Memoirs of Napoleon Bonaparte — Complete
to Napoleon was one addressed to the King of Prussia by Prince Hatzfeld,
who had imprudently remained in the Prussian capital. In this letter the
Prince gave his Sovereign an account of all that had occurred in Berlin
since he had been compelled to quit at; and at the same time he informed
him of the force and situation of the corps of the French army. The
Emperor, after reading this letter, ordered that the Prince should be
arrested, and tried by a court-martial on the charge of being a spy.
The Court was summoned, and little doubt could be entertained as to its
decision when Madame Hatzfeld repaired to Duroc, who on such occasions
was always happy when he could facilitate communication with the
Emperor. On that day Napoleon had been at a review. Duroc knew Madame
Hatzfeld, whom he had several times seen on his visits to Berlin. When
Napoleon returned from the review he was astonished to see Duroc at the
palace at that hour, and inquired whether he had brought any news. Duroc
answered in the affirmative, and followed the Emperor into his Cabinet,
where he soon introduced Madame Hatzfeld. The remainder of the scene
is described in Napoleon's letter. It may easily be perceived that this
letter is an answer to one from Josephine reproaching him for the manner
in which he spoke of women, and very probably of the beautiful and
unfortunate Queen of Prussia, respecting whom he had expressed himself
with too little respect in one of his bulletins. The following is
Napoleon's letter:--
I have received your letter, in which you seem to reproach me for
speaking ill of women. It is true that I dislike female intriguers
above all things. I am used to kind, gentle, and conciliatory
women. I love them, and if they have spoiled me it is not my fault,
but yours. However, you will see that I have done an act of
kindness to one deserving woman. I allude to Madame de Hatzfeld.
When I showed her her husband's letter she stood weeping, and in a
tone of mingled grief and ingenuousness said, "It is indeed his
writing!" This went to my heart, and I said, "Well, madame, throw
the letter into the fire, and then I shall have no proof against
your husband." She burned the letter, and was restored to
happiness. Her husband now is safe: two hours later, and he would
have been lost. You see, therefore, that I like women who are
simple, gentle, and amiable; because they alone resemble you.
November 6, 1806, 9 o'clock P.M.
When Marshal Bernadotte had driven Blücher into Lübeck and made him
prisoner, he sent to inform me of the circumstance; but I was far
from, expecting that the prisoner would be confided to my charge. Such,
however, was the case. After his capitulation he was sent to Hamburg,
where he had the whole city for his prison.
I was curious to become acquainted with this celebrated man, and I
saw him very frequently. I found that he was an enthusiastic Prussian
patriot--a brave man, enterprising even to rashness, of limited
education, and almost to an incredible degree devoted to pleasure, of
which he took an ample share while he remained in Hamburg. He sat an
enormous time at table, and, notwithstanding his exclusive patriotism,
he rendered full justice to the wines of France. His passion for women
was unbounded, and one of his most favourite sources of amusement was
the gaming-table, at which he spent a considerable portion of his time.
Blücher was of an extremely gay disposition; and considered merely as a
companion he was very agreeable. The original style of his conversation
pleased me much. His confidence in the deliverance of Germany remained
unshaken in spite of the disasters of the Prussian army. He often said
to me, "I place great reliance on the public spirit of Germany--on the
enthusiasm which prevails in our universities. The events of war are
daily changing, and even defeats con tribute to nourish in a people
sentiments of honour and national glory. You may depend upon it that
when a whole nation is determined to shake off a humiliating yoke it
will succeed. There is no doubt but we shall end by having a landwehr
very different from any militia to which the subdued spirit of the
French people could give birth. England will always lend us the support
of her navy and her subsidies, and we will renew alliances with Russia
and Austria. I can pledge myself to the truth of a fact of which I have
certain knowledge, and you may rely upon it; namely, that none of the
allied powers engaged in the present war entertain views of territorial
aggrandisement. All they unanimously desire is to put an end to the
system of aggrandisement which your Emperor has established and acts
upon with such alarming rapidity. In our first war against France, at
the commencement of your Revolution, we fought for questions respecting
the rights of sovereigns, for which, I assure you, I care very little;
but now the case is altered, the whole population of Prussia makes
common cause with its Government. The people fight in defence of their
homes, and reverses destroy our armies without changing the spirit of
the nation. I rely confidently on the future because I foresee that
fortune will not always favour your Emperor. It is impossible; but the
time will come when all Europe, humbled by his exactions, and impatient
of his depredations, will rise up against him. The more he enslaves
nations, the more terrible will be the reaction when they break their
chains. It cannot be denied that he is tormented with an insatiable
desire of acquiring new territories. To the war of 1805 against Austria
and Russia the present war has almost immediately succeeded. We have
fallen. Prussia is occupied; but Russia still remains undefeated. I
cannot foresee what will be the termination of the war; but, admitting
that the issue should be favourable to you, it will end only to break
out again speedily. If we continue firm, France, exhausted by her
conquests, must in the end fall. You may be certain of it. You wish for
peace. Recommend it! By so doing You will give strong proofs of love for
your country."
In this strain Blücher constantly spoke to me; and as I never thought it
right to play the part of the public functionary in the drawing-room I
replied to him with the reserve necessary in my situation. I could not
tell him how much my anticipations frequently coincided with his; but I
never hesitated to express to him how much I wished to see a reasonable
peace concluded.
Blücher's arrival at Hamburg was preceded by that of Prince Paul of
Wutrtemberg, the second son of one of the two kings created by Napoleon,
whose crowns were not yet a year old. This young Prince, who was imbued
with the ideas of liberty and independence which then prevailed in
Germany, had taken a headlong step. He had quitted Stuttgart to serve
in the Prussian campaign without having asked his father's permission,
which inconsiderate proceeding might have drawn Napoleon's anger upon
the King of Wurtemberg. The King of Prussia advanced Prince Paul to the
rank of general, but he was taken prisoner at the very commencement
of hostilities. Prince Paul was not, as has been erroneously stated,
conducted to Stuttgart by a captain of gendarmerie. He came to Hamburg,
where I received many visits from him. He did not yet possess very
definite ideas as to what he wished; for after he was made prisoner he
expressed to me his strong desire to enter the French service, and often
asked me to solicit for him an interview with the Emperor. He obtained
this interview, and remained for a long time in Paris, where I know he
has frequently resided since the Restoration.
The individuals whom I had to observe in Hamburg gave me much less
trouble than our neighbours at Altona. The number of the latter had
considerably augmented, since the events of the war had compelled a
great number of emigrants who had taken refuge at Munster to leave
that town. They all proceeded to Altona. Conquered countries became
as dangerous to them as the land which they had forsaken. The most
distinguished amongst the individuals assembled at Altona were Vicomte
de Sesmaisons, the Bailly d'Hautefeuille, the Duchess of Luxembourg, the
Marquis de Bonnard, the Duc d'Aumont (then Duc de Villequier), the wife
of Marshal de Brogue and her daughter, Cardinal de Montmorency, Madame
de Cosse, her two daughters and her son (and a priest), and the Bishop
of Boulogne.
Bonaparte stayed long enough at Berlin to permit of the arrival of
a deputation from the French Senate to congratulate him on his first
triumphs. I learned that in this instance the Senatorial deputation,
departing from its accustomed complaisance, ventured not to confine
itself to compliments and felicitations, but went so far as to interfere
with the Emperor's plan of the campaign, to speak of the danger that
might be incurred and finally to express a desire to in passing the
Oder, see peace concluded. Napoleon received this communication with
a very bad grace. He thought the Senators very bold to meddle with his
affairs, treated the conscript fathers of France as if they had been
inconsiderate youths, protested, according to custom, his sincere love
of peace, and told the deputation that it was Prussia, backed by Russia,
and not he, who wished for war!
All the German Princes who had taken part against Napoleon fled to
Altona after the battle of Jena with as much precipitation as the
emigrants themselves. The Hereditary Prince of Weimar, the Duchess of
Holstein, Prince Belmonte-Pignatelli, and a multitude of other persons
distinguished for rank and fortune, arrived there almost simultaneously.
Among the persons who took refuge in Altona were some intriguers, of
whom Fauche-Borel was one. I remember receiving a report respecting a
violent altercation which Fauche had the audacity to enter into with
Comte de Gimel because he could not extort money from the Count in
payment of his intrigues. Comte de Gimel had only funds for the payment
of pensions, and, besides, he had too much sense to suppose there was
any utility in the stupid pamphlets of Fauche-Borel, and therefore he
dismissed him with a refusal. Fauche was insolent, which compelled
Comte de Gimel to send him about his business as he deserved. This
circumstance, which was first communicated to me in a report, has since
been confirmed by a person who witnessed the scene. Fauche-Borel merely
passed through Hamburg, and embarked for London on board the same ship
which took Lord Morpeth back to England.
--[Louis Fauche-Borel (1762-1829), a Swiss who devoted himself to
the cause of the Royalists. As Louis stepped on the shore of France
in 1814, Fauche-Borel was ready to assist him from the boat, and was
met with the gracious remark that he was always at hand when a
service was required. His services were however left unrewarded]--
CHAPTER VIII.
1806.
Alarm of the city of Hamburg--The French at Bergdorf--Favourable
orders issued by Bernadotte--Extortions in Prussia--False
endorsements--Exactions of the Dutch--Napoleon's concern for his
wounded troops--Duroc's mission to the King of Prussia--Rejection of
the Emperor's demands--My negotiations at Hamburg--Displeasure of
the King of Sweden--M. Netzel and M. Wetteratedt.
At this critical moment Hamburg was menaced on all sides; the French
even occupied a portion of its territory. The French troops, fortunately
for the country, were attached to the corps commanded by the Prince de
Ponte-Corvo. This military occupation alarmed the town of Hamburg, to
which, indeed, it proved very injurious. I wrote to Marshal Bernadotte
on the subject. The grounds on which the Senate appealed for the
evacuation of their territory were such that Bernadotte could not but