in withdrawing themselves from the dreadful despotism of Bonaparte; he there announced that he came to sacrifice, if need were, his life, to restore repose and happiness to a country which never ceased to be dear to him; he ended by calling all the true and faithful sons of France to the standard of independence. This address entirely contradicts the proclamation, dated Grotsvitch, the 17th of August, which has been attributed to him, and in which he has been made to assume the title of majorgeneral in the service of Russia. To this supposition I would object; 1st, That at the date of the 17th of August, general Moreau was at Prague. 2d, That he had caused the emperor Alexander to agree that he should have no title near his person, seeing that, having no other ambition than to restore repose to France, his sole wish, after arriving at the accom. plishment of this great end, was quietly to terminate his days there in the bosom of his family. His majesty then said to him, "Well, be then my friend, my counsel' and are not these two titles worth all that a man can be ambitious of obtaining?

"In the general's papers has been found, the commencement of a journal of the operations of which he had been an eye-witness, until the fatal day when he was wounded; this has been sent to her imperial highness the grand duchess of Oldenburg, for whom it was written.

"At length, after the body of general Moreau had been embalmed at Prague, a solemn service was performed over it, and then it was left exposed at the palace of the archbishopric for two days. The crowd, which went thither to see him, expressed their regrets in the most touching manner.

"On the 6th September, it was deposited in a coffin, to be conveyed to St. Petersburg."

Bonaparte represented the battle of Dresden as most decidedly favourable to him: according to his account, the Austrian division of the allied army was nearly annihilated: Te Deum was ordered to be sung at Paris; and the speedy and glorious termination of the war was predicted. In most of this there was his usual exaggeration and deceit; but he actually appears to have considered the loss and discomfiture of the allies as much more serious than it really was; and in order to intercept their retreat into Bohemia, he dispatched Vandamme with a force, which it would have been madness to have sent against them, had he not believed their army to have been not only much reduced in numbers, but retreating in great disorder. Vandamme himself was not only ignorant of the strength of those whom he was to intercept, but also of their movements. He had under his command two corps and a division, amounting in the whole to about 30,000 men: with this force he crossed the Elbe at Pirna, and had actually gained possession of the mountain passes, when the Russians under the command of count Osterman forced their way through them with the bayonet. The action continued till late in the evening of the 30th, and was renewed with great obstinacy on the 31st, till the French troops, being attacked on all sides, were compelled to retreat: throwing down their arms in every direction, and abandoning their cannon and standards, they sought shelter among the woods and mountains. Vandamme and six other generals were taken prisoners: besides 10,000 men, 60 pieces of artillery, and 6 standards.

CHAP. XVIII.

Address of the Duke of Bassano-Bonaparte's Promises to the People of France relative to the Armistice.Crown Prince of Sweden's Address to his Soldiers.Address of Prince Schwartzenberg on the Grounds of · Austria going to War with France.-The Defection of one of Bonaparte's Generals.-Battles between the Crown Prince and Oudinot.-General Girard killed. -Battle of Dennevitz.-Bonaparte promises his Soldiers Winter Quarters in Germany.

"Paris, Sept. 1.

THE military events which follow each other with rapidity not allowing a detailed relation, we are authorised, whilst expecting them, to publish the following letter, addressed by his excellency the duke of Bassano, minister for foreign affairs, to his serene highness the prince arch-chancellor of the empire:

Monseigneur,-I had the honour to write your excellency yesterday, the 26th, and to announce to your serene highness, that the Russian, Prussian, and Austrian armies had marched to attack Dresden, under the eyes of their sovereigns, and that they had been repulsed at all points. You will easily comprehend that the emperor is occupied in such a manner that it is impossible, at this moment, to give a detailed account of all the events which have taken place.-Hostilities commenced on the 17th. His majesty entered Bohemia on the 19th, occupying the principal debouches at Rambourg and Gabel, and having marched his troops within twelve leagues of Prague. On the 21st he was in Silesia, beating the Russian and Prussian armies of generals Sacken, Langeron, York, and Blucher, and forcing

the fine positions of the Bober. Whilst the enemy still believed his majesty in the depths of Silesia, he left a powerful army there, under the orders of the duke of Tarentum, made his guards march ten leagues a day, and arrived at Dresden, for some days threatened by an imminent attack. His majesty entered the town at nine in the morning, and immediately made his dispositions. At three in the afternoon, the Russian, Prussian, and Austrian army, commanded by generals Wittgenstein, Kleist, and Schwartzenberg, deployed 150,000 men, marching against the town. All the attacks were repulsed by the old and young guard alone, who covered themselves with glory. The enemy left 4000 killed at the foot of our redoubts. We have taken 2000 men, a flag, and several pieces of cannon.-This morning at four o'clock the emperor was upon the ground; the rain fell in torrents; marshals the duke of Ragusa and Belluno passed the bridge with their corps. At eight o'clock our attack commenced by a brisk cannonade. The enemy's extreme left was commanded by the Austrian generals Ignace, Giuley, and Klenau, and separated from the remainder of the army by the valley of Plauen. The emperor ordered it to be attacked by marshal the duke of Belluno, and by general Latour Maubourg's cavalry, under the orders of the king of Naples. We reckon among the trophies of this day 15,000 men, among whom are field-marshal lieutenant Metzko, two ge nerals of brigade, many superior officers, 20 pieces of cannon, and 10 flags.-During this time, general Vandamme, who had debouched by Koiregolun, seized upon the heights of Pirna, marched on both sides the Peterswalde road, and rendered himself master of the debouches from Bohemia, beating 15,000 men who presented themselves before him, and taking a number of prisoners. At this moment all the roads of Peterswalde and Freyberg are inter

sected; the Russians and Prussians came by the road of Peterswalde, and the Austrians by that of Freyberg. If the enemy's army, which is numerous, as it is composed of the Russian and Prussian corps, and of all the Austrian army, determines to retreat, it will necessarily suffer considerable losses; if it remains, there will be very destructive events to-morrow.-Since the affairs at Ulm, the French army never experienced worse weather, and more abundant rain. The emperor has been exposed to it all day. He is this moment entering. The numerous columns of prisoners, pieces of cannon, and flags, which have been taken, are traversing the town. The inhabitants evince the most lively joy at the sight of these trophies. The duke of Reggio was to be on the 23d or 24th at Berlin. The duke of Tarentum drove the remains of the army from Silesia upon Breslau.-It is not a bulletin which I address to your serene highness; but I thought it my duty to give you this important intelligence, his majesty not having time to write: he is very well.-One circumstance will excite universal indignation; the ex-general Moreau is with the enemy's army, in the suite of the emperor of Russia, as a privy-counsellor. He has there thrown off the mask which for some years has not concealed him from intelligent persons. I cannot yet, monseigneur, send your serene highness the documents relative to the Austrian declaration of war. In the midst of those events which succeed each other, I have not found a moment to place them before the emperor.-I am, with respect, monseigneur, your serene highness's very humble and very obedient "The duke of BASSANO."

servant,

At the commencement of the present campaign, Bonaparte told the people of France, that in a few