memoirs of napoleon bonaparte, v10-第18部分

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　　　　　retreat。　　But　a　blow　struck　him　from　another　quarter；　and　leaving
　　　　　Soult　to　follow　up　Moore　he　took　the　road　to　Paris。＇

The　Emperor　Francis；　notwithstanding　his　counsellors；　hesitated　about
taking　the　first　step；　but　at　length；　yielding　to　the　solicitations　of
England　and　the　secret　intrigues　of　Russia；　and；　above　all；　seduced　by
the　subsidies　of　Great　Britain；　Austria　declared　hostilities；　not　at
first　against　France；　but　against　her　allies　of　the　Confederation　of　the
Rhine。　　On　the　9th　of　April　Prince　Charles；　who　was　appointed　commander…
in…chief　of　the　Austrian　troops；　addressed　a　note　to　the　commander…in…
chief　of　the　French　army　in　Bavaria；　apprising　him　of　the　declaration　of
war。

A　courier　carried　the　news　of　this　declaration　to　Strasburg　with　the
utmost　expedition；　from　whence　it　was　transmitted　by　telegraph　to　Paris。
The　Emperor；　surprised　but　not　disconcerted　by　this　intelligence；
received　it　at　St。　Cloud　on　the　11th　of　April；　and　two　hours　after　he　was
on　the　road　to　Germany。　　The　complexity　of　affairs　in　which　he　was　then
involved　seemed　to　give　a　new　impulse　to　his　activity。　　When　he　reached
the　army　neither　his　troops　nor　his　Guard　had　been　able　to　come　up；　and
under　those　circumstances　he　placed　himself　at　the　head　of　the　Bavarian
troops；　and；　as　it　were；　adopted　the　soldiers　of　Maximilian。　　Six　days
after　his　departure　from　Paris　the　army　of　Prince　Charles；　which　had
passed　the　Inn；　was　threatened。　　The　Emperor's　headquarters　were　at
Donauwerth；　and　from　thence　he　addressed　to　his　soldiers　one　of　those
energetic　and　concise　proclamations　which　made　them　perform　so　many
prodigies；　and　which　was　soon　circulated　in　every　language　by　the　public
journals。　　This　complication　of　events　could　not　but　be　fatal　to　Europe
and　France；　whatever　might　be　its　result；　but　it　presented　an　opportunity
favourable　to　the　development　of　the　Emperor's　genius。　　Like　his
favourite　poet　Ossian；　who　loved　best　to　touch　his　lyre　midst　the
howlings　of　the　tempest；　Napoleon　required　political　tempests　for　the
display　of　his　abilities。

During　the　campaign　of　1809；　and　particularly　at　its　commencement；
Napoleon's　；course　was　even　more　rapid　than　it　had　been　in　the　campaign
of　1805。　　Every　courier　who　arrived　at　Hamburg　brought　us　news；　or　rather
prodigies。　　As　soon　as　the　Emperor　was　informed　of　the　attack　made　by　the
Austrians　upon　Bavaria　orders　were　despatched　to　all　the　generals　having
troops　under　their　command　to　proceed　with　all　speed　to　the　theatre　of
the　war。　　The　Prince　of　Ponte…Corvo　was　summoned　to　join　the　Grand　Army
with　the　Saxon　troops　under　his　command　and　for　the　time　he　resigned　the
government　of　the　Hanse　Towns。　　Colonel　Damas　succeeded　him　at　Hamburg
during　that　period；　but　merely　as　commandant　of　the　fortress；　and　he
never　gave　rise　to　any　murmur　or　complaint。　　Bernadotte　was　not　satisfied
with　his　situation；　and　indeed　the　Emperor；　who　was　never　much　disposed
to　bring　him　forward；　because　he　could　not　forgive　him　for　his　opposition
on　the　18th　Brumaire；　always　appointed　him　to　posts　in　which　but　little
glory　was　to　be　acquired；　and　placed　as　few　troops　as　possible　under　his
command。

It　required　all　the　promptitude　of　the　Emperor's　march　upon　Vienna　to
defeat　the　plots　which　were　brewing　against　his　government；　for　in　the
event　of　his　arms　being　unsuccessful；　the　blow　was　ready　to　be　struck。
The　English　force　in　the　north　of　Germany　amounted　to　about　10；000　men：
The　Archduke　Charles　had　formed　the　project　of　concentrating　in　the
middle　of　Germany　a　large　body　of　troops；　consisting　of　the　corps　of
General　Am　Eude；　of　General　Radizwowitz；　and　of　the　English；　with　whom
were　to　be　joined　the　people　who　were　expected　to　revolt。　　The　English
would　have　wished　the　Austrian　troops　to　advance　a　little　farther。　　The
English　agent　made　some　representations　on　this　subject　to　Stadion；　the
Austrian　Minister；　but　the　Archduke　preferred　making　a　diversion　to
committing　the　safety　of　the　monarchy　by　departing　from　his　present
inactivity　and　risking　the　passage　of　the　Danube；　in　the　face　of　an　enemy
who　never　suffered　himself　to　be　surprised；　and　who　had　calculated　every
possible　event：　In　concerting　his　plan　the　Archduke　expected　that　the
Czar　would　either　detach　a　strong　force　to　assist　his　allies；　or　that　he
would　abandon　them　to　their　own　defence。　　In　the　first　case　the　Archduke
would　have　had　a　great　superiority；　and　in　the　second；　all　was　prepared
in　Hesse　and　in　Hanover　to　rise　on　the　approach　of　the　Austrian　and
English　armies。

At　the　commencement　of　July　the　English　advanced　upon　Cuxhaven　with　a
dozen　small　ships　of　war。　　They　landed　400　or　600　sailors　and　about　50
marines；　and　planted　a　standard　on　one　of　the　outworks。　　The　day　after
this　landing　at　Cuxhaven　the　English；　who　were　in　Denmark　evacuated
Copenhagen；　after　destroying　a　battery　which　they　had　erected　there。
All　the　schemes　of　England　were　fruitless　on　the　Continent；　for　with　the
Emperor's　new　system　of　war；　which　consisted　in　making　a　push　on　the
capitals；　he　soon　obtained　negotiations　for　peace。　　He　was　master　of
Vienna　before　England　had　even　organised　the　expedition　to　which　I　have
just　alluded。　　He　left　Paris　on　the　11th　of　April；　was　at　Donauwerth　on
the　17th；　and　on　the　23d　he　was　master　of　Ratisbon。　　In　the　engagement
which　preceded　his　entrance　into　that　town　Napoleon　received　a　slight
wound　in　the　heel。　He　nevertheless　remained　on　the　field　of　battle。　　It
was　also　between　Donauwerth　and　Ratisbon　that　Davoust；　by　a　bold
manoeuvre；　gained　and　merited　the　title　of　Prince　of　Eckmuhl。

　　　　　＇The　great　battle　of　Eckmuhl；　where　100；000　Austrians　were　driven
　　　　　from　all　their　positions；　was　fought　on　the　22d　of　April。…Editor　of
　　　　　1836　edition。＇

At　this　period　fortune　was　not　only　bent　on　favouring　Napoleon's　arms；
but　she　seemed　to　take　pleasure　in　realising　even　his　boasting
predictions；　for　the　French　troops　entered　Vienna　within　a　month　after　a
proclamation　issued　by　Napoleon　at　Ratisbon；　in　which　he　said　he　would　be
master　of　the　Austrian　capital　in　that　time。

But　while　he　was　thus　marching　from　triumph　to　triumph　the　people　of
Hamburg　and　the　neighbouring　countries　had　a　neighbour　who　did　not　leave
them　altogether　without　inquietude。　　The　famous　Prussian　partisan；　Major
Schill；　after　pursuing　his　system　of　plunder　in　Westphalia；　came　and
threw　himself　into　Mecklenburg；　whence；　I　understood；　it　was　his
intention　to　surprise　Hamburg。　　At　the　head　of　600　well…mounted　hussars
and　between　1500　and　2000　infantry　badly　armed；　he　took　possession　of　the
little　fort　of　Domitz；　in　Mecklenburg；　on　the　15th　of　May；　from　whence　he
despatched　parties　who　levied　contributions　on　both　banks　of　the　Elbe。
Schill　inspired　terror　wherever　he　went。　　On　the　19th　of　May　a　detachment
of　30　men　belonging　to　Schill's　corps　entered　Wismar。　　It　was　commanded
by　Count　Moleke；　who　had　formerly　been　in　the　Prussian　service；　and　who
had　retired　to　his　estate　in　Mecklenburg；　where　the　Duke　had　kindly　given
him　an　appointment。　　Forgetting　his　duty　to　his　benefactor；　he　sent　to
summon　the　Duke　to　surrender　Stralsund。

Alarmed　at　the　progress　of　the　partisan　Schill；　the　Duke　of　Mecklenburg
and　his　Court　quitted　Ludwigsburg；　their　regular　residence；　and　retired
to　Doberan；　on　the　seacoast。　　On　quitting　Mecklenburg　Schill　advanced　to
Bergdorf；　four　leagues　from　Hamburg。　　The　alarm　then　increased　in　that
city。　　A　few　of　the　inhabitants　talked　of　making　a　compromise　with　Schill
and　sending　him　money　to　get　him　away。　　But　the　firmness　of　the　majority
imposed　silence　on　this　timid　council。　　I　consulted　with　the　commandant
of　the　town；　and　we　determined　to　adopt　measures　of　precaution。　　The
custom…house　chest；　in　which　there　was　more　than　a　million　of　gold；　was
sent　to　Holstein　under　a　strong　escort。　　At　the　same　time　I　sent　to
Schill　a　clever　spy；　who　gave　him　a　most　alarming　account　of　the　means　of
defence　which　Hamburg　possessed。　　Schill　accordingly　gave　up　his　designs
on　that　city；　and　leaving　it　on　his　left；　entered　Lubeck；　which　was
undefended。

Meanwhile　Lieutenant…General　Gratien；　who　had　left　Berlin　by　order　of　the
Prince　de　Neufchatel；　with　2500　Dutch　and　3000　Swedish　troops；　actively
pursued　Schill；　and　tranquillity　was　soon　restored　throughout　all　the
neighbouring　country；　which　had　been　greatly　agitated　by　his　bold
enterprise。　　Schill；　after　wandering　for　some　days　on　the　shores　of　the
Baltic；　was　overtaken　by　General　Gratien　at　Stralsund；　whence　he　was
about　to　embark　for　Sweden。　　He　made　a　desperate　defence；　and　was　killed
after　a　conflict　of　two　hours。　　His　band　was　destroyed。　　Three　hundred　of
his　hussars　and　200　infantry；　who　had　effected　their　escape；　asked　leave
to　return　to　Prussia；　and　they　were　conducted　to　the　Prussian　general
commanding　a　neighbouring　town。　　A　war　of　plunder　like　that　carried　on　by
Schill　could　not　be　honourably　acknowledged　by　a　power　having；　any　claim
to　respect。　　Yet　the　English　Government　sent　Schill　a　colonel's
commission；　and　the　full　uniform　of　his　new　rank；　with　the　assurance　that
all　his　troops　should　thenceforth　be　paid　by　England。

Schill　soon　had　an　imitator　of　exalted　rank。　　In　August　1809　the　Duke　of
Brunswick…OEls　sought　the　dangerous　honour　of　succeeding　that　famous
partisan。　　At　the　head　of　at　most　2000　men　he　for　some　days　disturbed　the
left　bank　of　the　Elbe；　and　on　the　5th　entered　Bremen。　　On　his　approach
the　French　Vice…Consul　retired　to　Osterhulz。　　One　of　the　Duke's　officers
presented　himself　at　the　hones　of　the　Vice…Consul　and　demanded　200　Louis。
The　agent　of　the　Vice…Consul；　alarmed　at　the　threat　of　the　place　being
given　up　to　pillage；　capitulated　with　the　officer；　and　with　considerable
difficulty　got　rid　of　him　at　the　sacrifice　of　80　Louis；　for　which　a
receipt　was　presented　to　him　in　the　name　of　the　Duke。　　The　Duke；　who　now
went　by　the　name　of　〃the　new　Schill；〃　did　not　remain　long　in　Bremen。

Wishing　to　repair　with　all　possible　speed　to　Holland　he　left　Bremen　on
the　evening　of　the　6th；　and　proceeded　to　Dehnenhorst；　where　his　advanced
guard　had　already　arrived。　　The　Westphalian　troops；　commanded　by　Reubell；
entered　Bremen　on　the　7th；　and　not　finding　the　Duke　of　Brunswick；
imme