AUSTERLITZ

I Au mois de septembre 1805. — The Peace of Amiens, in 1802, had proved to be a mère truce between Fiance and Great Britain. After the renewal of hostilities next year, préparations for a direct invasion of England had been pushed forward on a gigantic scale. A magnificent army was collected, harbours dug, great fleets of boats built; it only remained for the combined navies of France and Spain to secure the mastery of the Channel for a few hours. In the light of what actually happened, it is easy to condemn the whole enterprise as wildly impossible, and even to assert that it Mas never seriously contemplated. But during eighteen months before the campaign of Trafalgar, there was no such feeling either in France or in England ; nor was the design in itself by any means the most extravagant of the conceptions or undertakings of Napoléon. The paradoxical opinion that the préparations were ail a pretence, intend ed to conceal a very différent purpose, rests in the main on two considérations. Is it likely, ask those who adopt this theory, that any one in his sensés would hâve chosen the moment when peace on the Continent was above ail things necessary to him — would hâve chosen precisely such a time to ride roughshod over his neighbours' feelings, and by studied insuit and repeated aggression to provoke his other enemies to war, when lie himself with ail his power would be absent on a most hazardous enterprise? Further, it is urged, tliat the very swiftness and précision witli which the Great Army was moved from the Channel to the Danube are themselves a proof that in this direction lay the real design, while ail else was trickery and mystification. There can, indeed, be no question about the irritating character of the varions acts that had exasperated the Continent and prepared the way

chat, il] AUSTERLITZ 157

for the Third Coalition. In 1804 Napoléon not only became Emperor of France, but, in spite of promises that the two crowns should not be united, he ha<l made himself King of Italy ; he had occupied, and continued to occupy, Hanover ; had kidnapped the Duc d'Enghien on German soil, and put him to death ; had interfered with Hamburg ; and finally, by a mère edict, he had, in June 1805, anuexed Genoa and Lucca to his Empire. AU this was reckless enough. But there was method in Napoleon's maduess. After ail, some other use for his army might be needed, in order to disguise a fiasco and save appeaiances. Or suppose events justified his hopes, and the expédition was able to start, was the coalition likely to be so strong and its motives so unselfish, that none of his enemies could be appeased by large promises at the last and by concessions made for the moment ? It was, in fact, thoroughly characteristic of Napoléon to hâve more irons than one in the fire. And this being so, it was not surprising that ail had been carefully prepared beforehaud for the admirable movements that opened the campaign of Austerlitz. For, indeed, it was just this versatility and readiness of resource that made Napoléon what he was, and put such a gulf between him and his ablest Continental adversaries.

It was on hearing of the decree annexing Genoa that the Czar Alexander ratified the treaty already drawn with England ; Austria followed; Swedeii and Naples threw in their lot with the Allies, and Pitt's Third Coalition was complète.

The latest, and perhaps fullest, account of the campaign of Trafalgar — a campaign at least as interesting as that of Austerlitz — may be found in Captain Mahan's writings.

Marbot was now a lieutenant in the 25th Cavalry Chasseurs, and was aide de camp to Marchai Augereau, who was commanding the 7th corps of the Great Army.

i les sept corps. — Numerically : — lst. Bernadotte, from Hanover ; 2nd. Marmont, from Holland ; :3rd. Davout, from Bruges ; -Ith. Soult, 5th. Lannes, 6th. Ney, from the camp near Boulogne ; 7th. Augereau, from Brest. Bernadotte marched south to Wûrzburg ; Marmont to the same place, after crossing the Rhine at Mayence; Davout crossed at Mannheim; SouJt at Spire ; Ney at Carlsruhe ; Lannes at Strassburg ; Augereau — many days after the others — at Hiïningeo.

158 NOTES [chap. ii.

9 le cabinet de Vienne. — Now that ail the bridges across the Rhine belonged to France, the Upper Danube was not as important as it had hitherto been in Franco-Austrian wars. But, as Bavaria was known to be really hostile, it was natural for the Cabinet of Vienna to send an army across the Inn to occupy défensive positions till the Russians should corne. A prudent and watchful gênerai vvould not hâve found the task difficult.

12 le feld-maréchal Mack. — Tins unlucky gênerai enjoyed a réputation beyond his merits. Latterly he had been at the head of the War Office, and was supposed to hâve brought order into the chaos of Austrian military administration — a task which the Archduke Charles had attempted, and had thrown up in despair. In reality, feebleness and incompétence marked the man as much in the office as in the field.

16 la politique de la France. — From the position of Bavaria France could wish for no better friend in a war with Austria. For example, it was from the vantage-ground of their Bavarian allies that, in 1704, French armies were directed at Vienna, and it was only the genius of Marlborough that foiled them.

jj L' Electeur de Bavière. — The Dukes of Bavaria became Electors at the beginning of the Thirty Years' War, when the Emperor gave to Maximilian the vote that he had taken from Frederick of the Palatinate. At the Peace of Westphalia, in 1648, it was agreed that the raiera of the Palatinate and of Bavaria should both bave votes. Thus to the original seven Electors an eighth was added. At the end of the century the number was once more — and for the last time — increased by the addition of " Gentleman " Ernst of Hanover, father of George I.

22 occupait déjà Ulm. — Mack reached Ulm on the 18th September, and proceeded to guard the line of the Hier to Memmingen. On the 26th, Napoléon, now on the Rhine, making a feint from Strassburg as though he would attack in front, masked his real movement behind a screen of cavalry, and directed ail his strength to the left. In a few days the French were pouring across the Danube at Donauworth, Neuburg and Ingoldstadt.

chap. h.] Al'STERLITZ 159

32 essaya d'en sortir. — At one moment the French had overshot the mark, and the left bank m insufficiently held. If Mack had follovred the Archduke Ferdinand's lead, he might hâve broken the toils on this side, and escaped to Bohemia. But his fate was sealed as soon as Ney, fightiug desperately on the 14th, recovered the broken bridge at Elchingen, and got back to the left bank.

39 l'autre vers le lac de Constance. — Jellachich presently found himself caught between Ney and the advancing 7th corps, which had crossed the Rhine on the 20th October. Jellachich surrendered to Augereau, and it was his standards that were despatched to Napoléon by Major Massy and Lieutenant Marbot.

44 la jactance la plus exaltée. — On October 8th Mack was writiug : " No army was ever better placed ; " on the lôth, "Let no man utter the word Surrender." Two days later he was signing the capitulation for 25,000 mea This was four days before Trafalgar.

50 la plus odieuse trahison. — The treason, if such it was, was severely punished at Hanau.

52 l'Empereur accéléra sa marche. — The capitulation at Ulm altered the whole course of the campaign. The Austrians seem to hâve intended to make the conquest of Italy a spécial contribution of their owu to the war. Thev had sent the Archduke Charles with their largest army to the Adige. Before him lay Masséna with a force of half the size. Both heard the news of Ulm at the end of October, and, while Charles at once prepared to fall back, Masséna boldly attacked him at Caldiero, and then foUowed. Meantime Napoléon had sent Ney into the Tyrol to try to eut off the Archduke John, and Marmont up the valley of the Enns and across the mountains to Leoben to watch the Archduke Charles. His own intention was to occupy Vienna, and then move by his right to meet Charles in front.

52 en longeant la rive droite. — Dupont's division from Ney, and Gazan's division from Lannes, had been sent ■ to the left bank at Passau and Lintz, and formed an extemporised corps uuder Mortier.

160 NOTES [chap. ii.

53 Le feld-maréchal Koutousoff. — Kutusoff with th/s advance Russian corps had reached the Inn just at tlie time of the capitulation. As he fell back there was a severe engagement with his rear-guard at Amstetten, and the French were hoping that he would hait at St. Pôlten for a pitched battle. He had been joined now by a considérable force of Austrians under Kienmayer. Wisely intent on reaching the second Russian army in Moravia he crossed at Krems on November 9th, and burnt the bridge.

An interesting account of Kutusoff's character may be gathered from Tolstoï's War and Peace. The relations between the Russians and Austrians were getting seriously strained.

71 la flottille. — A fleet of boats was supposed to be keeping Mortier in touch with the right bank. After the engagement the boats appeared, and Mortier got back to the other side. The castle of Dirnstein is where an English king was once a captive.

93 le champ de bataille resta aux Français. — Gazan's division was almost annihilated. Kutusoff, somewhat solaced by what he had done, began to move leisurely along the road to Moravia, not dreaming of what was happening at Vienna.

160 des ouvertures de paix. — Perhaps it was rather the negotiations that had taken place for the peaceful occupation of the town itself that lent some colour to Murât' s assertions. Marmont tells the story in much the same way, but adds a trait characteristic of Austrian pedantry. It seems that an old sergeant bluntly told Auersperg that he was being fooled. Lannes thereupon affected much surprise that Austrian discipline should allow such want of respect towards a gênerai. This was too much for Auersperg, who turned furiously upon the sergeant ; and the trick was done. It was a knavish pièce of work ; but in a few days Kutusoff proved himself a match for Murât at his own game.

209 le passage du Danube. — The capture of the bridge was on November 13th. Napoléon now pushed north, on the chance of his enemies offering him battle. This they ought not to hâve done. The Archduke Charles, after rallying to him the rather shattered force of his brother John, was moving

chap. h.] AUSTERLITZ lfil

into Himgaiy. If Kutusoff and Charles could hâve had their way, thev would hâve manœuvred till they could effect their junction. This was obviously the right course to take ; more particularlv as Prussia had now promised to throw her army into the scale against Napoléon. Unfortunately the Czar himself had joined the Russian headquarters in Moravia, and was bent on battle.

240 pendant dix ans. — Some writers set Mack at liberty after two years in the castle of Spielberg ; anyhow, his disgrâce was final.

282 Le combat fut des plus acharnés. — The engagement near Hollabrûnn was an attack of the Freneh vanguard on Baaration's corps, which had been posted to cover the road at ail hazards, while the main army under KutusofF made good its retreat. The Russians fought with stolid détermination till their object was gained.

522 // est des contrées. — Thus the Low Countries were for many years "the cockpit of Europe."

344 grand maréchal, i.e. du palais. — Duroc was a great favourite with Napoléon. He was killed at Wûrtschen, in 1813. One of the proposais made by Napoléon after Waterloo was that he should live in England in retirement under the name of Colonel Duroc.

492 les dissions Friant et Gudin. — Thèse were two divisions of Davout's corps. Gudin was killed at Valutina, in 1812 ; Friant commanded a division of the Guard at Waterloo.

574 fapproche de la bataille. — Morland and Fournier were both killed in the battle.

586 la clef des intrigues. — Perhaps the diplomacy of no country ever sank to lower depths than were reached in Prussia at this tinie. At the beginning of the war Duroc had been sent to Berlin to propose that Prussia should take over the occupation of Hanover and should form an alliance with France ; but at the same tinie, with characteristic contempt, Napoléon was orderiug Bernadotte to march through Anspach. The King of Prussia heard of this a few days before L'im, just when he was preparing to resist by force a

162 NOTES [chap. n.

similar liberty, which the Russians were about to take on the other side of his kingdom. Frederick William at once gave leave to the Russians to pass through his territory, and invited Alexander to visit him. The resuit was the Treaty of Potsdam (November 3), by which it was agreed that Prussia should send an ultimatum to Napoléon, demanding that the King of Piedmont should be indemnified, and that the French should evacuate Germany, Switzerland and Holland. This, of course, meant war. Count Haugwitz arrived at Briinn with the ultimatum on November 28, and was fooled away to Vienna without delivering it. A fortnight after the battle, so far from producing the ultimatum, he was signing the Treaty of Schônbrunn, by which Prussia became the ally of France in return for the possession of Hanover — and this just at the moment when the other Secretary of State, Hardenberg, was arranging from Berlin a treaty with England. Instead of repudiating the act of Haugwitz, Frederick William accepted it. Presently it came out that no sooner had Prussia been thus committed to war with England than Napoléon, in his overtures to Fox, had offered to restore Hanover to George III., in return for Sicily to be given to Joseph's kingdom of Naples. Then it was that Prussian nobles sharpened their swords on the French Ambassador's doorstep, and the country rushed on its fate at Jena.

Few chapters in Napoleon's history throw more light on his methods than the way in which he first cajoled and then bullied Prussia, kept her quiet as long as her army might hâve been serious to him, and tempted her over the brink as soon as he was ready. The Hanover question is very clearly set forth in Fyffe's Modem Europe, vol. i. pp. 312-317.

6oi Les choses étant établies sur ce pied. — The colouring hère is too favourable to Napoléon, who knew perfectly well what he was doing, and that it would be resented.

616 La reine de Prusse. — The queen was the beautiful Louise of Baden. Prince Louis was killed at Saalfeld, at the opening of the war next year.

626 en mettant toute fois pour condition. — There is some reason for supposing that Haugwitz was waiting to see which way the cat jumped. At any rate, he took twelve days to get

chap. il] AUSTERLITZ 163

from Berlin to Brûnn. But it may be doubted whether the writer does not overstate this view of the case. By the treaty of Potsdam, Prussia was to offer its médiation, on the terms above mentioned, before actually declarinir war. As thi< '.vas kiiuwn to the Allies, there was no particular reason for supposing that they wnuld fight a décisive battle before Pnissia's action could take effect.

The Duke of Brunswick was nephew to Frederick the Grent. It was he who issued a famous manifesto at Coblentz. and led the attack upon France that was turned back by the 'cannonade of Yalmy,' in September 1702. He was mortally wounded at Auerstàdt. His son tell at Quatre Bras at the head of the Black Brunswiekers.

640 une des provinces prussiennes. — At the Peace of Tilsit Prussian Poland was turned into the Duchy of Warsaw for the King of Saxony ; but a strip of it was given to Russia.

647 le traité de Potsdam. — Napoléon had a shrewd notion of what had happened at Berlin, and had no intention of discussing affaire with Haugwitz, who was referred to the Foreign Minister, Talleyrand, at Vienna.

670 quel mal une armée prussienne. — Nothing is more remarkable throughout Napoleon's career than the way in which he always managed to deal with his enemies, one or two at a time. Wheu at last they did ail take the field toirether, the end soon came.

766 Vous verres sur la carte. — From French left to ri^ht the order of corps was : — Lannes, Bernadotte, Soult, Davout. The reserve cavalry supported Lannes; the Guard supported Bernadotte and Soult. Napoléon had purposely left the Pratzen plateau unoccupied, and Davout, or at any rate Gudins division, was, as the text explains, held back for the présent. The Austro-Russian left consisted of three columns, whose movement towards Telnitz had begun overnight. In the centre a fourth column was to descend from Pratzen and join the other three, when thèse had turned the French and had faced to the right Lichtenstein's cavalry conuected the fourth column with Bagration, who stood opposite Lannes. The Russian Guard supported Lichtenstein and the fourth column.

164 NOTES [chap. ii.

The design, by which the Allies were to turn the French and seize the road to Vienna, is attributed to Weirother, liead of the Austrian staff. Kutusoff in vain protested. Napoleon's words to his army on the eve of the battle, explaining what would happen on the morrow, were afterwards supposed to confirm the Russian belief that Weirother's plan had been betrayed ; but there is no proof of this.

832 tout moyen de retraite. — As a matter of fact Napoléon was prepared, if necessary, to fall back from Brûnn into Bohemia, and so to Ratisbon. On the side of the Allies there seems to hâve been no suspicion of this, and the oversight was fatal.

841 de nous attaquer à notre gauche. — The French left had been made very strong; for failure hère would hâve meant that the centre, after capturing the plateau, would not hâve been free to turn on the enemy's left from behind, and it was this movement that caused such disaster to the Russians and Austrians.

856 les troupes des maréchaux Soult et Bernadotte. — Soult's division led the attack, the direction of which took it farther from the French left. To fill the space and keep touch of Lannes, Bernadotte's division was nowextended from columns of régiments into columns of battalions. Things were made worse for the Allies by a good deal of confusion — horse and foot blocking each other's way.

880 Bessières et Rapp. — Bessières commanded the cavalry of the Guard through m an y campaigns ; he was killed the day before Lùtzen. Rapp, aide de camp to Napoléon since the death of Desaix, was made gênerai of division on the spot for his conduct in this charge. French cavalry had improved extraordinarily under Napoléon. He was now more and more in the habit of using it in masses, and a large reserve under Murât was a constant feature in his battles.

943 Le nombre des combattants. — Probably the disproportion was not as large as is hère given. The estimate of numbers in thèse battles is always more or less guess-work. There can be no doubt that the Russian hisses were enormous : they had fought in a false position with the utmost stubbornness.

chap. il] AUSTERLITZ 165

965 lui demander une entrevue. — The resuit was that the Russians withdrew to their ora country under a military convention. whilst the Emperor Francis had to accept Xapoleon's ternis.

By the Peace of Presbursr, Venetia was taken hack from Austria and added to Xapoleon's kingdom of Italy ; the Austrian Tyrol was given to Ba varia ; Bavaria, AVûrtemberg, Baden. along with thirteen minor German states. were formed into the Confédération of the Rhine. under French protection, and liahle to service in French armies — an end to the Holy Roman Empire.

Thus the Third Coalition was broken up. The story of Pitt's ' Austerlitz look ' and dying words is well known. There is a quaint and frivolous version of his last words given in the Appendix to Lord Rosebery's Pitt.