Napoleon at Dresden-Congress of Prague-Protraction of the Conferences— State of Spain-Advance of Lord Wellington-The Battle of Vittoria—The French Army retreats upon Bayonne-Lord Wellington on the Pyrenees-The Envoys of the Allied Sovereigns increase their Demands-Napoleon refuses their Conditions-Hostilities recommence-Austria declares War against France. Amount and Distribution of the Armies - Battle of Dresden- Death of Moreau-Battles of Culm, Gross-Beeren, Katzbach, and Dennewitz-Napoleon abandons the right bank of the Elbe-Retreats from Dresden-Battle of Leipsic -Defection of the Troops of Saxony, Wurtemberg, and Baden-Death of Poniatowski-Napoleon retreats upon the Rhine-Defection of Bavaria-Battle Affairs of Spain to the close of 1813-Napoleon at Paris-Declaration of Frankfort Surrender of the French Garrisons in Germany and Prussia- Restoration of the Pope-Treaty of Valençay-New Conscription of Three Hundred Thousand Men-Convocation of the Senate, Legislative Body, and Invasion of France-Capitulation of Dantzic-Napoleon leaves Paris for the Army-Battles of Brienne and La Rhotière-Congress of Chatillon-Battles of Champaubert and Montmirail-Flight of the Army of Silesia-Battle of Nangis -The Allies retreat at all points—Quadruple Alliance-Lord Wellington enters Bordeaux-The Allies march on to Paris-Battles of Arcis and Fère-Champenoise The Allied Sovereigns enter Paris-Talleyrand-Meeting of the Senate- Provisional Government- -The Senate proclaims that Napoleon has forfeited the Throne-Conference at Fontainebleau-Napoleon abdicates in favour of his Son-Defection of Marmont-Napoleon abdicates unconditionally-Treaty of Fontainebleau-Death of Josephine-Battle of Toulouse-Louis XVIII.enters Napoleon in Elba-State of France under the Bourbons-Their Infractions of the Treaty of Fontainebleau-Napoleon leaves Elba-Lands in France- Advances to Grasse-Joined by a Detachment from Grenoble-Joined by Labédoyère-Enters Grenoble-Lyons-Assumes the Reins of Government— Joined by Ney-Arrives at Fontainebleau-Joined at Melun by the last Royalist Entrance of Napoleon into Paris-His first Review and Levee-First Public Acts-Declaration of the Congress at Vienna-Napoleon makes Overtures of Peace to all the Sovereigns of Europe-New Coalition of England, Austria, Russia, and Prussia - Murat-Napoleon's New Constitution - Fouché — The Champ-de-Mai-Opening of the Chambers-Amount and distribution of the Armies of France, and of the Allies-Napoleon leaves Paris for Belgium. Number and Position of the Allied Armies-Wellington-Blucher-Napoleon arrives to take Command of his Forces-Address to the Soldiers-Ball-room at Brussels Attack on Charleroi and Fleurus-Battles of Ligny and Quatrebras— Napoleon returns to Paris-Holds a Council-La Fayette-The Chambers declare their sittings permanent-Abdication of Napoleon-He receives the thanks of the Chambers-Demands two Frigates to convey him to America— Retires to Malmaison-Advance of the Allies, and Proclamation of Louis XVIII. -Napoleon departs for Rochefort-The Port blocaded by British Ships-Letter to the Prince Regent from Napoleon-He embarks in the Bellerophon, which sails for England-He is not permitted to land-Is transferred to the Northum- Napoleon arrives at St. Helena-Description of the Island-Residence of Napoleon at Briars-His establishment at Longwood-Deaths of Murat, in Naples, and of Ney and La Bédoyère, in France-Arrival at St. Helena of Sir Hudson Lowe as Governor-His new restrictions-Napoleon abstains from exercise-Arrest and Deportation of Las Casas-Removal of O'Meara—of Dr. Stokoe-Rapid progress of disease in Napoleon-Arrival of Antommarchi-The BATTLE OF TRAFALGAR-RETREAT OF ALEXANDER-AFFAIRS OF PRUSSIA, NAPLES, SWEDEN -TREATY OF PRESBURG-DEATH OF PITT-NEGOCIATIONS FOR PEACE BETWEEN ENGLAND AND FRANCE-NAPOLEON CREATES NEW KINGDOMS, AND TITLES OF NOBILITYPEACE WITH RUSSIA AND TURKEY-DEATH OF FOX-WAR WITH PRUSSIA-BATTLES OF SAALFIELD AND JENA-OCCUPATION OF PRUSSIA BY THE FRENCH. celerity and secresy, and gave the command to Nelson. Villeneuve, meanwhile, watched his opportunity to get out of port; and trusting to his large force, set sail on the 19th of October, with the intention of B giving battle. The hostile navies hove in sight of each other on the 21st of October, 1805. The combined French and Spanish fleet amounted to the tremendous power of thirty-three sail of the line, and seven large frigates; the English to twenty-seven line-of-battle ships, and three frigates. Yet, it is said that, even with so great a superiority, the French admiral would not have sought the fearful contest, had he believed the report that Nelson commanded in person; or that the English fleet had been so strongly reinforced. He arranged his ships in a singular and ingenious manner, with a view to counteract the well-known English manœuvre of "cutting the line." His fleet formed a double line, each alternate ship being about a cable's length to the windward of her second, ahead and astern. Nelson advanced to the attack in two lines. Eight of his fastest sailing two-deckers were ordered to cut off three or four of the enemy's ships, a-head of their centre; Admiral Collingwood, the second in command, who led the van, was to break in about the twelfth ship from the rear, while Nelson himself, in the Victory, led the division which should bear down on the centre. He explained to his admirals and officers that his object was a close and decisive engagement; and that, if in the confusion and smoke of the battle signals should not be visible, the captain would never do wrong who laid his ship alongside of the enemy. His last signal bore the words, "England expects every man to do his duty;" and the expectation was fully justified. The enemy fought desperately and bravely, but their line was penetrated in every direction; the British ships engaging sometimes two of the hostile squadron at a time: the Victory at one period maintaining an incessant fire on three. The result was the well-known and decisive victory which nearly annihilated the French and Spanish navies. Nineteen of their ships were taken; besides four which struck to Sir Richard Strachan, in a subsequent action; and of those which escaped into Cadiz, seven had been rendered unfit for service. The threat of invasion was never again held over England by Napoleon. But the triumph was dearly bought; the long list of names blotted out of existence in obtaining it, being headed by that of Nelson. The Spanish admiral, Gravina, also died of his wounds; and Villeneuve, unable to endure the anguish of mind consequent on his irretrievable disaster, committed suicide shortly afterwards. The mode of his death is appalling, from its calm and deliberate minuteness. He procured some anatomical prints, and carefully studied the precise position of the heart; which having ascertained, he drove a large pin up to the head into his breast, so accurately, as to penetrate that vital organ, and instantly expired. He was found dead, with the pin in his heart, and a mark corresponding with the wound, on the print which lay beside him. It was the confirmed habit of Napoleon's mind to occupy itself only with one great object at a time; the battle of Austerlitz, therefore, partly neutralised the first impression of the defeat of Trafalgar; but it was not the less deep and lasting. He said little on the subject; and it is a singular fact that the action was never so much as mentioned in any French newspaper, being suppressed, of course, by his express order. Thus, while the whole English nation were in the utmost excitement at this victory over their enemies-celebrated by prayers, praises, illuminations, pictures, bonfires, ballads, newspaper articles, and poems, as was very natural on such an occasion-the whole nation of these enemies knew nothing whatever of the matter. An incident, however, that shortly occurred, may serve to illustrate the passionate mortification which Napoleon thus kept smouldering within. Denon, who was engaged to execute a series of medals in commemoration of the battle of Austerlitz, brought them to the Emperor for his inspection, on his return to St. Cloud. "What does this mean?" said Napoleon, looking at the reverse of the first medal. "Sire," answered Denon, "it is a French eagle strangling, in its talons, the leopard, one of the emblems of the coat-of-arms of England." Napoleon dashed the gold medal with violence to the other end of the room, exclaiming, "Vile flatterer! how dare you tell me that the French eagle strangles the English leopard, when I cannot send out to sea the smallest fishing-boat that the English do not seize upon? It is, indeed, the leopard that strangles the French eagle. Let this medal be instantly destroyed, and never present any of the same kind to me again." We return to the events of the 4th of December. It quickly transpired that Napoleon, in his interview with the Emperor of Austria, had granted him an armistice, and had agreed to suffer the Russians to pass unmolested to their country, on condition that they left the Austrian dominions with the least possible delay. He returned towards his bivouac thoughtful and silent. The Emperor Alexander, together with the remains of the Russian army, which amounted to about five and twenty thousand men, many of them without arms or baggage, were entirely at his mercy. He had only to order the advance of Marshal Davoust's division to ensure their surrender. But he chose to sacrifice this important opportunity to the false glory of playing a magnanimous part towards the legitimate sovereigns of Europe; a fatal delusion which grew upon him more and more, and exactly defeated its own. object. Whatever they might pretend, it was his presumption in having acquired, and being able to maintain, sovereign power, which enraged those monarchs against him, not the use he made of his power, one way or the other; and if they hated him for conquering them, |