CHAP. LV.--Retrospect of the Causes leading to the Rupture with Russia--Originate in the Treaty of Tilsit--Russia's alleged Reasons of Complaint--Arguments of Napoleon's Counsellors against War with Russia--Fouché is against the War--Presents a Memorial to Napoleon upon the Subject--His answer--Napoleon's Views in favour of the War, as urged to his various Advisers, 86 CHAP. LVI.--Allies on whose assistance Buonaparte might count--Causes which alienated from him the Prince-Royal of Sweden--who signs a Treaty with Russia--Delicate situation of the King of Prussia, whose alliance the Emperor Alexander on that account declines--A Treaty with France dictated to Prussia--Relations between Austria and France--in order to preserve them Buonaparte is obliged to come under an Engagement not to Revolutionize Poland--His error of Policy in neglecting to cultivate the alliance of the Porte--Amount of Buonaparte's Army--Levies for the Protection of France in the Emperor's absence--Storming of Ciudad Rodrigo by Lord Wellington--Buonaparte makes Overtures of Peace to Lord Castlereagh--The Correspondence broken off--Ultimatum of Russia rejected--Napoleon sets out from Paris, 9th May, 1812--and meets the Sovereigns his allies at Dresden--A last attempt of Napoleon to negotiate with Alexander proves unsuccessful, 95 CHAP. LVII.--Napoleon's Plan of the Campaign against Russia--Understood and provided against by Barclay de Tolly, the Russian Generalissimo--Statement of the Grand French Army--Of the Grand Russian Army--Disaster on the River Wilia--Difficulties of the Campaign, on the part of the French--Their defective Commissariat and Hospital Department--Cause of Buonaparte's determination to advance--His forced Marches occasion actual Delay--Napoleon remains for some days at Wilna--Abbé de Pradt--His intrigues to excite the Poles--Neutralized by Napoleon's engagements with Austria--An attempt to excite Insurrection in Lithuania also fails, 113 CHAP. LVIII.--Proceedings of the Army under Prince Bagration--Napoleon's manœuvres against him--King Jerome of Westphalia is disgraced for alleged inactivity--Bagration is defeated by Davoust, but succeeds in gaining the interior of Russia, and re-establishing his communication with the Grand Army--which retreats to Drissa--Barclay and Bagration meet at Smolensk on the 20th July--The French Generals become anxious that Napoleon should close the campaign at Witepsk for the season--He persists in proceeding--Smolensk evacuated by De Tolly, after setting fire to the place--Reduced condition of the French, and growing strength of the Russian Armies--Peace effected between Russia, and England, Sweden, and Turkey--Napoleon resolves to advance upon Moscow, 127