CHAP. X. 1813. man as your Majesty should not be lost to France; but I doubt whether it would be practicable to form such a work, though, if any one could, it is your Majesty. It does not appear to me, however, that either the longest experience or practice has any effect in improving a commander. Of all the generals, whether on our side or that of our enemies, whom we have seen at the head of armies in Europe, in all the long wars which the French Revolution has occasioned, none appear to have gained much by experience; and I do not make any exception in your Majesty's own case, as I have always considered your first campaign in Italy as your chefd'œuvre in war.' You are right,' replied the Emperor; 'considering the limited force at my disposal, it was my greatest campaign. I know but one general who constantly gained by experience, and that was Turenne, whose great talents were the result of profound study, and who had approached nearest to the end which I propose to demonstrate if I have one day time to compose the work which I contemplate.' This conversation," This conversation," says St Cyr, with justice, "was brought on by one of the greatest disasters of the campaign-a disaster attended with terrible effects to the interests of many, and of none so much as himself. He spoke of it, nevertheless, as calmly as he 1 St Cyr, iv. would have done of the affairs of China or of Europe in 149, 150. the preceding century."1 poleon on ersberg. Next morning at daybreak, the Emperor resumed the 65. pursuit-not along the great road by Peterswalde, by Halt of Nawhich the Allies were retiring, but by the lateral the summit chaussée of Fürstenwalde, round their left flank, where- of the Geyby he threatened to cut their communication with Töp- Sept. 9. litz. By nine o'clock on the morning of the 10th, St Cyr's corps, which formed the advanced-guard, reached the village of Ebersdorf on the summit of the Geyersberg, the highest point of the mountains between Saxony and Bohemia, from the heights adjoining which the eye can descry a considerable part of the plain X. 1813. CHAP. stretching from Töplitz towards Prague. Napoleon ascended the heights, from whence he gazed long and earnestly on the scene before him. The sappers were working with ready zeal to render the road in the rear fit for the advance of the guns. Drouot, who was sent to report on their progress, returned with the information that it would take some hours to repair and again render practicable the passage. Meanwhile, Napoleon remained on the same spot, his eyes fixed on the scene before him. But it was not on the rocks, or the mountains, or the plains, that the eye of the Emperor was riveted. He saw in the distance the Prussians and Russians, rapidly forming in order of battle in the plain, while a large column of smoke suddenly arose from the Millerschauer, the highest point of the range, the signal which was to announce to all Bohemia that the decisive moment had arrived, and the invasion of the country commenced. The Allies were in considerable alarm, for they had never expected so early a resumption of the offensive by Napoleon; the Austrians were far in the rear on the other side of the Elbe, and the Russians and Prussians were ill prepared to meet the attack. They hurried to the front, however, with the utmost expedition, and fresh columns were every ten minutes seen to come up and take their ground, with admirable precision. In position were the Grand-duke Constantine's Russian Guards, Wittgenstein's men, and Kleist's Prussians. But there was no appearance of the Austrians; and St Cyr, who was beside the Emperor, strongly urged him to continue his advance, as the Russians and Prussians were in such 1 Lond 134, a position that they could not retreat in presence of 135; Fain, the French, but must fight where they stood. NaCyr, iv.156- poleon, however, judged otherwise; his thoughts were i. 276, 277; still intent on the conquest of Berlin; and he said, 193; Thiers, after much thought, to St Cyr, "I will not attack the 456. enemy in that position; but I will cautiously conceal from them my real design. Let the engineers continue ii. 332; St 158; Odel. Plotho, ii. xvi. 445 X. 1813. to repair the road to-day and to-morrow, and suffer CHAP. every one to remain in the belief that we are to have a great battle; if you are attacked on the mountains, I will support you." So saying, he returned to Pirna, and next day re-entered Dresden, having lost the only opportunity which occurred during the campaign of engaging with a superior force, detached from the Austrians, the Prussians and Russians. 66. Napoleon's Dresden. Ignorant of the departure of the Emperor, and expecting hourly a general attack, the Allies continued with the ut- Reasons of most expedition to concentrate their troops; and by mid- retreat to day on the 13th, the half of the Austrians had arrived, much fatigued, but in excellent order. There were now 100,000 men, with 800 guns in position at the foot of the heights, and a great battle was universally anticipated in both armies. But Napoleon had other views, and was influenced by still more pressing considerations. He was very uneasy at the terrible defeat which had been sustained by Ney at Dennewitz, which was the more disheartening that it had been mainly inflicted by the Prussians, and had already spread to a great extent discouragement and desertion through his army. He was still set upon an attack on Berlin, from the moral effect of which, if successful, he anticipated great results; and that object he considered paramount, even when the defeat of the Allied Grand Army was in the balance. He had received, also, desponding accounts from Macdonald, whose army since its defeat was in a very bad condition; and partisan corps had already appeared on his communications with Leipsic, and interrupted the passage of couriers and reinforcements from France. In a word, the wise plan of operations adopted at Trachenberg was now beginning to work out its appropriate fruits; and the French army, great as it was, assailed on all sides, was worn out with incessant marches and counter-marches, over ground exhausted by the repeated previous passage of troops. But St Cyr felt, and expressed at the time CHAP. X. 1813. 1 St Cyr, iv. 156-158; Thiers, xvi. even to the Emperor, the deepest regret that the auspicious moment, when it was possible to engage the Russians and Prussians alone, without the Austrians, was lost; and to the end of his life, never ceased to assert that the French 448, 449. empire had been lost by that omission.1 67. mountains. Sept. 13. It What pains soever the Emperor might take to conceal Fresh com- his departure from the enemy, it at length transpired, bats on the from the uniforms of the Guard and cuirassiers being no longer seen in the ranks; and there was immediately felt the truth of St Cyr's words, that the opportunity of striking a decisive blow had been lost. Wittgenstein immediately ascended towards Nollendorf, and attacked Vandamme's late corps, now commanded by Lobau. was driven over the plateau with the loss of 1500 men ; and so severe did the pressure here become, that both St Cyr and Lobau were obliged to draw back to Gieshübel. No sooner was Napoleon informed of this check, than he again set out from Dresden, whither he had retired, and hastened to the front. On this occasion, however, he altered his line of advance; knowing, by dear-bought experience, that the country on the Fürstenwalde line was utterly exhausted, and the roads wellnigh impassable, he moved up the valley of the Elbe, and directed his attack, along the great road from Pirna by Peterswalde, against the Allied right, from which some posts had been thrown out, connecting the Grand Army with that of Blucher. Great exertions had been made by the Allies to effect this communication, and with success. On the 9th, Prince Modatoff, with a body of the Russian Horse Guards, surprised, between Bautzen and Dresden, a convoy of baggage and ammunition, blew up 200 caissons, and took a part of Napoleon's private baggage, with 1200 prisoners. On the 13th, Count Bubna, feeling his way from the Allied Grand Army, entered Neustadt and Neukirchen, and came into close communication with Blucher, whose advanced posts had been pushed beyond Bautzen to Bischofswerda. Continuing their advance along the Peters Sept. 9. Sept. 13. CHAP. X. Sept. 15. walde road on the 14th, the advanced posts of the Allied Grand Army were pressing on towards Gieshübel on the morning of the 15th, when they came in contact with 1813. Napoleon's advanced-guard, and were driven back at Sept. 14. the first shock. Approaching Peterswalde, the French cavalry, in greatly superior forces, fell in with a body of Prussian hussars, which was defeated; and Colonel Blucher, son of the Marshal, after a gallant resistance, was made prisoner. A series of brilliant combats, with alternate success, now ensued, which ended in the retreat of the Allies from the mountains, and their taking up a position guarding the mouth of the pass. But though they there drew up to the number of nearly 100,000 men in order of battle in the plain, Napoleon 1 Sir Chas. did not deem it expedient to make an attack. The two Lord Castlemighty hosts stood facing each other, the one on the reagh, Sept. mountain, the other in the plain; and though every man MS.; Lond. in either camp expected a battle, yet none took place. iv. 169, 170; The night presented a magnificent spectacle in the posi- 452-456; tions of the hostile armies. "The hills were lighted to 124-131. their crests, and the valleys blazed with a sheet of fire."1 Stewart to 20, 1813, 137; St Cyr, Thiers, xvi. Wilson, ii. In truth, though the two armies were so near, the 68. both sides great opera commanders on neither side were inclined to risk a Reasons on general battle. The Allies had a very obvious reason for delaying for desiring delay. Benningsen, with the Russian army gre of reserve, 50,000 strong, was approaching, and might be expected to join the Grand Army by the 3d October, and the Prussian landwehr were daily increasing in number and efficiency; it was, therefore, clearly their policy to gain time, and delay active operations till these great reinforcements were in the field. Napoleon, on his side, was also expecting reinforcements, and 15,000 men had recently arrived at Erfurth, but they were young conscripts in very bad condition. His policy, at this time, was to contract the positions of his troops round Dresden as a centre, to render perfect the communication of the three Sept. 16. armies, and await the moment when a false movement on |