The History of Napoleon BuonaparteLockhart, J. G. (John Gibson)
History
The History of Napoleon Buonaparte
Lockhart, J. G. (John Gibson)
France -- Kings and rulers -- Biography; Napoleon I, Emperor of the French, 1769-1821
The Prussian King understood well, on learning the fall of Naumburg, the
imminent danger of his position; and his army was forthwith set in
motion, in two great masses; the former, where he was in person present,
advancing towards Naumburg; the latter attempting, in like manner, to
force their passage through the French line in the neighbourhood of
Jena. The King's march was arrested at Auerstadt by Davoust, who, after
a severely contested action, at length repelled the assailant. Napoleon
himself, meanwhile, was engaged with the other great body of the
Prussians. Arriving on the evening of the 13th October at Jena, he
perceived that the enemy were ready to attempt the advance next morning,
while his own heavy train were still six-and-thirty hours' march in his
rear. Not discouraged with this adverse circumstance, the Emperor
laboured all night in directing and encouraging his soldiery to cut a
road through the rocks, and draw up by that means such light guns as he
had at command to a position, on a lofty plateau in front of Jena, where
no man could have expected beforehand that any artillery whatever should
be planted, and where, accordingly, the effect even of a small park
proved more decisive than that of a much larger one might have been
under other circumstances. Buonaparte spent all the night among the men,
offering large sums of gold for every piece that should be dragged to
the position, and continually reminding his followers that the Prussians
were about to fight not for honour, but for safety,--that they were
already isolated as completely as Mack's army had been at Ulm, and on
stern resistance must needs submit to the fate of the Austrians. Lannes
commanded the centre; Augereau the right; Soult the left; and Murat the
reserve and cavalry.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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