tyrannized over various of Germany. But, soon | senseless to his duty, as protector of the interests of Russia, for the sake of which he consented to the revolting sacrifice; and, although he humiliated his own majesty, he enriched the sway, and essentially strengthened the throne, of succeeding autocrats. Peace was not degrading to Russia; the mode of affiancing with France could only render such peace a reproach. after, the fire of war blazed out in Prussia also: after various disasters and important losses on her part, our own dominions on the frontiers are now threatened by the flame. To Russians, accustomed to love the glory of their country, and to sacrifice every thing to it, it is unnecessary to explain how unavoidable these events have made the present war. Honour unsheathed "After the glorious and sanguinary resistance that our sword for the protection of our allies; how much he had alone opposed to Buonaparte with all his more justly must it be drawn for the defence of our means, he was warranted in sheathing an undishonourown safety! Before these events could approach our ed sword, if the situation and immediate interests of frontiers, we took, at an early period, every measure to his country required some repose. Russia had engaged be ready to meet them. Having, in good time, ordered in the campaign as an ally of Prussia: she had preour army to move beyond the frontier, we have now pared only as an auxiliary, and to support a sovereign commissioned our general Field-marshal Kamenskoi to who could bring into the field above two hundred thoucommand it, and to act against the enemy with all the sand soldiers of high military character, whose country forces intrusted to him. We are assured, that all our was covered with strong fortresses, and who had the faithful subjects will join us in fervent prayers to the means of abundantly providing every supply. By the Almighty, who directs the fate of states, and the issue loss of one battle, and a series of unparalleled treasons of battles, that he may take our righteous cause under and misfortunes, however, Prussia was, in a few days, his all-powerful protection; that his victorious strength annihilated; and the conquerors, confident in num and blessing may direct the Russian armies employed bers, and presumptuous from victory, appeared on the in repelling the general foe of Europe. We are confi-Vistula with the declared intention of planting their dent that our faithful subjects of the government on the frontier will, in the present circumstances particularly, redouble the proofs of their attachment, and their zeal for the common good; and that, unshaken by fear, or delusive promises, they will tread with firmness the same path in which, under the protection of the laws and of a mild government, they have hitherto enjoyed tranquillity and undisputed property, and shared in the universal prosperity of the whole empire. Lastly, we are confident that all the children of the land, relying on the help of God, on the valour of our troops, and on the known experience of their leader, will spare no sacrifice, no efforts, which patriotism and the safety of our country may demand. "St. Petersburgh, Nov. 28, 1806." eagles on the towers of St. Petersburgh. "The Russian army, inadequate in numbers, unprepared for such a contest, reinforced by no more than ten thousand dispirited Prussians, instead of the victorious multitude that they anticipated to join on the banks of the Rhine-with a knowledge of their immediate wants-without the hope of succour for several months-conscious, but always indignant, at the disasters of Austerlitz, resolved to resist the menacing torrent; and, by a combination of extraordinary courage and endurance, they not only arrested its progress, but preserved the Russian territory from invasion, and finally maintained an attitude which obliged Buonaparte to treat their country with a consideration that no hostile power had ever before experienced in his negotiations. "Had Alexander but refused for a third time that interview which Buonaparte so eagerly urged, and sent During the ensuing campaign, the Russian army under General Benningsen disputed with some success the power of France: at Pultusk, Eylau, and Heils-his ministers to treat for a peace which the exigencies berg, they were victorious; and even in the unequal battle of Friedland, they maintained their honour untarnished. of Russia might have rendered desirable, such peace would have been sanctioned by honour, and, although not in unison with the wishes of England, England would have had no right to remonstrate with asperity, or reproach the termination of a war which Russia had The following remarks on the peace of Tilsit, which followed that unfortunate battle, are extracted from "Sir Robert Wilson's Sketch of the Campaign in Po-alone sustained. If Alexander had not yielded a final land:" acquiescence to councils repugnant to his own feelings, "At. Tilsit, the Emperor Alexander might descend-if, in that extremity, he had collected around him from his dignity, and suspend his estimation in Europe, by a contaminating connection of personal amity with Buonaparte; but even in that fatal moment he was not the wise, the patriotic, the loyal, and the brave, who were ready to support him, and were devoted to his interest-his dignity would have been preserved, and his ministers would have been enabled to maintain a tone | line of frontier. Several countries and provinces have commanding terms so favourable, that the assurance of been given to our allies, which had been lost by the a prosperous continuation of the war could scarcely fortune of war, and subjugated by force of arms. have offered equal advantages to Russia." "Peace being concluded upon these principles, we The proclamation of Alexander, on the conclusion are convinced that all our faithful subjects will join of peace, was to the following effect: with us in offering up their prayers to the throne of the King of kings, that Russia may long enjoy its advanEm-tages, defended by the blessings of the supreme, and We, ALEXANDER the First, by God's grace, peror and Autocrat of all the Russias, "The war between Russia and France, through the powerful assistance of the Most High, and the distinguished valour of our troops, has ended,-peace is happily restored. "In the course of this war, Russia has experienced the magnitude of her resources, in the love and devotion of her sons,, and which she may reckon upon finding on all occasions. "The troops, in general, have exhibited an unexampled valour, the firmest intrepidity, and heroic actions; wherever they were called by the voice of honour, the sense of danger disappeared; their glorious deeds will remain beyond the power of oblivion in the annals of national honour, and a grateful country will consider them as standing examples for prosperity. "The nobles of the civil class, treading in the footsteps of their predecessors, have not only distinguished themselves by the sacrifices they have made of their property, but also by their perfect readiness to hazard their lives for the honour of their country. “The merchants, and all other classes, neither sparing of their endeavours nor their property, have cheerfully borne the burthen of the war, and have shown themselves ready to make any sacrifice whatever. | the unshaken and tried valour of her armies. "Given at St. Petersburgh, August 9, 1807, and the seventh year of our reign. « ALEXANDER.” Shortly after the peace of Tilsit, the amicable relations of Russia with England were interrupted; and the expedition against Copenhagen, under Lord Cathcart and Admiral Gambier, gave the highest offence to Alexander, who was, at this time, completely deceived and cajoled by the subtle Corsican. The errors of this policy, however, were amply expiated; and a twelvemonth did not elapse before the general ruin and misery which rapidly spread throughout Russia, in consequence of the total want of commerce, obliged the emperor to relax in a system which the intrigues of Buonaparte had induced him to adopt. This relaxation drew upon him the hostility of the ruler of the French nation, who immediately began to form arrangements for the destruction of the Russian empire. It was in vain that Alexander represented the pressure of public suffering throughout Russia; that she could no longer exist as a nation without commerce; and that he was ready to make great sacrifices to secure even a portion of trade to his subjects: that he was contented to impose a new duty of twenty-five per cent. on all co "With such a general and intimate union of valour and patriotism, it has pleased the Most High, defend-lonial produce and goods of British manufacture, and ing and strengthening our armies in the severest conflicts, finally to reward their intrepidity, by putting a happy period to a sanguinary war, and presenting us with a propitious peace, by a treaty between France and Russia, which was concluded and ratified on the 27th of June, in our presence, at Tilsit. "According to the basis of this treaty, we have rejected all the plans for the enlargement of our frontiers at the expense of our allies, as inconsistent with justice and Russian dignity. "Not willing to extend our spacious empire, we only made use of our arms to restore the violated tranquillity of the continent, and to avert the danger which threatened our own, and the states that were in alliance with us. Through the establishment of the present peace, Russia's ancient limits are not only secured in their complete inviolability, but rendered more.complete, by the addition of a natural and advantageous would allow France half the revenue to sanction the measure. To these proposals, the Corsican insultingly replied, that nothing short of the total exclusion of British shipping from the ports of Russia would satisfy him; and that any compromise on his part would be considered as a total abandonment of the continental system. It was now sufficiently obvious to Alexander, that hostilities must re-commence; and that nothing but a fresh appeal to arms could preserve the independence and stability of the empire; yet, anxious to prevent the effusion of blood, he procrastinated every indication of warlike measures, until he found that further delay would compromise his own dignity, or endanger the integrity of his empire. "As early as the spring of the year 1811," says a contemporary historian, "the cabinet of Russia perceived that war was inevitable. The King of Saxony had been recommended to concentrate the troops be- | of six regiments each; and every regiment contained longing to the duchy of Warsaw on the Vistula; the three battalions of six hundred effective men; forming conscription throughout France had been considerably a total of three hundred and two thousand four hunextended; and the designs of Buonaparte became every dred infantry. The cavalry were composed of seven day more evident. The military preparations, there- divisions, of forty squadrons each; every squadron of fore, in Russia, were made on the most extensive scale. one hundred and forty-two effective men, amounting, Cannon were secretly sent from the arsenal towards in the whole, to thirty-nine thousand seven hundred the frontiers; the different battalions called "garrison and sixty, besides fifty thousand cossacks, making toregiments" were incorporated with the regular forces; gether a force of three hundred and ninety-two thɔuand, by the end of February in that year, no less than sand one hundred men. From this enumeration may two hundred thousand men were quartered in the be deducted nine divisions: two of which were to be western provinces of the empire; while many of the employed against the Persians, five against the Turks, most intelligent generals, who commanded divisions of and two were to continue in Finland, by way of precauthese troops, successively visited St. Petersburgh, under tion. There then remained two hundred and ninetythe pretext of arranging their private affairs, but, in four thousand nine hundred and sixty men, which reality, for the purpose of conferring with the minister Russia could, in the year 1811, have opposed to France, at war on the state of their respective corps. exclusively of the militia; and for arming this latter force there were a sufficient number of military depôts well provided, and conveniently situated for the distribution of arms and stores." “These preparations were increased with redoubled activity, after the incorporation of the Hans Towns with the French empire, and the seizure of the duchy of Oldenburgh, (the integrity of which latter state was It will also be evident from the following document, guaranteed by the twelfth and fifteenth articles of the which is the substance of an engagement entered into treaty of Tilsit,) on the principle, that, by their conti-between the courts of St. Petersburgh and Stockholm, nuing to trade with Great Britain, their commerce frustrated the salutary and decisive regulations of the decrees of Berlin and Milan, which alone were calculated effectually to resist the principles of the British orders in council.' 6 "Alexander was deeply affected by these aggressions, and perfectly aware of the tendency of Napoleon's ambitious designs. The time, however, was not yet arrived, when it was judged expedient to pursue that vigorous line of conduct which ought to have been sooner adopted. The situation of Russia with respect to Turkey was still unsettled: she had made great exertions in a destructive contest with that power, and her finances were considerably embarrassed. It was also uncertain what part the Crown Prince of Sweden might take in a contest between Russia and France; it being well known that every exertion had been made by Buonaparte to engage that prince to enter into his designs. No time, however, was lost in encouraging the manufacture of arms: five hundred thousand muskets, and two thousand pieces of ordnance, were rapidly finished, and ready for any disposable purpose; various fortifications were erected on the banks of the Dwina; and, upon the whole, the military preparations were much more formidable, and upon a larger scale, than those which preceded the wars of 1805 and 1807. The organization of the forces was also changed. The cavalry, which used to be attached to the different divisions of infantry, was separated from them. The infantry of the line consisted of twenty-eight divisions, signed at St. Petersburgh, the 24th of March, 1812, so far as the same are referred to in a subsequent treaty between his Britannic majesty, and the King of Sweden, signed at Stockholm, on the 3d of March, 1813, that, for some time previous to the invasion of Russia by Buonaparte, the courts of St. Petersburgh and Stockholm had, from the movements of the French armies menacing the Russian empire, engaged to make a diversion in Germany against France and her allies with a force of between forty and fifty thousand men : but, as this diversion could not be securely made whilst Norway could be considered as the enemy of Sweden, Russia engaged, either by negotiation or military cooperation, to unite that kingdom to Sweden. The acquisition of Norway was to be considered as a preliminary operation to the diversion in Germany. An indemnity was to be offered to Denmark in Germany, if she would cede Norway; but, in case of refusal, she was to be considered as an enemy. "The object of the Emperor of Russia and the King of Sweden, in forming an alliance, is stated to be for the purpose of securing reciprocally their states and possessions against the common enemy. "The French government having, by the occupation of Swedish Pomerania, committed an act of hostility against the Swedish government, and, by the movements of its armies, having menaced the tranquillity of the empire of Russia, the contracting parties engage to make a diversion against France and her allies, with a combined force of twenty-five or thirty thousand Swedes, point of the coast of Germany as may be judged most convenient for that purpose. and of fifteen or twenty thousand Russians, upon such | eus Russians have been accustomed to live in peace and harmony with all the surrounding nations; but, when storms have threatened our empire, patriots of all ranks and stations were ready to unsheath the sword for the defence of their religion and laws. "As the King of Sweden cannot make this diversion in favour of the common cause, consistently with the security of his own dominions, so long as he can regard the kingdom of Norway as an enemy, his majesty the Emperor of Russia engages, either by negotiation or by military co-operation, to unite the kingdom of Norway to Sweden. He engages, moreover, to guarantee the peaceable possession of it to his Swedish majesty. "The most urgent necessity for the augmentation of our troops by a new levy now exists. Our strong forces are already at their posts, for the defence of the em pire; their bravery and courage are known to all the world. The confidence of their emperor and government is with them. Their faith and love will render them irresistible against a far superior force. With the same paternal care have we adopted all defensive mea "The two contracting parties engage to consider the acquisition of Norway by Sweden as a preliminary ope-sures, to secure the safety and welfare of all and every ration to the diversion on the coast of Germany; and the Emperor of Russia promises to place, for this object, at the disposal and under the immediate orders of the Prince Royal of Sweden, the corps of Russian troops above stipulated. one; and therefore order-1st, To raise in the whole empire, from each five hundred men, two recruits; 2dly, To commence in all governments two weeks after the receipt of the ukase, and to be finished in the course of a month; 3dly, To conform to the regulations "The two contracting parties being unwilling, if it laid down with respect to the levy of recruits by an can be avoided, to make an enemy of the King of Den-ukase presented to the senate, and dated September mark, will propose to that sovereign to accede to this 16, 1811; 4thly, The recruits to be kept in the garrialliance; and will offer to his Danish majesty to pro- son towns, with the garrison and interior battalions, on cure, for him a complete indemnity for Norway, by a the same footing as the recruits for provisionary depôts territory more contiguous to his German dominious, are kept and brought up. provided his Danish majesty will cede for ever his rights on the kingdom of Norway to the King of Sweden. "In case his Danish majesty refuses this offer, and shall have decided to remain in alliance with France, the two contracting parties engage to consider Denmark as their enemy. "The immediate fulfilment of this order for raising of recruits during the period fixed is entrusted to the senate." ceive an equal succour from France. The influence which Buonaparte possessed over the Austrian government, enabled him to obtain a treaty of alliance; by which the latter engaged to furnish thirty thousand men to act against Russia, on the un"As it has been expressly stipulated that the engage-derstanding that, if she were attacked, she should rements of his Swedish majesty to co-operate with his troops in Germany, in favour of the common cause, shall, not take effect until Norway shall have been acquired to Sweden, either by the cession of the King of Denmark, or in consequence of military operations, his majesty the King of Sweden engages to transport his army into Germany, according to a plan of campaign to be agreed upon, as soon as the above object shall have been obtained. "His Britannic majesty to be invited by both powers to accede to, and to guarantee, the stipulation contained in the said treaty." On the 23d of March, 1812, his imperial majesty published the following declaration for the recruiting of his forces: “The present situation of Europe requires the adoption of firm and strong measures, as well as indefatigable vigilance and energetic exertions, so as to fortify our extensive empire in the most formidable manner against all hostile enterprises. Our bold and courage Previous to the commencement of hostilities, Alexander issued a proclamation to his subjects, stating the sacrifices which he had made, previous to taking that step, and exhorting them to the most strenuous exertions; and, after the passage of the Niemen, he pub|lished the following address; For a long time we have remarked the hostile conduct of the French emperor towards Russia; but we still hoped, through moderate and pacific measures, to avert hostilities. At length, notwithstanding all our wishes to maintain peace, we witnessed an incessant repetition of open outrages, which compelled us to arm and to assemble our troops; though still, while we could flatter ourselves with the hope of reconciliation, we remained within the confines of our empire, and, without violating peace, were prepared for defence. All these moderate and pacific measures, however, could not secure to us the tranquillity of which we were desirous. The French emperor, by an attack upon our troops at Kowna, has already commenced On the 6th of June, Buonaparte, arrived on the Vistula, and availed himself of his overwhelming force and imposing situation, to compel the King of Prussia to join him in a treaty of alliance. Shortly after, he passed the borders of the Russian empire; in consequence of which, Alexander issued the following pro clamation: "Beloved subjects!-In pursuance of the policy advised by our military council, the armies will, for the present, quit their positions, and retire farther into the interior, in order to unite with the greater facility. The enemy may possibly avail himself of this opportunity to advance; as he has announced that intention. Doubtless, in spite of his boast, he begins to feel all the difficulties of his menacing attempts to subjugate us, and is consequently anxious to engage: he is desperate, and would, therefore, put every thing upon the issue of a battle. The honour of our crown, and the interests of our subjects, however, prescribe a different policy: it is necessary that he should be made sensible of the madness of his attempt. If, urged by the desire of obtaining provisions and forage, or goaded by an insatiable thirst of plunder, he should be blind to the danger of farther committing himself at such an immense distance from his territories, it would become the duty of every loyal Russian, every true friend of his country, "The French troops have passed the borders of our to co-operate cheerfully with us, in impeding equally, empire; a complete treacherous attack is the reward of his progress, or his retreat, by destroying his supplies, the observance of our alliance. For the preservation his means of conveyance, and every thing which can of peace, I have exhausted every possible means, con- be serviceable to him. Such of our subjects, therefore, sistently with the honour of my throne and the advan-in the provinces of Vitepsk and Pskoy, as may have tage of my people. All my endeavours have been in vain. Napoleon has resolved in his own mind to effect the ruin of Russia. The most moderate proposals on our part have remained unanswered. This sudden irruption into our territories has shewn in an unequivocal manner the groundlessness of his pacific promises, which he lately repeated. There remains no alternative, therefore, but to have recourse to arms, and to employ all the means that have been granted me by Providence, to repel force by force. I place the most implicit confidence in the zeal of my people, and the bravery of my troops. As they are menaced in the midst of their families, they will defend them with their national bravery and energy; and Providence will crown our righteous cause with success. The defence of our native country, the maintenance of our independence and national honour, have compelled me to have recourse to arms; and I will never sheath my sword so long as there is a single enemy within my imperial borders." In pursuance of the system of retreat and protracted warfare, which had been determined upon by the Emperor Alexander, the Russian armies gradually fell back and concentrated themselves. Buonaparte was there›re obliged to alter his first dispositions, which harassI his troops by useless marches. The head-quarters were at length established at a fortified camp at Drissa; and, on the Russian army breaking up from this position, the emperor issued the following proclamation: articles of subsistence, either for man or beast, beyond their immediate want, are hereby ordered to deliver them to officers authorised to receive them, and for which they shall be paid the fuH value out of the imperial treasury. The owners of growing crops within the distance of the line of the enemy's march, are commanded to destroy them, and their loss shall be reimbursed. The proprietors of magazines, either of provisions or clothing, are required to deliver them to the commissaries for the use of the army, and they will be liberally remunerated. In general, the spirit of this order is to be carried into execution in regard to all articles, whether of subsistence, of clothing, or of conveyance, which may be considered useful to the invaders; and all magistrates are made responsible for the due fulfilment of these our commands. "ALEXANDER." After the defeat of Davoust, by Prince Bagration, the following ukase was issued by Alexander: "The enemy has entered our territories, and continues to carry his arms into the interior of Russia, hoping by his strength and his fury to disturb the tranquillity of this mighty empire. He has formed in his mind the base determination to destroy the glory and prosperity of our country. With subtlety in his heart, and deceit on his lips, he is bringing everlasting chains and fetters into it. We have called on the Almighty for assistance, |