Napoleon's Letters to Josephine, 1796-1812
world is only too happy if it can please you, and only your husband is
very, very unhappy.
BONAPARTE.
No. 19.
TO JOSEPHINE, AT GENOA.
_Milan_, _November 28, 1796_, 8 P.M.
I have received the courier whom Berthier had hurried on to Genoa. You
have not had time to write me, I feel it intuitively. Surrounded with
pleasures and pastimes, you would be wrong to make the least sacrifice
for me. Berthier has been good enough to show me the letter which you
wrote him. My intention is that you should not make the least change
in your plans, nor with respect to the pleasure parties in your
honour; I am of no consequence, either the happiness or the misery of
a man whom you don't love is a matter of no moment.
For my part, to love you only, to make you happy, to do nothing which
may vex you, that is the object and goal of my life.
Be happy, do not reproach me, do not concern yourself in the happiness
of a man who lives only in your life, rejoices only in your pleasure
and happiness. When I exacted from you a love like my own I was wrong;
why expect lace to weigh as heavy as gold? When I sacrifice to you all
my desires, all my thoughts, every moment of my life, I obey the sway
which your charms, your disposition, and your whole personality have
so effectively exerted over my unfortunate heart. I was wrong, since
nature has not given me attractions with which to captivate you; but
what I do deserve from Josephine is her regard and esteem, for I love
her frantically and uniquely.
Farewell, beloved wife; farewell, my Josephine. May fate concentrate
in my breast all the griefs and troubles, but may it give Josephine
happy and prosperous days. Who deserves them more? When it shall be
quite settled that she can love me no more, I will hide my profound
grief, and will content myself with the power of being useful and
serviceable to her.
I reopen my letter to give you a kiss.... Ah! Josephine!...
Josephine!
BONAPARTE.
* * * * *
_December 24th._--French under Hoche sail for Ireland; return
"foiled by the elements."
_January 7th, 1797.--Alvinzi begins his new attack on Rivoli,
while Provera tries to get to Mantua with 11,000 men via Padua and
Legnago. Alvinzi's total forces 48,000, but only 28,000 at Rivoli
against Bonaparte's 23,000._
_January 9th._--Kehl (after 48 days' siege) surrenders to Archduke
Charles.
_January 10th.--Napoleon at Bologna advised of the advance, and
hastens to make Verona, as before, the pivot of his movements._
No. 20.
_January 12th.--Combat of St. Michel: Massena defeats Austrians._
TO JOSEPHINE, AT MILAN.
_Verona, January 12, 1797._
Scarcely set out from Roverbella, I learnt that the enemy had appeared
at Verona. Massena made some dispositions, which have been very
successful. We have made six hundred prisoners, and have taken three
pieces of cannon. General Brune got seven bullets in his clothes,
without being touched by one of them--this is what it is to be lucky.
I give you a thousand kisses. I am very well. We have had only ten men
killed, and a hundred wounded.
BONAPARTE.
* * * * *
_January 13th.--Joubert attacked; retires from Corona on Rivoli in
the morning, joined by Bonaparte at night._
_January 14th.--Battle of Rivoli: Austrian centre defeated.
Bonaparte_ _at close of day hurries off with Massena's troops to
overtake Provera, marching sixteen leagues during the night.
Massena named next day enfant cheri de la victoire by Bonaparte,
and later Duc de Rivoli._
_January 15th.--Joubert continues battle of Rivoli: complete
defeat of Austrians. Provera, however, has reached St. Georges,
outside Mantua._
_January 16th--Sortie of Wurmser at La Favorite repulsed. Provera,
hurled back by Victor (named the Terrible on this day), is
surrounded by skilful manoeuvres of Bonaparte, and surrenders with
6000 men. In three days Bonaparte had taken 18,000 prisoners and
all Alvinzi's artillery. Colonel Graham gives Austrian losses at
14,000 to 15,000, exclusive of Provera's 6000._
_January 26th.--Combat of Carpenedolo: Massena defeats the
Austrians._
_February 2nd.--Joubert occupies Lawis. Capitulation of Mantua, by
Wurmser, with 13,000 men (and 6000 in hospital), but he, his
staff, and 200 cavalry allowed to return. Enormous capture of
artillery, including siege-train abandoned by Bonaparte before the
battle of Castiglione. Advance of Victor on Rome._
No. 21.
TO JOSEPHINE, AT BOLOGNA.
_Forli, February 3, 1797._
I wrote you this morning. I start to-night. Our forces are at Rimini.
This country is beginning to be tranquillised. My cold makes me always
rather tired.
I idolise you, and send you a thousand kisses.
A thousand kind messages to my sister.
BONAPARTE.
* * * * *
_February 9th.--Capture of Ancona._
No. 22.
TO JOSEPHINE, AT BOLOGNA.
_Ancona, February 10, 1797._
We have been at Ancona these two days. We took the citadel, after a
slight fusillade, and by a _coup de main_. We made 1200 prisoners. I
sent back the fifty officers to their homes.
I am still at Ancona. I do not press you to come, because everything
is not yet settled, but in a few days I am hoping that it will be.
Besides, this country is still discontented, and everybody is
nervous.
I start to-morrow for the mountains. You don't write to me at all, yet
you ought to let me have news of you every day.
Please go out every day; it will do you good.
I send you a million kisses. I never was so sick of anything as of
this vile war.
Good-bye, my darling. Think of me!
BONAPARTE.
No. 23.
TO JOSEPHINE, AT BOLOGNA.
_Ancona, February 13, 1797._
I get no news from you, and I feel sure that you no longer love me. I
have sent you the papers, and various letters. I start immediately to
cross the mountains. The moment that I know something definite, I will
arrange for you to accompany me; it is the dearest wish of my heart.
A thousand and a thousand kisses.
BONAPARTE.
No. 24.
TO JOSEPHINE, AT BOLOGNA.
_February 16, 1797._
You are melancholy, you are ill; you no longer write to me, you want
to go back to Paris. Is it possible that you no longer love your
comrade? The very thought makes me wretched. My darling, life is
unbearable to me now that I am aware of your melancholy.
I make haste to send you Moscati, so that he may look after you. My
health is rather bad; my cold gets no better. Please take care of
yourself, love me as much as I love you, and write me every day. I am
more uneasy than ever.
I have told Moscati to escort you to Ancona, if you care to come
there. I will write to you there, to let you know where I am.
Perhaps I shall make peace with the Pope, then I shall soon be by your
side; it is my soul's most ardent wish.
I send you a hundred kisses. Be sure that nothing equals my love,
unless it be my uneasiness. Write to me every day yourself. Good-bye,
dearest.
BONAPARTE.
No. 25.
_February 19th.--Peace of Tolentino with the Pope, who has to pay
for his equivocal attitude and broken treaty._
TO JOSEPHINE, AT BOLOGNA.
_Tolentino, February 19, 1797._
Peace with Rome has just been signed. Bologna, Ferrara, Romagna, are
ceded to the Republic. The Pope is to pay us thirty millions shortly,
and various works of art.
I start to-morrow morning for Ancona, and thence for Rimini, Ravenna,
and Bologna. If your health permit, come to Rimini or Ravenna, but, I
beseech you, take care of yourself.
Not a word from you--what on earth have I done? To think only of you,
to love only Josephine, to live only for my wife, to enjoy happiness
only with my dear one--does this deserve such harsh treatment from
her? My dear, I beg you, think often of me, and write me every day.
You are ill, or else you do not love me! Do you think, then, that I
have a heart of stone? and do my sufferings concern you so little? You
must know me very ill! I cannot believe it! You to whom nature has
given intelligence, tenderness, and beauty, you who alone can rule my
heart, you who doubtless know only too well the unlimited power you
hold over me!
Write to me, think of me, and love me.--Yours ever, for life.
BONAPARTE.
* * * * *
_March 16th.--Bonaparte defeats Archduke Charles on the
Tagliamento._
_March 25th.--Bonaparte writes the Directory from Goritz that "up
till now Prince Charles has manoeuvred worse than Beaulieu and
Wurmser."_
_March 29th.--Klagenfurt taken by Massena._
_April 1st.--Laybach by Bernadotte._
_April 17th.--Preliminaries of peace at Leoben signed by
Bonaparte._
_April 18th._--Hoche crosses the Rhine at Neuwied.
_April 21st_.--Moreau at Kehl.
_April 23rd._--Armistice of two Rhine armies follows preliminaries
of Leoben.
_May 16th.--Augereau enters Venice._
_June 28th._--French capture Corfu, and 600 guns.
_July 8th._--Death of Edmund Burke, aged sixty-eight.
_July 18th._--Talleyrand becomes French Minister of Foreign
Affairs.
_September 4th._--Day of 18th Fructidor at Paris. Coup d'Etat _of
Rewbell, Larevelliere-Lepeaux, and Barras, secretly aided by
Bonaparte, who has sent them Augereau to command Paris_.
_September 18th._--Death of Lazare Hoche, aged twenty-nine,
_probably poisoned by the Directory, which has recalled
Moreau, retired Bernadotte, and will soon launch Bonaparte on
the seas, so that he may find failure and Bantry Bay at Aboukir_
(Montgaillard).
_September 30th._--National bankruptcy admitted in France, _the
sixth time in two centuries_.
_October 17th.---Treaty of Campo-Formio; Bonaparte called
thereupon by Talleyrand "General Pacificator."_
_November 16th._--Death of Frederick William II., _King of
Prussia, aged fifty-three_; _succeeded by his son, Frederick
William III., aged twenty-seven_.
_December 1st.--Bonaparte Minister Plenipotentiary at Congress of
Rastadt, and_
_December 5th.--Arrives at Paris._
_December 10th.--Bonaparte presented to the Directory by
Talleyrand._
_December 27th.--Riots at Rome: Joseph Bonaparte (ambassador)
insulted; General Duphot (engaged to Joseph's sister-in-law,
Desiree) killed._
SERIES C
THE MARENGO CAMPAIGN, 1800
LETTERS OF THE FIRST CONSUL BONAPARTE TO HIS WIFE
_3rd Outlaw._ "By the bare scalp of Robin Hood's fat friar,
This fellow were a king for our wild faction!
_1st Outlaw._ "We'll have him; sirs, a word.
_Speed._ "Master, be one of them,
It is an honourable kind of thievery."
_The Two Gentlemen of Verona_,
Act iv., Scene I.
SERIES C
(For subjoined Notes to this Series see pages 223-225.)
LETTER PAGE
Christmas Day, 1799 223
No. 3. Ivrea, May 29th 224
_M.'s_ 224
_Cherries_ 224
No. 4. _Milan_ 224
THE CAMPAIGN OF MARENGO, 1800.
EVENTS OF 1798.
NAPOLEONIC HISTORY.--_May 20th._--_Napoleon sails from Toulon for
Egypt._
_June 11th.--Takes Malta; sails for Egypt (June 20th)._
_July 4th.--Captures Alexandria._
_July 21st.--Defeats Mamelukes at Battle of the Pyramids, and
enters Cairo the following day._
_August 1st.--French Fleet destroyed by Nelson at the Battle of
the Nile._
_October 7th.--Desaix defeats Mourad Bey at Sedyman (Upper
Egypt)._
* * * * *
GENERAL HISTORY.--_January 4th._--Confiscation of all English