Adventure | Science Fiction | Ghost stories | Poetry | Children | History BookOpen Original Text n. _Napoleon joins the
army._
_April 20th._--Battle of Abensberg. Archduke Louis defeated.
Austrians take Ratisbon, and 1800 prisoners. Poles defeated by
Archduke Ferdinand at Baszy.
_April 21st._--Combat of Landshut; heavy Austrian losses.
Austrians under Archduke Ferdinand take Warsaw.
_April 22nd.--Battle of Eckmuehl. Napoleon defeats Archduke
Charles._
_April 23rd._--French take Ratisbon.
_April 25th._--King of Bavaria re-enters Munich.
_April 26th._--French army crosses the Inn.
_April 28th-30th._--French force the Salza, and cut in two the
main Austrian army--"One of the most beautiful manoeuvres of
modern tactics" (_Montgaillard_).
_April 29th._--Combat of Caldiero. Eugene defeats Archduke John.
_May 3rd._--Russia declares war on Austria, and enters Galicia.
_May 4th._--Combat of Ebersberg. Massena defeats Austrians, but
loses a large number of men.
No. 1.
TO THE EMPRESS, AT STRASBURG.
_Donauwoerth, April 17, 1809._
I arrived here yesterday at 4 A.M.; I am just leaving it. Everything
is under way. Military operations are in full activity. Up to the
present, there is nothing new.
My health is good.--Yours ever,
NAPOLEON.
No. 2.
TO THE EMPRESS, AT STRASBURG.
_Enns, May 6, 1809, Noon._
_My Dear_,--I have received your letter. The ball that touched me has
not wounded me; it barely grazed the tendon Achilles.
My health is very good. You are wrong to be uneasy.
My affairs here go excellently.--Yours ever,
NAPOLEON.
Kind regards to Hortense and the Duke de Berg.[32]
* * * * *
_May 8th._--Eugene crosses the Piave, and defeats Archduke John.
No. 3.
TO THE EMPRESS, AT STRASBURG.
_Saint-Polten, May 9, 1809._
_My Dear_,--I write you from Saint-Polten. To-morrow I shall be before
Vienna; it will be exactly a month to the day after the Austrians
crossed the Inn, and violated peace.
My health is good, the weather splendid, and the soldiery very
cheerful; there is wine here.
Keep well.--Yours ever,
NAPOLEON.
* * * * *
_May 13th._--French occupy Vienna, after a bombardment of
thirty-six hours.
_May 17th._--Roman States united to the French Empire.
_May 18th._--French occupy Trieste.
_May 19th._--Lefebvre occupies Innsbruck.
_May 20th._--Eugene reaches Klagenfurt.
_May 21st-22nd._--Battle of Essling. A drawn battle, unfavourable
to the French, who lose Marshal Lannes, three generals killed, and
500 officers and 18,000 men wounded. The Archduke admits a loss of
4200 killed and 16,000 wounded.
_May 22nd._--Meerveldt with 4000 men surrenders at Laybach to
Macdonald.
_May 25th._--Eugene reaches Leoben in Styria, and captures most of
the corps of Jellachich.
_May 26th._--Eugene joins the army of Germany, at Bruck in
Styria.
No. 4.
_May 12th._--Soult evacuates Portugal. Wellington crosses the
Douro, and enters Spain.
TO THE EMPRESS, AT STRASBURG.
_Schoenbrunn, May 12, 1809._
I am despatching the brother of the Duchess of Montebello to let you
know that I am master of Vienna, and that everything here goes
perfectly. My health is very good.
NAPOLEON.
No. 5.
TO THE EMPRESS, AT STRASBURG.
_Ebersdorf, May 27, 1809._
I am despatching a page to tell you that Eugene has rejoined me with
all his army; that he has completely performed the task that I
entrusted him with; and has almost entirely destroyed the enemy's army
opposed to him.
I send you my proclamation to the army of Italy, which will make you
understand all this.
I am very well.--Yours ever,
NAPOLEON.
_P.S._--You can have this proclamation printed at Strasburg, and have
it translated into French and German, in order that it may be
scattered broadcast over Germany. Give a copy of the proclamation to
the page who goes on to Paris.
* * * * *
_May 28th._--Hofer defeats Bavarians at Innsbruck.
No. 6.
TO THE EMPRESS, AT STRASBURG.
_Ebersdorf_, _May 29, 1809_, 7 P.M.
_My Dear_,--I have been here since yesterday; I am stopped by the
river. The bridge has been burnt; I shall cross at midnight.
Everything here goes as I wish it, viz., very well.
The Austrians have been overwhelmed (_frappes de la foudre_).
Adieu, dear.--Yours ever,
NAPOLEON.
No. 7.
TO THE EMPRESS, AT STRASBURG.
_Ebersdorf May 31, 1809._
Your letter of the 26th to hand. I have written you that you can go to
Plombieres. I do not care for you to go to Baden; it is not necessary
to leave France. I have ordered the two princes to re-enter
France.[33]
The loss of the Duke of Montebello, who died this morning, has grieved
me exceedingly. Thus everything ends!!
Adieu, dear; if you can help to console the poor Marechale, do
so.--Yours ever,
NAPOLEON.
* * * * *
_June 1st._--Archduke Ferdinand evacuates Warsaw.
_June 6th._--Regent of Sweden proclaimed King as Charles XIII.
No. 8.
TO THE EMPRESS, AT STRASBURG.
_Schoenbrunn, June 9, 1809._
I have received your letter; I see with pleasure that you are going to
the waters at Plombieres, they will do you good.
Eugene is in Hungary with his army. I am well, the weather very fine.
I note with pleasure that Hortense and the Duke of Berg are in
France.
Adieu, dear.--Yours ever,
NAPOLEON.
* * * * *
_June 10th._--Union of the Papal States to France promulgated in
Rome.
_June 11th.--Napoleon and all his abettors excommunicated._
_June 14th._--Eugene, aided by Macdonald and Lauriston, defeats
Archduke Ferdinand at Raab.
No. 9.
TO THE EMPRESS, AT PLOMBIERES.
_Schoenbrunn, June 16, 1809._
I despatch a page to tell you that, on the 14th, the anniversary of
Marengo, Eugene won a battle against the Archduke John and the
Archduke Palatine, at Raab, in Hungary; that he has taken 3000 men,
many pieces of cannon, 4 flags, and pursued them a long way on the
road to Buda-Pesth.
NAPOLEON.
* * * * *
_June 18th._--Combat of Belchite. Blake defeated by Suchet near
Saragossa.
No. 10.
TO THE EMPRESS, AT PLOMBIERES.
_Schoenbrunn, June 19, 1809, Noon._
I have your letter, which tells me of your departure for Plombieres. I
am glad you are making this journey, because I trust it may do you
good.
Eugene is in Hungary, and is well. My health is very good, and the
army in fighting trim.
I am very glad to know that the Grand Duke of Berg is with you.
Adieu, dear. You know my affection for my Josephine; it never
varies.--Yours ever,
NAPOLEON.
* * * * *
_July 4th-5th._--French cross Danube, and win battle of
Enzersdorff.
_July 5th-6th._--Pope Pius VII. carried off from Rome by order of
Murat; eventually kept at Savona.
_July 6th.--Battle of Wagram._ The most formidable artillery
battle ever fought up to this date (900 guns in action). The
Austrians had 120,000 men, with more guns and of larger calibre
than those of the French.
No. 11.
_July 7th._--St. Domingo surrenders to the English.
TO THE EMPRESS, AT PLOMBIERES.
_Ebersdorf_, _July 7, 1809_, 5 A.M.
I am despatching a page to bring you the good tidings of the victory
of Enzersdorf, which I won on the 5th, and that of Wagram, which I Previous Next |