630 
were. Napoleon's best friends: he shed 
tears for their Joss, These were men who 
would not have been wanting: in con- 
stancy, in the Emperor’s misfortunes; 
they would never haye been faithless: to 
the glory of France, The Duke: of 
Montebello was from Lectoure: when 
a chief of battalion, he distinguished 
himself in the’ campaigns of 1796 in 
Ttaly; asa general’ he acquired im- 
inortal glory in. Egypt, at Montebello, 
Marengo, Austerlitz, Jena, Pultusk, 
Friedland, ‘Tudella, Saragossa, Eck- 
muhl, and Essling, where he found a 
glorious death. _He was discrect, pru- 
dent, and daring; and before the enemy 
imperturbably cool. He had received 
Jittle education ; nature had done every 
thing for him; Napoleon, who had wit- 
nessed the progress of his undersianding, 
often expressed bis surprise at it. He 
was superior to any of the French genc- 
rals- on the field of battle, for manoeay- 
ring 25,000 infantry. He was still young, 
and) would have improved; be wonld 
probably have become skilful in high 
tacties, which he did mot yet under- 
stand. Sairt-Hilaire was a general at 
Castiglione. in 1796: he distinguished 
himself) by his. chivalrie character, ~was 
an agrecable companion, a good coni- 
rade, an,excellent brother, aud kind to 
all his family... He was covered with 
wounds, He had been attached to Na- 
poleon ever since the siege of Toulon. 
He was ealled, in allusion to Bayar, 
the kuight without fear and without re- 
proach, 
The history of the campaign of Russia 
will never be well known ; because the 
Russians either do not write at all, or 
write without the slightest rezard to 
truth; whilst the French are seized with 
a strange mania for dishonourine and 
decrying their'own glory. ‘The war of 
Russia became a necessary consequence 
of the Continental system, the moment 
the Emperor Alexander violated the 
conventions of 'Tilsit and Erfurth ; but 
a consideration of much greater impor- 
tance, determined Napoleon to com- 
mence it... It. was ‘considered that the 
French empire, which he had created 
by so many, victories, would infallibly 
be dismembered at his death, and the 
sceptre of Europe would pass into the 
hands of a czar, unless Napoleon drove 
back the Russians beyond the Boristhe- 
nes, and raised up the throne of Poland, 
the natural barrier of | the) empire. 
In 1812, Austria, Prussia, Germany, 
Switzerland, and Italy, nvarched under 
the French cagles; was it not natural 
1 
7 
Napoleon's History of France, 
that Napoleon should,think the moment 
Was arrived for) consolidating, the im- 
mense. edifice which he had. raised, ‘bat 
on the summit of which Russia.would 
Jean with the whole! weight of her power 
as long as she should be able tosend her 
numerous armies, at. pleasure, jon othe 
Oder? Alexander was young and.wigor- 
ous, like bis empire ; it was'to beopre- 
somed that he woull survive Napoteott. 
Such is the whole’ sceret of. that war. 
No personal feeling was ever concerned: 
in it, as pamphleteers baye ,pretended. 
The campaign of Russia'was the most 
glorious, the most diffieult,> and) most 
honourable to the Gauls, of all thatare 
mentioned in ancient and modern history, 
The Russians are very braye) troops; 
their whole army was in junction: atthe 
battle of the Moskowa, they had170,000 
men, inclading the Moskow © trooyis, 
Kutusow had taken up ‘a fine position, 
and occupied it judiciously. Alhadvané 
tages were on_ his side;, the superiority 
in infantry, cavalry, and artillery, am ey- 
cellent position, and a great number. of 
redoubts; but he was, vanqnished., In 
trepid heroes, Murat, Ney; Poniatowski! 
it is to you that the glory of, the victory, 
is due! What great, what, brilliant: ac+ 
tions might history collect from thes¢ 
events ! She might-tell how those daunt+ 
less cuirassiers forced the redonbts,, and 
sabred the cannoncérs at their guns; she 
might -relate the heroic, devotion, of 
Montbron and Caulincourt, who, met 
their death in the midst of. glory: she 
might say what our exposed: artillery- 
nien performed in the open fieid against 
more numerous batteries. covered by 
goo epaulments ; and how the intrepid’ 
infantry, at the most critical moment, 
instead of needing encouragement fronr 
their general, exclaimed: Be not alarm= 
ed; your soldiers have sworn to pan 
this day, and they will conquer! ill 
some few particles of so much glory 
reach posterity? or will falsehood, ca’ 
lumny, and crime, prevail? 
The space of four hundred) leagues 
between the Rhine and the Boristhenes 
was occupied by friends and allies; from 
the Rhine to the Elbe, by the Saxons; 
thence to the Niemen by, the Poles; 
thence to the Boristhenes by the Lithua~ 
nians, The army had four lines of for 
tresses; those of the Rhine, the Elbe, 
the Vistula, and the Niemen; on, the’ 
latter were Pilfaw, Wilna, Grodno; and’ 
Minsk ; as long as it had not passed the 
Borisihenes ‘at|Smolensko, it ;was,inia 
friendly country. From Smolenske to 
Moscow there were a handred lard 
o 
n bite 
