Gentlemen, you might have done some good, and you have only done harm. You say that adversity has counselled me well. How can you turn my reverses into a reproach? I have supported them with honour, because Nature gave me a strong and proud character; were not this pride in my soul I could not have risen to the greatest throne of the Universe.

Yet I needed sympathy, and it was to you I looked for it. You have tried to spatter me with mud, but I am one of those men who must be killed and cannot be dishonoured. When it is a question of driving away the enemy, you ask me for institutions; as though we had none! Is not the constitution enough for you? You should have asked for another one four years ago, or else wait until two years after peace is made. Do you want to imitate the Constituent Assembly and start a Revolution?

(Orders to be issued by the chief of staff.) The army will comprise four corps.

The chief of staff will arrange with the Defence Committ ee to divide the frontier among these four commands.

Attached to each of these four armies there shall be an Insurrectional Committee.

4th. (To Caulaincourt.) I doubt whether the Allies are acting in good faith, and whether England wants peace; I do, but only solid and honourable.

You must listen, observe. It is not certain that they will let you reach headquarters; the Russians and English will want to prevent our coming to an explanation and understanding with the Emperor of Austria. You must try to get the views of the Allies, and to let me know what you find out daily, so that I may be able to draw up instructions for you, instructions for which I have no data at present. Do they want to reduce France to her old frontiers? Italy is untouched, and the Viceroy has a good army. In another week I shall have collected enough men to fight several battles, even before the arrival of my troops from Spain. The pillaging of the Cossacks will drive the inhabitants to arms and double our numbers. If the nation supports me the enemy are on the road to ruin. If Fortune betrays me my resolve is taken, I am not wedded to the throne. I shall abase neither the nation nor myself by accepting shameful terms.

The thing is to know what Metternich wants. It is not the interest of Austria to push things to extremes; one step more and the leading rôle will escape her.

I am starting for the army. We shall be so close that your first reports will reach me without loss of time. Send me frequent couriers.

7th. (To Joseph.) My Brother: I have received your letter. It is too full of subtleties to fit my present situation. Here is the question in two words. France is invaded, Europe is all in arms against France, but especially against me. You are no longer King of Spain. What will you do? Will you, as a French prince, support my throne? If so you must say so, write me a straightforward letter that I can publish, receive the officials, and display zeal for my cause and for that of the King of Rome, good-will towards the Regency of the Empress. Can you not bring yourself to this? Haven't you enough good sense to do this?

Otherwise you must retire quietly to a ch1teau forty leagues from Paris. If I survive, you can live there quietly. If I die, you will be assassinated or arrested. You will be useless to me, to the family, to your daughters, to France, but you will be doing no harm and will not embarrass me. Decide at once, choose your path.

8th. Communications with Mainz are cut.

10th. (To Marshal Macdonald.) You must see how important it is to delay the enemy's advance. Use the foresters, the game-keepers, the national guards, to harass the enemy as much as possible.

12th. General Bülow is concentrating at Breda. General Blücher, with the army of Silesia, has debouched by Coblentz, and is marching on Metz. A third body, commanded by Prince Schwarzenberg, has debouched by Bâle.

No preparations are to be made for abandoning Paris; if necessary we must be buried under its ruins.

17th. I am sending cavalry, infantry, and artillery to Châlons, where I expect to place my headquarters very soon.

(To Marshal Victor.) The Emperor disapproves your abandoning Nancy. His Majesty orders you not to leave the line of the Moselle without fighting. It is bringing the enemy down on us, and doing us the greatest harm.

18th. I continue receiving, through the police, the most alarming news from the north.

For 300 guns I need three or four hundred thousand rounds; I wonder if the artillery department has thought of this? If I had had 30,000 rounds at Leipzig on the night of the 18th I should to-day be master of the world.

21st. (To General Savary.) Start the Pope off before five in the morning. The adjutant can say that he is taking him to Rome, where he is to be dropped like a shell.

23d. (To General Count Belliard.) I shall take the offensive. Try to have information for me when I reach Châlons as to where the enemy's infantry is placed, so that I may fall on it. Keep the news of my arrival secret. Don't take any risk with dispatches so that nothing may be intercepted, and nothing known of my arrival.

24th. King Joseph is to command the National Guard of Paris as my lieutenant-general.

26th, Châlons:
(To Berthier.) You must get information as to what the enemy are doing at Saint Dizier: who is in command, and what are their numbers ? If there are only 25,000 or 30,000 men, we can beat them, and if we succeed in this, the whole state of affairs would be changed. If, on the contrary, we give them long enough to concentrate, we should stand no chance at all. Get two or three hundred thousand bottles of wine and brandy at Vitry to serve out to the army to-day and to-morrow. If there should be nothing but champagne, take it just the same; better we should have it than the enemy.

Vitry-le-Français:
We can crush the enemy by our great superiority in artillery. I expect to get 300 guns into line to-morrow.

28th, St. Dizier:
On the 27th I advanced against St. Dizier, which the enemy occupied, and drove them out. We captured a few guns and made a few prisoners. I discovered that Blücher had marched on Brienne with 25,000 men; he will reach there to-day. I, have cut his line of operations and am marching to attack him in the rear. If he holds his position, we may possibly have an action at Brienne to-morrow.

29th, Montiérender:
There is a decided thaw; we can manage to get through to-day.

31st, Brienne:
We had a lively engagement on the 29th at Brienne. I attacked the whole army of Marshal Blücher and of General Sacken just at the end of a forced march. I fortunately got possession of the castle which dominates (the town) at the beginning of the action. As firing only began one hour before dark, we fought through the night. Blücher was defeated; we captured 500 or 600 prisoners, killed or wounded 3000 or 4000; and drove the enemy on Bar-sur-Aube. I pursued them for two leagues in that direction yesterday, firing salvos from forty guns. In our present circumstances, and with such troops as I have to handle, I count myself lucky that things have turned out as well as they have.

We have taken up a position two leagues in front of Brienne. Our prestige has gone up with the Allies since this engagement. They thought we had no army left.

February 1st. Battle of La Rothière. Retreat on Paris.

2d, Piney:
The enemy's soldiers are behaving horribly everywhere. All the inhabitants are fleeing to the woods. There are no peasants left in the villages. The enemy consume everything, take all the horses, all the cattle, all the clothing and rags of the peasants; they strike everybody, men and women, and commit a great number of rapes. I hope soon to draw my people from this miserable state and from this truly horrible suffering. The enemy should think of this twice, for Frenchmen are not patient; they are courageous by nature, and I expect to see them forming themselves into free companies.

I shall be at Troyes to-morrow. Perhaps Blücher's army will operate between the Marne and the Aube.

3d, Troyes:
I expect to get 15,000 men from the army of Spain day after to-morrow.

4th. (To Caulaincourt.) Prince Schwarzenberg's report is moonshine. There was no battle. The Old Guard was not on the field; the Young Guard was not engaged. We lost a few guns that were taken in cavalry charges. It appears that the whole of the enemy's army was in line, and that they regard it as a battle; if they do, it is not much to their credit. They had not more than 15,000 of us in their front, and we held our positions all day.

6th. (To General Clarke.) You told me that the artillery had a great number of pikes: have them served out to the national guards who are collecting near Paris. They will serve for the third rank. Have regulations printed on how to handle them. Send pikes to the departments also; they are better than pitchforks, and in any case they are short even of pitchforks in the cities.

I shall be at Nogent early to-morrow; I can therefore cover Paris.

7th, Nogent:
(To Cambacérès.) I have your letter of the 6th. I see that instead of encouraging the Empress you are discouraging her. Why lose your head? What is the meaning of these Misereres and forty hour services in the Chapel? Are you getting insane in Paris?

Subject to the news I get, I expect to march at daybreak with the 6000 cavalry of the Guard and the 10,000 foot of the Old Guard. But as I cannot risk a false move, I must wait for precise information.

8th. (To Marmont.) Cut the Montmirail road and send news as quickly as you can. I cannot believe the enemy are marching on the Epinay road.

(To King Joseph.) If, owing to circumstances I cannot foresee, I should move to the Loire, I would not leave the Empress and my son far from me, because whatever happened they would be seized and taken to Vienna. It would be all the more certain to happen if I were no longer alive.

I confess that your letter of the 7th at 11 P. M. hurt me, because I can distinguish no reason in your ideas, and because you follow the chatter and the opinions of a lot of unreflecting people. If Talleyrand is in any way connected with the idea of leaving the Empress in Paris if our troops evacuate the city, it means that some treachery is being hatched. I repeat it, be on your guard against that man. I have had dealings with him during sixteen years. At one time I even held him in high regard; but now that Fortune has for a while abandoned our House, he is assuredly its greatest enemy. Stick to my advice. I know more than do all those people.

If news should come of a lost battle and of my death, you would receive it before my ministers. Send the Empress and King of Rome to Rambouillet; order the Senate, the Council of State, and all the troops to rally on the Loire; leave in Paris the Prefect, or an Imperial Commissioner, or a Mayor. Never let the Empress or the King of Rome fall into the hands of the enemy. I feel that I had rather my son were strangled than see him brought up at Vienna as an Austrian prince; and I have a high enough opinion of the Empress to believe that she thinks the same way, as much as a woman and a mother can. I have never seen Andromaque performed without grieving for the fate of Astyanax surviving his House, and without thinking it happiness for him not to survive his father. You don't know the French nation: the results of what might occur during these great events are incalculable.

(To Daure.) The army is dying of starvation, although we have marked our route in flames and in blood in order to get food. And yet if I were to credit your reports, the army is fed. The Duke of Belluno has nothing; General Gérard has nothing; the cavalry of the Guard is dying of hunger.

9th. (To Savary.) Send twenty picked gendarmes and twenty Paris gendarmes to arrest the stragglers and to decimate them, that is to shoot one in ten.

I had to work hard through the night and was unable to start for Sézanne. The Duke of Ragusa is at Champaubert. General Sacken is at Montmirail with 15,000 men. I will have him attacked to-morrow.

10th, Sézanne:
I am just getting into the saddle to move on Champaubert. I am rather delayed by the roads; they are awful; we have six feet of mud.

Champaubert, 10 P. M.:
I attacked the enemy at Champaubert. They had twelve regiments and forty guns. The general-in-chief, Olsouvief, was captured, with all his generals, officers, guns, wagons, and baggage. We have counted so far 6000 prisoners, 40 guns, 200 wagons. The rest were driven into a pond, or killed on the field of battle. This corps is absolutely destroyed.

We are marching on Montmirail, which we should reach at ten o'clock to-night. I have the strongest hopes that Sacken is lost; and if luck is with us, as it has been to-day, the whole look of things will change in the twinkling of an eye, because Sacken's corps is the backbone of the Russian army, made up as it is of 10 divisions or 60 battalions. Blücher is cut off from Sacken: he has two divisions with him.

11th, near Montmirail:
My brother, it is eight o'clock and before turning in I send you these two lines to inform you that to-day's work has been decisive. The enemy's army of Silesia no longer exists; I have completely routed it. We have captured all its guns and baggage and taken thousands of prisoners, perhaps 7000; they are coming in every minute. There are 5000 or 6000 of the enemy left on the field. All this was effected with only one half of the Old Guard engaged. I am writing to the Empress to have a salute of 60 guns fired. Our loss is slight. The infantry of my Guard, my dragoons, my horse grenadiers, did wonders.

12th. The enemy have crossed the Marne at Château-Thierry and burned the bridge. The Old Guard surpassed by a great deal all that could be expected of a picked body. It really was the Head of Medusa!

13th. I cannot believe that Prince Schwarzenberg will run his head into Fontainebleau while we retain control of the bridge at Nogent; the Austrians are too well acquainted with my manner of operating, and have carried its marks for too many years; they must surely realise that if they leave us in possession of the bridge at Nogent I shall debouch on their rear, in the same way as I have at this point.

I am not yet clear as to my move for to-day. I tremble at the thought that these miserable Russians may set fire to Fontainebleau by way of reprisals.

Château-Thierry:
The conduct of the King of Naples is vile, and that of the Queen defies description. I hope to live long enough to avenge myself and to avenge France for such an outrage and such horrible ingratitude.

(To Caulaincourt.) As the King of Naples has declared war on me, you will kindly notify the Neapolitan Ambassador that he is to quit Paris within 24 hours, and the territory of the Empire as promptly as possible.

14th. It is three o'clock in the morning and I am starting for Montmirail, thence to attack Blücher, who has debouched.

Montmirail:
I left Château-Thierry at three this morning, and re ached Montmirail just as the enemy were arriving at its gates. I marched straight on the enemy, who formed line near the village of Vauchamps. I defeated them, took 8000 prisoners, 8 guns, and 10 flags, and drove them to Etoges. I did not lose 300 killed and wounded. This splendid result was due to the fact that the enemy had no cavalry, while I had 6000 or 8000 excellent horse, with which I constantly menaced them and outflanked them, while all the time I crushed them with grape from 100 guns.

15th, 3 A. M.:
I shall start at the earliest dawn and shall reach La Ferté-sous-Jouarre with my Guard quite early.

4 A. M.:
I am moving on Meaux to operate against the Austrians who have crossed the Seine at Bray and Nogent.

La Ferté-sous-Jouarre:
We shall probably have a great battle with the Austrians on the 17th, 18th, or 19th in the neighbourhood of Guignes. I shall get to Meaux with the cavalry of the Guard early this evening. I am not sure that the infantry of the Guard can get there, but I hope it will at all events get beyond La Ferté.

16th, Meaux, 8 A. M.:
I am starting for Guignes and shall attack the enemy to-morrow.

Guignes:
I arrived here at three in the afternoon. We are going into camp this evening so as to reach Nangis to-morrow at dawn.

17th, Nangis, 3 P. M.:
The whole of the enemy's Grand Army, Austrians and Russians, Bavarians and Würtembergers, are recrossing the Seine in all directions with the utmost haste. To-night there probably will not be a single man left on this side. But I shall have to lose precious time in repairing the bridge at Montereau.

(To Caulaincourt, Duke of Vicenza.) I had given you a free hand to save Paris, and to avoid us a battle which would be the nation's last hope. That battle has been fought; Providence blessed our arms. I have made 30,000 or 40,000 prisoners; I have captured 200 guns, many generals, and destroyed several armies. Yesterday I began to cut into the army of Prince Schwarzenberg, and I hope to destroy it before it recrosses our frontiers. Your attitude must correspond with all this; you must try your best for peace; but you are to sign nothing without my orders, because I alone know my real situation, I am certainly in a stronger position than when the Allies were at Frankfort. To-day all is changed; I have won tremendous successes over them, and such victories as are unmatched in a not undistinguished military career of twenty years.

18th. (To Berthier.) Convey my displeasure to the Duke of Belluno at his not having carried out the order that directed him to proceed to Montereau. He must explain the reasons why he did not carry out this order, a thing that puts in jeopardy the success of the whole campaign. Write him a stiff letter.
 

At last Prince Schwarzenberg shows signs of life. He has sent in an officer to ask for an armistice. It would not be easy to match such cowardice! He had constantly refused, in the most insulting terms, to discuss any suspension of hostilities. The hounds! - at the first reverse, they are on their knees! Happily the aide-de-camp of Prince Schwarzenberg was not allowed to pass (the outposts). I merely received his letter, which I shall answer at my convenience. I shall grant them no armistice till my soil is purged of their presence.

(To Count Tascher de la Pagerie.) Tascher, start back for Italy to-night; you may stay over in Paris long enough to see your wife but without communicating with anybody. You will tell Eugène that I defeated the best troops of the coalition at Champaubert and at Montmirail; that Schwarzenberg has sent me an aide-de-camp to-night asking for an armistice; which does not take me in, for it is only to trick me and gain time. You will tell him that had Marshal Victor carried out his orders precisely, by moving from Melun to Montereau yesterday, the Bavarian and Würtemberger corps would have been surprised and caught at a disadvantage, and then having only the Austrians, who are poor soldiers, in his front, he would have driven them before him by cracking a whip in their backs; but that as nothing of what was ordered was done we shall have to attempt something else.

Tell Eugène I am pleased with him, that he may announce to the army of Italy that I am satisfied with it; have him fire a salute of 100 guns in honour of the victories of Champaubert and of Montmirail.

10th, Surville:
Yesterday I routed two reserve divisions of the Austrian general Bianchi and the Würtembergers; they lost heavily. We took several flags and 3000 or 4000 prisoners. And, which is most important, I had the good luck to carry the bridge before they could destroy it. I have dismissed the Duke of Belluno, dissatisfied with his excessive slowness and negligence.

(To Caulaincourt.) I am so moved at the sight of the infamous proposal that you send me, that I feel dishonoured at merely being in such a position that such a proposal can be made. I will send you my instructions from Troyes or Châtillon; but I think I had almost sooner lose Paris than see such propositions made to the French people. You are always talking about the Bourbons, - I had sooner see the Bourbons back in France, with reasonable conditions, than such infamous proposals as you have transmitted!

(To Savary.) The newspapers are stupidly written. Is it sensible, at such a moment as this, to say that I had small numbers, that I won only because I surprised the enemy, and that we had three to one against us? You must have lost your heads in Paris to say such things, while I am saying everywhere that I have 300,000 men, while the enemy believes it, and it is essential to keep on repeating it continually.
 

It has taken us all day to get through this wretched defile of Montereau. It is snowing, and the weather is rather rough.

20th. Since their defeat at Montereau the enemy have evacuated Bray and Nogent, and are hastily retreating on Troyes. What are their intentions? Do they intend to call in Blücher and offer battle at Troyes?

Montereau:
(To General Clarke.) I send you four flags; two should have come in with the prisoners, which makes six. There are four more Russian ones which we can't find; but by fair count we had ten. You can present them to the Empress. We will try to find the four missing Russian ones, but if we can't find them in time, replace them by four other Russian flags. It would be a good thing to have a parade of the National Guard, and to carry the flags along their front, with the band.

Nogent:
I have just reached Nogent. The enemy are in great luck because the heavy frost has enabled them to cut across country; they would otherwise have lost half their baggage and artillery.

21st. (To Marshal Augereau, at Lyons.) My Cousin: The Minister of War has submitted your letter of the 16th to me. This letter grieves me profoundly. What! Were you not in the field six hours after being joined by the first troops coming from Spain? Six hours' rest was enough. I won the engagement at Nangis with a brigade of dragoons coming from Spain, which had not unbridled all the way from Bayonne. You say that the six battalions of the Nimes division are deficient in uniforms and equipment, and don't know their drill; what a poor reason is that, Augereau! I have destroyed 80,000 of the enemy with battalions made up of conscripts, with no cartridge-boxes and badly clothed! You say that the National Guards are wretched: I have 4000 of them here coming from Angers and Brittany, in round hats, with no cartridge-boxes, with wooden shoes but with good muskets; and I have turned them to good use. You go on to say that you have no money: and where do you expect to draw money from? We shall get some only when we recapture our tax-collecting offices from the enemy. You have no teams: seize them everywhere. You have no magazines: this is ridiculous. I order you to get into the field twelve hours after the receipt of this dispatch. If you are still the Augereau of Castiglione, keep your command; if your sixty years weigh too heavily on you, quit it, and hand it over to your senior general officer. The country is threatened and in danger; it can only be saved by boldness and zeal, and not by useless middle courses. You must have 6000 good troops as a starting-point: that is more than I have, and yet I have destroyed three armies, made 40,000 prisoners, captured 200 guns, and three times saved the capital. Get to the front with your firing-line. It is no longer a case for acting as in recent years, but you must again put on your boots and your resolution of '93! When the French see your cocked hat with the skirmishers, and see you exposing yourself foremost to the enemy's fire, you can do what you like with them.

(To Francis I, Emperor of Austria.) Monsieur mon Frère et trés cher Beau-Père: I did what I could to avoid the battle that has just been fought. Fortune has smiled on me: I have destroyed the Russian and Prussian army commanded by General Blücher, and later the Prussian one commanded by General Kleist. In this state of things, whatever prejudices may prevail at your headquarters, my army outnumbers that of Your Majesty, in foot, in horse, and in guns, and if the acceptance of this fact should be a prerequisite for Your Majesty's decision, I have no doubt but that I can demonstrate it to the satisfaction of men of such sound judgment as Prince Schwarzenberg, Count Bubna, or Prince Metternich. I think it my duty to write to Your Majesty because this struggle between a French army and an army that is principally Austrian appears contrary to the interests of both countries. Should Fortune deceive my hopes, the position of Your Majesty would be still more difficult.

I therefore propose to Your Majesty that we should sign a peace immediately, on the basis laid down by Your Majesty at Frankfort, which I and the French nation have accepted as our ultimatum. I say more, these bases alone can maintain the European equilibrium. Should Your Majesty persist in subordinating (Austrian) interests to those of England and to the rancour of Russia, and be unwilling to lay down arms on any terms but the disastrous ones proposed at the Congress, the genius of France and of Providence will be for us.

24th, Bourg des Nöes:
(To Montalivet.) I have your letter. If the French People were as contemptible as you imagine, I would blush with shame. You and the Minister of Police know no more of France than I do of China. You discourage the King by evoking exaggerated pictures which his character is only too prone to accept.

25th, Troyes:
As soon as I can make out what Blücher is up to, I shall try to get in his rear and cut him off.

26th. If I had had a train of ten pontoons, the war would now be over, and the army of Prince Schwarzenberg would no longer exist; I would have captured eight to ten thousand wagons and beaten his army in detail. But I was unable to cross the Seine for lack of boats.

Blücher is moving towards Sézanne, a few cannon-shots were exchanged last night. The Prince of the Moskowa crossed the Aube at Arcis this morning to fall on Blucher's rear.

27th. I am starting for Arcis to manœuvre against the troops that are advancing towards La Ferté Gaucher.

(To the King of Naples.) I shall not speak of my displeasure at your conduct, which was precisely opposite to what it should have been. It all comes from your weak disposition. You are a good soldier on the battlefield, but otherwise you have no decision, no courage. Turn to advantage an act of treachery which I put down to fear, so as to serve me by a mutual understanding. I rely on you, on your repentance, on your promises. If you act otherwise, you may count on having to regret it. I imagine you are not one of those who believe the lion is dead.

Arcis-sur-Aube:
(To King Joseph.) I shall sleep at Herbisse. I shall be at Fère Champenoise to-morrow morning at nine.

I have received the engravings of the King of Rome. Please substitute for the legend: "God guard my father and France," this one: "I pray to God for my father and for France." It is more direct. I also wish you to have some copies made showing the King in the uniform of the National Guard.

March 1st, Jouarre:
The enemy have crossed back to the right bank of the Marne, but I got up in time to cannonade their rear-guard. To-morrow I must see what we can do. I have no information yet as to where they are moving.

2d. I have been held up here for many hours because of the difficulty of repairing the bridge.

7 P.M.:
Our bridge will be finished at nine. By midnight I shall have got 6000 cavalry over, and pushed them on after the enemy. The country people say that their transport is in difficulties in the marshes of Cocherel; that the enemy's army is in such a state that men weep and throw their muskets away in despair. I hope we may have a good day to-morrow.

4th, Bézu:
(To General Clarke.) I have crossed the Marne; I moved to Château-Thierry; I pushed my advance guard as far as Rocourt, and I have come (here) to sleep.

You forward me letters of Marmont that tell me nothing; the excessive vanity of this marshal stands out in all his dispatches; nobody values him highly enough; it is he has done everything, has advised everything; it is regrettable that with his talents he can't get rid of this foolish side, or at all events keep it sufficiently under control and out of sight.

Blücher appears to be extremely embarrassed and constantly changes direction. I hope this will lead to some good result.

5th, Fismes:
I supposed that the Duke of Ragusa had reached Soissons yesterday; but the commandant was vile enough to evacuate without firing a shot. He evacuated with all his men with the honours of war and four guns. I am sending orders to the Minister of War to have him arrested, tried by a court-martial, and shot. He must be shot in the middle of the Place de Grève, and the execution must he made a conspicuous event. Five generals can be appointed to try him. Without any doubt the enemy's army was lost and would have been destroyed. As it is, I shall have to manœuvre and lose much time throwing bridges.

Berry-au-bac, 4 P. M.:
Wintzingerode's corps tried to prevent our crossing, but, on our infantry appearing, only Cossacks and Baskirs remained to face us. We charged across the handsome bridge over the river Aisne.

6th. To-day I am marching on Laon to drive away the troops of the Crown Prince of Sweden and of Blücher, on which we are daily inflicting serious losses.

7th, Craonne:
I have defeated Wintzingerode, Langeron, Voronzof, together with the remains of Sacken. I have taken 2000 prisoners, some cannon, and driven them from Craonne to the Ange Gardien. Craonne is a glorious success. The Duke of Belluno and General Grouchy were wounded.

My advance guard is nearing Laon.

9th. Battle of Laon. Retreat towards Soissons.

10th, Chavignon:
(To King Joseph.) The army I defeated at Craonne was the Russian army commanded by Sacken, with that of Wintzingerode. They lost heavily and retired to Laon, where they joined the corps of Bülow, of York, and of Kleist, of the Prussian army. As their position at Laon was very strong, I confined myself yesterday to reconnoitring it. The Duke of Ragusa, who was marching on Laon from Berry-au-bac, got near to the city, his soldiers lost their heads, and he had to retire in some disorder for several leagues, abandoning a few of his guns. This is only an incident of warfare, but a very unfortunate one to occur at a moment when I needed a little luck. This event had made me decide not to attack to-day.

11th. I have decided to fall back on Soissons. The Young Guard is melting away like snow. The Old Guard keeps up. The cavalry of the Guard also melts away fast.

12th, Soissons:
(To the Prince of Neuchâtel.) Write to the Duke of Ragusa that I have no idea of what his corps represents at this moment.

(To King Joseph.) I regret to see that you have spoken to my wife about the Bourbons, and the difficulties the Emperor of Austria might raise. I must beg you to avoid such conversations. I do not wish to be protected by my wife. Such an idea would spoil her and lead to a quarrel. What is the good of talking to her that way ? Never, in four years, have the words Bourbon or Austria issued from my lips. In any case, all this can only trouble her sleep and spoil her excellent temper.

You always write as though peace depended on me, and yet I have sent you the documents. If the Parisians want to see the Cossacks they will repent, and yet the truth must be told. I have never sought the applause of the Parisians; I am not an operatic performer.

(To Prince Eugène.) I inclose you a copy of a very extraordinary letter I have received from the King of Naples. Such sentiments are inconceivable at a moment when I, when France, are being assassinated. Send an agent to this extraordinary traitor and sign a treaty with him in my name. You can do what you think best for this purpose; nothing must be omitted in the actual situation that may bring the Neapolitans into line. Afterwards we can do as we please, for after such ingratitude and in such circumstances nothing is binding. To embarrass him I have given orders to have the Pope sent to his outposts, through Parma and Piacenza.

Midnight:
I am starting with the Old Guard.

14th, Reims:
I arrived at Reims yesterday. I recaptured the city, took twenty guns, much transport, and 5000 prisoners.

(To Savary.) You send me no news of what is going on in Paris. A Regency is being discussed, an address, and a thousand foolish and ridiculous intrigues that proceed at best from the brain of a fool like Miot. These people have forgotten that I cut Gordian knots after the fashion of Alexander. They had better remember that I am to-day the same man that I was at Wagram and at Austerlitz; that I will permit no intrigues in the State; that there is no authority but mine, and that in the case of urgent events it is the (Empress) Regent in whom my trust reposes.

(To Joseph.) I have received your letter of the 12th of March. The National Guard of Paris is a part of the people of France, and so long as I live I intend to be master everywhere in France. Your character and mine are opposite; you like to cajole people and to follow their opinions. I prefer to be cajoled and to have my views followed. To-day as at Austerlitz, I am the master. I imagine that they can perceive the difference between the time of Lafayette when the mob was sovereign and to-day when it is I.

16th. (To King Joseph.) I am going to manœuvre in such a way that you may be several days without news from me. Should the enemy advance on Paris with forces so large as to make resistance impossible, send the Regent (and) my son in the direction of the Loire. Don't leave my son's side, and remember that I would sooner know him in the Seine than in the hands of the enemies of France. The fate of Astyanax as prisoner of the Greeks has always seemed to me the most unhappy in history.

17th. There are three possible courses:

One is to march on Arcis, thirteen leagues; we could get there to-morrow, the 18th; this is the boldest and the result is incalculable.

To move on Sézanne;

The third would be to march straight on Meaux by the highroad. The third is the safest because it takes us rapidly towards Paris, but is also the one that has no moral effect, and leaves everything to the chance of a great battle. But, if the enemy have 70,000, or 80,000 men, such a battle would be a fearful risk, while if we move towards Troyes and strike in at their rear, while the Duke of Taranto retreats disputing every position, we may stand a much better chance.

Epernay:
To-morrow before dawn I shall start for Arcis-surAube; I shall be there day after to-morrow at noon, to strike the enemy's rear.

20th, Plancy:
I crossed the Aube yesterday. I then moved straight on Méry. I attacked the town and occupied it at 7 P. M. The Emperor Alexander was at Arcy on the 18th. He only staid an hour; we were nearly face to face.

(To Berthier.) Write at once to the Duke of Taranto to, move everything on Arcis, even General Gérard, even the National Guards.
 

During the fight at Arcis-sur-Aube I did all I could to meet with a glorious end defending the soil of our country inch by inch. I exposed myself continuously. Bullets rained all around me; my clothes were full of them; but not one touched me. I am condemned to live!

23d, Château du Plessis:
(To Berthier.) Send a gendarme in disguise to Metz, send another one to Nancy, and one to Bar, with letters for the mayors. Inform them that we are operating against the enemy's communications, that the moment has come for a levy en masse, to ring the tocsin, to arrest everywhere the enemy's officers and commissaries, to attack the convoys, to seize the magazines and reserves of the enemy; let them immediately publish this order in every parish of the 2d and 4th military divisions. Write to the governor of Metz to concentrate the garrisons and to march so as to meet us on the Meuse.

31st. Capitulation of Paris.

La Cour de France:
We order the Duke of Vicenza, our Grand Equerry and Minister of Foreign Affairs, to see the Allied Sovereigns and the Commander-in-chief of their armies, to recommend to them our good subjects in our capital.

We invest him by these presents with full powers to negotiate and conclude peace, pledging ourselves to ratify whatever he may effect for the good of our service.
 

(To Berthier.) The Duke of Ragusa will form the advance guard, and will concentrate his troops at Essonne, The Duke of Treviso's corps will take position between Essonne and Fontainebleau. Write to the Prefect of Orléans to give him the bad news of the occupation of Paris by the enemy, which my arrival would have prevented had they delayed another three hours.

Remind the Minister of the Interior to enforce the levy en masse everywhere so as to fill up our battalions.

April 1st. The Old Guard with its artillery and the reserve batteries will take position to-morrow at the débouché of the forest.

3d. Officers, non-commissioned officers, and men of the Old Guard: The enemy have stolen three marches on us, and have entered Paris. I offered the Emperor Alexander a peace that cost me great sacrifices. He not only refused, but he did more: at the perfidious suggestion of those émigrés whose lives I had spared and on whom I had showered favours, he has authorized them to wear the white cockade, and soon he will try to substitute it for our national cockade. In a few days I shall attack him in Paris. I count on you . . .

(A pause; silence.)

Am I right?

(Vive l'Empereur! Vive l'Empereur! To Paris! To Paris!)

We will go and prove to them that the French nation is mistress of her own soil; that if we have long been masters among others, we will always be so here, and that we are able to defend our colours, our independence, and the integrity of our country, Communicate what I have said to your men.

4th. (To Berthier.) Order the Dukes of Ragusa, of Treviso, of Reggio, of Conegliano, to report at the palace to-night at ten, and to arrange so as to be back at their posts before dawn.

(Declaration.) The allied Powers having announced that the Emperor Napoleon is the sole obstacle to the reëtablishment of peace in Europe, the Emperor Napoleon, mindful of his engagements, declares that he is ready to descend from the throne, to give up France and even life itself for the good of the country, inseparable from the rights of his son, those of the regency of the Empress, and the maintenance of the laws of the Empire.

Done in our palace of Fontainebleau the 4th of April, 1814.

5th. (To Berthier.) Order General Trelliard, who is near Nernours, to march to-morrow towards Pithiviers. Tell him that we shall move through Malesherbes on Pithiviers. He could join us if we had to fight.

Order General Friant to start to-morrow morning at six for Malesherbes with the division of the Old Guard.

The artillery will follow immediately after the Old Guard.

10th. I cast about for an uncomfortable corner of earth, where I might profit by the errors that would certainly be made. I pitched on the island of Elba. It was the choice of a soul of adamant. My character is certainly curious, but a man cannot be extraordinary without being unlike others; I am a fragment of rock hurled into space.

11th. The Emperor Napoleon renounces for himself, his heirs and successors, all right of sovereignty over the French Empire, the Kingdom of Italy, and all other countries.

The island of Elba, chosen as his abode by the Emperor Napoleon, shall, during his lifetime, be an independent principality.

The French Imperial Guard shall furnish a detachment of 1200 to 1500 men to serve as an escort. H. M. the Emperor Napoleon may keep for his own guard 400 men who shall volunteer for this service.

13th. Providence has decreed it, - I shall live! Who can fathom the future? In any case, my wife and my son will be enough for me.

16th. (To Countess Walewska.) Marie, I have received your letter of the 15th. I am profoundly touched by the sentiments you express, they are worthy of your noble spirit. If you go to the baths of Lucca I would be very glad indeed to see you and your son. Never doubt me.

19th. (To the Empress Maria Louisa.) My good Louise, I have received your letter; I understand all the grief there is in it, and it increases my own. I am glad to see that Corvisart encourages you. I am very grateful to him for it; his noble conduct justifies the high opinion I had of him. Please tell him so from me. Have him send me little bulletins about you at frequent intervals. Try to go at once to the baths of Aix, which I am told Corvisart recommends for you. Keep well; preserve your health for your son, who needs your care. I am starting for the island of Elba, and will write to you from there. I will get everything ready to receive you. Write to me frequently. Address your letters to the Viceroy and to your uncle, if, as it is said, he is to be Grand Duke of Tuscany.

20th. (Farewell to the Guard.) Soldiers of my Old Guard, I have come to say good-bye. During twenty years I have always met you on the path of honour and of glory. In these last as in prosperous days you have never ceased to be the pattern of courage and of loyalty. With men like you our cause was not lost. But the war was interminable; it would have meant civil war, and France would have been even more unhappy. I therefore sacrificed all our interests to those of the country I am leaving. You, my friends, must continue to serve France. Her happiness was my only thought; it will always be the object of my hopes! Do not pity my fate; if I have consented to survive it is still to work for your fame; I mean to write down those great things that we have done together! Good-bye, my children! I wish I could press you all to my heart; let me at all events embrace your standard! - Good-bye once more, old comrades! May this last embrace pass into your hearts!

21st, Briare:
Well! You heard my speech to the Old Guard yesterday, you saw the effect it produced? That is the way to talk to them!

24th, Valence:
(To Augereau.) Where are you off to like that? You are going to the Court? Your proclamation is stupid enough: why insult me?

27th, Fréjus:
(To General Dalesme.) Circumstances having brought me to renounce the French throne, I have reserved for myself the sovereignty and ownership of the island of Elba, to which all the Powers have consented. I am therefore sending you General Drouot so that you may immediately hand over to him the said island, the stores of food and ammunition, and the property appertaining to my Imperial domains. Please notify this new state of things to the inhabitants, and my selection of their island for my abode because of their good disposition and the excellence of their climate. They will be the constant object of my solicitude.

28th, on board H. M. S. Undaunted:
The Bourbons - poor devils - are glad to get back their palaces and their estates, but if the French people become dissatisfied and think that their manufactures are not being looked after, they will be driven out within six months.

May 3d, Porto Ferrajo, island of Elbe:
Well! this is a fine abode for me!

5th. It will be an island of rest!

7th. (Orders for General Count Drouot.) Find out from the sub-prefect what is the system of administration.

Have the flag of the island hoisted in every parish tomorrow, and turn this into some sort of a festival.

I think that the governor should communicate a note, stating that my flag has been hoisted, to the governments of Naples, Rome, Tuscany, and Genoa.

Convene the sub-prefect, the navy commissioner, the chief registrar, the war commissary, the collector of revenue, and other persons who can give me information on the administration of the island, to a council to-morrow.

Inform the intendant of my dissatisfaction at the dirty state of the streets.

9th. Eh! My island is none too big!

29th. Death of Josephine at Malmaison.

July 11th. (To Count Bertrand.) Ask Cardinal Fesch whom I could appoint consul at Civita-Vecchia. That port, Leghorn, and Genoa are the most important points.

17th. (Note for the Grand Marshal.) Write to my brother Lucien that I have his letter of the 11th of June; that I am touched by the sentiments he expresses; that he must not be surprised at my not answering, as I write to no one. I have not even written to Madame (Mère).

24th. (To Count Bertrand.) Order the Abeille, if the weather is fine, to start to-night for Civita-Vecchia. She will carry letters for the consul at Naples and for Cardinal Fesch. Instruct the Abeille not to remain more than two or three days at Civita-Vecchia and to get all the information possible about the journey of Madame and of Princess Pauline.

August 2. (Note for General Bertrand.) As I am not at present well enough established for entertaining I shall wait for the arrival of the Empress or of Princess Pauline, which should be early in September, for having the fireworks. I want the town to give a ball at its own expense on the public square in which a wooden booth can be erected, and to invite the officers of the Guard. Outside the booth there should be music for the soldiers to dance to, and there must be a few barrels of wine so that they may have something to drink. I also want the town to marry two young people and set them up. The Grand Marshal and officials will witness the marriage, which is to take place at High Mass.

9th. (To Bertrand.) Colonel Leczinski, who is leaving to-day, will carry a letter from me to the Empress at Aix. Write to Méneval to tell him that I expect the Empress at the end of August; that I want her to bring my son, and that it is curious I don't hear from her, which must arise from her letters being intercepted.

26th. (To Bertrand.) I believe I have told you to ask Princess Pauline not to bring the pianist, but only two good singers, as we have a good violinist and a good pianist here.

One of my mules has just been drowned, which is a considerable loss, and arises from there not being a small pump at the stable. Have one put in.

28th. I have news from the Empress to the 10th of August. She is to write care of M. Senno and will send her letters to Genoa under cover to M. Constantin Gatelli.

September 2d. (To Bertrand.) Write to Princess Pauline to say that I have received all the letters from Naples; tell her that I am annoyed at having had letters sent me through Stahremberg unsealed, as though I were a prisoner and he my gaoler; I think this way of doing things is offensive and absurd, and insulting both to me and to them.

9th. I have received a most sentimental letter from the King of Naples; he declares that he has already written several times, but I doubt it. It appears that the French and Italian questions are disturbing him, and making him amiable.

20th. My wife no longer writes to me. My son is snatched away from me. No such barbarous act is recorded in modern times.

30th. The Congress of Vienna assembles.

October 10th. (To Ferdinand, Grand Duke of Tuscany.) Monsieur mon Frère et trés cher Oncle: Having received no news from my wife since the 10th of August, nor from my son for six months, I have intrusted this letter to Cavaliere Colonna. I beg Your Royal Highness to let me know whether I may send a letter to the Empress once a week, and receive in return her news and a letter from the Countess of Montesquiou, the governess of my son. I flatter myself that in spite of events that have so changed many persons, Your Royal Highness still retains some degree of friendship for me.

November 14th. Any news of the Congress? Do you think they have it in mind to exile me? I will never permit them to carry me off.

December 11th. (To Count Drouot.) Take great care to have the discharges of the grenadiers who are leaving and who are good men, drawn up in their favour. You must state that the discharge is granted on the orders of General Drouot, because the situation of the families of these men demands their presence, and that it is with regret the battalion loses the services of such good soldiers. Their services, battles, and wounds shall be set out, in fact everything that can testify to my satisfaction with brave men who have given me so many marks of their devotion.

Have a proof of the discharge printed. Place my arms in the middle; strike out the expression Sovereign of Elbe, which is ridiculous, and see that the form is known in the Guard, so that it may realize how it is honoured when my grenadiers get leave of absence.

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