snare: Bagrathion, indeed, who was in | flanks by Lannes, Oudinot, and Murat, presence of the French videttes with to whose aid Soult, with his numerous eight thousand men, remained station- and well-appointed corps, arrived soon ary; but meanwhile the remainder of after the action commenced. The vilthe army defiled rapidly in his rear, and lage of Grund was the key of the Rusgained the important post of Znaym, sian position, and incredible efforts which opened up their communications were made on both sides to gain or rewith the retiring Austrians and their tain possession of that important point. own reserves, which were approaching. For long the Muscovites made good The Emperor Napoleon was highly in- their ground; in vain column after codignant when he heard that an armis- lumn advanced bravely to the attack; tice had been concluded, and despatch- the resistance they experienced was as ed immediate orders for an attack; but obstinate as the attack was impetuous; before his answer could be received, and after several hours' murderous fighttwenty hours had been gained, Znaym ing, this band of heroes remained unwas passed, and the main body of the broken in the midst of their numerous Russians were in full march to join their enemies. Towards nightfall, however, allies, leaving only Bagrathion and his the immense and constantly increasing division in presence of the enemy. His masses of the enemy prevailed; the indignation exhaled in a letter of extra- thinned ranks could no longer be preordinary asperity to Murat, in which served; the French grenadiers broke he did not scruple to say that his folly into the village, and almost all the had made him lose the whole fruit of wounded Russians fell into their hands. the campaign.* Still the survivors maintained the desperate struggle; man to man, company to company, they fought in the houses, in the streets, in the gardens, with unconquerable resolution. The constant discharges of fire-arms and artillery spread a broad light in the midst of the gloom of a November night; and midnight found them still engaged in mortal combat. In the strife three thousand Russians fell or were made prisoners; but Bagrathion effected his retreat with the remainder, hardly five thousand, unbroken, from amidst forty thousand enemies-a glorious achievement, which gave an earnest of the future celebrity of a hero whose career was closed with immortal renown on the field of Borodino. 109. At noon on the 16th, despatches arrived from Napoleon disavowing the armistice, and directing an immediate attack on the enemy. Kutusoff had directed Bagrathion to keep his ground to the last extremity, in order to gain time for the retreat of the army. Nothing more was requisite to induce that heroic general, with his brave followers, to sacrifice themselves to the last man on behalf of their country. He was soon assailed at once in front and both my rati but to gain time, and thereby obtain the "I cannot find words to express my dissatisfaction. You only command my advanced guard and have no right to make an armistice without my authority. Break the treaty immediately, and march upon the enemy.-March, destroy the Russian army. NAPOLEON to PRINCE MURAT, Nov. 16, 1805." -THIERS, Consulat et l'Empire, vi. 273. 110. Nothing could now prevent the junction of the allied forces, and it took place on the 19th at Wischau, in Moravia, without further molestation. This great event produced an immediate change in the measures of Napoleon. It was no longer a dispirited band of forty thousand men, which was retiring before forces quadruple their own, but a vast army, seventyfive thousand strong, animated by the presence of the Russian Emperor in person, which was prepared to resist his efforts. The situation of Napoleon was in consequence daily becoming more critical. The necessity of guarding so many points, and keeping up a communication from Vienna to the Rhine, had greatly reduced his army: the Archduke Charles, with eighty thousand tried veterans, was rapidly approaching from the south: the Hungarian insurrection was organising in the east seventy-five thousand Russians and Austrians were in his front: while Prussia, no longer concealing her intentions, was preparing to descend from Silesia with eighty thousand men on his communications with the Rhine. advanced on the road to Brünn to make head against the now united Russian armies. 112. Meanwhile the French armies maintained the most exemplary discipline at Vienna, and the inhabitants, somewhat recovered from their consternation, were enabled to gaze without alarm on the warriors whose deeds had proved so fatal to the fortunes of their country. Commerce revived, the barriers were opened, provisions flowed in from all quarters, and, excepting from the French sentinels at the gates and uniforms in the streets, it could hardly have been discovered that an enemy was in possession of the capital. General Clarke was appointed governor of the city, and a provisional government organised throughout all the conquered provinces, whose first care was to preserve discipline among the soldiers, and the next to enforce the collection of the enormous contributions which the conqueror had imposed on the inhabitants. The greatest courtesy was evinced towards the academies and scientific institutions, and considerable payments were even made from the military chest for the support of these useful establishments-admirable measures, demonstrating the as 111. The measures of Napoleon to ward off so many concurring dangers were conceived with his wonted ability. Calculating that at least ten days must elapse before the Russian armies, after the fatiguing marches which they had undergone, could be ready for active operations, he resolved to make the most of that precious interval to impose upon the different enemies by whom he was surrounded. Knowing well that the great secret of war is to expand forces, when a variety of enemies are to be restrained, and a moral impression produced, and to concentrate them when a decisive blow is to be struck, he resolved to take advan-cendant of discipline and European tage of this breathing-time to disseminate his troops in every direction. Heavy contributions were imposed upon the conquered territories of Austria: Marmont was pushed forward on the road to Styria, to observe the Archduke Charles: Davoust received orders to advance upon Presburg to overawe the Hungarians: Bernadotte, with his corps and the Bavarians, were moved towards Iglau and the frontiers of Bohemia, to observe the motions of the Archduke Ferdinand, who, with ten thousand men, whom he had collected in Bohemia after the disaster of Ulm, and the levies of that province, was assuming a menacing attitude on the Upper Danube; while Mortier, with his corps, which had suffered so much in the preceding combats, formed the garrison of Vienna. The troops of Soult and Lannes, with the Imperial Guard and the cavalry under Murat, courtesy over the savage passions of war, and which would have been deserving of unqualified admiration, if they had not been accompanied by withering exactions, levied under the authority of Napoleon himself, and if the coercion of private plunder* had not been all turned to the account of the great imperial robber. At the same time, in the bulletins which he published, the whole calamities of the *The contribution levied on Vienna and the conquered part of Upper and Lower sterling, a sum fully equivalent to £8,000,000 Austria was 100,000,000 francs, or £4,000,000 in this country. The public stores, the legitimate objects of conquest, at Vienna were immense: 2000 pieces of artillery, of which 500 were ready for siege use; 100,000 muskets; 600,000 quintals of powder; 600,000 balls; and 160,000 bombs. 15,000 muskets were sent as a present to the Bavarians, bewhen their government made common cause with France-BIGNON, iv. 412. sides the colours taken from them in 1740, war were, as usual, ascribed to the | Allies, and which afforded him the English and the corrupting influence immense advantage of a secure depot of their gold; while, with a rudeness unworthy of so great a man, and especially unbecoming in the moment of triumph, he insulted his fallen enemies in his official publications, and did not even spare the Emperor of Austria in the point where chivalrous feelings would have been most anxious to have forborne-the character and influence of the Empress herself. 66 for his stores, sick, and wounded, in the vicinity of the theatre of action. A few days after, when out on horseback reconnoitring the ground in the neighbourhood with his staff, he was much struck with the importance, both as a field of battle and a strategetical point, of the position of AUSTERLITZ. About two miles to the north-east, the road towards Hungary by Holitsch 113. Meanwhile the allied armies branches off from the main road from had effected their junction in the neigh- Vienna by Brünn to Olmütz, and bourhood of Wischau; one hundred passes through that town, which renand four battalions, including twenty ders it a military position of the highAustrian, and one hundred and fifty-est value. Gentlemen," said he to nine squadrons, of which fifty were of the generals and officers, "observe well the same nation, presented a total of the ground here: within a few days seventy-five thousand effective men. A it will be your field of battle." The division of the Imperial Guard, under importance attached by both parties the Grand-duke Constantine, brother to the possession of this position led of the Emperor of Russia, and a corps to a severe combat of cavalry between under Benningsen, which were hourly the advanced guard of the French, in expected, would raise it to nearly presence of Napoleon himself, and the ninety thousand. The forces which rear-guard of the enemy, in which the French Emperor had at his imme- neither party could boast of decisive diate disposal to resist this great array success, although the increasing force were much less considerable, and hardly of the French compelled the Allies at amounted at that moment to seventy nightfall to retire. Advices at the thousand combatants; but such was same time arrived that the advanced the exhaustion of the Russian troops, guard of Massena had entered into after incessant marching and fighting communication with Marmont's corps, for two months, that it was resolved which formed the southern extremity to put them into cantonments for ten of the Grand Army; so that Napoleon days round Olmütz, before resuming could now calculate for the decisive active operations. The troops were shock upon the united strength of the animated by the best spirit, and en- armies of Italy and Germany. thusiastically devoted to their sovereign, whose presence amongst them never fails to rouse to the highest pitch the loyal feelings of the Russian soldiers. But in equipment and skill in the art of war it had already become evident that they were decidedly inferior to their redoubtable adversaries, and that nothing but the indomitable firmness of northern valour had hitherto enabled them to maintain their ground in the combats which had taken place between them. 114. The hostile chiefs gradually drew near to each other. Napoleon advanced his headquarters to Brünn, a fortified place, containing considerable magazines recently abandoned by the 115. But notwithstanding all this, the French Emperor was fully aware of the dangers of his situation. If Massena and the Italian army had entered into communication with his extreme right, the united forces of the Archduke Charles and John, nearly ninety strong, were rapidly approaching to the assistance of the Allies; and it had already become evident that Mortier would be unable to retain Vienna for any length of time from their arms. The danger of losing his line of communication in rear was the more alarming that the forces in his front were rapidly increasing; and the arrival of the Grand-duke Constantine at the enemies' headquarters had already They represented that the army had exhausted its supplies at Olmütz, and could no longer exist; that its spirit, from fatal inactivity, was daily declining; that Napoleon evidently felt himself overmatched, and, contrary to his usual practice, had halted at Brünn ; but that nothing could be so absurd as to allow him to remain there unassailed, in quiet possession of the resources of three-fourths of the monarchy. raised their efficient force to eighty | by whom the Emperor of Russia was thousand men, assembled in a strong surrounded. position under the cannon of Olmütz. Prussia, he was well aware, was arming for the fight; and he might shortly expect to have his communications on the Upper Danube menaced by sixty thousand of the soldiers of the Great Frederick. Everything depended upon striking a decisive blow before these formidable enemies accumulated around him; and he was not without hopes that the inexperience or undue confidence of his opponents would give him the means of accomplishing this object, and terminating the war by a stroke which would at once extricate him from all his difficulties. In this expectation he was seconded to a wish by the pre-gratulations to that monarch on his sumptuous confidence of the circle of young officers, headed by Weyrother, * "Sire," said Napoleon, "I send my aidede-camp, General Savary, to your Majesty, to offer you my compliments on your arrival at the headquarters of your army. I have charged him to express the esteem which I entertain for your Majesty, and the anxious desire which I feel to cultivate your friendship. I indulge the hope that your Majesty will receive him with that condescension for which you are so eminently distinguished, and that you will regard me as one of the men who are most desirous to be agreeable to you. I pray God to keep your imperial Majesty in his holy keeping." The Emperor Alexander replied from Olmütz, on the 27th, in these terms:-"I have received, sire, with the gratitude of which it was deserving, the letter which General Savary brought, and hasten to return my best acknowledgments. I have no cther desire but to see the peace of Europe established on safe and honourable conditions. I desire, at the same time, to seize every occasion of being personally agreeable to you: receive the assurance of it, as well as of my high consideration." 116. The more to inspire the Allies: with the false confidence which might lead to such a result, Napoleon despatched Savary with a letter to the Emperor Alexander, to offer his con having joined the allied army, and propose terms of accommodation.* About the letter into his hand, 'I am grateful for this step on your master's side; it is with regret that I have taken up arms against him, and I seize with pleasure the first opportunity of testifying that feeling towards him. He has long been the object of my admiration; I have no wish to be his enemy, any more than that of France. He: should recollect that, in the time of the late Emperor Paul, though then only Grandduke, when France was overwhelmed by disasters, and met with nothing but obloquy from the other cabinets, I contributed much, by directing the Russian cabinet to take the lead, to induce the other powers of Europe to recognise the new order of things in your country. If now I entertain different sentiments, it is because France has adopted different principles, which have given the European powers just cause of disquietude for their independence. I have been called on by them to concur with them in establishing an order of things which may tranquillise all parties; and it is to accomplish that purpose that I have come hither. You have been "When I arrived at the Russian headquar- admirably served by fortune, it must be adters," says Savary, "I found the officers and mitted; but I will never desert an ally in staff declaiming against the ambition of the distress, or separate my cause from that of French government, and full of confidence in the Emperor of Germany. He is in a critical the success of their arms. The Emperor re- situation, but one not beyond the reach of received me in the most gracious manner, and medy. I lead brave soldiers, and if your made a sign for his attendants to retire. I master drives me to it, I will command them could not avoid a feeling of timidity and awe to do their duty. You are already a great when I found myself alone with that mon- and powerful nation, and by your uniformity arch. Nature had done much for him: it of language, feelings, and laws, as well as would be difficult to find a model so perfect physical situation, must always be formidand gracious; he was then twenty-six years able to your neighbours. What need have of age. He spoke French in its native purity, you of continual aggrandisement? Since the without the slightest tinge of foreign accent, peace of Lunéville, you have acquired first. and made use on all occasions of our most Genoa, and then Italy, which you have subclassical expressions. As there was not thejected to a government which places it enleast affectation in his manner, it was easy tirely at your disposal."" to see that this was the result of a finished education. The Emperor said, when I put "9 answer "Genoa has been acquired by us,' ed Savary, "in spite of ourselves. Its politi the same time Counts Giulay and Sta- | a solid peace, without either personal dion arrived at the headquarters of the interest in the matter, or animosity French Emperor. After two days spent against France; that he desired to see in fruitless negotiations, Napoleon de- it powerful and happy, as well as all manded a personal interview with the the other European states; that his Emperor Alexander. Instead of com- empire was already so vast, that its ing in person, the Czar sent his aide- extension was no object of ambition, de-camp, Prince Dolgorucki, whom and that his sole desire was the prosNapoleon met at the advanced posts. perity of his subjects. "Why are we fighting?" said Napoleon, when the aide-de-camp was admitted into his presence. "Let the Emperor Alexander, if he complains of my irruptions, make corresponding invasions on his own side, and all discussion will cease betwixt us." The Russian represented that such a conduct would be repugnant to the principles of his cabinet; that the Emperor had only taken up arms to succour Austria, and obtain for the Continent cal power was annihilated, its harbour blockaded by the English, its commerce destroyed, its means of defence against the Barbary powers at an end. Necessity, therefore, not less than inclination, compelled them to throw themselves into the arms of a foreign power. France was subjected to the whole charges of its defence before the formal act of annexation took place. As to Italy, it is altogether our conquest. We have watered its fields with our blood; twice it has regained its political existence by our efforts. If it began with republican institutions, it was in order to be in harmony with its protecting power. The changes which have since taken place in its government were intended to make it still follow the phases of our constitution. It has the same laws, usages, and internal regulations as France. It must lean on some foreign power, and has only France and Austria to choose between. We have fought for ten years to wrest it bit by bit from that power: could we permit its at once deprive us of the whole fruit of our labours? If Austria has not abandoned all thoughts of Italy, we are still ready to combat her for it; if she has, it is of very little inhabitants to choose an alliance which would moment what its form of government is. The Emperor, in sending me to your Majesty, was far from supposing that the war took its origin in these questions; if it does so, I not only see no possibility of peace, but anticipate a universal hostility." It was easy to see that an accommodation was impossible between powers actuated by such opposite sentiments. Savary returned, after three days spent in parleying, without having accomplished the professed object of his mission; but having effectually gained its real design in making the French Emperor acquainted with the self-confidence and vehemence which prevailed at the allied headquarters.-SAVARY, ii. 112, 128. 117. Napoleon replied, that the Allies wished to deprive him of his crown, and reinstate the Bourbons. This Dolgorucki contested; and he denied also that they desired to restore his Italian possessions to the King of Sardinia; but admitted that they insisted on the independence of Holland, and an indemnity for the loss of Piedmont to the King of Sardinia. "Let the Emperor of Russia imitate my conduct," said Napoleon, "and we shall soon come to terms of accommodation." "He will never desert his "Then allies," replied Dolgorucki. we must fight," rejoined Napoleon: "I wash my hands of the consequences;" and with that abruptly broke off the conference. But though it had only lasted half an hour, much had been done in that time to blind the Allies as to the real state of affairs. The Emperor met the Prince at the advanced posts, as if solicitous to conceal what was passing in the interior of the army. Preparations for a retreat were ostentatiously put forward; field-works were hastily thrown up in front of the ground occupied by the army; and Dolgorucki withdrew with the firm conviction, which he did not fail to communicate to his sovereign, that the French Emperor had lost all his former confidence, and that his great object now was to extricate himself from the perilous situation in which he was placed.* witz arrived at the French headquar118. On the same day Count Haugters with the ultimatum of Prussia, as agreed on in the treaty of 3d November. Since that time the measures of *When Dolgorucki had retired, Napoleon said to the officers around him, "The Allies. should wait till they are on the heights of Montmartre before they make such proposals."-BOUR. vii. 67. |