Ihr A Cornell University Library The original of this book is in the Cornell University Library. There are no known copyright restrictions in the United States on the use of the text. http://www.archive.org/details/cu31924024336004 _ Cornell University Library DC 198.P25 fip n r I rn I'll' t"i I, \ '111 » " 111' Werner Company. ... As soon as he arrived. Prince Marat dismoun- ted, placed Ins horse in mil charge and saluted the Emperor. .. NAPOLEON'S Victories FROM THE PERSONAL MEMOIRS OF CAPT. C. PARQUIN OFTHEIMPERIALGUARD .180^-1814.... WITH NUMEROUS ILLUSTRATIONS SPECIALLY DESIGNED BY F. De MYRBACH, H. DUPRAY, J. A. WALKER, L. SERGENT AND MARIUS RO^'. tlranslateb from tbe iifrcnci). WHERE IS HE. THE CHAMPION AND THE CHILD OF ALL THAT'S GREAT OR LITTLE, WISE OR WILD? WHOSE CAME WAS EM PI RES. /i ,V D V/HOSE STAKES WERE TH RC N ES, WHOSE TABLE EARTH --W HOSE DICE V/ERE HUMAN DONE5. ---BYRCN. CHICAGO THE. WERNER COMPANY, PUBLISHERS 1S93 INTRODUCTION There is scaveely another topic in tlie wliole rano'e of literature, except it may be the history of our own hmd, which possesses for American readers such an interest and fascination as the extraordinary career of tlie tii'st Na[>oleon. Tliose eighteen years of his resph^ident ti'iumplis, folhiAved l)y disaster almost as vivid in dramatic intensity, Avould ap[)ear as time i-oUs on to enter more and more into the I'ealm i>f ])oetic legend. Whatever else might diminish the admii-ation inspired by the great Emperor, is passing gentl}' onward to the sliades of o1>livion, leaving onl\' \vit]i the present a kind of reverential :\\ve for that "man of destiny" who so long and tenacioush hehl sovereign sway over the fortunes of Europe. Even amid the sternest realities of life, and \rhere the burning race for wealth seems to l)e the chief task of existence, human nature still has longings for the unique, the mighty and the marN'elous. The imagination reipiires nourishment as well as the stomach or lirain, and its favorite sustenance has ever been found in the chronicles of hio'h achievement or in tlie records of those dauntless men ^vho have wielded the sword of \it'tor\' on despei-ate tiehls of \\;ir. Neither fiction noi' romance can claim any such liohl as tliese on the average human mind. And, if such stii'ring events have l>een recent, if their narratives be s^-iven to us in tlie very words of those whom death has but lately silenced, no other possible theme can exert such a, thrilling intluence on the hearts of lioth \ouiig anil old. This will fiilK ex[ilaiii wliy the reading puldic, in all ci\'ilized lands, has given such cordial welcome to the publication of autlnMitic memoirs cox'ering the period of thi- Fi'ench Eevolutioii and the Fii'st Empire. These nai-rati\es not only teem with the most i)recious historical mattei', Imt they also shed liglit on thi' true genius of the IXTIK) DUCT ION men wlm ga\f France lier ])riil()ii-:('(l (l(iiniiii(.)ii on the Eui'opeaii t'ontiiieiit — an era wliieii has insured to its natinjis the sui'vival of tlie better pi-ineiph-s of tlie Fi'eiiel) Revolution. As ilistinetl\' pei-sonal memoirs tliey also display the ineiat, so rai'e in our tiim^ of !)eing entirely free from the artihces of i-hetoi'ic, and of presentinn' to us the genuine, sineei'e impressions of e\v-\vitnesses and actors in the gi'eat drama — features that have aroused the enthusiasm of e\ery ivadei- in France, and will lie heartily appreciated whej-tn cr her fame and name are held deai'. Idle loving veneration that still enshi'inps the inuige of the "Little Corporal," I'emote and shadowv though it )><% has ahva\s included those uiu/oni(Ueralile French armies that nnide f<'asilile and realized, dui'ing half a, lifetinu\ the stupendous eiiterjirises of the man from Corsica. Xo\vada\s it is chvu'ly seen that the soldiers who looked u[i to I>onaparte, F^irst Consul, and to Napoleon, Impeiatoi-, as to a lieing soint'wdiat akin to the deities of the ancients, were theniselxcs of such heroic mold that their l)(do\"ed leader, liaxing them in his wake, eould well have dai'ed to impose his lianght)' will on the leagueil so\>'reigns of Europe. \\dH^nce did these Frenchnuui of the early Nineteenth Century gather their suhlinn^ enei'o-y i ^\'ere tluw t.'dler m- sti'ongei- than us, their descendants i Were their fi'ames more \igoidus or tlndi- hearts any l)i-a,\'er ? Certain it is that the career they embraced with alacrit\- at such a tender age — multitudes only in their fourteenth, fifteenth or sixteenth \'ear —must have steeled their natui'es so that the comforts of cixdlized life held no allui'ement for them. In the ro\igh school of wai' they must also luu'e gained an ae'ilitv sui'[iassing that of tlie gymnasium, while the fi'e(^ aii- ami sunshine stimulated their h^diting instinct with all that this implies — keenness of ]»erception, |irom[»tness of decision and rapidity of execution. IJut that which really made them invincible was rather a ccmditioii of theii' mental hiung. Heared amid the storms of the Revolution they had seen death too oftiui and too closely to fear it at any moment, or in any form it might take, ddiey had chosen the military life from taste and preference ratlmi' tlian fr(.im an impulse of obedience. 'Jdiey had gravitated into the arni\' as iron udides to the niagni4, not from any yearnings for honor or I'i'ward, lint that sim]d\' to be a S(ddier, to wear a hussar's oi- chasseur's unifoian, to go forth to the \\"ars, to imjieril their lives. ti> do anything and everything in the nature of wihK adventure, all had for them an irresistilile attraction. They had no care foi- the morrow, no plans for the futui'e, no schemes foi' accomjilisliuieiit. In soiue coriu'r of Franci^ they had doubtless belo\ed relatixes — a father, mother, young sisters. But they rarely coi'res])onded and always felt more at honu^ with their regiments than elsewhere. Tdiere friendships wei'e foi'iiK-d, more especially by the men who continue(l long in the i-anks, as chivalrous and de\'oteil as e\er Were those of the me(lia'val paladins — friendships in which all thino-s ^\•ere shared in common, ]iro\isions and ph-asui-es as \\-ell as sabre-sti'okes and u-un-shots ; in which baseness was utteidy unkmiwii, and which, liki' hiL:'hl\'- tempered swords, (Uiduivd riii'lit along to the rust of inefficacy unless (h-atli stepped in on a Inillet to shatter the IV IXTPvODUCTlON But we must here o-ive space to the complete, iinal)riflL;'e(.l and unvarnished military "Record" c>f t'harles Par<[uin himsflf, just as it has Ijeeu trauscrilje\' hoiior. li was a ciiiel ]MMialt\, luit Par<|uiirs was one of tlhise souls wliose ti'ust uin'er forsakes iliem. It was duriuo- the jieriod of his ineareeration, in the eitadel of Doiillens, that lie indited thes(^ Afenioirs of sucli sjiai-klinu' vioov and i;-eniality of st\le tliat one ma\ easi]\ diseern in them the rolnist tdieerfuluess for \\ hieli the sohlier had Keen ever distinguished. In trutli he was n liei'O of such metal as no ad\(^rsity eould tarnish, and eNcn thi'ou^h his pi-ison l)ars lie con- stantly affeeted to liehold, neai' and radiant, the o])(^ninL;- poi'tals of the pi-omisi^l land. Like the gi-eat Pro]>het of old l*ai(|nin \\';is deined the jo\' of ent(^i'inu' this |ii'oni- ised land. He died on the 19th of Deeemlx-r, 1S4.^ — which mav w'idl he reo-arded as a mercy in view of the imperial traxi^sty, so unlike the em^tire of his dreams, that was built amid the laiins of the tottering- Orleans rfijiirn-. What could such as he ha\e been to the greedy conrti(^rs who then joined in a scrandih^ foi- oflices and rewards l His ideal of a French Empire had been such as their debased aml)itions conhl never comprehend. It was an ideal th.at had linked with impei-ialism all thino-s eiuioMing, disinterested, chivalri>us and grand. He had dreamed of a French Empire such as was utterly beyond the contrivings of Xapoleon III and his followeis. Can we regi'et, after all, that the enthusiasts who cherish such ideals should be called away from earth ere the delusion is ex]iosed —ere the lieloved image is smii'ched i>r shattered in their \'ei'_\' gaze i The\- ha\ c lixcd li\(^s of sacrihce and lo\-ed the sat'ri- hee for its own sake. They ha\(^ h;u-boi-ed a boundless faith in the like devotion of others. Surely it is a l>lessing that they shoidd descend into their graves without the heart-rending conviction that their faith and self-sacritice were alike \ ain — " Wlioiii the gods love best they call away soon." MAX MAURY. CHRONOLOGY OF CAMPAIGNS PART 1 France AND Prussia. 1803-1807— illustrations by felicien de myrbach FACES, 17-92 PART II Austria. 1809— illustrations by henri dupray and j. a walker PACES, 93-158 PART III Spain, 18I0-I812— illustrations by lucien sergent PAGES. 159-230 PART IV Germany. 1813— France I814-I llustrations by marius roy and lucien sergent PACES, 231-304 FOR DETAILED LIST OF I LLUST RAT ION S SEE END OF THE WORK i ;>j' »»^h NAPOLEON'S VICTORIES 1 FRANCE AND PEUSSIA, 1803-1807 On the lltli Nivu8c, year XI of the FrencTi Re- public — e(jn'espoii(liiig to the first of Jajuiaiy, 1803 — I stepped out of the Paris diligence at Abbeville, in Picardy, ^vhithei I had made the journey in company ■with a young friend of mine, M. Fournerat. AVe at once beij'an a search for tlie \vher(^aliouts of M. Idoux, (piartermaster of the '-'Otli mounted chasseurs, and called at that officei'^s address for the purpose of enlisting in his regiment. The quar- termastei- ol)jected to us that the muster-roll was already full, and likewise that my friend was not up to the standard height, nor I of the legal age to contract an enlistment. Tn truth I was scarcely sixteen at the time. "You are rio-ht. Captain," answered M. Fournerat, "but will you l)e so kind as to read this letter?" — handing him as he spoke a note fi'om Colonel Marigni, on whom we had made a call l)efore leaving Paris. When the quartermaster read the letter, which was simply an authorization to enlist us, all impediments were promptly set aside. Each of us was now required to deposit twenty-seven francs to capitalize his regi- mental fund a fixed rule of the service which met our ready compliance. Thereupon i8 NAPOLEON'S VICTORIES r we were con(liict(^d to barracks 1)y a, cavalrvruan w-ho ^\^■^,s on duty at the quarter- master's office, AVe had ashed to enter tlic (Jth compau)', \vliicli was eonimaiided by a frlciid of luy father's, Captain La\igDe, \\-]iom we saw in Paris at Ccdonel Marigui's house. This captain liad pi'omiscd my ])ar<'nts he W(ndd hxdv after me in the service, and In' h)yally kept his word till death oN'ertook him at tlie battle of Jena,, October 4th, isoc. AVhen Ave readied the })arracks we found the regiment in full di-ess and mounted, being about to pass in ivview before the Commissary Inspector. My friend and I admir(Ml the elegance of the corps, which was considered among tlie very best in the army, and had only just r.'turned from tliat liuisterly .'ainpaign of (leneral Moreau along the Iihine. Ceneral Ivichepanse, whose l)i'igade in- cluded the 1st and the 2()th chasseurs, used to say v\dn-n alx.ut facing the enemy that 21 was always his winnill^■ cond)ination. I lie uniform of the i-ei^dment was striking. The head-gear of tlie privates was a black cloth shako, gracefid in foi-m and surmounted l)y an oi'ange- coloied cloth ])en(lant : to have this pendant waving free and the I'ed and black plume fixed on the shako Avas tlie note of full dress. Each chasseur \\o]-e liis hair extended to a four-inch (jueue, one inch at the end being bound in a l)lack woolen ribbon, Avhich depended an inch below the tip of the (jueue. I>own along the cheeks hung two thick plaits of hail-, -weighted l:)y small pieces of lead to hold them in place. Both tin; hair and the plaits were thickly ponnided aiul powdered white. The green-colored pelisse had reddish-yellow facings, and was trimmed Avith white woolen cord ; it displayed fi\-e ro^\■s of convex Inittons. The trousers were in the Hungarian style and also had trimmings of white \vool. Hussar boots, ^vrinkled at the instep, a green and reddish-yellow sash eight inches Aviels of the same colors, completed the brilliant uniform. Each chasseur was fui'ther adorned with mousquetaire gloves and a sabre-tache that swung down t\vo feet at tlie left side, being suspended Ijy three straps to the sword-belt. The regiment ^vas superldy mounted. The first squadron rode black horses ; the second, bays ; tlie third, chestnuts ; the fourth, tlie trumpeters and the musicians, were distinguished li}' gray horses. Aly friend and I felt perfectk' enthusiastic, being esj^ecially carried aAvay by the music of the band, v hich we thought the finest we had ever heard. THE BAND OF THE qf the 20th chasseurs. FRANCE AND PRUSSIA, 1803-1807 23 "There is only one thing that wori'ics nie," T said to my friend, "it is to have my hair cut so close on the top of the "head." ''I feel about the same," he answered, " Itufc it A\dll grow fast enough on the back and sides, and then -well be able to spoi't a queue and two side-])hiits like the others." The fact is that it took upwai'ds of a j^ear to reach tliis particular o-oal of our and:)ition. Next morning wi^ were taken bv our s(pTad-cor])()ral to tin' reo-imiT-ntal store-rooms, Avhere the full uniform was delivered to us. (Jii our return into (|uartei's the corporal ■^ P*. '*^i ^3 ud whispered to Fouruerat that it was customary for every fresh recruit to "]i:i\' his footing" in" the squad. ]\[\' fi'iend and T each gax'e him a gold louis. The corporal thanked us effusively and fi'(.)in that time fol•^\"ard ^\"e^ A\'ere rir-ckoned among the good f(dlows of the company. The sei'geant-ma joi' of our company Avas a splendid looking fello\\-, not more than twentv or t\venty-two years old ; they said that he \vas born in the regiment, and he was certainly everv inch a soldier, severe, but just. lie afterward rose as high as the rank of brii;'adier-general. M. Lacour, which was his namp, showed me much kindness and I may say that I owed to him my I'apid advancenn-nt in the service. T had been about 1i\'e nnjnths in the company Avhen one Sunday the sergeant-major, while making the preliminary insj^ection, stopped right in front of me and after survey- ing me from head to foot, said : " Parcpnn, you have a fine make-up, l>nt there's not much of the soldier about you. Your accoutrements are clean and you handle your arms ]>erfectly, l:)ut — have a tiercel- eye, man ! Stare me down ! Teriafy me, if you can ! You are a fully-arnn'd man." I obeyed him on the moment in such an expl•essi^'e style that he never deemed it necessary to repeat this lesson. 24 NAPOLEON'S VICTORIES The corporal in charge of my room at this 2^iue of honor" for his bravery. With only one companion he had succeeded in rescuing three hundred French prisoners, and cajituring their escort of two companies of Hungarian grenadiers. I often had Tisse nan-ate t(^ me this gallant achievement, which was graven on his carbine essentially as it is here told : 5-„* ^^t- >;"1i-^' 'W^- " At the battle of Hohenliuden," he used to say to me, " I was detained all morning in the rear, being engaged in getting my horse shod by Robin, the company's farrier. On our -way to ovei'take the regiment we l)ecame strayed in a foi-cst through which Ave were riding, for we had no better direction to go l:)y than the ]'attle and boom of the iirearms at the front. On reaching one of the large clearings that are so frequent in German forests, and Avhich supply the needed pasture for the game they shelter, we discovered, without betraying our own presence, al)out three hundred disarmed French infautiy-men l)eing marched away as prisunei'S by the Kaiserlichs. '' An ius|iirati(in suddenly came to us. Setting our horses at full gallop we rushed on the escort party, tiring off our pistols pell-mell and shouting noisily: Forward ! — This way ! This Avay ■N- o prisoners "The movement being a complete surprise, the enemy imagined they had fallen into an ambuscade, and were therefore utterly bewildered. Without giving them anv time to reflect, the prisoners made a dash for their arms, recovered every gun, and in an instant the attitude (jf the two pai'ties Avas reversed — under the leadership of Tisse and Robin the French infantry were marching the Flungarians as captives to headquarters. From FRANCE AND PRUSSIA, 1S03-1807 25 in Diir I'eg'imeiit bv tlie sohi-iquet of " Kobin of flint day onwai'd tlie fai-rier was kno\vii 11 th(^ Woods;^ There were several other •\\'ea]ionR of honor given to mend)ers of tliis corps for special feats of l^raver}'. Cajitain Ijavigne had been awarded one for having, during Moreau's i-etreat on tlie Rhine, coniinaiided the entire regiment for a day, during which time he succeeded in saving it from the mt)st imminent pei'il by tlie dextei-ity of liis tactics a.nd his ferocious assaults on the eneniw As for Captain Kirma-iin, who commanded the third comjjany of the regiment, and who also wore a s-word of honor, his gallantry can be described no better than by inserting the pithy stateiiKMit made in writing by Colonel Lacoste, in soliciting this dis- tinction for him from the commander-in-chief. Hei'e is how it Avas worded : "The brave Captain Ivirmann has so thoroughly worn out his salire in actual fight with the enemy that it seems to be the duty of (Tovernment to iiro\ide him with - — - ™- „-.„ ,_ — ^._____^ . a new one." ' " Granted,''' was the suniniary reply of the First Consul. It is proper to mention here that the tvearing of a swoi'd of honor also meant (lonhle ]iay to its possessoi'. Among the bravest chasseurs in the regiment was reckoned a corporal of the Elite compaii}', who, when he was only a trumpeter, and l)arely at the age of fifteen, made captive with his own hand a gigantic Latour dragoon. When this trumpeter -was out one day with the skirmishers of the regiment he rushed unawares on the dra- goon in question, and shoving a pistol at his bi'east called out. "Pi'isoner, or death ! '' The dragoon yielded to the threat, handed lip his sword and was led away ]U'isoner. When the pair reached the squad which was stationed as resei've for the sharpshootei'S, some of its memliers began chaffing the great big prisoner — such a Hercules as he was — to let himself he disarmed and capt- ured by a mere boy! The Austrian gruffly retorted: "He did n't capture me; I have deserted." "What, Henri — so he is not 3'our prisoner after all!" was now the cry of the mischievous cavalrymen. The sole response of Henri was to say to the dragoon : " Oh, 26 NAPOLEON'S VICTORIES indeed ! vou'i'e not iiiv prisoner, eli ' Very \\-ell, tlien ; mount your liorse au-ain, here are yoiir arms; just stand off there a minute and Tdl take you a second time, as once does not seem to he enonodi for you." On liearing this proposition the comrades of the brave boy refused to allow anotlier tiy-ht and tln^ discoiuHted Austrian I'emained pris- oner for good. I o'ot to 1>e vei'v friendly with Corporal Henri. Tie A\'as jirst my own age and gave me plenty of goodi advice. His death took place at the liattle of Raal), in 1809, and was o-reatlv mourned in the regiment. Among the dare-devils of the corps they always mentioned Corpoi'al P(^pineau, \vho had been awarded a cai'bine of honor at L , in the time of Morean's famous retreat. Here are the facts : Colonel ^Sch^vartz, of Prince Charlies' arin\-, was iu couiiiiand of a I'l^giment of six Iiundred hussars, a corjjs that had the I'epntatiou of being oue of the ver}' best in the ^Vustrian service, for it had the i)i-ivileo-e of recj-uitino- itself by picking the choice- est cavalr\'men of the ^vhcde aianv. Its c'olonel Avas also allo^ved full freedom in action. He constantly worried . the reai'-gnai'd of the French army, cai-rying oif convoys, cutting into the lines, fi'ee- ing prisonei's, attacking on ^#..! his own account whenever j he found a favorable chance, and mo]-e often at night than Ui the daytime ; in a word, he A\'as a desperate chief of guerillas. Already he liad several encounters Avith our regiment, and his hussars had suffered much from tln' liravery of Captain Kirmaun. One day the colonel thought he anmuLI like to meet the captain face to face ; so he managed to come up to us, protected by a flag of tnrce, and challenged Captain Kirmanu to a duel with swords. He AAas told that the captain had l>eeu wounded the day before in the arm, and was just then at the ambulance. Failing to accomplish Iris purpose Colonel Schwartz had already turned his horse's head back to his regiment, when Corporal Popineau of the Kirmann company started aftei' him on a gallop, and cried out : " Mv captain Avas wounded yesterday lyy a sliot that has disabled him for the present; FRANCE AND PRUSSIA, 1803-1S07 27 I ;un sure lie will ]'egi'(-t cl('e[)ly to miss tin- conrtes\' \-(m offer him ; Imt if liis corpoi-al will do ill liis stead 1 am ready to meet you on the s])ot/' " Yoiu' andaeit}^ just suits me," cried ('olonel Schwai-tz, drawing his sword. Hai'dly liad the words been uttered wdieii the tweace witli all Europe, though it w^as easy to foi'etell that England would not be long in breaking through the ccuiditions of the treaty of Annens. Accordingly the First Consul made an extended trip along the coast, and finally chose the spot, in a plain near Boulogne, where he would undei-take one year later to oi'gimize a force foi' the invasion of Great Bi'itain. On the 1st of June, ISOo, my regiment suddenly I'eceived orders to take the saddle, and to exttuid in small parties for escoi't duty all along the I'oute from Aunens to SaintA'alery and some distance 1)eyond. The First ( "onsul stopped for the nio-ht at the residence of the Mavoi- of Al)l)eville, and I was detailed as one of the dismounted squad that was to guai'd the person of (lenei'al Bonajiarte. I can still remember with what ]iride and delight I stood sentinel outside the room lie occupied, and how i-xultant I was wlien the First Consul, on entering the a[)artment, saluted me with his hand to his forehead as I In-ought mv arms to the "present." How far I was at that time from (h-eaining tliat ten years later I should hold the I'ank of C-aptain in the Emperor's jiersonal (luard ! I believe that nevei' in all niv life was there a hap[)ier or prouder monuuit than when I stood sentry at the door of the man who had already fascinated the gaze of Europe. C^n the 1st of July, 1S03, we left Abbeville for Caen, where we were to replace the loth regiment of di'agoons. This corps Iiad of late become obnoxious to the young- men of the city, wdio were generally of a daring and riotous character and gi'eatly addicted to \vai'like exeix-ises. Indeed tlu^re -were ttver one hundi'ed fencing-masters in the ancient Xiu'man burg. The 4.")d regiment of infantry had likewise l)een in garrison hei'e, l)ut l>ecame involved in so man>- duels that the active (-nmity of the citizens com])elled its retirement. In this case the Minister of War transfei'red the Colonel of the regiment and caused a few of the offending burghei's to be severely punished. By an order of the First Consul the 43d reo-iment then went back to Caen with drums beating and C(.)lors ilying. A deputation fi'om the city Avelconied it outside the gates. Such Avas the condition of affairs wdien \ve arrived at Caen. Colonel Marigni, \\dio w-as veiy fond of young people, oi'ganized a fencing tournament and invited to it as his o'uests all the youth of the city as w-ell as the garrison fencing-masters. The enter- tainment took place in the hall of the Cafe Labassee, on the puldic promenade. iVn incident which w^as in itself of a disti'essing nature served to establish us in the good fj-races of the citizens. A sudden and dangerous conflagration bi'oke out in one of the Typogravurc el Iinprimrrie Hiuifsoil, Val;nli)n el C Cu|iyii;jlil \WA liy Ihe \Vfi-iici- Cunijiaiiy. ... T/ic ManieUicks^ when the marching-past began, rushed forward at full gallop without keeping in line... FRANCE AND PRUSSIA, 1803-1807 3i promotion would be announced on the following day's parade, Sunday. He further told me that in my new^ rank I was to form part of a detachment \vhich was about to leave for the service squadrons on duty at the ocean shore. My company was stationed at Lannion, a very small garrison town but pleasant to live in ; Ave left it on the '1st of December for Guingamp, and thence, on the 1st of January, 1S05, proceeded to the regimental headquarters at Saiut-Brieuc. A¥e next went to Napoleonville, which we left on the 5th of Api'il for Versailles, arriving there on May-Day. We remained at Versailles for five months, when we were ordered, October 5th, ISOo, to leave for Paris. There we were given quarters at the Bellechasse barrack in the Saint- Germain distiict. On the following Sunday our regiment was in the saddle for a review by Prince Louis, tlie Era[)er()r''s brother. The entire Paiis garrison consisted at the time of but one infantry corps, with green uniforms, called the Guard of Paris, and another regiment attired in red, also termed the Guard of Paris, Imt whose members the young street arabs usually styled the " crayfishes." Something entirely new to us was here, the Mameluke Guards. I little thought that at a later period I should have them under m_y command, as well as a company of the Young Guard, etth.h Mile. Van V was a hlonde with splendid complexion ; she also had a shapely llgure, and in langhing displayed two full ro\vs of even, pearl-^vhite teeth. She was thirty years old! — hut isn't that the very age when the sex has its greatest influence over a callow- youth of twenty ? It is scarcely matter for surprise that I was deeply enamoi'ed of thrs charming lady. A disa^-recahle incident took place at that time in the regiment. Colonel Marigni had l)een complained of hy a majority of the officers, and pending an in- vestigation was placeentries from the (;."')th ]'egimeut, com- manded hv his friend Colonel Coutai'd, it A\as easy for him to so ari'ange nnitters that one night he slip[)ed out of the room, an he had formerlv heen. Coloncd IMariirni was a tine looking man of ahout thirt}" to thirty-flve years of age ; he had a splendid appearance in his uniform and though rather feeble in tactics \\"as a kind and c(jnsiderate officer. He also had the re[)utation of heing a brave one, l)ut the opinion prevailed tliat he ^\■as more fitted for general staff duty than for the active command of a regiment. He was an expert pistol shot, was fond of high play, and whenever fortune smiled upon him was .sure to treat the regiment generou.sly ; sometimes he "would even dis- tribute, at his own ex2)euse, new gloves or plumes to eveiy member of it. Occasionally he would suspend all punishments, too, and was thei'efore a supreme favorite with non-commissioned officers and men, tliough the regimental officers were l/itterly ai'i-ayed against him and their charges set FRANCE AND PRUSSIA, 1803-1807 33 fortli that lie liad trafficked iu furloughs. Major Castex was in uo way implicated in this scandal and held the command of the regiment during the colonel's aljsence. He gave me a new evidence of his approval of my conduct by appointing me, on the 1st of Feljruary, 1806, to be non-com- missioned quartermaster of the Elite company. It may l;)e imagined ho\v delighted I ^vas to receive such a promotion ere I had yet reached my t^ventieth l>irthday. About the 10th of August we leftfc^r The Hague, the residence of the new King of Holland, Prince Louis Napoleon, Ijrother of the Emperor and the same who had reviewed us eight months before in Paris. When we arrived at The Hague the summer was at its height, and quarters were assigned to us iu a beautiful park close to the royal palace. The non- . '^'- I*rf!.-«i*^^R*^-*^y{^i,»^ commissioned officers and privates were domiciled iu tents, while the officers not on duty took up their residence in the city itself. On the loth of August, the birthday of the Emperor, we were reviewed by Kino- Louis. Suddenly, as by one impulse, the left and right of the regiment started forward at the same time, without orders, and formed in a semicircle before the King. Six- hundred voices shouted in unison: " Long live the Emperor ! Long live King Louis ! Long live Colonel Marigni ! We want our colonel back ! We want him returned to us ! " " He shall be returned to you, my friends," answered the King. Then the regiment fell back to its projjer place in the column and we rode past at full gallop. 34 NAPOLEON'S VICTORIES On tlie same day our bivouac was honored Ijy a visit from Queen Hortense. Her ^rajesty was seated in a IjaroueLe dra^vn by six horses, and had with her two ladies-iu- waitino'. One of tliese held in her hip a child of aliout three years : it was the little Prince who was carried off by croup shortly afterward, to the great grief of the -whole family and especially of the Emperor. The other lady appeared to be much younger than the Queen, who seemed very fond of her and often spoke to her with the kindest familiarity. I was told later that she was an old classmate of the Queen, when Her Majesty was under the tuition of Madame Camjjan. Her name was Mile. Cochelet, and at that time she was reader to Queen Hortense. Captain Lavigne, who -was on duty, was notified at once. He called the regi- ment to arms and placed the band in the centre of the line, where tlie Queen's carriage was expected and in fact did stop. Our musicians were first-class and they at once struck up the melody so much in vogue at that time : ' ' It was Dunois the young and brave Was bound for Palestine — " Everybody kno^vs that the music of this song, " Partant pour la Syrie," was composed by Queen Hortense herself, and on this occasion she appeared greatly touched by the delicate c(.)mpliment of playing it for her. She re(|uested as a personal favor that all punishments should he cancelled. Captain Lavio'iie answered that this had been done already out of respect to the Emperor's liirthday. " I hope you will at least appreciate my kind intention ? " said ELer Majesty to the Captain commandant. Before the carriage moved away the young lady whelching of cannon and musketry, ^vhile a prodigious num- ber of hares, for which Saxony is famous, were scampering hither and thither across the vacant space, their terror l)eing hailed with a laugh l)y the waiting cavaliymen. An occasional caunond)all plunged as fai' as our ranks, liut this 'was such a trifie as to command no attention. Sudderdy an aide-de-cam}i from (leneral Durosnel galloped wp to our colonel and spoke a few -words to him. In a moment our commander turned to a private who was in attend- ance on Inm and ordered : "Dismount, chasseur; my saddle appears to lie sliiipiug ; tighten up the ^■irth a bit; we are o-oinu" to charo'c.'' ELITE COMPANY REACHES THE PLATEAU. FRANCE AND PRUSSIA, 1803-1807 49 The chasseur sprang to the ground and shoving an arm through ]iis horse's l)rid]e took hokl between his teetli of the Colonel's saddle girth, the officer moving forward liis left leg to facilitate the tightening. At that very moment our poor colonel ^vas struck by a cannon- ball which took off his head. The colonel's horse, no longer feeling the guidance or contr(.)l of a Jiand, started a'way in terror and escaped in the direction of the enemy. The chasseur made haste to remount his horse, while I galloped back to my place in the Elite company, but not before reporting to Major- Commandant Watrin the fatal mis- hap that had deprived us of our colonel. ! " I saw him fall," was the commandant's ' - ' reply to me. ■ ' ' Ten minutes passed away before the regiment received any orders. This Avas a a grave misfortune, in the first place for ourselves, who had to endure thus long the enemy's cannonade, and also for the 7th regiment of chasseurs, Avhich had pierced the Prussian army through the first aud second lines, but then finding itself Avith- out support from the 20th chasseurs, had to foreojo all the benefit of one of the most Ijrilliant charges that took place during the day. When General Durosnel at length gave an order it was for our regiment to fall back out of range of the enemy's fire, the movement being promptly made at the trot in column of fours. I had the grief to see Captain Lavigne struck dead before my eyes — the same officer who had quieted my impatience in the niorn- ino' by saying : " Parquin, there will be game enough for us all." I felt sincere regret at his loss. Durino- the entire day our brigade was moved hitlier and thither under the Prussian fire, which inflicted much damage on us, but the -iOth chasseui's never dealt a saljre-stroke and the 7th only made one charge which proved barren of result. Tn our army corps at least it was the infantry aud artillery that bore off the lion(_)rs of the day. I can still behold the 16th and the 7th light infantry, the 14th and 27th of the line, crashing into the enemy's columns in spite of the deadly hail of musketry and grape-shot ; the fifes that rano- shi-ill from their bands did not fail in a single note, the gaps that were plowed in their ranks were filled as the balls swept through, and wherever those heroes 5° NAPOLEON'S VICTORIES advanced with tht-ir havonets " iixed *" thv Prussian artilleiy and infantry bad to sur- render at discretion. Dne eolunin of eaptui'ed Prussians, with its musicians at the front, was defiling just Vtefore our regiment wlien its l)and-master was recognized liy the chasseurs, notwithstanding tlnit lie toolc some [lains to avert his coimtenance. "It is Javot ! " they exclaimed. ^\.nd in truth it was the same Javot that had formerly lieen band-master to the 2Uth chasseurs. lie was a skilled musician, and in addition to some merit as a composer was a sjilendid player on the c(.)rnet. When Colonel Marigui left the regiment temporarily in Holland, Javot, to whom the Colonel was personalh' a source of income, ctmcluded to depart himstdf and turri his talents to account in Prussia. lie accordingly went to Berlin, where a Prussian colonel offered him such inducements that he took service in At m. ik ' ' ■, " &sit • V Is ' ' ^ %l^ mm Y« J '', ' *-L • ! / t jM '^ <■ '^' ''^ :m r , the regiment \vhich was here made captive in a body. On returning from his charge at the head t>f the 7th chasseurs, Major Castex took the chieftancy of the 20th, which its colonePs death had vacated, and innnediately had Javot turned over to his command. (Jur dead ^vere so numerous that it became easy to find a uniform to fit the band- nuister, and at the head of the 20th chasseurs Javot made his entry into Berlin just a ^veek after he Avas nnide prisoner, and only three weeks fr(_)m the day he left it at the head of the Prussian regiment. ()n the evening of the Ijattle we l)ivouacked in the suburbs of the city of 'Weimar, whei'e I spent a sad night, for I had made a visit to Lieutenant Lavigue, who was mourning the death cif his belo\ed lirothei'. Xext dav I had to go out mi a foray to procure some victuals from a neighl)oring village. When I returned at night I was greatly surprised to learn, li}' one of the Coriyrislit IS33 l.y tlic Wcrnrr Company. . . . Oar brigade ivliicli. rode behind the 3rd Army-Corps entered Berlin at two o'clock in the afternoon. . . FRANCE AND PRUSSIA, 1803-1807 55 Emperor's l)ulletiiis which reached our hivouac quite hite, tliat on the previous day we had won a mighty l)att]e : tifty thousand Prussians had l)een killed or taken prisoners three hundred cannon and sixty standards \vere captured. I nuist acknowledge that I, had no idea the victory was so great. Oar regiment had indeed lost a number of men fi'oni the enemy's fire, but it had made no charge, nor even dealt a sabi'e-stroke, nor had we captured a single prisoner of the immense host. "The other regiments must have done better work than we did," I could not help complaining to Henri on the subject. " Don't Avorry," he replied, " our turn will come some day." The Avhole army Avas not collected around Jena ; the cavalry of the (jruard had not yet arrived, wdiile the 1st hussars were on duty near the person of the Emperor. It Avas only on the evening of tlie same day that Prince Murat reached headquarters with the " white waistcoats," as the army used to call the cuii'assiei's ; his brave troops liad c()ntril)uted very much t(_) the success of the l)attle by relentlessly pursuing the enemy who were already in full retreat -when liis division reached the fighting ground. We reuuiined three days in l:)ivouac to recuperate and t(.) brush up our accoutrements ; all needed it badly. During these three f our ai'my was ([uartered in the capital itself. In the villao-e which \ve occupied the country-folk had deserted their homes ; we found in them plenty of forage for our horses, the harvest season being just over, but of provisions such as meat, l)read, beer and cognac, our needs were to l>e met l)y the municipality of Berlin. Kext day after oiu- arrival the trumpets sounded the (Quartermasters' call ; it was to go to Berlin and draw four days' rations of food, of -which Ave -were short. Having iirocured a number of wagons we set out for the city, the (Quartermasters and fatigue beino- all under command of Adjutant Mozer. When our regiment had marched 56 NAPOLEON'S VICTORIES tlii-oiigh the cit}' it was silent and sad-lookiug ; tliis very uext day its aspect was quite the reverse — positively it might he likened to a junior Paris. Tlie citizens were moving gaily to and fro at)out tlieir l)usiness, and Adjutant Mozer concluded lie would take a stroll to himself for pastime. Accordingly he came up to me, just as we \vere entering the city, and said : "Quartermaster of the Elite company, this issue of rations will last for three hours, and it is now only noon. You will command the detachment on to the storehouse ; there }'ou may have the men and horses refreshed and \vhen your turn comes round you will draw the supplies. Here are the warrants for them and the detail of what is to be distributed to each company and the regunental staff. Tn short, you will take my place in all particulars ; T am going ti-li()()d i " "No," I answered liim, "hut I am here in liis steaiL" "So you havf the warrants, have you f '' "Yes, of coui'se I ]ia\e tlieni." " Now tliat they are of no use ti> you, since \ivouacked outside the town. A canal alongside the Oder, which river Hanked our bivouac on the left, contained a throng of boats heavily laden with merchandise that had evidently come from IJerlin, the capital being (jnly fourteen miles distant from Neustadt. The morniuf'' after T joined the company I met my friend Henri, and showing him my belt told him tliat he could nmke fi'ee with its contents. "Mam- thanks," answered Henri, "l)ut the Prussians have already supplied me with all I need." " Is that so ( " 6o NAPOLEON'S VICTORIES "Yes, just fivl my l)flt/" ^liiif was nuthiiiu' compared with liis. I asked liim at once, with much astonishment, what eouhl have lieen the source of his luclv. Henri insisted on my storv first, and when I had told it, he said to me : "You are a downi'ight simph'ton, else you would have twice the amount you have. AVhat need had you to give the Adjutant those fiftv fredei'ics i You had merely to say to him, ' I tore up the warrants.' He wouldn't have o-one liack to Berlin to find out the truth. Xow here is my story ; T also got m\' money out of a Jew ; Init I \' the Jew's en- treaties, and permitted the fii'st l)oat, ^vhich he owned, to go its way unhindered, while lie slipped into my hand two hundred frederics. As it all liappeneineau. He was left-handed, and with an adversary of that kind it is always piaident to take the inside track. We had not heen facing each other more than a couple of minutes hefore I made an outside feint, and rapidly sweeping my sword inward ttniclied him in the left hreast. The trumpeter fell, and for a few moments we were in a tei-rihle fright h'st his wound should he mortal. IIa]ipilv, it did not prove to lie (piite so Ixid. ^Vhen \ve told him to cough he was ahle to do so without feeling any pain ; although it caused the hlood to flow more ahundantlv. The regimental surge<^n, whom sonieljody had (juickly called, came over tt") the inn and attended to hoth the -wounded men. Of course the trumpeter of the sth could not march next nioiiung ^vith his flag, hut had to i-emaiu with us. AVe took excellent care of him and when our regiment resumed its forward ^vay he accompanied us as far I had paid close attention to the FRANCE AND PRUSSIA, 1803-1807 63 as Wai'saw, where he arrived on the 10th of December, and from thence set out to rejoin his own command. I met iiim several years later when both he and I were in the chasseurs of the Imperial Guard. On the ()th of Deceml^er we crossed the Vistida near Warsaw, but did not meet the enemy — I mean the Russians — until we reached the ford called the Boug, where our Mamelukes, on the 24th of December, had a brisk encounter with them. The costumes of these horsemen occasioned much surprise, not unmixed with tei'ror, to the Russian troops, who imagined them to be Turks. The Mamelukes in their lu'illiant charge carried off twelve cannon, which had l)een set up in battery and were causing great em- barrassment during the deploy of our columns. After our passage of the river — an operation which took much time and occasioned us many losses — the enemy gave way and we occupied the Polish villages, \vhere we were received like brothers by the people, miserably poor thdugh they were. In Poland, as in Russia, there is in each village a house of some pretensions which is called " the chateau," being the residence of the local proprietor of the soil. Al_)(jut that time our horses were getting a sufficiency of fodder, and we wei'e furnished with l)read — though very black of color — cow-beef and some beer. Cognac Avas i|uite scarce and we had to l)ay it with the Prussians' money. We camped there for five weeks, deriving great l)enetit from the rest, while our horses like- wise tlir(jve wonderfully. The season was the depth of winter. On the 1st of February, 1S07, we left our cantonments, and the Empei'or, who had remained at Warsaw with his Guard and the army corps of Marshal Davoust, again crossed the Vistula and pushed forward with his entire army. On the (Jth, in the morning, I was on(! of the volunteer skirmishers sent out V)y Colonel C^astex in ad\'ance of our regiment, when I came very near being the victim of my own l)ravado and eagerness to get ac(piainte(l Avitli the Cossacks, then seen by me for the first time. I galloped out alone over the snow-covered plain, pistol in hand, toward a group of Cossacks, and on reaching about ten paces from them fii'ed ; I saw one of the Russians fall. So far all was well, but as the party dashed after me I turned I'ound too short and my liorse fell down in tlie snow. At this critical moment I shouhi have lieen either killed or captured were it not for my self-possession. I dragged myself (juickly from under the horse, which at once sprang to its feet again, and then passing my arm through the l)ridle took a pistol in each hand, ready primed, and aimed them both at the Cossack who Avas nearest to me. This had the effect of kee[)ing liini at a respectful distance long enough, fortunately, for an officer of the 3d hussars — a M. de Beaumetz, who was then seeking for his regiment — to come to my assistance. His intervention gave me time to mount my horse again. In a twinkling I was galloping off to safety, but Avas iliinus my plumed shako which had fallen in the snow. On reaching our line of skirmishers I cried out to the Cossacks to restore my yliako — Avhich they were waving exultantly from a lance-head — and offered to pay them for it. To this they signaled acceptance and I threw them a gold frederic. It was a 64 NAPOLEON'S VICTORIES costly liargain t(i me, liut after all it was my Berlin Jew who \vas paying for tlie fun. The outcome of this incident was a friendsliip which I contracted for the Count lie Beanmetz, whom I met later in one of mv garrisons in Spain and again in the Imperial (iuard. lie was the son of a meml)er of the old Constituent Assembly, and, on inheriting a large fortune (piitted the army in 1Sl>;-), l.)eiug then Lieutenant-Colonel of a regiment of hussars, every member .iuJ, ValaJun el C' Copyright 1893 by tlie \\,'nier Cuui[)any. ... Colonel Castex aslu-d if I he carbines were loaded. Re- ceii-ing an affirmatit-e ansiver, lie ordered: ^' Carbines^ up!". FRANCE AND PRUSSIA, 1803-1807 67 by the Russians, inch l)y inch, and they had there lost a considerable nnniher of men. Indeed this campaign had l)ecome so desperate that our soldiers used to say: "It's not enough to kill a Russian ; you must push him Ijefore he ^vill fall." I rememher how during that evening, when shoveling away some snow to clear s})ace for a fire, made with the fragments of the l:)arn-dooi's, we had to remove like\vise a uumher of dead bodies ; and the same night when I flung myself down to sleep, one of those corpses covered with straw served me as a pillow ! I slept quite soundl)\ At dawn of the next day, Felwuaiy 8th, the brigade had just mounted and set off towards the city, the Genei'al being at its head, Avhen Marshal Soult sent an aide-de-camp to Genei'al Durosnel with orders not to leave his position but to di'aw up the corps for battle and await further instructions. A little later on Marshal Soult ordered our brigade to the front of the artillery park of the 4th corps. My own regiment was formey a l)attalion of the ^7tli infantry, massed in square, and as a rear line by the 7th regiment of chasseurs. During the Avhole morning we \vere under fire from the enemy's artillery, though their aim was so l)a(l that Init few of the l)alls reached xis. The hottest of the l)attle was at the right and in the centre. The weather was not too cold, ])ut there was a tedious heavy snow-fall wliich the north wind blew straight into our faces ^vith almost blinding effect. The pine forests that aT)ound in this country, and which loomed up darkly as a fi-ame to the battle-field, gave to it an additional aspect of dreariness. The leaden clouds, so low that they seemed to be upheld by the tree-tops, di'aj)ed in the scene as with a funeral pall — only serving the more to I'emind us how veiy far away \ve were, more than three hundretl leagues, fi'ora the sunny skies of our 1)eloved France. About two o'clock in the afternoon an immense force of cavalry moved forward against us, but only at a walk, as the snow and the marshy soil admitted of no quick(^i' ])a.ce. The troopers were filling the aii' Avitli hurrahs, to which some of our chasseurs responded by shouting " Au chat," which means "to the cat," since /turi't/J/ sounds to a Frenchman as if one said "to the rat." Tlie joke (piickly spread ah^ig the M'hole length of the regiment. Colonel C-astex now in([uired if our carbines were loaded. On receiving an affirmative answer he gave the order- "Carbines, ready!" — as in campaigning we had the practice of carryiui,^ those weapons at the hooks. lie next ordered the officei's to fall into place m the column and then did so himself. Meanwhile the huge mass of di'agoons was steadily approaching us, still at a walk. Colonel Castex reo-ai'ding them perfectly unmoved. Only when the Russians had approaclied -within six paces of us did his voice ring out sharply : " Fire ! " The command was cai'ried out by our regiment as steadily as if on parade. The effect of this one volley was terrific — almost the entire front rank of the Russian 68 NAPOLEONS VICTORIES ilrau'doiis was mowed dowii. But scaiTi'h- a siuw-lc moment ditl tli^ ciiemv waver, for almost immediately the .-(^'oiid line took the }ilaee of the f this aide- de-camp, and whom I well knew afterwards as a major in the chasseui's of the Guard, lias often nari'ated to me what he witnessed in Prince Berthier's headquarters during that 8th day of February at Eylau. I shall tell the stoiy in his own words : A rumor had reached the headcpiarters of the Prince of Neufchatel that the llussian army, which since the 1st of February, 1807, when hostilities were I'esumed, had con- stantly fied befoi'e us, was now changing its tactics and turning right around to offer us battle. Benio'sen, its u'eiieral-in-chief, had taken this eneriretic resolve with strans'e suddenness, after the perusal of a T»ag of (l(\spatches captured on tlie person of one of the Pi-ince of Neufchatel's aides-de-camp. This officer liad been sent over with orders for Marshal Bernadotte, but fell into Russian hands and by the documents he boi'e acquainted the enemy that our Emperor at the time did not liave his wdiole army within reacli. General Benigsen concluded that he might offer battle with some chance of suc- cess, since his own entire force was conceiiti'ated in tlie vicinity. From dawn of day the fire had continued along the whole line. Marshal Augereau had repeatedly done deeds of matchless valor Avitli his army corps, which from twenty thousand men -was reduced before niglit to tliree thousand, but managed withal to keep in its possession the splendid vantage-gi'ound it had won on the eve of the battle. Exactly at three o'clock it liecame evident that the enemy was striving to cut our line of liattle in two, and to that end a column of fifteen thousand Russian grenadiers had charged bayonets, and, -witliout firing a shot, were rushing toward the centre of our 70 NAPOLEON'S VICTORIES position, despite of a teri'ilile fire from tliirty pieces of tlie Guard artillery placed in lottery upon the plateau of Eylau. This column advanced steadily at an even pace. The Emperor, sui-rounded l>y his staff, said to Priuee of Xeufehatel, while he kept his glass eonstantly direeted to^vard the movini;- forest of l)avonets : ■■ What daring ! What exti'aordinarv daring ! " " Exti-aordinary. indeed," replied Prince Bei'thier, " liut Your ^Majesty does not perceive that this eharue In'ings the enemy's eolumn within a hundred paces of our l)ullets I " " Murat," cried the Emperor, '-take all the cavalry you have at hand [there were "1 ^ l^'^-^v al)out se\'enty s(pi;idrons. t^ventv of which l)elonged to the Impei'ial (hiard under 3Iarshal I)essieres, who charged at their head] and ci'ush out that t'olumn."" This order was executed on the moment and the brave phalanx of infanti'v was soon levelled to the earth like a wheat-field swe|)t lyv a hurricane. (feneral r)TIautpoul, who eonimanded the cuii'assiers, was killed, as was also General T)ahlmann, commander of the chasseurs of the (ruai'd. For a mounuit it was lielieved that General Le])ic, who led the mounted gi-enadiers of the (xuard, had heen either killed or ea]itured, for he did not reajipear at the head of his troops ^vhen the C(U'ps A\"as rallied. His ardoi' had carried him on^vard follo\\'ed 1)\- a little troop of his men as far as the third line of the Eussian infantry. One of the enemy's olficers, 'who spoke French perfectly, rushed forward with a squadron of cavalr\' and having almost hemmed in the general and his lirave u'renadiers, sh(_)uted : " J^uri'ender. general ! Your liraver\" has carried V(.>u too far; you are inside our lines 1" "Look at these faces," was the general's curt answer, "and see if thev mean 72 NAPOLEON'S VICTORIES tile o-r