miration from it to the person who opposed the very principles on which it was brought about; while those who opposed it at first, and, in their mistaken and outrageous zeal against it, exclaimed against the doctrines of liberty, as soon as the people of the continent rose in arms against the tyranny of Bonaparte, became the warm and enthusiastic defenders of those doctrines.

On the 17th of August hostilities recommenced: Bonaparte immediately, with a large force, made a push against the city of Prague; but when he had advanced within twelve leagues of it he received information that the positions of some of his corps at Goldberg, &c. in Silesia were in imminent danger by the march of the Russians and Prussians from Breslau. He was there fore obliged suddenly and rapidly to leave Bohemia; and on the 21st of August he succeeded in driving his opponents from the line of the Bohr. Scarcely however had he accomplished this, when his presence was absolutely necessary in another quarter the allied powers had formed a bold and comprehensive plan, by which, if they had succeeded in it, they would at once have placed Bonaparte in a most desperate situation. The united army of the Russians, Prussians, and Austrians, amounting to about 150,000 men, under the command of Wittgenstein, Kleist, and Schwartzenberg, made a movement for the purpose of cutting him off from the line of the Elbe, by seizing Dres

den.

When Bonaparte received information of their design, he was 120 miles from that city: this distance he marched with a strong body of troops in four days, amidst torrents of rain, and in most tempestuous weather; and reached

Dresden a few hours before the allies appeared in sight of the place.

The allies entered Saxony from Bohemia by different routes, in order to act on the enemy's flank and rear; while the Prussian army under the command of Blucher was directed to move from Silesia, and to threaten Lusatia in front, but to avoid a general engagement, especially against superior numbers.→→ At first the French advanced to the frontiers of Saxony; but they were beaten back towards Drestien, although they endeavoured to defend every inch of ground. The period was now arrived when the plan of the allies was to be put into complete execution; the different coumns of their armies were to debouche from the mountains and passes at such periods as would have placed the enemy in a most critical situation; but some of the troops pushed on with so great eagerness that the right corps was brought into action before the other divisions had gained their proper stations. To this corps were opposed 15,000 men under general St. Cyr, supported by 6,000 men under general Bonnet: a sharp action commenced, which lasted some hours; after which the allied force drove the enemy from all points, and took some prisoners. The French now returned into their entrenched works in the front of Dresden, which place the allied armies encircled. On the 27th the enemy withdrew from their entrenchments into the city and suburbs. By this time Bonaparte had arrived there.

The allies, having driven the French into the city and suburbs, resolved, if possible, to drive them thence also: this, however, they were sensible was an enterprise of considerable difficulty, as the nar Z 3

tural

tural defences round the town had been much improved by the skill of the enemy; and the extreme importance of the position led them to expect a very obstinate defence. At four o'clock in the evening the troops moved to the assault, the Prussians forming the centre attack. The operations were begun by a tremendous cannonade: the batteries being placed in a circular form round the town, the effect is described as magnificent: the troops moved forward with the utmost steadiness, and in perfect order to the assault. Already they were close to the town on all sides: an advanced redoubt with eight guns was taken by the Austrians in the most gallant manner; the enemy flying in all directions to shelter themselves behind new defences. It was soon perceived that it would be impossible to effect practicable breaches in the thick wall of the town; so that the Austrians could not proceed be yond the out-works. Night was approaching: the loss of the allies was great the French to the amount of 30,000 made a sortie in order to separate the allied troops, and to take one wing in flank and rear. Their design was seen through and prevented; but at the same time it was necessary to draw off the troops from the assault.

:

The French, having thus succeeded in repulsing the allies, came out to attack them on the morning of the 28th. They possessed great advantages in their position for attack in their rear was Dresden lined with guns; their communications were not intersected: if they were unsuccessful, they could retire; if they made an impression, they could pursue it up; while the allies could not follow them under the guns of the place. The wea

ther was very bad on the day of attack; it rained almost incessantly. Bonaparte took advantage of all these circumstances, and brought out an immense number of pieces of artillery: the battle consisted on both sides chiefly in heavy cannonading, except where charges were made by the allied cavalry: the main bodies of infantry, in both armies, were never engaged. After several hours of cannonading, the French, perceiving that they could make no impression on the position of the allies,, retired into Dresden. The allies, however, notwithstanding they had succeeded in repulsing the enemy, could not remain where they were, as they were exposed to the risk of having their rear occupied by the French, if Bonaparte thought proper to pass a considerable body of troops across the Elbe at Koningstein and Pirna. Orders were therefore given to retire; and the allied army took up a position in the valley of Toplitz in Bohemia.

The plan of the allies in their attack on Dresden was undoubtedly masterly; and though the official accounts of the action point out some of the causes of its failure, they do not satisfactorily explain it. The most disastrous event in the course of this battle was the mortal wound of general Mcreau: towards the middle of the day, while he was in earnest conversation with the emperor of Russia, on the movements and operations that were going forward, he had both his legs carried off by a cannon shot, the ball going through his horse. At first he gave a deep groan; but when the agony of pain was over, he spoke with the utmost tranquillity, and called for a segar. He was carried off the field, on a litter made of cossacks' pikes, to a cottage at a short distance: but as

this was much exposed to the fire, he was removed further off to the emperor of Russia's head quarters, where one of his legs was amputated. When the surgeon informed him that he must deprive him of the other, he observed, without manifesting any pain or peevishness, but in the calmest manner, that had he known that before his other was cut off, he should have preferred dying. The litter on which they had hitherto conveyed him was covered with nothing but wet straw, and a cloak drenched through with rain, which continued in torrents the whole day: but they now put more cloaks over him, and laid him more comfortably in a good litter, in which he was carried to Dippolswalde. Long, however, before he arrived there, he was again drenched with rain: from this place he was taken to Laun, where every attention and care was bestowed upon him. For some time he seemed to be doing well, and hopes were entertained that he might survive his wounds, till a long conference took place between him and three or four of the allied generals, by which he was completely exhausted soon after this he became extremely sick, and hourly grew worse. "Through the whole of his sufferings he bore his fate with heroism and grandeur of mind not to be surpassed, and appeared to those with whom he conversed, to endure but little pain, from his extreme composure and calmness." He died at six o'clock of the morning of the 3d of September.

Bonaparte represented the battle of Dresden as most decidedly fayourable to him: according to his

He

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 predict ed. 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. 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.

IN

N order that our realers may more clearly and thoroughly understand the operations subse. quent to the battle of Dresden, it may be necessary to advert to the position and strength of the contend. ing armies previous to that event. Of the French army, four corps were in Silesia; four, besides the guards, near Dresden; three, under the command of Oudinot, threatened Berlin from the south; while the same city was to be approached by a strong force under Davoust from the north. Probably the whole of these forces amounted to 300,000 men. Besides these, Bonaparte had armies of reserve in Franconia, Bavaria, and Italy: the last was under the command of Beauharnois, and had been assembled there in order to invade Austria in that direction.

The grand army of the Russians, Prussians and Austrians, which was united in Bohemia, amounted to about 280,000 men: the army in Silesia, under the command of Blucher, to 100,000; and the forces under the crown prince, consisting of Swedes, Russians, &c. to rather more than 100,000 men. Hence it

appears that the numerical supe riority was on the side of the allies; but their superiority in other respects was much more striking and important. The greater part of the French soldiers were conscripts; not merely unused to war, but either very young or very old, and con sequently unfit to endure the fatigues of the arduous campaign which had just commenced. The soldiers of the allies, on the contrary, were in a most admirable state of discipline; most of them in the vigour of life, and inured to fatigue and privation. Their confidence in their leaders, too, must have been much greater than that which the French soldiers possessed towards Bonaparte.

We have already adverted shortly to the operations in Silesia; but it will be now proper to consider them more minutely. The cam paign opened there on the 18th of August, the allies moving on towards Dresden. They first came up with the 3d French corps under the command of marshal Ney, which was driven across the Bohr. Bonaparte, alarmed at the approach of the Silesian army, set out to re

inforce

inforce Ney on the 21st; and the French having then greatly the superiority, general Blucher deemed it prudent to retreat, and re-crosss the Bohr: he took up a strong po sition behind the Katzbach. The plan of the allies being to distract and divide Bonaparte's forces, they fell further back on Janar; while the grand army from Bohemia, as we have secn, marched on Dresden, and drew off Bonaparte to that quarter. On the 25th and 26th the French advanced against general Blucher, with the hope of being able to carry Janar; but on the latter of those days the Prussian general attacked them. The battle was fought near the Katzbach, and from that it takes its name: in it Blucher and his brave Prussians proved their determination to avenge the disgrace which their country had so long suffered by having been under the tyranny of France. They fought with the most unparalleled bravery. The enemy could not stand before them: their enthusiasm was such, that, rushing forward, they actually drove the French into the Katzbach. At this period of the battle it was completely dark; the river was swollen with constant rains, and all the bridges were broken down. The condition of the enemy under these circumstances may easily be conceived: immense numbers of them were drowned; 18,000 prisoners, 103 pieces of cannon, 280 ammunitionwaggons, the camp hospitals, &c. were taken among the prisoners were one general of division, and two of brigade; among the tro. phies, two eagles. Blucher, after this glorious victory, pushed forward rapidly after the discomfited enemy, and on the 2d of September his head-quarters were within the Saxon boundary, near Goerlitz, in Upper Lusatia, having completely

delivered Prussian Silesia from the enemy.

On this occasion he addressed a most eloquent proclamation to his soldiers :-To their valour, to their efforts, and patience in enduring fatigues, the liberation of Silesia was owing: that beautiful province was delivered from the hands of a rapacious enemy; it was again placed under the mild rule of their sovereign. In the battle of Katzbach, that battle which had restored Silesia to tranquillity and independence, his soldiers had acted in a manner worthy of their character; satisfactorily to him; in a manner which must make the enemy afraid again to encounter them: with the rapidity of lightning they burst forth from behind their heights; they disdained firing on the French; with the bayonet only they advanced against them, and drove them down the steep banks of the Neisse and the Katzbach. Here, however, the exertions of his brave soldiers did not terminate in pursuit of the enemy, they waded through rivers and swollen torrents; they spent whole nights in the mire; they struggled with cold, hunger, and privations of all sorts: yed did they not repine. "Thanks to you for such praise-worthy conduct: he only is a true soldier who unites these qualities in himself. You have seen the plains between the Katzbach and the Bohr; they bear testimony to the terror and conster nation of your enemies. Let us send up our thanks to the Lord of Hosts, by whose aid you have de feated the enemy; and, assembled in divine service, prostrate ourselves before him for the glorious victory he has granted us. Let your de votions close with three huzzas and, then, once more against the enemy!"

Let us now direct our attention

to