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
Before re-opening the great campaign, Buonaparte received the submission
and explanation of the Elector of Saxony, who truly stated that Prussia
had forced him to take part in the war. The apology was accepted, and
from this time the Elector adhered to the League of the Rhine, and was a
faithful ally of Napoleon. The Landgrave of Hesse-Cassel had worse
fortune. The answer to all his applications was, that he had ceased to
reign. What use the Conqueror designed to make of the territories thus
confiscated, we shall presently see. The Saxon army, and that of
Hesse-Cassel, were both, however, at his disposal, and they both
accordingly were marched forwards, and blended with the forces occupying
Prussia.
The French, having invested Glogau, Breslau, and Graudentz, and left
detachments to urge these sieges, moved towards the Polish frontier.
General Bennigsen, with a considerable Russian army, had advanced to
overawe the dissatisfied population, and was now at Warsaw. But the
march of the French van, under Murat, soon alarmed him in these
quarters. After some skirmishes of little moment the Russians retired
behind the Vistula, and Murat took possession of the Polish metropolis
on the 28th of November. On the 25th Napoleon himself had reached Posen,
and found himself surrounded by a population in a high state of
excitement and enthusiasm. The ancient national dress reappeared: hope
and exultation beamed in every countenance; the old nobles, quitting the
solitary castles in which they had been lamenting over the downfall of
Poland, crowded the levees of the Victor, and addressed him in language
which recalled the half-oriental character and manners of their nation.
"We adore you," said the Palatine of Gnesna, "and with confidence repose
in you all our hopes, as upon him who raises empires and destroys them,
and humbles the proud--the regenerator of our country, the legislator of
the universe." "Already," said the President of the Council of Justice,
"already our country is saved, for we adore in your person the most just
and the most profound Solon. We commit our fate into your hands, and
implore the protection of the most august Cæsar."
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
Reviews
Reviews
No reviews yet
Be the first to share your thoughts on this work.
Elsewhere in the archive
Join the Discussion
Join the discussion
Sign in to leave a comment or review.
Sign InorCreate an account