This etext was produced by David Widger
[NOTE: There is a short list of bookmarks, at the end of several of thefiles for those who may wish to sample the author's ideas before makingan entire meal of them. D.W.]
By LOUIS ANTOINE FAUVELET DE BOURRIENNE
His Private Secretary
Edited by R. W. Phipps
Colonel, Late Royal Artillery
1891
CONTENTS:
CHAPTER I. to CHAPTER X. 1805-1807
1805.
Abolition of the Republican calendar—Warlike preparations in Austria—Plan for re-organizing the National Guard—Napoleon in Strasburg—General Mack—Proclamation—Captain Bernard's reconnoitering mission—The Emperor's pretended anger and real satisfaction—Information respecting Ragusa communicated by Bernard —Rapid and deserved promotion—General Bernard's retirement to the United States of America.
I had been three months at Hamburg when I learned that the Emperor had atlast resolved to abolish the only remaining memorial of the Republic,namely, the revolutionary calendar. That calendar was indeed an absurdinnovation, for the new denominations of the months were not applicablein all places, even in France; the corn of Provence did not wait to beopened by the sun of the month of Messidor. On the 9th of September a'Senates-consulte' decreed that on the 1st of January following themonths and days should resume their own names. I read with much interestLaplace's report to the Senate, and must confess I was very glad to seethe Gregorian calendar again acknowledged by law, as it had already beenacknowledged in fact. Frenchmen in foreign countries experiencedparticular inconvenience from the adoption of a system different from allthe rest of the world.
A few days after the revival of the old calendar the Emperor departed forthe army. When at Hamburg it may well be supposed that I was anxious toobtain news, and I received plenty from the interior of Germany and fromsome friends in Paris. This correspondence enables me to present to myreaders a comprehensive and accurate picture of the state of publicaffairs up to the time when Napoleon took the field. I have alreadymentioned how artfully he always made it appear that he was anxious forpeace, and that he was always the party attacked; his, conduct previousto the first conquest of Vienna affords a striking example of thisartifice. It was pretty evident that the transformation of the CisalpineRepublic into the kingdom of Italy, and the union of Genoa to France wereinfractions of treaties; yet the Emperor, nevertheless, pretended thatall the infractions were committed by Austria. The truth is, thatAustria was raising levies as secretly as possible, and collecting hertroops on the frontiers of Bavaria. An Austrian corps even penetratedinto some provinces of the Electorate; all this afforded Napoleon apretest for going to the aid of his allies.
In the memorable sitting preceding his departure the Emperor presented aproject of a 'Senatus-consulte' relative to the re-organisation of theNational Guard. The Minister for Foreign Affairs read an explanation ofthe reciprocal conduct of France and Austria since the peace ofLuneville, in which the offences of France were concealed with wonderfulskill. Before the sitting broke up the Emperor addressed the members,stating that he was about to leave the capital to place himself at thehead of the army to afford prompt succour