No sooner had he arrived in Paris, than he despatched Berthier to Germany to take charge of and concentrate his troops that were scattered from the Alps to the Baltic. In the meantime he organized eight new regiments to augment the infantry of his guard, two of tirailleurs grenadiers, two of tirailleurs chasseurs, and two of conscript chasseurs, in all 6000 men.

These were called the Young Guard, although incorporated with the Old. Together they formed an imposing body of troops. On almost every breast of the Old Guard glittered the star of the Legion of Honor, won by bravery on the field of battle.

Every thing being ready the troops were sent by forced marches to the Rhine. On the 12th of April, Napoleon set out from St. Cloud, and in six days arrived at head- quarters. It was high time he had come, for Berthier had done nothing but commit blunders, and but for the tardiness of the allies, the French army would have been driven across the Rhine before his arrival. It was scattered over forty leagues--in forty-eight hours it was concentrated in the space of ten leagues and ready to deliver its terrible blows. The continental armies opposed to Napoleon have been much blamed for their slow and cautious advances, when the position of the French army was such that by celerity of movement they could have inflicted heavy disasters upon it. But military critics forget that Napoleon's tactics completely baffled the oldest generals of the continent. Nine tenths of the time their combinations were broken up before the battle took place. This wizard, by his rapid movements, audacious advances, and bold and daring attacks, so confused them, that they never knew when he was strong or weak. They were afraid to compromise their forces by any bold push, for whenever they did, he came thundering on their flanks. No wonder they became careful, for if they attempted a surprise or skilful manœuvre as at Austerlitz, they found it was just what their imperial foe desired. In fact, such was his eagle glance and far-reaching intellect, that it was impossible for the Austrians or Prussians to attempt a manœuvre in his presence without getting his victorious squadrons on their flanks. They had so often suffered from these flank attacks, that the precautions they took to avoid them were frequently ludicrous, and crippled all their actions.

The Emperor arrived on the night of the 17th--on the 19th the battle of Abensberg was fought which broke the enemy's centre--the 21st, he attacked the enemy at Landshut, and put him to flight. On the 22d he was victorious at Echmuhl, and pushed the Austrians over the Danube, which they had to cross under the tremendous fire of the batteries of the Old Guard.

On the 23d, Ratisbon was carried by assault and the enemy forced to make a rapid retreat. One hundred pieces of cannon, forty standards, fifty thousand prisoners, three thousand baggage wagons, were the extraordinary fruits of these five days' labor. It required, however, a constitution of iron to stand the strain he put on himself at this time. Riding six days in succession to reach the army, he immediately set to work concentrating it, and preparing for battle. It is said that the letters to his officers during the next five days would have made a volume. He was on horseback or dictating letters eighteen hours out of every twenty-four during the whole time. He outstripped his own saddle horses sent on as relays, and broke down those of the king of Bavaria, his ally, and yet when his staff and assistants were completely knocked up, he would sit calmly down and dictate despatches half the night. He seemed every where during these five days, and his blows fell with the rapidity and power of thunderbolts.

After the taking of Ratisbon he issued a proclamation to his troops in which after recounting their victories he promised in one month to bring them under the walls of Vienna. In just one month he was there, although to accomplish it he had to wade through the terrible slaughter of Ebersberg.

He was at Landshut the 26th of April, where he found the Old Guard which had just arrived from Spain. In the beginning of January it was at Astorga at the foot of the Gallician mountains--on the 26th of April it was in the heart of the Austrian empire, having performed one of the most extraordinary marches on record. Napoleon's eye flashed with delight when he saw once more his favorite corps of old veterans, twenty thousand strong, fresh from the battle-fields of Spain, defile before him. The Guard was no less delighted to see its chieftain, and rent the air with shouts of "Vive l' Empereur."

Arriving before Vienna, he placed his batteries, and in ten hours threw ten thousand shells into the city. The crash of falling dwellings, the bursting of shells, and the ascending flames streaking the heavens in every quarter, made the night of May 12th one long to be remembered by the Viennese.

At this time the young princess, Maria Louisa, the future bride of the Emperor, lay sick in the imperial palace, and unable to be removed. This being communicated to Napoleon, he ordered the direction of the batteries to be changed; and thus amid general devastation and death, she remained unharmed. This was the first introduction of himself to the princess, and it must be confessed it was wild and stern enough. "It was by the thunders of artillery and the flaming light of bombs across tile sky, that his first addresses were made, the first accents of tenderness were from the deep booming of mortars which but for his interposition would have consigned her father's palace to destruction."

Vienna fell, and Napoleon with a part of his Guard took up his quarters at Schoenbrun.

While here an incident occurred which showed with what severity the least license on the part of his Old Guard was visited. One of its chief surgeons was lodged in the suburbs of the city, at the house of an aged canoness, and near relative of Prince Lichtenstein.

One day having taken too much wine, he wrote her an extravagant and impertinent letter in which he introduced the name of Lefebvre in a disgraceful manner. She immediately threw herself on the protection of General Andreossy, whom Napoleon had made governor of the city, and to whom she sent the letter she had received. The governor forwarded both her letter and the surgeon's to the emperor. The latter immediately sent an order for the surgeon to appear on parade the following morning. The next morning as Napoleon descended rapidly the steps of the palace his countenance betokened an explosion at hand, and without speaking to any one, he advanced towards the ranks holding the letters in his hand, and called out, "Let M----- ---- advance." The surgeon approached, when the emperor extending the letter towards him said, "Did you write this infamous letter?"

"Pardon sire," cried the overwhelmed surgeon, "I was drunk at the time, and did not know what I did."

"Miserable man, to outrage one of my brave lieutenants and at the same time a canoness worthy of respect, and sufficiently bowed down with the miseries of war. I do not admit your excuse. I degrade you from the Legion of Honor, you are unworthy to bear that venerated symbol. General Dorsenne," said he, addressing the chief of the corps, "see that this order is executed. Insult an aged woman! I respect an aged woman as if she were my mother."

The poor surgeon was a peaceable man, upright in his conduct when sober, and esteemed in the Guard as much for his kindness as for his talents. They interceded for him, but Napoleon refused to grant their petition, nor did he yield until a paper signed by all the generals of the Guard, asking his pardon was presented. Excesses are always committed by a victorious army, but the inhabitants of a city conquered by the French never complained of the conduct of the Old Guard. At home and abroad they were the friends of the citizen and exhibited an uprightness of character rarely found in any body of troops.

Leaving Vienna, Napoleon crossed the Danube at Lobau, and concentrated the whole Austrian army on the opposite side. The sudden rise of the river after part of the army had crossed by which the bridges were swept away leaving him with only a portion of his troops and artillery, the bloody battle of Aspern, the failure of ammunition, the defeat of the French, and the death of Lannes are well known. Napoleon was compelled to use his Guard severely on both of these days to check the victorious advance of the enemy. Bessieres closed the first day's battle with one of those splendid charges of the cavalry of the Guard on the Austrians' centre. Riding up to the flaming batteries, he forced them back into the squares of the infantry. The reserve cavalry of the Austrians were sent against them, but were swept from their path like chaff, and with clattering armor and deafening shouts, the terrible squadrons threw themselves on the solid Hungarian squares and rode round and round them in search of an opening through which they could dash, till nearly half their number was stretched on the plain, and they were compelled to retire.

The next day after various successes on either side, the battle at length turned decidedly in favor of the Austrians. Night was approaching, and as a last resort, Napoleon ordered Lannes to pierce the Austrian centre. His terrible columns had well nigh succeeded, when the ammunition gave way. Stopped in his victorious advance, he at length was compelled to retrace his steps and the whole army was ordered to fall back towards the island of Lobau. Seeing the retrograde movement the Archduke John pushed his attack with greater vigor and under the tremendous fire of his eighty guns the French soon began to show signs of disorder. It was all important at this crisis that the village of Essling should still be held, for if taken by the enemy Napoleon saw that his case would be desperate. The Archduke John also perceived the vital importance of this post, for it would effectually cut off the retreat of the French to the river; and sent a tremendous force against it which drove out its gallant defenders from every portion but the great granary. Napoleon calm and unmoved, resolved at once to retake it, cost what it might? and for that purpose immediately despatched a portion of the Old Guard—his never failing hope when everything else gave way. The drums beat a hurried charge, and the dark column, in double quick time, moved over the interval, and with fixed bayonets and firm front entered the village. No shouts or clatter of small arms heralded their approach or marked their terrible course. With the unwavering strength of the inrolling tide of the sea, they swept forward, crushing every obstacle in their passage. Through the devouring fire, over the batteries, they stormed on, and pushing steadily against the dark and overwhelming masses that opposed their progress, they rolled the two Austrian columns in affright and dismay before them. They knew the mission they were to fulfil, and ten times their number could not have resisted their heavy onset. No sudden alarms, no thoughts of retreat, no anxiety weakened their high purpose. The crash of cannon balls in their midst, the headlong charge of cavalry, could not disturb their firm set ranks. They moved resistlessly forward till the enemy was driven out of the village, and then they established themselves in the granary, from which the most determined efforts were made to dislodge them. The Hungarian grenadiers, that had stood so firm before the onset of Lannes' columns, were sent against them, but were hurled back in confusion. Again did they return with reinforcements, and pressed up to the very foot of the walls and again fed before the murderous fire that met them. Five times did they return with desperate courage to the assault, only to meet the same fate. The upper part of the building took fire in the tumult, but still "amid the roar of burning timbers" and incessant rattle of musketry the Old Guard fought on. The Austrian general seeing that nothing but the utter annihilation of those iron men could give him possession of the place, called off his troops.

It was on such occasions as this, that the Old Guard showed its strength. Tried in a hundred battles, it had never betrayed the confidence of its great leader, and he knew when he sent them on that dreadful errand that they would fulfil it.

The Guard suffered heavily in these two conflicts, and while the army was shut up in the island of Lobau, the emperor took great care of it. When he broke up his quarters at Schoenbrun and removed to the island, his first visit was to them in their bivouacs where he found them at their repast. "Well, my friends," said he to a group before which he had stopped, " how do you find the wine?"

"It will not make us tipsy," replied an old grenadier, and pointing to the Danube, added, "behold our wine cellar."

Napoleon, who had ordered the distribution of a bottle of wine to each soldier of the Guard, was surprised to find that his commands had not been obeyed, and sending for Berthier, made him inquire into it. It being ascertained that those employed to furnish the wine had sold it for their own profit, they were immediately arrested, tried by a military commission, condemned, and executed. The punishment was sudden and severe upon any one who dared to trifle with his Old Guard. They might as well defraud or injure him.
 

At the opening of this great battle on the second day, the Old Guard, with the reserve cavalry, were stationed in the rear of the centre. Flushed by the successes of the day before, the Archduke had resumed the offensive, and descending the plateau, poured an enormous force on Napoleon's right. The latter stood and listened awhile to the heavy cannonading, but as the rapidly advancing roar of the enemy's artillery revealed that his right wing was forced back, he put spurs to his horse, and swiftly crossing the field with the Old Guard, was soon at the menaced point. The artillery, under the immortal Drouot, opened like a volcano on the advancing columns, smiting them in flank so terribly that they were forced to retreat. The cuirassiers then charged, carrying disorder and destruction into their ranks.

But while this was passing, a more imminent peril had overtaken the centre and left. Against both the Austrians were successful. The lion-hearted Massena, who commanded the left, was overturned in his carriage by his own panic-stricken troops. Unable to mount on horseback, filled with rage at the discomfiture of his men, he ordered the dragoons about his person to charge his flying soldiers as if they were enemies. But even this did not avail, and had not Napoleon's eagle eye discovered the condition of his favorite general, he would soon have been a prisoner in the hands of the enemy. Then passed one of those scenes that make us for awhile forget the carnage of a great battle field. From the extreme right, at first like a slowly ascending thunder-cloud, and then like a bolt from heaven, came Napoleon and his guard to the rescue. Ordering Davoust to attack Neusiedel, and the foot soldiers of the Guard to traverse the entire field at the "pas de charge," he took with him the squadrons of the steel-clad cuirassiers and the artillery of the Guard, and striking into a fierce gallop crossed the field in sight of both armies. That dread artillery, with Drouot in the midst, and those dark squadrons fringed with glittering steel, thundered after their great leader. The earth groaned and trembled as they passed, and even the combatants paused a moment as that apparition swept with a deep dull roar along. The French army gave a shout as they watched its headlong course. Soon after came the bear-skin caps of the foot grenadiers going almost on a run, though perfect in their formation as on parade.

Order was restored, and the shattered columns under the impenetrable wall which the Old Guard presented, rallied and executed the commands of Napoleon with the most perfect regularity, though riddled by the cross fire of the Austrian artillery. It was on this occasion that Napoleon on his white Persian charger rode backwards and forwards before his shrinking lines, to keep them steady while his other manœuvres could be executed. For a whole hour he and his indomitable Guard stood the rock of that battle-field. And when the crisis had come and Macdonald was directed to make that last awful charge on the Austrian centre, he took with him eight battalions of the Young Guard, while on either flank hovered the light horse, and at the head of his dread column advanced a hundred pieces of cannon of the Old Guard commanded by Drouot. Behind him, as a reserve, was the emperor surrounded by the cavalry and infantry of the Old Guard. Thus, with the Young Guard around him, and Napoleon and the Old Guard behind him, Drouot and his deadly artillery in front, Macdonald entered with a bold step the volcano before him. The particulars of that charge I have given in another place. Napoleon's throne and crown went with it. To sustain it Bessieres charged with the cavalry of the Old Guard and was hurled from his horse by a cannon shot which checked the enthusiasm of his troops and rendered the onset weak and powerless. But the day was won, thanks to the unconquerable Guard. In his bulletin Napoleon said, " The artillery of the Guard has covered itself with glory. * * * Our intrepid cannoneers have shown all the power of their terrible arm. The mounted chasseurs of the Guard have charged three squares of infantry and broken them in pieces. The Polish Lancers charged a regiment of Austrian lancers and took prisoner its commander, Prince D'Auesperg, and captured twelve pieces of cannon."

The truth is, it is difficult to give a proper idea of the conduct of the Old Guard. To the cursory reader it seems strange that it acquired such a reputation. This arises from the fact that it always acted as a reserve, and had nothing to do with the main movements of the army, which it is the duty of the historian to describe. To stem the torrent of defeat, to give impulse to a great movement, to strengthen an exhausted column, and by being here and there and in every place where help was needed, and with unbroken front in the midst of disorder and calm resolute hearts in the midst of fear and panic, that it gained its renown. The discomfited soldier gazed in astonishment on the cool courage which triumphed where he had failed, and broken ranks viewed with wonder the steady march on batteries which had shattered them to fragments. Called in only when the other troops gave way, and manœuvring and charging with the same determined bravery in the midst of a panic as in the flush of victory, they were looked upon as superior to the ordinary emotions and fears of mortals. And nothing does show the sublime elevation of this invincible body of men more than their freedom from the contagion of example, being always sufficient in themselves, and steadiest and bravest the moment of greatest disaster and fear. It was this peculiarity that gave the Guard influence over the soldiers and made its presence like the shout of victory. The whole army came to regard it as exempt from ordinary duty in a battle-field, too great to be employed in ordinary fighting, and to be called upon only when the bravest troops gave way. Its charge was looked upon as an unalterable decree against the enemy written in the book of fate. Its stern and measured tread never faltered, against its adamantine sides cavalry thundered in vain, while before its levelled bayonets the firmest array went down. Napoleon knew its power and increased its strength to the greatest limit it could bear. Any nation that could furnish two hundred thousand men able to fulfil the severe conditions annexed to admission in the Old Guard, might conquer the world.

The battle of Wagram settled the fate of Austria, and not long after the "peace of Vienna" was concluded. The war in the Tyrol and Spain was carried on, but the majority of the Old Guard took no part in either. They were sent back to Paris to recruit.

In 1809, the Guard was composed of 31,203 men.