VIII. 1813. CHAP. that of the maritime rights of neutrals, till the conclusion of a general peace. These new proposals, so well calculated to soothe the pride of Napoleon, and adjourn to a future period all questions likely to irritate it, were accompanied by second autograph letter conceived in the kindest terms from the Emperor Francis to him, which concluded with these words: "On the day on which I gave you my daughter, your honour became my own. Have trust in me, and I will ask nothing derogatory to your glory." To these assurances, M. de Bubna brought the declaration from Metternich that Austria was bound by treaty to no one, and the official guarantee, that if Napoleon accepted the modified terms now proposed, Austria would renew with him the treaty, offensive and defensive, of 14th March 1812.1 1 Thiers, xv. 597-599. 80. of the ar mistice of Pleswitz. June 2. These assurances on the part of the Austrian Cabinet Conclusion were perfectly sincere when made, for when M. de Bubna, who arrived at Liegnitz on 30th May, left Vienna, intelligence had not arrived in that capital of the separate negotiation which the French Emperor was endeavouring to open with the Emperor of Russia. Napoleon, without a moment's delay, was informed of these proposals on the part of Austria, by Maret, to whom they had been communicated by M. de Bubna. The information reached him on the 2d June, and he immediately resolved, in consequence, to make some concessions, in order to obtain the delay of at least seven weeks, for which he was so anxious, thinking himself now secure at their expiration of the co-operation of Austria. Information at the same time arrived, that Davoust was at the gates of Hamburg, and would certainly be in possession of it before the night of 1st June. This gave him the means of resolving the question of demarcation on the principle of Uti possedetis, and he accordingly inserted a clause, fixing the line in the Hanse towns at what the fate of arms should have decided on the 3d at midnight. The armistice was to last till the 20th July, with six days more for denouncing CHAP. VIII. 1813. it, which in effect brought its duration to within a week of two months. As to Breslau, it was to be included in a neutral territory of twelve leagues square. These terms were despatched by Napoleon on the evening of 3d June to Caulaincourt, with orders, if they were not instantly acceded to, to resume hostilities. At the same time he forwarded a secret letter, in cypher, to M. Maret, at Liegnitz, in which he said: "Gain time; do not commit yourself to M. de Bubna; bring him with you to Dresden, and retard as long as possible the time when we must accept or refuse the Austrian terms. I am about to sign the armistice, and when that is done, all the time which we require will have been gained. If, however, they persist in demanding terms unsuitable for my honour, I will furnish you with themes by means of which you may prolong the discussions with M. de Bubna, and secure me the few days necessary to drive the Allies to a distance from the Austrian territories." Thus author-1 Napoleon ised, the armistice was signed at Pleswitz on the June, on the terms which Napoleon proposed; Allied commissioners having instructions to yield other points, provided Breslau did not remain in the p. 368. hands of the French.1 to M. Maret, 1813; 4th June 3, the Thiers, xv. on Lond. App. 600-602; No. III. flections on Such," says M. Thiers, "was this deplorable armistice, 81. which it was certainly right to accept if peace was in- Thiers's retended, but which should have been absolutely rejected this armisif war was to be continued; for Napoleon, at the time he tice. agreed to it, had it in his power to destroy the Allies. So far, however, from agreeing to it because he wished for peace, he desired it to gain two months to complete his armaments, and to be in a situation to refuse the conditions of Austria. This fault, which preceded so many others, was a part of those extravagantly ambitious projects which precipitated the close of his career. It occasioned, however, in all but Prussia, a general joy, because it was thought to be the harbinger of a general peace. Napoleon, in sending his troops into cantonments, decreed CHAP. VIII. 1813. 1 Thiers, xv. 603. 82. the Allied army. 66 the formation of a colossal monument on the summit of Mont Cenis," to commemorate the generous efforts of the French and Italian people who ran to arms in 1813 to resist the Coalition. The idea bore the impress of his genius; but for his own sake, for that of the French people, it would have been better to have sent to Paris a treaty abandoning the Confederation of the Rhine, Hamburg, Illyria, and Spain, with the inscription 'The sacrifices of Napoleon to the French people.' A review of the Allied army took place during the Review of retreat, on the 27th May, at Jauer. The corps which passed before the Emperor Alexander presented huge gaps, though reinforcements had come up from the rear since the battle of Bautzen, which in some degree compensated the chasms made in the ranks on that bloody day. The Russians in the whole army, indeed, were only 35,000; a melancholy proof of the vast ravages which war, fatigue, and the sword had made in the once colossal forces of the Czar. These were, however, bronzed veterans, inured to war, cool under fire, patient of fatigue, enduring of suffering, steady beyond any others in Europe in disaster, but without the fire or dash of the French or Prussian soldiers. The Prussians, though in many cases yet unsteady in the ranks, and scarcely masters of military Lord Castle discipline, exhibited the fire and ardour which shone forth 7, 1813, so conspicuously in the actions which followed, and which mainly contributed to the glorious termination of the war.2 2 Sir Chas. Stewart to reagh, June MS.; Lond. 61. 83. "On this occasion," says Sir Charles Stewart, "a disHonour tinguished honour was conferred upon a most meritorious Sir R. Wil- officer in front of the camp of Jauer." The Emperor ordered conferred on son. a grand review of the troops in camp. His Majesty rode along the line, and was received with enthusiasm by the soldiers. Observing a favourable moment, when he was surrounded by his generals and staff officers, and in front of the troops, his Imperial Majesty called Sir Robert Wilson to him, and addressed him in the following gracious 66 VIII. 1813. speech: "Sir Robert Wilson, I have duly appreciated CHAP. the services, gallantry, and zeal, which have distinguished you throughout the war; in testimony of which I have determined to confer upon you the third class of the order of St George." So saying, as if desirous of doing it in the most gratifying manner, the Emperor directed General Augerausky to take his cross from his neck, and delivered it to Sir Robert Wilson. Then turning to Sir Charles Stewart, while General Augerausky gave him the cross and ribbon, he said: "General, I give this to Sir Robert Wilson, for a long series of distinguished services through the campaign, through the war." The Emperor continued some time to speak in the same strain, with his hand on Sir Robert's shoulder. Sir Charles Stewart," says Sir Robert Wilson, "behaved most generously and kindly on this occasion, saying all that could be said, and perhaps exaggerating my merits." He lost no time in transmitting to the Foreign Office a full account of this interesting scene, in duplicate of a letter addressed to Lord Cathcart.* "The gracious mode, the well-chosen moment, and the pride experienced by a British officer, in seeing one of his companions in arms thus decorated in front of the Imperial army, justify me in recording this incident in detail." If it was a grateful task to Sir1 Lond. 52, 53; Sir Charles Stewart to witness the honour bestowed on a R. Wilson's noble fellow-soldier, it is not less pleasing to his biogra- 33, 34. pher to record the generous enthusiasm which led him to speak in such terms of a worthy companion in arms, but a most determined political opponent. * See SIR C. STEWART to LORD CATHCART, May 27, 1813; WILSON's Diary, i. 458. Diary, ii. CHAPTER IX. ARMISTICE OF PLESWITZ. JUNE 4-AUGUST 18, 1813. CHAP. IX. 1813. Vast im the matters treated at the Congress of Prague. REMARKABLE beyond any other in European history, from the magnitude of the interests which came under its discussion, and the vast consequences which followed from its determinations, the Congress which met at Prague, portance of after the armistice signed on the 4th June at Pleswitz, was distinguished by the great military and diplomatic ability to which the management of these vast concerns was intrusted. The genius and profound dissimulation of Napoleon was there met by the cautious prudence of Metternich and the indomitable resolution of Castlereagh ; the moral firmness of Caulaincourt and diplomatic skill of Maret, were matched against the ardent patriotism of Hardenberg and the disguised ambition of Nesselrode. The British minister was not personally present at the deliberations, but he was admirably represented by Lord Cathcart and Sir Charles Stewart, who were fully in his confidence, and communicated to the Allied Plenipotentiaries the impress of his resolution. The interests at stake were nothing less than these the permanent enslaving, or the immediate emancipation of Europe; and in the decision of that all-important question, Austria possessed a preponderating, it may be said a decisive, influence. For, if her forces were added to those of Napoleon, and the great central bastion of Bohemia put into his hands, no one could doubt that his military means, already victorious in two great battles, would |