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LIFE
OF
NAPOLEON
BY BARON JOMINI
GENERAL-IN-CHIEF AND AIDE-DE-CAMP TO THE EMPEROR OF RUSSIA
Je fus ambitieux: tout home lest, sans doute:
Mais jamais roi, pontife, on chef, ou citoyen,
Ne conut un projet aussi grand que le mien
Voltaire Mahomet
TRANSLATED FROM THE FRENCH
WITH NOTES
BY H. W. HALLECK LL. D
M AJOR GENERAL U NITED STATES ARMY
AUTHOR OF ELEMENTS OF MILITARY ART AND SCIENCE: INTERNATIONAL LAW, AND THE LAWS OF WAR, &C, &C
IN FOUR VOLUMES WITH AN ATLAS
VOL. III
LIST OF MAPS TO ILLUSTRATE JOMINIS LIFE OF NAPOLEON
VOL. III
23. MAP OF THE VALLEY OF THE DANUBE FROM RATISBON TO PRESSBURG to illustrate the campaigns of 1808 and 1809
24. BATTLE OF ABENSBERG 20 th April 1809
25. BATTLE OF ECKMHL 22 nd April 1809
26. BATTLE OF ESSLING 21 st and 22 nd May 1809 (Sheet 1)
27. BATTLE OF ESSLING 21 st and 22 nd May 1809 (Sheet 2)
28. BATTLE OF WAGRAM 5 th and 6 th July 1809 (Sheet 1 5 th July)
29. BATTLE OF WAGRAM 5 th and 6 th July 1809 (Sheet 2 6 th July)
30. MAP OF PART OF PORTUGAL to illustrate the Defence of Lisbon, by the lines of Torres Vedras October and November 1810
31. MAP OF PART OF RUSSIA to illustrate the Campaigns of 1812
32. BATTLES OF SMOLENSKO AND VALTELINA 17 th 18 th and 19 th August 1812
33. BATTLE OF BORODINO 7 th September 1812. Pyrenees
TABLE OF CONTENTS
Contents
TABLE OF CONTENTS
CHAPTER XIV.
WAR OF 1809 IN GERMANY, OR THE CAMPAIGN OF WAGRAM.
Austrian PolicyCharacter of the TimesMilitary Preparations of AustriaShe excites Insurrection in GermanySecret SocietiesThe State of WestphaliaSituation of Prussia, and of the other European PowersInsurrectionary State of the TyrolAustria takes the Initiative in the WarHer Plan of OperationsPosition and Number of her ForcesThe French ArmyRelative Numbers of the opposing ForcesBerthier sent to rally the French ArmyAdvance of the AustriansFaults of BerthierNapoleon arrives at IngolstadtDifficulty of forming a Junction with DavoustAdvance of the Austrian Right toward RatisbonNew Movements of DavoustBattle of ThaunJunction with Davoust effectedDispositions against the Austrian CentreAffair of AbensbergMovement of DavoustHiller defeated at LandshutDavoust attacks the Austrian CentreAdvance of NapoleonBattle of EckmhlRetreat of the ArchdukeRemarksNapoleon marches on ViennaOperations in ItalyContinuation of Napoleons MarchTardy Projects of Prince Charles to save his CapitalNapoleons second Entrance into ViennaDispositions for the Passage of the DanubeMotives of this UndertakingDifficulties of its ExecutionPreparations for effecting the PassageKollowraths attack on LintzMassna crosses the left Bank of the DanubeThe Archduke attacks the FrenchBattle of EsslingCouncil of War, and new Projects of NapoleonDeath of LannesRemarks on the new Position of the FrenchReply to Rogniats Criticisms on the Battle of EsslingGeneral Remarks on the Tactics of BattlesMilitary Operations in ItalyBattle of the PiaveEugene pursues the AustriansRetreat of the Archduke John on GratzJunction of the Armies of Napoleon and EugeneInsurrection of Westphalia and PrussiaAffairs of the TyrolOperations in PolandSituation of Affairs in GermanyAffairs of RomeThe Pope transferred to SavonaMeasures of Napoleon for repairing the Check received at EsslingEugene marches against the Archduke JohnBattle of RaabResults of this Battle, and Siege of RaabThe Archduke John disobeys the Orders of the GeneralissimoBombardment of PressburgMarmonts MarchOperations of GuilayCombat of GratzGeneral Situation of Military AffairsNew Passage of the DanubeOperations on the morning of the fifth (July)Position of the opposing ForcesPreliminary Attack of the FrenchBattle of WagramDefeat of the AustriansRemarks on the BattleRetreat of the Archduke, and Pursuit of the FrenchBattle of ZnaimArmisticeIts ConditionsMotives of Austria in ratifying itSituation of Affairs in the North of EuropeOperations in TyrolNegotiations with Austria and renewed HostilitiesMaritime Expedition of the English against Rochefort, Naples and AntwerpChange of the British MinistryStabs attempt to assassinate NapoleonAustria finally decides to make PeaceTreaty of ViennaPositive Results of the PeaceSensation it produces in RussiaThe French destroy the Fortifications of ViennaExpedition for the Subjugation of the TyrolRemarks on the Campaign.
Austrian Policy. I had hoped that the conference of Erfurth and our success in Spain, would induce Austria to give up her idea of engaging alone in a contest against France; but in this I was mistaken. The court of Vienna pursues a tenacious to renew its old purpose. Some have absurdly attributed this perseverance to the oligarchic form of its government; in reality, nothing is less oligarchic than the cabinet of Vienna; the prime ministers, who are changed with the external policy of the government, are very frequently plebeians by birth, or nobles from parts of the empire other than the hereditary states. Some of the emperors have left the government to be carried on by their councillors; but such was not the case with Maria Theresa, or with Joseph II. The government of Austria, instead of being an oligarchy is a mixed monarchy; in Austria and Bohemia it is absolute, but limited in Hungary, and almost republican in the Tyrol.
The decisions of a government are, undoubtedly, very much influenced by the large landed proprietors and the principal nobility of the state; but a government which, in this nineteenth century, acts only for the interest of a few families, will soon be overthrown. In a republic of demagogues, where the rulers are changed every year, there can be no permanent state policy; but all other forms of government are susceptible of pursuing a permanent course, for there are always precedents in diplomatic archives of the state, which serve a guides to the chief of that department, both in peace and war. There are always permanent as well as temporary views of state policy. It is always an object for a state to have more real strength than its neighbours, as this is the best means of preventing an attack. The strength of a state may be either positive or federative; it may be strong in its own positive power, or by its alliances. Where a single state becomes so great, in its own positive strength, as to endanger the safety of others, its neighbours resort to these federative means, either for self-protection, or for aggression against the single positive power of the European sovereigns; at another, the latter triumphed over all my efforts. My age would never understand the necessity of uniting with me to establish an equilibrium against England. The slavery of the continent results form the want of such an equilibrium. Political preponderance is gained either by conquest or by family alliance. The result are not absolutely the same, but the real difference is not important From Henry IV to Louis XV., the Bourbons, who are not an oligarchy, have pursued a permanent course of policy; the means have necessarily varied with the change of events.
