Today | News | Books | Recipes Adventure | Science Fiction | Ghost stories | Poetry | Children | History Bookst in the château of Prince Kaunitz, where I shall sleep for the next two or three hours. The Russian army is not only beaten, but destroyed. I embrace you. NAPOLEON. * * * * * _December 4th.--Haugwitz, the Prussian Minister, congratulates Napoleon on his victory. "Voilà!" replied the Emperor; "un compliment dont la fortune a changé l'addresse."_ No. 15. TO THE EMPRESS, AT MUNICH. _Austerlitz, December 5, 1805._ I have concluded a truce. The Russians have gone. The battle of Austerlitz is the grandest of all I have fought. Forty-five flags, more than 150 pieces of cannon, the standards of the Russian Guard, 20 generals, 30,000 prisoners, more than 20,000 slain--a horrible sight. The Emperor Alexander is in despair, and on his way to Russia. Yesterday, at my bivouac, I saw the Emperor of Germany. We conversed for two hours; we have agreed to make peace quickly. The weather is not now very bad. At last behold peace restored to the Continent; it is to be hoped that it is going to be to the world. The English will not know how to face us. I look forward with much pleasure to the moment when I can once more be near you. My eyes have been rather bad the last two days; I have never suffered from them before. Adieu, my dear. I am fairly well, and very anxious to embrace you. NAPOLEON. No. 16. TO THE EMPRESS, AT MUNICH. _Austerlitz, December 7, 1805._ I have concluded an armistice; within a week peace will be made. I am anxious to hear that you reached Munich in good health. The Russians are returning; they have lost enormously--more than 20,000 dead and 30,000 taken. Their army is reduced by three-quarters. Buxhowden, their general-in-chief, was killed. I have 3000 wounded and 700 to 800 dead. My eyes are rather bad; it is a prevailing complaint, and scarcely worth mentioning. Adieu, dear. I am very anxious to see you again. I am going to sleep to-night at Vienna. NAPOLEON. No. 17. TO THE EMPRESS, AT MUNICH. _Brunn, December 10, 1805._ It is a long time since I had news of you. Have the grand fêtes at Baden, Stuttgard, and Munich made you forget the poor soldiers, who live covered with mud, rain, and blood? I shall start in a few days for Vienna. We are endeavouring to conclude peace. The Russians have gone, and are in flight far from here; they are on their way back to Russia, well drubbed and very much humiliated. I am very anxious to be with you again. Adieu, dear. My bad eyes are cured. NAPOLEON. * * * * * _December 15th.--Treaty with Prussia._ No. 18. TO THE EMPRESS, AT MUNICH. _December 19, 1805._ _Great Empress_,--Not a single letter from you since your departure from Strasburg. You have gone to Baden, Stuttgard, Munich, without writing us a word. This is neither very kind nor very affectionate. I am still at Brunn. The Russians are gone. I have a truce. In a few days I shall see what I may expect. Deign from the height of your grandeur to concern yourself a little with your slaves. NAPOLEON. No. 19. TO THE EMPRESS, AT MUNICH. _Schönbrunn, December 20, 1805._ I got your letter of the 16th. I am sorry to learn you are in pain. You are not strong enough to travel two hundred and fifty miles at this time of the year. I know not what I shall do; I await events. I have no will in the matter; everything depends on their issue. Stay at Munich; amuse yourself. That is not difficult when you have so many kind friends and so beautiful a country. I, for my part, am sufficiently busy. In a few days my decision will be made. Adieu, dear. Kindest and most affectionate regards. NAPOLEON. * * * * * _December 27th.[21]--Peace of Presburg._ _December 31st.--Napoleon arrives outside Munich, and joins Josephine the next morning._ FOOTNOTES [18] _J'ai couché aujourd'hui_--_i.e._ a few hours' morning sleep. [19] The month _Brumaire--i.e._ before November 21st. [20] Countess de Serent, the Empress's lady-in-waiting. [21] _VI. Nivose_, which for the year 1805 was December 27 (see Harris Nicolas' "Chronology of History"). Haydn, Woodward, Bouillet, all have December 26th; Alison and _Biographie Universelle_ have December 27th; but, as usual, the "Correspondence of Napoleon I." is taken here as the final court of appeal. SERIES G "Battles then lasted a few hours, campaigns a few days." --BIGNON, _On Friedland_ (vol. vi. 292). SERIES G (For subjoined Notes to this Series see pages 243-264.) LETTER PAGE No. 1. _Princess of Baden_ 244 _Hortense_ 244 _The Grand Duke_ 244 _Florence_ 244 No. 2. _Bamberg_ 244 _Eugène_ 244 _Her husband_ 245 No. 3. _Erfurt_ 245 _If she wants to see a battle_ 245 No. 4. _I nearly captured him and the Queen_ 246 _I have bivouacked_ 246 No. 5. _Fatigues, bivouacs have made me fat_ 246 _The great M. Napoleon_ 247 No. 7. _Potsdam_ 247 No. 8. _You do nothing but cry_ 247 No. 9_a_. _Madame Tallien_ 247 No. 10. _The bad things I say about women_ 248 No. 11. _Lubeck_ 250 No. 13. _Madame L._ 250 No. 17. _December 2nd_ 250 No. 18. _Jealousy_ 250 No. 19. _Desir de femme est un feu qui dévore_ 251 No. 23. _I am dependent on events_ 251 No. 26. _The fair ones of Great Poland_ 251 _A wretched barn_ 252 _Such things become common property_ 252 No. 27. _Warsaw, January 3rd_ 252 No. 28. _Be cheerful--gai_ 253 No. 29. _Roads unsafe and detestable_ 253 No. 35. _I hope that you are at Paris_ 254 _T._ 254 No. 36. _Paris_ 254 No. 38. Arensdorf 254 No. 39. _The Battle of Preussich-Eylau_ 254 No. 40. _Corbineau_ 256 _Dahlmann_ 256 No. 41. _Young Tascher_ 256 No. 42. Napoleon's Correspondence 256 No. 43. _I am still at Eylau_ 257 _This country is covered with dead and wounded_ 257 No. 50. _Osterode_ 257 _It is not as good as the great city_ 258 _I have ordered what you wish for Malmaison_ 258 No. 54. _Minerva_ 259 No. 55. The first use of _Vous_ 259 No. 56. _Dupuis_ 260 No. 58. _M. de T._ 260 No. 60. _Marshal Bessières_ 260 No. 63. Date 260 No. 67. _Sweet, pouting, and capricious_ 260 No. 68. _Madame_ ---- 261 _Measles_ 261 No. 69. _I trust I may hear you have been rational_ 261 No. 71. _May 20th_ 262 No. 74. _I am vexed with Hortense_ 262 No. 78. _Friedland_ 263 No. 79. _Tilsit_ 264 LETTERS OF THE EMPEROR NAPOLEON TO THE EMPRESS JOSEPHINE DURING THE CAMPAIGN AGAINST PRUSSIA AND RUSSIA, 1806-7. 1806. _January 1st.--The Elector of Bavaria and the Duke of Wurtemberg created Kings by France._ _January 23rd._--Death of William Pitt, aged 47. _February 15th.--Joseph Bonaparte enters Naples, and on_ _March 10th is declared King of the Two Sicilies._ _April 1st.--Prussia seizes Hanover._ _June 5th.--Louis Bonaparte made King of Holland._ _July 6th.--Battle of Maida (Calabria. English defeat General Reynier. French loss 4000; English 500)._ _July 12th.--Napoleon forms Confederation of the Rhine, with himself as Chief and Protector._ _July 18th.--Gaeta surrenders to Massena. |