therefore, that there shall not be more than 50 horses on an average for each regiment in the depôts of my regiments in Germany. Supposing there to be 30 depôts, this will make only 1500 horses to be fed in France for my army of Germany. At most, there ought to be in the depôts twice as many men as horses.

After the cavalry of Germany, comes that of Italy. I have regiments of horse in my army of Illyria, and likewise in my army of Italy. I wish my cavalry depôts in the Alps to be, generally speaking, on a higher footing than those in the interior, and my squadrons to be more numerous in Italy on account of the difficulty of obtaining remounts; but I do not choose to pay dearer for forage in Italy and Piedmont than elsewhere. There is abundant forage in Italy; it can therefore be only an abuse to charge so highly for it. I shall authorize the prefects to procure it at the rate of 18 sous or a franc at most, and even to levy it by requisition, if necessary.

I am inclined to place in Normandy the four depôts of my cuirassiers in Piedmont; they will be nearer their remounts, and, besides, I am always in want of cavalry and other resources on the coast.

I have 25 dragoon regiments in Spain; I do not intend them to have more than from 25 to 50 horses apiece in their depôts in France. The same with respect to the 12 regiments of chasseurs and hussars which are in Spain; and as in that army the horse's keep is not at my expense, it ought in general to be proposed to me to send thither all the available horses in the depôts; in Spain they will be of use, yet cost me nothing, and my finances will, in consequence, be much relieved.

I have 80 cavalry regiments, therefore 80 depôts, which, at the rate of 40 horses, one with the other, will not make more than between 3000 and 4000 horses to feed; the whole amount of forage will thus be reduced from 15 millions to less than 4 millions for the year 1810, a great and important saving.

I believe that I have added a 9th company to all my regiments of dragoons and of light horse. I think that next year these 9th companies had better be suppressed, for four squadrons

will be sufficient for my cavalry regiments in Germany, as they will be upon a peace establishment, and the regiments in the army of Spain are so full that three squadrons apiece will be quite enough. I think that the 5th squadron in the cuirassiers should also be reduced, which will bring us back entirely to a peace establishment.

Send to me therefore a report on the additions which the war has made unavoidable, a general return of the state of my cavalry as respects men, horses, and harness, and, lastly, the draft of a decree which may carry out the views which I have indicated to you.

[572.]

NAPOLEON TO BERTHIER.

Trianon, Dec. 19, 1809.

My Cousin,-I see by your letters of the 18th that you allow the 1st brigade of the 1st division of my guard, under the orders of General Roguet at Tours, to remain there only on the 23rd and 24th; let it stay at Poitiers on the 27th and 28th. The 2nd brigade may rest on the 27th and 28th at Châtellerault; I wish to give it an additional halt. Order quarters for this division to be prepared at Bourdeaux, that it may stay there at least a week, in order to recover itself completely. Write to General Reynier that, as soon as he enters Biscay, he is to set about destroying the parties of insurgents. Let General Loison know that I am sorry that he has left so few troops about St. Sebastian, and that he has taken no measures for getting rid of the gangs of banditti which are there.

[573.]

ORDER OF NAPOLEON.

Dec. 19, 1809.

M. le Duc le Feltre,-Express to the Duke of Castiglione my satisfaction at the capture of Gerona, and my regret that my troops were not long ago placed under his command.

Tell me what is the state of his health, and whether he is fit for active service. Let your messenger be an officer who will report to you on the state of the army, and bring back informa

tion about everything of interest to me in the country. Direct the Marshal to proceed to Barcelona to raise the blockade, supply the town with provisions, and exercise a general influence.

It is of great consequence to take Fort Hostalrich, in order to ensure a safe communication between France and Barcelona.

[574.]

NAPOLEON TO BERTHIER.

Trianon, Dec. 20, 1809.

My Cousin,-Write to General Suchet that he does not pay sufficient attention to the banditti in Navarre; that I am sorry to see that he has allowed them to take Tudela; and that, although they only momentarily occupied the town, it was a great misfortune, and that such a post as Tudela ought not to have been in danger of an attack.

[575.]

NAPOLEON TO BERTHIER.

Trianon, Dec. 21, 1809.

My Cousin,-Among the prisoners taken at the battle of Ocaña there are some officers who were included in the armistice, and who, since then, have served against the King. Order them to be arrested at Bayonne. Desire the Duke of Dalmatia to send such offenders to Bayonne, in order that severe justice may be executed upon them.

CHAPTER XVI.

THE letters contained in this chapter extend from the 11th of January to the 26th of December, 1810. Napoleon passed the I whole of this year in the French empire.

He met Maria Louisa at Compiègne on the 27th of March, and married her at St. Cloud on the 1st of April.

On the 1st of July he annexed Holland to France.
These were the principal events of the year.

[ 576.]

NAPOLEON TO BERTHIER.

Paris, Jan. 11, 1810.

My Cousin, I sent to you by one of my pages this morning a despatch containing orders for the movement of various troops in my armies in Spain.

I have thought proper to make the following changes :—

Provinces of Valladolid and Leon.-General Loison is allowed to fix his head-quarters at Benevento or at Astorga. The principal object of his division is to hold in check all the troops in Gallicia, and to bring into order and defend the whole kingdom of Leon. His division will be composed according to my former orders, except that General Féret, who is already at Leon, is to command one of the brigades. In this position General Loison will rest his right on General Bonnet, and his left on the Duke of Elchingen, who is at Salamanca. Communicate these dispositions to the Duke of Elchingen. General Kellermann is to retain the command of the province of Valladolid. Write to

General Kellermann for information as to the amount of artillery belonging to Féret's brigade, which is at Leon, and repeat the requisite orders for providing General Loison with eight or ten pieces of cannon.

Navarre and Biscay.-General Montmarie is to command the brigade of Reynier's division which is intended to enter Navarre, and the other brigade, which is in Biscay, is to be commanded by General Lamartinière. The brigade intended for Navarre, instead of being directed on Logroño and Tudela, will be assembled at Pampeluna, and General Montmarie, who is energetic, and who will be under the orders of General Dagout, will command the province and take all necessary measures for the destruction of the bands of insurgents. By this means Suchet, having no longer anything to do with Navarre, may withdraw all his troops thence to strengthen himself. All the detachments from the regiments of the Vistula, all those of the 14th and 44th regiments, and all others which are at Navarre belonging to General Suchet's corps, will receive orders to join their corps in Aragon.

Province of Santander.-Desire General Reynier to send General Valentin to occupy Frias and Pont-di-Lara, and to send you constantly the correspondence of General Bonnet. You will express to General Bonnet my approval of all that he has done during the past year. You will let him know that I am sending the 118th and the 122nd to reinforce him; that General Loison is on his way to Astorga with 12,000 men; that I leave General Bonnet at liberty either to enter the Asturias or to undertake the expedition on Gallicia in concert with General Loison; that I wish to know what he thinks about this expedition; that perhaps at this season the snow is an obstacle; but that, if he can enter from his side, it may be useful to attack Gallicia by the coast, while General Loison threatens it from Astorga, for, after all, it is better to carry the alarm home to the enemy than to allow him to make a diversion and take the offensive. Tell General Bonnet that he has the fullest powers to take all proper measures for obtaining the money and clothes which he wants in order to put my troops into the best condition possible.