SERIES G "Battles then lasted a few hours, campaigns a few days." -BIGNON, On Friedland (vol. vi. 292). LETTERS OF THE EMPEROR NAPOLEON TO THE EMPRESS JOSEPHINE DURING THE CAMPAIGN AGAINST PRUSSIA AND RUSSIA, 1806-7. 1806. January 1st. The Elector of Bavaria and the Duke of Wurtemberg created Kings by France. January 23rd.-Death of William Pitt, aged 47. February 15th.-Joseph Bonaparte enters Naples, and on April 1st.-Prussia seizes Hanover. June 5th.-Louis Bonaparte made King of Holland. July 6th.-Battle of Maida (Calabria. English defeat General Reynier. French loss 4000; English 500). July 12th.-Napoleon forms Confederation of the Rhine, with himself as Chief and Protector. July 18th.-Gaeta surrenders to Massena. August 6th.-Francis II., Emperor of Germany, becomes Emperor of Austria as Francis I. August 15th.-Russia refuses to ratify peace preliminaries signed by her ambassador at Paris on July 25th. September 13th.-Death of Charles James Fox, aged 57. No. I. October 5th.-Proclamation by the Prince of the Peace against France (germ of Spanish War). TO THE EMPRESS, AT MAYENCE. October 5, 1806. It will be quite in order for the Princess of Baden to come to Mayence. I cannot think why you weep; you do wrong to make yourself ill. Hortense is inclined to pedantry; she loves to air her views. She has written me; I am sending her a reply. She ought to be happy and cheerful. Pluck and a merry heartthat's the recipe. Adieu, dear. The Grand Duke has spoken to me about you; he saw you at Florence at the time of the retreat. No. 2. TO THE EMPRESS, AT MAYENCE. NAPOLEON. Bamberg, October 7, 1806. I start this evening, my dear, for Cronach. The whole of my army is advancing. All goes well. My health is perfect. I have only received as yet one letter from you. I have some from Eugène and from Hortense. Stephanie should now be with you. Her husband wishes to make the campaign; he is with me. Adieu. A thousand kisses and the best of health. NAPOLEON. October 8th.-Prussia, assisted by Saxony, Russia, and England, declares war against France. October 9th.-Campaign opens. Prussians defeated at Schleitz. October 10th.-Lannes defeats them at Saalfeld Prince Louis of Prussia killed; 1000 men and 30 guns taken. October 11th.-French peace negotiations with England broken off. No. 3. TO THE EMPRESS, AT MAYEnce. Gera, October 13, 1806, 2 a.m. My Dear, I am at Gera to-day. well, and everything as I could wish. With the aid of God, they will, I believe, in a few days have taken a terrible course for the poor King of Prussia, whom I am sorry for personally, because he is a good man. The Queen is at Erfurt with the King. If she wants to see a battle, she shall have that cruel pleasure. I am in splendid health. I have already put on flesh since my departure; yet I am doing, in person, twenty and twenty-five leagues a day, on horseback, in my carriage, in all sorts of ways. I lie down at eight, and get up at midnight. I fancy at times that you have not yet gone to bed. Yours ever, NAPOLEON. October 14th.-Battles of Jena and Auerstadt. No. 4. October 15th.-Napoleon at Weimar. He releases 6000 Saxon prisoners, which soon causes peace with Saxony. TO THE EMPRESS, AT MAYENCE. Jena, October 15, 1806, 3 a.m. My Dear, I have made excellent manœuvres against the Prussians. Yesterday I won a great victory. They had 150,000 men. I have made 20,000 prisoners, taken 100 pieces of cannon, and flags. I was in presence of the King of Prussia, and near to him; I nearly captured him and the Queen. For the past two days I have bivouacked. I am in excellent health. Adieu, dear. Keep well, and love me. If Hortense is at Mayence, give her a kiss; also to Napoleon and to the little one. NAPOLEON, No. 5. October 16th.-Soult routs Kalkreuth at Greussen; Erfurt and 16,000 men capitulate to Murat. you TO THE EMPRESS, AT MAYENCE. Weimar, October 16, 1806, 5 P.M. M. Talleyrand will have shown you the bulletin, my dear; will see my successes therein. All has happened as I cal |