memoirs of napoleon bonaparte, v12-第5部分

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Archduke　Ferdinand　having　come；　in　1809；　with　Austrian　troops　to　take
possession　of　the　Duchy　of　Warsaw；　Poniatowski；　who　commanded　the　Polish
troops；　which　were　very　inferior　in　numbers　to　the　Austrian　force；
obliged　the　latter；　rather　by　dint　of　skillful　maneuvering　than　by
fighting；　to　evacuate　the　Grand　Duchy。　　He　pursued　them　into　Galicia　as
far　as　Cracow。

After　this　honourable　campaign　he　continued　to　exercise　his　functions　as
Minister　until　1812。　　The　war　against　Russia　again　summoned　him　to　the
head　of　the　Polish　army。　　After　taking　part　in　all　the　events　of　that
war；　which　was　attended　by　such　various　chances；　Poniatowaki　was　present
at　the　battle　of　Leipsic。　　That　battle；　which　commenced　on　the　14th　of
October；　the　anniversary　of　the　famous　battles　of　Ulm　and　of　Jena；　lasted
four　days；　and　decided　the　fate　of　Europe。　　Five　hundred　thousand　men
fought　on　a　surface　of　three　square　leagues。

Retreat　having　become　indispensable；　Napoleon　took　leave　at　Leipsic　of
the　King　of　Saxony　and　his　family；　whom　he　had　brought　with　him　from
Dresden。　　The　Emperor　then　exclaimed　in　a　loud　voice；　〃Adieu；　Saxons；〃　to
the　people　who　filled　the　market…place；　where　the　King　of　Saxony　resided。
With　some　difficulty；　and　after　passing　through　many　turnings　and
windings；　he　gained　the　suburb　of　Runstadt　and　left　Leipsic　by　the　outer
gate　of　that　suburb　which　leads　to　the　bridge　of　the　Elster；　and　to
Lindenau。　　The　bridge　was　blown　up　shortly　after　he　had　passed　it；　and
that　event　utterly　prevented　the　retreat　of　the　part　of　the　army　which
was　on　the　left　bank　of　the　Easter；　and　which　fell　into　the　power　of　the
enemy。　　Napoleon　was　at　the　time　accused　of　having　ordered　the
destruction　of　the　bridge　immediately　after　he　had　himself　passed　it　in
order　to　secure　his　own　personal　retreat；　as　he　was　threatened　by　the
active　pursuit　of　the　enemy。　　The　English　journals　were　unanimous　on　this
point；　and　to　counteract　this　opinion；　which　was　very　general；　an　article
was　inserted　in　the　'Moniteur'。

Before　passing　the　bridge　of　the　Elster　Napoleon　had　directed
Poniatowski；　in　concert　with　Marshal　Macdonald；　to　cover　and　protect　the
retreat；　and　to　defend　that　part　of　the　suburb　of　Leipsic　which　is
nearest　to　the　Borne　road。　　For　the　execution　of　these　orders　he　had　only
2000　Polish　infantry。　　He　was　in　this　desperate　situation　when　he　saw　the
French　columns　in　full　retreat　and　the　bridge　so　choked　up　with　their
artillery　and　waggons　that　there　was　no　possibility　of　passing　it。　　Then
drawing　his　sword；　and　turning　to　the　officers　who　were　near　him；　he
said；　〃Here　we　must　fall　with　honour！〃　At　the　head　of　a　small　party　of
cuirassiers　and　Polish　officers　he　rushed　on　the　columns　of　the　Allies。
In　this　action　he　received　a　ball　in　his　left　arm：　he　had　already　been
wounded　on　the　14th　and　16th。　　He　nevertheless　advanced；　but　he　found　the
suburb　filled　with　Allied　troops。

　　　　　＇The　Allies　were　so　numerous　that　they　scarcely　perceived　the
　　　　　losses　they　sustained。　　Their　masses　pressed　down　upon　us　in　every
　　　　　direction；　and　it　was　impossible　that　victory　could　fail　to　be　with
　　　　　them。　　Their　success；　however；　would　have　been　less　decisive　had　it
　　　　　not　been　for　the　defection　of　the　Saxons。　　In　the　midst　of　the
　　　　　battle；　these　troops　having　moved　towards　the　enemy；　as　if　intending
　　　　　to　make　an　attack；　turned　suddenly　around；　and　opened　a　heavy　fire
　　　　　of　artillery　and　musketry　on　the　columns　by　the　aids　of　which　they
　　　　　had　a　few　moments　before　been　fighting。　　I　do　not　know　to　what　page
　　　　　of　history　such　a　transaction　is　recorded。　　This　event　immediately
　　　　　produced　a　great　difference　in　our　affairs；　which　were　before　in　a
　　　　　bad　enough　train。　　I　ought　here　mention　that　before　the　battle　the
　　　　　Emperor　dismissed　a　Bavarian　division　which　still　remained　with　him。
　　　　　He　spoke　to　the　officers　in　terms　which　will　not　soon　be　effaced
　　　　　from　their　memory。　　He　told　them；　that；　〃according　to　the　laws　of
　　　　　war；　they　were　his　prisoners；　since　their　Government　had　taken　part
　　　　　against　him；　but　that　he　could　not　forget　the　services　they　had
　　　　　rendered　him；　and　that　they　were　therefore　at　liberty　to　return
　　　　　home。〃　　These　troops　left　the　army；　where　they　were　much　esteemed；
　　　　　and　marched　for　Bavaria。

He　fought　his　way　through　them　and　received　another　wound。　　He　then　threw
himself　into　the　Pleisse；　which　was　the　first　river　he　came　to。　　Aided　by
his　officers；　he　gained　the　opposite　bank；　leaving　his　horse　in　the
river。　　Though　greatly　exhausted　he　mounted　another；　and　gained　the
Elster；　by　passing　through　　M。　Reichenbach's　garden；　which　was　situated
on　the　side　of　that　river。　　In　spite　of　the　steepness　of　the　banks　of　the
Elster　at　that　part；　the　Prince　plunged　with　his　horse　into　the　river：
both　man　and　horse　were　drowned；　and　the　same　fate　was　shared　by　several
officers　who　followed　Poniatawski's　example。　　Marshal　Macdonald　was；
luckily；　one　of　those　who　escaped。　　Five　days　after　a　fisherman　drew　the
body　of　the　Prince；　out　of　the　water。　　On　the　26th　of　October　it　was
temporarily　interred　at　Leipsic；　with　all　the　honours　due　to　the
illustrious　deceased。　　A　modest　stone　marks　the　spot　where　the　body　of
the　Prince　was　dragged　from　the　river。　　The　Poles　expressed　a　wish　to。
erect　a　monument　to　the　memory　of　their　countryman　in　the　garden　of　M。
Reichenbach；　but　that　gentleman　declared　he　would　do　it　at　his　own
expense；　which　he　did。　　The　monument　consists　of　a　beautiful　sarcophagus；
surrounded　by　weeping　willows。　　The　body　of　the　Prince；　after　bring
embalmed；　was　sent　in　the　following　year　to　Warsaw；　and　in　1816　it　was
deposited　in　the　cathedral；　among　the　remains　of　the　Kings　and　great　men
of　Poland。　　The　celebrated　Thorwaldsen　was　commissioned　to　execute　a
monument　for　his　tomb。　　Prince　Poniatowski　left　no　issue　but　a　natural
son；　born　in　1790。　　The　royal　race；　therefore　existed　only　in　a
collateral　branch　of　King　Stanislas；　namely；　Prince　Stanislas；　born　in
1754。




CHAPTER　XXX。

1813

　　　　　Amount　of　the　Allied　forces　against　NapoleonTheir　advance　towards
　　　　　the　RhineLevy　of　280；000　menDreadful　situation　of　the　French　at
　　　　　MayenceDeclaration　of　the　Allies　at　FrankfortDiplomatic
　　　　　correspondentsThe　Due　de　Bassano　succeeded　by　the　Duke　of　Vicenza…
　　　　　…The　conditions　of　the　Allies　vaguely　acceptedCaulaincourt　sent　to
　　　　　the　headquarters　of　the　AlliesManifesto　of　the　Allied　powers　to
　　　　　the　French　people。Gift　of　30；000；000　from　the　Emperor's　privy
　　　　　purse　Wish　to　recall　M。　de　TalleyrandSingular　advice　relative　to
　　　　　WellingtonThe　French　army　recalled　from　SpainThe　throne　resigned
　　　　　JosephAbsurd　accusation　against　M。　LaineAdjournment　of　the
　　　　　Legislative　BodyNapoleon's　Speech　to　the　Legislative　BodyRemarks
　　　　　of　Napoleon　reported　by　Cambaceres。

When　the　war　resumed　its　course　after　the　disaster　of　Leipsic　I　am
certain　that　the　Allied　sovereigns　determined　to　treat　with　Napoleon　only
in　his　own　capital；　as　he；　four　years　before；　had　refused　to　treat　with
the　Emperor　of　Austria　except　at　Vienna。　　The　latter　sovereign　now
completely　raised　the　mask；　and　declared　to　the　Emperor　that　he　would
make　common　cause　with　Russia　and　Prussia　against　him。　　In　his
declaration　he　made　rise　of　the　singular　pretext；　that　the　more　enemies
there　were　against　Napoleon　there　would　be　the　greater　chance　of　speedily
obliging　him　to　accede　to　conditions　which　would　at　length　restore　the
tranquillity　of　which　Europe　stood　so　much　in　need。　　This　declaration　on
the　part　of　Austria　was　an　affair　of　no　little　importance；　for　she　had
now　raised　an　army　of　260；000　men。　　An　equal　force　was　enrolled　beneath
the　Russian　banners；　which　were　advancing　towards　the　Rhine。　　Prussia　had
200；000　men；　the　Confederation　of　the　Rhine　150；000：　in　short；　including
the　Swedes　and　the　Dutch；　the　English　troops　in　Spain　and　in　the
Netherlands；　the　Danes；　who　had　abandoned　us；　the　Spaniards　and
Portuguese；　whose　courage　and　hopes　were　revived　by　our　reverses；
Napoleon　had　arrayed　against　him　upwards　of　a　million　of　armed　men。
Among　them；　too；　were　the　Neapolitans；　with　Murat　at　their　head！

The　month　of　November　1813　was　fatal　to　the　fortune　of　Napoleon。　　In　all
parts　the　French　armies　were　repulsed　and　driven　back　upon　the　Rhine；
while…in　every　direction；　the　Allied　forces　advanced　towards　that　river。
For　a　considerable　time　I　had　confidently　anticipated　the　fall　of　the
Empire；　not　because　the　foreign　sovereigns　had　vowed　its　destruction；　but
because　I　saw　the　impossibility　of　Napoleon　defending　himself　against　all
Europe；　and　because　I　knew　that；　however　desperate　might　be　his　fortune；
nothing　would　induce　him　to　consent　to　conditions　which　he　considered
disgraceful。　　At　this　time　every　day　was　marked　by　a　new　defection。　　Even
the　Bavarians；　the　natural　Allies　of　France；　they　whom　the　Emperor　had
led　to　victory　at　the　commencement　of　the　second　campaign　of　Vienna；　they
whom　he　had；　as　it　were；　adopted　on　the　field　of　battle；　were　now　against
us；　and　were　the　bitterest　of　our　enemies。

Even　before　the　battle　of　Leipsic；　the　consequences　of　which　were　so
ruinous　to　Napoleon；　he　had　felt　the　necessity　of　applying　to　France　for
a　supply　of　troops；　as　if　France　had　been　inexhaustible。　　He　directed　the
Empress　Regent　to　make　this　demand；　and　accordingly　Maria　Louisa
proceeded　to　the　Senate；　for　the　first　time；　in　great　state：　but　the
glories　of　the　Empire　were　now　on　the　decline。　　The　Empress　obtained　a
levy　of　280；000　troops；　but　they　were　no　sooner　enrolled　than　they　were
sacrificed。　　The　defection　of　the　Bavarians　considerably　augmented　the
difficulties　which　assailed　the　wreck　of　the　army　that　had　escaped　from
Leipsic。　　The　Bavarians　had　got　before　us　to　Hanau；　a　town　four　leagues
distant　from　Frankfort；　there　they　established　themselves；　with　the　view
of　cutting　off　our　retreat；　but　French　valour　was　roused；　the　little　town
was　speedily　carried；　and　the　Bavarians　were　repulsed　with　considerable
loss。　　The　French　army　arrived　at　Mayence；　if；　indeed；　one　may　give　the
name　of　army　to　a　few　masses　of　men　destitute；　dispirited；　and　exhausted
by　fatigue　and　privation。　　On　the　arrival　of　the　troops　at　Mayence　n