Napoleon I, Emperor of the French, 1769-1821 -- Elba and the Hundred Days, 1814-1815; Waterloo, Battle of, Waterloo, Belgium, 1815
The openly declared project of the Allied Sovereigns to employ all
their means, and combine all their efforts, towards the accomplishment
of the complete overthrow of the resuscitated power of NAPOLEON, with
whom they had determined, thenceforth, to enter into neither truce
nor treaty, was singularly favoured by the circumstance of their
Armies being still retained upon a war establishment. The forces of
the several Powers were continued on that scale, in consequence of
the difficulties experienced in the Congress in dealing with and
settling many perplexing questions of international policy, and
moderating the warmth of the discussions that took place upon them.
It was considered expedient to keep up powerful reserves, available
both for home service, and for any contingencies that might arise out
of combinations and revolts among those minor States, whose aversion
to the new political arrangements was more than suspected. Thus it
had been found necessary to detach bodies of troops from the main
bulk of the forces, in consequence of the state of the Poles placed
under the protection of Russia, and of the Saxons inhabiting that
portion of their country which had been ceded to Prussia; as also, in
consequence of the powerful diversion, as regarded Austria, caused by
the sudden irruption of MURAT, King of Naples, into the north of Italy.
Notwithstanding these necessary deductions, however, it was found
practicable to assemble, by the end of May, an efficient force of not
less than 500,000 men, upon different points contiguous to the French
frontier, with all the supplies necessary for the prosecution of a
vigorous Campaign.
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Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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