Napoleon's Letters To Josephine Part 13

_August 30th._--Dutch fleet surrendered to the British Admiral.

_September 19th._--Brune defeats Duke of York at Bergen.

_September 25th._--Ma.s.sena defeats allies at Zurich, who lose 16,000 men and 100 guns. "Ma.s.sena saves France at Zurich, as Villars saved it at Denain."--_Montgaillard._

_October 6th._--Brune defeats Duke of York at Kastrik.u.m.

_October 7th._--French take Constance.

_October 16th._--Saint-Cyr, without cavalry or cannon, defeats Austrians at Bosco.

_October 18th._--Capitulation at Alkmaar by Duke of York to General Brune. "The son of George III. capitulates at Alkmaar as little honourably as the son of George II. had capitulated at Kloster-Seven in 1757."--_Montgaillard._

_November 4th._--Melas defeats French at Fossano.

_November 13th._--Ancona surrendered to the Austrians by Monnier, after a six months' siege.

_November 24th._--Moreau made commander of the armies of the Rhine (being in disgrace, has served as a volunteer in Italy most of this year); Ma.s.sena sent to the army of Italy.

_December 5th._--Coni, the key of Piedmont, surrenders to the Austrians.

_December 14th._--Death of George Washington.

_December 15th._--Battle of Montefaccio, near Genoa. Saint-Cyr defeats Austrians.

EVENTS OF 1800.

_February 11th._--Bank of France const.i.tuted.

_February 20th._--Kleber defeats Turks at Heliopolis.

_May 3rd._--Battle of Engen. Moreau defeats Kray, who loses 10,000 men, and--

_May 5th._--Again defeats Austrians at Moeskirch.

_May 6th.--Napoleon leaves Paris._

_May 8th.--Arrives at Auxonne, and on the 9th at Geneva, from thence moves to Lausanne (May 12th), where he is delighted with reception accorded to the French troops, and hears of Moreau's victory at Bibernach (May 11th). On the 14th he hears of Desaix's safe arrival at Toulon from Egypt, together with Davoust, and orders the praises of their past achievements to be sung in the_ Moniteur. _The same day writes Ma.s.sena that in Genoa a man like himself (Ma.s.sena) is worth 20,000. On the 16th is still at Lausanne._

No. 1.

TO JOSEPHINE, AT PARIS.

_Lausanne, May 15, 1800._

I have been at Lausanne since yesterday. I start to-morrow. My health is fairly good. The country round here is very beautiful. I see no reason why, in ten or twelve days, you should not join me here; you must travel incognito, and not say where you are going, because I want no one to know what I am about to do. You can say you are going to Plombieres.

I will send you Moustache,[16] who has just arrived.

My very kindest regards to Hortense. Eugene will not be here for eight days; he is _en route_.

BONAPARTE.

No. 2.

TO JOSEPHINE, AT PARIS.

_Torre di Garofolo, May 16, 1800._

I start immediately to spend the night at Saint-Maurice. I have not received a single letter from you; that is not well. I have written you by every courier.

Eugene may arrive the day after to-morrow. I have rather a cold, but it will have no ill effects.

My very kindest regards to you, my good little Josephine, and to all who belong to you.

BONAPARTE.

_May 17th-19th.--At Martigny, "struggling against ice, snow-storms, and avalanches," and astonishing the great St. Bernard "with the pa.s.sage of our 'pieces of 8,' and especially of our limbers--a new experience for it." On May 20th he climbed the St. Bernard on a mule, and descended it on a sledge. On May 21st he is at Aosta, hoping to be back in Paris within a fortnight. His army had pa.s.sed the mountain in four days. On May 27th he is at Ivrea, taken by Lannes on the 24th._

No. 3.[17]

[_From Tennant's Tour, &c._, vol. ii.]

11 P.M.

I hardly know which way to turn. In an hour I start for Vercelli.

Murat ought to be at Novaro to-night. The enemy is thoroughly demoralised; he cannot even yet understand us. I hope within ten days to be in the arms of my Josephine, who is always very good when she is not crying and not flirting. Your son arrived this evening. I have had him examined; he is in excellent health. Accept a thousand tender thoughts. I have received M.'s letter. I will send her by the next courier a box of excellent cherries.

We are here--within two months for Paris.--Yours entirely,

N. B.

_To Madame Bonaparte._ (Address not in Bonaparte's writing.)

_June 1st._--First experiments with vaccination at Paris, with fluid sent from London.

_On June 2nd Napoleon enters Milan, where he spends a week._

No. 4.

TO JOSEPHINE, AT PARIS.