The Private Life of Napoleon Bonaparte, Complete

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The power of thus isolating one's self completely from all the
surrounding world is very difficult to acquire, and no one possessed it
to the same degree as his Majesty.

On the 1st of May the Emperor was at Lutzen, though the battle did not
occur till next day. On that day, at six o'clock in the evening, the
brave Marshal Bessieres, Duke of Istria, was killed by a cannon-ball,
just at the moment when, mounted on a height, wrapped in a long cloak
which he had put on in order not to be remarked, he had just given orders
for the burial of a sergeant of his escort, whom a ball had just slain a
few steps in front of him.

From the first campaigns in Italy the Duke of Istria had hardly left the
Emperor at all; had followed him in all his campaigns; had taken part in
all his battles, and was always distinguished for his well-proved
bravery, and a frankness and candor very rare among the high personages
by whom his Majesty was surrounded. He had passed through almost all
grades up to the command of the Imperial Guard; and his great experience,
excellent character, good heart, and unalterable attachment to the
Emperor, had rendered him very dear to his Majesty.

The Emperor was much moved on learning of the death of the marshal, and
remained some time silent with bent head, and eyes fastened on the
ground. At last he said, "He has died like Turenne; his fate is to be
envied." He then passed his hand over his eyes and withdrew.

The body of the marshal was embalmed and carried to Paris, and the
Emperor wrote the following letter to the Duchess of Istria:

"MY COUSIN,--

"Your husband has died on the field of honor. The loss sustained by
you and your children is doubtless great, but mine is greater still.
The Duke of Istria has died a most glorious death, and without
suffering. He leaves a stainless reputation, the richest heritage
he could have left his children. My protection is assured, and they
will also inherit the affection I bore their father. Find in all
these considerations some source of consolation in your distress,
and never doubt my sentiments towards you.

"This letter having no other object, I pray that God, my cousin, may
have you in his holy keeping.

"NAPOLEON."


The King of Saxony reared a monument to the Duke of Istria on the exact
spot where he fell. The victory so long disputed in this battle of
Lutzen was on that account only the more glorious for the Emperor, and
was gained principally by the young conscripts, who fought like lions.
Marshal Ney expected this of them; for before the battle he said to his
Majesty, "Sire, give me a good many of those young men, I will lead them
wherever I wish. The old bearded fellows know as much as we, they
reflect, they are too cold blooded; but these intrepid children know no
difficulties, they look straight before them, and neither to the right
nor left."

In fact, in the midst of the battle, the Prussians, commanded by the king
in person, attacked the corps of Marshal Ney with such fury that it fell
back, but the conscripts did not take flight. They withstood the fire,
rallied by platoons, and flanked the enemy, crying with all their might,
"Vive l'Empereur." The Emperor appeared; and recovering from the
terrible shock they had sustained, and electrified by the presence of
their hero, they attacked in their turn with incredible violence. His
Majesty was astonished. "In the twenty years," said he, "I have
commanded French armies I have never witnessed such remarkable bravery
and devotion."

It was indeed a touching sight to see those youthful soldiers, although
grievously wounded, some without an arm, some without a leg, with but a
few moments of life remaining, making a last effort, as the Emperor
approached, to rise from the ground, and shout with their latest breath,
"Vive l'Empereur." Tears fill my eyes as I think of those youths, so
brilliant, so strong, and so courageous.

The enemy displayed the same bravery and enthusiasm. The light infantry
of the Prussian guard were almost all young men who saw fire for the
first time; they exposed themselves to every hazard, and fell by hundreds
before they would recoil a step.

In no other battle, I think, was the Emperor so visibly protected by his
destiny. Balls whistled around his ears, carrying away as they passed
pieces of the trappings of his horse, shells and grenades rolled at his
feet, but nothing touched him. The soldiers observed this, and their
enthusiasm rose to the highest pitch.

At the beginning of the battle, the Emperor saw a battalion advancing
whose chief had been suspended from his office two or three days before
for some slight breach of discipline. The disgraced officer marched in
the second rank with his soldiers, by whom he was adored. The Emperor
saw him, and halting the battalion, took the officer by the hand, and
placed him again at the head of his troop. The effect produced by this
scene was indescribable.

On the 8th of May, at seven o'clock in the evening, the Emperor entered
Dresden, and took possession of the palace, which the Emperor of Russia
and King of Prussia had quitted that very evening. A short distance from
the barriers the Emperor was saluted by a deputation from the
municipality of that town.

"You deserve," said he to these deputies, "that I should treat you
as a conquered country. I know all that you have done while the
allies occupied your town; I have a statement of the number of
volunteers whom you have clothed, equipped, and armed against me,
with a generosity which has astonished even the enemy. I know the
insults you have heaped on France, and how many shameless libels you
have to suppress or to burn today. I am fully aware with what
transports of joy you received the Emperor of Russia and the King of
Prussia within your walls. Your houses are still decorated with the
garlands, and we still see lying on the earth the flowers which the
young girls scattered in their path. Nevertheless, I am willing to
pardon everything. Thank your king for this; it is he who saves
you, and I pardon you only from love of him. Send a deputation to
entreat him to return to you. My aide-de-camp, General Durosnel,
will be your governor. Your good king himself could not make a
better selection."

As soon as he entered the city the Emperor was informed that a part of
the Russian rear-guard sought to hold its ground in the new town,
separated from the old by the river Elbe, and had fallen into the power
of our army.

His Majesty immediately ordered that everything should be done in order
to drive out this remnant of the enemy; and during an entire day there
was a continued cannonading and shooting in the town from one bank to the
other. Bullets and shell fell like hail on the spot occupied by the
Emperor. A shell struck the walls of a powder-magazine not far from him,
and scattered the pieces around his head, but fortunately the powder did
not ignite. A few moments after another shell fell between his Majesty
and several Italians; they bent to avoid the explosion. The Emperor saw
this movement, and laughingly said to them, "Ah, coglioni! non fa male."
["Ah, scamps! don't behave badly."]

On the 11th of May, in the morning, the Russians were put to flight and
pursued, the French army entering the city from all sides. The Emperor
remained on the bridge the whole day, watching his troops as they filed
in. The next day at ten o'clock the Imperial Guard under arms were
placed in line of battle on the road from Pirna to Gross Garten. The
Emperor reviewed it, and ordered General Flahaut to advance.

The King of Saxony arrived about noon. On meeting again, the two
sovereigns alighted from their horses and embraced each other, and then
entered Dresden amid general acclamations.

General Flahaut, who had gone to meet the King of Saxony with a part of
the imperial Guard, received from this good king the most flattering
testimonials of appreciation and gratitude. It is impossible to show
more cordiality and friendliness than the King of Saxony displayed. The
Emperor said of him and his family that they were a patriarchal family,
and that all who comprised it joined to striking virtues an expansive
kindness of manner which made them adored by their subjects. His Majesty
paid this royal personage the most affectionate attentions, and as long
as the war lasted sent couriers each day to keep the king informed of the
least circumstance: He came himself as often as possible, and, in fact,
constantly treated him with that cordiality he so well knew how to
display and to render irresistible when he chose.

A few days after his arrival at Dresden his Majesty held a long
conversation with the King of Saxony, in which the Emperor Alexander was
the principal subject of conversation.

The characteristics and faults of this prince were fully analyzed; and
the conclusion drawn from this conversation was that the Emperor
Alexander had been sincere in the interview at Erfurt, and that it must
have been very complicated intrigues which had thus led to the rupture of
all their treaties of friendship. "Sovereigns are most unfortunate,"
said his Majesty; "always deceived, always surrounded by flatterers or
treacherous counselors, whose greatest desire is to prevent the truth
from reaching the ears of their masters, who have so much interest in
knowing it."

The two sovereigns next spoke of the Emperor of Austria. His Majesty
appeared profoundly grieved that his union with the Archduchess Marie
Louise, whom he did all in his power to render the happiest of women,
should have failed in producing the result he had anticipated, of
obtaining for him the confidence and friendship of her father. "It is
perhaps because I was not born a sovereign," said the Emperor; "and
nevertheless, I should think that this would be an additional inducement
to the friendship of my father-in-law. I shall never be convinced that
such ties are not strong enough to obtain the alliance of the Emperor of
Austria; for, in fact, I am his son-in-law, my son is his grandson, he
loves his daughter, and she is happy; how, then, can he be my enemy?"

On learning of the victory of Lutzen, and the entrance of the Emperor into
Dresden, the Emperor of Austria hastened to send M. de Bubna to his
son-in-law. He arrived on the evening of the 16th; and the interview,
which his Majesty immediately granted, lasted until two hours after
midnight. This led us to hope that peace was about to be concluded, and
we consequently formed a thousand conjectures, each more encouraging
than the other; but when two or three days had passed away, and we still
witnessed only preparations for war, we saw that our hopes were cruelly
deceived. Then it was I heard the unfortunate Marshal Duroc exclaim,
"This is lasting too long! We will none of us outlive it!" He had a
presentiment of his own death.

During the whole of this campaign the Emperor had not a moment of repose.
The days passed away in combats or marches, always on horseback; the
nights in labors in the cabinet. I never comprehended how his body could
endure such fatigue, and yet he enjoyed almost continuously the most
perfect health. The evening before the battle of Bautzen he retired very
late, after visiting all the military posts, and, having given all
necessary orders, slept profoundly. Early next morning, the 20th of May,
movements began, and we awaited at headquarters with eager impatience the
results of this day. But the battle was not over even then; and after a
succession of encounters, always ending in our favor, although hotly
contested, the Emperor, at nine o'clock in the evening, returned to
headquarters, took a light repast, and remained with Prince Berthier
until midnight. The remainder of the night was passed in work, and at
five o'clock in the morning he was on his feet and ready to return to the
combat. Three or four hours after his arrival on the battlefield the
Emperor was overcome by an irresistible desire for sleep, and, foreseeing
the issue of the day, slept on the side of a ravine, in the midst of the
batteries of the Duke of Ragusa, until he was awaked with the information
that the battle was gained.

This fact, which was related to me in the evening, did not astonish me in
the least; for I have already remarked that when he was compelled to
yield to the necessity of sleep, that imperious want of nature, the
Emperor took the repose which was so necessary to him when and where he
could, like a true soldier.

Although the result was decided, the battle was continued until five
o'clock in the evening. At six o'clock the Emperor had his tent erected
near a solitary inn, which had served as headquarters for the Emperor
Alexander during the two preceding days. I received orders to attend him
there, and did so with all speed; but his Majesty, nevertheless, passed
the whole night receiving and congratulating the chief generals, and
working with his secretaries.

All the wounded who were able to march were already on the road to
Dresden, where all necessary help awaited them. But on the field of
battle were stretched more than ten thousand men, Frenchmen, Russians,
Prussians, etc.,--hardly able to breathe, mutilated, and in a most
pitiable condition. The unremitting labors of the kind and indefatigable
Baron Larrey and the multitude of surgeons encouraged by his heroic
example did not suffice even to dress their wounds. And what means could
be found to remove the wounded in this desolate country, where all the
villages had been sacked and burned, and where it was no longer possible
to find either horses or conveyances? Must they then let all these men
perish after most horrible sufferings, for lack of means to convey them
to Dresden?

It was then that this population of Saxon villagers, who it might have
been thought must be embittered by the horrors of war,--in seeing their
dwellings burned, their fields ravaged,--furnished to the army an example
of the sublime sentiments which pity can inspire in the heart of man.
They perceived the cruel anxiety which M. Larrey and his companions
suffered concerning the fate of so many unfortunate wounded, and
immediately men, women, children, and even old men, hastily brought
wheelbarrows. The wounded were lifted, and placed on these frail
conveyances. Two or three persons accompanied each wheelbarrow all the
way to Dresden, halting if by a cry or gesture even, the wounded
indicated a desire to rest, stopping to replace the bandages which the
motion had displaced, or near a spring to give them water to allay the
fever which devoured them. I have never seen a more touching sight.

Baron Larrey had an animated discussion with the Emperor. Among the
wounded, there were found a large number of young soldiers with two
fingers of their right hand torn off; and his Majesty thought that these
poor young fellows had done it purposely to keep from serving. Having
said this to M. Larrey, the latter vehemently exclaimed that it was an
impossibility, and that such baseness was not in keeping with the
character of these brave young conscripts. As the Emperor still
maintained his position, Larrey at length became so angry that he went so
far as to tax the Emperor with injustice. Things were in this condition
when it was positively proved that these uniform wounds came from the
haste with which these young soldiers loaded and discharged their guns,
not being accustomed to handling them. Whereupon his Majesty saw that M.
de Larrey was right, and praised him for his firmness in maintaining what
he, knew to be the truth. "You are a thoroughly good man, M. de Larrey,"
said the Emperor. "I wish I could be surrounded only with men like you;
but such men are very rare."




CHAPTER XII.

We had now reached the eve of the day on which the Emperor, still deeply
affected by the loss he had sustained in the death of the Duke of Istria,
was to receive a blow which he felt perhaps most keenly of all those
which struck deep into his heart as he saw his old companions in arms
fall around him. The day following that on which the Emperor had, with
Baron Larrey, the discussion which I related at the end of the preceding
chapter was made memorable by the irreparable loss of Marshal Duroc. The
Emperor's heart was crushed; and indeed not one of us failed to shed
sincere tears--so just and good was he, although grave and severe in his
manner towards persons whom the nature of their duties brought into
contact with him. It was a loss not only to the Emperor, who possessed
in him a true friend, but, I dare to assert, also to the whole of France.
He loved the Emperor with a passionate devotion, and never failed to
bestow on him his faithful admonitions, although they were not always
heeded. The death of Marshal Duroc was an event so grievous and so
totally unexpected, that we remained for some time uncertain whether to
believe it, even when the only too evident reality no longer permitted us
to remain under any delusion.

These are the circumstances under which this fatal event occurred which
spread consternation throughout the army: The Emperor was pursuing the
rear guard of the Russians, who continually eluded him, and had just
escaped for the tenth time since the morning, after having killed and
taken prisoners large numbers of our brave soldiers, when two or three
shells dug up the ground at the Emperor's feet, and caused him to
exclaim, "What! after such butchery no result! no prisoners! those men
there will not leave me a nail." Hardly had he finished speaking when a
shell passed, and threw a chasseur of the cavalry escort almost under the
legs of his Majesty's horse. "Ah, Duroc," added he, turning towards
the grand marshal, "fortune protects us to-day."--"Sire," said an
aide-de-camp, rushing, up at a gallop, "General Bruyeres has just been
killed." "My poor comrade of Italy! Is it possible? Ah! it is
necessary to push on, nevertheless." And noticing on the left an
elevation from which he could better observe what was passing, the
Emperor started in that direction amidst a cloud of dust. The Duke of
Vicenza, the Duke of Treviso, Marshal Duroc, and general of engineers
Kirgener followed his Majesty closely; but the wind raised such a cloud
of dust and smoke that they could hardly see each other. Suddenly a
tree near which the Emperor passed was struck by a shell and cut in
half. His Majesty, on reaching the plateau, turned to ask for his
field-glass, and saw no one near him except the Duke of Vicenza. Duke
Charles de Plaisance came up, his face showing a mortal pallor, leaned
towards the grand equerry, and said a few words in his ear. "What is
it?" vehemently inquired the Emperor; "what has happened?"--"Sire,"
said the Duke of Plaisance, weeping, "the grand marshal is dead!"--
"Duroc? But you must be mistaken. He was here a moment ago by my
side." Several aides-de-camp arrived, and a page with his Majesty's
field-glass. The fatal news was confirmed, in part at least. The Grand
Duke of Frioul was not yet dead; but the shell had wounded him in the
stomach, and all surgical aid would be useless. The shell after
breaking the tree had glanced, first striking General Kirgener, who was
instantly killed, and then the Duke of Frioul. Monsieurs Yvan and Larrey
were with the wounded marshal, who had been carried into a house at
Markersdorf. There was no hope of saving him.

The consternation of the army and his Majesty's grief on this deplorable
event were indescribable. He mechanically gave a few orders and returned
to camp, and when he had reached the encampment of the guard, seated
himself on a bench in front of his tent, with lowered head and clasped
hands, and remained thus for nearly an hour without uttering a word.
Since it was nevertheless essential that orders should be given for the
next day, General Drouot approached,

[Count Antoine Drouot, chief of artillery of the guard, born at
Nancy, 1774; fought as captain at Hohenlinden,1800; distinguished
himself at Wagram (1809) and Borodino (1812); made general of
division at Bautzen, 1813; went to Elba as commander of the guard,
and was by the Emperor's side at Waterloo; died in 1847. He was a
Protestant, and was often seen during heavy firing reading his
Testament calmly.]

and in a voice interrupted by sobs asked what should be done.
"To-morrow, everything," replied the Emperor, and said not a word more.
"Poor man!" exclaimed the old watchdogs of the guard; "he has lost one of
his children." Night closed in. The enemy was in full retreat; and the
army having taken its position, the Emperor left the camp, and,
accompanied by the Prince de Neuchatel, M. Yvan, and the Duke of Vicenza,
repaired to the house where the grand marshal had been conveyed. The
scene was terrible. The Emperor, distracted with grief, repeatedly
embraced this faithful friend, endeavoring to cheer him; but the duke,
who was perfectly conscious of his condition, replied only by entreaties
to have opium given him. At these words the Emperor left the room; he
could no longer control his emotions.

The Duke de Frioul died next morning; and the Emperor ordered that his
body should be conveyed to Paris, and paced under the dome of the
Invalides.

[On either side of the entrance to the sarcophagus of porphyry
which holds the mortal remains of the great Emperor, rest Duroc and
Bertrand, who in life watched over him as marshals of his Palace.--
TRANS.]

He bought the house in which the grand marshal died, and charged the
pastor of the village to have a stone placed in the spot where his bed
had stood, and these words engraved thereon:

"HERE GENERAL DUROC, DUKE OF FRIOUL,
GRAND MARSHAL OF THE PALACE OF THE EMPEROR NAPOLEON,
MORTALLY WOUNDED BY A SHELL,
DIED IN THE ARMS OF HIS FRIEND, THE EMPEROR."

The preservation of this monument was imposed as an obligation on the
occupant of the house, who received it as a gift with this condition
annexed. The pastor, the magistrate of the village, and the one who
accepted this gift, were summoned to his Majesty's presence; and he made
known to them his wishes, which they solemnly engaged to fulfill. His
Majesty then drew from his privy purse the necessary funds, and handed
them to these gentlemen.

It is well that the reader should know how this agreement so solemnly
made was executed. This order of the Russian staff will inform him.

"A copy of a receipt dated the 16th (28th) of March states that the
Emperor Napoleon handed to Hermann, pastor of the church at
Markersdorf, the sum of two hundred gold napoleons for the purpose
of erecting a monument to the memory of Marshal Duroc, who died on
the field of battle. His Excellency Prince Repnin, Governor-General
of Saxony, having ordered that a deputy from my office be sent to
Markersdorf in order to bring the said sum and deposit it with me
until it is finally disposed of, my secretary, Meyerheim, is charged
with this mission, and consequently will go at once to Dlarkersdorf,
and, as an evidence of his authority, will present to Minister
Hermann the accompanying order, and take possession of the above
mentioned sum of two hundred gold napoleons. The secretary
Meyerheim will account to me alone for the execution of this order.
At Dresden this 20th of March (1st of April), 1814.

"(Signed) BARON DE ROSEN."


This order needs no comment. After the battles of Bautzen and Wurschen,
the Emperor entered Silesia. He saw on every occasion combined armies of
the allies put to flight before his own in every encounter; and this
sight, while flattering his vanity exceedingly, also greatly strengthened
him in the belief that he would soon find himself master of a rich and
fertile country, where the abundant means of subsistence would be of much
advantage in all his undertakings. Many times a day he exclaimed, "How
far are we from such a town? When do we arrive at Breslau?" His
impatience did not prevent him meanwhile from occupying his mind with
every object which struck his attention, as if he were free from all
care. He examined the houses, one by one, as he passed through each
village, remarked the direction of rivers and mountain ranges, and
collected the most minute information which the inhabitants could or
would give him. On the 27th of May, his Majesty, when not more than
three days march from Breslau, met in front of a little town called
Michelsdorf several regiments of Russian cavalry who held the road. They
were quite near the Emperor and his staff before his Majesty had even
perceived them. The Prince de Neuchatel, seeing the enemy so near,
hastened to the Emperor, and said, "Sire, they are still advancing."--
"Well, we will advance also," replied his Majesty, smiling. "Look behind
you--" And he showed the prince the French infantry approaching in close
columns. A few discharges soon drove the Russians from this position;
but half a league or a league farther we found them again, and this
maneuver was again and again repeated. The Emperor, perceiving this,
maneuvered accordingly, and in person directed with the greatest
precision the troops as they advanced. He went from one height to
another, and thoroughly inspected the towns and villages on the route in
order to reconnoiter their position, and ascertain what resources he
could obtain from the country; and, as a result of his attentive care and
indefatigable oversight, the scene changed ten times a day. If a column
emerged from a deep ravine, a wood, or a village, it could take immediate
possession of a height, since a battery was found already in position to
defend it. The Emperor indicated every movement with admirable tact, and
in such a manner that it was impossible to be taken at a disadvantage.
He commanded only the troops as a whole, transmitting either personally,
or through his staff officers, his orders to the commander of the corps
and divisions, who in their turn transmitted or had them transmitted to
the chiefs of battalions. All orders given by his Majesty were short,
precise, and so clear that it was never necessary to ask explanations.