napoleon bonaparte, v11-第3章

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account　of　the　exhausted　condition　of　the　ammunition　chests。　　In　five
days　we　had　discharged　more　than　two　hundred　thousand　cannon…balls；　and
the　ammunition　being　consequently　exhausted　there　was　barely　enough　left
to　maintain　the　fire　for　two　hours　longer；　and　as　the　nearest　supplies
were　at　Madgeburg　and　Erfurt；　whence　it　would　be　impossible　to　obtain
help　in　time；　retreat　was　rendered　absolutely　necessary。

Orders　were　therefore　given　for　a　retreat；　which　began　next　day；　the
19th；　at　the　end　of　a　battle　in　which　three　hundred　thousand　men　had
engaged　in　mortal　combat；　in　a　confined　space　not　more　than　seven　or
eight　leagues　in　circumference。　　Before　leaving　Leipzig；　the　Emperor　gave
to。　　Prince　Poniatowski；　　who　had　just　earned　the　baton　of　a　marshal　of
France；　the　defense　of　one　of　the　faubourgs。　　〃You　will　defend　the
faubourg　on　the　south；〃　said　his　Majesty　to　him。　　〃Sire；〃　replied　the
prince；　〃I　have　very　few　men。〃〃You　will　defend　it　with　those　you　have。〃
〃Ah；　Sire；　we　will　remain；　we　are　all　ready　to　die　for　your　Majesty。〃
The　Emperor；　moved　by　these　words；　held　out　his　arms　to　the　prince；　who
threw　himself　into　them　with　tears　in　his　eyes。　　It　was　really　a　farewell
scene；　for　this　interview　of　the　prince　with　the　Emperor　was　their　last；
and　soon　the　nephew　of　the　last　king　of　Poland　found；　as　we　shall　soon
see；　a　death　equally　as　glorious　as　deplorable　under　the　waves　of　the
Elster。

　　　　　＇Prince　Joseph　Anthony　Poniatowski；　born　at　Warsaw；　1762。　　Nephew
　　　　　of　Stanislas　Augustus；　the　last　king　of　Poland。　　He　commanded　the
　　　　　Polish　army　against　Russia；　1792；　and　served　under　Kosciuszko；　1794。
　　　　　He　led　an　army　of　Poles　under　Napoleon；　1807　and　1809；　and　commanded
　　　　　a　corps　in　the　Russian　campaign。　　Had　Napoleon　succeeded　in　that
　　　　　campaign；　Poniatowski　would　have　been　made　king　of　Poland。　　Wounded；
　　　　　and　made　a　marshal　at　Liepzig；　he　was　drowned　on　the　retreat。＇

At　nine　o'clock　in　the　morning　the　Emperor　took　leave　of　the　royal　family
of　Saxony。　　The　interview　was　short；　but　distressing　and　most
affectionate　on　the　part　of　each。

The　king　manifested　the　most　profound　indignation　at　the　conduct　of　his
troops。　　〃I　could　never　have　imagined　it；〃　said　he；　〃I　thought　better　of
my　Saxons；　they　are　only　cowards；　〃　and　his　grief　was　so　intense　that　the
Emperor；　notwithstanding　the　immense　disadvantage　which　had　accrued　to
him　from　the　desertion　of　the　Saxons　during　the　battle；　sought　to　console
this　excellent　prince。

As　his　Majesty　urged　him　to　quit　Leipzig　in　order　that　he　might　not　be
exposed　to　the　dangers　attending　the　capitulation　which　had　now　become
absolutely　necessary；　this　venerable　prince　replied；　〃No；　you　have
already　done　enough；　and　it　is　carrying　generosity　too　far　to　risk　your
person　by　remaining　a　few　minutes　longer　in　order　to　console　us。〃　　Whilst
the　King　of　Saxony　was　expressing　himself　thus；　the　sound　of　heavy　firing
of　musketry　was　heard；　and　the　queen　and　Princess　Augusta　joined　their
entreaties　to　those　of　the　monarch；　in　their　excessive　fright　already
seeing　the　Emperor　taken　and　slain　by　the　Prussians。　　Some　officers
entered；　and　announced　that　the　Prince　Royal　of　Sweden　had　already　forced
the　entrance　of　one　of　the　faubourgs；　that　General　Beningsen；　General
Blucher；　and　the　Prince　von　Swarzenberg　were　entering　the　city　on　every
side；　and　that　our　troops　were　reduced　to　the　necessity　of　defending
themselves　from　house　to　house；　and　the　Emperor　was　himself　exposed　to
imminent　peril。　　As　there　was　not　a　moment　to　lose；　he　consented　at。
last　to　withdraw；　and　the　King　of　Saxony　escorted　him　as　far　as　the　foot
of　the　palace　staircase；　where　they　embraced　each　other　for　the　last
time。




CHAPTER　XVI。

It　was　exceedingly　difficult　to　find　an　exit　from　Leipzig；　as　this　town
was　surrounded　on　every　side　by　the　enemy。　　It　had　been　proposed　to　the
Emperor　to　burn　the　faubourgs　which　the　heads　of　the　columns　of　the
allied　armies　had　reached；　in　order　to　make　his　retreat　more　sure；　but　he
indignantly　rejected　this　proposal；　being　unwilling　to　leave　as　a　last
adieu　to　the　King　of　Saxony　his　cities　abandoned　to　the　flames。　　After
releasing　him　from　his　oath　of　fidelity；　and　exhorting　him　to　now
consider　only　his　own　interests；　the　Emperor　left　him；　and　directed　his
course　to　the　gate　of　Ramstadt；　but　he　found　it　so　encumbered　that　it　was
an　impossibility　to　clear　a　passage；　and　he　was　compelled　to　retrace　his
steps；　again　cross　the　city；　and　leave　it　through　the　northern　gate；　thus
regaining　the　only　point　from　which　he　could；　as　he　intended；　march　on
Erfurt；　that　is；　from　the　boulevards　on　the　west。　　The　enemy　were　not　yet
completely　masters　of　the　town；　and　it　was　the　general　opinion　that　it
could　have　been　defended　much　longer　if　the　Emperor　had　not　feared　to
expose　it　to　the　horrors　of　a　siege。　　The　Duke　of　Ragusa　continued　to
offer　strong　resistance　in　the　faubourg　of　Halle　to　the　repeated　attacks
of　General　Blucher；　while　Marshal　Ney　calmly　saw　the　combined　forces　of
General　Woronzow；　　the　Prussian　corps　under　the　orders　of　General　Billow；
and　the　Swedish　army；　break　themselves　to　pieces　against　his　impregnable
defenses。

So　much　valor　was　nevertheless　at　last　compelled　to　yield　to　numbers；　and
above　all　to　treachery；　for　at　the　height　of　the　combat　before　the　gates
of　Leipzig；　a　battalion　from　Baden；　which　until　then　had　fought　valiantly
in　the　French　ranks；　suddenly　abandoned　the　gate　Saint…Peter；　which　it
was　commissioned　to　defend；　and　at　the　entrance　to　the　city　gave　itself
up　to　the　enemy。　　Thereupon；　according　to　what　I　have　heard　related　by
several　officers　who　were　in　this　terrible　tumult；　the　streets　of　Leipzig
presented　a　most　horrible　sight；　and　our　soldiers；　now　compelled　to
retire；　could　do　so　only　by　disputing　every　step　of　the　ground。　　An
irreparable　misfortune　soon　filled　the　Emperor's　soul　with　despair。

I　shall　now　relate　the　events　which　signalized　this　deplorable　day　just
as　my　memory　recalls　them。　　I　do　not　know　to　what　cause　to　attribute　it；
but　none　of　the　many　stirring　events　which　I　witnessed　present　themselves
more　distinctly　before　my　mind　than　a　scene　which　took　place　under　the
walls　of　Leipzig。　　Having　triumphed　over　incredible　obstacles；　we　at　last
succeeded　in　crossing　the　Elster　on　the　bridge　at　the　mill　of　Lindenau。
I　can　still　see　the　Emperor　as　he　stationed　officers　along　the　road
charged　to　indicate　to　stragglers　where　they　might　rejoin　their
respective　commands。　　On　this　day；　after　the　immense　loss　sustained　owing
to　a　disparity　of　numbers；　he　showed　the　same　solicitude　concerning
everything　as　after　a　decisive　triumph。　　But　he　was　so　overcome　by
fatigue　that　a　few　moments　of　sleep　became　absolutely　necessary；　and　he
slept　profoundly　under　the　noise　of　the　cannon　which　thundered　around　him
on　all　sides。　　Suddenly　a　terrible　explosion　occurred；　and　a　few　moments
after　the　King　of　Naples　entered　his　Majesty's　barrack　accompanied　by
Marshal　Augereau。　　They　brought　sad　news…the　great　bridge　over　the　Elster
had　just　been　blown　up。　　This　was　the　last　point　of　communication　with
the　rear　guard；　which　consisted　of　twenty　thousand　men　now　left　on　the
other　side　of　the　river　under　the　command　of　Marshal　Macdonald。　　〃This；
then；　is　how　my　orders　are　executed！〃　exclaimed　the　Emperor；　clasping　his
head　between　his　hands。　　He　remained　a　moment　buried　in　thought　and
absorbed　in　his　own　reflections。

The　fact　was；　his　Majesty　had　given　orders　to　undermine　all　the　bridges
over　the　Elster　and　have　them　blown　up；　but　not　until　after　the　French
army　had　crossed　the　river　in　safety。　　I　have　since　heard　this　event
discussed　from　many　points　of　view；　and　have　read　many　contradictory
accounts。　　It　is　not　my　province　to　shed　light　on　a　point　of　history
which　forms　such　a　subject　of　controversy；　and　I　have　consequently
limited　myself　to　relating　as　I　have　done　only　what　came　within　my　own
knowledge。　　Nevertheless；　I　may　be　permitted　to　make　to　my　readers　one
simple　observation　which　presents　itself　to　my　mind　whenever　I　read　or
hear　it　said　that　the　Emperor　himself　had　the　bridge　blown　up　in　order　to
shelter　himself　from　the　enemy's　pursuit。　　I　ask　pardon　for　such　an
expression；　but　this　supposition　appeared　to　me　an　absurdity　so
incredible　as　to　surpass　belief；　for　it　is　very　evident　that　if　under
these　disastrous　circumstances　he　could　think　only　of　his　own　personal
safety；　he　would　not　a　short　time　before　have　voluntarily　prolonged　his
stay　in　the　palace　of　the　King　of　Saxony；　where　he　was　exposed　to　much
more　imminent　danger　than　he　could　have　encountered　after　leaving
Leipzig。　　Moreover；　the　Emperor　was　far　from　enjoying　the　consternation
which　struck　him　when　he　learned　that　twenty　thousand　of　his　brave
soldiers　were　separated　from　him　perhaps　forever。

How　many　misfortunes　were　the　inevitable　results　of　the　destruction　of
the　last　bridge　on　the　road　from　Leipzig　to　Lindenau！　　And　how　many　deeds
of　heroism；　the　greater　part　of　which　will　remain　forever　unknown；　mark
this　disaster！　　Marshal　Macdonald；　seeing　himself　separated　from　the
army；　plunged　on　horseback　into　the　Elster；　and　was　fortunate　enough　to
reach　the　other　bank；　but　General　Dumortier；　attempting　to　follow　his
intrepid　chief；　disappeared　and　perished　in　the　waves　with　a　great　number
of　officers　and　soldiers；　for　all　had　sworn　not　to　surrender　themselves
to　the　enemy；　and　it　was　only　a　small　number　who　submitted　to　the　cruel
necessity　of　being　made　prisoners。　　The　death　of　Prince　Poniatowski
caused　intense　sorrow　in　the　heart　of　the　Emperor；　and　it　may　be　said
that　every　one　at　headquarters　was　deeply　distressed　at　the　loss　of　our
Polish　hero；　and　all　were　eager　to　learn　the　particulars　of　so　grievous
and　irreparable　a　misfortune。　　As　was　well　known；　his　Majesty　had　given
him　orders　to　cover　the　retreat　of　the　army；　and　all　felt　that　the
Emperor　could　not　have　bestowed　this　trust　more　worthily。　　It　is　related
that　seeing　himself　pressed　by　the　enemy　against　the　bank　of　the　river；
with　no　means　of　crossing；　he　was　heard　to　say　to　those　around　him；
〃Gentlemen；　here　we　must　die　with　honor！〃　　It　is　added　that　putting　into
practice　this　heroic　resolution　he　swam　across　the　waters　of　the　Pleisse
in　spite　of　the　wounds　he　had　received　in　the　stubborn　combat　he　had
sustained　since　morning。　　Then　finding　no　longer　any　refuge　from
inevitable　captivity；　except　in　the　waters　of　the　Elster；　the　brave
prince　had　thrown　himself　into　it　without　considering　the　impassable
steepness　of　the　opposite　bank；　and　in　a　few　moments　he　with　his　horse
was　ingulfed　beneath　the　waves。　　His　body　was　not　found　until　five　days
afterwards；　and　then　drawn　from　the　water　by　a　fisherman。　　Such　was　the
end；　both　deplorable　and　glorious；　of　one　of　the　most　brilliant　and
chivalrous　of　officers；　who　showed　himself　worthy　to　rank　among　the
foremost　French　generals。　　Meanwhile　the　lack　of　ammunition　compelled　the
Emperor　to　retire　promptly；　although　in　remarkably　good　order；　to　Erfurt；
a　town　well　furnished　with　both　provisions　and　forage；　as　well　as
material　for　arming　and　equipping　the　army；in　fact　with　all　the
materials　of　war。　　His　Majesty　arrived　on　the　23d；　having　engagements
each　day；　in　order