The Life of Napoleon I (Volume 2 of 2)Rose, J. Holland (John Holland)
History
The Life of Napoleon I (Volume 2 of 2)
Rose, J. Holland (John Holland)
France -- History -- 1789-1815; France -- Kings and rulers -- Biography; Napoleon I, Emperor of the French, 1769-1821
There was signed the famous compact, or plan, of Trachenberg (July
12th). It bound the allies to turn their main forces against
Napoleon's chief army, wherever it was: those allied corps that
threatened his flanks or communications were to act on the line that
most directly cut into them: and the salient bastion of Bohemia was
expressly named as offering the greatest advantages for attacking
Napoleon's main force. The first and third of these axioms were
directly framed so as to encourage Austria: the second aimed at
concentrating Bernadotte's force on the main struggle and preventing
his waging war merely against Denmark.
The plan went even further: 100,000 allied troops were to be sent into
Bohemia, as soon as the armistice should cease, so as to form in all
an army of 200,000 men. On the north, Bernadotte, after detaching a
corps towards Hamburg, was to advance with a Russo-Prusso-Swedish army
of 70,000 men towards the middle course of the Elbe, his objective
being Leipzig; and the rest of the allied forces, those remaining in
Silesia, were to march towards Torgau, and thus threaten Napoleon's
positions in Saxony from the East. This plan of campaign was an
immense advance on those of the earlier coalitions. There was no
reliance here on lines and camps: the days of Mack and Phull were
past: the allies had at last learnt from Napoleon the need of seeking
out the enemy's chief army, and of flinging at it all the available
forces. Politically, also, the compact deserves notice. In concerting
a plan of offensive operations from Bohemia, the allies were going far
to determine the conduct of Austria.
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