, the Clrand Duke Constantine, addressed him in abusive language, and the Grand Duke actually even snatched away his sword. Vandamme indignantly exclaimed, " My sword is easy to take here : it would have l)ecn braver to have come to fetch it on the battlefield ; but you seem to like your 2l6 MARSHAL MACDONALD'S RECOLLECTIONS Emperor, it was said, was unwell, and had returned to Dresden with his reserves and his Guard while this dis- astrous event was in progress. As usual, Vandamme got all the blame, but this time he had only been guilty of an excess of zeal. After the Emperor had quitted me and returned to Dresden to fight the allies, as I have related, he sent for me ; and after telling me that he had need of Marshal Ney, put under my orders Ney's own army corps, together with that of Lauriston and General Sebastiani's cavalry. Ney and Sebastiani were carrying on operations in the neighbourhood of Leignitz, and, I know not through what misunderstanding, had retreated. The Emperor spoke to me of the immediate necessity of a diversion, and told me that it was with this object that he was uniting these four army corps, including my own, under my orders. He in- structed me to advance rapidly with them, and threaten Breslau and the outlets of Bohemia into Silesia. I immediately returned to my corps, and we started without delay. We met some cavalry near Goldberg, and a brush that ensued was disadvantageous to us ; notwith- standing the efforts of Generals Reiset and Audenarde, my horse gave way. I hastened to rally them, and put myself at their head to lead a charge. I started them, and believed myself followed, when the enemy's cavalry came to meet me ; as I knew that my men had retreated, I could do nothing but retreat too. trophies cheap." Thereupon the Emperor Alexander in a rnge ordered the arrest of Vandamme, caUing him "plunderer ' and "brigand." Vandamme retorted, looking Alexander defiantly in the face, " I am no plunderer or brigand ; and, any way, history will not reproach me with having murdered my own father." Alexander turned pale at this allusion to the assassination of Paul I., and the French general was taken to the frontiers of Siberia.' — Baron de Marbot's " Memoirs," vol. ii., p. 375 (Eng. edit.). R I- CONN A ISSA NCE 217 My infantry debouched, and passed through a deep ravine. Oeneral Meunier was beginning to form a square, which at that moment bore a striking resemblance in shape to an egg. Seeing me pursued and hard pressed, he proposed that I should join him ; I refused, and passed near him. The enemy did not expose themselves to his fire : they were only anxious to mask their own retreat. W'e followed them eagerly, but were obliged to draw rein to give (iencral Souham, who was commanding Ney's corps, and (icneral Sebastiani time to come up. The former received orders to leave the point where he was and make for Jauer, and to turn the enemy's right, while I made a front attack upon them at the Katzbach ; (ieneral Lauriston commanded my right.* General Sebas- tiani arrived, driving before him a strong detachment of cavalry, that had become placed between two fires. It escaped us, however, by a rapid flank movement. It had been steadily raining ever since the previous day. From the heights whence the enemy retired we thought we could make out the leading columns of General Souham's army ; I ordered some squadrons and light artillery to make a reconnaissance, and meanwhile I went myself to the right of my line at some distance away, and told Lauriston to send some light troops across the Katzbach to feel the strength of the enemy upon his left. These orders were all clearly given, and yet not one of them was properly carried out. General Souham, for instance, who had received his early in the day, failed to execute the movement intended to turn the enemy's right. His corps marched behind Sebastiani's cavalry, which were still advancing to the heights, although I had simply ordered * Battle of the Katzhach, August 26, 1813, against the Army of Silesia, uneneral Sebastiani's position. The latter was in despair at the loss of his guns. Souham stammered out some reasons why he had failed to operate upon the points I had indicated. It was getting late ; the rain fell unceasingly, the ground was soaked, the ravines were filling, the streams overflowing; in such a disheartening state of affairs I ordered a retreat to Goldberg. A night march under such circumstances occasioned great disorder ; the rain never ceased. Lauriston was anxious to take the road by which he had crossed the mountains. I remarked that it would most likely be impracticable ; he insisted and I yielded, the more readily that the continuity of our retreat would thereby be rendered easier. But what I had suspected proved to be the case ; he found the roads flooded, and was compelled to retreat. One of his divisions flanked him, receiving orders to follow such a direction as would eventually bring about its junction with him and us ; we had to protect l.auriston's line of com- munications. At one very bad i)lace several carriages were driven off the road, and got into the fields, where they remained, mine among others. I came up at this moment ; the ammunition waggons were unloaded so that ihey might be more easily moved, but nevertheless we lost some. We gained a fairly sheltered place, where we posted the cavalry. Near there uc expected to meet General I.auriston's cover ing division that had flanked his corps ; it was not to be seen ; inquiries and searches were instituted, but there was still no news of it. All the troops were marching in disarray, wet to the skin, and, as Lauriston's and my corps were retiring on Lowenberg, we learnt that the bridge over the 220 MARSHAL MACDONALD'S RECOLLECTIONS Bober bad been dismantled, as the river had overflowed, and thus that our means of passage was cut off. In con- sequence of the floods, which were out in all directions, I was unable to communicate with Souham or Sebastiano, who were retiring upon Bunzlau, where there was a wooden bridge already very rickety ; the engineers did their utmost to preserve it. I waited four-and-twenty hours for Lauriston's division ; the cavalry sent me word that they could no longer hold the position where I had posted them, and their searches for the division had been fruitless. Meanwhile, although water covered the road leading to Bunzlau, along which Souham and Sebastiani were marching, a rumour spread among the troops that the road was practicable, as there was only water on it up to the knees; thereupon, without orders, they started off in confusion, as it was impossible to restrain them. I therefore let them go. I was compelled to recall the cavalry, and to abandon the wandering division, convinced that it would find its own way out of the difficulty somehow; but I afterwards had the grief of learning that, owing to the slowness of the General* in conimand, it had been obliged to surrender. The rain had ceased, and the sun reappeared ; we made a forced march, and eventually reached Bunzlau, where I found Generals Souham and Sebastiani. A large portion of their corps had crossed the bridge, as the two others had done, and continued a disorderly march to Bautzen ; I sent orders to them to rally there. I could not gauge our losses ; with the exception of the artillery on the heights of Jauer, and the little division, they were inconsiderable.! Having ralhed all the troops, I took up my position. * Puthod. t ' Marshal Macdonald,' says General de Marbot (" Memoirs," Eng. edit., vol. ii. , ]). 3S4), 'whose miscalculation from a strategic point of GENERAL SEBASTIAN I 221 I had sent a report of all these circumstances to Dresden. The Kmperor, to whom the loss naturally appeared great, imagined that it was greater even than it was ; he expected to find the troops demoralized and in disorder, and was agreeably surprised at finding them reunited and in good spirits. The enemy had followed us, but on seeing our position appeared unwilling to risk an attack. The Emperor gave them no alternative. Having arrived with his reserves and his Guard, and saying nothing to me except that my news to him had been bad, he ordered me to advance and attack. W'q were soon ready, and marched forward eagerly ; ihe enemy were driven back by our cavalry, which had been placed for the time under the command of Murat; but they made a good stand on the mountain of Hochchellenberg. While we were attacking them there, the Emperor, seeing General Sebastiani near me, came towards us, and addressed him in the most violent language ; I was indignant, and showed it. His complaint against the General was not the loss of his artillery on the plateau at Jauer, but that of his last cannon. Sebastiani, as I then learned from the Emperor, had sent him, without informing me, a private report ; he interrogated the aide-de-camp who brought this report, view had brought al)out this disaster, though he had lost the confidence of the army, was aljle to preser\'e its esteem by the honest and straight- forward way in which he admitted his mistake. On the following daj he called a meeting of all the generals and colonels ; and, after inviting us all to help to maintain order, said that every man and officer had done his duty — that the loss of the battle was due to one man only, and that was himself ; because, when it came on to rain, he ought not to have left broken ground to go and attack in an open plain an enemy outnumbering him immensely in cavalry ; nor should he have placed n river Ixihind him in stormy weather. This noble confession disarmed criticism, and each man did his utmost to contribute to the safety of the army during its retreat to the Ellje.' 222 MARSHAL MACDONALD'S RECOLLECTIONS pressed him with questions, and was told by him that his General, who had only one gun left, which he feared to lose, had sent it on with the baggage waggons, which, by another misfortune, had fallen into the enemy's hands. The Emperor added that the loss of artillery was the fortune of war ; but that what irritated him was the seizure of that particular piece, seeing that artillery was provided for the protection of the troops, and not to be defended by baggage waggons. I warmly and heartily stood up for Sebastiani. The Emperor departed, leaving the command to me, with orders to follow the enemy. Sebastiani was furious, and with reason, for he had not been spared even in presence of his own men. He wished to blow his brains out, cause himself to be killed, or send in his resignation. With great trouble I succeeded in calming him. The enemy rapidly retreated, and our pursuit did not tarry. They crossed the river Queiss, which I left between us ; as fresh reinforcements reached them they tried to turn us. My orders were not to expose myself to any serious action ; in my turn, therefore, I retired, but slowly ; we thus -continued alternately advancing and retreating. They also did not seem very anxious to attack, unless they could feel certain of getting the best of it; but as they displayed numerous forces, I fell back to within a few leagues of Dresden. We were very badly off for provisions and forage. The detachments which I was compelled to send out to search the villages were often obliged to come to blows, and soldiers who went out singly generally fell into the hands of the enemy. We were thus being slowly under- mined, but the moment was not far off at which decisive operations would put a limit to this state of things: the allies were preparing for it. CHAPTER XX f I. Concentration at Dresden — Contradictory Orders — Movements of the Knemy — Hattle of Leipsic — Conimcncenient of the Retreat — Treachery of tlie Hessians — Destruction of the Bridge — Confusion and Disorder — Passage of the Elster — A Terrible Spectacle — Re- ception Ijy the Emi)eror — Loss of Carriages. Dresden, where the Emperor stayed, was the pivot for the army astride on the two banks of the Elbe ; we remained on the defensive ; communications were intercepted with France, whence we had drawn no assistance since the fresh outbreak of hostiHties. The Emperor one morning sent one of his orderly officers to me to ask my opinion upon our situation, and what we had better do. W'e were now in October — without rations, e.xcept such as could he collected by main force ; but the soldiers were allowed to dig for themselves as many potatoes as they could find in the fields where we encamped. I told the officer plainly that, unless the Emperor immediately took the offensive — that is, if he saw any chance of success, which, in my opinion, was improbable, as we had hitherto failed to force our entrance into liohemia — he exposed us to serious catastrophes : the army was daily growing weaker by sickness and the ordinary losses of war ; that an un- successful battle would weaken us still further, and use up our ammunition, which we could not replace ; that the 224 MARSHAL MACDONALD'S RECOLLECTIONS magazines were empty, the country ruined ; that, under these circumstances, the prudent course would be to retire immediately to the Saale, leaving a strong garrison in Leipsic, and to evacuate those places on the Oder with which we could still communicate, and, above all, those on the Elbe. The officer hesitated for a moment at the idea of having to carry such proposals. ' Go !' I said ; ' the Emperor will realize their importance, and will be pleased with me for my outspokenness.' He came back in a few hours to tell me that he had fulfilled his mission ; that the Emperor, being in his bath, had called him in, and, after hearing him attentively, had made but one objection — namely, that the Saale was not a defensive position ; that there was nothing but the Rhine ; and that, since I thought retreat was necessary, we would go to the Rhine. ' Go and tell the Marshal that,' he added. ' Quite so,' I answered. 'The Saale was only .provisional in my proposal ; the defiles leading thither are difficult, and we can hold the enemy longer in check there than on the Elbe.' He departed ; but scarcely had he left me, when another orderly officer came to bring me an order not to commence the preliminary execution of my plan, but to advance at once. My reconnaissances and forage parties were already out, and I was consequently very much weakened in force. I told the officer to point out to the Emperor that I could not start until they had returned, and to add that, as I was compelled to send out for provisions, I begged him to give me his orders twenty-four hours in advance. It was not long before he returned, saying that the Emperor desired me to set out immediately with what troops I had, that the absentees would join me later, and that he himself would come with his Guard and his reserves. MOVEMENTS OF THE ENEMY 225 I tlicreforc started, leaving behind mv heavy ordnance, as well as my baggage. A wood separated us from the enemy. At sight of us they fell back upon the heights of Bischofswerda. We left on our right a feeble line of their cavalry, from which we were separated by a deep ravine which formed a prolonged circuit, and also covered the hill where 1 had left my siege guns. While I was attacking the heights of Bischofswerda, the Emperor came up to this artillery ; he sent for me, and I found him helping to place it in position, and pushing with all his might to help the gunners. ' What are you going to fire at, Sire ?' 1 asked him. 'At that line of cavalry down there in front of us.' ' But it is out of range, your Majesty ! I saw it as I came back I They are only scouts ; and there is but one line of them !' ' Never mind,' he replied, and gave the word to fire. '.Ve could not see where the shot fell, and the cavalry remained motionless ; I could not understand his object. At the seventeenth shot he ordered this useless fire to cease, remarking : ' It is costing us too much.' The enemy were driven back from the heights, and wo followed them. The Emperor called me aside, and said : ' Vou were surprised at \ny firing ?' ' Yes,' I answered, ' because that handful of cavalry was not worth powder and shot, besides being out of range.' It had, moreover, just retreated. ' \'ou see,' continued the Emperor, ' that with every volley one hits something; it may be a man of mark. Look at Moreau I— he was killed by a spent shot at Dresden. Look at I )uroc or Bessieres !' As a matter of fact, Moreau had both legs cut off by a shot which was far from spent. 15 226 MARSHAL MACDONALD'S RECOLLECTIONS The Emperor moved his headquarters to Harta, or Horta ; he invited me to dinner, and, instead of talking of our circumstances, would think of nothing but a lawsuit, then in progress, against some former contractors. In answer to my request to have his opinion on the issue of the case, he replied, laughing, that the whole lot of them — plaintiffs, defendants, and witnesses — deserved hanging. On quitting him, I asked for his orders ] he answered that he must sleep on them, and would let me have them in the morning. He sent them ; and I was to march, because he wished to come up with the enemy and give battle. I sent orders to my advance guard, on the other side of Bischofswerda, to march. An orderly officer from the Emperor accompanied me in order to report to him the position of the enemy, who were not far off. On the way, an aide-de-camp came to warn me that they were in great force ; the orderly officer wished to return immediately to inform the Emperor. ' No,' said I ; ' follow me. We will reconnoitre for our- selves, and then you will be able to say to the Emperor, " I have seen." ' The enemy seemed to have a force of about So,ooo men, and to be quite ready to receive us, or to cut us off. I told this to the Emperor, who replied that his object was gained, and that I was to profit by the darkness to return to the positions I had quitted on the previous day. He returned to Dresden. I was only disturbed by some demonstrations,, but the day seemed very long, isolated as I was since the Emperor had left me ; fortunately, the enemy had been advised of his arrival, but not of his departure. Two days later he summoned me to Dresden. I told him that we could now see nothing of the enemy except some scouts ; that they were preparing some movement, and perhaps manoeuvring to turn our flank. BATTLE OF LEJPSIC 227 ' It cannot be to attack the entrenched camp on the right hank,' lie replied : 'they are too timid to attack that.' That evening when I returned, I heard that the enemy had suddenly disappeared entirely from in front of us, and were making for my left. Some prisoners were brought to me who confirmed the departure of their troops, which were, they said, going to Miihlberg, to cross the VAhe there. I sent them to the Emperor with my report. That same night I received orders to abandon my posi- tion, and to come and occupy the entrenched camp, which other troops had hastily left ; and twenty-four hours later I was relieved in my turn, and told to go on to Wittenberg. The Emperor was anxious to cross the Elbe there ; and my advance guard had already started, when he received in- telligence that the allies had quitted Bohemia, and were advancing towards Leipsic ; thereupon I received counter- orders to make for the Partha. A portion of the allied forces was already in position at about two leagues from Leipsic* It was October 16; I well remember the date. U'e attacked with more vigour than unison, and one of my divisions carried a position known as the Swedish Redoubt at the point of the bayonet. It was necessary to support them. The cavalry came up sharply, and did very well ; but the carabineers behaved very badly. With my own eyes I saw a squadron of the enemy outwit them at only ten sabres' length. Each side remained in much the same position at the end of the combat. Next day, the 17th, although we were facing one another, within range, not a shot was fired — not even from a musket ; * Diirins; the niglit of (Jclobcr 15, if reliance is to he placed on the account given l)y Uaron dc Marhot, that oflicer nearly succeeded in making prisoners of the Kmperor of Russia and the King of Prussia, who were at the outposts reconnoitring on the Kolmberg. 228 MARSHAL MACDONALD'S RECOLLECTIONS but we could see the reinforcements taking their places in the enemy's ranks, and could distinctly hear the cheers of the soldiers. The night was equally tranquil. On either side everything was preparing for a bloody battle. Early next morning, the i8th, the Emperor closed up his ranks ; the enemy were already advancing to attack us. I had orders only to retire very slowly, wliich I did, but not without great losses, among others that of General Aubry, commanding the artillery belonging to my corps. At length I reached the lines. The cannonade was so violent, so multiplied, so extreme, that it might have been com- pared to a fire from two ranks of infantry, and very well maintained, moreover. I again lost a large number of my men, many of my artillery horses ; one gun was dismounted, my ammunition was consumed. I ordered my infantry to shelter in ravines, and behind little risings in the ground. I thus remained inactive for several hours, while the battle con tinned with a violence equal to that with which it had begun, exposed to the fire of the enemy, to which I could not reply. The army was then forming a crescent before Leipsic, of which one extremity was flanked by the Elster. I implored the Emperor to replace my artillery ; he at length sent me a battery of the Guard, which arrived most conveniently, for the enemy, noticing that from this point they obtained no answer to their fire, concluded that they had silenced mine, and as they could see no troops, they thought they might establish themselves upon the raised point that I occupied. I soon undeceived them. As they boldly advanced, my troops suddenly showed themselves, protected by the batteries that had come to me ; they retired, and their firing recommenced, but less violently than before ; either they were economizing their ammunition, or else some of their guns had been dismounted too. I was walking about with Colonel Bongars, and we BATTLE OF LEIPSIC 229 dc[ilored the great number of victims stretched at our feet ; preoccupied solely with what was going on under our eyes, and with the melancholy issue that I foresaw, I regretted that the cannon spared me while striking down so many brave men. While we were talking over these sad circum- stances. I saw the enemy retreat on my left, and the corps of General Reynier, drawn up in two lines, advance. The leading line was composed of Saxons, the rear of French. I gave orders to advance to their support, when what was my horror at seeing the front rank stop at the point the enemy had just quitted, and, turning round, fire straight at the French behind them ! Never was such treachery known in history. In the preceding year, when the Prussians deserted, at least they had the decency not to turn and fire upon us at the moment. Amazed, surprised, the second line fled, and was immediately pursued by the front line, which an instant before had been fighting under our banner. That there had been connivance was clear from the fact that the enemy supported this movement, and it would have been decisive for them had not the Emperor himself hastened to the spot to stop them and rally the line. It was growing late, and the firing slackened on either side, and finally ceased altogether. Everj'one kept his own position— at least, on the side where I had been all day — but our left had been pushed back nearer to Leipsic. We passed the night in the utmost watchfulness, foreseeing a too tardy retreat, but in nowise prepared for the terrible nature of the next day's catastrophe. An officer was sent from headquarters to bring nie orders to retire to the suburb of Leipsic at the end of the high road to Dresden ; but he lost his way, and only arrived at seven in the morning.* A thick fog fortunately ob.scured our • October 19. 230 MARSHAL MACDONALD'S RECOLLECTIONS position, and we were able, therefore, to fall back unper- ceived. The other army corps had done the same thing, and we thus formed a fresh line. As the parks of artillery could not be moved, they were blown up ; nothing could have been devised more likely to put the enemy on the alert and announce a decided retreat, and they were not slow to profit by the signal, advancing to the heights which commanded my position. The gardens of the suburb were enclosed by earthbanks, which might serve as a slight bulwark against infantry and cavalry, but were useless against cannon. We had barri- caded all the issues, crenellated the walls, but that served us very little against a heavy cannonade, which dealt frightful execution in the houses and among the troops. The enemy advanced in close columns ; we stopped them for a moment. The fire was very hot, when General Girardin, at that time aide-de-camp to the Prince of Neuchatel, brought me orders to immediately send a division to the extreme right to the assistance of Marshal Augereau. ' See for yourself,' I answered, ' whether I can spare any troops ; I rather stand in need of reinforcements myself Go and tell the Emperor so.' ' I have executed my mission,' said he ; ' you must do as you please ;' and he left me. I had net even troops enough to keep my front in every direction, but I reflected that if Marshal Augereau's corps, and consequently the intervening regiments between him and me, were forced, I, who held the outside wing, would be outflanked and cut off, and I consequently determined to send, not a division, but a brigade of the Hessian division. During this time, although we were defending the ground inch by inch, and the suburb had been taken and retaken several times, we were pushed right back to the boulevard of the town. I was then informed that the Hessian brigade coyprrsrox and disorder 231 was on its way back, having found neither friends nor foes at the point to which they were ordered, and this caused me great surp^rise. As I was pressed in front, I desired Marshal Poniatowski to attempt a final charge with the small body of cavalry remaining to us, while the infantry fell back to the bridge in order to cross the Elster. The Hessian division had in the meantime entered the town, and I presumed it was by orders of General Marchand, who was in command. Hut instead of marching to the Elster by the broad street that leads to the bridge, the divi- sion went up to the rami)arts, and opened fire upon us. This fresh treachery effectually discouraged our troops. They retreated in wild confusion, notwithstanding my efforts to maintain order, and swept me with them. To complete our misfortunes, I learned that the bridge, our only means of communication, had been blown up ! This appalling news, which we vainly strove to conceal, spread universal consternation ; upon every face horror, fury, despair, were painted, and I was not the least excited among them. Neither before, during, or since the battle, had any precaution been taken to secure the Elster or the road to Lindenau — albeit, it would liavc been easy to find many places at which men of different arms and of different corps could have crossed, owing to the narrowness of the river. Neither had any troop been posted on the left bank to pro- tect the retreat on the chance of the bridge remaining intact, or of others !:;eing established. The principal headquarters and the Emperor himself were at Markranstadt. I do not yet know by what name to call this criminal indifference : whether incapability, cowardice, or absence of all feeling, of all regret at the sacrifice of so many lives. The bridge had been blown up several hours previously, but the noise of the cannon, of the fusillade, and of the ammunition waggons that were being exploded, had pre- 232 MARSHAL MACDONALD'S RECOLLECTIONS vented us from hearing the noise. An attempt was made to lay at the door of a superior engineer officer the respon- sibility for this act, and the neglect of preparations for crossing, but no one dared to take steps to bring him before a court-martial ; for it was quite clear that he had received no orders, and that on the contrary he had suggested to the Major-General the advisability of preparing points from which to cross, and that the answer given him had been that it would be time enough when the Emperor ordered it. The most likely version of the catastrophe is that the bridge had been mined, and left in charge of an unlucky corporal and some artillerymen or sappers, with orders to blow it up if they perceived the enemy. These poor fellows saw, heard, knew that part of the army was still on the right bank, but they did not know that there were no other points from which they could cross : they saw a few of the enemy's skirmishers, and that was enough to make them carry out their orders. It was said afterwards that, even had the bridge remained intact, we could not have made use of it, as it and the ap- proaches to it were blocked by artillery and waggons. That may have been so, but at least the infantry might have attempted to cross, the cavalry would have abandoned their horses, and thus many lives might have been saved. The block arose from the fact that no supervision had been exercised, no orders given to keep this passage clear. Two strings of carriages were passing to the right and left of the boulevards of Leipsic, a third along the principal street of the town ; all three met at the head of the bridge, and it was a struggle which should get across first ; the carriages caught each other's wheels, blocked up the space, and our unhappy fate was decided. I escaped, however, with a firm resolve not to fall alive into the hands of the enemy, preferring to shoot or drown PASS.ir.r. OF THE ELSTEh- myself. Dragged along, as I have said, by the crowd, I crossed two little arms of the Elster, the first on a little bridge, holding on to the hand-rail, for my feet did not touch the boards (I was lifted up, and ten times over was nearly upset) ; the other upon a horse, lent me by a quarter- master, whose name I am sorry to have forgotten, though I have since rendered him a service. I found myself in an open field, still surrounded by the crowd ; I wandered about, it still followed me, convinced that I must know a way out, though I could find none marked on my map. There was still the main arm of the river to cross. Lauriston, who had been with me before we crossed the streams, was separated from me. Some of Prince Poniatowski's aides-de-camp came and told me he was drowned ; I still thought he was behind me. I had begged him, as I have already said, to execute a charge to cover our withdrawal, and had not seen him since his return. The charge had not taken place ; the cavalry, having heard of the disaster at the bridge, had not followed him, and had thought of nothing but their own safety. These aides-de-camp shed tears on telling me of the death* of their Prince ; he had thrown him.self into the water with his horse, but had been unable to climb the opposite bank, which was very steep ; the tired horse had fallen backwards upon him, and both had been carried away by the swift stream. During this story one of my aide.s-de-camp, Beurnonville, seized my bridle and said : ' Monsieur le Marechal, we cannot help that ; the import- ant thing is to save you.' • Prince ronbtowski had only been created a Mar.-,hal three tl.iys before his untimely end ! Rather than In; taken prisoner, he leapt his horse into the rapid stream, though exhausted by a severe wound, i Ii> body was recovered five days later by a peasant when fishing. 234 MARSHAL MACDONALD'S RECOLLECTIONS Thereupon he hurried me away at a gallop to free me from the unhappy crowd that still surrounded me, and told me that Colonel Marion, who commanded the engineers in my army corps, had succeeded in crossing to the other side. He had had two trees cut down and thrown across the river, joining them with doors, shutters, and planks. We hastened thither, but the place was blocked by troops. I was told that Marshals Augereau and Victor had crossed this frail structure on horseback, notwithstanding all the representations that were made to them ; that as the extre- mities were not fastened, and the two trees had slipped apart, the flooring had given way. There remained nothing but the two trunks, and no one dared cross them. It was my only chance ; I made up my mind and risked it. I got off my horse with great difficulty, owing to the crowd, and there I was, one foot on either trunk, and the abyss below me. A high wind was blowing. I was wearing a large cloak with loose sleeves, and, fearing lest the wind should cause me to lose my balance, or lest someone should lay hold of it, I got rid of it. I had already made three- quarters of my way across, when some men determined to follow me ; their unsteady feet caused the trunks to shake, and I fell into the water. I could fortunately touch the bottom, but the bank was steep, the soil loose and greasy ; I vainly struggled to reach the shore. Some of the enemy's skirmishers came up, I know not whence. They fired at me point-blank, and missed me, and some of our men, who happened to be near, drove them off and helped me out. I was wet from head to foot, besides being in a violent perspiration from my efforts, and out of breath. The Duke of Ragusa, who had got across early in the day, seeing me on the other bank, gave me a horse ; I wanted dry clothes more, but they were not to be had. One of my grooms, named Naudet, who had charge of my A SCENE OF DESOLATION 235 pocket-book, not daring to come across, confided it to a soldier, who undressed and swam with it. I had no money to irive him. Marshal Marmont lent me his purse, and I gave it to the man. He accompanied us, naked as he was, for three leagues, and I was still dripping. While we were still near the Elster, some skirmishers of the enemy came up in large numbers ; I took about thirty men who had been posted not far from there to protect a cannon, and charged and dispersed them. On the other side of the Elster the firing continued ; it suddenly ceased. Our unhappy troops were crowded together on the river-bank : whole companies plunged into the water and were carried away ; cries of despair rose on all sides. The men perceived me. Despite the noise and the tumult, I distinctly heard these words : ' Monsieur le Marechal, save your men ! save your children !' I could do nothing for them ! Overcome by rage, indig- nation, fury, I wept ! Unable to give any assistance to these poor fellows, I quitted the .scene of desolation. Some of those who had seen me fall into the river believed me drowned ; the rumour of my death spread rapidly, together with that of Prince Poniatowski, among the broken remains of the army which had succeeded in crossing the Elster, and at headquarters. Great joy was shown when I was found to be alive ; all embraced me, wishing to know the details of the appalling disaster and of my marvellous escape. The Emperor desired to see me. I was so indignant with him that I refused to accompany his messengers. However, I was so earnestly begged and implored to go and give advice, in the interests of the army and of France, that, for fear of some new piece of folly, I at last yielded. There were a number of people with the Emperor, among ■236 MARSHAL MACDONALD'S RECOLLECTIONS Others Count Dam. He was seated at a table, a map spread before him, and his head on his hand. With tears I related all that had happened. For a long time I was haunted by the terrible picture, and the cries of my men, ' Save your soldiers ! Save your children !' still ring in my ears, and excite in my breast the deepest pity for the poor fellows whom I saw throwing themselves into the water, preferring certain death to the risk of being massacred or taken prisoners. The Emperor listened without interrupting me ; my audience were effected in various degrees, and all by their attitude disj)layed their grief. I ended by saying that the losses of the army in men and material were immense, and that not a moment should be lost in collecting the remains, and making for the Rhine. We were then at Markranstadt ; I had walked three leagues, still wet, and very tired. The Emperor noticed it, and said coldly : ' Go and rest.' I left him, indignant at his indifference, for he offered me neither refreshment nor help,'" and yet I think I had said, in the course of my narration, that I had lost everything, baggage and carriages. After I had been jmlled out of the river, the Duke of Ragusa told me that he had seen my carriages in the block on the boulevard at Leipsic, going in an opposite direction to the one I was following, while I, all the time, believed them to be at headquarters. The previous evening I had sent orders that they should start, while the roads were yet clear and open ; but, by another fatality, the aide-de-camp who was in charge of them fell asleep, and w^hen he awoke it was too late. They * It could hardly be expected that at a time when the Ruler of France and Head of the Army had vital matters to settle he should have time to also undertake the duties of an attentive host. Under the circum- stances, his advice was not other than sensible. LOSS OF CARKIAGES 237 were thus lost, together with a bag containing from 12,000 to 15,000 francs in gold (^480 to ^({^ 600), which he had orders to keep in his portmanteau. He explained lo me later that the fear lest it should be stolen in camj) had decided him to [ilace this bag va my carriage, whence he had forgotten to rescue it when he was compelled to abandon everything, and flee with my attendants. I had also lost a great deal of silver money with my carriages. This circumstance having become known, everyone, as I left the Emperor's presence, cordially offered me all the things of which I stood in need — changes of clothes, and their purses ; but when I opened my pocket-book, I found a good number of twenty-franc pieces inside, and therefore refused the latter. [ 238 ] CHAPTER XXIII. Marshal Augereau — Passage of the Saale — At Erfurt — Plain Speaking — Arrival at Gelnhausen — Discouragement — In Hanau Woods — Issue from the Woods — Entry into Hanau. The next day, October 20, at dawn, we started on our march towards the Saale. About 800 or 900 men, the remams of my army corps, had been ralUed, and wqth these I marched. As we were without artillery or carriages, while the roads were encumbered with them, we marched along very easily. We crossed the river by a covered bridge, and I encamped for the night on the opposite side. I met Marshal Augereau, and asked him for an explanation of the order brought to me from the Emperor by General Girardin to send a division to his support, while I was bearing the brunt of so severe a combat in the suburbs of Leipsic ; and, further, why nobody had been found in the place named. He replied with an oath : 'That idiot does not know what he is about! Have you not already noticed that ? Have you not observed that he has completely lost his head in these recent events, and in the catastrophe by which they have been followed ? The coward ! He abandoned and was prepared to sacrifice us all ; but do you imagine that I am fool enough to let myself be killed or made prisoner for the sake of a Leipsic PASS AG H or THE SAALE 239 suburb? Vou should have done as I did, and have gone away !'* That was all I could get out of /im. The next morning we started again ; on the road we met the provision waggons belonging to the Imperial (kiard. For myself I had not a morsel of bread. I asked for some. The inspector or commissary in charge of the waggons made difficulties. ' Your carriages are lost,' I said, ' and will fall a prey to the enemy. Distribute at once your food and provisions to the troops around you.' I at last obtained five or six loaves from him, which I divided among my officers. We had to recross the Saale. A slender bridge had been thrown across for the infantry, who precipitated themselves on to it in crowds, and caused it to give way. Nobody took command. I spent at least two hours in trying to re establish order, and at last crossed over myself without having succeeded. It was then between two and four o'clock in the afternoon ; I was told that the principal headquarters were in a village hard by. I saw the Emperor in front of a house, reclining in a chair. He did not appear to see me. The Master of the Horse (Caulaincourt) beckoned me in, and gave me a loaf of bread, a chicken, and a bottle of wine. I had not broken my fast, and received these refreshments with avidity and gratitude. The Prince Major-General told me that he had sent me orders to continue my march, and that a little farther on I should find a broken bridge, which was being repaired ; I went ihither. I was alone with a groom. My officers had crossed the Saale pell-mell when I betook myself to headcjuarters for further orders ; they thought I was going * Characteristic advice of the Marshal, who abandoned to the enemy the second City of the Empire (Lyons) in the succeeding year. 240 MARSHAL MACDONALD'S RECOLLECTIONS to return. I found a company of pontonniers and sappers at work ; men on foot and led horses could pass, but not carriages. These men had been eating some broth, and I asked if they had any left. 'Yes,' they replied, and brought me some. I dipped some bread into it, and ate it greedily. After this light repast I examined the place, and saw that no precautions had been taken to cover the bridge under repair. It was visible from the slope of a range of mountains, at the summit of which the enemy could place artillery and blow it to pieces, and that of course hap- pened. I asain crossed in order to see if I could discover their number, and some of our skirmishers were sent in their direction. At the first gunshot the Emperor crossed the frail little bridge used by the workmen, and I saw him going away at a rapid trot on the other side. A column of our troops came at last to cover the principal bridge ; before their front rank reached it I crossed it once more, and went to headquarters. I did not know what had become of my little troop and my officers. I therefore remounted my horse, and followed the marching troops. It was now quite dark, and, as the road was blocked, we gained a bank that ran near it at the risk of breaking our necks by falling into the ravines or ruts ; at length we reached the place where the headquarters were established. As I passed the Emperor's house, Caulaincourt recognized me, and begged me to come in and dine with the staff — they were just going to sit down ; I accepted. The next morning a small advance-guard was collected for me ; the enemy were scouring the countr3^ Late that night we reached Erfurt. Ihe town, occupied by our troops, possessed a strong castle ; General d'Alton was in PLAIN SPEAKING 241 command ; l)ut the gates were shut, as disorder was feared from arrivals late at night, though they did not escape it even on the following day. Stores of all kinds had been formed there ; to save time and formalities they were burst open and ransacked. \\'e had been there for soii.e hours, when the Emperor sent for me. I went to the castle, and first saw the King of Naples, who cautioned me that the Emperor's intention was to order me to find a strong defensive position, where he could remain for five or si.\ days. ' Vou had better find a weak one,' added Murat with an oath, ' or he will not rest till he has ruined himself and us too.' 'Never fear,' I replied. 'Even if the position be excel- lent, I will tell him my mind about our situation.' I was ushered in. The Emperor gave me the commission of which Murat had warned me. ' It is out of the question to make a reconnaissance at this moment,' I said, 'because there is such a thick fog that it is impossible to see fifteen yards ahead. P)Ut, Sire, I continued, 'are you in earnest in talking of remaining here ?' ' The men are tired,' said the Emperor, ' and the enemy pursuing slowly. We must give them a rest.' ' No doubt that would be advisable, or even necessary under other circumstances,' I replied ; ' but in our present state of disorganization, or demoralization, as I may as well call things by their proper names, we shall gain nothing by it. We must get to the Rhine as fast as possible. The majority of the men are already in disorder, and making their way thither.' ' But )et I am told that a considerable number have been .^topped, and fifteen battalions formed.' 'Vou are being flattered and deceived,' I said with firm- 242 MARSHAL MACDONALD'S RECOLLECTIONS ness. ' Exactly the same thing happened after the death of Turenne and the rout of his army. The courtiers told Louis XIV. that the troops were coming back across the Rhine in such numbers that, counting them all, there were now more men than there had ever been in the army ! Louis XIV. himself made this judicious remark. Our men are going away pell-mell ; all our efforts to stop them have been vain— their instinct urges them towards the Rhine. No one amongst us is ignorant of the defection of the King of Bavaria, nor of his treaty with the allies, nor of the movement that General Wrede is making by forced marches to cut off our retreat between this and Frankfort ; and that, clearly, is why they are pursuing so slowly -to retard our march, and give Wrede time to get in our rear. If he reaches Gelnhausen ' (a place that I already knew), ' it is very doubtful that we shall be able to dislodge him — if he has had time to establish himself, that is ; and he will have plenty if your Majesty remains here for two or three days. You can now only count upon the Guard, and have to beware lest they be carried away by the force of example, as in the last campaign." All these reflections were self-evident. The Emperor's attitude was one of profound meditation. Three other persons were in his room, and they had ceased writing in order to listen — two of them were, I think, his private secretaries ; the third, the Duke of Bassano,* placed his pen between his teeth, and folded his arms. He kept his eyes fixed upon me, and displayed astonishment at hearing, for the first time, his Majesty addressed with such freedom and outspokenness. I stopped to hear the Emperor's decision. He at length broke silence, saying that he recog- nized the justice of my observations, thanked me for my * General Maret. ARRIVAL AT GELNHAUSEN 24J honesty, and would reflect upon what I had said, hut that, meanwhile, he wished me to make the reconnaissance. I left, and returned some hours later to report that the fog had not lifted, which was true, and that consequently 1 had only been able to observe what was immediately before my eyes — namely, that the neighbourhood of the town was very steep and uneven. Thereupon he said : ' \'erv cjood ; we will start to-morrow.' ' Even that will be too late,' I answered ; ' we ought to start at once. The men are continually leaving laden with booty.' Nobody had attempted to stop the pillage. We had no choice but to remain where we were till next day. On reaching (ielnhausen, I found the position occupied, fortunately we.-^kly, by about a thousand men. The Kintzig covered it, and the bridge had already been broken, but so hurriedly that the beams were still floating about. Some of tne enemy's pickets came near us. Many isolated men had stopped ; I formed them into companies, and made up a battalion. The enemy had no cannon at this point, and with mine I drove thern away from the liver. As soon as the bridge was sufficiently repaired, I ordered an attack. The position might have been ambushed. The enemy were so weak that they made no effort to keep us back : but if they had had time to establish themselves, I do not know if we should have managed to dislodge them. I^ter on they received reinforcements, principally of cavalry ; we skirmished all day, continually advancing towards a village, which we reached as night was drawing on. There was a castle in the place, and the Emperor came thither to take up his quarters, although he had already fixed them in a little village in the rear. Everything, therefore, had to be repacked, and the waggons reloaded for the move. In the village just mentioned, there was only one uncomtbrtablc 244 MARSHAL MACDONALD'S RECOLLECTIONS house ; while in the iilace where I was, and whither Napoleon came, there was a castle, uninhabited, but furnished. I received information that the Bavarian army was posted at Hanau. Its strength was unknown : but it had begun to arrive the previous evening, and troops had been coming in that same day. '1 here had only been just time, therefore, to send a detachment to Gelnhausen, and some troops of cavalry to other points from Hanau. I had this information from a person who had come thence that very day, and who had been an eye-witness of what he told me. The Emperor then sent for me, and inquired whether he were in safety, as his Guard had not yet come up. ' I cannot answer for it,' I replied. ' We only arrived after dark, shortly before you ; and I do not even know whether all my troops followed me.' ' Are we, then, with the outposts ?' 'Yes.' He kept me to dinner, and sent for the person who had arrived that evening from Hanau, and whose words I had repeated. He liked to ask questions for himself, but he learned no more than I had told him. He declared that the Bavarians would not stand up against him. The next day proved him mistaken. At daybreak* I started on my march. A short distance away we met the Bavarian outposts, supported by a strong advance-guard. I had to stop and wait till our cavalry came up, and crossed sabres with the- enemy. We pushed them back into the woods of Hanau, whither we followed them. A fusillade began which my handful of troops could not stand ; I made them retire into shelter several times. I also ordered the cavalry to charge in order to support my infantry. This state of things had lasted for some hours, when, wishing to see what was taking place on the high- * October 30. DISCOURAGEMENT 245 ro;ni, I ventured out with some of my staff. As soon as we appeared we were greeted by a hot fire of cannon and musketry which compelled us to withdraw hastily into the wood. I had, however, had time to glance at the enemy's position, and what I could see of it was not very encouraging, nor calculated to inspire my troops with confidence. All my messages to the Emi)eror to warn him of the resistance we had met with, of the reduction of our small means (of which the enemy, fortunately, could not judge, as they were scattered about the wood), and of the urgent necessity for reinforcements, remained unnoticed. 1 was much impelled to go to him in person ; but I feared that if I left the men would become discouraged — my presence 1 ept them together. As we were not more than a quarter of a league from headquarters, I at length made up my mind ; and, in order to divert observation, ordered a fresh charge of cavalry into the wood, and then started off at full gallop. On reaching the Emperor, I spoke to him very energetically about the position of affairs. ' What can I do ?' he said indifferently. ' I give orders, and no one heeds them. I wished to assemble all the waggons at one point under a cavalry escort. Well, nobody came to do it '.' ' I can quite believe it,' I returned ; ' these men have experience and instinct, and rightly presume that the road by which you wish them to communicate is closed to us. liut consider that our situation is no ordinary one. Vou must force a passage, Sire, and send forward, without an instant's delay, all the troops at your disposal. Why have not the (iuard come up ? We shall be utterly done for if they don't come immediately.' * I can't help it,' he answered dejectedly. Formerly at a sign, a gesture, a word, all had trembled around him, or he would have known the reason why ' 246 MARSHAL MACDONALD'S RECOLLECTIONS However, the Emperor summoned the Major-General, who declared that he also had given orders. They were repeated, the assembly was sounded, and I went away with a promise that a portion of the Guard would come and place them- selves under my orders. I announced this news, and it encouraged the soldiers a little. The firing and the short charges continued ; the Guard did not arrive — impatience reappeared. At length the bearskins of the Old Guard came in view ; I puinted them out, and said that this troop would take our places while we rested. Four battalions of chasseurs arrived ; the General in command of them ask(.d for my orders; I caused half of them to be deployed as sharpshooters, flanked by companies, and the two others in line to support them. They advanced to the scene of action. The mere sight of these veterans made the enemy retire from the wood ; but it was still difificult to get clear of it, or even to line the fringe. The enemy continued to fire volleys of grapeshot and shells. We kept our position ; that was a great deal. The Emperor came up, followed by his Guard and some other troops ; he asked for information, which I gave him, reckoning the enemy's force as at least 30,000 men. ' Can we reconnoitre their position without danger ?' he asked. ' Not without danger ; we must risk it ; I have already done it once.' ' Very good ; come along.' And away we went. Just as we were starting a shell burst close to him without hurting anyone. Straightway he stopped, dismounted from his horse, and from that moment till the evening it was impossible to get him out of the wood. He ordered General Drouot to discover a position on the right of the road where he could post the artillery of the Guard. The personal danger was extreme, but this ^ 1^ !\ !r IX.IU nVODS 247 brave Cieneral, as modest as he was distinguished, never gave it a thought.* In order to cause a diversion at this point, the Kmperor ordered his cavalry to debouch on to the high-road ; the xn'/idJu'rs u cheval were in front. 'I'hey charged, but were brought back and protected by a regi- ment of ' guards of honour,' composed of young men of good fomily, who were making their debui, but who showed great courage. The grenadiers ralhed behind this regiment, while the dragoons swept forward and repulsed the enemy wiih great success, gallantly breaking their squares. General Drouot had succeeded, not without heavy loss, in establishing his batteries, and others were afterwards mounted at other points. We had also succeeded in reach- ing the fringe of the wood ; the enemy were retreating in every direction, and lecrossing the river ; but they still maintained their defence of Hanau, and there was still on our right a strong battery, which we could not succeed in silencing, and which was doing us considerable damage. \\'e might have obtained great advantages from the retreat ol the Bavarians, but as the Emperor spent the whole day in the wood,t he could see nothing, and everyone acted as • See note upon General Drouot at page 446. t In a review of the first edition of tliis work, on its appearance in 1S92, tlie Australasian newspaper remarks : 'To skulk in the hour of danger was the last thing which Napoleon would have done. His helief in his star sustained him in the unwavering conviction that he l)ore a charmed life ; and he exemplified this only a year afterwards, at the Battle of Arcis-sur-.Vube, by a well-authenticated incident which Macdonald i)asses over in silence. .\ shell fell immediately in front of one of the battalions of the Guard. Napoleon, spurring his horse, rode straight up to the smoking fuse, in order to give the veterans a lesson in saiis^froiJ. The shell burst, the horse was killed, and, when the smoke dispersed, the Em|)eror wxs seen, calm and unhurt. " Uonl be alarmed, my friends," said he ; " the bullet that will kill me has not yet l)een cast." And, calling {nx another horse, he mounied it, and placed himself at the head of his soldiers, who recognized his supreme indiffer- ence to danger with shouts of enthusiasm.' 248 MARSHAL MACDONALD'S RECOLLECTIONS he pleased without any concert. There seemed to be an idea that we had done enough in reaching the river and driving back the enemy ; and no one observed, apparently, that, situated as we were, it was most important for us to reach the other side, and that, until Hanau had been stormed, our communications with France must continue interrupted. The day was drawing to an end, and the battery just mentioned caused us great inconvenience ; the shooting was very straight, and was aimed at the point where the wood debouched into the high-road. I was there in person.* Nansouty's cavalry came through the wood. I asked him to charge and carry the battery ; he refused, alleging the fatigue of his men. ' If you will only make an effort, then,' 1 said but received only the same answer. I was urging him with some considerable heat, when one of the Emperor's aides-de-camp. General Flahaut, chanced to pass. Seeing me very excited, he inquired what was the matter. ' Look here,' I said ; ' a slight effort would secure us that * There is an accidental glimpse of the Duke of Tarentum at the Battle of Hanau in General Marbot's ' Memoirs' (Eng. edit., vol. ii., p. 431). ' 1 keenly regretted the loss of my trumpeter,' says Baron de Marbot, ' who was beloved by the entire regiment no less for his courage than for his general behaviour. He was the son of a professor at the College of Toulouse, had been through his course there, and took great pleasure in spouting Latin. An hour before his death, ob- serving the majority of trees in the forest of Hanau — whose spreading branches formed a kind of roof — were beeches, he quoted the lines from Virgil conunencing : ' " Tityre, lu patula; recubans sub tegmine fagi." Marshal Macdonald, who happened to pass at the moment, laughed heartily, exclaiming, " There's a little chap whose memory isn't dis- turbed by his surroundings. It is surely the first time that anyone has recited Virgil under the fire of the enemy's guns !" ' NANSOUIY'S HESll'ATlON 249 battery. If the Emperor were here, something would be done — duty, at least, if noihing more ! Situated as wc are here, it is of vital consequence to sweep aside every obstacle and to force our way through.' ' Would you like to see the Emperor ?' he said. ' I will bring him to you.' ' Do, if you can,' 1 answered. It was now late, and instead of coming himself, he sent orders to Nansouty to act. The latter moved at last. As soon as the enemy saw him, they retreated, which would have been a boon to us a few hours earlier. I had rallied the remains of my division on the outskirts of the wood. We were at a short distance from Hanau ; a few troops advanced thither, but stopped just out of range of a hot fusillade. \W had been at ease for some time, when I saw a shape- less column, preceded by a lighted torch, issue from the wood and defile along the high-road. I was told that a report was spread, no one knew how, of the evacuation of Hanau ; and as the Emperor was sure of good quarters there, he had started without any further information The torch was borne before him. All that had been in the wood, troops, carriages, artillery, led horses, etc., were following him in disorder. i called for my horse in order to head him and warn him of his mistake ; but the mass that widened out as it issued from the wood prevented me from passing. I also had to ride carefully along the edge of a ditch by the roadside ; however, a few yards farther on I was able to cross it, and hastened on for a moment, so as to come up with the head of the column. Suddenly a few shots were heard ; the column stopped, and I saw the torch take a pace to the right and describe a curve retiring into the wood, whence the shapeless and ever- 250 MARSHAL MACDONALD'S RECOLLECTIONS increasing mass was still pouring and pressing on the head thus suddenly arrested. I found myself caught in the mob, unable to advance or retire, without having succeeded in joining the Emperor. I tried to recross the ditch and to regain the edge of the wood, feeling very sorry that I had ever quitted it. At length I lost my temper, and ordered my bodyguard to force a passage for me sword in hand. They at once obeyed, crying : ' Make way ! Make way !' One voice alone could be heard in the crowd asking : ' What guards are those creating such a disturbance ?' It was Count Daru, Commissary-General of the army. I did not feel called upon to answer, or to make myself known. I succeeded in making my way back to the place I had left, leaving the mass to disentangle itself as best it could. Had the enemy known what was going on, and made a sortie from Hanau, the disorder must have been even greater, and their losses immense ; happily, their only idea was to retreat. In the middle of the night the Emperor sent me orders to collect a battery of howitzers, and to fire on the town ; the enemy did not reply, whence we concluded that they were unarmed. They moved out at break of day, and our troops occupied the town. Scarcely had this news penetrated into the wood, when the disorderly mass once more made its way out with no less confusion than on the previous evening. The Emperor himself passed, and gave me orders to relieve the troops in the town, promising that I in turn should be relieved by General Bertrand. I had not perceived until then that all the soldiers remaining to me had left, and had joined them- selves to the living torrent that was flowing towards Frank- fort, whither the Emperor was going in person. I sent after them, and recovered about 150 men, whom I brought into IDWlXCn OF THE ENEMY Hanau to replace a troop not much larger, of which General Souham had command. I found him in a house in the suburbs ; he left, and 1 entered the town. The enemy were not far off on the other side of the river. The place had an enclosure, but could not resist an attack. Just as I was sitting down to breakfast, Tuilier, com- manding the engineers, whom I had sent to the top of the steeple, came and whispered to me that the enemy were advancing. ' Go back again.' I said, ' and let me know when they are near the gates.' ' They are not far off now,' he replied ; ' and you have barely time to retire.' The fusillade commenced as he was speaking. I left my breakfast, therefore, and, calling the chief officer of my little group of men, told him to hold firm, and that he would be relieved immediately. As 1 was quitting the town I met General Bertrand, who had orders to relieve us ; he asked how many troops he should take in with him. 'All you have will not be enough,' I replied, and con- tinued my journey. [ 252 ] CHAPTER XXIV. At Mayence — What Caulaincourt said — Conversation with the Emperor — Want of Money — Evacuation of Arnheim — Surprise of Neuss — The Enemy cross the Rhine — Advance into France. It was only at Frankfort that I found the scattered remnants of my division ; we were also rejoined by the detachment I had left at Hanau. I had orders to continue my march to Mayence, which I reached that night. The bridge of boats had been so severely tried by the constant succession of troops, waggons, and artillery, that two pontoons had nearly given way. It had therefore been necessary to stop it from being used, and to close the gates of the tete-de-pont. My cliief of the staff, who had preceded me, had posted a notice on the gates that all who belonged to my corps were to betake themselves to . . .* and go into cantonments there. The Emperor sent for me next day, and kept me to dinner. He reviewed all the circumstances and events of the campaign, dealing at length with the bad faith of the allies, especially of Austria at Prague, during the negotiations of the Congress. Caulaincourt, his Master of the Horse, and Count Nar- bonne, his aide-de-camp, had, however, told me that the entire settlement had been in his hands ; that, in reality, he ought to have given up some conquests or combinations, but that * The name of the place is omitted in the original manuscript. WHAT CAULAINCOUIiT SAID 253 he could have retained Italy, the Rhine as a boundary, and the Protectorate of the Helvetian Confederation. That Napoleon had been pressed to consent to this, and warned that, in case of refusal, Austria would make common cause with Russia and Prussia. She made no secret of the fact that she was hound by a treaty, which had been obvious for some months past, as the allies, beaten at the beginning of the campaign, had retired into Silesia, to the foot of the mountains of Bohemia, ready to enter if they were driven to it, and this they could not have done had Austria preserved her neutrality. They would have taken good care not to risk having to surrender at the foot of those mountams, as all their communications would have been cut off if they had lost a decisive battle. Moreover, had they not been certain of Austria's co-operation, they would have recrossed the Oder, near Breslau, in their retreat from Jauer. Prudence recommended a compromise, but the Emperor, blind, and relying upon his ascendancy at the Court of Vienna, which he believed was further strengthened by his position as son-in-law, had obstinately refused to consent to the cession of Holland and the Hanse Towns, and to renounce the Protectorate of the Confederation of the Rhine. As soon as the armistice was denounced, he authorized his plenipotentiaries to make these concessions ; those of the allies, however, replied that it was now too late, and that the question must be settled by the sword. ' \\'hy,' I infjuired, 'did not your Majesty consent sooner? I'hc army earnestly desired it ; the honour of your arms was repaired ; your principal leaders begged it of you, both in the name of the army and of France, so sorely distressed. I myself ventured to point out the dangers of the situation to you. I represented the difficulties France had had in fighting against the Emperor of Russia and the King of Prussia ; wliat, then, would it be when Austria, Sweden, and 254 MARSHAL MACDONALD'S RECOLLECTIONS other lesser States leagued themselves with them? Our losses, I admit, had been somewhat repaired, but how? By recruits who were little more than children, by young untrained horses, already worn out by long forced marches. The renewal of hostilities would once more interrupt our com- munications ; any serious reverse must infallibly ruin us ; we had neither provisions nor ammunition ; and, above all, we had to avoid discouragement, to keep up the spirits of the men.' This reasoning had produced no effect upon him at the time of the negotiations, but now he admitted it was just. ' I did not agree to these concessions,' he said, ' because I feared that the allies would become more exacting, and would demand still more.' 'But in that case. Sire,' I replied, 'why did you, when unfortunately too late, end by consenting ? Had you done so earlier, you would have given proof of your desire for peace ; France and the army would have been grateful to you, and perhaps would have made greater efforts to secure it. Moreover, all the preliminaries declared that, beyond these concessions, the Emperors would ask for nothing. Vou might have done more ; you might have freed yourself with honour from the canker which is destroying your old troops in Spain, and ruining your treasury, had you restored Spain to herself and her sovereign, and thereby displayed a moderation which must have struck France, your armies, and Europe.' ' Yes,' said he, ' that is true ; but now I must retain that country as compensation.' During this conversation the bulletin of the allies upon the events at Leipsic was handed to him. Perhaps there was some exaggeration in their account, but I had to admit that, on the whole, it was but too true ; they were intoxi- cated with their success, and not without reason. CONVERSATION WITH THE EMPEROR 255 Our situation was to France and Europe a striking proof of our reverses, of the terrible misfortunes we had already endured, and of those which threatened and must inevitably overwhelm us if peace, which of course could only he pur- chased by fresh concessions, did not speedily come to save the army and France. To these observations he replied that he was going to try to re-open the negotiations, but that he wished to keep the line of the Rhine, wherein I entirely agreed with him. He informed me that I was to start for Cologne, and to take command of the line from Mayence to Wesel. ' With what troops ?' I asked. ' With what am I to defend a tract of such e.xtent ?' ' I will send you some. They are coming in from all sides, and we are raising 300,000 men. \'ou shall have eighty battalions and sixty squadrons. The enemy, hitherto concentrated, will be obliged to spread out, and we shall be strong at all their vulnerable points.' He thought that the allies would be wearied, and would go into winter quarters on the right bank of the Rhine, thus leaving him time to reform and reinforce his armies ; but in less than two months we were doomed to be disap- pointed. Before we ])arted he asked me to tell him the amount of my personal losses during the campaign. I merely said that they were considerable, which was true ; I had not even a clean shirt left. He said that he had no money at May- ence, but that he would send me an indemnity from Paris. 'I was rich,' he added, 'at the opening of the campaign in 181 2. The armies were well provided, the men paid regularly, and I had left 400000,000 francs [^^i 6,000,000] in the cellars at the Tuileries, of which 300,000,000 [^12,000,000] came from the contributions levied in Prussia I drew out 340,000,000 [^^ 13,600,000] to help 2 MARSHAL MACDONALIYS RECOLLECTIONS France in reforming the army in 1813 ; I have only 60,000,000 [;^2,4oo,ooo] left. It is very little, and 1 have so much to do with it !' This was intended to convey to me that I should only get a very small share. In fact, he only sent me, while I was at Wesel, a draft upon Paris for 30,000 francs (^1,200). I had great difficulty afterwards in getting it cashed, but eventually Monsieur de la Bouillerie, manager of the Crown property, very kindly arranged it for me. I wrote next day to your eldest sister to send me some linen to Cologne, whither I was going. Souham lent me his carriage, and I started that afternoon, finding my staff and my weak force at Bingen. Night was drawing on. They made useless efforts to retain me, but I insisted on starting. The road was bad ; masters, men, postilions, everyone was asleep. We upset coming round a sharp curve recently cut in the rock, and, on leaving the carriage, unhurt, found with terror that we were within two feet of the edge of the Rhine. Had the horses advanced one step more, we must have infallibly perished in the river, after braving so many dangers, and I, in particular, having escaped the Elster. I reached Cologne without further accident, and was thence ordered on to Wesel and Nimeguen. My command, on the right of the line, ended at Coblentz, but on the left extended to Arnheim. All our troops had recrossed the Rhine, and gone from Mayence to Wesel. This last place was strongly garrisoned, and General Bourke, the Governor, had orders to place all his troops at my dis- posal, but only to support my operations, without compro- mising the security of the place This General behaved very well to me ; we reconnoitred outside, and decided that it would be safer not to advance. I went to Nimeguen, where I had been garrisoned, while BRIBERY OR TREACHERY 257 serving uiicIlm" Maillebois, at the beginning of my career ; I had had my tjuarters there after the siege during the winter of 1704-95. At that time we were victorious ; at the period I am now describing we were only acting on a very feeble defensive. I made certain that the enemy were gathering round .\rnhcim. which we held with only a small force. The town was defended by a sort of entrenched camp, but there were no troops to occupy it. I decided upon evacuating the place, and upon recrossing the Leek and the Waal. I saw with my own eyes the enemy's preparations, and that we had not a moment to lose; orders were given, but very badly carried out. Instead of retiring during the night, they waited till the next day, and thf enemy attacked at that very moment. We had 400 or 500 men in the town, but neither collected together nor ready to leave. They were dispersed ; the gate by which we were to quit was not even guarded, so much so that the gatekeeper, whether through bribery or treachery, locked it, disappeared with the keys, and ran away at the first gunshot The detachment, therefore, had to capitulate. The troops from without crossed the bridge without destroy- ing it, not knowing the reason wliy the garrison did not evacuate the town. The enemy seized the opportunity, and followed, but hesitatingly, half-way across. The very fact of the garrison being shut up within the place stopped the enemy's chief forces, as they thought it was much stronger than it really was ; had it not been for that, they might have made it difficult for us to cross the ^Vaal. At Nimeguen there were two little armed Dutch boats. Fearing that they might commit some fresh act of treachery, and prevent the return of our troops, I ordered them to move down the river at once, without giving them a chanre of learning what had happened. I thus succeeded in bring- 17 258 MARSHAL MACDONALD'S RECOLLECTIONS ing across, without impediment, all the detachments that were still on the right bank. I had opened communications with General Molitor, who commanded in the Province of Utrecht. I recalled him, and he crossed to the island of Bommel, whence he joined me with some more skeleton regiments. As I foresaw that we should ere long be compelled to withdraw from Nime- guen, I asked permission to evacuate at the same time Bois- le-Duc, Wesel, Venloo, and Maestricht ; but it was refused. While waiting for an answer to my despatch, I inquired of General Bourke how long he would require to undermine and blow up the fortifications of Wesel, and to withdraw his garrison, supposing his instructions authorized him to carry out such an order if given by me. The question was simple; but it caused him such terror that his only answer to me was a request for an interview, but the events which followed prevented me from complying with it. In asking for an authorization to evacuate these places, I was carrying out the plan of concentration that I had twice proposed under similar circumstances at the end of 1S12 and 1S13; but, in spite of the correctness of my views, experience had taught no lesson, and the garrisons were compelled to capitulate one after another. However, as we could look for no immediate succour, this system served to reinforce our fighting troops, and to weaken the enemy, who were obliged to leave garrisons in the places we eva- cuated. I am aware that the other system has certain advantages — for example, that of detaining a large number of hostile troops by sieges or blockades, and of preserving resources and communications for one's self, if one can succeed in beating the enemy in the open field. But to obtain these advantages an army is a necessity ; and when one has none, or nothing but a few shattered remains, and it takes months SUlil'JilSli AT NKUSS 259 to raise a fresh one, it is better to have recourse to evacua- tion. This is especially the case when the places are scattered — like Zaniosc, Modlin, Pillau, and Dant/.ic — if one is driven back to this side of the Elbe, and like those on the Odor and the Elbe when one has to retire to the Rhine. In my opinion, it is much better to run the risk of being obliged to recommence sieges, and to have a movable army, than to be reduced to mere bundles {paqiiets) of men, which have to end by giving way, as happened to us at the end of each of our last campaigns.* I was told to stand firm ; but with such an extended area as I had under my command, and with such small means, I could only watch the Rhine, and not defend it. The enemy tried to cross at Diisseldorf, and surprised the little garrison of Neuss. I hastened thither, and on the way learnt that it was only a feint, and that the enemy had recrossed the river. They tried the same thing at several other points. All this -^ Hesides the large force shut iip in Hamburg under Marshal Davout (and which held out so gallantly even after the capitulation of Paris), the French had considerably over a hundred thousand veterans ami conscripts blockaded in fortresses, such as Dantzig, Zamosc, Modlin, Stettin, Fillau, Thorn, (ilogau, Torgau, Ciistrin, Witlemburg, Magde- burg, Wurtzburg, Freibourg, Erfurt, with Marshal St. Cyr at Dresden, and in smaller garrisons in .\ustria, at Mayence.or Coblentz possibly, at Strasbourg, Kehl, Colmar, Dijon, Bcsan^on, Belfort, Luxembourg, Thionville, Metz, Phalsbourg, .Saverne, Bitche, Toul, etc., St. Sebas- tian, Panipcluna, and in Catalonia. At Antwerp, also, in the hour of adversity for France, instead of ' emigrating,' the stern Republican Camot placed his sword at the disposal of the Emperor whose career he so highly disapproved of (a pleasant contrast tf) the many Frenchmen who, like Moreau or Dumouriez, slabbed their country in the back when they found its enemies in readiness to support them). All these fortresses were taken or besieged ; of course no reference is made here to the garrisons of the interior, or even to Lyons, which wxs threatened. (See, too, a note by Colonel Phijips in the English edition of Bour- rienne's 'Memoirs of Nai>oleon,' published in 1SS5, vol. iii., ]>. 1 16; and also (ieneral Marbot's ' Memoirs," Eng. edit., vol. ii., p. 421.) 26o MARSHAL MACDONALD'S RECOLLECTIONS was insignificant ; but it served to warn me to act with cir- cumspection, so as not to run the risk of being cut off. I received no further orders, and the events which crowded upon me obliged me to act with prudence. I withdrew slowly to the Meuse, reinforcing Wesel, Venloo, and Maestricht, when I learned that the enemy had opened the campaign, and definitely crossed the Rhine. They were advancing very rapidly, as they met no obstacles to speak of; they might even reach Liege before me. I hastened thither, and thence to Huy, Namur, and Mezieres. [ 26l ] CHAPTl-.R \XV. Campaign in P'rance — Bombardment of Chalons — P'scape from Epcrnay — Champaubert and Chateau-Thierry — Congress of Chatillon — Surprise at Troyes — Retreat of the Enemy — The Emperor at Arcis — Departure of the Emperor. TiiF, Emperor rejoined the army at the first annotincement reaching him of the passage of the Rhine ;* but of all the levies and reinforcements that had been announced with such a flourish, none ever reached me. On paper, I was supposed to be in command of a force numbering from 50,000 to 60,000 men, whereas actually, with Molitor's division, which I brought with me. T had not more than 3,000. I was going to Verdun to join the Duke of Ragusa,+ who was in command on the left of our line, when I received orders to come to Chalons, whence I was sent to Vitry-on- the-Marne. A hostile force, 30,000 strong, was already in the neighbourhood. I rallied my troops at the C/iaussce, where I was attacked, but very feebly, next morning. During the day, however, the enemy made preparations to dislodge me. I held our position till night, when I withdrew to Chalons. The evacuation of this place had already begun, * The allies crossed the Rhine on January i, i.Sr4 : the Emjicror did not leave Paris till the 25th. t Marshal Marmont. 262 MARSHAL MACDONALD'S RECOLLECTIONS but it would take us at least twenty-four hours to finish emptying the magazines, which were so precious to us. The enemy appeared at break of day, and deployed in turn all their forces, which I reckoned at 30,000 men. Prudence unquestionably compelled me not to fight on such unequal terms, or not to expose Chalons ; but, despite our utmost activity, the emptying of the magazines could not be effected before the following night. On the other hand, the General in command at Vitry, who had 2,000 or 2,500 men, sent me word that he was in a very critical position — without victuals or means of de- fence ; that he was already invested on the right bank of the Marne, and that if he did not receive immediate orders to retire, he would be constrained to surrender, and that we should lose the garrison almost without striking a blow. I determined to send him the orders he asked for, and to protect his march on the way to join us. This was an additional reason for defending Chalons. My troops covered the town, and did, in fact, defend it very courageously till nightfall, when the firing ceased on either side. General Yorck, who commanded at this point, had made up his mind to occupy the place ; he summoned me to yield or to evacuate it, otherwise he would set it on fire. That would have been easily done, for many parts of the town are old, and the houses built of wood. Owing to some misunderstanding, his flag of truce was admitted (although, according to my custom, I had renewed my prohibition), and was brought to me. He was the Count of Brandenburg, a natural brother of the King of Prussia, who in 18 1 2 had arrived at Tilsit from Berlin a day or two before the defection of the Prussian corps. This corps was the very one that I had been fighting all day, and com- manded by the same leader. I had hitherto always treated this young man with consideration and politeness ; he [il'.LUCHKR (North . NAPOLEON fCcntr;ir\ SCHWARTZENBERG (Snuthi. c 3 •a > 5 cd > 3 o u c 3 O 3 O j: c V o r. o X. a: to o 7" o ■/: D 3 c s o T. O U- CO 5 O II z 5 C CO UJ o 7- < o J. HI CO -) o z ? OJ > o tr Q. CO u < o 5 CE < > o I < UJ lU H T T Q h- K Z o a. > = e c a ■j: lEi- o a 3 S > o ■o 00 c 2: 6 a o o 2: 3 B CO X < Q. c 3 c > < ■ > 3 u c FZ X \ alley of the M.irnc. \ alley of the heme ami Aubc. 264 MARSHAL MACDONALD'S RECOLLECTIONS showed a decided want of both to me in delivering his message. ' I have more respect for your character than you have yourself,' I said, 'otherwise I would cause you to regret your impertinent manner. I will not expose Chalons to the disorder attendant upon a night-occupation, but I do not mind telling you that I shall evacuate it to-morrow morning. Your General knows me well enough to be convinced that I shall not allow myself to be intimidated by threats any more than by deeds. That is all I have to say to you. Go.' ' We shall set fire to the town,' he repHed. ' As you please,' I answered, and dismissed him. On the previous day I had given orders that the bridge should be mined, as also a triumphal arch that either grati- tude or flattery had raised to the Emperor at its extremity, on the left bank of the Marne. It was not to be blown up except in case the mines failed — which happened — so as to obstruct the bridge, at least for artillery. The threat of shelling the town was quickly put into execution, and immediately spread consternation amongst the inhabitants. I had made every preparation to extinguish the fire in the most exposed quarters. A few houses were set alight, and I then witnessed a heart-breaking spectacle, the authorities imploring me to evacuate the town, and part of the population running hither and thither half clothed, uttering cries of despair, and cursing the author of a war which had brought such desolation upon France, and to whom, all the same, they had recently erected a triumphal arch. I groaned at this pitiful sight ; but my duty would not admit of my yielding nor of compromising my troops and the general operations of the army. The night was very severe ; it was freezing hard, and the poor creatures were BOMBARDMENT OF CHALONS 265 half dressed. The women, their hair streaming and with bare feet, carried about their babies in long clothes. I shall never forget it. The enemy, observing that their fire pro- duced no result, or perhaps for want of ammunition, ceased it, and the inhabitants retired to their homes. I evacuated the place in broad daylight, after ordering a light to be set to the mines under the bridge : but they were badly laid, and only shook it. I then exploded those under the triumphal arch, and, when it had fallen, it made a suf- ficient obstacle to prevent an immediate entrance. The enemy, seeing us prepared to oppose any attempt, refrained from making one all that day. My orders were to communicate with the Duke of Ragusa, who was supposed to be at Arcis-sur-.\ul)e. I sent my cavalry there, but on the way they met that of the enemy, and fell back upon Etoges. The garrison of Vitry, which had retired unhindered, was already there. A portion of my corps ac- rompanied me thither, while the rest made for Jaalons. I thus covered the two main roads between Chalons and Paris. On reaching Champtrix, I learned from some prisoners and from the inhabitants that part of Blucher's army was advancing to Montmirail. As this communication, there- fore, was closed to me, I went across country to Epernay, where all my troops reassembled ; but as it was possible — nay, probable— that the enemy would reach La Ferte-sous- Jouarre before me, if I did not take rapid steps to prevent it, I made a forced march. I had halted and slept at Epernay, and, on continuing my route, left my rear-guard behind to impede the enemy when they quitted Chalons. The egress from Epernay is narrow, and may be defended for a considerable time. I stopped at a village among the hills on the left of the road : but scarcely was I settled there when T was told that 266 MARSHAL MACDONALD'S RECOLLECTIONS my rear-guard, which, however, had not been pressed, was retreating, and that the enemy's vedettes had already reached the village where I was breakfasting. I had but just time to throw myself across my horse and gallop through the vineyards to catch up my troops, who had marched on some distance. Had it not been for the peasant's timely warning, I should have been taken while at table. I escaped with nothing worse than a fright. The General in command of the rear-guard had been frightened by false reports. I slackened his march, and made him face about each time the enemy seemed to come too close to us. We took up our position and rested for a few hours at Dormans, whence we continued our march towards Chateau-Thierry, which had already been passed by my front column. The important thing was to reach La Ferte-sous-Jouarre, where the two roads meet, and to pass the night there. I learned, on arrival, that the Russian General Sacken was at Bussiere. Had I been a few hours later I should have had to retreat to Chateau-Thierry and make for Soissons, which would have separated me from the army and have left Meaux uncovered, and from thence the enemy would have met with no obstacle till they reached Paris. My rear -guard still followed me. They had orders to destroy the bridge at Chateau-Thierry, but it was only partially done. My advance-guard took up their position at La Ferte, on the heights above the road to Montmirail, where they were soon after attacked. We skirmished all day upon a ground favourable to that kind of defence, which allowed time for my rear-guard to come up ; they were somewhat pressed, and only passed through La Ferte. I did not know where the principal headquarters were, as I could obtain no answer to my frequent representations upon my situation. I lost ground .-/ ST.iRTIJXr, EXPLOSION 267 towards the evening, and, fearing simultaneous attacks from the two corps that were debouching by the two roads, I recrossed the Marne next day at Trilport, where the bridge had been mined, in spite of the opposition attempted l)y the inhabitants. I had strictly forbidden that the bridge should be blown up without my express orders, and, as I wished to be on the spot, I remained where I was and slept upon a heap of faggots piled up there to be embarked, instead of going on to Meaux. Utterly fatigued and worn out, I had fallen asleep near a large fire, when I was suddenly startled by a violent detonation, \a\a7x, General of Engineers, who was beside me, ran to the scene of the explosion. It seemed as if we were predestined to misfortune. Owing to some misunder- standing, a match had been laid to the mines; some of them had not exploded, but the bridge was so broken and shaken as to scarcely hold together, and it would have been too dangerous not to complete the work of destruc- tion, the more so as a simple picket would now suffice to guard it, and as there was another bridge intact at Meaux. I kept the Emperor carefully informed of my march, and of the circumstances that had brought me to this point. 1 also sent word to the King of Naples, who was commanding in Paris. The alarm there was very great, and naturally so, for we were now only eleven leagues distant, and the great allied army was marching upon Nogent, Bray, and Montereau. The Emperor, informed by my despatches, made a very bold flank march, and, falling unexpectedly upon Hliicher at Champaubert and Chateau -Thierry, gained a great victory. I had received orders to direct my cavalry so as to assist these attacks, and, although it had to make a long round 268 MARSHAL MACDONALD'S RECOLLECTIONS by Meaux, it arrived in time to take part in the success; then it was that I bitterly regretted the bridge at Trilport. Unfortunately these victories had no result save that of pro- longing our agony ; they raised the spirits of the men, but they thinned and weakened our ranks daily. While these events were in progress on the Marne, the main army of the enemy had seized the three places men- tioned above on the Seine. It therefore became necessary to let go our hold, and hasten with all speed to cover Paris, reassemble our scattered remnants, and give battle. My troops were sent to a point between Brie-Comte- Robert and Guignes. While they were marching I rushed to Paris to put some business matters in order, little think- ing that within a short space the capital would fall into the hands of the allies. I promptly rejoined my troops. After the reassembly was made and the attack ordered I was sent to Bray, where I found the bridge destroyed : the contest was confined to a sharp cannonade. W^e were more fortunate at Montereau. The enemy had taken up a position on the right bank, where they were speedily attacked. One of our corps, repulsed at the first onset, was quickly supported by others who threw^ them- selves forward gallantly, broke the enemy's ranks, and put them to flight. They recrossed the Seine in the utmost disorder, and were eagerly pursued, and I was sent for. The allies retired beyond the Aube. On the way thither they sent parlementaires to propose an armistice. Generals were appointed on either side to treat. This armistice, the enemy stated, should be the preliminary of the peace that was being so slowly negotiated at Chalons. I know not whether either side were of good faith in this congress, but assuredly the allies were not. Lusigny, between Troyes and Vendoeuvre, had been decided upon for the setdement of the armistice. The CONGRESS OF CHATILLON 269 allies have since declared that the territory between the Seine and the Aube had been neutralized while the articles of agreement were being drawn up ; but, whether by a misunderstanding or bad faith, the Emperor ordered the Seine to be crossed at Troves, and sent me to Chatillon. The negotiators of the armistice, finding themselves surrounded by fire, broke up the conferences The Con- gress at Chatillon was alarmed at my approach, and the Duke of Vicenza, the principal French representative at the Congress, sent to me imploring me not to advance ; if I did, all the foreign ministers threatened to retire. I stopped, and the Emperor approved my compliance. W hile we were marching towards Bar-sur-Aube, he was informed that Bliicher's army, which he had beaten and routed at Champaubert and Chateau-Thierry, was re- tracing its steps. He started with all his reserves to fight »hem again, leaving orders with me, as the senior Marshal, to take command of the troops he left behind him (that is to say, those of the Marshal Duke of Reggio, and of General Gerard, which were as weakened as my own), to cross the Seine in person, and put myself in line with these two corps on the Aube. I did this immediately. I marched through a very difficult country near Essoyes, and took La P'erte ; but while I was seeking to communi- cate with Bar-sur-Aube, where the Duke of Reggio ought to have been, some detachments of the enemy showed themselves at a short distance off, beyond the woods belonging to the ancient abbey at Clairvaux. I imme diately concluded that the two corps had been compelled to retire from Bar, but yet I could hear no cannon which could force them to such a step. I hastily summoned the troops who had carried I^ Ferte, and, as my communica- tions on the left with them were thus cut off, and knowing 270 MARSHAL MACDONALD'S RECOLLECTIONS of no other place save Bar-sur-Seine at which I couid cross the river, I made a forced march throughout the night. I only reached the place a quarter of an hour before the enemy's advance cavalry. I at once sent news to Troyes, whither had gone the staff of the two corps. IMarshal Oudinot explained to me the position of aftairs, and the reasons for his retreat. He pressed me, as I had the general command of the troops, to come and take my place more in the centre. I therefore continued my move- ment down the left bank of the Seine, and two days later reached Troyes. For several days previously I had been unwell. On my arrival I was obliged to go to bed. The Marshal and General Gerard came to see me, and we agreed upon our plan. The first thing to be done was to supply Troyes with the means of temporary defence, so as to give my corps time to come up. We settled that one of Gerard's corps should make as long a stand as possible within and without the town, the other being kept in reserve, and that the Marshal's corps should be posted on our side of the suburbs, where they should await the arrival of my troops, which were to come up early next day. Our anxiety was lest the enemy might cross the Seine at Mery, occupy the high-road to Nogent. seize Bray and Montereau, and thus separate us from the Emperor. In that case we should have no road but that by Villeneuve-TArcheveque and Sens. I had betaken myself into the environs, the infantr)- of the two corps were placed as I have described : I was to follow them with mine. I was breakfasting quietly, when General Gressot, chief of Marshal Oudinot's staff, came to tell me that the Marshal's troops had just been placed in the position agreed upon. I had ordered a portion of the cavalry to follow the old route by Pavilion and Le Paraclet. SrfRPRISE AT TROYES 271 As wc were starting to join the Marshal's force, an officer brought nic intelligence that the enemy were just leaving Troyes, and that I had not an instant to lose ; we were in a road running into the highway. I replied that such a thing was impossible, as there was one division within and without the town, another in the rear, and the Marshal's force in reserve. 'They are all gone,' answered the officer. All gone and I had never been told of it ! Ill as I was, 1 jumped on my horse, when I saw the enemy's advance-guard. I dashed at them with my aides- de-camp and my escort, and we drove them back towards the town. Meanwhile, my carriages started at full gallop, and reached the high-road. I rejoined General Gerard, who was continuing his retreat, by order, as he told me, of the Marshal, who was far on ahead. He had not remained in position, although General Gressot told me that he had placed his troops according to our agreement. Ten minutes later my communications were cut off. We marched all day, skirmishing as we went. The cavalry had one brush. We were so far ahead that the enemy could not engage us in a very unequal combat. That evening we made our quarters at Grez and Granges. At the latter place I found Marshal Oudinot, and inquired why he had quitted his post that morning. He replied that the Young Guard was not intended for a rear-guard. ' If that is so,' said I, ' I have no further orders for you. You must go to the Kmperor for them.' I continued retreating. Next day we reoccupied our positions on the Seine at Nogent, Bray, and Montereau, to defend those points where the river might be crossed. JUit the enemy passed it below our left wing, thus making it necessary to change our direction, and march perpendicularly to the river. They deployed in front of us, made a vehement 272 MARSHAL MACDONALD'S RECOLLECTIONS attack on our left, which was formed of the corps of the Duke of Reggio, and drove us back upon Provins. We held firm all day, but not without loss, crossed the ravines, the narrow defiles, and the town, and took up our position in the rear. Our situation was very critical, and we had no news of the Emperor, though not because we had not sent him reports. The enemy made no attempt next day ; this in- activity did not seem natural, and I ordered all my cavalry to be in readiness to make a general reconnaissance the following day. The enemy had only left some feeble detachments to observe us, and were beating a hasty re- treat. On hearing this I quitted the Maison Roi/ge, where I was quartered with the Duke of Reggio, in order to follow their tracks. It was clear that this retreat, with forces very superior to ours, could only have been occasioned by a flank movement made by the Emperor. In fact, while we were on the road, I received orders to march with my full force in the direction of Arcis-sur-Aube. The Duke of Reggio made a forced march to attain the point mentioned. I hastened in front of my troops to reach Arcis, but on the way I came upon a morass, of which the ford had been spoiled and rendered useless by the transit of some heavy material. I ordered a search to be made for another, which caused considerable delay. While continuing my journey, I perceived afar off, on the left of the Aube, all the enemy's forces drawn up in squares, motionless, and my troops drawing away towards Vitry-sur-AIarne. Much surprised at this movement, I spurred on my horse to learn the reason ; I found the Emperor in the public square at Arcis near a camp-fire. ' What is your motive, Sire,' I inquired, ' for withdrawing your troops from here ?' THE F.MPEROR AT ARC IS 273 ' The enemy arc retreating rapidly,' he replied, ' and I am cutting off their communications. Wc have got them now, and they shall pay dearly for their temerity. I have summoned the heavy artillery to Se/anne to follow my movement to Vitry, and have issued orders to our detach- ments at Nogent, Bray, and Montereau, to proceed there by forced marches.' These detachments were commanded by General Pacthod; the artillery and waggons of my army corps were protected by them. ' What 1" I exclaimed, ' the enemy retreating ? They are in position on the other side. I myself saw them in con- siderable force. They also can discern your retrograde movement, and if they attack you here, how will you resist them ?' ' They would not dare to do so ; their only idea is to get across the Rhine, and if they be still there it is simply in order to let all their baggage-waggons pass. Besides, I have sent the Duke of Reggio and the cavalry against them, with orders to mask my movement, and to prevent the enemy from observing it.' ' How is that possible ?' I inquired. ' The town is in a hollow ; the .\ube runs between two hills ; the enemy are on one, and your troops are climbing the other.' ' Never mind,' said he ; ' when will your force arrive ?' ' Very late to-night.' ' Very good. Vou will support the Duke of Reggio, who will continue to act under your orders.' He told the Major General to draw up my instructions. While the latter was dictating them, Marshal Ney, who had been to reconnoitre the enemy, entered. ' What are they doing ?' asked the Emperor. 'They are not stirring from their position, and do not look at all as if they meant to attack.' 18 274 MARSHAL MACDONALD'S RECOLLECTIONS A short time afterwards, while we were still in conversa- tion, Colonel Galbois, of the general staff, galloped up to us at the top of his speed, and in an excited manner informed us that the enemy were advancing towards us. ' That is impossible,' said the Emperor. At the same moment we heard the guns. ' Duke of Tarentum,' said the Emperor, ' mount your horse, and go and reconnoitre.' I found the Duke of Reggio very uneasy ; his position was indeed most critical. ' Hasten to the Emperor, I beg you,' he said : ' he must come to my help, otherwise I am done for.' ' Do not expect any help,' I replied : ' all his troops are on the way to Vitry. He is convinced that the enemy are retreating.' We were still concealed by a slope. ' Let us see,' said I, ' what is threatening us on the other side.' The Marshal's cavalry quickly descended ; I thought they were too much exposed. They would have done better had they been posted on the slope towards Arcis, with vedettes on the edge. Had that been done, the enemy would not have been able to gauge their force. On reaching the top we found ourselves face to face with the enemy's scouts. We hastily turned, but I had just time to glance at our foes and to see that the allies were resolutely marching towards us. ' Hasten,' said the Duke of Reggio — ' hasten to Arcis.' ' When I have got past your troops,' I said, ' for the sight of me galloping to the rear might intimidate and perhaps scatter them. You have three bridges,' I added, ' one on each side of you, and one in the middle of the town ; have them guarded at once.' I quitted him, riding leisurely. As soon, however, as I a© TUM DEPARTURE OF THE EMPEROR 275 had passed his Unes, I set spurs to my horse and galloped to Arcis, but the Emperor was no longer there. He had mounted his horse and followed his troops to Vitry. An officer belonging to the general staff was waiting to obtain intelligence from me, and with orders for me to remain at Arcis until I received further instructions. [ 276 ] CHAPTER XXVI. Battle of Arcis— On the Marne— Battle of St. Dizier — Before Vitry — An Unlucky Misprint — Return towards Paris — The Approaching End. The Duke of Reggio's troops, hard pressed, were retreating in disorder ; the danger was that the enemy might take advantage of the confusion to cross the river; they were already on the bridge. The Marshal had a division in reserve : I pressed him to order it up. It was of the utmost importance to us to retake the bridge, which was severely contested. We reconquered it, and at length set to work to blow it up. Night had fallen. My troops had arrived ; they were posted at every point, but still we were not with- out uneasiness as to the possibility of a nocturnal attack. An officer came from headquarters to ask for news, and to bring me orders to hold firm for two or three days. The Emperor's illusion regarding the retreat of the allies was not yet dissipated. When morning dawned, we saw the enemy quietly in their positions. They remained thus all day, but towards evenmg they began to move apparently in the direction of Vitry. I immediately sent forward a division to forestall them, stop their movement, and cover mine. All our troops had orders to follow, a portion only of my cavalry remaining behind to check for as long as possible any troops which might debouch from Arcis. BATTLE OF ARCIS 277 l-'rom the road that we followed wc were able to observe the enemy's march ; we hastened to get through a nasty- looking defile. The following day was s[)ent in skirmishing; but, as I foresaw a serious attack towards the evening, I drew up my infantry in a favourable position, not far from the point where the enemy would cross the Marne. The artillery covered them : my cavalry, which formed the rear-guard, received orders to retire if the enemy showed any disposition to charge, and to come and draw up behind my line, so as not to mask their fire. While making these arrangements I was very uneasy, for, behind my left, I saw the principal allied forces marching along the Marne, and I feared that they would reach the ford before the division I had sent there ; that was my only com- munication with the Emperor. The latter still retained his opmion as to the enemy's retreat. All these demonstrations, he insisted, were merely feints to deceive us the more thoroughly as to their veritable intentions of gaining the Rhine. He therefore continued his movement towards Saint Dizier and Vassy. As to myself, I was closely followed, and, on the rear of my right wing, Vitry was occupied by the enemy. The two sides came into collision near the ford over the river Marne. The allies were fortunately repulsed by the French division, and, as night was drawing on, they did not think well to hazard an engagement on their flank, and left us masters of a point the importance of which had perhaps escaped them. Events occurred upon my front exactly as I had foreseen them. The enemy had been reinforced, and now ch.arged my cavalr}-, which came at full gallop and very hotly pursued, to take up the place that had been assigned to them. Scarcely was my line unmasked when their adversaries received a volley of grapeshot and musketry which threw 278 MARSHAL MACDONALD'S RECOLLECTIONS them into the utmost disorder, and drove them off for the night. We spent that night in crossing the river upon a miserable raft that we afterwards destroyed. Next morning found us drawn up in battle array upon the right bank, without having been disturbed either by the garrison of Vitry, or by the troops that we had repulsed on the previous day. They deployed before us ; the river ran between us, and they were out of range. If, on the previous day, the enemy, who were in strength, had pressed us vigorously, it would have been all over with us, or, at all events, with our communications with the Emperor. These were unfortunately cut off for all who had been left behind, and who were to have reunited at Sezanne. I had made sure that this convoy had not passed before us ; I had even noticed, as I came along near the defile I had traversed the day before, guns and carriages abandoned, evident proofs that either a combat, a surprise, or an alarm had occurred there. Having no horses that could draw it, I was unable to move all this material, which could not belong to the heavy artillery ; moreover, I did not know whether any fresh orders had been given since those for the junction at Sezanne. While we were facing the enemy I noticed that they were sending troops on towards Vitry, where they would have no difficulty in crossing the Marne. I received at this very moment orders to send my cavalry to Saint Dizier, and shortly afterwards fresh instructions to follow with all my troops. As the Emperor had started thence for Vassy, I received fresh orders to cross the Marne, which I did next day without having been disturbed since the morning of the preceding day. I was instructed to take up a position between the Marne and Vassy. We had just established ourselves, when I received warn- ing, and soon afterwards saw that the allied cavalry was BATTLE OF SAINT DIZIER 27-; debouching from various directions. I sunt word to tlie I'lnperor, who ordered me to advance while he came up in person. He collected all the cavalry that was available, and, going before us, drew up on the other side of the Marne in the plains of Saint Dizier. The enemy had but f«5w infantry, but they had collected at this point about 10,000 cavalry, with a proportionate amount of light artillery. The question was whether this cavalry was covering the army, and if not, what had become of it. The conflict was long and severe. As my artillery was placed upon the heights below which flows the Marne, I commanded the battle-field. Never since the beginning of the war had I an opportunity of seeing so many cavalry engaged. At length the enemy were broken and put to flight, losing 3,000 horses with all their artillery, and were pursued for some distance. We arrived before Vitry ne.\t day, and had melancholy proof that the main army of the allies was no longer there ; what could have become of it ? It was not dilificult to guess, for as it had not followed us, and had left a strong garrison in the town, it was clear that it had faced about and was marching unopposed to Paris ! We had tramped through pouring rain, with hardly any intermission ; the men were utterly exhausted, and the ground so soaked that we could move neither cavalry nor artillery. The Emperor said to me : ' Storm the town." ' What I' 1 exclaimed, " in the present condition of the troops ? Do you not see how large the garrison is on the ramparts ? I grant that they are only made of earth, but, still, they are strengthened with /raises'* and palisaded, and the fosses are full of water ; how are we to cross them ?' • Rows of stakes projecting horizontally from the escarp to prevent eiicalade. Palisades are upright. 2So MARSHAL MACDONALD'S RECOLLECTIONS 'Collect some bundles of straw and throw them in,' answered the Emperor. 'Where are we to get them? There is nothing in the neighbouring villages. And, besides, can we make a solid bridge with a few bundles of straw ? Moreover, can there be any hope of success if such a couj^ de main is attempted with men utterly worn out like mine are now ?' As he still insisted, I dryly said : ' Try it. Sire, with your own (juard if you will ; my men are not in a fit condition now ;' and left him. He sent out a reconnoitring party, and their reports con- vinced him of the impossibility of the enterprise. A bulletin printed by the enemy was brought to me, giving a detailed account of the seizure of the great convoy of artillery that had been collected at Sezanne, and of all the escort, who had been made prisoners, after a brave de- fence, at Fere-Champenoise, where the encounter had taken place. It included the names of the generals, and of the commissioned and non-commissioned officers. I saw the names of all those belonging to my corps. I took this sheet to the Major-General, and begged him to let the Emperor see it at once. 'That I will not,' replied he ; 'the news is too bad. Take it to him yourself.' ' No,' said I ; ' you are our proper intermediary ; it is part of your business.' We argued the point wath considerable warmth ; but as I reflected that the knowledge of these events could not fail to alter the Emperor's plans, and that there was no time to be lost, I took the bulletin to him myself. He was alone near a camp fire. 'You look very much disturbed,' he said. 'What is the matter ?' ' Read this,' I answered, handing him the paper. AN UNLUCKY MISPRINT zHi He read it through and smiled. 'It is not true,' he said. 'That is what the aUies always do.' ' Not true !' I cried ; ' but all the circumstances are de- tailed. I recognize all the names and appointments; our heavy artillery ought to be just about Fere-Champenoise now.' ' What day of the month is this ?' 'The twenty-seventh of March.' (The battle had taken place the previous day.) 'Look here,' said the Emperor, 'this is dated the 29th, which will only be the day after to-morrow !' For an instant I was nonplussed ; I had not noticed the date. * That must be a mistake,' I said ; ' this unfortunate affair must have taken place yesterday at the spot mentioned.' I took up the printed sheet again, and returned to the Major-General's bivouac, where I found his officers and the Emperor's aides-de-camp. ' \Vell, what did the Emperor say ?' ' He does not believe this bulletin is authentic' ' Will you allow me to look at it?' asked (ieneral Drouot, of the Artillery. He e.xamined it, and continued : ' I fear that you are only too correct, Monsieur le Marechal. It must be a misprint ; this is a 6 turned tail downwards.' I went with this explanation to the Emperor, who made no remark but : ' The devil ! That alters matters.' He walked up and down for a few moments, and then said : 'So you don't think we can carry Vitry by main force?' ' I thought,' was my reply, ' tiiat you were convinced of it.' ' Quite true,' he answered. ' Very well, let us go away !' 282 MARSHAL MACDONALD'S RECOLLECTIONS ' Where will you go ?' ' I don't know yet ; but for the present to Saint Dizier* Remain here,' he added ; ' act as the rear-guard ; keep the enemy in check, and prevent them from leaving the town. I will send you further orders ; I am sure to get news at Saint Dizier.' ' Whatever it may be,' I replied, ' Paris, left without de- fence, will have fallen before you can get there— if you are going thither, that is — and however fast you may travel. Were I in your place, I would go into Lorraine and Alsace, collect the garrisons from there, and wage war to the knife upon the enemy's rear, cutting off their communications, intercepting their convoys and reinforcements. They would be compelled to retreat, and you would be supported by our strongholds.' ' I have already ordered General Durutte to collect 10,000 men round Metz,' he said ; 'but before deciding upon any- thing I must have reports.' He started. That night I received orders to retire to Saint Dizier, and there found fresh ones to follow the Em- peror, who had gone in the direction of Vassy, Doulaincourt, and Troyes, so the plan of throwing himself into Alsace and Lorraine had clearly been abandoned. [ ^83 ] CHAPTER X.WII. Fall of Paris — Feeling in the Army — Scene at P'ontainebleau — Beurnon- ville's Letter— Abdication of the Emperor — Nomination of the Commissioners — The Duke of Kagusa — At Petit-Bourg. 1 AM now drawing to the close of this hopeless struggle. Our long political and military agony was to be finished by a thunderclap. A new order of things is now about to begin, under which you, my son, were born, and under which we are still living — the reign of the Bourbons. This ancient dynasty, having been turned off the throne, its head having fallen a victim to the Revolution, its family having since then wandered abroad, tried by means of pro- clamations scattered broadcast to regain its lost ground. No soldier was seduced, but its partisans took heart, first at Nancy, whither the Comte d'Artois, now on the throne, had ventured to betake himself ; then at Paris, where some dis- played resolution — after the city had capitulated, however. I followed the Emperor's steps. I had arrived somewhere between Troyes and Villeneuve-l'Archeveque, when an order reached me to halt wheresoever I might be. In a postscript I read these words : ' Vol/ are doubtless aware that the enemy are masters of Paris: Although we had expected this grievous catastrophe, it 2S4 MARSHAL MACDONALD'S RECOLLECTIONS affected us the more as we thought that the enemy might take revenge for the burning of Moscow, which, however, had not been caused by us, notwithstanding the rumour that had been spread at the time, and which still gained credence. Paris contained all that I held dearest m the world — children, relations, connections, family, friends, and what little I possessed, with the exception of this property where I am writing these hnes. The Emperor had preceded the remains of his army. When within a few leagues of Paris, where he contemplated making the last efforts to delay the enemy, where he intended to wait for us, and at least to succumb with honour — within a few leagues of Paris, I say, he heard of its surrender. '■■ I * ' Meanwhile Napoleon, every hour more alarmed, was straining every nerve to reach the capital. On March 29 the Imperial Guard and equipages arrived late at night at Troyes, having marched above forty miles in that single day. After only a few hours' rest, he threw himself again into his travelling carriage, and, as the wearied cuirassiers could no longer keep pace with him, set out alone for Paris. Courier after courier was despatched before him to announce his immediate return to the authorities at the capital ; but, as Napoleon approached it, the most disastrous intelligence reached him every time he changed horses. He learnt successively that the Empress and his son had quitted Paris — that the enemy were at its gate — that there was fighting on the heights. ' His impatience was now redoubled ; he got into a little post call'che to accelerate his speed, and, although the horses were going at the galloj), he incessantly urged the postillions to get on faster. The steeds flew along, the wheels struck fire in dashing over the pavement, yet nothing could satisfy the Emperor. At length, by great exertions, he reached Fromenteau, near Juvisy, only five leagues from Paris, at ten at night. ' As his horses were there being hurriedly changed at a post-house, called Cour de France, some straggling soldiers, who were passing, announced (without knowing the Emperor) that Paris had capitulated ! "These men are mad !" cried Napoleon; "the thing is impossible. Bring me an officer !"' At the next moment General Belliard came up and gave the whole details of the catastrophe. Large drops of sweat stood on the Emperor's forehead. He turned to Caulaincourt, and said, " Do you hear that?" with a fixed gaze which made him shudder. FALL OF PWie/.s" thought that lie would have retreated with us, and have fallen back upon our strongholds ; instead of that, he sum- moned us to join him by forced marches. 'l"he news of the loss of the capital spread rapidly, and occasioned much discouragement. Many sold'ers left their flag, and retired to their own homes. Although we were in our own country, we were destitute of everything ; we lived upon what we could pick up by marauding.* Discouragement seized some of our generals. One of them even refused to charge the enemy, who were harassing our rear-guard, and in the hearing of his troops cried : ' Damn it, let us have peace !' (A year later he got himself into trouble, was arrested, and only saved by the events of March 20. General was either Ixmished or made his escape, and eventually died mad in a lunatic asylum.) A rumour spread that the Emperor had summoned us to Paris, in order to try to reconquer the capital. I myself received very direct and confidential news of this. I was implored to go in person to headquarters, in order to try to induce the Emperor to make peace, not to compromise what remained of France and the army, even to abdicate in favour of his son ; that would be the best means of making peace between France and the foreigners. The Emperor could not help being aware of these feelings, ' At this moment only the Seine separated Napoleon from the enemy's advanced posts on the extreme allied left in the plain of \'illenciive ; their innumerable watch-fires illuminated the whole north and east of the heavens, while the mighty Conqueror, in the darkness, only followed by two pcst-carriages and a few attendants, received the stroke of fate." — Alison's ' History of Eurojje,' vol. x., 456. • These difficulties were not confined to the French army alone. On March 17, 1814, Bliicher wrote to .Schwart/enberg : ' I am struggling with the greatest want of provisions ; the soldiers have lieen for some days without even bread ; and I am cut off from Nancy, so that I have no means of procuring any. ' 286 MARSHAL MACDONALD'S RECOLLECTIONS any more than of the general discontent that he had raised. As he might have taken it amiss if I left my troops without orders, and might have suspected a plot, I refused to go, and reserved my explanation until we should reach our destination. We were in ignorance as to what had been passing in Paris since its occupation by the allies, and the Emperor was no better informed than we were. We talked over our position — that is to say, over the army and its future, the misfortunes that had befallen France through the obstinacy of a single man. The past overwhelmed, the present was not calculated to reassure us. On the last day of our march, just as we were mounting our horses. General Gerard, accompanied by several others, came to me in the name of his troops. I cannot now remember whether the Marshal Duke of Reggio was with me. Gerard was spokesman ; he pointed out to me the condition of affairs : that everyone was tired of it ; that our misfortunes were heavy enough already, without an attempt being made to aggravate them by a foolhardy resistance, which would only expose Paris to the fate of Moscow if we attempted to drive out the enemy, as was currently reported ; that he and his men were in nowise disposed to advance towards fresh disasters. I replied that I agreed with them, which was quite true, and that I would freely express my opinion to the Emperor. ' In that case,' they cried, ' count upon us. You are our chief; we will obey.' We started and reached Fontainebleau. Great excite- ment reigned among the officers ; they crowded into my quarters, begging me to go at once to the Emperor, to speak to him in the name of the army, and tell him that they had had enough of it, and that it must cease. I promised to do all in my power, and begged them to leave me for a few moments. BEURNONVILLE'S LETTER 2S7 While I was still dressing an aide-de-camp came from the Duke of Ragusa,* bearing a letter from my intimate friend General Ueurnonville. This letter was addressed to me, to the Duke of Ragusa, and to the other Marshals. One of the officers read it aloud while I went on with my toilette. The seal had been broken by the Duke of Ragusa, who commanded our outposts. Beurnonville was a member of the Provibional Govern- ment. He praised Marshals Mortier and Marmont, and their troops, who had fought bravely in defence of Paris ; he spoke of the magnanimity of the allies, of the Emperor of Russia in particular, adding that they would no longer treat with Napoleon, that we were to have the English Constitution, that the Senate was going to set to work, etc. As soon as I was ready I took the letter, and, with the Duke of Reggio ! and several other generals, I went to the castle. In spite of our request, we were all followed by our respective staffs. They feared lest the Emperor, warned of our visit, should make up his mind to lay a trap for us. 'The times are changed,' I said; ' he would venture it the less now that the army is with us.' The feeling among the Guard even was the same ; they shared the discontent of the army at the disasters that the Emperor had brought upon France. However, our officers insisted upon following us to defend us if necessary. Many others, of all ranks, in the courtyard and within the apart- ments, shared the same feelings ; all displayed impatience to have an end put to their an.xiety. There certainly was a project to march upon Paris, but no one seemed disposed for it. As soon as we were announced, the Duke of Reggio and I were shown into the study, where the Emperor was with the Dukes of Bassano (Maret) and \'icenza (Caulaincourti, * Marmont. t Oudinot. 288 MARSHAL MACDONALD'S RECOLLECTIONS the Prince of the Moskowa (Ney), the Prince of Neuchatel (Berthier), Marshal Lefebvre, and others, whom I have now forgotten. This was the beginning of the scene that changed so many destinies. The Emperor approached me. ' Good-day, Duke of Tarentum ; how are you ?' 'Very sad,' I rephed, 'after so many unfortunate events ! a surrender without honour ! no effort made to save Paris ! We are all overwhelmed and humiliated !' ' Certainly it is a great misfortune ; what do your troops say ?' ' That you have summoned us to march upon the capital. They share our grief, and I come now to declare to you that they will not expose Paris to the fate of Moscow. We think we have done enough, have given sufficient proof of our earnest desire to save France from the calamities that are now crowding upon her, without risking an attempt which would be more than unequal, and which can only end in losing everything. The troops are dying of hunger in the midst of their own country, reduced in number though they are by the disastrous events of the campaign, by privation, sickness, and, I must add, by discouragement. Since the occupation of the capital a large number of soldiers have retired to their own homes, and the remainder cannot find enough to live upon in the forest of Fontainebleau. If they advance they will find themselves in an open plain ; our cavalry is weakened and exhausted ; our horses can go no farther ; we have not enough ammunition for one skirmish, and no means of procuring more. If we fail, moreover, as we most probably shall, what remains of us will be destroyed, and the whole of France will be at the mercy of the enemy. We can still impose upon them ; let us retain our attitude. Our mind is made up ; whatever decision may be arrived at, we are determined to have no more to do with it. For SCENE AT FONTAINI-ni.l-An -^89 my own jnirt, I declare to you that my sword shall never he drawn against Frenchmen, nor dyed with French blood. Whatever may be decided upon, we have had enough of this unlucky war without kindling civil war.' ' No one intends to march upon Paris,' said the Emperor. I had expected him to burst into a violent rage, but his answer was given in a calm, mild voice. He repeated : 'The loss of Paris is a great misfortune.' ' Do you know,' said I, ' what is going on there?' ' They say that the allies will not treat with me.' ' Is that all you have heard ?' 'Yes.' " Will your Majesty read this ?' 1 handed him Ijeurnonville's letter, and continued : * You will see from it exactly what measures are being taken, as it is written by one of the members of the Pro- visional Government.' ' Can I read it aloud ?' asked the Emperor. 'Certainly,' I answered ; ' it has already been made public in my room. You will see from the address that it was not sent to me alone. The Duke of Ragusa forwarded it to me open by an aide-de-camp.' The Emperor gave it to the Duke of Bassano, who read it aloud, \\hen he had finished, the Emperor took it from him, and restored it to mc, thanking me for the mark of confidence. 'You should nevLi have had any doubt of it,' I answered. ' Quite true : I was wrong. You arc a good and honour- able man." ' The important thing is to make up your mind, Sire ; public opinion is taking form, and there is no time to be lost.' He turned to all who were present, and said : 19 290 MARSHAL MACDONALD'S RECOLLECTIONS f\ 'Very good, gentlemen; since it must be so, I will \ abdicate. I have tried to bring happiness to France ; I have not succeeded ; events have been against me. I do not wish to increase our sufferings. But when I abdicate, ♦ what will you do ? Will you accept the King of Rome as my successor, and the Empress as Regent ?' We all accepted unanimously. ' The first thing to be done,' he added, ' is to treat for a suspension of arms, and I shall send Commissioners to Paris. I nominate for this important mission the Marshals Prince of the Moskowa and Duke of Ragusa, and the Duke of Vicenza. Does this selection satisfy you ?' *. We replied in the affirmative. He drew up the act of abdication, but changed the word- ^ ing two or three times over. It is not, however, very clear ^' ■ in my memory whether this was done precisely at that moment ; I think it was, but will not affirm it. The allies having come to the determination not to treat ■ as further with the Emperor, the Commissioners, who had just '^ been nominated and approved, became less his representa- tives than those of the army, and it was in the name of the latter that they were to act. The Emperor said : ' Gentlemen, you may now retire. I am going to give directions relative to the instructions for the Commissioners, but I forbid them to make stipulations respecting anything personal to me." Then suddenly throwing himself on a sofa, and striking his thigh with his hand, he continued : ' Nonsense, gentlemen ! let us leave all that alone, and march to-morrow. We shall beat them !' I repeated to him briefly all that I had just said con- cerning the position of the army. ' No,' we all added, ' we have had enough of it ; and remember that every hour that passes tells against the Annrc.iTiox or the emperor 291 success of the mission tliat the envoys have to carry out.' He did not insist, and said : ' He ready to start at four o'clock,' and then dismissed us. It was clear that he was only yielding to necessity, that his idea in summoning us so precipitately to Fontainebleau had been to order an immediate advance against Paris, as rumour had stated, and that he had not abandoned it, as only a minute previously he had said : ' Nonsense, gentlemen ! let us leave all that alone, and march to-morrow. ^Ve shall beat them 1' Those words were to us a warning to take measures. After leaving his presence, we agreed that all authority should be placed in the hands of the Commissioners, that no step should be taken except under their direction until the conclusion of a treaty, and that the command of the army should be given to the Major-General, as the senior, but with a promise from him to carry out no orders of the Emperor, of whatever character, but only such as should be agreed upon by the Commissioners, and giving immediate notice thereof to the different corps. He accepted the command, and made the promise. The news of what had just occurred spread rapidly, and caused great joy. Everyone was relieved of great anxiety, and breathed prayers for the success of the proposed mission. Scarcely had we reached the gallery, on leaving the Emperor, when he sent the Duke of Vicenza to recall me. We stopped, and I returned to him. • I have changed my mind regarding Marshal Marmont,' said he ; 'he is commanding the outposts, and may be of use at Essonne. I wi.sh you to take his place as Com- missioner. Will you accept ?' ' Yes,' I answered ; ' and you may rely upon my doing all in my power.' 292 MARSHAL MACDONALD'S RECOLLECTIONS ' I know it,' he said ; ' you are a man of honour, and I trust in your loyalty.' ' But,' I continued, ' you must give the Marshals notice of this change.' He told Caulaincourt to do so. On our way to where we had left the others in the gallery the latter told me that scarcely had Ave left the Emperor's presence when he said : ' Why did not Marshal Macdonald send me Beurnonville's letter by a courier ?' ' That is part of your distrust of him,' the Duke of Vicenza had answered; 'we all know that he had received it an instant before coming to you with the Duke of Reggio, and that it had been read aloud after being opened by the Duke of Ragusa.' 'That makes a difference,' the Emperor had answered, adding presently : ' It seems to me advisable for the Duke of Ragusa to remain at Essonne ; I wish Macdonald to replace him. Call him back.' Thus it came about that I was summoned to play a part in this great drama of the fall of the Empire, and of the colossus that had for so long weighed upon Europe, which had at length armed herself to overthrow it ! On rejoining our comrades we informed them of the change that had taken place ; they thought the Emperor had already made fresh plans. We insisted then more strongly than ever upon the obligation undertaken by the Major-Cieneral, and agreed to, moreover, by the Emperor — to wit, that he should do nothing except on the initiative and by direction of the Commissioners. We returned once more to the castle for our instructions. The Emperor read them to us. He had had the clause inserted which forbade our making any stipulation con- cerning him personally ; then he gave his deed of abdica- THE COMMISSIONERS 293 tion to the Duke of Vicenza, and we started for Paris accompanied by the hearty wislus of the army f(jr the success of our negotiations. 'I"he Duke of Ragusa's aide-de-camp had already preceded us to Essonne ; he had informed the Marshal of what had passed at the castle, and of the immediate arrival of the Commissioners, amongst whom he had at first been appointed. He did not know that I had been nominated in his place, ^^'e found him in great agitation, complaining that he had not been summoned to the meeting, an omission which we explained to him had been quite accidental. We asked him to send a messenger to ask for a safe conduct for us, that we might have an iiiterview with the Emperor of Russia. While we were awaiting the messenger's return, the Duke of Kagusa informed us that he had received overtures from the allies to dissociate himself from the Emperor's cause with his army corps, and that he had replied by counter- propositions. He feared lest every moment should bring him word that they were accepted. I regret to say that they had been already accepted, which was proved by later avowals and by events that shortly occurred. He had made them in concert with his principal generals.* This story is very painful to me, because it appears to imply a serious charge against the Duke of Ragusa, with whom my relations have since been friendly. I only mention it here in order to e.xplain the part I played in the mission in which I was employed. Moreover, it is only for you, my son, although all the circumstances have been made public, and have called down much animadversion upon the poor Duke, which, added to other domestic sorrows, has made him very unhappy. * .See also some account of these negotiations from another indepen- dent source in the ' Memoirs of (ieneral Savary, Duke of Kovigo.' 294 MARSHAL MACDONALD'S RECOLLECTIONS Our surprise, on learning from Marshal Marmont how- far he had gone in his private negotiations, may be imagined. We pointed out to him his extreme imprudence, and the grave consequences that might ensue for France and the army, which by such a step would be placed at the enemy's mercy. But ' first get me out of the difficulty, and lecture me afterwards.' P^Lvery representation or observation was now unnecessary. The first thing to be done was to prevent this breach, and retard as long as possible the effect of the proposals made by the Duke of Ragusa. These had been already accepted, and this last fact he concealed from us, or from me, at any rate, so upset and anxious was he about the whole matter. One of us advised him to go to Fontainebleau, promising that we would detain the enemy's m.essenger by telling him that the Marshal had been summoned suddenly Viy the Emperor, and that he had to obey. This would only appear natural. Then, as it was unlikely that the Emperor of Russia would refuse to receive us, and to treat for a suspension of arms first of all, we would secure the inclusion of his troops. He refused, however, fearing th^t the Emperor might receive news of his private negotiation, and order his arrest and trial. The Duke of Vicenza thought of and proposed another plan, which was to take the Duke of Ragusa with us, remarking that if our deed of nomination were not asked for, he would be supposed to be one of us ; and in the contrary event we would say that we had added him. This settled, the Duke ordered General Souham, to whom he made over the temporary command of the troops, not to stir, whatever news he received, until his own return, which would take place at an early hour next day. We were now informed that we might pass the allied outposts. We entered our carriages, Marshal Ney with the A COOL HECEl'TION 295 1 )uke of Vicenza, and the Duke of Ragusa with me. On reachini,^ the castle of Petit- Hourg he observed that we were being driven up the avenue ; he started. ' What oljjeclion have you ?' I asked. ' It is,' he re|)hed, ' the headquarters of the alhes' advance-guard, commanded by the Crown Prince of Wur- temberg.' ' Well, what of that ?' *It is with him that 1 made my bargain, and supposing he requires its execution ?' ' If that be so, stay in the carriage ; as soon as we stop I will tell the two other Commissioners,' which I did. The Generalissimo Prince Schwartzenberg came to meet us, and led us to the Crown Prince, who received us very dryly, telling us bitterly that we had caused the misfortunes of all Europe, which was true enough : but the reproach was the more out of place in his mouth, as he, like his father, was one day to profit by these said misfortunes, which brought him the title of King and the aggrandise- ment of the Cirand 1 )uchy of Wurtemberg after it had been raised to a kingdom. Though we did not tell him this plainly, we let him see that we thought it. He quitted the room with every mark of temper and annoyance, and did not reappear. [ 296 ] CHAPTER XXVIII. Prince Schwartzenberg^ — Arrival of the Commissioners in Paris — Re- ception by the Emperor Alexander — The Commissioners' Proposals — The Provisional Government — A Lamentable Defection — The Regency negatived — Decision of the Allies — Return to Fontaine- bleau. We all knew the Generalissimo personally ; he had been Ambassador from his Court to the Emperor, of whom he had formerly been the very humble servant and courtier. It was he who, in 1810, had taken the most pains to bring about the rupture of the marriage-negotiations with Russia, and to play the principal part in making the Emperor marry the Archduchess, by letting it be known secretly that he had plenary powers to accept proposals, which were eventually made. Astonished at finding the Generalissimo at the outposts, and concluding that he intended to attack us, I expressed my surprise at finding him there, adding that if his inten- tions were hostile, we trusted to his honour to tell us so, in order that we might break off our mission and return to our posts. He replied by protesting that he had merely come to Petit-Bourg to pay his respects to the Crown Prince. He added that he had but just arrived when our messenger came to ask for a safe conduct for us, and that he had taken upon himself to receive us at the headquarters of his advance-guard. We could not go on to Paris without PRINCE SCHWARTZ EN BERG 297 permission from the Emperor of Russia, he said, but he had sent to let him know of our arrival, and was sure that his answer would arrive ere lonu'. He was very polite to us, and our conversation naturally turned upon passing events and the object of our mission. We expected to find in him a strong partisan for the right of the King of Rome to succeed his father, and for the regency of the Empress. ^Ve were soon undeceived by hearing the Prince pronounce himself warmly in favour of the general cause of the allies as against the private interests of the House of Austria. His language was certainly that held at his Court, but it was impossible to believe that the Emperor Francis would sacrifice his daughter in this catastrophe, and help in precipitating her from the throne that he had sc eagerly assisted her to mount. It appeared to us the less likely, as it was said that this Archduchess was his favourite daughter. Durin" this conversation someone came and called the Prince ; he left us, and returned a quarter of an hour later, accompanied by the Duke of Ragusa. As the latter observed our surprise, he came to me in an off-hand manner, smiling, and as though relieved of a great weight. He told us that, having, without making himself known, discovered who were in the castle, he had learned that the (ieneralissimo had preceded us, and that the Crown Prince had just retired to his own apartments. It then occurred to him to ask for Prince Schwart/.enberg, and he begged him to allow their convention to have no sequel, as we, his comrades, were come to treat for the whole army inclusively, but on avowable and very different bases. To this the (ieneralissimo had . consented without difficulty. Had all things passed in this manner our discretion would have thrown an imi)enetrable veil over this fault ; the destiny of the Duke of Ragusa decided it otherwise. 298 MARSHAL MACDONALD'S RECOLLECTIONS The conversation, or, to express it better, the discussion, upon the subject of the rights of the King of Rome, recom- menced witli even more warmth, and with no less resistance on the part of the Generalissimo. His servants rescued him from his difficulty by announcing that supper was ready ; it was between ten and eleven o'clock at night, and he told us that he had not dined. He invited us to share his supper, i)ut we took no part in this German meal, for the reason that we had dined at Essonne a few hours previously. Supper was silent and melancholy ; everyone kept his eyes on his plate ; we observed each other. On rising from table we were informed that the Emperor of Russia was expecting us in Paris. The Generalissimo came to see us off, and we started. The Emperor Alexander was staying in the house belong- ing to the Prince de Talleyrand. We were immediately ushered into his presence ; but beibre allowing us to lay before him the object of our mission, he begged us first to hear what he had to say. Thereupon he expressed warmly, and in the most chivalrous manner, his admiration for the French armies, the great glory with which they had covered themselves, notwithstanding the reverses they had met with, which in nowise detracted from their valour. He admitted that they had only yielded compulsorily to superior force, of which he had had an example recently at Fere-Champenoise, where a mere detachment, consisting for the most part of raw recruits, in blouses and round hats, had immortalized itself by its courageous resistance to all the forces collected at that point ; he told us that he was deeply distressed at the loss of so many brave men, and that, after making every effort to save them from certain death, he had at last succeeded in inducing them to surrender as prisoners of war.* He said further that he was no longer an enemy of * This was the affair related in the printed bulletin dated March 26, RECEPTION BY EMPEROR ALEXANDER 299 Napoleon, now that he was unfortunate ; that he had previously been his L^reatest admirer, his friend and his ally; that, on his side, he had faithfully carried out their treaty against England, that was, against her commerce, even though the said treaty caused cruel suffering to his own subjects (whose only means of obtaining what was necessary for their wants and comfort was by means of exchange), although they murmured aloud, and there was some danger of a revolution in his States. It had, however, come to his certain knowledge, he said, that, contrary to the treaty of prohibition, his ally permitted licenses to be issued, and that, notwithstanding his representations, which passed unheeded, he continued to issue them. He had therefore been obliged to shut his eyes to some traffic which Napoleon insisted upon closing. Some curt diplomatic notes were exchanged, and seeing himself threatened with a fresh war, he still had preferred to await the effects in his own country rather than provoke it. ' You know the results, gentlemen,' he continued ; ' my armies, and the climate of my country, avenged my subjects for the miseries they had undergone. Vou were but passive instruments. I only esteem you the more for having done your duty, and proved your attachment, your devotion, and your fidelity to your master, of which you are now giving him a fresh jjroof, instead of doing as many others have done, who have thrown themselves into our arms, and done their best to bring about his downfall, and that of the French Empire. \\'e were willing to treat openly with him at Prague, at Frankfort, and at Chatillon-sur-Seine : he would not consent, and see whither his obstinacy has brought him. We have now declared that we will not treat any of which the 6 turned upside down made 29, and to which the Em|)eror would attach no credence while we were Ixjfore Vitr>'. — JVoU hy Marshal MiiiiioiiaU. 300 MARSHAL MACDONALUS RECOLLECTIONS further with him, because we can place no reUance upon him ; but we do not wish in the smallest degree to take any part in the government of France, nor to lay her under any contributions, nor to diminish her ancient territory. We will even increase it.' He recommenced his praises of the French army, of its Marshals, etc. We saw through it, and clearly distinguished how much flattery there was in this long speech, which we did not interrupt. When he had finished. Marshal Ney began to speak, and said some good things and some useless ones. We tried to stop him, but he replied in an angry voice : ' Let me speak. You will have your turn.' The Duke of Vicenza was boiling over ; it would have been more suitable for him to reply, as he was much better acquainted with the proper forms, and was more moderate. The Emperor listened quietly. At last conversation became general. We praised the generosity of the allies when they had gained the right to avenge themselves upon us ; but we referred that generosity to his personal magnanimity. We spoke of the glory and bravery of the Russian troops, and of his own in particular, and made use of the weapons that he had employed to return all that he had with so much liber- ality and chivalry accorded to us. He seemed much touched. After these reciprocal compUments we profited by his favourable disposition to ask for his intervention and sup- port in favour of the cause that we had come to submit to him, and the proposals that we had to make to him — that is to say, the abdication of Napoleon, which ought to satisfy the allies, the recognition of his son as his successor, and of the Empress as Regent. 'It is too late,' he said; 'opinion has made too great strides. We have not checked it, and it is growing moment- THE COMMISSION HRS' PHOI'OSALS 301 arily. Why did you not come to an understanding with the Conservative Senate ?' ' Hy what right did it act ?' we exclaimed. ' It has heUed its title ; it had no mission ; a crawling, creeping, com- plaisant slave, it depended for its existence on the constitu- tions of the Empire. They are now overturned ; it therefore is nothing. It is usurping at this moment an authority which can only emanate from national opinion, and that opinion has everything to fear from the resentment of the Bourbons, the i-mi^ns, and the Royalists. Will your Majesty permit us to speak plainly to this vile Senate? Every insti- tution, everything that now exists, will be threatened ; those who have acquired national property will be sought out ; a fn^htful civil war will be the result. The nation has made too many sacrifices ; she has paid too dearly for the little liberty she has secured, not to be ready to do anything to safeguard it. The army will not allow the glory wherewith it has covered itself to be trodden under foot. Unhappy by the fault of its chief, it will, either with or without him, spring again from its ashes, stronger, more ardent than ever for national liberties, institutions, and independence. Henceforward its one aim will be to consolidate these with- out thinking of conquering or harassing other nations.' The Emperor of Russia, struck by these arguments, was shaken. ' Be our mediator. Sire ; it is a fresh field of glory, and one worthy of the great soul of your Majesty. Vou have declared that you made war only against one man ; he is vanquished ; let your Majesty show that you are a generous conqueror. Earn the gratitude of the great national majority, as you have earned ours by your magnanimous moderation. The ICmperor seemed much moved by our confidence in him, and said : 302 MARSHAL MACDONALD'S RECOLLECTIONS ' I have no reason to object to your seeing the Senate. I do not care about the Bourbons ; I do not know them. I fear it will be impossible to obtain the Regency. Austria is most opposed to it. Were I alone, I would willingly con- sent ; but I must act in concert with my allies. Since the Bourbons will not do, take a foreign Prince, or choose one of your marshals, as Sweden did Bernadotte ; there are plenty of illustrious men in France. Finally, gentlemen, in order to prove the sincere esteem and great regard I enter- tain for you, I will make your proposals known to my allies, and will support them. I confess I am most anxious to have the matter settled, for there are risings still going on in Lorraine and the Vosges, and they are increasing ; people are shooting each other there every day ; a column of my troops lost 3,000 men while crossing those departments, and that without seemg a single French soldier. Your out- spokenness has encouraged mine, and I do not hesitate to tell you these things. Come back at nine o'clock — we will finish then.' We withdrew ; on entering the great drawing-room we found there the members of the so-called Provisional Govern- ment, with the provisional Ministers and other persons. Anxiety and fear were depicted upon every countenance. A discussion had begun, when the members of this Govern- ment were summoned to the Emperor's presence. They were all in disgraceful undress, and we had found the Czar in full military uniform. They remained with him some time. The discussion in the drawing-room increased in animation. At length they reappeared, and wished to take a high hand and authoritative manner with us, which we promptly resented, telling them that they were a set of factious, ambitious men, who were betraying their country, and forswearing the oaths they had sworn. A I. \vr\T\nLE DEFECTION 303 The Prince de Talleyrand took no jiart. As the discus- sion became very noisy, the I >uke of Vicenza raised his voice, and said : 'dentlemen, you forget tlua \nu aiv in the apartments of the Emperor of Russia.' Silence ensued, and Monsieur de Talleyrand invited everyone to go down to his room, adding thnt there we might seek, and perhaps find, a means of agreement and conciliation. We answered that we did not recognize their authority, and departed. On my own account I had overwhelmed with reproaches my friends Beurnonville, and Dupont, who had accepted the Ministry of War. The latter had good reason to com- plain of Napoleon, who had caused him to be tried by a commission of .Ministers and Privy Councillors who were devoted to him, instead of sending him before his proper judges, either the High Court, or a court-martial, for his share in the memorable and unfortunate affair at Baylen.* I have forgotten to say that as we were leaving the pre- sence of the Emperor of Russia one of his generals began to speak to him in a low voice. I heard the words, Mum corpus, to which at first I attached no importance, but which gained great significance a few moments later. We were going to the house of Marshal Ney. Wo. learned here that our arrival had struck terror into the hearts of all the supporters of the new state of things ; more than 2,000 white cockades had been removed from as many hats, and the Senate was trembling. While we were at breakfast the Duke of Ragusa was called awav. He returned a moment later, pale and as if beside himself, and .said to us : ' My whole corps went over to the enemy last night.' * The surrender of Dupont and his forces to ihe .Spanish General Ostanos, July 19, i?= \^\y tJ^^>^"' TERMINATION OF THE DRAMA 327 begin without him, as he felt unwell and was going to bed ; food was, however, sent to him. He also settled nine o'clock in the morning as the hour at which we were to come to receive the ratifications. An aide-de-camp arrived from the iMiiperor of Russia, I know not whether before, during, or after dinner. He was the bearer of the ratified treaty, sent by his master to Napo- leon out of courtesy. This aide-de-camp was, I believe, Monsieur de Schuvaloff, one of Alexander's favourites. He was admitted, I believe, l)ut I do not know what pas.sed between him and Napoleon. If the Duke of Vicenza ever writes his Memoirs, no doubt he will mention the subject. All those who had remained at Fontainebleau, and who were for the most part attached to the service of the house and person of the Emperor, were overjoyed at seeing the termination of this great drama. They had nothing further to hope for from him : decency had kept them at their posts, but they longed for the moment of dismissal. Ne.xt morning, at nine o'clock, I was introduced into the Imperial presence. The Dukes of Bassano and Vicenza were with Napoleon. He was seated before the fire, clothed in a simple dimity dressing-gown, his legs bare, his feet in slippers, his neck uncovered, his head buried in his hands, and his elbows resting on his knees. He did not stir when I entered, although my name was announced in a loud voice. After some minutes of silent waiting the Duke of Vicenza said to him : 'Sire, the Marshal Duke of Tarentum has come in obe- dience to your orders ; it is important that he should start again for Paris ' The Emperor appeared to wake from a dream, and to i)C surprised at seeing me. He got up and gave me his hand with an apology for not having'j^heard me enter. As soon 328 MARSHAL MACDONALD'S RECOLLECTIONS as he uncovered his face I was struck by his appearance ; his complexion was yellow and greenish. ' Is your Majesty not well ?' I asked. ' No,' answered Napoleon ; ' T have been very ill all night.'* Thereupon he seated himself again, dropped into his former attitude, and appeared once more plunged in his reveries. The two other spectators and I looked at each other without speaking. At last, after a somewhat lengthy pause, the Duke of Vicenza again said : 'Sire, the Duke of Tarentum is waiting. The deeds which he is to take with him ought to be delivered to him, seeing that the delay will expire in twenty-four hours, and that the exchange is to be made in Paris.' The Emperor, rousing himself a second time from his meditations, got up more briskly, but his colour had not changed, and his face was melancholy. ' I feel rather better,' he said to us, and then added : 'Duke of Tarentum, I cannot tell you how touched by, and grateful for, your conduct and devotion I am. I did not know you well ; I was prejudiced against you. I have done so much for, and loaded with favours, so many others, who have abandoned and neglected me ; and you, who owed me nothing, have remained faithful to me ! I appreciate your loyalty all too late, and I sincerely regret that I am no longer in a position to express my gratitude to you except by words. I know that your delicacy and disinterestedness have left you without fortune ; and I am not unaware of the generous * It is alleged that Napoleon took poison on the night of March 12. [See Baron Fain's ' Memoirs "; also Bourrienne's ' Memoirs of Napoleon,' Eng. edit., vol. iii. , p. 233.] It is probable, however, that the Emperor had taken an overdose of opium, with the intention of obtaining artificial sleep for his overtaxed system, exhausted physically by his recent rapi journey to Fontainebleau, and mentally by the strain and anxiety of the previous weeks. NAPOLEON'S FAREWELL 329 manner in which you refused to accept a present of con- siderable value at Gratz in 1809, which the States of the province offered you in token of their gratitude for the strict discipline and order you maintained among my troops, and where your impartial rule did justice to all. l'"ormerly I was rich and powerful ; now I am poor.' ' I flatter myself,' I answered, ' that your Majesty thinks too well of me to believe that I would accept any reward in your present position ; my conduct, upon which you place too high a value, has been entirely disinterested.' 'I know it,' he said, pressing my hand; 'but, without hurting your delicacy, you can accept a present of another kind, the sword of Mourad-Bey which I wore at the battle of Mont-Thabor ; keep it in remembrance of me and of my friendship for you.' He had it brought to him, and offered it to me. I thought I might accept this present. I thanked him very warmly ; we threw ourselves into each other's arms, and embraced one another effusively. He begged me to come and see him in Elba if any chance took me into Italy ; I promised. At length we separated. The documents that I was to carry were given to me. I made my preparations for departure, and since then I have never seen ^lapolcon agam. [ 33° CHAPTER XXXI. Delivery of the Treaty — The Marshal's Reappearance at the Tuileries — Dinner with the Czar — And with Monsieur — Arrival of the King at Compiegne — His Reception of the Marshals — Dinner with the King — Macclonald's Opinion — The King comes to Saint Ouen. I REACHED Paris that evening, and fulfilled on the following day the mission with which I was charged — the delivery of the treaty ratified by Napoleon himself. There was no exchange, for, as I have said, the Emperor Alexander had sent his personal ratification direct and with great courtesy first. The Foreign Ministers, who were assembled at the hotel of Prince Hardenberg, received me with great demonstra- tions of politeness, and showed lively satisfaction at finding the united efforts of the allied Sovereigns crowned with a success so unexpected for their cause. Prince Hardenberg appeared to have forgotten the per- emptory manner with which I had treated him in January, 1 813, after the desertion of the Prussian corps under my orders. He confined himself to asking me for news of various persons whom he had known in the PVench army, and with speaking to me of his friend the Count de vSt. Marsan, whom he had had the pleasure of meeting. The Count de St. Marsan had spent several years in Berlin, till 181 3, as French minister. He had followed the King Tin-: MARSHAL CONTRACTS FRESH ENGAGEMENTS jji of Triissia into Silesia, when he suddenly quitted his residence at Potsdam on hearing of the final disasters accompanying our retreat, and of the desertion of his body of troops, for which he appeared to fear that he might be held responsible. It was afterwards said that Monsieur de St. Marsan was more devoted to Prussia than to France, and that long before the catastrophe he had made his peace with the allies. I have never taken any pains to verify this rumour. General Dupont, at that time Minister for War, and a friend of mine of many years" standing,* having learned that 1 had delivered the treaty, came to me, in the name of the Comte d'Artois, Lieutenant-General of the kingdom, to solicit my personal adherence to the changes that had taken place. I had e.xecuted my engagements ; I was no longer bound by oath : in a word, I was free. I had no other objections to make that could carry any weight, and I acted honestly and honourably in putting my hand to the document that appeared next day in the Monitiin . Vou will observe, my son, that I aftenvards faithfully carried out the fresh engage- ments I had just contracted ; it is an example that I recom- mend you to follow. It was some time ere I went to the Tuileries to pay my respects to Monsieur, at that time Lieutenant-CTcneral of the kingdom, now King Charles X. My friends urged me. I had no objection to going, but I thought it more fitting not to show too much anxiety, after executing a mission not very well calculated to please the Prince, and especially after having exhibited so much resistance and opposition. At length I went thither. The drawing-rooms were furnished as they had been at the zenith of the fallen Sovereign. Somebody told his Royal Highness that I was • Wc had made acquaintance in 17S4, in Holland, when we were Ixjth servini; in Maillelxiis" legion ; since then we had seldom been long without nition of the army,' said the Kmpcror, ' I need only recall to you an event pcr- [ictuated in history. Five or six d.iys after my landing at Cannes in I Si 5, the advanced guard of my little army met the advance of a 362 MARSHAL MACDONALD'S RECOLLECTIONS ' At any rate,' I said, ' we can count upon General Mar- chand,* as he hates Napoleon personally, and is his declared enemy. Therefore you may count upon his fidelity, as well as upon his endeavours to resist and avenge himself.' I travelled with the Prince as far as Moulins ; there we had to part company for want of horses, and I was obliged to wait for the return of his, so that he had a start of several hours. At the last stage, while the horses were being changed, I received a letter from Monsieur, who had just learned from division marching from Grenoble against me. Cambronne, who com- manded my troops, wanted to address them, but they would not listen to him. They also refused to receive Raoul, whom I sent afterwards. 'When I was informed of this, I went to them myself, with a few of my Guard, with their arms reversed, and called out, "The first soldier who pleases may come forward and kill his Emperor." It operated like an electric shock, and " F/'t'c V Emperetir f resounded through the ranks ; the division and my Guards fraternized, all joined me, and advanced together to Grenoble. Near Grenoble the brave Lal)edoyere, a young man, disgusted by the conduct of the miserahlcs against whom France had fought and bled for so many years, joined me with his regiment. 'At Grenoble I found the regiment, in which, twenty-five years before, I had been captain, and some others, drawn up on the ramparts to oppose me. No sooner did they see me than enthusiastic cries of '■'■Vive V Eviperetir r were heard, not only from them, but from the whole of the National Guard and the townspeople : the gates were pulled down, and I entered in triumph. What is singular, and strikingly shows the sentiments of the troops, is that almost in a moment the six thousand men by whom I was thus joined mounted the old tricoloured cockades, which they had kept as treasures when the army had been obliged to adopt the Bourbon anti-national flag. I advanced to Lyons, where I was joined by the very troops charged to defend it against me, and the Comte d"Artois was hajjpy to escape, escorted by a single dragoon, from the city he had commanded a few hours before. To all his entreaties, offers, and prayers, "Vive VEiupereur T was the sole response.' — O'Meara's 'Napoleon at St. Helena' (edition of iS88), vol. ii., p. 261. * This General was in command of the 7th military division. MONSIEili AT LYONS 363 the Duke of Orleans that I was following him, in which he begged me to lose no time in reaching Lyons. He sent me also' a confidential letter, written by the Captain of his (iiiards, Count des Cars, to say that his position was very precarious, that Xapoleon had advanced so rapidly as to be within one day's march of Lyons, and that the garrison showed such bad feeling that he could not trust it to defend the passage of the Rhone. I entered the postmaster's house in order to read and answer this letter. So well had the secret of its contents been kept, that, on coming out of the house to give my letter to the courier, I found a large gathering of engineers col- lected, and to them the courier was relating all that was known at Lyons concerninii the march of events and the spirit of the garrison I This was confirmed by the pos- tilion, and was practically the contents of my letter from Count des Cars. T started at last and very rapidly, but just outside the town an a.xle of my carriage broke, and it upset. I was none the worse for my fall, but the accident occasioned a further loss of time, as I was obliged to walk the rest of the way. On reaching the hotel where I was in the habit of stopping, I found two officers waiting to conduct me to the house of the Governor, where Monsieur had dined ; a third came up immediately afterwards to bring me to the presence of his Royal Highness. It was between nine and ten o'clock on the night of the 9th of March. The authorities of the town, as well as the generals and colonels, were with Monsieur. He knew from the Duke of Orleans that I was on the way to Ninies. 'The roads are intercepted,' he said to me, 'and you can no longer pass. Remain with us, take the command : I give you plenary |JOwers.' The Prince then told me that no reliance could be placed 364 MARSHAL MACDONALD'S RECOLLECTIONS upon the troops, and that he had given orders to evacuate the town early next morning. My surprise was extreme. 'Abandon Lyons!' I exclaimed; ' where, then, will you stop after quitting the barrier of the Rhone ?' ' We have neither ammunition nor guns,' he replied ; ' the troops have declared plainly that they will offer no resistance, and the majority of the population is with them and against us.' The situation beyond a doubt was very serious and critical. 'Let us try something before giving up,' I said; 'let us suspend our retreat ; we can always come back to that if necessary, for, if Napoleon is within a march of the town, let him make as much speed as he likes, he cannot arrive until between one and two o'clock in the day, as he has to lead wearied soldiers. Let us assemble our men at six in the morning, see them, speak to them ; we may gain some- thing by it. We will try to change their opinion by attacking them on the subject of their honour, always a delicate point with a Frenchman. We will explain to them the misfortunes that must result from a civil war, and the danger to France, no less great, of seeing all Europe raised in arms against her for the second time.' My advice was unanimously agreed to, and orders were given to countermand the evacuation, and to summon al^ the garrison to meet next morning in the Place Bellecour. Having accepted the command, I ordered that all communi- cation between the two banks of the Rhone should cease ' that all boats should be brought over to our side and moored there ; that strong outposts should be placed on the right bank and along the roads ; that the Morand and De la Guillotiere bridges should be barricaded and put into the best state of defence that time would permit ; and, finally, that a succession of patrols and reconnoitring parties should be sent out so as to give us the promptest information. In DISLOYALTY 365 a worti, 1 made all the dispositions that c:in be made in a campaign when troops are in front of the enemy. Particular commands were assigned ; each oflficer had a certain mimher of troops and posts to establish and watch. These points settled, I finished by ordering a ration of brandy to be served out before the review, and we separated. On reaching my hotel, accompanied by the generals in command, I asked them to spenk to their chief ofificers and to do their best to induce the men to give Monsieur a good reception at the review. 1 spent the night in giving orders and obtaining information. Between three and four in the morning General Krayer, who had command of one of the territorial subdivisions, came to me ; he had served with me through part of the campaign of 1813 and that of 18 14. He came to tell me that the men refused to be reviewed by the Princes, but that they would be delighted to see me, their old General. 1 was thunderstruck at this news. 'Who can have put that idea into their heads?' I asked. ' Are we on the eve of a fresh revolution ? Is every bond of discipline relaxed ?' 'No,' he answered; 'they have been e.xcited by some [mblic-house sj)eeches ; the officers are not less excited. So many follies have already been committed ! So little interest has been taken in the soldiers, and so many injustices done in order to make places for emif^res, c/iouans, and Vendeans, upon whom rank, honours, and distinctions have been showered !' ' From your manner,' I said, ' I gather that you share these opinions.' 'I do,' he replied ; ' I agree with them ; but 1 will do luy duty to the end.' (\'ou will very shortly see, my son, how that duty was performed.) 366 MARSHAL MACDONALD'S RECOLLECTIONS 'It is getting late,' continued Brayer : 'it is more than time to warn Monsieur not to appear before the troops, to prevent him from being insuhed and received without respect.' I rapidly considered all the consequences that this might produce : but how could I undertake to make such a com- munication to his Royal Highness ? What would happen if he attempted to brave this warning, as he very likely would ? A brilliant idea occurred to me, and I promptly set about carrying it into effect. On entering Monsieur's apartments I found his officers standing about waiting till he awoke. I remarked that the communication I had to make to him would brook no delay; Count des Cars entered his bedroom and announced me. I told his Royal Highness that the reports I had received during the night regarding the state of mind of the men were no better, and that I had thought that his presence might be a constraint upon them ; that perhaps it would be better if I saw them alone, being accustomed to war and soldiers, and being one of themselves — to use an expression in vogue at that time ; that they could express their opinions more freely, and that I would send to let him know at the earliest favourable opportunity. From this the Prince could guess or penetrate my real motive ; he learned it later, but not from me. I returned to my rooms to wait till the troops were drawn up in the Place Bellecour. I was vexed that the weather was wet, but I was still more annoyed on learning that no rations had been served out that it had been impossible to find during the night either the Commissary-General to sign the orders for the regiments, or the storekeeper to give out the brandy. At the time fixed for the review, General Brayer came to fetch me ; he had brought me a horse, and we started in pouring rain. As we reached the Place, on the right of the MUTINOUS TROOPS 367 troops, acclamations broke out, and were repeated as I rode down the lines. Many inquisiti\c people mingled their voices with those of the men, hut no other name or titles except my own were distinguishable. This beginning seemed to me a good omen ; I was deceived by it, and soon found out the fact. I ordered a sciuare to be formed, and rode into the middle of it, so as to be the better heard by everyone. I began by thanking them for their reception of me, flattering myself that it arose from a recollection of the care that, from duty as well as from attachment to my men, I had always taken of their comfort ; this has been the con- stant preoccupation of my long military career. I continued Ijy saying that I highly recognized their loyal services, their devotion in good and bad fortune ; that though we had succumbed at last, it. had at any rate been with honour, and that it had required all the armies of Europe, as well as some great blunders on our own side, which could not l)e imputed to us, to bring al:)out results that could not have been prevented. I added that they all knew that I had been the last to submit, and that thus we had fulfilled our obligations, but that, released by the will of the nation, we had contracted others, not less sacred, to which the Royal Government would find us equally loyal ; that the invasion that had collected us at Lyons would let loose upon our fatherland misfortunes even greater than those of the previous year, since then ancient France had remained intact ; but this time the allies would make us pay dearly for a fresh appeal to arms. I cannot rememl)er what more I said to stir these men : they heard me in silence. I was very excited. I finished my speech by saying that I had too good an opinion of their fidelity and patriotic feelings to think that they would refuse to do as I did, who had never deceived them, and that they would follow me 368 MARSHAL MACDONALD'S RECOLLECTIONS along the path of honour and duty ; the only guarantee that I asked of them was to join with me in crying : ' Long live the King !' I shouted this several times at the top of my voice. Not one single voice joined me. They all main- tained a stony silence : I admit that I was disconcerted. My attempts on the other squares were equally fruitless. The word seemed to have been given to all the troops. While making similar attempts on the cavalry, I sent for Monsieur, hoping that, notwithstanding what had been reported to me during the night, he would be received respectfully, if not cordially, as I had at first been. I also wished that the Prince should be a witness of my en- deavours, and that our common efforts might succeed in overcoming this obstinate and dreary silence ; but we failed a second time. We had come to the last regiment, the 14th Dragoons, if I remember rightly. The Prince went up to an old and decorated trooper, spoke to him kindly, and praised him for his courage, of which he bore the proofs on his breast. The dragoon — I can see him now — stood motionless, impassive, with staring eyes and open mouth. His Colonel and several ofificers, who were shouting ' Vive le Roi !' with us, addressed him by name, exhorted and pressed him, but he remained unshaken. Monsieur was crimson with anger, but had the good sense not to show it. We did not let the troops march past, but sent them straight to their respective positions and quarters, arranging for the defence of the bridges and fords over the Rhone as though in presence of an enemy. I then told Monsieur that we might perhaps be more successful if we made another attempt upon the officers by themselves. They also had displayed coldness, but they might have felt some awkwardness in presence of their men. I therefore gave orders that they should all assemble in THE PRINCE STARTS FOR THE RHONE 3C9 my rooms, from the General down to the youngest Sub- Lieutenant. I begged his Royal Highness meanwhile to visit all the bridges, so as to make sure that the defence works agreed upon the previous evening had been carried out. The Prince liked the idea, and started for the Rhone, while I went to the meeting. 24 [ 37° ] CHAPTER XXXV. Meeting of Officers — Grounds of Complaint — Departure of Monsieur — A Stratagem — Illusory Hopes — A Critical Moment — Retreat — A Hasty F"light — General Digeon's Terror — A Hard Ride. There was such a large muster that my rooms could not contain all who were present ; the staircases were crowded. I entered upon my subject by saying all I could think of best calculated to stir their loyalty, no longer foreshadowing, but proving to absolute certainty, all the dire misfortunes that would come upon France and themselves. I saw that they were very animated, excited and eager. The bitterest and most stinging reproaches were heaped, often disrespect- fully, not only upon the Government, but upon the King and Royal Family. Loud were the complaints made of prodigality, unfair distribution of promotions and decora- tions, neglect, and contempt of former services. I, of course, tried to lay these faults at the door of the ignorance and intrigue by which the throne was surrounded ;* further, * In 1814, when Massena was presented at Court, or when he went to take leave of the King on departing for his command at Marseilles, the great personages by whom his Majesty was surrounded cleared but very narrow space for him to pass through. He had no sooner delivered a few words than he found himself without the circle. Massena fre- quently alluded to the clever way in which they cut him off and separated him from the King. ' When I was on the field of battle,' said he, 'I did not employ so much dexterity in making my prisoners.' — Aladame Campan's 'Memoirs' (edition of 1S83), vol. i., p. 61. GROUNDS OF COMPLAINT ^71 I said tliat the King, whose intentions were good and pure, would, when he was better informed, apply a prompt remedy to these grounds of complaint, which I undertook to com- municate to him, and for which we would find redress, but at this moment our country was to be served and saved. \ainly did I exhaust myself for two hours, holding my ground against all these men, who, without personal rude- ness to me. spoke their minds very freely. It was easy to see why the troops had remained so silent ; they took their cue from their officers. There were several grounds of complaint referred to (Jinaie(l hy Louvel, February 13, 1^20. — TratisliUor. 374 MARSHAL MACDONALD'S RECOLLECTIONS men who believe that this crime was the result of a con- spiracy. The only satisfactory point in this terrible mis- fortune was the immediate arrest of the detestable murderer; had he not been taken, suspicion and distrust would have lain upon all the ' constitutional party,'* without exception. There are still a considerable number of people, on the opposite side, who believe it ; but the opinion is losing ground, and remains only in a few of the densest heads. In spite of party differences and political animosity, there was but one voice throughout the land, and that was raised to call down the vengeance of the law for the punishment of this abominable crime. Although I was somewhat calmed by the departure of the Princes, I was far from being easy. The minds of the men, of the officers, and, I must even add, of the generals of the 19th military division, seemed to become more excited as the decisive moment drew nearer. I sent for the Prefect and the Mayor, and while waiting for them telegraphed! a short message about the state of affairs to the Minister for War, of which he only received the heading : ^Marshal Macdouald to the ]\Iinister for JVar.'l Monsieur had desired me to send it, and to announce * The term ' constitutional ' [coiistilHtioniicl) is applied to all those who followed the Revolutionary movement while detesting its horrors, and who openly rallied themselves under the protecting shield of the Charter ; the others are the inveterate adherents of the old regime and of absolute power. — Note by Marshal Macdonald. t The semaphore telegraph had been brought to great perfection during the reign of Napoleon. i This message was no doubt intentionally curtailed. Three years previously London had been thrown into dismay by the accident of a sudden fog coming on during the transmission of the semaphore signals from Plymouth, and for some hours a message remained incomplete, beginning, 'Wellington defeated at Salamanca . . .' [the French under Marmont on July 22]. A STRATAGEM 375 his departure for Paris with the Duke of Orleans. I had also carried out the I'rince's orders about halting and retiring the troops that were marching towards Lyons. I shortly afterwards learned that the Prefect had quitted the town : the Mayor alone arrived. At the meeting of the officers they had promised me that if attacked they would fire in retaliation, but that they would not take the initiative. From that moment 1 resolved to bring the combat to close quarters; but as I was warned that our soldiers would not fire first, I thought that among so large a population as that of Lyons it would be easy to find twenty or thirty devoted men, or men who would be won over by the promise of gain and reward. It would only be necessary to dress them in the uniform of the National Guard; my plan was to place them at the advance posts, in front of the troops, to put myself at their head, and fire the first shot. This stratagem might be successful, if the engagement became general, and oui soldiers decided to imitate our shooters. I know from experience how very slight a matter will suffice to change men's opinions. Hitherto Napoleon had met with no opposition.* A few battalions and squadrons only had joined him, but an unexpected resistance, although so far in the centre of * The subjoined skit of the year 1815 may serve to show how the landing of Napoleon was regarded : ' What news ? Ma foi ! The Tiger has broken out of his den. The Monster was three days at sea. The Wretch has landed at Frejus. The Brigand has arrived at Antibes. The Invader has reached Grenoble. The General has entered Lyons. Napoleon slept last night at Kontaincbleau. The Emperor [proceeds to the Tuikries to-day. His Imperial Majesty will address his loyal subjecU to-morrow. 376 MARSHAL MACDONALD'S RECOLLECTIONS France, at the entrance of a town of such importance, with the Rhone as a barrier, ought to make him reflect, and recall to his mind the courageous defence made by the town against the Republican army.* The troops he brought back with him, wearied and disgusted with their sojourn in the island of Elba, must have before their eyes the fear of being sent back thither, and the dread of an even severer punishment. Finally the garrisons of Grenoble and Vienna, seduced and led away as they had been, might recognize that they had made a mistake, and repent of it. Such were my illusions ; but, weak as was my hope, what would happen to Napoleon if my dream came even partially true? What proves that my reasoning was not entirely without some foundation is, that when I was at Bourges, after the submission of the army, I heard from the grenadiers who had been in Elba, and who were garrisoned there, that they had been delighted to return to France, but if they had met with the slightest resistance, the smallest obstacle, or even a single shot, they would have thrown down their arms and sued for mercy. This I heard from all ranks, men, officers, even the Commander himself, t When the Mayor entered my room, I told him of my in- tention. He was the only civil official who had remained at his post. I was surprised at hearing him answer that he would not be able to find a single man to do what I wanted. 'It is impossible,' I cried, ' that a town which defended itself so valiantly in 1793 in support of the Royal cause should not now contain one single veteran of that date burning with the same zeal ?' The Mayor shook his head. I dismissed him. After having arranged an appearance of defence, and even * In 1793. + See pp. 455, 456. ILLUSORY HOPES 377 offence, if I could only succeed in bringing my troops back to their duty, I rode in the company of the (lovernor, Vis- count Digeon, Count Jules de Polignac (Monsieur's aide-de- camp, whom he had left at my disposal), some other (ienerals and staff-officers, to visit the posts, and to see for myself what obstacles had been prepared to stop the advance of Napoleon. I was not surprised to find that little or nothing had been done; the money that Monsieur had distributed had been quietly pocketed. The communications between the banks had not been interrupted : the order to bring the boats across and moor them on our side and to guard certain fords had not been carried out. The same remark applied to the reconnoitring parties, wliich should have been sent out to announce the approach of Napoleons scouts. This piece of neglect made me particularly angry, and I severely scolded the general officer charged with this duty. I sent out myself some patriots in echelon, and after making a few more arrangements, I went from the Guillotiere to the Morand bridge. The disaffection that I met ever>-where gave me good grounds for fearing a complete desertion and a catastrophe ; I therefore gave private orders to have the horses put to my carriage and to have it taken to the outskirts of the suburb of Vaise, at the junction of the roads towards the Bour- bonnais and Burgundy respectively, so that I could follow either one or the other according to circumstances if I were compelled to retreat. At the Morand bridge no barricade had been made. It was guarded by an iron gate ; nobody knew where the keys were. I gave a man ten louis (^S) to go and buy some chains and a padlock. My money went the same way as that of Monsieur. As I quitted this bridge on my way back to the other, I noticed the bustle caused by the return of a reconnoitring party. It could not have gone verj- far, and had no doubt 378 MARSHAL MACDONALD'S RECOLLECTIONS seen or met what we must call the enemy. What had happened ? My anxiety was great, but it was ended by the arrival of a staff officer, who galloped up to me and said : ' A reconnoitring party has just returned.' ' What has it seen ?' ' Napoleon's advance-guard.' ' Far away ?' ' Just coming into the suburb of the Guillotiere.' ' What happened ?' 'The two parties drank together.' ' Hasten to the Place Bellecour, bring up the two batta- lions in reserve there ; place one on each side of the bridge.' The quays were crowded ; boats were coming and going, transporting to the left bank the inquisitive people who could not cross the bridge occupied by our troops. The latter were ready to advance — to do their duty, or to betray us ? As I reached the bridge-gates, cries of ' Vive I'Empereur !' burst from the other side of the river. On the quays the crowd took up the shout, and echoed it in a deafening manner. I instantly put into execution the design I had formed of making some show of resistance. I intended to gain the head of the bridge with my staff, stop the first men who ap- peared, seize their weapons, and fire. The bridge was blocked by troops in columns. ' Come along, gentlemen !' I cried ; ' we must get down.' We jumped off our horses and hurried along on foot as rapidly as we could, but scarcely had we reached a quarter of the distance when the 4th Hussars, Napoleon's advance- guard, appeared at the other end of the bridge. x\t this sight officers and soldiers mingled their cheers with the shouts of the populace ; shakos were waved on bayonets in token of delight; the feeble barricades were thrown down ; everyone pressed forward to welcome the new arrivals to the town. RETREAT 379 From that instant all was lost. AVe made our way back, and remounted our horses ; there was no time to lose, for I rightly imagined that the 4th Hussars would meet no re- sistance at the Morand bridge, and they might reach the suburb of Vaise before us by following the quays, which is what eventually happened. ( General Brayer, who was still with me, on hearing me give orders for the immediate evacuation of Lyons, took off his mask, and said : ' It is useless. Monsieur le Marechal ; all measures have been taken to prevent your departure.' 'Surely, sir, you know me too well,' I answered, 'to sup- pose that I can be easily stopped. I shall know how to make myself respected, and to make a way for myself with my sword.' He moved towards his men without replying. But another obstacle presented itself. The crowd had become so com- pact that it would have been vain for me to attempt to pass throush it, had it not been for the arrival of two battalions of reserves which I had summoned with the intention of posting them on the right and left sides of the bridge. The mass had to give way to admit of the passage of the troops. I took advantage of it to march with the column, making gestures to them as if to indicate where they should go. There was such a noise that it would have been impossible to make one's self heard. Having at length reached the rear of the column, I went along the quay. Colonel Dard, of the dragoons, whose regiment was not far away, came and asked me for orders ; without stoppmg, I said : ' Get your horse and follow me.' 'Whither?' 'To the Bourbonnais high-road.' I think his regiment refused to obey him, but am not certain, and have never been able to discover positively. 3So MARSHAL MACDONALD'S RECOLLECTIONS As we crossed the Place Bellecour, Comte Roger de Damas, governor of the 19th division, which was drawn up in the square, wished to stop. He was very confident, and had taken no precautions. I pointed out that it was now too late, and that the slightest delay would cause his arrest. He ran great risks, and had everything to fear, as a former emigre ; but he would not be convinced, and went to his lodgings, while we started at full gallop. He had the good fortune to make his escape in disguise. A httle farther on I met Monsieur's escort returning. As we passed I gave orders to the officer in command to follow me with his detachment, adding that the regiment was behind us, and we pursued our road with the same speed, when, in the middle of the suburb, we met a brigadier and four hussars from Napoleon's troops, who had come by the Morand bridge and the Quai de Saone, and who barred the way ; they were all drunk. The brigadier advanced to seize my bridle, crying : ' General, surrender yourself 1' He had scarcely uttered the words when, with a blow of my fist on his ear, I knocked him into the gutter, whence he had sprung. A hussar threw himself upon General Vis- count Digeon, who said : ' What ! You scoundrel, would you dare to arrest your General?' ' Oh, is it you. General Digeon ? You must join us.' The General imitated my method of disposing of his man, as did also Viscount de Polignac and the others who were behind us. I was wrapped in my cloak, and was only distinguishable by the white plume in my hat. The appearance of the hussars had been so sudden and unexpected that we had had no time to draw our swords. On looking round to see if we were being followed, I saw that the detachment of A HASTY FLIGHT 381 dragoons had passed the hussars without taking them pri- soners, whence I concluded that they were in league with them, and that they would arrest us if they could catch us ; we therefore pressed on faster. Un the way General Digeon kept repeating to me that he knew a short cut to the Bourbonnais highroad, but while we were seeking about for it we reached the extreme end of the suburb. At the moment of the catastrophe, I had sent my courier on ahead with orders to send my carriage for- ward. It had been standing there for several hours, with my aides-de-camp and my secretary. The postilions had got off their horses, and were probably in some public-house — they could not be found. I threw a sad glance at my carriage, which contained a considerable sum in gold. One of my aides-de-oimp handed me a pocket-book through the window, but we passed so swiftly that none of us could seize it. Poor General Digeon, somewhat upset at having missed his short cut, did his utmost to induce me to take the Burgundy road instead of the Bourbonnais, which I knew very well. He had mistaken the two. As we galloped on he said : ' We are on the Burgundy road ; there is a very had feeling abroad there. Vou will be taken.' I could neither calm him nor convince him that we were on the right road. A short distance ahead I perceived two gendarmes' horses tethered to a post without their riders. We might, by signal or othenvise, have them unfastened and brought after us, for ours were so tired that they could scarcely move. I gave orders that the gendarmes' horses should be untied. We were still pursued by what we believed to be enemies ; they had even gained upon us somewhat, but at last they slackened their speed, and we were compelled to do the same, as our e.xhausted horses had of their own accord dropped into a walk. 382 MARSHAL MACDONALD'S RECOLLECTIONS About a mile from the Tour de Salvagny, the first stage on quitting Lyons, I saw a general officer coming towards us. It was Simmer, who had been through the campaign of 181 3 with me, and had served with great distinction. I had met him the previous day coming from Clermont with two battalions. He had received my orders to halt, and was on his way to Lyons for fresh instructions. Surprised at finding me on the road when he thought me still in the town, he asked what had happened. My only answer was : ' Have you any fresh horses to lend me ?' 'Yes.' ' Then go and have them saddled and bridled.' He started at a gallop. I did . not lose sight of the detachment that was pursuing us ; we had drawn away from it somewhat. At last we reached the post-house. The two battalions were under arms, and received me with proper honours. Some of my party thought they noticed some national cockades among them ; I did not myself. The horses were soon ready, and we changed immediately, and taking General Simmer aside, I told him in a few words what had happened, and said : ' Order your troop to retreat' ' They would not obey.' ' Then leave them, and follow me.' With these words I started again, and the General remained behind. Poor Digeon, preoccupied with the fear of being taken, suddenly perceived the white plume in my hat, and im- plored me to remove it. I hesitated, but at length, in order to pacify him, I pulled it out and tore it to pieces as we were galloping along, and notwithstanding the inconvenience of the wind and the rain. Just then his horse stumbled and fell ; fortunately he was only scratched, and soon was A HARD RIDE 383 ill the saddle again, though we had to go rather more slowly. 1 noticed that our companions w^ere a long way behind. They had probably found no horses at the post- house, and I was niuth afraid they would be taken ; but I could not have saved them, and should only have been arrested as well. I presumed they would have presence of mind to strike into the cross-roads and into the open country. In this state of doubt we galloped on, when we saw in front of us some horses being led. General T^igeon, who expected to meet his along this road, concluded that they had passed the night at Tarare, and that those would be his horses. As his sight was very bad, he did not recognise them until we came close up to them. This was a piece of luck. We instantly jumped down and saddled and bridled them ourselves. Those we had left were very hot ; they either smelt or saw the water of a little stream which ran near there, and we let them go. As we were remounting we perceived some horsemen far behind us, without being able to discover whether they were our companions or our pursuers. Away we went again. As we passed through Tarare, a man leaning against a door, with a cotton cap on his head, greeted us with a feeble shout of ' Vive I'Empereur !' On reaching the foot of the mountain, where carriages stop to have extra horses harnessed to them, I felt too faint to go any farther without having some food. I had not dined the previous evening, and had eaten nothing all day. It was then between four and five in the afternoon. We were told that Monsieur was about half-way up the hill, which is very long. We were very anxious to catch him up to tell him what had happened, and I, especially, to get a lift in his carriage, for I could scarcely sit my horse any longer; my skin was already broken. 384 MARSHAL MACDONALD'S RECOLLECTIONS Poor General Digeon, who had not yet got over our meeting with the hussars in the suburbs of Lyons, wished to push on ; but I needed time to breathe ; my horse's action was so uncomfortable that it had produced a violent pain in my side ; his trot would have been much worse. There were only two of us, and without quitting my saddle, I asked him to keep watch while I was brought some bread and cheese and a glass of wine. I ate very little of this frugal repast, only just enough to satisfy my immediate needs. The General ate in his turn while I kept a look- out. I do not think our halt lasted more than eight or ten minutes. We started off again at a gallop, notwithstanding the hill, and indifferent to the fate of our horses ; what was important to us was to catch up the carriages, which we should otherwise have missed. We came up with them just as they were at the top of the hill. On seeing us, Monsieur guessed what had happened, and offered us places in his carriage. I ac- cepted ; but as I was dismounting, Digeon said to me in a low voice : ' Don't get in ; we shall be taken ; they will go very slowly and will want to stop.' 'AH the more reason,' I returned; 'we will hurry on, or share the same fate.' Possessed with his idea, he continued on horseback, but did not, however, get beyond the next stage, where he was very glad to find a place in the carriage containing Monsieur's staff. His Royal Highness gave me a seat beside himself, that, I believe, of the Duke of Fitz-James— Count des Cars, Captain of the Guards, and the Due de Polignac, Equerry, completed the party. [ 38s ] CllAl'lER XXXVI With Monsieur— Incidents of the Flight— General Du Coetlosquel— The King's Generosity— Meeting of the Senate — Advice to the King — liasty Measures — Neys Desertion. 1 1 would take too long to report our conversation during the journey. It first turned upon the chief event of the day and its causes; the discontent which was universal, but especially rife in the army ; the choice of ministers, their incapacity for governing, their untimely opinions, their uselessness, and that of their agents. I must do Monsieur and his officers the justice to say that they seemed thoroughly alive to the mistakes that had been made. \\ere they in good faith ? I think so ; fear had worked wonders. Monsieur said that he would enlighten the King, and ask him to improve matters. 'It is too late,' I said; 'the impetus is given. But I cannot hide from myself all the misfortunes that are about to assail France at once — the smallest, which, at another time, and under different circumstances, would be the greatest, will be civil war in the departments of the West Vou yourself, Monseigneur, what have you learned of public o|)inion in the journeys undertaken by you or your sons ? .Nothing, except the opinions held by your partisans, who are blinded by their momentary grasp of power. \'ou despised the men who could have advised and assisted you 25 386 MARSHAL MACDONALD'S RECOLLECTIONS to good purpose. They understand matters, and to them the Restoration ought to have gone for its strength, or, at any rate, for a better direction. You should have attracted the army, received it well, identified yourself with it, noticed your officers; they would have fraternized together. Con- fidence once established, intimacy would soon have followed. They would have become the links in a great chain, and more openness and loyalty, if not attachment, could not fail to have resulted.' All these remarks were considered true and sensible. My hearers answered : ' True, quite true.' Monsieur added : 'Well, I myself have often thought of taking general officers as aides-de-camp ; forty or fifty offered me their services, but the fear of hurting the feelings of the majority of them induced me to postpone my decision.' ' It would have been better,' I replied, ' to run the risk of offending a few people. You would have been com- pensated by the advantages accruing from the establish- ment of friendly relations, which would have been valuable to you on your rounds of inspection, by bringing into stronger relief the good qualities of the Royal Family.' This conversation bore fruit, for, on his arrival in Paris, Monsieur took as his aides-de-camp Viscount Digeon and Count Bordesoulle. We stopped to dine at Roanne, at the house of a certain Flandre, the post-master. I only cite this fact, as he after- wards fell a victim to a lying denunciation, which the authorities never took the trouble to verify. At that time — I am now speaking of the Second Restoration — sentences of dismissal were very common. Flandre was accused of having refused to supply Monsieur with horses, whereas, on rising from dinner, we found the carriages harnessed. INCIDENTS OF THE FLIGHT 387 and were able to start at once. I know not what were the political opinions of I'landre. but he was so overjoyed at havintr received Monsieur under his roof that, while the Prince was entering the carriage, he offered us a glass of some most delicious home-made li([ucur, whicli Monsieur regretteil having missed. He was deprived of his a[)pointmcnt by the Prefect of the department, either from motives of personal vengeance of his own or of someone else, or upon false reports that might easily have been verified, as the majority of the inhabitants witnessed the arrival and departure. U'hat made me so angry was that all my efforts, all my attempts to bring about the revocation of this unjust sentence, were useless. At the moment of writing, my indignation is as great as it ever was. Can anyone be surprised that 1 eople at length became embittered by so much injustice ? I do not know whether application was made for the intervention of Monsieur or his officers ; this, however, I do know, that 500 other post- masters simultaneously suffered the same fate. \\'e continued our journey without hearing any more of our pursuers. Monsieur reviewed a regiment of dragoons that was on its way to Lyons, and made it turn back. We only made a short halt at Moulins, to give us time to eat a very scanty breakfast, the Prefect having been taken by surprise, and we being in a hurry. We reached Nevers that evening, and there the Prince dined, and remained several hours consulting with the authorities as to the best means of defending the Loire. A very boastful deneral, I)u Coetlosquet, was in command of this subdi\ision of my government. He told his Royal Highness, and repeated it to me, that he was thoroughly in touch with the country ; that, if he were provided with funds, he could immediately raise 4,000 men, and put the bridge in a proper ccn- 388 MARSHAL MACDONALD'S RECOLLECTIONS dition of defence ; in short, that he would answer for the future. Monsieur asked my opinion. I shook my head; but noticing that his Royal Highness seemed to fancy this pro ject, or rather this assistance, as a drowning man will clutch at anything, I replied that if in reality the General had as much influence as he said, we would not hesitate, although I considered the expense useless, seeing that in all prob- ability Napoleon would take the direction of Burgundy, where he was more sure of finding public opinion in his favour — and that is what happened. Even supposing he had followed our road, he would not have met the obstacles that Du Coetlosquet said he could put in his way, for a few days later we learned that either the very evening of, or the evening after, our departure a small boat containing a light, and apparently prepared for fishing purposes, had come near the bridge ; that the news had spread that the General was going to set fire to it — the bridge was at that time on piles— and that thereupon a great riot had taken place. Du Coetlosquet only escaped popular fury by hastening across country to Bourges with- out stopping. So this man, who had the effrontery to boast that he could dispose of the population, could not find a shelter in the whole length and breadth of his com- mand. After settling everything at Nevers, we reached Briare. It was Sunday. The Prince wishing to hear Mass, I sent a request to the priest to celebrate a Low one. We went lo church, but as it was the hour of High Mass, it was hopeless to persuade the priest, and not only had we to assist at High Mass, preceded by the sprinkling with holy water, but also at the sermon, with all the notices, etc. The priest was old, and very slow. Monsieur, pious and devout as he was, was much annoyed at it all ; he displayed A PLEASANT SURPRISE 389 great impatience, and was red with anger, but, nevertheless, he very kindly received the priest afterwards while he was at breakfast. At length we started, and reached Paris next morning at five o'clock. The King was not awakened. Monsieur de Blacas, Minister of the King's Household, was waiting in Monsieur's apartments for his arrival. He said that the excitement was great ; that the evacuation of Lyons was differently interpreted, as no details had as yet come to hand, and that there was much anxiety among the soldiers. He asked me what I thought about it. I replied that in all probability the story would increase like a snow- ball, and that, just as at Lyons, the troops would not attack one another, but that, all the same, measures should be taken, as a favourable opportunity might occur. Monsieur begged me to go and rest. I went home, in truth sadly in want of it. I was in considerable pain from the chafing occasioned by bad saddles and indifferent horses. I had not taken off my clothes since ^Larch 8. and it was now the 13th. I went to bed, but was unable to sleep, for, notwithstanding the care I had taken to forbid my door, it was forced open, and many people came, rather from curiosity than interest. Next day, to my great astonishment, my carriage, which I thought had been taken at Lyons and lost, was restored to me ; it was a very pleasant surprise. Everything was intact, and my aides-de-camp told me they had met with no diffi- culties whatever. I had taken a considerable sum in gold with me, as I thought that I was going to keep house for some lime at Bourges, and later at Nimes, for which place I was bound when events stopped me at Lyons, and compelled me to retreat. In the course of the day I went to pay a visit to Monsieur. His Royal Highness asked whether I had seen the King. I answered that I had not. 390 MARSHAL MACDONALD'S RECOLLECTIONS ' Go to him ; he will be delighted to see you ; he is very pleased with your conduct. Here,' he added, ' is a paper which his Majesty desired me to give you.' ' What does it contain ?' I asked in astonishment. ' The King,' he said, ' has learned that you have lost your carriage, with all your effects and money. He does not wish that you should suffer for your devotion and good services.' I replied that I was profoundly touched by his Majesty's kindness, but that, as I had lost nothing, my pride would not allow me to accept it. 'Take it, all the same,' said Monsieur; 'the King will be very vexed if you refuse.' I stood out, and told his Royal Highness that my carriage had been restored to me without the slightest loss. I then went to the King. His Majesty rose and gave me his hand, praised and thanked me for my zeal. I, in my turn, thanked him, and spoke to him of the conversation I had just had with Monsieur. The King pressed me to accept his offer, but ceased insisting when I told him that my devotion needed no encouragement, and that I did not consider I deserved a reward for having done my duty. The King then told me he was organizing a corps of which he intended to give the command to the Due de Berry ; that I was to be his first Lieutenant, and that a council of war was to be established. ' That is quite right,' I said ; ' but as we have good reason to fear that our troops may desert, whither will your Majesty retire in case of being compelled to momentarily abandon your capital ?' The King exhibited great surprise, as though this idea had never crossed his mind. ' But,' said he, 'surely we have not come to that ?' ' No,' I replied ; ' but we may come to it in five or six MEETING OF THE SENATE 391 days. Vour Majesty must know what Napoleon's activity is. It will not take him longer than that to reach Paris. Unless he be stopped on the road, he will push forward rapidly, and there is no reason to believe, after what occurred at Lyons, that any regiment will show resistance.' ' I have great confidence in Marshal Ney,' said the King; ' he has promised to seize and bring him to me in an iron cage.' ' I believe," I answered, ' that he will do his utmost to carry out his promise — he is a man of his word ; but his troops may desert. Bad e.xample is catching, and, unfortu- nately, the contagion is spreading.' ' I will think it over,' said the King, as he dismissed me. ' Mv Ministers are coming ; I will speak to them upon the subject.' They were absolutely incapable of giving any sensible advice, as they were panic-stricken. At this council a royal sitting of the Senate was decided upon for the ne.xt day. I was summoned to take part in the procession, and the King, as he passed me, pointed to the medal of the Legion of Honour that he had been advised to wear. Nobody was likely to remark or be pleased by it This Order, which was the reward of all services, and during the last years of the Empire almost exclusively of military services, held a high place in public opinion ; it was con- secrated by an article in the Charter ; but after the Restora- tion the intention seemed to have been to debase it by the prodigality with which it was distributed. The King was received with acclamation ; he made a very touching speech. Monsieur and his sons threw themselves into his arms, swearing fidelity to the Charter. This scene electrified the Senate and the public. The King had declared that he would die upon his throne, and four days later he abandoned it. It must be said in fairness that 392 MARSHAL MACDONALD'S RECOLLECTIONS he could not count upon any resistance being made to Napoleon. The first council of war was much too numerously attended ; there was too much discussion and too little action. I agreed with nobody ; they all seemed to me too timid, as usually happens at meetings of this kind. Every- thing was afterwards concealed from me, although I was second in command ; and the poor Due de Berry, who was inexperienced, was bullied in order to induce him to do what was for the interest of individuals without regard for that of the public. I desired to give him some private information. I went to him on March i8; I criticised several measures, and spoke also about the steps that had been taken to keep me aloof, as people feared my vigilant eye, my honesty, and uprightness. The Prince, already entangled, received my remarks and plain observations very badly. An excited discussion followed, which ended in my resignation, which I sent to the King with an explanation of my reasons for the step. The King was grieved, and would not accept it ; but I was absolutely determined to take no further part whatever beyond loyally carrying out what I had sworn. I begged his Majesty to tell me to which department he intended to withdraw in case of necessity. This time he was less reticent, and replied : ' To La Vendee.' ♦ All will be lost,' I said, ' if your Majesty goes thither. No doubt you have more partisans there than elsewhere, but the majority will take no active part, being tired and worn out with civil war. You will be pursued, the coast will be seized, and your retreat will become impossible. Go rather to Flanders. P'eeling in the northern depart- ments and in the Pas-de-Calais is better than anywhere else. Lille or Dunkirk offer you absolute security. You ADVICE TO THE KING 393 have exits by land and sea, close to the frontier, whence you can easily gain a foreign country in case you are threatened with a siege. Raise some battalions of royal volunteers ; garrison the towns with them, if you can count upon none of the regular troops. One or other of these places will serve as a rallying-point for your adherents, and you can establish your government there for the time being.' The King reflected, and said : 'The plan is not bad : we will wait for further news.' The courtiers, who were not long in learning what had passed between the Due de Berry and me, were sorry, especially for my resignation. I had liecome to them a sort of guarantee for my principles, since I had recently given proofs of them at Lyons. In the evening of the same day the Due de Berry sent for me : I was somewhat surprised at the message. On entering his room he offered me his hand, embraced me, and said : ' Let us forget all that passed this morning. The King has ordered me to put into your hands the management of military matters. We will work together. Henceforward you are in charge of everything.' ' It cannot be done so quickly as that,' I answered. ' Put on the orders that to-morrow, at ten o'clock, I will take over the command, and that all correspondence is to be addressed to me.' At seven o'clock next morning the Prince summoned me to come at once. I found him much agitated. His first words were : ' We are betrayed by Marshal Ney.' ' Impossible !' I exclaimed ; ' the Marshal is a man of honour. His troops have perhajjs abandoned him, and taken him with them by force.' 394 MARSHAL MACDONALD'S RECOLLECTIONS ' No, it is he who took them over to Bonaparte.' ' What proof have you ?' ' Generals Lecourbe, Bourmont, and Clouet, the Marshal's aides-de-camp, who have quitted him, have just arrived, and are gone to convey the news to the King. And my regiment too ! Galbois has taken it over as well, and only yesterday he was swearing and protesting on his soul and body that he was loyal ! I had treated them so well ! They have deceived me abominably ! But what are we to do now ?' ' Come to a speedy resolution,' I answered ; ' we must first send all the troops out of Paris to Essonne or Corbeil, on the two roads to Fontainebleau. All resistance is now out of the question. We must save the King and the Royal Family, and not expose them to be kept by force in Paris as hostages for Napoleon, for I feel confident that they would suffer no personal injury.' While orders were being sent out, I was informed of the treasonable remarks that were being made in barracks. Just then Monsieur entered, and said that the King wanted me. I followed the Prince to his presence. His Majesty was calm ; he gave me his hand, and said : 'Well, you know what has happened. What is to be done now ?' ' Sire, you must go to Lille. I advise that the troops should be ordered to quit Paris with the view of favouring your departure. Assemble your military Household on the Champ de Mars, and announce your intention of reviewing your troops at Kssonne. Once in the military school, you will be in safety.' Several Ministers were present. The Minister of War had ordered the garrisons of the North to advance, and had assembled them at Peronne under the command of the iJuke of Orleans ; the Duke of Bourbon was sent into the West. The other Ministers had taken no steps and made NETS DESERTION VJ5 no preparations, such, for instance, as the emptying of the Treasury, for funds were very necessary, whether to raise a large number of royal volunteers, to attract the partisans of the King's cause, or to establish the Government at Lille. It was discovered later that a great deal, on the other hand, had been distributed to the Generals, officers, and soldiers, the latter of whom were employing it in toasting Napoleon in the public-houses with loud shouts of ' Vive I'Kmpereur !' There was good ground for fearing a mutiny. I sent word to the Generals and officers that I should hold them respon- sible if the marching orders were not executed. I also recommended that, after the review, the King should return to the Tuileries, if the population of Paris remained calm, as his presence would restore confidence, and give time to make further arrangements ; the proposal was approved. The Generals who had quitted Ney had reported to the King that he had said in announcing his determination, ' All the Marshals are of my opinion.'* They exhibited doubt and surprise, and one of them answered : 'Surely you do not include the Duke of Tarentum, for he has just shown at Lyons that his loyalty can l)e depended upon.' ' Oh, as for him,' answered Ney, ' we do not count him ; and, what is more, we do not want him !' As the King had told this story in presence of the Princes, some of the Ministers and myself, I fancied that * In 1815 the attitude of the Marshals was as follows: Macdonald, Oudinot, St. Cyr, Victor, Marmont, and Perignon were on the side of the Bourbons — Augereau and Herlhier were in retreat ; and rather more than half and the ablest of the Marshals were on the side of Napoleon, viz., Davout, .Soult, Ney, .Suchet, CJrouchy ; and less actively, Murat, Mortier, Massena, Monccy, Jourdan, Lefebvre, Brune, and Serurier. Bemadotte w.as on the thnme of .Sweden, and Lannes, Bessieres, and Prince Poniatowski were dead. 396 MARSHAL MACDONALD'S RECOLLECTIONS his intention was to flatter me, and answered that I was deHghted that the Marshal was so well' informed as to the sentiments governing my conduct ; that certainly he had had a proof of them the preceding year, during the negotia- tions relative to the abdication, and that while he had deserted his Master I had remained faithful to him until the last moment. I had many preparations to make and orders to give, so I asked the King's permission to retire. [ J97 ] CHAPTER XXXVII. The State of Paris— Imminent Peril— Plan of Escape— Hint to\'iomesnii —At Saint Denis— A Disorderly March— At Abbeville— The Siil)- I'refect of Hcthune. In the course of the day the King sent for me just as I was on my way to the Chateau, to inform hiin of the departure of the troops, who had obeyed their orders, but grumbling and with very discouraging remarks. On reaching the Tuileries I perceived the Royal carriages harnessed, an enormous crowd collected, greedy for news, officers hurrying hither and thither, pack-horses laden with portmanteaux. Everything looked jjrepared for departure, though the carriages were harnessed as though for an ordinary drive. The King had desired me to come in civil dress, so as not to be obser\-ed or remarked. He told me he intended to go to the Champ de Mars, and that, according to the report I sent him of what passed, he would decide what to do. After his departure I mingled with the crowd, and ap- proached different groups. I heard no disloyal language, but various expressions of opinion upon the state of affairs, upon the effect likely to be i)roduced on the troops by the King's presence, upon the absurdity of fifty old men armed with guns and halberds, most of them in the uniform of general officers and wearing various orders outside their 398 MARSHAL MACDONALD'S RECOLLECTIONS coats, who were marching two and two towards the Tuileries to offer their services. I must admit that they did not look martial, and gave reasonable ground for amusement to the crowd that always finds something to laugh at even in the gravest circumstances. The King had been gone scarcely half an hour when I saw him come back. Surprised at so speedy a return, I went to the Chateau. The crowd was increasing every moment, and made the King anxious ; I told him that from what I had been able to see and hear it meant nothing but very natural curiosity ; that it was, moreover, a Sunday, and that the day was sufficiently fine to attract a large number of people to the Tuileries gardens. The carriages for the King and his suite were still standing in the courtyard. I begged him to send them away, because then the larger number of the inquisitive crowd would depart, and when the palace returned to its ordinary quietude the remainder would disperse at dinner-time, and my words proved correct. The King had returned owing to a misunderstanding. He had met his military Household marching towards St. Denis, a warning that they were, in case of necessity, to advance in that direction having been transformed into an order for immediate execution. The King had commanded it to retire, and, after marching past him, it had returned to the military school. It was known that Napoleon would reach Fontainebleau that very day ; he might travel post, cause himself to be re- cognized by the troops along the road, and bring them up with him ; but not having positive information as to their feelings towards him, and not knowing how he would be received in Paris, although he had plenty of supporters there, he mii^ht naturally conclude that, as the King was still there, some measures of defence would have been taken. I^F^rINENT peril 399 These reasons, when I put them forward, were appre- ciated, and had the effect of tranquiUizing the Royal Family for the moment. I then [proposed to clothe a Swiss regi- ment in French uniform, to place it in advance of the troops at Essonne with orders to march upon Fontainebleau, as though to join itself to Bonaparte. The disguise would have deceived every eye, and had it succeeded in seizing his person or even in crossing swords, how many calamities would have been thereby spared to France ! The Due de Berry rejected the idea ; the King said that if this regiment failed it would be very seriously exposed ; I replied, crossly, that that would be better than compromising the monarchy. Not only was the plan given up, but the King added : * I see that all is now over. Do not, therefore, let us engage in useless resistance. I am determined to start. Try to bring our supporters into F"landers, and to get the regiments that went out this morning to follow us. No fighting, Monsieur le Marechal ! Recall to St. Denis all the troops that wish to return.' ' Allow me to point out, Sire,' I replied, ' that this deter- mination is premature. The troops have barely reached the places to which they were ordered : we must let them rest. I will go to the headquarters at Villejuif, whither a courier can be sent to me with orders to hold myself ready to march. No one will know whether it is to be an advance or a retreat. An hour later, another express might bring me an order to follow you. I alone shall know the direc- tion you have taken. Meanwhile, your Majesty will have prepared everything for your departure, and will enter your carriage between eleven o'clock and midnight.' ' But,' said the Due de Berry, * what if the sentinels of the National (iuard, who are on duty at the palace, prevent our departure, as they did at the beginning of the Revolu- tion to the unfortunate Louis X\T., when he wished to go 400 MARSHAL MACDONALD'S RECOLLECTIONS to St. Cloud ? What are we to do then ? Are we to scatter them with the bodyguard ?' ' No, nephew,' said the King hastily ; ' we must not alienate the inhabitants of Paris.' ' I do not think,' said I, ' that the sentinels will oppose any resistance or put any obstacles in the way of the King wishing to review the troops at Essonne. But I have a scheme whereby every pretext for insubordination can be avoided. The King can place absolute reliance upon his Household and servants. Very good. Let the gates and doors be shut at ten or eleven o'clock. The carriages can draw up at some distance off, or, if necessary, outside Paris. The King, on leaving his apartments, will gain the Pavilion Marsan through the palace; thence he will be carried in a sedan-chair to a hackney-coach, which will take him to his own carriage.' The Due de Berry suddenly interrupted me by saying : ' Pray, sir, where do you suppose we can find a chair large enough to contain, or two men strong enough to carry, his Majesty ?' This unexpected outburst made even the King laugh. He said that he would think it over, and commanded me to come that evening to receive the password which would be given as usual. On leaving his room, the Due de Berry asked me if I should start for Villejuif after the password was given. Upon my answering affirmatively, he said he should go thither also, and we separated. As the inquisitive crowd noticed no further preparations at the Chateau, it dispersed, as I had foreseen, about six o'clock. When I returned to the palace at half-past eight, I found the usual quiet reigning in the courtyards, but the interior presented a very different spectacle. It was with great difficulty that I could pass through the drawing-rooms PLAN OF ESCAPE 401 to reach the King's study ; they were full of courtiers, some devoted, some curious, but all entitled to the entree. The King came in, talked for a few minutes, gave the password, and withdrew, beckoning me to follow him. The Princes were assembled in his study. On entering it the King said : ' My departure is fixed for eleven o'clock ; I will carry it out according to your advice.' ' In that case, Sire,' I answered, ' I will take leave of your Majesty. As soon as I reach Villejuif I will give orders to the troops to hold themselves in readiness to march, but I will not move them until I receive instructions from your Majesty.' ' I am going there too,' said the Due de Berry. ' Monseigneur,' I answered, ' I have been thinking that it is unnecessary for you to disturb yourself, as the troops are to come back. Your Royal Highness may follow the King to St. Denis, where I expect the troops to arrive between seven and eight to-morrow morning — if they will obey orders, that is. In any case, I shall be there at that hour with the staff.' The King said that I was right. The Prince replied that there was no reason why he should wait at St. Denis, as the troops were to continue their march, and that he would accompany Monsieur to place himself at the head of the King's Household, who were to start from the Champ de Mars. As I was about to withdraw, the King warmly pressed my hand, and said : * .\u revoir, my dear Marshal ; I shall never forget your zeal and devotion.' The drawing-rooms were not yet empty. .\ General wlio had formerly emigrated, and who was worthy of respect by reason of his great age and services — Monsieur deViomesnil — asked me for advice. He afterwards became a Marshal 26 402 MARSHAL MACDONALD'S RECOLLECTIONS of France, but at that time my acquaintance with him was very shght. His honesty pleased me. He had been given the command of a sort of battalion collected at Vincennes, composed of 700 or 800 half-pay officers of all ranks. The plan was to enrol them among the Royal volunteers who were being raised, or at least so it was believed, in Nor- mandy. ' These officers,' said he to me, ' are very excited, and I can do nothing with them. I have written three letters, and paid the same number of visits to the Minister for War, and can neither see him nor get any answer. What had I better do ? Give me some instructions.' ' You are a good man,' I answered. ' Don't give another thought to your battalion of officers ; pack up your things and leave Paris to-night.' ' What !' he exclaimed in surprise ; ' is the King going ?' 'I cannot tell you more than that. You ask me for orders ; I give you advice. Say nothing about it, I count upon your discretion ;' and so saying, I left him for Ville- juif. I did not find the staff there, but only Generals Ruty, of the artillery, and Haxo, of the engineers. General Maison,* Governor of Paris, and Commandant of one of the divisions, wrote to me that, as he had learned from the Due de Berry that the troops were to return, he would join his division at St. Denis. I issued the warnings and orders agreed upon, and as soon as I was certain they would be executed, and being warned that the head of a column was approaching Ville- juif, I quitted it v/ith the two Generals just named. The staff was not to be found at St. Denis any more than at Villejuif, but all the members of it, without exception, had * Made a Marshal after the fall of Napoleon. AT ST. DENIS 403 received the largesse paid at the comiiicncemeiit of a cam- paign, and promises of handsome i)rcsents according to their future services. I waited in vain till one o'clock for the arrival of the troops. An aide-de-camj) from (ieneral Rapp, who com- manded a division, came up, just as I was starting, to ask for orders. I gave him some for his General and for the other divisions, and they were simply to continue their march next day. This battalion of officers, which the day before had been at \'incennes, now appeared, I know not how, at St. Denis, (ieneral St. Sulpice, who commanded it, told me that they were much e.xcited and in a slate of ferment, and as this condition of mind might have momentous results, I ordered him to direct them towards Rouen, so as to avoid any contact with the troops that were supposed to be arriving. He warned me that they would refuse to obey. I told him to ny. He did so, but in vain. Just as a detachment of artillery from La Fere entered the town, I was informed that it was approaching. I sent ( ieneral Ruty to order it to retreat, but the half-pay officers, beside themselves, joined with the artillery, and Ruty, in trying to compel obedience to my orders, nearly fell a victim to them. I learned at the same time that (ieneral Maison was being pursued, 1 do not know why, and had been obliged to flee Shortly afterwards another similar scene presented itself to my eyes. The carriages belonging to the Due de Berry passed through St. Denis on their way from \'illejuif. The mutineers seized them, compelled the postilions by threats of violence to dismount, mounted the horses in their place, and I felt ashamed to see French officers in uniform, t-paulettes on their shoulders and forage-caps on their heads, behave as they did. They were mostly drunk and 404 MARSHAL MACDONALD'S RECOLLECTIONS excited ; and if there is any excuse for their conduct, it is to be found in that fact. I still blush for them ! Tired of waiting vainly at St. Denis, I started at one o'clock for Beaumont, where 1 established my headquarters for the time being. A large number of half-pay officers were assembled in front of the inn where 1 was staying, the first on the left beyond the square. I anticipated some opposition from them, but was absolutely determined not to allow myself to be insulted with impunity, even though I should get into difficulties ; but they remained quiet, and were polite, even respectful. At Beaumont I found the rear-rank of the King's House- hold, dismounted body-guards, some leading their horses by the bridle, others lying down in carts, others on foot, their knapsacks under their arms. It all looked like a rout after a defeat ; and, as I did not stop at Beaumont, I found the road similarly garnished as far as Noailles. I left at Beaumont the same orders as at St. Denis, and hired post- horses to rejoin the Princes at the head of the King's Household. About half-way I had the pleasure of meeting your sister, De Massa,* and her children. Her husband was Prefect of Beauvais. Fearing what might happen, he was sending all he held dearest to Paris ; but as the party might run some risk, either on the road or at St. Denis, or even in the capital itself, I took them back with me, convinced that they would be safer at Beauvais. The Princes intended to pass the night at Noailles ; I arrived just as they were about to sit down to table. They invited me to join them. After giving them an account of what I had seen and heard, I said that they must not trust to the troops, and strongly urged them to continue their * The Duchesse de Massji, one of the Marshal's daughters by his first wife, Mademoiselle Jacob. — Translator. DESIRED TO REJOIN THE KING 405 march, in spite of the disorder among the King's House- hold On learning that my daughter was in the village, they had the kindness to send some dinner to her. When the repast was finished, I asked where the King was. Monsieur knew that he had started for Lille, but did not know whether, on leaving Beauvais, he had taken the road to Abbeville. I asked for orders, and he desired me to try and rejoin the King, to whom I might be of great service. I took leave of their Royal Highnesses and, with your sister, started for Heauvais, which we reached between eleven o'clock and midnight. Vour brother-in-law was much surprised at the return of his wife, but, after hearing my explanations, was delighted to see her. He told me that the King had taken the Abbeville road. I was sorry to hear it, as his enemies might believe and si)read the report that he intended to withdraw into England, and thus cause discouragement among his sui)porters. After remaining a few hours at Beauvais, and leaving fresh orders for the troops (as though they were likely to reach there), I was just about to depart, when an aide-de- camp from General Grundler, permanent Secretary at the War Office, entered and handed me a letter, informing me that the Minister* had not appeared since the previous day, stating that they did not know what to do, and begging for my orders. 1 told the messenger that by the time my orders reached General Grundler he would no longer require them. As a matter of fact, he had left the \Var Office by the time his aide-de-camp reached Paris ! Nobody along the road could tell me whether the King had halted, or whether he was still moving forward, and in this state of uncertainty I entered Abbeville. Nothing indicated the presence of h\<. Mnjistv ; no guards at the gate ; no life in the streets. • The heroic Dup<>nt of Baylcn celebrity. 4o6 MARSHAL MACDONALD'S RECOLLECTIONS On my way to the inn I passed and recognized the Comte de Jaucourt. I stopped and called to him. He was one of the King's ministers, and, if I remember rightly, had charge of the Foreign Office in the absence of Monsieur de Talleyrand. He informed me that the King had betn in the town since the previous day, and that he had received no news since he left the capital. He also begged me to go straight to him. I said I must first go to the inn to change my clothes and have some breakfast. I had not undressed for several days. While I was dressing, Monsieur de Jaucourt went to announce me, and summonses came in rapid succession. I found the King as calm as when tranquilly reigning in the Tuileries. He received me with the utmost kindness, and questioned me concerning all that had occurred. No means of communication, either by courier or estafette^, had been established ; but they had omitted to destroy the telegraphic communication, a circumstance likely to be made use of in Paris. I then asked the King what he was doing in Abbeville. ' I am waiting here,' he answered, ' for my brother and my Household, who ought to arrive this morning.' ' Your Majesty,' I replied, ' does not know that your Household will only reach Beauvais to-day (March 22). It will require two days more to arrive here, and will Ihen probably be in the same disorderly condition as it was when I saw it yesterday.' I implored the King to start, because he would not be in safety until he reached Lille, and to take the shortest road by Hesdin and Bethune. His Majesty displayed great objection to that road, preferring the longer one by Boulogne, Calais, and Dunkirk. I pointed out that this road, running as it did by the sea. would give colour to the rumour that he was about to leave his kingdom and embark; LOYALTY 407 that orders might be sent from Taris to forbid his admission iiiio those towns, wliercas the road to Bethune was still clear, and that to Peronne covered by the Duke of Orleans, who had collected there all the garrisons of the neighbouring towns, even that of Lille. I added that he had not a moment to lose. The King yielded at last, but insisted upon dining first, and the utmost that I could manage was that dinner was ordered for an hour earlier. He desired me to precede him, with full powers to prepare the way for him, and to order horses. He had no courier, only two footmen on the box of the carriage in the liveries they wore at the Tuileries. I started. The post-house of St. Pol was some distance away, out- side the town. It took some time to procure horses, and meanwhile, towards one in the morning, I ordered some food. Scarcely had I seated myself at table when the King was announced. The news of his arrival having suddenly spread abroad, a large portion of the population collected and rushed into the room of a poor woman, whither he had been conducted to rest. The worthy soul had torn down some old bed-hangings to serve as a carpet for the feet of her guest. The homage of the inhabitants was so noisy and inconvenient that, to save the King from being stifled, the Prince de Neuchatel and Monsieur de Blacas, Minister of the Household, were obliged to stand guard over the door with their drawn swords. The latter looked exceedingly comic in that attitude. The same devotion was displayed at Bethune. I waited there for the King in order to receive his final orders, as that was the last stage before Lille. His ^^1jesty alighted in the public square while the horses were being changed. It was five o'clock in the morning. 'Ihe whole population turned out, men and women in very slight costumes. The 4o8 MARSHAL MACDONALD'S RECOLLECTIONS Sub-prefect himself stood by the carriage-door, one leg half bare, his feet in slippers, his coat under his arm, his waist- coat and shirt unbuttoned, and his hat on his head ! He could not take it off, as his hands were fully occupied in trying to keep his sword in place and to fasten his necktie ! [ 409 ] CHAITER XXXVIII. Outside Lille— Entry into Lille— The King's Uneasiness— An Incon- venient Loss — The King's Decision — Departure for the Fronlitr — The King's Farewell. On reaching the barrier of Lille I saw that it was shut, and the drawbridge raised. It was nine o'clock. I inquired the reason of the gatekeeper, who could give me no in- formation except that, as a large number of troops had rrrived the previous day, only one gate, I forget which, had been left open. I had no one on horseback to send there. I grew nervous lest a rising should have occurred in favour of Napoleon. I already pictured the King in difficulties, and reproached myself for having prevailed upon him to take that road. However, if the troops had taken posses- sion of the town, there was no reason why they should have closed the gates, and they would have had cavalry posted outside to give them intelligence of all that passed. As I could not succeed, either by cries or signs, in making myself understood by the sentinel on the rampart, I obtamed a scrap of i)aper from the gatekeeper, and wrote to the Commandant, whoever he might be, a few words, stating my name and announcing the speedy arrival of the King. I wrapjied this note round a stone, and, having passed the barrier, threw it over the ditch. It fortunately fell upon the rampart ; the sentry picked it up, and called 4IO MARSHAL MACDONALD'S RECOLLECTIONS the ofificer on duty. I waited for some time, and, being still uneasy, sent back to stop the King's carriages, so that they might retreat if we found ourselves on hostile ground. At last the drawbridge was lowered, and an officer advanced. It was your uncle, Paul de Bourgoing,* at that time aide-de-camp to the Marshal Duke of Treviso. He looked so surprised, so bewildered, so embarrassed, that I suspected some trickery, although he told me that all was quiet, that the Duke of Orleans and his commanding officer, Marshal Mortier, had returned the day before from Valen- ciennes, that they were much surprised at the sudden approach of the King, and that he knew no more. In order to obtain clearer information I sent the chief of my staff. General Hulot, into the town, and questioned the officer during his absence. He expressed surprise at my incredulity, and repeated to me, upon his honour, all that he had just stated. This tranquillized me, and I was made still easier by the return of General Hulot, who told me that the Duke of Orleans and the Marshal were following him with an escort, and were going out to meet the King. I then sent my aide-de-camp to inform the carriages they might advance. They soon appeared ; the procession going out to meet them reached the barrier at the same moment as they did. The King at length entered Lille. I accompanied him on horseback. It was market-day. The King was received with acclamation by the inhabitants and country folk, but * Brother of the Marshal's third wife, Mademoiselle de Bourgoing, who was the mother of the son Alexander, afterwards Duke of Taren- lum, for whom these ' Recollections ' were written. The Marshal's second wife was Mademoiselle de Montholon, widow of (General Jou- bert, who was killed at the Battle of Novi, July, 1799. By her the Marshal had one daughter, who married the Marquis de Roche-Dragon. — Translator. THE KING HOLDS A rRIVATE COUNCIL 41 ' coldly by the troops, especially by a battalion of light in- fantry drawn up just inside the gate, \^'e discovered during the morning, on reviewing the garrison, and from the rejjorts of their leaders, that the same feeling prevailed throughout the troops. The King caused it to be announced that he would visit each corps. This step was not expected, but I was one of the first to recommend it. The return of these troops was a serious annoyance. We had no reason to hope that they would quit the town if ordered to do so, and the Royal volunteers were already several days on the road to Paris, whither they had been summoned by the Minister. I have already said that nothing had been attended to, foreseen or ordered. The Duke of Orleans, even, had been left with- out notice of the King's march, so that on suddenly learn- ing his departure, but not the direction he had taken nor his future plans, the Duke had thought he was doing right in raising the camp at Peronne and dismissing the regiments to their respective garrisons. During the evening the King held a private council, at which I was present, with the Duke of Orleans, Monsieur de Blacas, and the Marshals Berthier and Mortier.* His Majesty first caused a letter from Monsieur to be read to us. I have a clear recollection of its substance, as it was read four or five times, and discussed quite as often. On reaching Beauvais, the day after I had left it, Mon- sieur had been informed that the larger portion of the King's Household could not march together, that they would infallibly be overtaken, that they were not in a state to defend themselves, and that the liberty of the Princes would be seriously endangered ; that, consequently and owing to their ignorance of the King's whereabouts, it h.nd been • Prince of Neuchatel and Diike of Trcvix) rc>i>cc tivci). /',;//■ tator. 412 MARSHAL MACDONALD'S RECOLLECTICmS decided to disband tlie Household; and, further, that as the Princes dared no longer risk remaining in France, amid so many hostile garrisons, they would start immediately, take ship either at Treport or Dieppe, and rejoin his Majesty as speedily as possible in England or on the Con- tinent. Such was the tenor of this letter. At the very moment when its text was being discussed by the Princes, the news arrived that Napoleon was to enter Paris that very day. This had the effect of hastening their decision, which they immediately communicated to the King. The messenger, however, who carried the letter had not succeeded in coming up with him before he reached Lille. On leaving Abbeville, the King had announced to Mon- sieur his determination to make for Lille, and had sent him orders to bring the Household thither by the most direct road from Beauvais. The two despatches had crossed one another, and the King therefore did not know whether, after what his brother had told him of the state of the Household, he had been able to execute tffe orders sent to him or not. This was the subject of our discussion. I maintained that it was impossible that Monsieur should not have de- ferred to the King's orders, and marched with all the House- hold that was available. My opinion was shared, and we discovered, after calculating dates, that Monsieur ought to reach Arras or Bethune either that very day or early the following morning. The King then displayed some reluct- ance to waiting at Lille amid troops whose dispositions were so clearly unfavourable to him. The Duke of Orleans and the Marshal Duke of Treviso hastened to reassure him, and said that they would answer for their submission at any rate for some days. This pledge, however, did not satisfy him, and he announced his intention of starting that night for Dunkirk on the plea of visiting the frontier. THE KI\'GS UNEASINESS 41 j I pointed out that after giviiv^ out tliat he intended to establish the seat of his Government provisionally at Lille, where he had been so loyally received by the population, it would not be worthy of the King to leave it secretly, that it would be more honourable to keep the promise made of reviewing the garrison next morning, and that he could then announce his intention of going to see Dunkirk and return- ing thence to Lille. The King, however, possessed by a dread of being prevented from executing his plan next day, expressed his firm intention to start that same night. I resumed my arguments as to the dignity of a King of France, the inconvenience attending a plan which might seriously endanger the Princes and the Household, who were advancing in all security to Lille ; the greater nobility of risking everything rather than hurt the feelings of a town which, on its awakening, would learn the news of a departure that might be very justly stigmatized as a flight. For a moment I thought my arguments had prevailed, but the King's mind was made up, and I had to yield. It was arranged that he should start at midnight, that I should pre- cede him with full powers to act as I thought best, and the sitting terminated. The Prince de Conde had arrived during the day. \\'e were all surprised, and with difficulty suppressed our laughter, out of respect for his age and the presence of the King, when we heard him gravely ask whether, as the next day was Maundy Thursday, his Majesty would perform the usual ceremony of the washing of feet.* The moment was well chosen 1 Even the King could scarcely control his laughter. The King had quitted Paris in such haste that there had only been time to pack one portmanteau for his use, and • A Catholic ceremony performed on Thursday in Passion Week, when a certain number of jxKjr men have their feet washed in church. — Trans/a/or. 414 MARSHAL MACDONALD'S RECOLLECTIONS this had been stolen on the road. His Majesty felt the loss the more as this portmanteau contained all his clean linen — six shirts, a dressing-gown, and pair of slippers to which he was specially attached. On telling me of the theft, he said : ' They have taken my shirts ; I had not too many of them.' And then he added in a melancholy voice : 'But I regret my slippers even more. You will realize some day, my dear Marshal, the value of a pair of slippers that have taken the e.xact shape of your foot !' Little did the King think that a few hours later he was going to lose his entire kingdom ! At eleven o'clock, just as I was about to start, the Comte de Blacas was announced. He said in a determined voice : ' Monsieur le Marechal, I have thought over what you just now vainly pointed out to his Majesty, namely, that it was unworthy of a King of France to seem to flee by a clandestine departure at night, thereby displeasing his sup- porters and exposing himself to the sarcasms of his enemies. If you are still of the same mind, postpone your departure for a short time. I will go and renew your observations to his Majesty. He is in safety here, at least until to-morrow, for I have taken the precaution to have all the gates of the town shut, and nothing can enter without my authorization. I shall be warned if any couriers or travellers of importance arrive.' Thereupon he left me, and came back half an hour later to tell me that the King consented to remain until ten o'clock next morning, that he had found hmi in his shirt- sleeves shaving, and that at the first word he had laid down the razor, flown into a violent passion, and exclaimed with an oath : ' Why do they keep changing their plans every minutCj and prevent me from starting or from going to bed ?' USELESS PRECAUTIONS 415 ' It was,' added Monsieur de Blacas, ' ilie most ridiculous scene — his attitude, his shirt-cufTs turned back, his face one half red with anger, and the other white with soap. At last the King calmed down, finished shaving, and went to bed.' I did the same, being worn out with fatigue. I was still fast asleep when, at seven o'clock the following morning. Monsieur de Blacas came to me again on behalf of the King. ' What has happened now ?' I asked. ' Not one of my orders was carried out,' he replied. ' The gates of the town were left open ; travellers, couriers, stage- coaches passed through freely. The mail has arrived. The Monitetir contains a full account of Napoleon's new Govern- ment. I have ordered every copy to be seized.' Poor Blacas had forgotten that there were many other papers being widely circulated, each containing the same news. I dressed hastily, and went to the King's apartments. I found there the Duke of Orleans and the Marshals Berthier and Mortier. We were ushered into his Majesty's study. ' Dunkirk is out of the question now,' he said. ' I have just been informed that the troops are taking off the white cockade and substituting the so-called national cockade for it. After what has happened in Paris, wliich will probably occur everywhere else, I am no longer in safety here.' I tried to reassure the King, but this time he was abso- lutely decided. He ordered horses, meaning to start across the frontier at once. 'Sire,' I said, ' he who throws up the game acknowledges himself beaten. This state of things assuredly cannot last long ; but, since your mind is made up, permit me to stay behind.' The King displayed surprise ; he frowned, and became pensive. I continued : 4i6 MARSHAL MACDONALD'S RECOLLECTIONS ' I have loyally done all in my power to maintain the authority of your Majesty and to keep you in possession of your dominions. You wish to abandon them. I will con- duct you in safety to the frontier, but I will go no farther. I should only be in your way, a charge, an encumbrance to you. I will remain unalterably attached and devoted to your Majesty, and faithful to my oath. Some event may occur in the interior of the kingdom during your absence (which can only last a few months), and I may be able to serve you better in France than elsewhere.' The resolution of the Congress of Vienna, taken on March 13, had reached the King either the previous evening or during the night. It declared the intention of all Europe to arm against Napoleon. This intelligence had just been printed and advertised without producing much effect. Its authenticity even was doubted in the town. It was clear that France divided could make no stand against such a mass of forces ; she had already succumbed once when she was not divided, and when a strong hand held the reins of State. My prediction that the King would be back in a few months was not baseless therefore. I terminated my speech by offering my Marshal's baton as a proof of my sincerity. The King had recovered his usual serenity. He praised my honesty, and, as a token of his confidence, acceded to my request. Marshal Mortier asked -the same favour, which was also granted to him. Poor Prince de Neuchatel was biting his nails with vexa- tion. He was one of the captains of the Body-Guard, and on duty ; he could not, therefore, ask for the same per- mission. On leaving the presence he followed me in great distress, and told me that he would resign as soon as they reached Ghent, that he would then go to Bamberg to fetch the Princess and his children, with whom he would return to France, He begged me to inform his family and friends of A rOUCHISG SPECTACLE 417 liis determinalion, even by means of the newspapers. I promised to do so, and kept my word. He feared lest he should he taken for an anigri: Before entering his carriage, the King desired to com- pensate Monsieur de Hrigode, Mayor of the town, at whose house he had stayed. He gave him the rank of Com- mander of the Legion of Honour, and on his return con- ferred a peerage upon him. As soon as all was ready he started, escorted by a detachment of the National Guard, some gendarmes and cuirassiers. The Duke of Orleans and Marshal Mortier accompanied him as far as the barrier, at which point I begged tlie King to order them to return to the town to restrain the garrison. I sent General Hulot to Menin,"* to warn the Com- mandant of that foreign town of the King's arrival, in order that there should be no mistake, for without this precaution they might have opened fire upon the carriages and the escort. He also had orders to engage horses, to advise the Custom House officials, and to point out exactly where the frontier was, because I was personally determined not to cross it, lest the publication of the fact that I had done so with the King should cause alarm to your sisters and my family. A very touching spectacle was presented to us along the road, the entire population on their knees in the mud, their hands raised to heaven, imploring the King not to abandon them. Later on his Majesty liked to recall these scenes of devoted attachment, which moved him very much. On reaching the frontier 1 stopped the carriages. General Hulot had brought a superior Knglish officer, who was commanding the troops at Menin. I begged him to show all the respect due to the King. He seemed to understand me, though he could not speak a word of French nor I of • A town jusl across the Belgian frontier. — Translator. 27 41 8 MARSHAL MACDONALD'S RECOLLECTIONS English. The King thanked the escort, and ordered them a considerable largesse. My farewell with his Majesty was very painful. He addressed me most affectionately ; I was much touched. The King presented me with a handsome snuff-box, bearing his portrait set in diamonds. I refused it, saying that the image impressed upon my memory would suffice. The King insisted, and said kindly : ' It is only a souvenir. Good-bye, my dear Marshal ; I am grateful for your devotion.' 'Good-bye, Sire,' said I in reply; 'au revoir in three months' time.' Not a year had passed since the King had returned to his country when he quitted it for the second time. His restoration had produced acclamations and transports of joy ; it seemed to promise happy days to France after thirty years of disorder produced by the results of a revolution which shook the world, and which finished by coming round again to its starting-point. France, however, had conquered the Charter and constitutional privileges ; the Charter was to have been the palladium of our liberties, it had been solemnly sworn to, and the first legislative act of the Government was to violate it. History will teach you, my son, by what a series of faults, acknowledged by the King in his proclamation at Cambrai at the time of his second return, his Ministers displeased the nation. That is why Napoleon, on landing, found a large majority favourably disposed towards him, as unfortunately for France it was, but the country paid dearly for this sad and painful episode. [ 419 1 CHAPTER XXXIX. Return lo Lille— Defection of Mortier— A Trustworthy Messenger— At Hethune— Excelmans and Ney— Dessole's Nenousness— Interview with Davoiit— Mathieu Dumas— The News of Waterloo. To return to my story. After seeing the King cross the Lys and enter Menin, I returned with the escort along the road we had come. At about one-third of our journey I called a halt, to give the horses time to breathe, and then galloped back to Lille. I was summoned to the Duke of Orleans, where I found all the authorities, generals, and conmianding officers. I was surrounded by people wishing for details as to the King's journey, which I gave. During the night the Duke of Orleans and his excellent and lovable sister started for Tournai ; they embraced us warmly. Marshal Mortier invited me to stay with him next day ; I had need of rest, and accepted his invitation, and after dinner went to bed. I have omitted to say that before the departure of the Duke of Orleans I asked him if he knew whether the King had informed Monsieur of his determination to leave Lille. The Prince said he had probably not done so. I begged him to write to Monsieur, but he preferred that I should undertake it, as, from my not having quitted the King. I was in a better position to give a detailed account. The Duke of Orleans read and approved my letter, so I wrote a second copy, and sent one by each road, namely, by 420 MARSHAL MACDONALD'S RECOLLECTIONS Arras and Bethune. We charged the Commissary-General of the King's Household, who had brought Monsieur's despatch, dated from Beauvais, with one of the letters, another person who had arrived at the same time was entrusted with the other, and both were strongly urged to lose no time in acquitting themselves of so important a mission, which concerned the safety of the Princes and the Military Household. I awoke very late next morning, and sent my apologies to the Marshal Duke of Treviso for not being able to come to breakfast I promised, however, to dine with him, and meanwhile begged him to let me know the news, and to send me the paper. I never was so amazed in my life as when I received a message from him that he could not entertain me at dinner, as he had received orders to leave for Paris immediately, and to make over his command to Count d'Erlon. On receiving this extraordinary intelligence I hardly knew whether I was awake or dreaming, so sur- prised was I. Nevertheless, I went straight to the Marshal, who confirmed the message he had sent, and told me that he had already made over his command. I blamed him for his precipitation, as I feared for the Princes who were bringing up the King's Household to Lille. The garrison had already adopted the tricoloured cockade, whether by order or spontaneously I know not. General d'Erlon, who, I believe, commanded the division before the arrival of Marshal Mortier, had taken part with Napoleon, and had even made some attempt in his favour previous to the announcement of his landing. As this act of hostility to the Royal Government had failed, he had hidden himself, but was now quite ready to take over the command. Seeing that the Marshal was determined to start in a few hours, I returned home, sent for a passport and some horses, entered my carriage, and drove off on A TRUSTWORTHY MESSENGER 421 the way to Bethune, so as to avoid the delays wliicli would he occasioned along the direct road followed by Marshal Mortier. The gates were closed, or at any rate that leading to liethune was, the staff in l.ilk- having forgotten to give orders that it should be opened for me. An officer on duty there obstinately refused to allow me to pass, notwith standing my rank and my passport, which I showed him. I reprimanded him very severely, and threatened him with the future weight of my resentment, but at the second Restoration I voluntarily forgot all about the matter. .A good many of the privates, however, took up my cause, while I sent notice to the Commandant. At length another officer arrived and opened the gate. On reaching the post-house at La Bassee I found no horses. I wished to push on with those I had, but they were dead-beat, and I had to give them a rest. While- waiting in the inn I heard my name pronounced in a neigh- bouring room. Nobody knew who I was, but as I wished to find out what was the matter I walked in and made myself known. A tall young man said he had two letters of mine — they were franked with my name. He showed them to me, and I recognised them as those I had written the previous evening to Monsieur. ' By what accident,' I inquired, 'did those letters fall into your hands ?' He answered that the Commissary-General, to whom I had given them, and who was a great friend of his, had asked him to follow one or other of the two roads on the chance of meeting .Monsieur, while he went off to visit a friend in the neighbourhood. It was evident that he cared very little for what might happen to his Royal Highness. I took possession of the letters, and, my horses being ready, pursued my journey. 422 MARSHAL MACDOXALD'S RECOLLECTIONS It was eight or nine o'clock at night when I reached Bethune. The gates were closed, and I had great difficulty in getting them opened. A portion of the King's House- hold was on the watch there, as a detachment of the garrison of Arras, apparently hostile, had presented themselves, and demanded admittance. The Due de Berry, perhaps im- prudently, had gone out and forced them to retreat ; but there was reason to fear that they might come back at night in larger numbers. Monsieur had learned, I know not how, that the King had quitted Lille the previous morning. He determined to go and join him by the shortest road with all the avail- able troops. Notwithstanding advice to the contrary, they took abominable cross-country roads, where many carriages and guns remained fast in the mud, instead of following the high-road to La Bassee, whence, by another good road, they could have reached Bailleul ; but they were frightened by the sight of the Arras detachment, and dreading lest they should meet another from the garrison at Lille, they prepared to go across country. I heard that, before start- ing, Monsieur had decided to disband the remainder of the Household. As soon as my arrival in the town became known, a large number of Generals and superior officers came to me for advice. As they were not in a position to defend them- selves, I told them to put into execution the orders they had, to send notice to Lille and Arras so as to prevent hostilities, lay down their arms, distribute the funds remain- ing to each company, or give up a few months' pay, in order that everyone might be enabled to procure plain clothes ; for in uniform, and travelling singly, they ran the risk of being attacked at every step. General Dessole was also at Bethune ,; he was in com- mand of the National Guard at Paris, but, as he was also EXCHLMANS AND NI-Y 423 Secretary of State, he had started to rejoin the King at Lille. Oil hearing of his departure, he would neither follow him abroad nor rcluni to Paris ; he begged mc to accom- ])any him to Amiens, and we travelled together. The town of Doullens was crowded with cavalry, at the head of whom was deneral ICxcelmans, hastening after the King's House- hold. I had stopped to breakfast, and he came to see me, looking rather uneasy. He had had cause of complaint against the Royal (lovernment, and had consequently warmly embraced Napoleon's cause. •What!' I exclaimed, 'do you mean to say that you would have the heart to fall, sword in hand, upon a few brave men who have remained true to their oaths ? Why don't you arrest me ? for I tell you I have kept mine, too, and will never serve the cause you have embraced. Think what you are doing. Sooner or later you must certainly be entangled in the meshes of the vengeance that cannot fail to overtake you. All the great Powers are marching towards our frontiers ; tremble at the results of a reaction !' These observations had little effect upon General Excel- mans, because he was excited and embittered. He was an excellent man at heart, very brave, but excitable ; he would have done his duty well had he been employed. He pro- mised me, however, that he would slacken his speed and respect the liberty of individuals. At the next stage an advance-courier met mine. He belonged to Marshal Ney, and there was, consequently, no hope of avoiding him. We were then serving very different sides. Just as our carriages were passing, he ordered his to stop. ' Vou are going to Paris?' he cried. ' Vou will be well received. The Emjjeror will welcome you.' • I will spare him that trouble,' I replied. ' I shall not see him, neither shall I join his party.' 424 MARSHAL MACDONALD'S RECOLLECTIONS With these words we parted. My determination was fixed only to stop in Paris just long enough to attend to some business, to see no one, and to start again immediately for Courcelles. A few days were sufficient for me. General Dessole would not remain in Amiens ; he could not remember the name of a single friend in the town, and did not consider himself in safety there. He preferred to push on to the neighbourhood of Paris, and only enter it after nightfall. I stopped at Ecouen. I underwent a close examination at the barrier, but my passport was in order, and we were allowed to enter. Poor Dessole's memory again completely deserted him. He was much disturbed, and very anxious as to what might happen to him. Napoleon did not like him. I told him that at the end of the Rue de Clichy I should leave ray carriage, and go in search of news. He fancied that we were followed ; I did not care if we were. We separated, he still in doubt as to what he would do or where he would go, and not daring to return home. I went to the house of your sister De Massa, but found no one at home, and had no better success at the houses of several other friends. I then decided to go home. Madame de Semonville, who knew that my return was expected, was waiting for me, and I was much surprised at finding General Dessole with her. He told me that, when we separated, he had observed that our carriages were watched ; he had there- fore jumped into mine, and on entering my courtyard had found the same spies there. In answer to my porter, who asked what they wanted, they replied that they had orders to be there, but they had eventually taken their departure. I do not know whither Dessole had sent his carriage. I offered him a bed, which he refused, though he did not know where to betake himself, and was in terror of being arrested. For my own part, I feared nothing personally ; I was guaranteed by the services I had rendered to Napoleon DESSOLE'S NERVOUSNESS 425 al ilie lime of his abdication at Fontainehlcau. I liad also heard from General Ricard, who had come from \'ienna to Lille, bearing to the King the resolution passed by ilic (Jon- gress on March 1;,. that he had read a little pamphlet uikjii a visit to Elba, in which Napoleon had spoken of me in laudatory terms. C'.eneral Ricard promised to give me this little publication, but I never received it. In order to induce General Dessole to do something, I suEfcrested to Madame de Semonville that she should take him in her carriage and drive very fast through different (juarters of the town, so as to put any spies off the scent. The advice was followed, they started, and I heard next day that Dessole had safely reached the country. I gave my porter the strictest orders to admit no one but my family or a few friends whose names I mentioned to him. I sent my carriages to Courcelles, intending to follow them very shortly, and hastened to settle my business, when, nt the moment that I least expected it, the porter announced Marshal Davoiit, the Minister of War. He had been foolish enough to believe that my orders could not be applicable to so important a personage. In order to avoid the unpleasantness of this interview, I told him to say that I was unwell, and not able to .see him. ^Vhile I was utter- ing the words, the Marshal, who overheard them, entered. * Too late !' said Davout ; ' I have to speak to you on very important matters.' I had no choice but to listen. When we were alone, the Prince of Echmiihl began with some ordinary remarks ; then, coming to Napoleon, he said that he was sent by him to reiterate to me the expression of his gratitude for the course I had j)ursued during the last agony of the Empire ; that he wished to thank me himself, and that he offered me an interview, which should be either private or public, as 1 wished. 426 MARSHAL MACDONALUS RECOLLECTIONS I had no hesitation in refusing. I answered that I had been faithful to his cause and his person until the last moment ; that I had now undertaken other engagements, which I should carry out with the same fidelity ; that I felt sure that Napoleon knew me too well to imagine that I could be seduced by temptation of fortune, title, or brilliant employment ; that my determination was firm, and my mind made up, and that insistence was useless. I added, in a decided voice, that a continuance of this conversation, painful as it was to both of us, would be an outrage upon my honour, my feelings, and my pride. ' You appear, Macdonald,' said the Minister, ' to have tried and condemned us all very summarily ! Speaking for myself, I entered into no engagement whatever with the Bourbons. I was in command at Hamburg when Napoleon fell ;* they permitted me to be attacked in scurrilous pamphlets, to which I replied. I have never even seen the King, nor have I received anything at his hands. I am, therefore, free, and I embrace the cause of liberty, which I have long defended.' ' No doubt,' I answered, ' liberty and Napoleon are synonymous terms. These liberties will end by putting chains on our necks. ^Ve shall see Europe raised against us, drunk with revenge and resentment, from which, hitherto, France has been preserved merely by the Czar's authority. Did not the Charter ensure us all the liberty and indepen- dence we could desire? The institutions would have secured to us these two great bases of the social edifice. No doubt the Royal Government has committed grave errors ; but consider the immensity of the peril into which we are about * Hamburg, it should be remembered, held out gallantly, even after the fall of Paris, in 1814. The campaign in Belgium in 1815 might have been greatly altered in character had this able General been free to have taken part in it in place of Ney or Grouchy. INTERVIEW WITH DAVOUT 427 to be dragged, and judge for yourself whether these errors were of such a nature as to render a complete overturn necessary, and to call for an inquiry. I am wrong,' I added warmly ; ' there will he no inquiry. Can France, divided as she is to-day, resist a coalition of foreigners and their armies ?' 'But,' he argued, 'the Emperor assures us that Austria is on our side.' • Either he deceives himself or he is deceiving you. Have you seen the declaration of the Congress of Vienna ?' ' No.' ' Read it.' ' Is this an authentic copy ?' ' It was sent to the King by Monsieur de Talleyrand. General Ricard brought it to Lille, where it was immediately printed, published, and advertized. I am surprised that it did not reach you by courier.' ' The deuce ! This alters the case. May I take it with me?' ' Vou may : I have several copies.' He retired. Although it was clear to me that he was shaken, he continued in the occupation of his post, and eventually had reason to repent of having done so. I was then able to render him considerable service. I reiterated my orders to my porter, which were thence- forward carried out rigorously. General Mathieu Dumas, who had been chief of my staff when I commanded the Army of the Grisons, came to see me. He was refused admission. He was intimate with Marshal Davout, whom he had recently served in the same capacity as he had me. I suspected that he was charged by Napoleon and the Marshal with a mission of the same nature ; nor was I mistaken, for, finding that he could not see me, he wrote to me upon the subject, and added that he begged me to 428 MARSHAL MACDONALD'S RECOLLECTIONS consent to an interview or else to go to the Tuileries. ] answered so strongly, and giving such reasons for my refusal, as at length to secure my being left in peace. I was on very good terms with Mathieu Dumas. I was sorry not to see him ; but, in our respective positions, I should have been wrong to receive him. During my work at Lille, and since my return, I ex- perienced every now and then a difficulty in breathing, which occasioned me some inconvenience. It was a pre- monitory symptom of an attack of gout, which laid me up on the very day preceding that fixed for my departure. The attack was very severe. I should have been choked had they not succeeded in drawing it down to my feet. It caused me tortures, and lasted three months, so I was compelled to postpone my departure. As soon as I was well enough I started, but stopped at a distance of six leagues from Paris to rest for a day. While there I heard of the disaster at Waterloo. As this catastrophe put the finishing stroke to Napoleon's political career, I renounced my intention of continuing my journey, thinking that I might assist in hastening the return of the King — our one hope of preventing anarchy. [ 420 ] CHAPTER XL. Secret Meetings — The Teniporar)- Clovernment — The Cockade (Question —The King at Arnouville— The Secretar)ship for War— Ministerial Candidates — Mission to Paris — Arch-Chancellor of the Legion of Honour. Events succeeded each other rapidly in 1815. The re- mains of the army were collected around Paris, Napoleon was once more compelled to abdicate, and a temporary Government established. This Government, wishing to gauge the opinions of the Generals, called a meeting, to which I was invited. I refused to attend it, as I had resigned my command to the King, and felt that, if I accepted the invitation, I should appear to be a.ssociating myself with recent events and recognizing an order of things which my opinions would not allow me to support. One of the first proceedings of this Government had been to raise new levies and organize battalions of federates, who soon adopted a bullying, threatening manner towards all who were not in agreement with them — that is to say, the par- tisans of Royal Government. I decided to return secretly to Paris, so as to be on the spot and better able to profit by chance events. I entered it at night, and look shelter with one of my aides-de-camp. So well hidden was I that next day everyone knew where I was ! This discovery did mc no harm ; on the contrary, it brought about an interview with Monsieur Hyde de Neuville, who brought me (better 430 MARSHAL MACDONALD'S RECOLLECTIONS late than never) a note from the Duchesse d'Angouleme, then in London, and unlimited powers from the King, with a nomination to a membership in a secret Government, which was to restore proper authority as soon as possible. Monsieur Hyde de Neuville, who had quitted Ghent a month previously, had been to London in the hope of find- ing means of returning to France. They were fighting on the frontier, so it would have been imprudent to attfempt to enter there. Several private meetings were held in my house, of which I had openly retaken possession. We had many supporters in the capital, and it was proposed to risk a Royalist move- ment. I was opposed to it, as I did not see how we were to struggle against the temporary Government with Fouche at its head, and also because the army was still too exasperated to abandon the cause into which it had been dragged. Our party consisted of Marshal Oudinot (Duke of Reggio), of Messieurs de Semonville, D'Andre, Du Bouchage, and Baron Pasquier, with one or two others whose names I have forgotten. Baron Pasquier entered while we were discussing the advantages of, and objections to, attempting a rising. He brought Monsieur de Yitrolles with him ; both had just come from Fouche. They declared that the movement was unnecessary ; that the Duke of Otranto (Fouche) was in the interests of the King ; that he had received from him plenary powers later than ours ; that our intentions were known, our every step watched, and that we should infallibly fail. Baron Pasquier added that in a few days we should have by force things that we might vainly attempt to obtain by other means. Monsieur de Yitrolles confirmed what he said, and they added that they enjoyed the full confidence of the Duke of Otranto, who did nothing without asking and taking their opinion. Monsieur de Yitrolles was an ultra-Royalist, and was therefore above suspicion. THE TEMPORARY GOVERNMENT 431 We decided to do nothing, but thought it would he only proper to inform the King of the reason why we took no steps. One of us was to be deputed to go to his Majesty, and I was asked lo undertake the mission ; I agreed. Fouche was informed of this next day ; he wished to see me. I at first felt very strong disinclination to such an interview, but was persuaded to agree to it, as I was informed that I should be told of many things for the King which could not be entrusted to paper. The capitulation of Paris and an armistice had just been arranged ; the French army was retiring across the Loire. At the appointed hour I went to the Tuileries, where the temporary Government held its sittings. I expected to be received privately, but I found the Duke of Otranto and some of his colleagues amid a number of Generals and others. Several came to greet mc. A heated discussion ensued. I treated them very severely, reproaching them for the misfortunes under which France was groaning, and ac- cusing them of having provoked the strangers, who in two days would be masters of Paris. They all talked at once, and such nonsense that at last Fouche took me aside, and said : ' Never mind them ; they are a set of fools ' One of his colleagues called to me, in a loud voice : ' Monsieur le Marechal, you are going to see the King. Tell him that what we want is independence, the tricoloured cockade and ' I did not hear the remainder, contenting myself with a shrug of my shoulders. The days of the temporary Govern- ment were numbered. Fouche confirmed all that Pas(|uier and Dc \'ilrolles had told me the previous evening at our meeting — he was working on behalf of the King. He begged me to assure his Majesty of his devotion and fidelity — to say that, if he had played a 432 MARSHAL MACDONALD'S RECOLLECTIONS part in recent events, it was only in order to serve him better ! He urged me to impress upon him the advisabihty of coming quickly, and of preceding the foreigners, if pos sible, so as to check any movement by his presence. He added that, if the King wished to give an agreeable surprise to the nation, and thus attract the army to himself, he should wear the tricoloured cockade, which he ought to mind the less as he had worn it before the emigration. He ended by asking me to go and see Davofit, Commander-in-chief and Minister for War, who was expecting me, and would give me my passport. I took leave of Fouche, and went to the War Office. Marshal Davoiit received me warmly. He told me that the effective force of the army that was going to the other side of the Loire amounted to 150,000 men and 30,000 horses, with 750 pieces of ordnance; that he would place this imposing force at the King's service if he would leave them the tricoloured cockade and wear it himself; that the great majority of people in France were deeply attached to these colours, under which they had so o.'ten fought vic- toriously ; that that would be the best means of regaining the affection of all citizens worthy of the name ; and that his Majesty might then give the army a chief of his own choice, if it did not please him to leave him (Davoiit) at its head. I promised, as I had done to Fouche, to relate faithfully to the King all that I had heard ; but I added that I doubted his accepting the conditions laid down. As a matter of policy, I am still convinced that the adop- tion of these colours, on the occasion of the first Restoration, would have saved France from the calamities that weighed so heavily upon her; but at such a moment, in presence of the allies, could the King honourably decide upon such a course ? Although policy excuses everything, even the greatest mistakes, one had been committed at the first THE COCKADE QUESTION 433 Restoration, and perhaps, also, at the second, because this was not clearly understood. It cannot he said that the mistake was committed a second time owing to want of good advice. The King was inclined to give way when I saw him. but the counsellors he brought from Ghent dis- suaded him. I started with Monsieur Hyde de Neuville ; although we were serving the same cause, I was far from sharing his extreme opinions. A staff-officer passed us through the outposts, and it was with a feeling of sorrow that I found myself among those of the foreigners. It was believed that the King was at Cambrai ; but that very day he had come to sleep at .A.rnouville, a few leagues from Paris. His Ministers preceded him ; I met them rather on this side of Louvres. They halted on learning who I was. They had no news from Paris, and that which I brought appeared to them so important as to make them aiixious that the King should stop at Clonesse, whither we went to wait for him. His Majesty embraced me very cordially, praising the fidelity I had maintained towards him. He gave me a private interview, which lasted for a full hour. The King could not get over his surprise at finding the importance that was attached to so apparently trivial a thing as the cockade — 'a plaything' he called it. ' But, your Majesty,' said I, ' were you only playing when you once adopted and wore these colours ?' ' The circumstances were very different,' he replied. ' .\t that time I had to master the Revolution.' 'And to make use of it,' I hastily remarked, 'on your first return. The circumstances are the same now. More- over, were not these in former days the colours of the Royal Family, and did not the Dutch receive them from Henry IV. ?' 28 434 MARSHAL MACDONALD'S RECOLLECTIONS 'Yes,' answered the King; 'but they were the livery colours of his house.' ' No doubt your Majesty will also remember that at the gates of the capital the same monarch remarked that " Paris was well worth a Mass " ?' ' Certainly ; but it was not a very Catholic speech.' Finally the King said he would consult his IMinisters and allies, and took me on with him to Arnouville. After dinner, Monsieur, the Due de Berry, the principal officers, and some of the Ministers came in. The King said : 'My brother, my nephew, here is our friend the Marshal; embrace him.' Monsieur did it with very good grace, but his son dis- played some embarrassment and reluctance. I do not know whether he thought the favour too great, or whether he re- membered the discussion we had had before the departure of the King. Conversation turned naturally upon existing circumstances and the causes that had produced them. Everybody indiscriminately, but especially the army, was accused of having joined a colossal plot to upset the Royal Government and restore Napoleon. I, on the other hand, maintained that the faults of which I could speak boldly, since they had been avowed boldly in the proclamation of Cambrai — prodigality, injustice, abuses, favours distributed without discernment, violation of the Charter, haughtiness, contempt — had contributed to embitter the army and a portion of the nation ; that even had Napoleon not appeared, there would have been risings, as they had been foreshadowed by unmistakable portents. I declared, with the same boldness, that certain Generals had not followed a straight line, to use the expression of Count Ferrand ; that when they found their influence spreading, the appearance of their old leader had sufficed to turn all THE SECliETAKYSHIP FOR WAR 4.55 their heads, as a spark might create a conflagration : that, on the whole, the officers were not guilty ; and thai, in acting as they had clone, they simply followed the regimental money-chests. A proof, an unanswerable proof, that there had been no plot was contained in the fact that during the Hundred l>ays no individuals had boasted of having had anything to do with it. Had it been otherwise, men would have been proud of it, and publicly solicited rewards. Surely those who had done wrong would not have been kept from self-glorification by vanity or indifference. 'There is much truth, my brother, in what the Marshal says,' remarked the King ; but the audience did not appear convinced. The King dismissed us. Next day I saw several of the Ministers privately ; they appeared uncertain what to advise, but to me it seemed clear that they had already resolved to reject the i)roposals I had brought the previous day to Gonesse. Monsieur de 'I'alleyrand, who had been sent to Neuilly to the allied Generals, had returned to give an account of his mission. .\ council had been held immediately upon his arrival, and after a short deliberation he started again for Neuilly, no doubt in order to announce the result to his allies. I learned that Fouche had gone there also, more probably to treat for his own private interests than for those of France. I tackled the Ministers immediately upon the subject of the colours. They somewhat awkwardly admitted that the jjresence and opposite opinion of the allies had placed an invincible obstacle in the way. It became obvious that, if we could no longer impo.se acts of government, we must submit to accejiting those of the conqueror. Several of them. Baron Louis, the Marquis de Jaucourt, and others, invited me to a conference in the open air, and I learned that they were charged to reconstruct the Ministry, and to offer me the Secretaryship for U'ar. The Due de 436 MARSHAL MACDONALD'S RECOLLECTIONS Feltre* was standing not far from us. I pointed him out, and said : ' There is the man with the best right to it.' 'No,' said Baron Louis ; 'we will not have as a colleague a man who, in a speech in the Chamber of Peers, under a representative Government, dared to proclaim that " What the King wills, the Law wills." I had myself heard these remarkable words ; and this resuscitation of a superannuated maxim, dating from the time of absolute monarchs, had produced considerable mur murings against, and some abuse of, their author. I at first pleaded my incapacity, the condition of France and of the army. I declared plainly that, foreseeing as I did acts of severity, I would not consent to be made the instrument for applying them to men who were unfortunate rather than guilty ; that, in short, I had neither strength, courage, nor capacity to support such a burden. They pressed me, but to no purpose ; they then exhibited great regret, which I had no reason for not believing sincere, and begged me to name somebody. There were few Generals who had taken no part in this Revolution. I named them, and left the choice to my auditors — Mortier, Oudinot, Gouvion St. Cyr, Dessole, and some others whom I do not now recollect. They desired my opinion upon the subject of the two last. I had no connection with nor any feeling for or against either. 'Is St. Cyr fond of work?' they asked. 'Many people say he is lazy.' ' I am not aware of it. He is a man of great military capacity, firm, honest, jealous of other people's merit. Li the army he is regarded as what is vulgarly called a " bad bed-fellow." In the coldest manner imaginable he allowed his neighbours to be beaten without attempting to assist * General Clarke, War Minister under Napoleon. MIXISTHRIAL CANDIDATES 437 them, and then criticised them afterwards. But this opinion, not uncommon among soldiers, is perhaps ex- aggerated, and he is admitted to have wits, cahnness, and great capabihties.' He justified this opinion both in the army and at the War Office. Dessole seemed, at the moment, to be more in favour with my interlocutors. His character was gentler, more trusting than the other's ; he also possessed greater adminis- trative qualities, having generally occupied the post of chief of the general staff. But under existing circumstances, and after so great an alarm, it was indispensable to select a man who combined firmness and conciliation. The former of these qualities should predominate, and it was just that one in which Dessole was lacking. He had recently given proof of this in my presence when I brought him back from Bethune to Paris— hesitating, undecided, not knowing what to do. However, he afterwards became President of the Council and Foreign Secretary. Loud were the railings agamst France and the army, as I have mentioned in my account of the conversation the foregoing evening : those who were about the Princes and who had emigrated vowed vengeance, though I must add that their vengeance was to be brought about by means of the allied armies. For the sake of truth I must add that the Ministers with whom I conferred displayed great moderation, and lamented with me the disaster of Waterloo, and the yoke that the foreigners were preparing for the shoulders of our country. During our conversation, from which this digression has carried me away, we were struck by a sudden uproar rising from the courtyard of the castle. We hastened up, and saw (ieneral Lagrange, who had only one arm, struggling with some guards of the blue and red corps. They were 438 MARSHAL MACDONALD'S RECOLLECTIONS abusing him for not having followed to Ghent a company of monsquetaires, of which he was commander, and were tear- ing off the emblems of his rank. We ran to his assist- ance, but the Due de Feltre, who was close at hand, had already delivered him from the hands of these mad- men. I expressed in round terms my indignation and m}- opinion of their cowardice in attacking a one-armed officer ; I told them that they should exhibit their bravery in presence of and against the enemy, and not against a man who had given 'proof of his on many battlefields. As soon as the King was informed of the occurrence he sent down an expression of his indignation, and his intention of inflict- ing punishment ; at the same time he sent for me. This incident naturally broke off our conference.* The King began by thanking me for the firmness I had displayed towards his guards, but I stopped him by saying that it was the Due de Feltre who had put an end to the outrage to which General Lagrange had fallen a victim, that I had come up too" late, but soon enough, however, to lecture his guards as they deserved. He then said that he had ordered an inquiry, and would punish the guilty severely. ' But,' he continued, ' I had another motive in sending for you. You told me that Monsieur Fouchef would make over the government to me if I would agree to the con- ditions you were charged to submit to me. I cannot speak very decidedly just now, because I must deliberate with my * A very difterent incident occurred in one of the Peninsular battles. As Colonel Felton Harvey was leading his squadrons to an attack, his sword arm disabled and hanging down, he was on the point of being cut down by the Colonel at the head of the French cavalry opposed to him, when the latter, observing his defenceless condition, suddenly brought his sword at the critical instant to a salute, and passed on. f One of the regicides. MISSION TO PARIS 439 allies: but you understand that my dignity will not sufTer me to take the reins from //is hands. Return, therefore, to Paris, tell him to make over his powers to you. and that I will not fail to requite the services he has recently done me.' I knew that the Duke of Otranto was at Neuilly in con- ference with the allied Generals and the Prince of Renevento (Talleyrand). I had the intelligence from Beurnonville. Apparently the King was ignorant of the fact, for he started, but soon recovered, and said : ' Very good ; if he be away you will see his colleagues, and notify my intentions to them.' ' But, Sire, they will do nothing in the absence of their leader, and they are sure not to be all of the same opinion." ' Go, all the same. If you do not see them, remain in Paris ; in the contrary event, come back as soon as possible and inform me of what has happened.' I bowed, and was about to start upon this mission, when he stopped me, and said : ' My dear Marshal, there is yet another service which I am going to ask of your zeal ;' and, giving me a folded paper that was lying on his writing-table, he continued : 'This is your nomination as Arch-Chancellor of the Legion of Honour. It was presented to me by Monsieur de Talleyrand, and I signed it at Roye.' I refused this office for the same reasons as those I had previously given in refusing the Ministry of War. At the word ' Ministry ' the King seemed surprised, but said with great kindness that he considered me equally worthy of either, and insisted so much that I ended by giving way. He largely increased the dignity of the office by restoring to it the title of a Secretaryship of State, and permitting it to have direct communication with the Sovereign. These 440 MARSHAL MACDONALD'S RECOLLECTIONS privileges had existed under the Empire, but had been suppressed at the Restoration ; the title had been reduced to that of Chancellor only, and the officer could only com- municate with the King through the Minister of the House- hold. I was to be dependent upon the President of the Council, inasmuch as his counter-signature was necessary.* A\'hen this matter was settled I started for Paris to carry out the mission with which the King had charged me. On the way I reflected upon what had happened during the morning. Why, on the one hand, were the Ministers I have quoted so anxious to secure my services, while, on the other, the King pressed me so earnestly to accept the Arch- Chancellorship ? He, clearly, was but the echo of Monsieur de Talleyrand, who was interested in keeping me out of the Government, where I should have been too much in his way ; but as the King, apparently, wished that I should hold some office, the Prince of Benevento suggested the Legion of Honour for me. It was clear that some intrigue, of which his colleagues were kept in ignorance, was con- cealed under this business. The matter had been arranged between the King and the Minister, who in his haste had forgotten to countersign the appointment. I did not think well to have this informality put right. It was now useless, as I was already in office. The document has remained in the same state ever since. ^' I think I have already referred to the question of orphanages founded for the daughters of members of the Order. I have not leisure to read over again what I have written on this subject, from a bad habit I long since contracted. I write a great deal and very rapidly ; I should discover many mistakes, but in order to correct them I should have to erase them or recommence my work, and I should never have time enough, although I rise very early. (The secret is that I know the value of time, and never waste it.) However, do not imitate my bad habits ; write less and more correctly. But, after all, these historical notes are for you alone, and you will make allowances for your father. Note by Marshal Macdojtald. MISSION TO PARIS 441 On the road I had to endure the painful spectaele of, and to pass through, an enemy's camp. I also passed General Dessole, wearing the uniform of the Commander of the Parisian National Guard. He was going to pay his respects at Arnouville, and was uneasy as to what reception he might find : we exchanged a few words, and I was able to reassure him. As a matter of fact, he was retained in his post, and next time I saw him he was in good spirits, and had recovered his courage. According to my anticipations, I found neither the Duke of Otranto (Fouche) — who was at Neuilly — nor his colleagues in the temporary Government. They had met that morning for the last time. Since my mission had no longer an object, I remained quiet. [ 442 ] CHAPTER XLT. The King's Second Entry into Paris— The Army of the Loire— The Ordinances of July — Resignation of the Prince of Eckmiihl — Marshal Macdonald takes the Command — Ciallantry of General Drouot — His Modesty and Religious Feeling— Judicial Murder of the Hero of Beresina— Last Moments of Marshal Ney— Infamous Behaviour of General Lecchi— Anecdotes of the Emperor's Aides- de-Camp. Early the next morning a courier brought me an order to be at St. Denis at mid-day. I started in uniform, followed by a saddle-horse, when, at the turning from the Chemin de la Revoke, opposite the castle of St. Ouen, I perceived the royal carriages and escort, coming out of St. Denis, and following the direct road. I mounted my horse and rode across country, catching up the procession just as it was entering the village of La Chapelle. The King waved his hand to me in a friendly manner, and so did Monsieur. Marshal St. Cyr and some Generals surrounded the carriage. I joined them. The reception by the Parisians was less demonstrative than at the first entrv. On the boulevards they were even colder than in the suburbs and the Rue St. Denis. At that point Marshal Moncey joined the procession. The King turned away his head from his salute, and Monsieur with- drew his hand indignantly when the Marshal advanced respectfully to take it. He was in disgrace for having con- tinued in office during the Hundred Days.* " It is greatly to the honour of Marshal Moncey that he boldly refused to take part in the trial of Marshal Ney. THE ARMY OF Till-: LOIRE 443 On reaching the Tuilcries I was much surprised, and no douI)t others were also, at seeing close by the door of the throne-room the Duke of Otranto, to whom the King gave his hand as he passed ! I was not less surprised at learning that on the previous evening he had been appointed Minister of Police. I had heard on the road that St. Cyr was to have the War Office. It was a very good choice, but from the state of mind in which I had left the Ministers after our inter- view in the park at Arnouville, I rather expected it to have been given to Dessole, towards whom they seemed then inclined. These events happened on July 8. A few days later I was installed as Arch-Chancellor of the Legion of Honour, and entered upon my functions. I did not, however, take possession of the palace, as it was in the hands of the allies. The army had retired to the other side of the Loire, and took its name from the river. Its Commander, Marshal Davout, Prince of Eckmiihl, had made it take the oath and put on the white cockade. He then resigned. Eyes seemed turned to me to take his place ; the King sent for and pro- po.sed it to me. I realized all the weight attaching to so thorny and difficult a command, for now there was no longer any question of fighting an enemy, but of fighting opinions, and to induce the army to submit to disbandment, which was being openly discussed, only, it was said, this disbandment was to take the shape of a formation of soldiers and officers into new corps, to be called legions. I pointed out to his Majesty how inconvenient to myself personally, and how htllc in the interests of the State, such an appointment would be. My objections were anticipated. The King did his utmost to remove them, but it was not an easy task. I had always borne a strong affection for this army, notwithstanding its errors, and perhaps because it 444 MARSHAL MACDONALD'S RECOLLECTIONS realized them, and I had to expect opposition to the pro- posed measures, and excitement secretly kept up by the allies, who were anxious to re-open hostilities, so as to have an excuse for crossing the Loire and wasting a new country ; and last, there was a feeling against me, because I had taken no part in the unhappy conflict of the Hundred Days. I have since had proofs that I was mistaken as to this last point ; the army appreciated my character, my honesty, and my friendly feeling towards it, and respected my opinions and conduct. It remembered that a year previously I had worked hard for the interests of the Emperor and his family, and that I had been the last to acknowledge the new order of things. I owed Napoleon nothing ; he had long neglected me, and left me under the burden of a sort of disgrace ; but he was in trouble, and I forgot everything. The King insisted so strongly, so obstinately, upon the personal service he begged me to do him — those are his own words — that he overcame my scruples. I consented, but upon two solemn conditions. Firstly, that I should have absolute freedom of action ; secondly, that I should never be called upon to act as the instrument in any steps that might be taken against individuals, still less that I should be charged with their execution. After these two essential points were settled, the King sent me to the War Office for my instructions. After expressing great satisfaction at hearing that I had yielded to the King's wishes. Marshal St. Cyr told me that he could not conceal the importance of this command, of which the Prince of Eckmiihl could endure no more ; that his entreaties to be relieved became more and more pressing by every courier, and that he begged me to hasten my pre- parations and go to IJourges as soon as possible. The impolitic ordinances of July 25, whereby several Generals and other persons who had taken an active part in the THE ORDINANCES 445 Hundred Days were banished or brought up for trial, had been published, and, will it be believed? these sentences had been pronounced upon a report from Fouche, Duke of Otranto, Minister of Police — from him who before and during the period had so largely participated in the events with which they were filled I 1 was very anxious as to the effect these measures would have on the army. A consola- tion, however, was awaiting me at Bourges — Massa, your sister's husband, liad, much against his will, been sent there as Prefect ; his wife had accompanied him, and I went to stay in their house. My arrival created great excitement and general uneasi- ness, which I dissipated next day when I received a visit from the corps, headed by the Marshal Prince of Eckmiihl, whom I had informed of all that had passed The Generals feared that my despatch-box was filled with orders of arrest or deprivation. I undeceived them by saying that I had too high an opinion of them to believe that any among them could injure me by thinking me capable of deceiving them. They assured me that it had never entered the head of one of them. ' Let those,' I continued, ' who are unfortunate enough to appear on these fatal ordinances take measures for their safety : they have not a moment to lose. At any minute orders may arrive of which I shall be powerless to prevent the execution ; the only thing I can do is to give them this warning and facilitate their means of escape.' Several of them were present, and profited by my advice. Amongst others were Generals Laborde and Hrayer, the latter of whom had commanded at Lyons on the occasion of the catastrophe of NLirch 10. It was he who had told me, at the decisive moment, that all measures had been taken to prevent my departure. He was now much ashamed, and stammered out his excuses. 446 MARSHAL MACDONALD'S RECOLLECTIONS ' Fly !' was my answer. General IJ)rouot not only disdained to flee, but insisted upon forestalling his arrest by going and surrendering him- self at the Abbaye prison. All arguments were unavailing to turn him from this determination, which he put into im- mediate execution. As it fell out, he acted wisely, for at his trial he was acquitted. He was the most upright and modest man I have ever known — well educated, brave, devoted, simple in manners. His character was lofty and of rare probity.* However, in the case of political crimes, for so they are called by those who triumph, the wisest plan is to flee from immediate vengeance. One can explain afterwards Time (which allays passions and party-spirit) and intervening events co-operate in producing indulgence and forgetfulness. * An interesting picture of the gallant General Droviot (not to be confounded with General Drouet, Count D'Erlon, recently referred to in these pages) is given in Odeleben's ' Campaign of 1813 ': ' Drouot, the well-known Commander of the Artillery of the Guard, was a very remarkable man. ... He always had a small Bible with him to read, which constituted his chief delight ; and he avowed it openly to the persons in the Imperial suite— a peculiarity not a little remarkable in that staff, and the admission of which recphred no small degree of moral courage. He was not without a certain shade of super- stition, for, as Napoleon usually brought him forward at the most hazardous moment, and he was always exposed at the head of his troops, his situation was full of peril ; and he was careful on such occa- sions to array himself in his old uniform of General of Artillery, as he jiad long worn it, and never received any injury. When near the enemy he always dismounted from horseback, and advanced on foot in the middle of his guns, and by a most extraordinary chance neither himself nor his horse was ever wounded. His modesty was equal to his knowledge, his fidelity to his courage, and he gave a shining proof of the latter quality by accompanying Napoleon to Elba amidst the general defection by which the more exalted objects of the Emperor's bounty were disgraced.' (Quoted by Sir A. Alison in his ' History of Europe,' vol. ix.) This was the man inscribed by the Bourlions for possible massacre like Marshal Ney. MARSHAL XEY 447 This was exemi)lified in the case of many of those who were aimed at hv the ordinances. It would have been the case with the unhappy Marshal Xey, had he profited immediately by the passports procured by his wife from the leaders of the foreign army. She implored him on her knees to lose no time in making his escape, but he answered curtly : ' Upon my word, madam, you are in a great hurry to get rid of me !' The unfortunate widow herself told me this characteristir story. Louis Will, told me and many other people that when Xey took leave of him, he promised that if he could seize Napoleon he would send him back to the King in an iron cage. He was an intrepid commander, but very change" able in his mind and disposition. I quite believe that he made this remark, but am convinced that he would never have sullied his reputation by i)utting it into execution. He was too confident, and it cost him his life.* * A gainfully vivid account of this dark jiage in Frencli history is given in the Comte de Rochechouarts ' Memoirs,' from which the following is abridged : 'On the mornin;; of December 7 I took upon myself,' says Roche- chouart, ' without consulting the prisoner, to order up a carriage. The .Marshal saluted us. I felt a great relief when I saw him in a blue overcoat, with a white neck-handkerchief, short black breeches, black >t<)ckings, and no decorations. I was afraid that he might have been in uniform, and that, consequently, it would be necessary to have it "dis- graced," and to have torn off the buttons, epaulettes, and decorations. On seeing the bad weather, he said, smiling, " Here is a nasty day." Then turning r> cxjiectcd to go to Grenelle, advised |.)erhaps that a manifestation would l)e made in his favour, said, "What ! already arrived ?" He naturally refused to kneel down and to let his eyes Ix* bandaged ; he only askc