May 17th-28th.-Napoleon at Dresden; joined there by the Emperor and Empress of Austria, and a fresh "parterre of kings." May 28th.-Treaty of Bucharest, between Turkey and Russia. The Pruth as boundary, and Servia restored to Turkey. This treaty, so fatal to Napoleon, and of which he only heard in October, was mainly the work of Stratford de Redcliffe, then aged twenty-five. Wellington, thinking the treaty his brother's work, speaks of it as "the most important service that ever fell to the lot of any individual to perform." No. I. June 12th.-Suchet defeats an Anglo-Spanish army outside Tarragona. TO THE EMPRESS JOSEPHINE, AT Malmaison. June 12th, 1812. My Dear, I shall always receive news from you with great interest. The waters will, I hope, do you good, and I shall see you with much pleasure on your return. Never doubt the interest I feel in you. I will arrange all the matters of which you speak. NAPOLEON. June 16th.-Lord Liverpool Prime Minister of England. June 18th.-United States declares war against England concerning rights of neutrals. June 19th. The captive Pope (Pius VII.) brought to Fontainebleau. No. 2. TO THE EMPRESS JOSEPHINE, At Malmaison. Gumbinnen, June 20th, 1812. I have your letter of June 10th. I see no obstacle to your going to Milan, to be near the Vice-Reine. You will do well to go incognito. You will find it very hot. My health is very good. Eugène is well, and is doing good work. ship. sp Never doubt the interest I have in you, and my NAPOLEON. friend June and.-Napoleon from his headquarters, Wilkowyszki, diares war against Russia: army comprised 550,000 men and 235 cannon, and he held sway at this epoch over 5,000,000 souls-dif the then popuClation of Europe. June 24th.-French cross the Niemen, over 450,000 strong.1 Of Sthese 20,000 are Italians, 80,000 from Confederation of the Rhine, 30,000 Poles, 30,000 Austrians, and 20,000 Prussians. The Russian army numbers 360,000. June 28th.-French enter Wilna, the old capital of Lithuania. Napoleon remains here till July 16th, establishing a provisional government, and leaving his Foreign Minister, Maret, there. July 12th.-Americans invade Canada. July 18th.-Treaty of peace between England and Sweden; and between Russia and the Spanish Regency at Cadiz. July 22nd. Battle of Salamanca (Arapiles). Marmont defeated by Wellington, and badly wounded. French lose nearly 8000 men and 5000 risoners; English loss, 5200. The Spanish Regency had decided to submit to Joseph Bonaparte, but this battle deters them. French retire behind the Douro. Jul 23rd.-Combat of Mohilow, on the Dneiper. Davoust defeats Bagration. July 28th.-French enter Witepsk. August 1st.-Treaty of alliance between Great Britain and Russia. English fleet henceforward guards the Gulf of Riga. Combat of Obaiarzına, on the bank of the Drissa. Marshal Oudinot defeats Wittgenst ein. Russians lose 5000 men and 14 guns. August 9th. Battle of Brownstown (near Toronto). Americans defeated; surrender August 16th with 2500 men and 33 guns to General Brock. August 12th.-Wellington enters Madrid. August 17th-18th.-Battle and capture of Smolensk. Napoleon defeats Barclay de Tolly; Russians lose 12,000, French less than half. 1 Averaged from early historians of the campaigns. Marbot gives the numbers 155,400 French and 175,000 Allies. Allowing for the secession of the Austrian and Prussian contingents and for 30,000 prisoners, he gives the actual French death-roll by February 1813 at 65,000. This is a minimum estimate. August 18th.-Battle of Polotsk, fifty miles from Witepsk, down the Dwina. St. Cyr defeats Wittgenstein's much larger army, and takes 20 guns. (St. Cyr made marshal for this battle, August 27th.) August 19th.-Combat of Volontino-Cova, beyond Smolensk. aeats Russians. oust 27th.-Norway guaranteed Sweden in lieu of Finland by Russia. August 28th.-Interview at Abo, in Finland, between Alexander Bernadotte, and Lord Cathcart (English ambassador). Decided tha Sweden shall join the crusade against France, and that Moreau be im ported from U.S.A. to command another army. August 29th.-Viazma, burnt by Russians, entered by the French. September 7th.-Battle of Borodino (La Moskowa). Nearly all the Russian generals are present: Barclay de Tolly, Beningsen, Bagration. (who is killed), all under Kutusoff. Russians lose 30,000 men, French 20,000, including many generals who had survived all the campaigns of the Revolution. The French, hungry and soaked in rain, have no energy to pursue. September 14th.-Occupation of Moscow; fired by emissaries of Rostopchin, its late governor. Of 4000 stone houses only 200 e remain, of 8000 wooden ones 500. Over 20,000 sick and wounded their beds. Fire lasts till September 20th. September 18th.-Russian Army of the Danube under Admiral chagow joins the Army of Reserve. LE ai urnt in Tschit September 26th.-Russian troops from Finland disembark at Riga. September 30th.-Napoleon finds a copy of Treaty of Bucarest at Moscow. e October 11th.-Admiral Tschitchagow with 36,000 men reaches Bresc, on the Bug, threatening the French communications with Warsaw. October 17th-19th.-Second combat of Polotsk. Wittgenstein again sfeated by St. Cyr, who is wounded. October 18th.-Combat of Winkowo; Kutusoff defeats Mur Americans defeated at Queenston Heights, on the Niagara, and lo 900 men. October 19th.-Commencement of the Retreat from Moscow. rescue. October 23rd.-Conspiracy of Malet at Paris; Cambacérès to the Evacuation of Moscow by Mortier after forty days' occupation. The French army now retreating has only half its original strength, and the best cavalry regiments boast only 100 horses. October 24th.-Battle of Malo-Jaroslavitz. Eugène with 17,000 men defeats Kutusoff with 60,000; but Napoleon finds the enemy too strong and too tenacious to risk the fertile Kaluga route. November 3rd.-Battle of Wiazma. Ney and Eugène are distinguished. Rearguard action, in which November 9th.-Napoleon reaches Smolensk and hears of Malet conspiracy. November 14th.-Evacuation of Smolensk. November 16th.-Russian Army (of the Danube) takes Minsk, and cuts off the French from the Niemen. November 16th-19th.-Combat of Krasnoi, twenty-five miles west of Smolensk. Kutusoff with 30,000 horse and 70,000 foot tries to stop the French, who have only 25,000 effective combatants. Magnificent fighting by Ney with his rearguard of 6000. November 21st.-Russians seize at Borizow the bridges over the Beresina, which are November 23rd.-Retaken by Oudinot. November 26th-28th.-French cross the Beresina, but lose 20,000 prisoners and nearly all their cannon (150). November 29th.-Napoleon writes Maret he has heard nothing of France or Spain for fifteen days. December 3rd.-Twenty-ninth bulletin dated Malodeczna, fifty miles west of Borisow. December 5th.-Napoleon reaches Smorgoni, and starts for France. December 10th.-Murat, left in command, evacuates Wilna. French retreat in utter rout; "It is not General Kutusoff who routed the French, it is General Morosow" (the frost), said the Russians. December 14th.-Napoleon reaches Dresden, and December 19th.-Evacuation of Kovno and passage of the Niemen. December 20th.-Napoleon welcomed by the Senate in a speech by the le: "The abs of your Majesty, sire, is always a Prussian General York and Coneen Russia and Prussia. This Germany from the Oder to the August 18th.-Battle of Polotsk, fifty miles from Witepsk, down the Dwina. St. Cyr defeats Wittgenstein's much larger army, and takes 20 guns. (St. Cyr made marshal for this battle, August 27th.) August 19th.-Combat of Volontino-Cova, beyond Smolensk. Nev, eats Russians. ost 27th.-Norway guaranteed Sweden in lied of Finland by Russia. August 28th.-Interview at Abo, in Finland, between Alexander. Bernadotte, and Lord Cathcart (English ambassador). Decided tha Sweden shall join the crusade against France, and that Moreau be im ported from U.S.A. to command another army. August 29th.-Viazma, burnt by Russians, entered by the French. September 7th.-Battle of Borodino (La Moskowa). Nearly all the Russian generals are present: Barclay de Tolly, Beningsen, Bagration (who is killed), all under Kutusoff. Russians lose 30,000 men, French 20,000, including many generals who had survived all the campaigns of the Revolution. The French, hungry and soaked in rain, have no energy to pursue. September 14th.-Occupation of Moscow; fired by emissaries of Rostopchin, its late governor. Of 4000 stone houses only 200 e remain, of 8000 wooden ones 500. Over 20,000 sick and wounded their beds. Fire lasts till September 20th. September 18th.-Russian Army of the Danube under Admiral, chagow joins the Army of Reserve. Jurnt in al Tschit LEC September 26th.-Russian troops from Finland disembark at Riga. September 30th.-Napoleon finds a copy of Treaty of Bucarest at Moscow. el October 11th.-Admiral Tschitchagow with 36,000 men reaches Bresc, on the Bug, threatening the French communications with Warsaw. October 17th-19th.-Second combat of Polotsk. Wittgenstein a gain defeated by St. Cyr, who is wounded. October 18th.-Combat of Winkowo; Kutusoff defeats Mur.. Americans defeated at Queenston Heights, on the Niagara, and loc 900 men. October 19th.-Commencement of the Retreat from Moscow. October 23rd.-Conspiracy of Malet at Paris; Cambacérès to the rescue. Evacuation of Moscow by Mortier after forty days' occupation. The French army now retreating has only half its original strength, and the best cavalry regiments boast only 100 horses. October 24th.-Battle of Malo-Jaroslavitz. Eugène with 17,000 |