Today | News | Books | Recipes Adventure | Science Fiction | Ghost stories | Poetry | Children | History Book_ _August 6th.--Francis II., Emperor of Germany, becomes Emperor of Austria as Francis I._ _August 15th.--Russia refuses to ratify peace preliminaries signed by her ambassador at Paris on July 25th._ _September 13th._--Death of Charles James Fox, aged 57. No. 1. _October 5th.--Proclamation by the Prince of the Peace against France (germ of Spanish War)._ TO THE EMPRESS, AT MAYENCE. _October 5, 1806._ It will be quite in order for the Princess of Baden to come to Mayence. I cannot think why you weep; you do wrong to make yourself ill. Hortense is inclined to pedantry; she loves to air her views. She has written me; I am sending her a reply. She ought to be happy and cheerful. Pluck and a merry heart--that's the recipe. Adieu, dear. The Grand Duke has spoken to me about you; he saw you at Florence at the time of the retreat. NAPOLEON. No. 2. TO THE EMPRESS, AT MAYENCE. _Bamberg, October 7, 1806._ I start this evening, my dear, for Cronach. The whole of my army is advancing. All goes well. My health is perfect. I have only received as yet one letter from you. I have some from Eugène and from Hortense. Stephanie should now be with you. Her husband wishes to make the campaign; he is with me. Adieu. A thousand kisses and the best of health. NAPOLEON. * * * * * _October 8th.--Prussia, assisted by Saxony, Russia, and England, declares war against France._ _October 9th.--Campaign opens. Prussians defeated at Schleitz._ _October 10th.--Lannes defeats them at Saalfeld. Prince Louis of Prussia killed; 1000 men and 30 guns taken._ _October 11th.--French peace negotiations with England broken off._ No. 3. TO THE EMPRESS, AT MAYENCE. _Gera_, _October 13, 1806_, 2 A.M. _My Dear_,--I am at Gera to-day. My affairs go excellently well, and everything as I could wish. With the aid of God, they will, I believe, in a few days have taken a terrible course for the poor King of Prussia, whom I am sorry for personally, because he is a good man. The Queen is at Erfurt with the King. If she wants to see a battle, she shall have that cruel pleasure. I am in splendid health. I have already put on flesh since my departure; yet I am doing, in person, twenty and twenty-five leagues a day, on horseback, in my carriage, in all sorts of ways. I lie down at eight, and get up at midnight. I fancy at times that you have not yet gone to bed.--Yours ever, NAPOLEON. * * * * * _October 14th.--Battles of Jena and Auerstadt._ No. 4. _October 15th.--Napoleon at Weimar, He releases 6000 Saxon prisoners, which soon causes peace with Saxony._ TO THE EMPRESS, AT MAYENCE. _Jena_, _October 15, 1806_, 3 A.M. _My Dear_,--I have made excellent manoeuvres against the Prussians. Yesterday I won a great victory. They had 150,000 men. I have made 20,000 prisoners, taken 100 pieces of cannon, and flags. I was in presence of the King of Prussia, and near to him; I nearly captured him and the Queen. For the past two days I have bivouacked. I am in excellent health. Adieu, dear. Keep well, and love me. If Hortense is at Mayence, give her a kiss; also to Napoleon and to the little one. NAPOLEON. No. 5. _October 16th.--Soult routs Kalkreuth at Greussen; Erfurt and 16,000 men capitulate to Murat._ TO THE EMPRESS, AT MAYENCE. _Weimar_, _October 16, 1806_, 5 P.M. M. Talleyrand will have shown you the bulletin, my dear; you will see my successes therein. All has happened as I calculated, and never was an army more thoroughly beaten and more entirely destroyed. I need only add that I am very well, and that fatigue, bivouacs, and night-watches have made me fat. Adieu, dear. Kindest regards to Hortense and to the great M. Napoleon.--Yours ever, NAPOLEON. * * * * * _October 17th.--Bernadotte defeats Prussian reserve at Halle._ _October 18th.--Davoust takes Leipsic, and an enormous stock of English merchandise._ _October 19th.--Napoleon at Halle._ _October 20th.--Lannes takes Dessau, and Davoust Wittenberg._ _October 21st.--Napoleon at Dessau._ No. 6. _October 23rd.--Napoleon makes Wittenberg central depôt for his army._ TO THE EMPRESS, AT MAYENCE. _Wittenberg, October 23, 1806, Noon._ I have received several of your letters. I write you only a line. My affairs prosper. To-morrow I shall be at Potsdam, and at Berlin on the 25th. I am wonderfully well, and thrive on hard work. I am very glad to hear you are with Hortense and Stephanie, _en grande compagnie_. So far, the weather has been fine. Kind regards to Stephanie, and to everybody, not forgetting M. Napoleon. Adieu, dear.--Yours ever, NAPOLEON. No. 7. _October 24th.--Lannes occupies Potsdam._ TO THE EMPRESS, AT MAYENCE. _Potsdam, October 24, 1806._ _My Dear_,--I have been at Potsdam since yesterday, and shall remain there to-day. I continue satisfied with my undertakings. My health is good; the weather very fine. I find Sans-Souci very pleasant. Adieu, dear. Best wishes to Hortense and to M. Napoleon. NAPOLEON. * * * * * _October 25th.--Marshal Davoust enters Berlin; Bernadotte occupies Brandenburg._ _October 28th.--Prince Hohenlohe surrenders at Prenzlau to Murat with 16,000 men, including the Prussian Guard._ _October 30th.--Stettin surrenders with 5000 men and 150 cannon._ No. 8. _November 1st.--Anklam surrenders, with 4000 men, to General Becker._ TO THE EMPRESS, AT MAYENCE. _November 1, 1806_, 2 A.M. Talleyrand has just arrived and tells me, my dear, that you do nothing but cry. What on earth do you want? You have your daughter, your grandchildren, and good news; surely these are sufficient reasons for being happy and contented. The weather here is superb; there has not yet fallen during the whole campaign a single drop of water. I am very well, and all goes excellently. Adieu, dear; I have received a letter from M. Napoleon; I do not believe it is from him, but from Hortense. Kindest regards to everybody. NAPOLEON. * * * * * _November 2nd.--Kustrin surrenders, with 4000 men and 90 guns, to Davoust._ No. 9. TO THE EMPRESS, AT MAYENCE. _Berlin, November 2, 1806._ Your letter of October 26th to hand. We have splendid weather here. You will see by the bulletin that we have taken Stettin--it is a very strong place. All my affairs go as well as possible, and I am thoroughly satisfied. One pleasure is alone wanting--that of seeing you, but I hope that will not long be deferred. Kindest regards to Hortense, Stephanie, and to the little Napoleon. Adieu, dear.--Yours ever, NAPOLEON. No. 9A. From the Memoirs of Mademoiselle d'Avrillon (vol. i. 128). TO THE EMPRESS, AT MAYENCE. _Berlin, Monday, Noon._ _My Dear_,--I have received your letter. I am glad to know that you are in a place which pleases me, and especially to know that you are very well there. Who should be happier than you? You should live without a worry, and pass your time as pleasantly as possible; that, indeed, is my intention. I forbid you to see Madame Tallien, under any pret |