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Alexander at first refused; but the news of Blücher's disasters shook his determination, and he assented on that day, provided that steps were at once taken to lighten the pressure on the Russian corps serving under Blücher. Thus, by February 14th, the crisis was over.
He at length silenced the "trubsalsspritzen" and "peace apostles," who had up to this time raised their influential voices at headquarters. All felt that a retreat, after this great victory, was entirely out of the question, and even Schwartzenberg and Bernadotte joined in Blucher's "Forward!" and marched their armies to Paris.
"Never did the French army fight better than it did upon this occasion; it performed prodigies of valour; and the superiority of the troops, infantry, cavalry, and artillery, over the enemy opposed to them, was such, that had not Blucher arrived with his second corps of Prussians, the victory over the Anglo-Belgian army under Wellington would have been complete, though aided by Bulow's thirty thousand troops; that is to say, it would have been gained by sixty-nine thousand men opposed to nearly double their number; for the troops in the field commanded by Wellington, before Blucher's arrival, amounted to one hundred and twenty thousand men."
Unexpected receipts in the Post-office Department Arrival of Napoleon's Commissioners at M. de Talleyrand's Conference of the Marshals with Alexander Alarming news from Essonne Marmont's courage The white cockade and the tri-coloured cockade A successful stratagem Three Governments in France The Duc de Cadore sent by Maria Louisa to the Emperor of Austria Maria Louisa's proclamation to the French people Interview between the Emperor of Austria and the Duc de Cadore The Emperor's protestation of friendship for Napoleon M. Metternich and M. Stadion Maria Louisa's departure for Orleans Blucher's visit to me Audience of the King of Prussia His Majesty's reception of Berthier, Clarke, and myself Bernadotte in Paris Cross of the Polar Star presented to me by Bernadotte.
But the sins of the commanders had cost the allies dear. In four days the army of Silesia lost fully 15,000 men, and its corps were driven far asunder by Napoleon's incursion. His brilliant moves and trenchant strokes astonished the world. With less than 30,000 men he had burst into Blücher's line of march, and scattered in flight 50,000 warriors advancing on Paris in full assurance of victory.
Major Lacour, whose incapacity had been largely responsible for this catastrophe, I no longer regarded with any confidence. Chap. 25. After the 21st, 22nd and 23rd of August, days on which we had defeated Field-marshal Blücher's corps, and forced him to retire behind the Katzbach, the Emperor gave orders for the follow-up on the next day.
Very gloomy thoughts appeared to fill Blucher's soul, for his bushy eyebrows contracted, the quickstep was more rapid, and the smoke arose in denser masses. In the violence of his inward trouble, he grimly shook his head without thinking of the fragile friend in his mouth. Its delicate form struck against the corner of the table and broke into pieces.
I remonstrated against the sending of this note, because it was so mixed up that the landlord would never be able to make head or tail of it; but Blucher said he guessed the old man could read the French of it and average the rest. Blucher's French is bad enough, but it is not much worse than the English one finds in advertisements all over Italy every day.
In that event Wellington, as he told Baron Muffling, would be able to employ his whole strength in supporting the Prussians: and he proposed to ride across from Quatre Bras to Blucher's position, in order to concert with him personally the measures which should be taken in order to bring on a decisive battle with the French.
He did not wait, however, for the king's answer, but, though he knew that the commander-in-chief, Prince Schwartzenberg, had already commenced retreating, continued to march with his Silesian army alone upon the capital of France. The monarchs themselves were of Blucher's opinion, and gave him full power, having his army reenforced by the corps of Bulow and Winzingerode.
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