2] 



ANNUAL REGISTER, 1800. 



certain Distance of Paris. — Command of the French Troops in and 

 near Paris, vested, bij the Council of Elders, in Bnonaparte. — Trans- 

 lation of the Legislative Bodies, and the Directory to St. Cloud. 



BY what special combination of 

 circumstances, and what pri- 

 vate considerations Buonaparte was 

 induced to quit Egypt, and return 

 to France, and particularly whe- 

 ther it was in consequence of a 

 secret correspondence, and concert 

 with that suhtle and restless projec- 

 tor of constitutions, abbe Sieyes, or 

 other politicians, is not yet known : 

 nor covild it be expected that it 

 should have yet been revealed. — 

 There is not, however, the least 

 reason for doubting the truth of his 

 general declaration to the army, at 

 Alexandria, on the twenty-third of 

 August, 1799, " That he had deter- 

 mined immediately to return to 

 France, in consequence of news 

 from Europe."* The substance of 

 the intelligence to which he alluded 

 is well enough understood. The 

 administration of the French repub- 

 lic was corrupt, weak, unpopular, 

 and odious, and her armies dis- 

 comfited in Germany and Italy, by 

 the Austrians and Russians. To 

 repair both these misfortunes, and 

 in repairing them to acquire addi- 

 tional power and glory, it may 

 reasonably be presumed, was the 

 leading principle in the conduct of 

 Buonaparte. In the execution of 

 this design there was an invincible 

 necessity of tlie most impenetrable 

 secrecy. Until the moment of his 



departure ho concealed it from the 

 army, and even from the persons 

 whom he chose to accompany him. 

 Themostdistinguished amtmgthcse 

 were general Berthier, chief of the 

 stall'; Lannes and Murat, generals 

 of division ; Marmont, the general 

 of brigade ; Andreossi, the general 

 of artillery ; the chief of brigade, 

 Bessicres, who commanded his 

 guides; the three philosophers, 

 Bertholet, Monge, and Arnaud ; a 

 great number of olHcers, several 

 Mamalukes, and his guides. 



Buonaparte, having communica- 

 ted his design to general Berthier, 

 and him only, gave orders to vice- 

 admiral Gantheaume, to arm and 

 get ready two frigates, together 

 with two sloops, the one of the 

 kind called an Aviso, the other a 

 Tartane. This being done, he ad- 

 dressed a scaled letter to all those 

 whom he intended to take with 

 him, with instructions not to Open 

 it till a certain day, at a given hour, 

 and at a certain point on the sea- 

 shoi-e. 



The day appointed was the 

 twenty-second of August. All 

 those who had received the letter 

 attended at the appointed place, 

 and opened the letter, in which 

 they found an order for their imme- 

 diate embarkation. They did not 

 lose a moment, but left their bag- 



• His lotter to the army, on so interesting an occasion, our readers may wish to 

 see at full length. As it is but sliort wo shall here insert it : " In consequence of 

 the news from Europe, I have (letei)ninc(l immediately to return to France. I 

 leave the command of tlie army to gener.al Klcber. Tliey shall Iiear from me 

 speedily. This is all I can say to them at present. It grieves mi; to the heart to 

 part from the hiave men to whom 1 am so tenderly attached. But it will be only 

 tor an instant ; and the general I leave at their head, is in full possession of the 

 conlidenice of the government, and of mine." 



