memoirs of napoleon bonaparte, v14-第4部分

快捷操作: 按键盘上方向键 ← 或 → 可快速上下翻页 按键盘上的 Enter 键可回到本书目录页 按键盘上方向键 ↑ 可回到本页顶部! 如果本书没有阅读完，想下次继续接着阅读，可使用上方 "收藏到我的浏览器" 功能 和 "加入书签" 功能！


them。　　But　respect　was　impossible；　and　the　volatile　Parisians　made　the
Peers　a　constant　object　of　their　witticisms。　　The　punsters　of　Paris　made
the　following　somewhat　ingenious　play　upon　words。　　Lallemand；　Labedogure；
Drouot；　and　Ney　they　called　Las　Quatre　Pairs　fides　（perfides）；　which　in
pronunciation　may　equally　mean　the　four　faithful　peers　or　the　four
perfidious　men。　　The　infamous　Vandamme　and　another　were　called　Pair…
siffles；　the　biased　peers；　or　the　biased　pair；　or　（persiffles）　men　made
objects　of　derision。　　It　was　thus　the　lower　orders　behaved　while　the；
existence　of　France　was　at　stake。

By　this　time　the　thunder…cloud　of　war　had　gathered　and　was　ready　to
burst。　　Short　as　the　time　at　his　disposal　was　Napoleon　prepared　to　meet
it　with　his　accustomed　energy。　　Firearms　formed　one　of　the　most　important
objects　of　attention。　　There　were　sufficient　sabres；　but　muskets　were
wanting。　　The　Imperial　factories　could；　in　ordinary　times；　furnish
monthly　20；000　stands　of　new　arms；　by　the　extraordinary　activity　and
inducements　offered　this　number　was　doubled。　　Workmen　were　also　employed
in　repairing　the　old　muskets。　　There　was　displayed　at　this　momentous
period　the　same　activity　in　the　capital　as　in　1793；　and　better　directed；
though　without　the　same　ultimate　success。　　The　clothing　of　the　army　was
another　difficulty；　and　this　was　got　over　by　advancing　large　sums　of
money　to　the　cloth　manufacturers　beforehand。　　The　contractors　delivered
20；000　cavalry　horses　before　the　1st　of　June；　10；000　trained　horses　had
been　furnished　by　the　dismounted　gendarmerie。　　Twelve　thousand　artillery
horses　were　also　delivered　by　the　1st　of　June；　in　addition　to　6000　which
the　army　already　had。

The　facility　with　which　the　Ministers　of　Finance　and　of　the　Treasury
provided　for　all　these　expenses　astonished　everybody；　as　it　was　necessary
to　pay　for　everything　in　ready　money。　　The　system　of　public　works　was　at
the　same　time　resumed　throughout　France。　　〃It　is　easy　to　see；〃　said　the
workmen；　〃that　'the　great　contractor'　is　returned；　all　was　dead；　now
everything　revives。〃

〃We　have　just　learnt；〃　says　a　writer　who　was　at　Brussels　at　this　time；
〃that　Napoleon　had　left　the　capital　of　France　on　the　12th；　on　the　15th
the　frequent　arrival　of　couriers　excited　extreme　anxiety；　and　towards
evening　General　Muffing　presented　himself　at　the　hotel　of　the　Duke　of
Wellington　with　despatches　from　Blucher。　　We　were　all　aware　that　the
enemy　was　in　movement；　and　the　ignorant　could　not　solve　the　enigma　of　the
Duke　going　tranquilly　to　the　ball　at　the　Duke　of　Richmond'shis　coolness
was　above　their　comprehension。　　Had　he　remained　at　his　own　hotel　a　panic
would　have　probably　ensued　amongst　the　inhabitants；　which　would　have
embarrassed　the　intended　movement　of　the　British　division　of　the　army。

〃I　returned　home　late；　and　we　were　still　talking　over　our　uneasiness　when
we　heard　the　trumpets　sound。　　Before　the　sun　had　risen　in　full　splendour
I　heard　martial　music　approaching；　and　soon　beheld　from　my　windows　the
5th　reserve　of　the　British　army　passing；　the　Highland　brigade　were　the
first　in　advance；　led　by　their　noble　thanes；　the　bagpipes　playing　their
several　pibrochs；　they　were　succeeded　by　the　28th；　their　bugles'　note
falling　more　blithely　upon　the　ear。　　Each　regiment　passed　in　succession
with　its　band　playing。〃

The　gallant　Duke　of　Brunswick　was　at　a　ball　at　the　assembly…rooms　in　the
Rue　Ducale　on　the　night　of　the　15th　of　June　when　the　French　guns；　which
he　was　one　of　the　first　to　hear；　were　clearly　distinguished　at　Brussels。
〃Upon　receiving　the　information　that　a　powerful　French　force　was
advancing　in　the　direction　of　Charleroi。　　'Then　it　is　high　time　for　me　to
be　off；'　he　exclaimed；　and　immediately　quitted；　the　ball…room。〃

〃At　four　the　whole　disposable　force　under　the　Duke　off　Wellington　was
collected　together；　but　in　such　haste　that　many　of　the　officers　had　no
time　to　change　their　silk　stockings　and　dancing…shoes；　and　some；　quite
overcome　by　drowsiness；　were　seen　lying　asleep　about　the　ramparts；　still
holding；　however；　with　a　firm　hand；　the　reins　of　their　horses；　which　were
grazing　by　their　sides。

〃About　five　o'clock　the　word　march'　was　heard　in　ail　directions；　and
instantly　the　whole　mass　appeared　to　move　simultaneously。　　I　conversed
with　several　of　the　officers　previous　to　their　departure；　and　not　one
appeared　to　have　the　slightest　idea　of　an　approaching　engagement。

〃The　Duke　of　Wellington　and　his　staff　did　not　quit　Brussels　till　past
eleven　o'clock；　and　it　was　not　till　some　time　after　they　were　gone　that
it　was　generally　known　the　whole　French　army；　including　a　strong　corps　of
cavalry；　was　within　a　few　miles　of　Quatre　Bras。〃




CHAPTER　VIII。

　　　　　＇Like　the　preceding；　this　chapter　first　appeared　in　the　1836
　　　　　edition；　and　is　not　from　the　pen　of　M。　de　Bourrienne。＇

1815。

THE　BATTLES　OF　LIGNY　AND　QUATRE　BRAS。

The　moment　for　striking　a　decisive　blow　had　now　come；　and　accordingly；
early　on　the　morning　of　the　15th；　the　whole　of　the　French　army　was　in
motion。　　The　2d　corps　proceeded　to　Marchiennes　to　attack　the　Prussian
outposts　at　Thuin　and　Lobes；　in　order　to　secure　the　communication　across
the　Sambre　between　those　places。　　The　3d　corps；　covered　by　General
Pajol's　cavalry；　advanced　upon　Charleroi；　followed　by　the　Imperial　Guard
and　the　6th　corps；　with　the　necessary　detachments　of　pontoniers。　　The
remainder　of　the　cavalry；　under　Grouchy；　also　advanced　upon　Charleroi；　on
the　flanks　of　the　3d　and　6th　corps。　　The　4th　corps　was　ordered　to　march
upon　the　bridge　of　Chatelet。

On　the　approach　of　the　French　advanced　guards　an　incessant　skirmish　was
maintained　during　the　whole　morning　with　the　Prussians；　who；　after　losing
many　men；　were　compelled　to　yield　to　superior　numbers。　　General　Zieten；
finding　it　impossible；　from　the　extent　of　frontier　he　had　to　cover；　to
cheek　the　advance　of　the　French；　fell　back　towards　Fleurus　by　the　road　to
Charleroi；　resolutely　contesting　the　advance　of　the　enemy　wherever　it　was
possible。　　In　the　repeated　attacks　sustained　by　him　he　suffered
considerable　loss。　　It　was　nearly　mid…day　before　a　passage　through
Charleroi　was　secured　by　the　French　army；　and　General　Zieten　continued
his　retreat　upon　Fleurus；　where　he　took　up　his　position　for　the　night。
Upon　Zieten's　abandoning；　in　the　course　of　his　retreat；　the　chaussee
which　leads　to　Brussels　through　Quatre　Bras；　Marshal　Ney；　who　had　only
just　been　put　in　command　on　the　left　of　the　French　army；　was　ordered　to
advance　by　this　road　upon　Gosselies；　and　found　at　Frasnes　part　of　the
Duke　of　Wellington's　army；　composed　of　Nassau　troops　under　the　command　of
Prince　Bernard　of　Saxe…Weimar；　who；　after　some　skirmishing；　maintained
his　position。　　〃Notwithstanding　all　the　exertions　of　the　French　at　a
moment　when　time　was　of　such　importance；　they　had　only　been　able　to
advance　about　fifteen　English　miles　during　the　day；　with　nearly　fifteen
hours　of　daylight。〃

It　was　the　intention　of　Napoleon　during　his　operations　on　this　day　to
effect　a　separation　between　the　English　and　Prussian　armies；　in　which　he
had　nearly　succeeded。　　Napoleon's　plan　for　this　purpose；　and　the
execution　of　it　by　his　army；　were　alike　admirable；　but　it　is　hardly
probable　that　the　Allied　generals　were　taken　by　surprise；　as　it　was　the
only　likely　course　which　Napoleon　could　have　taken。　　His　line　of
operation　was　on　the　direct　road　to　Brussels；　and　there　were　no　fortified
works　to　impede　his　progress；　while　from　the　nature　of　the　country　his
numerous　and　excellent　cavalry　could　be　employed　with　great　effect。

In　the　French　accounts　Marshal　Ney　was　much　blamed　for　not　occupying
Quatre　Bras　with　the　whole　of　his　force　on　the　evening　of　the　16th。　　〃Ney
might　probably　have　driven　back　the　Nassau　troops　at　Quatre　Bras；　and
occupied　that　important　position；　but　hearing　a　heavy　cannonade　on　his
right　flank；　where　General　Zieten　had　taken　up　his　position；　he　thought
it　necessary　to　halt　and　detach　a　division　in　the　direction　of　Fleurus。
He　was　severely　censured　by　Napoleon　for　not　having　literally　followed
his　orders　and　pushed　on　to　Quatre　Bras。〃　　This　accusation　forms　a
curious　contrast　with　that　made　against　Grouchy；　upon　whom　Napoleon　threw
the　blame　of　the　defeat　at　Waterloo；　because　he　strictly　fulfilled　his
orders；　by　pressing　the　Prussians　at　Wavre；　unheeding　the　cannonade　on
his　left；　which　might　have　led　him　to　conjecture　that　the　more　important
contest　between　the　Emperor　and　Wellington　was　at　that　moment　raging。

It　was　at　six　o'clock　in　the　evening　of　the　16th　that　the　Drake　of
Wellington　received　the　first　information　of　the　advance　of　the　French
army；　but　it　was　not；　however；　until　ten　o'clock　that　positive　news
reached　him　that　the　French　army　had　moved　upon　the　line　of　the　Sambre。
This　information　induced　him　to　push　forward　reinforcements　on　Quatre
Bras；　at　which　place　he　himself　arrived　at　an　early　hour　on　the　16th；　and
immediately　proceeded　to　Bry；　to　devise　measures　with　Marshal　Blucher　in
order　to　combine　their　efforts。　　From　the　movement　of　considerable　masses
of　the　French　in　front　of　the　Prussians　it　was　evident　that　their　first
grand　attack　would　be　directed　against　them。　　That　this　was　Napoleon's
object　on　the　16th　maybe　seen　by　his　orders　to　Ney　and　Grouchy　to　turn
the　right　of　the　Prussians；　and　drive　the　British　from　their　position　at
Quatre　Bras；　and　then　to　march　down　the　chaussee　upon　Bry　in　order
effectually　to　separate　the　two　armies。　　Ney　was　accordingly　detached　for
this　purpose　with　43；000　men。　　In　the　event　of　the　success　of　Marshal　Ney
he　would　have　been　enabled　to　detach　a　portion　of　his　forces　for　the
purpose　of　making　a　flank　attack　upon　the　Prussians　in　the　rear　of　St。
Amend；　whilst　Napoleon　in　person　was　directing　his　main　efforts　against
that　village　the　strongest　in　the　Prussian　position。　　Ney's　reserve　was
at　Frasnes；　disposable　either　for　the　purpose　of　supporting　the　attack　on
Quatre　Bras　or　that　at　St。　Amand；　and　in　case　of　Ney's　complete　success
to　turn　the　Prussian　right　flank　by　marching　on　Bry。




CHAPTER　IX。

1815

THE　BATTLE　OF　WATERLOO。

One　of　the　most　important　struggles　of　modern　times　was　now　about　to
commencea　struggle　which　for　many　years　was　to　dec