658 
History. Alexander, requesting bim to spare the town; but an 
ray immediate assault was ordered, and by eleven o'clock 
ix, the allies were in possession of it two hours after Bo- 
had made his escape. In it were taken the 
rear guard of the French, amounting to 30,000, and 
their sick and wounded, nearly 22,000, besides their 
magazines, artillery, and stores. 
The retreat of the French was marked by the most 
extreme confusion and disorder; and if we take into 
account, that it was made at a more favourable season 
of the year, and through a country better adapted to a 
retreating army, it cannot be deemed less disastrous 
or disgraceful than the retreat from Russia. The line 
of their retreat was on Frankfort: they were followed 
by the Prussian General D’York, while the combined 
Austrian and Bavarian army was posted at Hanau to 
intercept them. Here, on the 29th of October, a par- 
tial nt took place, in which the French were 
successful. On the 31st, Bonaparte fixed his head 
quarters at Frankfort; and on the 2d of November 
he arrived at Mentz, whence he proceeded shortly af- 
terwards to Paris. 
On the 14th of November, he replied to the address 
of the Senate in language of apparent frankness, ac- 
knowledging his disasters, but appealing to the French 
His decrees. nation for support under them. Two decrees were im- 
mediately passed, one imposing additional taxes, and 
the other ordering a levy of 300,000 conscripts, as the 
enemy had invaded the frontiers on the side of the Py- 
renees and the north, and as those of the Rhine and 
beyond the Alps were threatened. The natural effect 
Bonaparte 
arrives in 
Paris. 
Holland, of his reverses now began to appear: a revolution 
Hanover, broke out in Holland, which, being assisted by the Eng- 
&c, recover lish, terminated in separating that country from France. 
=. Hanover also was entered, and liberated by the Crown 
Prince of Sweden. Bremen and Embden were reco~ 
vered. ‘The Viceroy of Italy, unable to cope with the 
Austrians, abandoned Trieste and the Dalmatian coast ; 
and Dresden and Stettin, with their numerous: garri- 
sons, surrendered to the combined forces. 
Declaration . The allied sovereigns, who had assembled at Frank- 
ofthe Allies, fort, published a declaration on the Ist of December, 
laying open their views with regard to France. Against 
that country they did not make war, but ‘against the 
insatiable ambition of Bonaparte, to whom they had 
already offered fair and honourable terms of peace, but 
in vain. It was for the advantage of Europe, that 
France should be independent and great. This they 
did not wish to prevent; so far from it, if they succeed- 
ed in their plans, they would leave her so; but they 
were also determined that their states should, for the 
future, be also’ independent,—no longer liable to the 
tyranny and ambition of Bonaparte. The last twenty 
years had witnessed unparalleled calamities: heaped on 
Europe: They trusted they had now in their power to 
put an end to these calamities, and they were resolved 
to do so. This declaration, so moderate and liberal; 
displeased Bonaparte. There was nothing in it on 
which he could lay hold, as manifesting an intention to 
injure the honour or weaken the just power of France ; 
he therefore replied to it in general and ambiguous 
terms, in his speech before the islative Body on 
the 19th of December, maintaining, that the allies alone 
were to blame if peace had not been concluded, as he 
had adhered to their preliminary basis; adding, how- 
ever, that if peace were made, it must’ be on terms con- 
sistent with honour. ; 
In the month of December, the allies crossed the 
Rhine and invaded France. This operation was per- 
who invade 
France, 
FRANCE. 
formed with titde or no opposition at various points, — 
not a single French army appearing in the field to de- == 
fend the frontier,’ The fort of Huningen, in 4-18 
Alsace, was invested, and the allied troops spread over x 
that province and Franche Under: these cir- vy 
cumstance, Bonaparte issued a on the 26th of i 
December, announcing the mission of senators, or coun- 
cillors of state, into the military divisions, to act as 
commissioners extraordinary, armed with powers to 
provide and organize the means of defence; and thus, 
in fact, suspending all the magistracies, and other au- tries 
thorities in the country, and the immediate to rouse 
agency of military despotism to every part. ‘There frevcl 
were thirty commissioners inted, who were to be 
attended by as many law aftcats, These efforts, how- 
ever, were unavailing, and their result proved at once, 
that the French people were wearied out with calami- 
ty, and were disposed to regard the allies rather as 
friends than foes, and that the authority and power of 
Bonaparte were drawing to a close ; for he must have 
expected, either that the people would have .risen of 
their own ee called upon to defend their 
country, or that he possessed the means of ‘co: i 
their services on this occasion ; neither of Stach tok ‘ 
place to any considerable extent. 
We must now furn to the affairs of the peninsula, In Affairs of 
December 1612, the French main army, now under the the Peni 
command of Drouet, was in the nei ) od of Sa. Sa 
lamanca and Valladolid, occupying various on the 
line of the Tagus. | Joseph Dishesiencalan Matis) i 
and Soult had his head quarters at Toledo. all 
the central parts’ of Spain were in the power of the 
French. Lord Wellington was at Freynada, on the 7 
frontiers of Portugal, about the middle of Mareh ; 4 
ly all the French troops were withdrawn from La\Man- 
cha, and the army of the south was concentrated ‘be- 
tween Talavera, Madrid, and Toledo,—Joseph Bona- 
parte having quitted Madrid. These movements; and 
others connected with them, indicated that their plan 
was to retire from the central provinces, and take 
strong positions in the north and north-east. In the 
south-east of Spain, Suchet had been obliged to quit 
Valencia, in consequence of some successes gained by 
the Anglo-Sicilian army under Sir John Murray. In 
April, the main French army was'still occupied im mo- 
ving from the Tagus to the Douro ; but theirforce was 
much weakened, as, during February and March; near- 
ly 25,000 men had been:sent into France, to assist Bo- 
naparte in his German campaign, ius parece 
These movements and indications:of the French, de- 
termined the plan of Lord Wellington. On the 26th 
of May, he fixed his head quarters at Salamanea, Here 
a slight skirmish’ took a His army afterwards con- 
tinued to advance to Toro, the French persevering in 
their plan of Rey pe central provinces. -On the 
jth fo ar Lord Wellington crossed the Carrion, and . 
soon after ‘'reconnoitered a strong position which» the 
French oceupied at Burgos. ‘This, however, they did. 
not defend; but retired with their whole force in the 
night, marching towards the Ebro, on the road to Mi- 
randa. On the 14th and'15th Lord Wellir ‘cross- 
ed that river, and continued his march’ towards Vit~ 
toria. ia 
Joseph Bonaparte was now the nominal commander 
of the grand French army ;* but ‘the aetual command 
was vested in Marshal Jourdan. The army consisted of 
the whole of the armies of the south and the centre, of 
four divisions, and all the cayalry of the army of  Por- 
tugal, and-some troops of the army of the north. -On 
