Adventure | Science Fiction | Ghost stories | Poetry | Children | History BookOpen Original Text tugal, and Naples join the coalition
against France.
_July 14th._--French carry their prisoner, Pope Pius VI., to
Valence, where he dies (_August 29th_).
_July 22nd._--Alessandria surrenders to Austro-Russians.
_July 30th._--Mantua, after 72 days' siege, surrenders to Kray.
_August 15th._--French defeated at Novi by Suwarrow. French lose
Joubert and 20,000 men.
_August 17th._--French, under Lecombe, force the St. Gothard.
_August 27th._--English army disembark at the Helder.
_August 30th._--Dutch fleet surrendered to the British Admiral.
_September 19th._--Brune defeats Duke of York at Bergen.
_September 25th._--Massena defeats allies at Zurich, who lose
16,000 men and 100 guns. "Massena saves France at Zurich, as
Villars saved it at Denain."--_Montgaillard._
_October 6th._--Brune defeats Duke of York at Kastrikum.
_October 7th._--French take Constance.
_October 16th._--Saint-Cyr, without cavalry or cannon, defeats
Austrians at Bosco.
_October 18th._--Capitulation at Alkmaar by Duke of York to
General Brune. "The son of George III. capitulates at Alkmaar as
little honourably as the son of George II. had capitulated at
Kloster-Seven in 1757."--_Montgaillard._
_November 4th._--Melas defeats French at Fossano.
_November 13th._--Ancona surrendered to the Austrians by Monnier,
after a six months' siege.
_November 24th._--Moreau made commander of the armies of the Rhine
(being in disgrace, has served as a volunteer in Italy most of
this year); Massena sent to the army of Italy.
_December 5th._--Coni, the key of Piedmont, surrenders to the
Austrians.
_December 14th._--Death of George Washington.
_December 15th._--Battle of Montefaccio, near Genoa. Saint-Cyr
defeats Austrians.
EVENTS OF 1800.
_February 11th._--Bank of France constituted.
_February 20th._--Kleber defeats Turks at Heliopolis.
_May 3rd._--Battle of Engen. Moreau defeats Kray, who loses 10,000
men, and--
_May 5th._--Again defeats Austrians at Moeskirch.
_May 6th.--Napoleon leaves Paris._
_May 8th.--Arrives at Auxonne, and on the 9th at Geneva, from
thence moves to Lausanne (May 12th), where he is delighted with
reception accorded to the French troops, and hears of Moreau's
victory at Bibernach (May 11th). On the 14th he hears of Desaix's
safe arrival at Toulon from Egypt, together with Davoust, and
orders the praises of their past achievements to be sung in the_
Moniteur. _The same day writes Massena that in Genoa a man like
himself (Massena) is worth 20,000. On the 16th is still at
Lausanne._
No. 1.
TO JOSEPHINE, AT PARIS.
_Lausanne, May 15, 1800._
I have been at Lausanne since yesterday. I start to-morrow. My health
is fairly good. The country round here is very beautiful. I see no
reason why, in ten or twelve days, you should not join me here; you
must travel incognito, and not say where you are going, because I want
no one to know what I am about to do. You can say you are going to
Plombieres.
I will send you Moustache,[16] who has just arrived.
My very kindest regards to Hortense. Eugene will not be here for eight
days; he is _en route_.
BONAPARTE.
No. 2.
TO JOSEPHINE, AT PARIS.
_Torre di Garofolo, May 16, 1800._
I start immediately to spend the night at Saint-Maurice. I have not
received a single letter from you; that is not well. I have written
you by every courier.
Eugene may arrive the day after to-morrow. I have rather a cold, but
it will have no ill effects.
My very kindest regards to you, my good little Josephine, and to all
who belong to you.
BONAPARTE.
_May 17th-19th.--At Martigny, "struggling against ice, snow-storms,
and avalanches," and astonishing the great St. Bernard "with the
passage of our 'pieces of 8,' and especially of our limbers--a new
experience for it." On May 20th he climbed the St. Bernard on a
mule, and descended it on a sledge. On May 21st he is at Aosta,
hoping to be back in Paris within a fortnight. His army had passed
the mountain in four days. On May 27th he is at Ivrea, taken by
Lannes on the 24th._
No. 3.[17]
[_From Tennant's Tour, &c._, vol. ii.]
11 P.M.
I hardly know which way to turn. In an hour I start for Vercelli.
Murat ought to be at Novaro to-night. The enemy is thoroughly
demoralised; he cannot even yet understand us. I hope within ten days
to be in the arms of my Josephine, who is always very good when she is
not crying and not flirting. Your son arrived this evening. I have had
him examined; he is in excellent health. Accept a thousand tender
thoughts. I have received M.'s letter. I will send her by the next
courier a box of excellent cherries.
We are here--within two months for Paris.--Yours entirely,
N. B.
_To Madame Bonaparte._ (Address not in Bonaparte's writing.)
* * * * *
_June 1st._--First experiments with vaccination at Paris, with
fluid sent from London.
_On June 2nd Napoleon enters Milan, where he spends a week._
No. 4.
TO JOSEPHINE, AT PARIS.
_Milan._
I am at Milan, with a very bad cold. I can't stand rain, and I have
been wet to the skin for several hours, but all goes well. I don't
persuade you to come here. I shall be home in a month. I trust to
find you flourishing. I am just starting for Pavia and Stradella. We
are masters of Brescia, Cremona, and Placentia.
Kindest regards. Murat has borne himself splendidly.
* * * * *
_June 5th._--Massena gives up Genoa, but leaves with all the
honours of war.
_June 7th._--Lannes takes Pavia, 350 cannon, and 10,000 muskets.
_June 9th.--Battle of Montebello. Bonaparte defeats Austrians, who
lose 8000 men._
_June 14th.--Bonaparte wins Marengo, but loses Desaix--"the man I
loved and esteemed the most." In his bulletin he admits the battle
at one time was lost, until he cried to his troops "Children,
remember it is my custom to sleep upon the battlefield." He
mentions the charges of Desaix and Kellermann, and especially
eulogises the latter--a fact interesting on account of the false
statements made of his ignoring it. In the bulletin of June 21st
he blames the "punic faith" of Lord Keith at Genoa, a criticism
the Admiral repaid with usury fifteen years later._
_June 14th._--Assassination of Kleber, in Egypt.
_June 16th.--Convention of Alessandria between Bonaparte and
Melas; end of the "Campaign of Thirty Days."_
_June 19th._--Moreau defeats Kray at Hochstedt, and occupies Ulm.
_June 23rd._--Genoa re-entered by the French.
_June 26th.--Bonaparte leaves Massena in command of the Army of
Reserve, now united with the Army of Italy._
_July 3rd.--The First Consul is back in Paris unexpectedly--not
wishing triumphal arches or such-like "colifichets" In spite of
which the plaudits he receives are very dear to him, "sweet as the
voice of Josephine."_
_September 5th._--Vaubois surrenders Malta to the English, after
two years' blockade.
_September 15th._--Armistice between France and Austria in
Germany.
_September 30th._--Treaty of Friendship and Commerce betwe Previous Next |