present have, that he was at the head of the charge into CHAP. the French square, and second to none in the hand-tohand fight which ensued.* XIII. 1814. 45. these com advance Allies to In these combats at Fère-Champenoise the French lost 10,000 men, of whom 7000 were prisoners, 80 guns, 200 Results of ammunition-waggons, and the whole valuable convoy of bats, and bread. The victory was gained by cavalry and artillery of the alone on the side of the Allies; not a musket-shot was fired on their side; and the resistance of the French, including the National Guard, was gallant in the extreme. The number of troops engaged on each side in the two combats was about 22,000, entirely infantry and guns on the side of the French, entirely cavalry and artillery on that of the Russians. These advantages, considerable at any time, were doubly so, as gained over an army already so very inferior to the host which was pursuing them within sixty-five miles of Paris, and with no reserves to fall back upon between them and the capital. The advance through France. But I reflect with satisfaction that it was my good fortune to rescue, even for a moment, a lovely and most interesting French woman from the hands of these wild soldiers. Being, however, unable to listen to her afflicting details, and not knowing in what manner better to place her in security, I directed my own orderly hussar, of the King's German Legion, to place her at the moment en croupe, and carry her to my billet at headquarters. I was unwilling, and indeed could not at that moment leave the field, and consoled myself with the thought that when I returned to my quarters I should receive the thanks of a beautiful creature, and have the happiness of restoring her to her husband. But, alas! how little can we reckon on any future event, especially in war! The distance between the field of battle and Fère-Champenoise was inconsiderable, the town was in sight, and from the number of officers and troops moving about I could not imagine my beautiful prisoner would be recaptured. But, sad to relate, either the Cossacks returned, or others more savage and determined, and perceiving my faithful orderly hussar and prize, fell upon him, and after nearly killing him re-seized and carried off their victim. And although the strictest investigation was made throughout his whole army by the Emperor of Russia, to whom I immediately repaired and related the melancholy tale, and who heard it with the utmost compassion and interest, the beautiful and interesting Frenchwoman never appeared again.”—SIR CHARLES STEWART to LORD CASTLEREAGH, March 27, 1814, MS.; and LONDONDERRY, 289. I have heard that mournful story narrated in just the same manner by Lord Burghersh, who bore ample testimony to Sir Charles's generous humanity on this occasion. I was informed of this by my lamented friend Lord Burghersh, afterwards Earl of Westmoreland, who also was present on the occasion, and has left so very valuable and interesting a narrative of the campaign. CHAP. XIII. 1814. of the Allies towards Paris, accordingly, from this time was rapid and unresisted. At four in the morning of the 26th, both armies broke up and marched towards that city Schwartzenberg on the direct road by Sezanne; Blucher by two roads, his main body along that from Vertus to Montmirail, the detached corps of Kleist and D'York from Chateau - Thierry to La Ferté-Gaucher. Nothing could exceed the activity with which the pursuit was conducted. The Grand Army advanced with extraMarch 26. ordinary rapidity. On the 26th, headquarters were at Treffaux. The French marshals were now on the verge of total destruction. Worn out and dejected, their men were in no condition to withstand the charges of the numerous and magnificent squadrons of the united Allied armies which were pressing on them; and such had been their losses in guns on the preceding day, that the two corps had only seven pieces left. Kleist and D'York's corps had been detached to La Ferté-Gaucher to head them at that point; and having, by marching with extraordinary rapidity, arrived before them, the retreating marshals, after a sharp combat, in which they lost 1500 prisoners, were forced to abandon the high-road, and hasten across the fields towards Provins by Courtaçon. This achievement of the Army of Silesia was the more remarkable, that the men "who fought at La Ferté-Gaucher," in Sir Charles Stewart's words, "had been at Nismes on the 24th, being a distance of twenty-six leagues." The French marshals were closely pursued on their cross-march by the indefa1 Lond. 292; tigable Pahlen, at the head of great part of the cavalry of Dan. 321, the Grand Army, and would have been enveloped and ii. 334; totally destroyed had not the Prince of Wirtemberg, his commanding officer, apprehensive of losing his artillery in crossing the fields, with ill-timed caution called him off, and discontinued the pursuit.1 t Burgh. 234; 322; Plotho, Thiers, xvii. 567 569; Marm. vi. 258. The two last had followed Marmont and Mortier to Chateau-Thierry, and were thus now on their flank and rear. + "Dans notre mouvement de Fismes sur la Marne nous avions été CHAP. XIII. 46. armies to March 27. After this narrow escape from total ruin, the corps of Marmont and Mortier continued their retrograde movement on Paris, the former by Melun, the latter through Guignes. This movement entirely uncovered the capital, Advance of and left the march unopposed to both the Allied armies, the Allied who continued their advance without any further serious Paris. opposition by La Ferté-sous-Jouarre and Meaux to Paris. A feeble attempt at resistance was made between these two places by a large body of National Guards, with a few old soldiers, but they were speedily routed by General Korff, at the head of some squadrons of cavalry, and their commander made prisoner. The passage of the Marne was effected by the two armies with very little oppositionthe Army of Silesia at Trilport, and the Grand Army at Meaux. In the latter town the French, without giving March 28. the inhabitants the slightest warning, blew up an immense powder-magazine, which at once shivered every window in it to atoms. Meanwhile Marmont and Mortier retired with all imaginable rapidity towards Paris, by Mormant and Melun, and crossed the Marne at Charenton, where, being within a few miles of the capital, they fell under the orders of Joseph, intrusted with the chief command there. Although the Allies advanced with the utmost expedition, they were unable to prevent the French from being the first in the race, and establishing themselves on the heights of Montmartre, Belleville, and Romainville, before the Russians or Prussians approached St Denis. Meanwhile the Allies, in great strength, and in the highest March 29. spirits, drew near to Paris, on the direct road from Meaux; suivis par les corps de Kleist et D'York. De Chateau-Thierry ces deux généraux s'étaient portés directement sur La Ferté-Gaucher pour s'opposer à notre retraite. Notre position était critique; j'en augurais fort mal. Je regardai comme perdue au moins la totalité de notre matériel, et je dis en plaisantant au General Digion, commandant mon artillerie, que le lendemain il serait probablement général d'artillerie in partibus. Cependant nous ne négligeames aucun effort pour nous tirer d'affaire, et nous y parvimes. Chose mémorable! Nous sortimes sans aucune perte de la plus horrible situation où jamais troupes étaient placés. Tout arriva intact à Provins, infanterie, cavalerie, artillerie, et equipages."-MARMONT, vi. 238, 239. CHAP. the Prussians chanting Körner's Lyre and Sword, the Cossacks singing the airs of the desert. The Imperial 1814. and Royal Guards, with the Emperor and King in person, followed the great chaussée from Meaux; Blucher's columns, which moved over the fields, or by the road from Soissons, farther to the right, formed a long dark line on the northern horizon. The two armies had united on the right bank of the Marne, where the Emperor reviewed Sacken's corps, and publicly thanked his men for the gallantry they had displayed since the commencement of the campaign. He might well do so. Their fearfully diminished numbers told but too clearly the dangers they had gone through since they had crossed the Rhine. Out of 20,000 who had passed that stream, only 6000 remained; but though their clothes were worn out, their arms were clean; and their bronzed visages and determined look bespoke at once past service and future 1 Sir Chas. triumphs. The Allies were now in a fruitful country, Lord Castle- the produce of which amply supplied their wants. March 29, ander, true to his principles, in imitation of Wellington, issued a noble proclamation to his troops, in which he ix. 494 absolutely forbade plunder or disorders of any description, 336; Marm. and enjoined it in the most rigorous manner upon the Stewart to reagh, 1814; Cast. Cor. Dan. 335, ii. 239-241; Alex Thiers, commanders under him. This order had the effect of imxvii. 570, 571. mediately bringing supplies of every sort to the Allied camp.1* "It is the immutable will of his Majesty the Emperor that the troops under your command should observe the strictest discipline, and on no account whatever leave their bivouacs to go into the villages; and that their wants, such as fire, wood, straw, should not be supplied otherwise than through the intervention of the mayors. You cannot but be aware how much the good conduct of our troops in the present circumstances may influence the common cause; and therefore his Majesty will hold you personally responsible for the execution of this order."--ALEXANDER'S Order, March 26, 1814; DANILEFSKY, 334. "At the moment we are approaching Paris, it is only by the strictest subordination among the troops that we can hope to obtain the important results we have in view. You were one of the very first to be convinced of the neces sity of gaining over the affections of the inhabitants of Paris to the cause we are maintaining; but shall we be acting on this conviction if the villages around Paris be left a prey to plunderers instead of finding protection from our armies! I earnestly entreat of you to use every possible means to prevent acts of vio XIII. 47. tion in The whole Allied army had orders to concentrate on CHAP. the evening of the 29th before Paris, and before sunset on that night they were assembled on the plain around 1814. St Denis, on the roads of Soissons, Meaux, and Vincennes, Extreme ready on the morrow to commence the attack on the consternacapital. No words can describe the consternation of its Paris. inhabitants, when the distant booming of the cannon told that the enemy was approaching, and crowds of peasants, driving their horses and cattle before them, flocked into the city, giving the most alarming accounts of the countless host of barbarians which was chasing them forward, and advancing to destroy, as they thought, the great capital with fire and sword. Multitudes of these unfortunate panic-struck peasants soon filled the city, adding by their lamentations to the terror which universally prevailed. The alarm was even greater at the Tuileries than elsewhere, for they could measure the real extent of the danger, and were not deceived by the report, sedulously spread among the people, that the Emperor with a powerful army was fast following on the track of the barbarians, and would speedily overtake and exterminate them. The Empress was in the utmost agony, and spent most of her time in tears. She knew not whom to trust or to whom to turn in her distress. Joseph, who was intrusted with the command of Paris by order of the Emperor, had not firmness of mind or energy of character equal to the emergency, and, seeing the thrones of his family crumbling around him, had come to despair of the fortunes of the empire. Clarke, the Minister of War, overwhelmed by the orders of the Emperor, which he had no means of executing, was wholly unable to sustain the burden of his office. Savary, Minister of Police, was so detested, from the vigour with which he lence. Every commander of a corps or detachment should be made personally responsible for whatever disorders may be committed. Your active exertions on this occasion will secure you the general gratitude, and double the high respect I entertain for you."- ALEXANDER to MARSHAL COUNT WREDE, March 26, 1814; DANILEFSKY, 334, 335. |