1812.

BOOK X. manders have orders to remunerate you. Render your bridges, your roads, impassable. In fine, CHAP. 111, adopt and execute the suggestions of a brave, wise, and patriotic heart, and shew yourselves deserving the thanks of your country, and your sovereign. "Should the remains of the enemy's force escape to our imperial frontiers, and attempt to winter there, they must prepare themselves to encounter all the rigours of the clime and season, and the valorous attacks of our troops: thus harassed, exhausted, and defeated, he shall for ever be rendered incapable of renewing his presumptuous attempt.

(Signed) "ALEXANDER."

On the 15th of November he issued another proclamation, which began by stating, that no endeavours on his part could avert war. That Napoleon having collected an immense force of Austrians, &c. entered his territory with fire and sword, carrying destruction wherever he went. That cruelties heretofore unheard of, proved that he had the invasion of Russia long in contemplation. That the happiness of Russia awakened his cupidity, and inclined him to destroy her. That he hoped by flattery to seduce the Russian people, and like an overwhelming storm, penetrated into her provinces. That Europe supposed her lost; but though on all sides pressed, nothing could terrify Russians. That after repeated defeats, he sought safety in flight. That dejected, he fled from Moscow, leaving every thing behind him. That thousands of his troops daily fell sacrifices. That the enemy's strength was reduced to the lowest condition. That all classes of the state had given the most unequivocal proofs of their patriotism; and concluded by stating, that if the enemy did not meet with his utter destruction, it would lead him properly to estimate the Russian power and strength.

During this war, Bonaparte was said to have been killed no less than eighteen times, and the wags of the day asserted his life to have double the virtue of a cat's. His escape was deemed impossible; but, to the astohishment of all, he evaded the armies in pursuit of him, and returned safe to Paris. The French army was compelled to leave Smolensko because that town was found totally untenable, and because it was too far removed from that part of the country, which being still in the French possession, could in any way supply the magazines of the army. When the Emperor Napoleon left Moscow, he doubtless calculated upon making at least a short halt at Smolensko. It was necessary to assign some reason for this indispensable alteration in his plan. He therefore assigned a false one-that of the Austrians having changed the line of their operation.-The true one was, that Victor had not been able to clear the country, having been defeated or repelled

in every attempt to push back General Wittgenstein.

The French bulletin made very light of the loss of men till the army reached and left Smolensko. Bonaparte had five corps with him at Moscow. These were under the commands of Davoust, Ney, Beauharnois, Poniatowski, and Junot. Besides, there were a strong corps of guards and reserve, amounting to about 45,000. The army at Moscow, therefore, was originally 140,000, which, at the time of departure, was reduced to 85,000, of these about 60,000 reached Smolensko, with the total loss of their horses and artillery. This was the first loss of the French army.

Bonaparte, with the advance of the French army, left Smolensko on the 15th, reached Krasnoi on the 16th, and left it on the following morning. This advance consisted of three corps-those of Beauharnois, Poniatowski, and Junot. Davoust followed, and had to cut his way through, which, according to the Russian reports, he did with infinite loss. Marshal Ney, with the rear-guard, was the last; and even the French bulletin acknowledged that he was intercepted by nearly the whole army of the enemy. The bulletin, however, asserted that he effected his escape by a manœuvre; but the Russians gave a much better, and a more credible account. As the French bulletin acknowledged his corps to have been intercepted by the whole army of the enemy, it must be believed, that his loss very nearly amounted to what it was stated to be in the Russian reports. The French bulletin acknowledged a ruined army and a fugitive emperor, and therefore the Russian narratives, which so represented him, were confirmed in the best possible manner, by the confession of the enemy.

Upon leaving Smolensko, Bonaparte had summoned all his corps on this side the Dwina and the Dnieper to his aid. These corps were three, those of Victor, Oudinot, and Dombrowski. Here, therefore, were about 40,000 more, to be added to the army which moved from Smolensko. Dombrowski moved up from Mohilow, by the Minsk road, and was met by the advance of Admiral Tchichigoff's army, under General Lambert, and defeated and pushed back. General Lambert marched forwards after this advantage, but was met in his turn by Oudinot, who marched down upon him on the other flank. The French bul letin asserted that Lambert was defeated; and certainly he was repelled by dint of the nu merical superiority of Oudinot. The French army was thus enabled to cross the river Beresina. Half of them crossed it without interruption, but the other half were gallantly attacked by the armies of Tchichigoff and Wittgenstein; and the result was, that a complete French division (not a corps) of 2,000 men, were taken prisoners.

This is alleged, in the French bulletin, to have been occasioned by their having lost their way in the darkness of the night; but the real cause was, that the enemy intercepted them.

After having thus effected the passage of the river Beresina, the French army, instead of continuing their route upon Minsk, turned their right towards Wilna. Upon reaching this point, the Emperor Napoleon called a council of war, in which he transferred the command of the army to Murat, and immediately afterwards took his seat (like a courier) in a sledge, and, under an assumed name, fled for Paris. The manner of

1892.

his arrival, indeed, was very different from what BOOK X. his ambitious hopes had probably anticipated, and from what the auspices of his incipient for- CHAP. III. tune seemed to promise. He who left his own. kingdom, at the head of nearly 300,000 men, in all the pompous equipage and magnificent apparel of war; he who, like the heroes of old, seemed to lead victory itself as one of his household gods, was now presenting a tremendous ex-` ample of the vicissitudes of human affairs;-his army was totally ruined within the short space of eight days, and he himself, a fugitive in a single car, reached his own metropolis in disguise!

ment.

AN exchange of prisoners between Great Britain and France, was earnestly desired by the former country; but the sacrifices demanded by the latter, were so unprecedented in their nature as to render an adjustment impracticable. A great number of French officers, who had been prisoners, at this time took an unfair and dishonorable advantage of the confidence placed in their honor by the government of Great Britain, in order to effect their escape.

An extensive plan for liberating French prisoners on their parole was very fortunately detected. A system was established of British subjects going to five or six depôts of French prisoners, from time to time, to offer to effect the escape of such as could raise certain sums of money to defray the expences and rewards payable in England, whereby many officers were enabled to break their parole, and got safe to France, where they had been received by public officers at the ports, who paid the sums agreed upon for their sea passage. The discovery was made by the apprehension of eight officers, who left Andover the 1st of September, and were compelled by stormy weather to re-land near Christchurch, on the 12th, after having embarked from that neighbourhood in a Weymouth smuggling-boat. They had reached the coast, between Christchurch and Lymington, by the skill of their guides, without interruption; but unable to conceal themselves effectually on their re-landing, notice was given of the suspicious appearance of the parties. On the 17th of September the French prison

6

ers at Dartmoor depôt worked themselves up to the highest pitch of rage, at having a pound and a half of biscuit and not bread per day. The use of biscuit it should be observed, was to be discontinued as soon as the bake-house had been rebuilt; but the Frenchmen were absolutely deaf to remonstrances. A detachment of the Cheshire militia, and of the south Gloucester regiment, were drawn up on the walls surrounding the prison; and, although they had loaded their pieces with ball, the prisoners appeared undaunted, and insulted them in the grossest terms. A sentinel on duty had his bayonet wrenched off his piece, yet nobly reserved his fire: an officer, however, followed the Frenchman, struck him over the shoulder with his sword, and brought off the bayonet. The Frenchmen even bared their breasts to the troops, and seemed regardless of danger. The number of prisoners was about 7,500; and so menacing was their conduct, that an express was sent off to Plymouth-dock, at 11 o'clock at night, soliciting immediate assistance. Three pieces of artillery consequently arrived early the next morning at the principal gate, the bars of which, of immense size, had been previously broken by stones hurled against them by the insurgents: they were placed in such directions as completely to command the whole of the circle, which had the desired effect, and order was restored. It should be noticed, that the allowance of biscuit, at which these men so indignantly spurned, was precisely the same as that which was served out to the English sailors and marines.

BOOK X.

On the other hand, the treatment of English prisoners in France was truly severe. Public inCHAP. IV. dignation was justly excited by the mysterious death of Captain Wright (of the navy) of which the following is a recent account:

1812.

Captain Wright was closely imprisoned in one of those dungeons, which in the language of tyranny is called a secret; and which includes the idea of every thing most terrible to the imagination. He saw no human being but one individual, a turnkey, who visited him thrice a day. His secret was situated in a small detached square, within which was only confined an old Jesuit, about eighty years of age, a man of quality and learning. Captain Wright had his throat cut with a razor, between twelve and half-past twelve at night. About seven in the morning, the turnkey awoke all the temple with his cries, repeating over and over, "the English captain has killed himself." The gaoler came to the spot, and allowed the prisoners to see the deceased. M. D'Henoul, an advocate, who was imprisoned in the temple at the same time, entered Captain Wright's apartment in his turn, as did also 128 of his fellow-prisoners. The captain was extended on his bed, covered with blood, and the fatal razor was lying on the floor. A Moniteur of the preceding day was lying as it were very appropriately on the night-table. It contained the details of a signal victory gained by the French. "You see," said the turnkeys, who, doubtless, were well-instructed by Savary, a creature of Bonaparte's, "our victory has driven the English captain to despair." No one said a word, and no one, not even the turnkeys themselves, believed the story. It was well known, that the reading of newspapers was strictly forbidden to Captain Wright, and that he had no razor, as the barber of the temple shaved him twice a week, accompanied and superintended by one of the gaolers.

Full of horror at the shocking spectacle he had seen, the advocate went into the Jesuit's apartment, and told him, that being near the spot, and awake at midnight, (for there is little sound sleep in state prisons) he distinctly heard the door of the wicket open and then shut. He also heard some men walking in the court, as well as the opening and shutting of the door which led to the tower. M. D'Henoul confessed he was very much alarmed, as it was usually about this hour the gaolers came to extraire (that was their term when they removed a prisoner) some unfortunate being, in order to carry him before a secret military

commission, and thence to a fusillade. It seems many prisoners had perished in this manner during the night. His alarm, however, subsided when he found the men he had heard were not coming his way. Curiosity induced him to put his head out of the grated window of his apartment. The assas sins returned slowly at about half-past twelve, but the night being very dark, he could not count them. The wicket was opened and shut agam. The Jesuit also heard the gate of his square opened; and three or four men, as he thought, came groping on their hands and feet, and opened and shut the door of the captain's chamber.

A report of the pretended suicide was drawn up and sent to London, with a Moniteur as false as the document.

It is asserted, that the assassins of Captain Wright were those very miscreants who were hired to strangle the unfortunate Pichegru.

Soon after the meeting of the new imperial parliament, (November 24,) thanks were unanimously voted to the Marquis of Wellington, in both houses, for his victory at Salamanca. In the house of lords, Earl Bathurst took a review of the proceedings of this illustrious general, from the commencement of the campaign up to the victory in question. In the house of commons, Lord Castlereagh asserted, "that, as a proof of the effect of the splendid victory at Salamanca, on the eve of the battle of Borodino, a battle as destructive as that of Eylau or of Aspern-a battle in which 80,000 men sacrificed themselves to the liberties of their country-on the eve of that battle, Prince Kutusoff animated his troops, by telling them what the English had done on the plains of Salamanca."

It was certainly gratifying to the English nation to think that a British lieutenant-general, not of old standing, had, in the course of four years, defeated and foiled seven of the most celebrated marshals of the French empire, (Junot, Soult, Ney, Mortier, Victor, Massena, and Marmont) most of them chosen successively for the very purpose of mending the fortune of their baffled predecessors, by overthrowing or circumventing him.

Lord Castlereagh also brought in a bill, par. suant to a message from the prince-regent, for further provision for Lord Wellington.

Great Britain having determined to give Russia her cordial support during her patriotic struggle with France, 50,000 stand of arms was this year sent to the Emperor Alexander, and Lords Cath cart and Walpole acted as plenipotentiaries.