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About The Sunday Oregonian. (Portland, Ore.) 1881-current | View Entire Issue (Jan. 6, 1895)
THE STT3TDAT OBEGCEvXAf, POKT&A3FB, JAnCAU 0, 1895, 15 IjraEf&REE ui fopy'right ""- I k XVI L THE BATTLE OF WAGRAM. The Austrian army, in abandoning the capital of the empire, had not renounced the war. although in 33 days Napoleon liad, with one stroke of his sword, cut in two the mass of their armies, and with the second burst open the gates of Vienna, lie was now firmly established in his cap ital, and master of the main resources of the monarchy; but his work -was far irora being done, either in Austria or In Germany. A great difficulty remained to be overcome that of crossing a vast liver in the face of the enemy, apd to Rive battle with the river behind him. This difficulty Napoleon had been unable to prevent, and it resulted Inevitably from the nature of things. On leaving Ratls bon he had been obliged to take the route 'which was shortest, thus keeping the two main divisions of the Austrian army separated from each other. He was con sequently obliged to march along the right bank of the Danube, abandoning the left to the Austrians, bpt securing to him self exclusively the means of crossing from the one to the other. The Archduke Charles was soon tempt ed to quit the fastness of Bohemia, and try once more the fortune of a battle. Having re-established the order, and re cruited the numbers of his army to 100.000 men, he was soon posted on the banks of the Danube. Opposite were the French, and the river being greatly swollen, and all the bridges destroyed, the two armies seemed separated by an impassable bar rier. Napoleon determined to pass it and after an unsuccessful attempt at Nuss dorff, met with better fortune at Ebers dorff. where the river is broad and inter peeled by a number of low and woody Islands, the largest of which bears the name of Lobau. Here Massena had thrown several bridges over the arms of the Danube. On these islands Napoleon established the greater part of his army on May 19. an on the following day made good his passage by means, of a bridge of boats to the left baulc of the Danube, where he took possession of the villages of Asperne and Essling, with so little show of oppo sition that it became evident that the arch duke wished the inevitable battle to take place wjth the liver between his enemy and Vienna. On the 2lst, at daybreak, the archduke appeared on a rising ground, separated from the French position by an extensive plain. His whole force was divided into Jive heavy columns and protected by not less than 200 pieces of artillery. The bat tle began at 4 o'clock In the afternoon with a furious assault on the village of Asperne, which was taken and retaken several times, and iemained at nightfall in the occupation partly of the French and partly of the assailants, who had es tablished themselves in the church and churchyard. Essllng sustained three at tacks also, but Uiere the French remained In complete possession. At one time Lannes, who defended this point, was so hard pressed, that he must have given way had not Napoleon relieved him, and obtained him breathing time by a well timed and terrific charge of cavalry under Bessieres, which fell upon their center. Night finally Interrupted the action, the "AuptrtanseMiJting In their partial success; and Napoleon turprlscd that he should not have been wholly victorious. On either side the carnage had been terrible, and the pathways of the villages were liter ally choked with the dead. Just as Napoelon was about to retire for a. lew hours' rest he was interrupted by a -violent altercation between two of his chief lieutenants, Besslercs and Lannes, the former of whom complained of the language used by the latter, his inferior In rank, in giving a necessary order for a charge of cuirassiers and chasseurs, then under the orders of Marshal Besslercs himself, Massena. who was on the spot, was obliged to interfere between these gallunt men, who after having braved for a whole day the crossfire of 308 pieces of cannon, were ready to draw their swords for the sake of their offended pride. Napoleon allayed their quarrel, which was to be terminated next day by the enemy in the saddest way for them selves and for the army. Next morning the battle recommenced at 4 o'clock with equal fury, the French re-covering Asperne; but the Austrian right wjng renewed their assaults on that Ioint, and in such numbers that Na poleon guessed that their center and left had been weakened for the purpose of strengthening their right. Upon this he instantly moved such masses upon the Austrian center that the archduke's line was shaken, and for a moment it seemed as if the victory of the French was secure. In fact it was extremely doubtful If the Austrian center could withstand the mass of 20,009 Infantry and COOO horse which Lannes had thrown upon it. The Archduke Charles now hastened to the spot to prevent the catastrophe that threatened the center, and in this critical moment discharged at onee the duties of general and a common soldier. He brought up reserves, replaced the gaps which had been made in his line bv the furious onslaught of the French," and -while awaiting the execution of these orders, seised a standard and. himself led the grenadiers to the charge, while his bravest officers were struck down by his side, Lannes. who also headed his soldiers In person, seeing the Austrian infantry disordered, let loose upon them Bessieres and his own cuirassiers, who. charging Hohcasollern's corps, broke several squares 3nd took prisoners, cannon and flags. Success now seemed certain, and Lan nes sent a staff officer to acquaint Na jwleen of his progress and asked him to cover his rear whilst he was advancing In the plain and loeving so large a space between him and Essllng. The officer found NaiHrteon watching the grand spec tacle of which he was the director. He old net express anything like the satis faction he might have been expected to feel at &ucjj communication. The fact was, an unfortunate accident had oc curred. At this critical moment the bridge connecting the island of Lobau was being wholly swept away by means of flreshlps sent down the river by the Austrians. Napoleon at once perceived that if he wished to preserve his commu nication with the right of the Danube, where his reserve still lav, he must in stantly fall back on Lobau. The want of troops, however, was not the first conee ouence of the rupture of the bridge, for the 1,003 already passed1 over were enough to beat the Austrians. "What was most to be regretted was the want of ammu , "Vv a An Account of MenjarKaMe Campaigns 'SffiaPffiL mkP Ktfn "Written for the jjj tt'a ffSjMwKlfi J7 V Sunday OresonXan. K (mm 1894-BylHt WeMJ 'ALLRJGH7S RtStR.VtDJ nition, a prodigious quantity of which had already been consumed, and of which there would soon be a scarcity. Napoleon, therefore, resolved upon a painful sacrifice in order not to expose himself to risks which prudence forbade him to brave. Having formed this reso lution, in an instant he ordered tho staff officer to return to Lannes as fast as possible and tell him to suspend the move ment and fall back gradually on the Ess llng and Asperne line. He was also to recommend the marshal to be sparing of ammunition. On receiving this 'order Lannes and Bes sieresi were compelled, to their ueep re gret, to halt In tbejmidst of therast field of Marchfield. No "gooner did tle French troops commence tpelr backward move ment than the Austrians. recovered their order and seal, charged In turn, and finally made themselves masters of As perne. Essllng, where Massena commanded, held firm, and under the; protection of that village and numerous batteries erected near it. Napoleon succeeded in withdraw ing his whole force during the night. The commander had sent earlier In the day to Inquire of Massena if he could rely on the possession of Asperne, for as long as It and Essling remained, the safe retreat of the army was insured. The staff officer who took the message found Massena on a heap of rubbish, harassed with fatigue, with blood-shot eyes, but with unabated energy of spirit. On receiving the message he stood up and replied with extraordinary emphasis: "Go tell the emperor 1 will hold out two hours 24 so long as It is necessary for the safety of the army!" It was during this exciting retreat that a dreadful calamity befell the army. Whilst Lannes was galloping In front of the line from one ccrps to another, en couraging his soldiers by his voice and his example, an officer who was alarmed at seeing him exposed to so much danger, entreated him to dismount for greater safety. He followed the advice, though It was far from his habit to be careful of his life. At that instant he was struck by a cannon ball that shattered both his knees. Besslercs and an aide raised him up, and found him bathed in blood and al most senseless. Bessieres, with whom he had quarreled on the preceding day, pressed his weak hand. He was laid op a cuirassier's cloak and carried to a little bridge where an ambulance was sta tioned. The news soon spread through the army and filled it with sorrow. The sur geon declared his wounds to be mortal. In his frenzy the brave marshal called for Napoleon, his friend. The latter ob served a group advancing, supporting Lannes on a bier formed of crossed fire locks and some branches of oak. Twelve old grenadiers, covered with blood and dust, bore this Illustrious warrior along. As soon as the emperor saw it was the Duke of Montebello he hastened to meet him. The grenadiers stopped, and Na poleon, throwing himself upon his old companlon-ln-arms, who had fainted with the loss of blood. In a voice scarcely ar ticulate, said, several limes, "Lannes, my friend, do you know me? It is the em peror, it is Bonaparte, your friend." At these words Lannes opened his eyes, till then closed, collected his spirits, and made some atfempts to speak; but. being unable, he could only lift his dyingarmsto pass thorn round the neck of Napoleon. The fear of exhausting the little life still remaining In the marshal determined the emperor to leave him. Somewhat later Napoleon visited his wounded friend and conversed with him briefly. "My r.oble marshal," said the em peror, "it is all over." "What!" cried the dying man, "can't you save me?" He died In delirium some days later in the arms of his chief, who wept over him as ho had done at the death of Desalx at Marengo. The French soldiery delighted to call him the "Roland of the Camp." and Na poleon said, "It was- impossible to be more brave than Lannes." No man could in spire his soldiers with more confidence than could this brave soldier who had been the companion of the fortunes and glory of Napoleon frcm the very begin ning of his public career. Napoleon had charged Lannes to main tain Essling at all hazards and he vaj lantly fulfilled his taslc. At length, at 9 at night, the sanguinary conflict ceased; the French preserving the position they had occupied in the morning and the Aus trians bivouacking where they were. Both sides sustained an equal loss, from 15,000 to 20,000 men having been killed or wound ed on both sides. Among the Austrians were four Held marshals, eight generals and 663 officers. On the morning of the 23d of May the French were cooped up In Lobau and the adjacent Islands Asperne; Essllng the whole left bank of the river, remaining in the possession of the Austrians. On either side a victory was claimed. In the eyes of Europe It was a check for Na poleon, accustomed to crush his enemy, to have been unable at this time to drive the Austrians from their position. The situation of the French emperor was Imminently hazardous; he was sup arated from Davoust and his reserves, and, had the enemy cither attacked him in the Islands or passed the river higher up and so overwhelmed Davoust and re lieved Vienna, tho results might have been fatal. But the archduke's loss in these two days had been very great; and. In place of risking an offensive movement, he contented himself with strengthening the position of Asperne and Essllng. and awaiting quietly the moment when his enemy should choose to attempt once more the passage to the left bank, and the re cccupation of the hardly contested vil lages. Napeleen availed himself of this, pauso With his usual skill. That he had been checked was true, and that the news would be heard with enthusiasm, he well knew. It was necessary, therefore, to re gain the fame which had surrounded the beginning of the campaign, and he made every preparation for another decisive bat tle. Some weeks elapsed ere he ventured to assume the offensive. On the 4th of July, 1SC8, Napoelon at last re-established his communication with the right bank, and arranged the means ef passing to the left at a point where the archduke had made hardly any- preparation for receiving him. On the 5th of July, at 10 o'clock at night, the French began to cross from the Islands In the Danube to the left bank. Gunboats prepared for the purpose silenced some of the Austrian batteries; others were avoid fceANX a-3 yt' ed by passing the river out of reach of their fire on other bridges that had been secretly erected by the French. When Na poleon had a river to be crossed he began the operation by suddenly conveying some determined men to the opposite side In boats. These men proceeded to disarm or kill the enemy's advanced posts, and to fix the moorings to which the boats were to bt attached that were to carry the bridge. The army then passed over as quickly as possible. The first of these operations was the most difficult in presence of an enemy so numerous and so well prepared as were the Austrians. To facilitate it, Napoleon had large fiatboats constructed, capable of carrying 200 men each, and having a moving gunwale to protect the men from musketry, which on being let dowp, would serve Instead of planks for landing. Every corps was provided wjth five of these flat boats, which made an advance guard of 1500 men carried over at once, and the enemy, not knowing exactly where the crossing would be made, could not con front the French with advanced posts in sufficient numbers to prevent their land ing. The Austrians having rashly calculated that Asperne and Essllng must needs be the objects of the nex contest, as of the preceding, they were taken almost un awares by Napoleon's appearance In an other quarter. They changed their line on the instant and occupied a position, the center and key of which was the little town of Wagram. Here, on the 6th of July, the final and decisive battle was to be fought. Adding together the troops of Massena, Oudlnot, Davoust, Bernadotte, Prince Eugene, Macdonald, Marnjont, De Werde and the guard, there appeared to be 150,000 men; of whom 26,000 were cavalry and 12,000 artllerymen serving 550 guns an enormous force, such as Na poleon had never yet mustered on a field of battle, and according to some authori ties, such a host as had never been brought into action by any leader. Besides this vast force. Napoleon had with him the Invincible Massena, who'was then suffer ing from a fall from his horse, but who was capable of mastering all physical suf ferings on a day of battle: the stubborn Davoust. the Impetuous Oudinot, the in trepid Macdonald, and a multitude of others who were ready to purchase the triumph of the French arms with their blood. The heroic Lannes was the only one missing. Fate had forbidden him to witness a victory to which he had power fully contributed by his conduct in this campaign. When the day dawned on the banks of the river, about 4 o'clock In the morning, a most Imposing spectacle .presented itself to both armies. The sun glistened on thousands of bayonets and helmets, and 70,000 men were already In line of battle on the enemy's side of the river capable of making a good fight with the arch duke's forces. Seeing Napoleon ride along the front of the lines his soldiers raised their shakos on their bayonets and cried: "Vive 1' Empereur!" The ground cov ered by the two armies was about two leagues In extent. The troops nearest were about 1200 fathoms from the city of Vienna, so that the towers, steeples and tops of the highest houses were covered by the numerous population, thus become spectators of the terrible contest then pre paring. The archduke had extended his line over too wjde a space, and his old error enabled Napoleon to at once see an opportunity to ruin him by his old device of pouring the full shock of his strength on the cen ter. In fact, so apparently weak wa"s the position of the Austrians at this time that the emperor in his bulletin of the engage ment sent to Paris, had this to say: "This disposition of the army appeared so ab surd that some snare was- dreaded, and the emperor hesitated some time before ordering the easy disposition which he had to make in order to annul those of the enemy, and render them fatal to him." At sunrise the cannonade commenced .upon th.e two lines, Nappleon, perceiving .that the Prince of Rosemberg was moving against Marshal Davoust, repaired in person to the right wing, which he rein forced with the cuirassiers under General Arrighe, and caused 12 pieces of light ar tillery to advance upon the flank of the enemy's columns. After an obstinate en gagement of two hours' duration, Davoust succeeded in repulsing his adversary as far as Neusledel. While the French army thus signalized itself by Its success In the beginning of the day, the battle was carried along the rest of the line with great determination. The fire of musketry am cannon was now general on that vast front of nearly three leagues-, along which 30Q.000 men and 1100 pieces cf cannon were arrayed against each other. It was a principle of Napo leon's that by concentrating on one point the action of certain special arms that grand effects were to be produced, and therefore it was that he bestowed an im mense amount of artillery on the Guard and kept under his hand a reserve of 14 regiments of cuirassiers. The emperor now ordered that the whole of the artillery of the Guard, together with all that could be spared by the sev eral corps, advance at a gallop. Just then General de Wrede arrived on the ground with 25 pieces of excellent artillery, and solicited the honor of taking part in the decisive movement, to which Napoleon consented. He then sent for General Mocdonald, his design being to shake the Austrian center with 100 guns, and then pierce it with Macdonald's bayonets and Nansouty's sabers. These orders were ohpVfH? nn tlin instant. While awaiting the carrying out of these! movements. Impatient for the arrival of Macdonald and Lauriston, Napoleon rode about the field on his Persian horse of das zjlng whiteness, giving orders to his aides constantly. The cannonade had by this time acquired the frequency at musket firing, and everybody shuddered at the thought of seeing the man, on whose life so many destinies depended, struck by one of those blind messengers of death. The hundred guns were now ranged In line, and instantly began the most ter rific cannonade ever known to those who witnessed it. Napoleon observed with his glass the effect of that formidable battery, saw the enemy's artillery dis mounted, and was satisfied with the cor rectness of his own conceptions. But ar tillery was not sufficient to break the Austrian center; bayonets, too, were req uisite. The intrepid Macdqnall now advanced at the head of his corps under a deluge of fire, leaving the ground covered at every step with his dead and wounded, still closing the "ranks withouj wavering, and communicating his own gallant bearing to his soldiers. "WJiat a brave man!" Napoleon several times exclaimed, as he saw him thus march under the shower of grape and buljets. The archduke's center, shaken by the fire of a hundred pieces of ordnance, retreats, as also does his right. Davoust now shakes the Austrian left wing, and as he does so -Napoleon ex claims. "The battle Is won!" And so it was. Lauriston, with a hundred pieces of cannon, and Macdonald at the head of a chosen division, charged the Austrians in the center and broke through it. The vic tory Too for the French once more. At length the Austrian army fell into disorder, their center was driven back two or three miles out of the line; cries of alarm w'ere heard, the right wing gave way and the left soon followed. The route was now complete. At the close of the battle there remained 20,000 prisoners, be sides all the artillery and baggage In the hands of the French. Napoleon showed all his courage and talents on this day, and was ever in the hottest of the action! though the appearance of his retinue drew on him showers of grape by which he was repeatedly endangered. From ear ly morning he was occupied In galloping through the different lines, encouraging the troops by his presence and persuasive eloquence; many being killed by the balls and bullets that flew about him. It was observed that the enemy's fire was par ticularly directed against the emperor; in consequence of which Napoleon was obliged to change his surtout three times. The aides-de-camp, and officers of the staff were also given to understand tha.t they should keep more at a distance and the regiments were Instructed not to salute the emperor with acclamations at the mo ment he was passing. On the following morning, after sur veying the field of battle. Napoleon went to place himself in the midst of his troops who were about to pursue the retreating enemy. He walked around the bivouacs without either hat or sword, his hands be ing crossed behind him, and as he talked with the soldiers of his .guard his manner and countenance expressed the utmost satisfaction and confidence. On passing Macdonald, with whom he had. lost favor, and who had not followed the fortunes of the emperor for some years, Napoleon stopped and held out his hand, saying: "Shake hands. Macdonald; no more ani mosity between us, we must Thenceforth be friends; and. as a pledge of my sin cerity, I will send you your marshal's staff, which you so gloriously earned. In yesterday's battle." The general, press ing the emperor's hand, affectionately, ex claimed: "Ah, sire, with us It Is hence forth for life or death." The act was heightened by the grace and good will with which It was performed. The same rank was granted a few days after to General Oudlnot and'the Duke of Ra gusa (Marmont), for their eminent ser vices. After the battle Napoleon recognized among the dead a colonel who had dis pleased him. He stopped and looked at the mangled body for a moment and then said, "I regret not having told him before the battle that I had forgotten every thing." The archduke fled in great confusion as far as Znalm In Moravia, abandoning, as trophies of his defeat, 10 standards, 40 pieces of cannon, nearly 1S.0M prisoners. 9000 wounded and a spreat quantity of equipage. The loss of the French, while much less than that of the enemy, was 6000 wounded and 2600 killed. Marshal Bessieres was among the former. !The French army had to lament the loss of the valiant La Salle, one of the first generals of light cavalry. His death was greatly regretted both by the emperor and the army. He was con sidered the best light cavalry officer for outpost duty and had the surest eye. He could take In a whole district in a mo ment, and seldom made a mistake, so that his reports on tjie enemy's pqsitJon were' clear and precise. He was a hand some man and of bright wit, an. excellent horseman and brave t6 the point of rash-' ness. He first attracted the notice of General Bonaparte .'at' llje battle of Ra voli. when he galloped down a descent to which the fleeing Austrians had resorted to escape, and took some thousand prison ers under the -eyes of General Bonaparte and the array. From that time on La Salle was in high favor. -with Napoleon, who promoted him rapidly and took him to Egypt, where he made him colonel. The imperial cdtjncil perceived that further resistance 'was useless and an armistice was agreed to at Znaim. Na polean returned to Vienna, which he occupied until October?, For the third time he found himself master of the des tinies of the house of. Lorraine, which he had accused of ingratitude and perjury be fore Europe and in the face of history; for the third time this conqueror, so vio lent in his menaces, so overwhelming In his reproaches, eagerly received the pro posals of those who had provoked the war, whose hopes had been overthrown, and whose resources were destroyed on the day of Wagram. The Tesults of the battle, without being as extraordinary as those of Austerlitz, Jena or Friedland, were great nevertheless. The announcement of the armistice with Austria put en end. in effect, to all hos tile demonstratiens on the Continent, ex cept in the peninsula, and Germany, in apparent tranquility, awaited the result of the negotiations of Vienna. A few days after Napoleon returned to Schoenbrunn from Moravia he narrowly escaped the dagger dl'a young man, who rushed'jipon him. at agjand'Yeview of the Imperial Guard, and, ivrhjle ,ln the midst of all his staff, Berthjer and,Rapp threw themsclves upon the,, would-be assassin and disarmed him atj.the moment when his knife was about to enter the emperor's body. Napoleon demanded to know oft him what motive" had actuated the assassin. "What injury." said he", "have I done to you?" "To me personally, none," answered the youth; "but you are the oppressor of my country; the tyrant of the world; and to have put you to death would have been the highest glory of a man of hon or.'1 The youth, a son of a clergyman of Erfurt named Staaps, was condemned to death. It Is said Napoleon wished to pardon Staaps, whose frankness and courage had struck him, and in whom, besides, he saw but a blind instrument of the passions Incited by the monarchy; but his orders arrived too late. The young German met his death with the greatest coolness, exclaiming: "Hail, liberty! Germany forever! Death to the tyrant!" . The length to which the negotiations with Austria were protracted excited much wonder, but Napoleoiu who was occupied incessantly with his ministers and gener als, and seldom showing himself in public, had other business on hand besides his treaty with the Emperor Francis. His long-standing quarrel with the pope had now reached Its crisis, growing out of the Concordat, Involving affairs in Spain and Portugal, and finally by a refusal of the pontiff to acquiesce in theBerlin and Milan 'iffegrees against England's commerce. On the 17th of May Napoleon had issued from Vienna his final decree declaring the tem poral sovereignty of the pope to be wholly at an end. Incorporating Rome with the French empire, and declaring it to be his second city, settling a. handsome pension on the holy father in his spiritual capac ity, and appointing a cpmmittee of admin istration for the civil government of Rome. The popo replied with a bull of excommu nication against Napoleon, which finally resulted In the removal of his holiness to Fontainebleau. where he continued a pris oner, though treated personally with re spect and magnificence, during more than three years. The treaty with Austria, was at last signed at Schoenbrunn on the 14th of October, Austria giving up territory to the amount of 43,000 square miles, with a population of 4,000,000, and depriving her of her last seaport. Yet, when compared with the signal triumphs or the campaign at Wagram, the terms on which the con queror signed the peace were universally looked upon as remarkable for modera tion. Napoleon afterward expressed him self as highly, culpable in having left Austria too powerful after the affair at Wagram, using the following words on that occasion: "The day after the battle, I ought to have published in the order of the day that I would ratify no treaty with Austria until after a previous separation of the crown of Austria, Hungary and Bohemia, to be placed on three different heads." Napoleon quitted Vienna orf the 16th of October, and was congratulated by the public bodies of Paris at Fontainebleau op the 14th of November as "the greatest of heroes, who never achieved victories but for the happiness of the world." When he reappeared at the palace at Fontainebleau on October 26, 1SCD. crowned with the victory of Wagram, there was one to whom dark forebodings came Josephine felt that her fate was sealed. In fact, as a modern writer has said, the Immediate result of Wagram was the di vorce from the empress. XVIII. CAMPAIGN OF RUSSIA. The first public intimation of a. measure which had for a considerable period occu pied Napoleon's thoughts came from the emperor himself when he said. In an im perial speech in which he described the events of the past year, and the state of France: "I and my house will ever be found ready to sacrifice everything, even our own dearest ties and feelings, to the welfare of the French people." Long before Napoleon assumed the Im perial title, his hopes of offspring from the union with Josephine were at an end. For a time the latter lived in the hope that Napoleon would bt content to adopt her son Eugene, and make him heir to his colossal empire. Lcul3 Bonaparte after ward married Hortep.se Beauharnais, and an Infant son became so much the favor ite of Napoleon that Josephine, as well as others, regarded this boy as the heir of France. But the child died early, and the emperor then began to direct his thoughts toward the best means of dissolving his marriage with Josephine In order that he might form an alliance with some daugh ter of Russia or other imperial family. Emperor Alexander was approached on this subject, and Informed that one of his sisters, the Grand Duchess Anne, would be acceptable, but the empress mother hesitated, and this being taken by Napoleon as a refusal, he sought the hand of the Archduchess Marie Louise, daughter of Emperor Francis of Aus tria, the same youthful princess who has been mentioned as remaining in Vienna, on account of Illness, during the 3econd occupation of that capital by the French. On the 15th of February, 1S09, the em peror summoned his council and an-" nounced to them that, at the expense of all hi3 personal feelings, he, devoted wholly to the welfare of the state, had re solved to separate himself from his most dear consort. "Arrived at the age of 40 years," he said.. "I may conceive the hope of living sufficiently long to elevate, in my mind and after my ideas, the children with which it shall please Providence to bless me. God knows how much this res olution has coat my heart; I should also add, that, far from ever having to complain, I have en the contrary only had cause to laud the attachment and tender ness of my belov ed wife. She has adorned lo years of my life. The recollection there of will always remain graven on my heart.' Josephine then appeared among them, and, not without tears, expressed her acquiescence in the decree. "I believe I acknowledge all these sentiments," she said, "by consenting lo a dissolution of a marriage which, at present. Is an obstacle to the welfare of France, which deprives it of being one day governed by the de scendants of a great man, so evidently raised by Providence-to efface the ills of a terrible revolution, and re-establish the altar, the throne and social order." The coupcil, after addressing the em peror aqd empress on the nobleness of their mutual sacrifice, accepted ant? rati fied the dissolution of marriage. The tit'e of empress was prest rved to Josephine for life, and a pension of 2,000,000 francs, to which Napoleon afterward added a third million from his privy purse. She then retired from the Tuilcrics, residing thenceforth mostly at Malmatson. and in the course of a few weeks Austria was called upon for her daughter. Having given her hand at Vienna on the 11th of March, 1810. to Berthier, who had the honor to represent the person of the emperor, the young archduchess set out for France on the 13th. On the 2Sth, as her carriage was pro ceeding toward Soissons, Napoleon rode up to It, In a plain dress, altogether un attended, and Introduced himself to his proxy biide. She had never seen his per son till then, and It is said her first ex clamation was: "Your majesty's pictures have not done you justice." They spent the evening at the chateau of Compiegnc, and a religious marriage was celebrated on the 1st of April at St. Cloud, amidst every circumstance of splendor. The next day they made their entry into the capital. Napoleon in his exile said that "the Spanish ulcer" and the Austrian match were the two main causes of hid ruin; and they both con tributed to it largely, though by no means equally. The exile's own opinion was that the error lay, not in seeking a bride of imperial birth, but in choosing her at Vi enna. Had he persisted In his demands, the czar, he doubted not, would have granted him his sister; the proud dreams of Tilsit would have been realized, and Paris and St. Petersburg become the two only capital? of Eurcpe. Possibly, then, he would not have had occasion to say' that he "pet his foot uuon an abyss of roses" when he married Marie. Had he married a daughter of France, or even an imperial princess of Russia, he could have done so without the sacri fice of the prestige of the nobility, and even the divinity of the people he had so gloriously contended, for; but when it was announced that he had contracted an alli ance with the House of Hapsburg that hated race against whom and against whoso principles he had fought a hundred battles they were convinced that no good would come of it, and they were right. The war, meanwhile, continued without Interruption in the Peninsula; whither, but for his marriage, Napoleon would cer tainly have repaired in person after the peace of Schoenbrunn left htm at ease. So illy was that Spanish campaign con ducted during Napoleon's absence that not an inch of soil could be counted by the French beyond their outposts. Their troops were continually harassed and thinned by the indomitable guerrillas who acted singly or in bands as occasion "of fered. The emperor's new marriage was speed ily followed on the 20th of April, 1S11, by the birth of a son and heir, whom Na poleon announced to the waiting courtiers in these words: "It is a king of Rome!" The happy event, announced to the popu lace by the firing of 101 guns, was re ceived with many demonstrations of loyal enthusiasm. Even Josephine joined in ex pressing her satisfaction at the event which seemed to portend sq much for the founding of a- Napoleonic ijynaiSty which the emperor .now saw possible by direct lineage. , . When the emperor of Russia was inr formed of Napoleon's ftRpoaching nuptials with the Austrian "princess, his first .ex clamation was, "Then the next thlnff will Nbe to drive us back into our forests." During the summer of 1811, the relation3 of Russia and France were becoming every day .more dubious, and w hen toward the close of it the emperor of Austria published a rescript granting a free pass age through his territories to the troops of UJs f-on-lnrlaw, England, ever watchful of her great enemy, perceived clearly that France was about to have an ally. Alex ander had long ceased to regard the friendship of the great man. as a blessing of heaven. Of the solemn cordiality of Tilsit, artd the more recent meeting at Erfurt, there remained in the coul of the czar naught but the displeasure and re-J sentment arising irora esunct auecuon and deceived hopes. Most persuasive appeals were made to Napoleon by his ministers to refrain from entering into a campaign of aggression against Russia- To Fouche, minister of police. Napoleon is reported lo have sail. In reply: "Is It my fault that the height of power which I have attained compels me to ascend to the dictatorship of the world? My destiny Is not yet accomplished the picture exists as yet only in outline. There must be one code, one court of appeal, and one coinage for all Europe. The states of Europe must be melted into one nation, and Paris be Its capital." In the arguments used by Napoleon's advisers at this tune, they attempted to show him, among other things, the great extent of Alexander's resources his 100.COO regulars and 50,000 Cossacks, already known to be in arms and the enormous population on which he had the means of drawing for recruUs; " the enthusiastic national feeling of the Muscovites; the distance of their corntry; the severity of their climate; the opportunity which a war would afford to England of urging her successes in Spain; and tne chance of Germany rising In Insurrection in case of any reverses. Trusting to his star his "Star of Des tiny," in which he yet firmly believed he was far from being awed whep In April, 1S12, Russia declared war against France. It was an indefensible violation of the treaty of Tilsit, but It showed Napoleon that Europe was determined to crush him and he rallied, the forces of his empire for a more terrible conflict than he had yet beep summoned to. Not satisfied wUh disposing everything for war in the bosom of the" empire. Na poleon., wh'o wished to iqarch Into Russia at the head 6f his vast army of Europe, bqsled himself in forming and cementing, extsrnally, powerful allies. Two treaties were concluded to thfs effect; the one With Prussia and the other with Austria. on the 2lth of February and 14th of March, 1812. Alexander's minister was ordered in .he beginning of April to demand the with drawal of the northern troops, together with the evecuatlon of the -fortress In Pomerania, in case the French govern ment still entertained a wish to negotiate. Napoleon replied that he was not accus tomed to regulate the distribution of his forces by the suggestions of a foreign power. The ambassador then demanded his passoprts and quitted Paris. The emperor of France was confident, and seems to have entertained no doubt of his success in the coming campaign. "The war," he said, "is a wise measure, called for by the true Interests of France and the general welfare. The great power I have already attained compels me to assume a universal dictatorship. My views are not ambitious. I desire to ob tain no further acquisition; and reserve to myself only the glory of doing good, and the blessing of posterity." Leaving Pans with the empress on the 9th of May, 1812. on his way to join the grand army then form'ng on the Polish frontier, the imperial pair were accom panied by a continual triumph. Not mere ly In France, but thoughout Germany, the ringing of bells, music and the most en thusiastic greetings" awaited them wher ever they appeared. On May 1G, the em peror arrived at Dresden, where the em peror of Austria, the kings of Prussia, Naples, Wlrtemberg and Westphalia, and almost every German sovereign of in ferior rank, had been invited to meet him. He hod sent to request the czar also to appear in this brillicnt assemblage, as a last chance of an amicable arrangement, but the messenger could not obtain ad mission to Alexander's presence. Marie Louise was now sent back to France, and the Itusslam campaign be gan. Marshal Key, with one great di vision of the army, had already passed Vistula; Junot, with, another, occupied botli sides of the Cder. Tho .czar was known to be at Wilna, coUeatins the forces of his immense empire and Intrust ing the general arrangements of the ap proaching campaign to Marshal Barclay de Tplly, an officer who had been born and educated In Germany. The season was advancing, and it was time that the question of peace or war should be forced to a, decision. Napoleon, before leaving the gay 'court of Dresden, where he was hailed as "the Icing of kings." dispatched Count de Nar bonne to the Empercr Alexander to make a fresh attempt at negotiation in order to spare the shedding of more blood. On his return, Narbonne staled that he "had found the Russians neither depressed nor boasting; that the result of all the replies of the czar was that th'ey preferred war to a disgraced peace; that they would take special. care not to risk a battle with an adversary so formidable; and, finally, that they were determined to make every sac rifice to protract the war, and drive back the invader," Napoleon arrived at Dantzic on the 7th of June, and during the fortnight which ensued it was known that the final com munications between him and Alexander were taking place. On the 22d the French emperor broko silence in a bulletin in which he said: "Soldiers, Russia is dragged on by her fate; her destiny must be accomplished. Let us march; let us cross the Nlemen, let us carry war into her territories. Our second campaign of Poland will be as glorious as our first; but cur second peace shall carry with it its own guarantee. It shall put an end forever to that haughty influence which Russia has exercised for 50 years on the affairs of Europe." The czar announced the termination of the negotiations by stating the Innumer able efforts to obfain peace, auJ concluded in these words: "Soldiers, you must fight for your religion, your liberty and your native land. Your emperor is amongst you: and God is the enemy of the ag gressor." Napoleon reviewed the greater part of his troops on the battle-field jof Friedland, and, having assured thera of still more" splendid victories over the same enemy, issued his final orders to the chief officers of his army. The disposition of his forces when the compaign commenced was as follows: The left wing, commanded by Macdonald, and, amounting to Gu.000 men, had orders to march through Courland, with the view, If possible, of outflanking the Russian right and gaining the posses sion of seacpast In the direction of Riga. The right wing, composed almost wholly of Austrians, 30,000 in number, and com manded by Schwartzenberg, was stationed on the Volhynlan frontier. Between these moved the various corps forming the grand central army, under the general superintendence of Napoleon himself, viz., those of Davoust, Ney, Jerome Bonaparte, Eugene Beauharnais, Prince Poniatowski, Junot and Victor; and in numbers amount ing to 250,000 men. The communication of the center and the left was maintained by the corps of Oudlnot, and those of the center and the extreme right by the corps of Regnier, who had with him the Saxon auxiliaries and the Polish legion of Dom- browski. The chief command of the whole cavalry of the host was assigned to Mu rat; but he was in person at the head quarters of the emperor, having imme diately under his order three divisions of horse, those of Grouchy, Montbrun and Nantousy. Augereau, with his division, was to lemain in the north of Germany to watch over Berlin and protect the com munications with France. Napoleon's base of operations, as will be seen by the map, extended over full 100 leagues, and the heads of his various columns were so distributed that the Russians could not guess whether St. Petersburg or Moscow formed the main object of .their march. The Russian army, "under De. Tolly, had its headquarters at Wilna.-and consisted, at the opening of the campaign, of 120,000 men. Considerably to the left lay "the second, army,'' as it was. called. of 80,000 inen under Bagition, with whom were Platoff and 2,eQ0 of his Cossacks; while at the extreme of that wing "the army of A'olhypla," 20,000 strong, commanded by Torrtlazoff, watched Schwartzenberg. On the "right of De Tolly was Witgenstein with -SO.OOO men, and between these again and the sea the corps of "Essen, 10,000 Strong. Behind the whole line two armies Of reserve were rapidly forming at Novgo rod and Smolensk, each, probably, of about 20,000 men. The Russians actually on the afield at the opening of the cam paign were, then, as nearly as can be computed, in number 260,000; while Napo leon was prepared to cross the Niemen at the head of 470.000 men. The czar was resolved from the begin ning; to act entirely on the defensive and to draw Napoleon, If possible, into the heart of his own country ere he gave him battle. The various divisions of the Rus sian force had orders to fall back leisurely as the enemy advanced, destroying what ever they could not remove along with them, and halting only at certain points where intrenched camps had already been formed for their reception. The difficulty of feeding 500,000 men in a country deliberately wasted beforehand, and separated by so great a space from Germany, to say nothing of France, was sure to increase at every hour and every step. Alexander's great object was, there fore, to husband his own strength until the polar winter should set in around the strangers and bring the miseries which he thus foresaw to a crisis. Napoleon, on the other hand, had calcu lated on being met by the Russians at or even in advance of their own frontier (as he had been by the Austrians in the cam paign of Austerlitz and by the Prussians in that of Jena), of gaining a great bat tle, marching immediately either to St. Petersburg or Moscow, and dictating a peace within the walls of one of the czar's own palaces. On June 24 the grand imperial army, consolidated into three masses, began the passage of the Niemen Jerome Bona parte at Grodno. Eugene at Pilpny, and Napoleon himself near Kowno. The em peror rode on In front of his army at 2 o'clock In tjie morning to reconnoitre the banks, escaping observation by wearing a Polish cloak and hat; Ills, horse stum bled and he fell to the ground. "A bad' omen; a Rom.an would return," some one remarked, After a minute- investigation he discovered a spot near the village of Foineraen, above Kowno, suitable for the passage of his troops, and gave brders for three bridges to be thrown across at nightfall. The passage of the troops was impeded for a time; for the bridge over the Villa, s. stream running into the Niemen, had been broken down by the Russians. The emperor, however, despising this obstacle, ordered a Polish squadron of horse to swim the river. They obeyed instantly: but on reaching the middle the current proved too strong for them, broke their ranks, and swept away and engulfed many of them.. Even during their last struggles the'brave fellows turned their faces toward the shore, where Napoleon was watching their unavailing efforts with the deepest emotion, and shouted with their dying breath, "Vive l'empereur!" Three of these noble-spirited patriots uttered this cry when only a part of their faces was above the waters. The army wa3 struck with a mixture of horror and admiration. Napoleon watched the scene. apparently unmoved, but gave every order be could devise for the purpose of savings as many of them as possible, though with little effect. It is probable that his strong est feeling, even at the time, was a pre sentiment that this disastrous event was but the beginning of others, at once tre mendous and extensive. As these enormous hosts advanced into the Russian territory, Alexander with drew his armies as deliberately as the in vader pushed on. Wtlna. the capital It self, was evacuated in two days before the French came in sight of it, and Napoleon took up hig quarters there on the 23th ot June. Here It was found that all the magazines which he counted on seizing had been burnt before the Russians with drew. Alrpady the imperial bulletins be gan to denounce fhe "barbarous method" In which the enemy resolved to conduct his defense. The emperor remained 20 days at Wilna. during Which time he redoubled his efforts to secure quantities of provisions which were to be conveyed along with his army; these were to render him Independent of the countries through which he might pass. The destruction of the magazines at Wilna reassured him that he had. judged well in departing from the old system of marauding, which had been adopted in previous campaigns with suc cess. At the end of this period Napoleon: became aware that, while the contracts entered into by his war minister were ade quate for the army's needs, the handling of such enormous quantities of provisions under the most favorable circumstances must be slow and in some degree uncer tain. Thus the emperor found himself! under the necessity either of laying aside his invasion for another year or of urging: It in the face of every difficulty, all of wnieh he had foreseen except the slowness, of a commissariat department. When Napoleon arrived at Wilna he was! regarded by the people as their liberator. A deputation was sent to him by the diet of Warsaw, entreating his assistance toward the restoration of their ancient kingdom, the re-establishment of Poland having been proclaimed. They came, they said, to solicit Napoleon the Great to pro nounce these few words: "Let the king dom of Poland exist!" and then It would exist; that all the Poles would devote themselves to the orders of the fourth French dynasty, to whom ages were but a moment, and space no more than a. point. Napoleon at length re-entered the field without having done much to remedy the disorders of his commissariat. He at first determined to make St. Petersburg his mark, counting much on the effects which a triumphal entry into the capital would, produce throughout the country; but, his troops meeting with some reverses at Riga and Dunaburg, he changed hjs plans and resolved to march on Moscow instead. The center of the army was now thrown forward under Davoust with the view of turning Barclay's position and cutting off his communication with Bagration. This brought about an engagement with the latter on the 23d of July near Mahllow. the French remaining in possession of the town, The Russian commander in retreat ing informed Barclay that he was now marching, not on Vitepsk, but on Smol ensk. During the three days of the 25th, 26th and 27th of July, the French were again victorious. Napoleon halted at Vitepslc for several days In order to allow his troops to recuperate. On the 8th of Au gust the emperor quitted Vitcpsk, and after a partial engagement at Krasnol on on the 14th, came In sight of Smolensk on the 16th. On the 10th of August Napoleon was observed to write eight letters to Davoust, and nearly as many to each of his commanders. "If the enemy defends Smolensk," he said in one of his letters to Davoust, "as I am tempted to believe he will, we shall have a decisive engagement there, and we cannot have too large a; force. Orcha will become the central point of the army. Everything induces me to believe that there will be a great; battle at Smolensk." The first and second armies of the czar, under Bagration and Baiclay, having at length effected a junction, retired with 120,000 men behind the river which flows at the back of this town. As soon as Napoleon saw these masses of men approaching from the distance, he clapped his hands with joy, exclaiming. "At last I have them!" The moment that was to decide the fate of Russia or the French army had apparently arrived. Napoleon passed along the line, and as signed to each commander his station, leaving an extensive plain unoccupied In front between himself and the Dneiper. This he offered to the enemy for a field of battle, but Instead ot accepting the chal lenge Barclay and Bagration were seen next morning in full retreat. During the night the Russian garrison had withdrawn and joined the" army across the river. Before they departed they committed the city to the flames, and, the buildings being chiefly of wood, the conflagration, according to the French bulletin, "resembling in its fury an erup tion of Vesuvius." "Never," said Napo leon, "was war conducted with such In humanity; the Russians treat their own country as if it were that of an enemy.", It now, however, began to be difficult in the extreme to extinguish the flames cre ated by the retreating Russians. The em peror in person used every effort tor stop the progress of the devouring element and render succor to the wounded. "Napo leon." says Gourgaud, "is of all generals, whether ancient cr modern, the one who has paid the greatest attention to the wounded. The Intoxication of victory never could make him forget them, and his first thought, after every battle, was always or them." It was very evident that the Russian commander had no desire that Napoleon should establish himself In winter quar ters at this point. From Smolensk the Russians retreated to Dorogoburg, and thence to Viasma; halting at each of these towns and deliberately burning them in face of the enemy. Having returned to Smolensk, Napoleon became a. prey to the most harassing reflections on the oppor tunity which had so lately escaped him of destroying the whole of the Russian army, and attaining a speedy conclusion of peace. TJncertainty began to gain ground with him; vague presentiments made him desire to terminate as soon as possible this distant campaign. "We are too far engaged to fall back," said the emperor on arriving at Ougea; "and if I only proposed to myself the glory of war like exploits I should have but to return to Smolensk, there plant my eagles, and content myself with extending my right and left arms, which would crush Witt genstein and Tormasoff. These operations would be brilliant; they would finish the campaign very satisfactorily, but they would not terminate the war. Our troops may advance, but are Incapable of re maining stationary. Motion may keep them together; a halt or retreat would at once dissolve them. Ours Is an army of attack, not of defense; of operation, not of position. We must advance upon Mos cow, jcain possession of that capital, and there dictate terms of peaqe to tho czar! Peace is before us; we are but eight days march from it. When the object is so nearly attained, it would be unwise to de liberate. Let us, therefore, march upon Moscow!" (To bo continued.)