memoirs of napoleon bonaparte, v12-第2部分

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spread　in　Hamburg；　which；　being　destitute　of　troops　and　artillery；　and
surrounded　with　dilapidated　fortifications；　could　offer　no　defence。　　The
Senator　Bartch　and　Doctor　Know　took　upon　themselves　to　proceed　to
Bergdorf　to　solicit　Colonel　Tettenborn　to　take　possession　of　Hamburg；
observing　that　they　felt　sure　of　his　sentiments　of　moderation；　and　that
they　trusted　they　would　grant　protection　to　a　city　which　had　immense
commercial　relations　with　Russia。　　Tettenborn　did　not　place　reliance　on
these　propositions　because　he　could　not　suppose　that　there　had　been　such
a　precipitate　evacuation；　he　thought　they　were　merely　a　snare　to　entrap
him；　and　refused　to　accede　to　them。　　But　a　Doctor　Von　Hess；　a　Swede；
settled。　　in　Hamburg　some　years；　and　known　to　Tettenborn　as　a　decided
partisan　of　England　and　Russia；　persuaded　the　Russian　Commander　to　comply
with　the　wishes　of　the　citizens　of　Hamburg。　　However；　Tettenborn
consented　only　on　the　following　conditions：　　That　the　old　Government
should　be　instantly　re…established；　that　a　deputation　of　Senators　in
their　old　costume　should　invite　him　to　take　possession　of　Hamburg；　which
he　would　enter　only　as　a　free　and　Imperial　Hanse　Town；　that　if　those
conditions　were　not　complied　with　he　would　regard　Hamburg　as　a　French
town；　and　consequently　hostile。　　Notwithstanding　the　real　satisfaction
with　which　the　Senators　of　Hamburg　received　those　propositions　they　were
restrained　by　the　fear　of　a　reverse　of　fortune。　　They；　however；
determined　to　accept　them；　thinking　that　whatever　might　happen　they　could
screen　themselves　by　alleging　that　necessity　had　driven　them　to　the　step
they　took。　　They　therefore　declared　their　compliance　with　the　conditions；
and　that　night　and　the　following　day　were　occupied　in　assembling　the
Senate；　which　had　been　so　long　dissolved；　and　in　making　the　preparations
which　Tettenborn　required。

At　four　o'clock　in　the　afternoon　of　the　17th　of　March　a　picket　of
Cossacks；　consisting　of　only　forty　men；　took　possession　of　a　town
recently　flourishing；　and　containing　　a　population　of　124；000；　but　ruined
and　reduced　to　80；000　inhabitants　by　the　blessing　of　being　united　to　the
French　Empire。　　On　the　following　day；　the　18th；　Colonel　Tettenborn
entered　Hamburg　at　the　head　of　1000　regular　and　200　irregular　Cossacks。
I　have　described　the　military　situation　of　Hamburg　when　it　was　evacuated
on　the　12th　of　March；　and　Napoleon's　displeasure　may　be　easily　conceived。
Tettenborn　was　received　with　all　the　honours　usually　bestowed　upon　a
conqueror。　　Enthusiasm　was　almost　universal。　　For　several　nights　the
people　devoted　themselves　to　rejoicing。　　The　Cossacks　were　gorged　with
provisions　and　drink；　and　were　not　a　little　astonished　at　the　handsome
reception　they　experienced。

It　was　not　until　the　expiration　of　three　or　four　days　that　the　people
began　to　perceive　the　small　number　of　the　allied　troops。　　Their　amount
gradually　diminished。　　On　the　day　after　the　arrival　of　the　Cossacks　a
detachment　was　sent　to　Lubeck；　where　they　were　received　with　the　same
honours　as　at　Hamburg。　　Other　detachments　were　sent　upon　different
places；　and　after　four　days'　occupation　there　remained　in　Hamburg　only　70
out　of　the　1200　Cossacks　who　had　entered　on　the　18th　March。

The　first　thing　their　commander　did　was　to　take　possession　of　the　post…
office　and　the　treasuries　of　the　different　public　offices。　　All　the
movable　effects　of　the　French　Government　and　its　agents　were　seized　and
sold。　　The　officers　evinced　a　true　Cossack　disregard　of　the　rights　of
private　property。　　Counts　Huhn；　Buasenitz；　and　Venechtern；　who　had　joined
Tettenborn's　staff；　rendered　themselves　conspicuous　by　plundering　the
property　of　M。　Pyonnier；　the　Director　of　the　Customs；　and　M。　Gonae；　the
Postmaster；　and　not　a　bottle　of　wine　was　left　in　their　cellars。
Tettenborn　laid　hands　upon　a　sum　of　money；　consisting　of　upwards　of　4000
Louis　in　gold；　belonging　to　M。　Gonse；　which　had　been　lodged　with　M。
Schwartz；　a　respectable　banker　in　Hamburg；　who　filled　the　office　of
Prussian　Consul。　　M。　Schwartz；　with　whom　this　money　had　been　deposited
for　the　sake　of　security；　had　also　the　care　of　some　valuable　jewels
belonging　to　Mesdames　Carry　St。　Cyr　and　Daubignoac；　Tettenborn　carried
off　these　as　well　as　the　money。　　M。　Schwartz　remonstrated　in　his
character　of　Prussian　Consul；　Prussia　being　the　ally　of　Russia；　but　he
was　considered　merely　as　a　banker；　and　could　obtain　no　redress。
Tettenborn；　like　most　of　the　Cossack　chiefs；　was　nothing　but　a　man　for
blows　and　pillage；　but　the　agent　of　Russia　was　M。　Steuve；　whose　name　I
have　already　mentioned。

Orders　were　speedily　given　for　a　levy　of　troops；　both　in　infantry　and
cavalry；　to　be　called　Hanseatic　volunteers。　　A　man　named　Hanft；　who　had
formerly　been　a　butcher；　raised　at　his　own　expense　a　company　of　foot　and
one　of　lancers；　of　which　he　took　the　command。　　This　undertaking；　which
cost　him　130；000　francs；　may　afford　some　idea　of　the　attachment　of　the
people　of　Hamburg　to　the　French　Government！　　But　money；　as　well　as　men；
was　wanting；　and　a　heavy　contribution　was　imposed　to　defray　the　expense
of　enrolling　a　number　of　workmen　out　of　employment　and　idlers；　of　various
kinds。　　Voluntary　donations　were　solicited；　and　enthusiasm　was　so　general
that　even　servant…maids　gave　their　rings。　　The　sums　thus　collected　were
paid　into　the　chest　of　Tettenborn's　staff；　and　became　a　prey　to　dishonest
appropriation。　　With　respect　to　this　money　a　Sieur　Oswald　was　accused　of
not　having　acted　with　the　scrupulous　delicacy　which　Madame　de　Stael
attributes　to　his　namesake　in　her　romance　of　Corinne。

Between　8000　and　10；000　men　were　levied　in　the　Hanse　Towns　and　their
environs；　the　population　of　which　had　been　so　greatly　reduced　within　two
years。　　These　undisciplined　troops；　who　had　been　for　the　most　part　levied
from　the　lowest　classes　of　society；　committed　so　many　outrages　that　they
soon　obtained　the　surname　of　the　Cossacks　of　the　Elbe；　and　certainly　they
well　deserved　it。

Such　was　the　hatred　which　the　French　Government　had　inspired　in　Hamburg
that　the　occupation　of　Tettenborn　was　looked　upon　as　a　deliverance。　　On
the　colonel's　departure　the　Senate；　anxious　to　give　high　a　testimonial　of
gratitude；　presented　him　with　the　freedom　of　the　city；　accompanied　by
5000　gold　fredericks　（105；000　francs）；　with　which　he　was　doubtless　much
more　gratified　than　with　the　honour　of　the　citizenship。

The　restored　Senate　of　Hamburg　did　not　long　survive。　　The　people　of　the
Hanse　Towns　learned；　with　no　small　alarm；　that　the　Emperor　was　making
immense　preparations　to　fall　upon　Germany；　where　his　lieutenants　could
not　fail　to　take　cruel　revenge　on　those　who　had　disavowed　his　authority。
Before　he　quitted　Paris　on　the　15th　of　April　Napoleon　had　recalled　under
the　banners　of　the　army　180；000　men；　exclusive　of　the　guards　of　honour；
and　it　was　evident　that　with　such　a　force　he　might　venture　on　a　great
game；　and　probably　win　it。　　Yet　the　month　of　April　passed　away　without
the　occurrence　of　any　event　important　to　the　Hanse　Towns；　the　inhabitants
of　which　vacillated　between　hope　and　fear。　　Attacks　daily　took　place
between　parties　of　Russian　and　French　troops　on　the　territory　between
Lunenburg　and　Bremen。　　In　one　of　these　encounters　General　Morand　was
mortally　wounded；　and　was　conveyed　to　Lunenburg。　　His　brother　having　been
taken　prisoner　in　the　same　engagement；　Tettenborn；　into　whose　hands　he
had　fallen；　gave　him　leave　on　parole　to　visit　the　General；　but　he　arrived
in　Lunenburg　only　in　time　to　see　him　die。

The　French　having　advanced　as　far　as　Haarburg　took　up　their　position　on
the　plateau　of　Schwartzenberg；　which　commands　that　little　town　and　the
considerable　islands　situated　in　that　part　of　the　river　between　Haarburg
and　Hamburg。　　Being　masters　of　this　elevated　point　they　began　to　threaten
Hamburg　and　to　attack　Haarburg。　　These　attacks　were　directed　by　Vandamme；
of　all　our　generals　the　most　redoubtable　in　conquered　countries。　　He　was
a　native　of　Cassel；　in　Flanders；　and　had　acquired　a　high　reputation　for
severity。　　At　the　very　time　when　he　was　attacking　Hamburg　Napoleon　said
of　him　at　Dresden；　〃If　I　were　to　lose　Vandamme　I　know　not　what　I　would
give　to　have　him　back　again；　but　if　I　had　two　such　generals　I　should　be
obliged　to　shoot　one　of　them。〃　　It　must　be　confessed　that　one　was　quite
enough。

As　soon　as　he　arrived　Vandamme　sent　to　inform　Tettenborn　that　if　he　did
not　immediately　liberate　the　brother　and　brother…in…law　of　Morand；　both
of　whom　were　his　prisoners；　he　would　burn　Hamburg。　　Tettenborn　replied
that　if　he　resorted　to　that　extremity　he　would　hang　them　both　on　the　top
of　St。　Michael's　Tower；　where　he　might　have　a　view　of　them。　　This
energetic　answer　obliged　Vandamme　to　restrain　his　fury；　or　at　least　to
direct　it　to　other　objects。

Meanwhile　the　French　forces　daily　augmented　at　Haarburg。　　Vandamme；
profiting　by　the　negligence　of　the　new　Hanseatic　troops；　who　had　the
defence　of　the　great　islands　of　the　Elbe；　attacked　them　one　night　in　the
month　of　May。　　This　happened　to　be　the　very　night　after　the　battle　of
Lutzsn；　where　both　sides　claimed　the　victory；　and　Te　Deum　was　sung　in　the
two　hostile　camps。　　The　advance　of　the　French　turned　the　balance　of
opinion　in　favour　of　Napoleon；　who　was　in　fact　really　the　conqueror　on　a
field　of　battle　celebrated　nearly　two　centuries　before　by　the　victory　and
death　of　Gustavus　Adolphus。　　The　Cossacks　of　the　Elbe　could　not　sustain
the　shock　of　the　French；　Vandamme　repulsed　the　troops　who　defended
Wilhelmsburg；　the　largest　of　the　two　islands；　and　easily　took　possession
of　the　smaller　one；　Fidden；　of　which　the　point　nearest　the　right　bank　of
the　Elbe　is　not　half　a　gunshot　distant　from　Hamburg。　　The　9th　of　May　was
a　fatal　day　to　the　people　of　Hamburg；　for　it　was　then　that　Davoust；
having　formed　his　junction　with　Vandamme；　appeared　at　the　head　of　a　corps
of　40；000　men　destined　to　reinforce　Napoleon's　Grand　Army。　　Hamburg　could
not　hold　out　against　the　considerable　French　force　now　assembled　in　its
neighbourhood。　　Tettenborn　had；　it　is　true；　received　a　reinforcement　of
800　Prussians　and　2000；　Swedes；　but　still　what　resistance　could　he　offer
to　Davoust's　40；000　men？　　Tettenborn　did　not　deceive　himself　as　to　the
weakness　of　the