memoirs of napoleon bonaparte, v12-第1节

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Memoirs　of　Napoleon　Bonaparte；　V12

by　Louis　Antoine　Fauvelet　de　Bourrienne

His　Private　Secretary




Edited　by　R。　W。　Phipps
Colonel；　Late　Royal　Artillery

1891




CONTENTS：
CHAPTER　XXVIII。　　to　　CHAPTER　XXXVI。　　1813…1814




CHAPTER　XXVIII。

1813。

　　　　　Riots　in　Hamburg　and　LubeckAttempted　suicide　of　M。　Konning
　　　　　Evacuation　of　HamburgDissatisfaction　at　the　conduct　of　General　St。
　　　　　CyrThe　Cabinets　of　Vienna　and　the　TuileriesFirst　appearance　of
　　　　　the　CossacksColonel　Tettenborn　invited　to　occupy　HamburgCordial
　　　　　reception　of　the　RussiansDepredationsLevies　of　troops
　　　　　Testimonials　of　gratitude　to　TettenbornNapoleon's　new　armyDeath
　　　　　of　General　MorandRemarks　of　Napoleon　on　VandammeBonaparte　and
　　　　　Gustavus　AdolphusJunction　of　the　corps　of　Davoust　and　Vandamme
　　　　　Reoccupation　of　Hamburg　by　the　FrenchGeneral　Hogendorff　appointed
　　　　　Governor　of　HamburgExactions　and　vexatious　contributions　levied
　　　　　upon　Hamburg　and　LubeckHostages。

A　considerable　time　before　Napoleon　left　Paris　to　join　the　army；　the　bulk
of　which　was　in　Saxony；　partial　insurrections　occurred　in　many　places。
The　interior　of　France　proper　was　indeed　still　in　a　state　of
tranquillity；　but　it　was　not　so　in　the　provinces　annexed　by　force　to　the
extremities　of　the　Empire；　especially　in　the　north；　and　in　the
unfortunate　Hanse　Towns；　for　which；　since　my　residence　at　Hamburg；　I　have
always　felt　the　greatest　interest。　　The　intelligence　I　received　was
derived　from　such　unquestionable　sources　that　I　can　pledge　myself　for　the
truth　of　what　I　have　to　state　respecting　the　events　which　occurred　in
those　provinces　at　the　commencement　of　1813；　and　subsequently　I　obtained
a　confirmation　of　all　the　facts　communicated　by　my　correspondence　when　I
was　sent　to　Hamburg　by　Louis　XVIII。　in　1815。

M。　Steuve；　agent　from　the　Court　of　Russia；　who　lived　at　Altona　apparently
as　a　private　individual；　profited　by　the　irritation　produced　by　the
measures　adopted　at　Hamburg。　　His　plans　were　so　well　arranged　that　he　was
promptly　informed　of　the　route　of　the　Grand　Army　from　Moscow；　and　the
approach　of　the　Allied　troops。　　Aided　by　the　knowledge　and　activity　of
Sieur　Hanft　of　Hamburg；　M。　Steuve　profited　by　the　discontent　of　a　people
so　tyrannically　governed；　and　seized　the　opportunity　for　producing　an
explosion。　　Between　eight　and　nine　o'clock　on　the　morning　of　the　24th　of
February　1813　an　occurrence　in　which　the　people　were　concerned　was　the
signal　for　a　revolt。　　An　individual　returning　to　Hamburg　by　the　Altona
gate　would　not　submit　to　be　searched　by　a　fiscal　agent；　who　in
consequence　maltreated　him　and　wounded　him　severely。　　The　populace
instantly　rose；　drove　away　the　revenue　guard；　and　set　fire　to　the　guard…
house。　　The　people　also；　excited　by　secret　agents；　attacked　other　French
posts；　where　they　committed　the　same　excesses。　　Surprised　at　this
unexpected　movement；　the　French　authorities　retired　to　the　houses　in
which　they　resided。　　All　the　respectable　inhabitants　who　were　unconnected
with　the　tumult　likewise　returned　to　their　homes；　and　no　person　appeared
out　of　doors。

General　Carry　St。　Cyr　　had　the　command　of　Hamburg　after　the　Prince　of
Eckmuhl's　departure　for　the　Russian　campaign。

　　　　　＇General　Carry　St。　　Cyr　is　not　to　be　contused　with　the　Marshal
　　　　　Gonvion　de　St。　Cyr；　he　fell　into　disgrace　for　his　conduct　at
　　　　　Hamburg　at　this　time；　and　was　not　again　employed　by　Napoleon。　　Under
　　　　　the　Restoration　he　became　Governor　of　French　Guiana。＇

At　the　first　news　of　the　revolt　he　set　about　packing　up　his　papers；　and
Comte　de　Chaban；　M。　Konning；　the　Prefect　of　Hamburg；　and　M。　Daubignosc；
the　Director　of　Police；　followed　his　example。　　It　was　not　till　about　four
o'clock　in　the　afternoon　that　a　detachment　of　Danish　hussars　arrived　at
Hamburg；　and　the　populace：　was　then　speedily　dispersed。　　All　the
respectable　citizens　and　men　of　property　assembled　the　next　morning　and
adopted　means　for　securing　internal　tranquillity；　so　that　the　Danish
troops　were　enabled　to　return　to　Altona。　　Search　was　then　made　for　the
ringleaders　of　the　disturbance。　　Many　persons　were　arrested；　and　a
military　commission；　ad　hoc；　was　appointed　to　try　them。　　The　commission；
however；　condemned　only　one　individual；　who；　being　convicted　of　being　one
of　the　most　active　voters；　was　sentenced　to　be　shot；　and　the　sentence　was
carried　into　execution。

On　the　26th　February　a　similar　commotion　took　place　at　Lubeck。　　Attempts
were　made　to　attack　the　French　Authorities。　　The　respectable　citizens
instantly　assembled；　protected　them　against　outrage；　and　escorted　them　in
safety　to　Hamburg；　where　they　arrived　on　the　27th。　　The　precipitate
flight　of　these　persons　from　Lubeck　spread　some　alarm　in　Hamburg。　　The
danger　was　supposed　to　be　greater　than　it　was　because　the　fugitives　were
accompanied　by　a　formidable　body　of　troops。

But　these　were　not　the　only　attempts　to　throw　off　the　yoke　of　French
domination；　which　had　become　insupportable。　　All　the　left　bank　of　the
Elbe　was　immediately　in　a　state　of　insurrection；　and　all　the　official
persons　took　refuge　in　Hamburg。　　During　these　partial　insurrections
everything　was　neglected。　　Indecision；　weakness；　and　cupidity　were
manifested　everywhere。　　Instead　of　endeavours　to　soothe　the　minds　of　the
people；　which　had　been；　long　exasperated　by　intolerable　tyranny；　recourse
was　had　to　rigorous　measures。　　The　prisons　were　crowded　with　a　host　of
persons　declared　to　be　suspected　upon　the　mere　representations　of　the
agents　of　the　police。　　On　the　3d　of　March　a　special　military　commission
condemned　six　householders　of　Hamburg　and　its　neighbourhood　to　be　shot　on
the　glacis　for　no　other　offence　than　having　been　led；　either　by　chance　or
curiosity；　to　a　part　of　the　town　which　was　the　scene　of　one　of　the　riots。
These　executions　excited　equal　horror　and　indignation；　and　General　Carra
St。　Cyr　was　obliged　to　issue　a　proclamation　for　the　dissolution　of　the
military　commission　by　whom　the　men　had　been　sentenced。

The　intelligence　of　the　march　of　the　Russian　and　Prussian　troops；　who
were　descending　the　Elbe；　increased　the　prevailing　agitation　in
Westphalia；　Hanover；　Mecklenburg；　and　Pomerania；　and　all　the　French
troops　cantoned　between　Berlin　and　Hamburg；　including　those　who　occupied
the　coast　of　the　Baltic；　fell　back　upon　Hamburg。　　General　Carra　St。　Cyr
and　Baron　Konning；　the　Prefect　of　Hamburg；　used　to　go　every　evening　to
Altona。　　The　latter；　worn　out　by　anxiety　and　his　unsettled　state　of　life；
lost　his　reason；　and　on　his　way　to　Hamburg；　on　the　5th　of　May；　he
attempted　to　cut　his　throat　with　a　razor。　　His　'valet　de　chambre'　saved
his　life　by　rushing　upon　him　before　he　had　time　to　execute　his　design。
It　was　given　out　that　he　had　broken　a　blood…vessel；　and　he　was　conveyed
to　Altona；　where　his　wound　was　cured；　and　he　subsequently　recovered　from
his　derangement。　　M。　Konning；　who　was　a　native　of　Holland；　was　a　worthy
man；　but　possessed　no　decision　of　character；　and　but　little　ability。

At　this　juncture　exaggerated　reports　were　circulated　respecting　the
approach　of　a　Russian　corps。　　A　retreat　was　immediately　ordered；　and　it
was　executed　on　the　12th　of　March。　　General　Carra　St。　Cyr　having　no　money
for　the　troops；　helped　himself　to　100；000　francs　out　of　the　municipal
treasury。　　He　left　Hamburg　at　the　head　of　the　troops　and　the　enrolled　men
of　the　custom…house　service。　　He　was　escorted　by　the　Burgher　Guard；　which
protected　him　from　the　insults　of　the　populace；　and　the　good　people　of
Hamburg　never　had　any　visitors　of　whom　they　were　more　happy　to　be　rid。

This　sudden　retreat　excited　Napoleon's　indignation。　　He　accused　General
St。　Cyr　of　pusillanimity；　in　an　article　inserted　in　the　'Moniteur'；　and
afterwards　copied　by　his　order　into　all　the　journals。　　In　fact；　had
General　St。　Cyr　been　better　informed；　or　less　easily　alarmed；　he　might
have　kept　Hamburg；　and　prevented　its　temporary　occupation　by　the　enemy；
to　dislodge　whom　it　was　necessary　to　besiege　the　city　two　months
afterwards。　　St。　Cyr　had　3000　regular　troops；　and　a　considerable　body　of
men　in　the　custom…house　service。　　General　Morand　could　have　furnished　him
with　5000　men　from　Mecklenburg。　　He　might；　therefore；　not　only　have　kept
possession　of　Hamburg　two　months　longer；　but　even　to　the　end　of　the　war；
as　General　Lexnarrois　retained　possession　of　Magdeburg。　　Had　not　General
St。　Cyr　so　hastily　evacuated　the　Elbe　he　would　have　been　promptly　aided
by　the　corps　which　General　Vandamme　soon　brought　from　the　Wesel；　and
afterwards　by　the　very；　corps　with　which　Marshal　Davoust　recaptured
Hamburg。

The　events　just　described　occurred　before　Napoleon　quitted　Paris。　　In　the
month　of　August　all　negotiation　was　broken　off　with　Austria；　though　that
power；　still　adhering　to　her　time…serving　policy；　continued　to　protest
fidelity　to　the　cause　of　the　Emperor　Napoleon　until　the　moment　when　her
preparations　were　completed　and　her　resolution　formed。　　But　if　there　was
duplicity　at　Vienna　was　there　not　folly；　nay；　blindness；　in　the　Cabinet
of　the　Tuileries？　　Could　we　reasonably　rely　upon　Austria？　　She　had　seen
the　Russian　army　pass　the　Vistula　and　advance　as　far　as　the　Saale　without
offering　any　remonstrance。　　At　that　moment　a　single