Memoirs of Napoleon Bonaparte — Complete
Marmont released from his promise by Prince Schwartzenberg.
On the morning of the 30th of March, while the battle before the walls
of Paris was at its height, Bonaparte was still at Troyes. He quitted
that town at ten o'clock, accompanied only by Bertrand, Caulaincourt,
two aides de camp, and two orderly officers. He was not more than two
hours in traveling the first ten leagues, and he and his slender
escort performed the journey without changing horses, and without
even alighting. They arrived at Sens at one o'clock in the afternoon.
Everything was in such confusion that it was impossible to prepare a
suitable mode of conveyance for the Emperor. He was therefore obliged
to content himself with a wretched cariole, and in this equipage, about
four in the morning, he reached Froidmanteau, about four leagues from
Paris. It was there that the Emperor received from General Belliard, who
arrived at the head of a column of artillery, the first intelligence of
the battle of Paris. He heard the news with an air of composure, which
was probably affected to avoid discouraging those about him. He walked
for about a quarter of an hour on the high road, and it was after that
promenade that he sent Caulaincourt to Paris. Napoleon afterwards went
to the house of the postmaster, where he ordered his maps to be brought
to him, and, according to custom, marked the different positions of the
enemy's troops with pine, the heads of which were touched with wax of
different colours. After this description of work, which Napoleon
did every day, or sometimes several times a day, he repaired to
Fontainebleau, where he arrived at six in the morning. He did not order
the great apartments of the castle to be opened, but went up to his
favourite little apartment, where he shut himself up, and remained alone
during the whole of the 31st of March.
In the evening the Emperor sent for the Duke of Ragusa, who had just
arrived at Essonne with his troops. The Duke reached Fontainebleau
between three and four o'clock on the morning of the 1st of April.
Napoleon then received a detailed account of the events of the 30th from
Marmont, on whose gallant conduct before Paris he bestowed much praise.
All was gloom and melancholy at Fontainebleau, yet the Emperor still
retained his authority, and I have been informed that he deliberated
for some time as to whether he should retire behind the Loire, or
immediately hazard a bold stroke upon Paris, which would have been
much more to his taste than to resign himself to the chances which an
uncertain temporising might bring about. This latter thought pleased
him; and he was seriously considering his plan of attack when the news
of the 31st, and the unsuccessful issue of Caulaincourt's mission, gave
him to understand that his situation was more desperate than he had
hitherto imagined.
Meanwhile the heads of his columns, which the Emperor had left at
Troves, arrived on the 1st of April at Fontainebleau, the troops having
marched fifty leagues in less than three days, one of the most rapid
marches ever performed. On the 2d of April Napoleon communicated the
events of Paris to the Generals who were about him, recommending them
to conceal the news lest it should dispirit the troops, upon whom he yet
relied. That day, during an inspection of the troops, which took place
in the court of the Palace, Bonaparte assembled the officers of his
Guard, and harangued them as follows:
Soldiers! the enemy has stolen three marches upon us, and has made
himself master of Paris. We must drive him thence. Frenchmen,
unworthy of the name, emigrants whom we have pardoned, have mounted
the white cockade, and joined the enemy. The wretches shall receive
the reward due to this new crime. Let us swear to conquer or die,
and to enforce respect to the tri-coloured cockade, which has for
twenty years accompanied us on the path of glory and honour.
He also endeavoured to induce the Generals to second his mad designs
upon Paris, by making them believe that he had made sincere efforts to
conclude peace. He assured them that he had expressed to the Emperor
Alexander his willingness to purchase it by sacrifices; that he had
consented to resign even the conquests made during the Revolution, and
to confine himself within the old limits of France. "Alexander," added
Napoleon, "refused; and, not content with that refusal, he has leagued
himself with a party of emigrants, whom, perhaps, I was wrong in
pardoning for having borne arms against France. Through their perfidious
insinuations Alexander has permitted the white cockade to be mounted on
the capital. We will maintain ours, and in a few days we will march upon
Paris. I rely on you."
When the boundless attachment of the Guards to the Emperor is considered
it cannot appear surprising that these last words, uttered in an
impressive tone, should have produced a feeling of enthusiasm, almost
electrical, in all to whom they were addressed. The old companions of
the glory of their chief exclaimed with one voice, "Paris! Paris!" But,
fortunately, during the night, the Generals having deliberated with each
other saw the frightful abyss into which they were about to precipitate
France. They therefore resolved to intimate in discreet terms to the
Emperor that they would not expose Paris to destruction, so that on the
3d of April, prudent ideas succeeded the inconsiderate enthusiasm of the
preceding day.
The wreck of the army assembled at Fontainebleau, which was the remnant
of 1,000,000 of troops levied during fifteen months, consisted only of
the corps of the Duke of Reggio (Oudinot), Ney, Macdonald, and General
Gerard, which 'altogether did not amount to 25,000 men, and which,
joined to the remaining 7000 of the Guard, did not leave the Emperor a
disposable force of more than 32,000 men. Nothing but madness or
despair could have suggested the thought of subduing, with such scanty
resources, the foreign masses which occupied and surrounded Paris.
On the 2d of April the Senate published a 'Senatus-consulte', declaring
that Napoleon had forfeited the throne, and abolishing the right
of succession, which had been established in favour of his family.
Furnished with this set, and without awaiting the concurrence of the
Legislative Body, which was given next day, the Provisional Government
published an address to the French armies. In this address the troops
were informed that they were no longer the soldiers of Napoleon, and
that the Senate released them from their oaths. These documents were
widely circulated at the time, and inserted in all the public journals.
The address of the Senate was sent round to the Marshals, and was of
course first delivered to those who were nearest the capital; of this
latter number was Marmont, whose allegiance to the Emperor, as we have
already seen, yielded only to the sacred interests of his country.
Montessuis was directed by the Provisional Government to convey the
address to Marmont, and to use such arguments as were calculated
to strengthen those sentiments which had triumphed over his dearest
personal affections. I gave Montessuis a letter to Marmont, in which I
said:
"MY DEAR FRIEND--An old acquaintance of mine will convey to you the
remembrances of our friendship. He will, I trust, influence your
resolution: a single word will suffice to induce you to sacrifice
all for the happiness of your country. To secure that object you,
who are so good a Frenchman and so loyal a knight, will not fear
either dangers or obstacles. Your friends expect you, long for you,
and I trust will soon embrace you."
Montessuis also took one from General Dessolles, whom the Provisional
Government had appointed Governor of the National Guard in the room
of Marshal Moncey, who had left Paris on the occupation of the
Allies. General Dessolles and I did not communicate to each other our
correspondence, but when I afterwards saw the letter of Dessolles I
could not help remarking the coincidence of our appeal to Marmont's
patriotism. Prince Schwartzenberg also wrote to Marmont to induce him
to espouse a clause which had now become the cause of France. To the
Prince's letter Marmont replied, that he was disposed to concur in the
union of the army and the people, which would avert all chance of civil
war, and stop the effusion of French blood; and that he was ready with
his troops to quit the army of the Emperor Napoleon on the condition
that his troops might retire with the honours of war, and that the
safety and liberty of the Emperor were guaranteed by the Allies.
After Prince Schwartzenberg acceded to these conditions Marmont was
placed in circumstances which obliged him to request that he might be
released from his promise.
I happened to learn the manner in which Marshal Macdonald was informed
of the taking of Paris. He had been two days without any intelligence
from the Emperor, when he received an order in the handwriting of
Berthier, couched in the following terms: "The Emperor desires that you
halt wherever you may receive this order." After Berthier's signature
the following words were added as a postscript: "You, of course,
know that the enemy is in possession of Paris." When the Emperor thus
announced, with apparent negligence, an event which totally changed
the face of affairs, I am convinced his object was to make the Marshal
believe that he looked upon, that event as less important than it really
was. However, this object was not attained, for I recollect having
heard Macdonald say that Berthier's singular postscript, and the tone of
indifference in which it was expressed, filled him with mingled surprise
and alarm. Marshal Macdonald then commanded the rear-guard of the army
which occupied the environs of Montereau. Six hours after the receipt of
the order here referred to Macdonald received a second order directing
him to put his troops in motion, and he learned the Emperor's intention
of marching on Paris with all his remaining force.
On receiving the Emperor's second order Macdonald left his corps at
Montereau and repaired in haste to Fontainebleau. When he arrived there
the Emperor had already intimated to the Generals commanding divisions
in the corps assembled at Fontainebleau his design of marching on Paris.
Alarmed at this determination the Generals, most of whom had left in
the capital their wives, children, and friends, requested that Macdonald
would go with them to wait upon Napoleon and endeavour to dissuade him
from his intention. "Gentlemen," said the Marshal, "in the Emperor's
present situation such a proceeding may displease him. It must be
managed cautiously. Leave it to me, gentlemen, I will go to the
chateau."
Marshal Macdonald accordingly went to the Palace of Fontainebleau, where
the following conversation ensued between him and the Emperor, and I
beg the reader to bear in mind that it was related to me by the Marshal
himself. As soon as he entered the apartment in which Napoleon was the
latter stepped up to him and said, "Well, how are things going on?"--
"Very badly, Sire."--"How? . . . badly! . . . What then are the feelings
of your army?"--"My army, Sire, is entirely discouraged . . . appalled
by the fate of Paris."--"Will not your troops join me in an advance on
Paris?"--"Sire, do not think of such a thing. If I were to give such an
order to my troops I should run the risk of being disobeyed."--"But
what is to be done? I cannot remain as I am; I have yet resources and
partisans. It is said that the Allies will no longer treat with me.
Well! no matter. I will march on Paris. I will be revenged on the
inconstancy of the Parisians and the baseness of the Senate. Woe to the
members of the Government they have patched up for the return of their