The prince royal of Sweden had detached on the 14th a division of his army under the orders of the prince of Hesse Homburg, to reestablish his commu nication at Acken, and to insure the passage of the river and the town (which is strong), by strength ening it as far as possible: general Hirshfeld had, however, secured this point before the reinforce ment arrived. The garrison of Magdeburg made attempts upon the post of Bernburb on the Saale, a point of infinite importance for the passage of that river, in case of need; they were, however, here again checked by another detachment of Cossacks of general Winzingerode's corps, and two battalions and some guns were placed here in garrison. The prince royal's army extended this day with its right in the direction of the mountain of Petersberg, a point which forms a principal feature in this coun try, from its abrupt rise; his left towards Cöthen and Elsdorf, while his advanced guard was pushed into the villages on the left bank of the Mulda.

The Silesian army were in position near Halle, with their advanced guard at Merseberg and Schen ditz.

By intelligence from the grand army, general Wittgenstein made a general reconnoissance from Borna on the 13th, and marched to his left, occupi ed Pegau with the greatest part of his corps on the 14th, establishing his communications on the left with the Austrian corps of generals Guilay and prince Maurice Lichtenstein, posted at Weissenfels by Naumbourg, and joined with generals Thielman and Platoff, towards Lutzen, and on the right with the corps of general Kleinau, who marched to Borna, and was to detach to Grimma and Colditz. The Russian grenadiers and cuirassiers were at Altenburg The main body of the grand army, viz. the corps of general Meerveld, the Austrian army of reserve, the Russian and Prussian guards, took post at Zeitz, the

corps of Colloredo at Chemnitz and Penig, and detached towards Rocklitz. General Bennigsen had orders to make himself master of the roads leading on Nossen and Meissen, and to push on with all possible expedition.

In this general position the armies are to pass on, hemming in the enemy until they are enabled to make an attack on all sides. It would appear, under these circumstances, if the enemy forces his passage against any one of the corps, the others united will fall on the point attacked. This operation becomes the more easy, in proportion as the communication between the different armies is established, and the circle round the enemy is narrowed. In the event of a retreat, the left bank of the Saale affords a very strong line on the one side, and the positions of Lutzen, Weissenfels, and Altenburg, on the other.

I have also to acquaint your lordship, that the Bavarian corps of general Wrede, and the Austrian corps of prince Reuss, are moving by forced marches on Bamberg.

I feel naturally anxious to keep your lordship in possession of the most constant intelligence: in doing so I am well aware (as information varies every hour) that I may run the risk of inaccuracy, but I must hope in this case for your indulgence.

All the corps of the grand army have moved forward this day. General Blucher has moved to Gros Kugel and Skenditz, and pushed his advance towards Leipsig; and the prince royal has his right in front of Petersberg, and his left at Zorbig, with the Swedes near Wettin, and the advance at Brehna. I have the honour to be, &c.

(Signed)

CHARLES STEWART."

CHAP. XXI.

Battle of Leipsig.-The French completely defeated.Defection of their Allies during the Battle.-Bonaparte's Account of the Battle.-Colours taken from the Allies,-presented with great Pomp to the Empress.-Retreat of the French to the Rhine,-defeated again at Hanau-Bonaparte's Arrival at Paris,-his Proceedings there.

ON the 13th of October the head-quarters of Bonaparte were at Duben on the Mulda: to this place he had advanced from Leipsig, probably with the hope of leading the allies to believe, that he meant to threaten Berlin with his whole force; but finding that this manœuvre did not succeed, on the 14th, he collected his whole force in and round Leipsig. Ney, with the 4th, 6th, and 7th corps, under the respective commands of Bertrand, Marmont, and Regnier, occupied a line about four or five miles to the north of that city, which protected the roads to Magdeburgh and Dessau. Opposite to him was posted the Silesian army, under general Blucher, whose head-quarters on the 14th were on the road to Halle, about fourteen miles from Leipsig. On the 15th, Blucher attacked the enemy: the contest was most obstinate and sanguinary: it began at mid-day, and continued till night separated the combatants: the allies, however, completely suc ceeded in their object, compelling the French to pass the Partha, a river which protects Leipsig to the northward and eastward. The loss of the allies was between 6,000 and 7,000 men; that of the French about 12,000: one eagle and twenty-eight pieces of

cannon were taken.

While the contest was going on to the north of Leipsig, a separate and still more furious conflict took place between the grand army of Bohemia, commanded by prince Schwartzenberg, which advanced towards Leipsig by the converging roads of Lutzen, Zwenkau, Borna, and Colditz-and that part of the French army which was commanded by Bonaparte in person. The position of the centre of the allies was about six miles to the south of Leipsig: against it Bonaparte determined to make a furious attack, either in the hope of cutting his way through, or throwing the allies into confusion. Accordingly bringing up all his cavalry under Murat, he made a desperate push on the centre, and for a short time succeeded in forcing it. The Austrian reserve was now brought up; and their cuirassiers haying formed in columns, charged with the most consummate skill and intrepidity, forcing every thing before them. The French cavalry were compelled to give way; and at the close of the day both armies remained on the ground on which the contest commenced.

On the 17th, nothing was done. On the 18th the crown prince received a reinforcement from general Blucher of 30,000 men, infantry, cavalry, and artillery; with which it was arranged that he should attack the enemy on the Partha river, six miles northward of Leipsig, on the road to Torgau; while general Blucher was to retain his position near Leipsig, and endeavour to gain possession of that place. As the allied generals were well aware of Bonaparte's usual plan of bringing the whole of his force to bear on one point, it was agreed that, if he should have recourse to this measure, the allies were reciprocally to support each other, and to concert further movements.

The first operation was undertaken by the crown prince: that part of the enemy's force which was

opposed to him had taken up a strong position on the left bank of the Partha, with its right resting on the heights of Faucha, and its left towards Leipsig: it was therefore necessary to force their right, and gain possession of these heights: in order to effect this, the Russians and Prussians in the crown prince's army were ordered to advance against them; while the Swedes endeavoured to effect the passage of the river at Plosen. The river was crossed with little opposition and general Winzingerode, who commanded the Russians, took about 3,000 prisoners and some pieces of cannon at Faucha.

Before the infantry of the crown prince's army had sufficient time to make their flank movement, the French infantry abandoned the line of the river, and retired over the plain towards Leipsig, occupy ing the villages through which they passed, in order to protect their retreat.

Hitherto the allies had met with very little resis tance: but general Langeron, with part of general Blucher's army, having attempted to carry one of the villages on the road to Leipsig, which the enemy had occupied in strength, was opposed with great obstinacy: however, he at length carried it, but was driven back. As the possession of this village was of the utmost importance for the further movements and operations of the allies, general Blucher sent the most positive orders that it should be reoccupied at the point of the bayonet; and this was accomplished before it grew dark. There was attached to the crown prince's army a rocket brigade, which was brought into action with such effect as to paralyse a solid square of infantry, which after one fire from Congreve's formidable weapons delivered themselves up as if panic-struck.

About this period of the battle, twenty-two guns of Saxon artillery, two batalions of the same nation, and two Westphalian regiments of hussars, quitted