HISTORY OF EUROPE. 



167 



tlie semblance of diffidence and mo- 

 deration, he redoubled bis vigilance, 

 and made his preparations to meet 

 such an event. 



On the morning of the "iSth the 

 Russians, who do not appear to 

 bave been parties to the propcsed 

 accommodation, attnckcd the ad- 

 vanced post=; of the French annj' at 

 Mishau, forced them to fall back, 

 and made some prisoners. The em- 

 peror Alexander, who bad lately 

 joined his army, advanced to that 

 place, followed by the main body of 

 his troops, who took up a position 

 in the rear of the town. 



Bonaparte, on hearing of the em- 

 peror of Russia's arrival, dispatciied 

 general Savary, one of his aids-de- 

 camp, avowedly to compliment that 

 sovercij^n. 



This olTicer rcmain-'^d a day or 

 two within the llussian lines, during 

 which time he had an opportunity 

 of observing the state and disposi- 

 tion of that army. On his return 

 to the French head quarters, he re- 

 ported that a great degree of confi- 

 dence and presumption prevailed 

 on the part of the Russian officers, 

 which he attributed to the influence 

 which several young men had over 

 the emperor Alexander. 



To encourage this delusion, and 

 to lull them into still greater secu- 

 rity, Bonaparte ordered his army 

 to retreat in the nii>,!it, and to take 

 a favourable situation three leagues 

 in the rear, which he manifested 

 much eagerness in fortifying, by 

 throwing up works and placing bat- 

 teries. In this position he proposed 

 an interview with the emperor of 

 Russia, who sent, on his part, his aid- 

 dc-ramp, prinre Dogorucki. 



Bonajjarte, to impress him, as it 

 were, with an idea that he was 

 unwilling to permit him to witness 



the apprehensions of the French 

 troops, went to meet him at the out- 

 posts. This circumstance, accom- 

 panied by the preceding retreat of 

 the Frencli arnty, induced him to be- 

 lieve what Bonaparte wished, 

 namely, that the French army was 

 under great alarm. Prince Dogo- 

 rucki, actuated by these sentiments, 

 had the boldness to insist upon the 

 whole of the demands with which 

 he was charged. He peremptorily- 

 required that Bonaparte should re- 

 nounce the possession of Belgium, 

 and likewise the crown of Italy. 

 Bonajiarte returned no definitive an- 

 swer, and left the Russians to indulge 

 the notion that he and his army 

 were intimidated. 



Our limits will not permit us ta 

 enter info so minute an account 

 as mi^lit he wished by military men 

 ot" the momentous and memorable 

 battle which en-ued in the vicinity 

 of Austerlit/.. We shall, however, 

 devote a considerable portion of our 

 columns to the relation of an event, 

 w Inch, on the first impression, seemed 

 to decide the fate of the continent 

 of Europe, and ultimately that of 

 the whole civilized world. It is a 

 natural question to ask what could 

 have induced the allies to risk a ge- 

 neral action, at a rjoment when it 

 should appear that they had ever}' 

 thing to gain by procrastination ? 

 In answer to this, we arc told that 

 the whole of the Russian reinforce- 

 ments had arrived, and that the al- 

 lied forces, from the loss of the ma- 

 gazines at IJrunn, and other places, 

 were extremely straitened for 

 provisions, owing partly to the neg- 

 lect of the Austrian commissariat, 

 and parti}' to the detention of the 

 horses of the country, in the rear of 

 the army by the Russians. Re- 

 laxation ill discipline and licen- 

 M 1 tiousncss 



