Series L
“Berthier, incapable of acting a principal part, was surprised, and making a succession of false movements that would have been fatal to the French army, if the Emperor, journeying night and day, had not arrived at the very hour when his lieutenant was on the point of consummating the ruin of the army. But then was seen the supernatural force of Napoleon’s genius. In a few hours he changed the aspect of affairs, and in a few days, maugre their immense number, his enemies, baffled and flying in all directions, proclaimed his mastery in an art which, up to that moment, was imperfect; for never, since troops first trod a field of battle, was such a display of military genius made by man.”—Napier.
Series L
(For subjoined Notes to this Series see pages 278-295.)
| LETTER | PAGE | |
| Napoleon’s position in Europe | 278 | |
| No. 1. | Donauwerth | 281 |
| The Ratisbon proclamation, and first successes of the campaign up to April 23rd | 281-282 | |
| No. 2. | May 6th | 282 |
| The ball that touched me | 283 | |
| No. 3. | Baron Marbot’s foray; and memories of Richard Cœur de Lion | 284 |
| No. 4. | Schoenbrunn | 2894-285 |
| May 12th | 285 | |
| No. 5. | Ebersdorf | 286 |
| Eugène... has completely performed the task | 287 | |
| No. 6. | May 29th | 288 |
| No. 7. | I have ordered the two princes | 288-289 |
| The Duke of Montebello | 289 | |
| Thus everything ends | 289 | |
| No. 9. | Eugène won a battle | 290 |
| No. 11. | Wagram | 290 |
| Lasalle | 291 | |
| I am sunburnt | 291 | |
| No. 12. | A surfeit of bile | 291 |
| Wolkersdorf | 291 | |
| No. 16. | My affairs follow my wishes | 292 |
| No. 17. | August 21st | 292 |
| No. 18. | Comedians | 292 |
| Women... not having been presented | 293 | |
| No. 19. | All this is very suspicious | 293 |
| No. 20. | Krems | 293 |
| My health has never been better | 293 | |
| No. 23. | October 14th | 294 |
| No. 24. | Stuttgard | 295 |
Letters of the Emperor Napoleon to the Empress Josephine During the Austrian Campaign, 1809
Events of 1809.
January 7th.—King and Queen of Prussia visit Alexander at St. Petersburg.
January 12th.—Cayenne and French Guiana captured by Spanish and Portuguese South Americans.
January 13th.—Combat of Alcazar. Victor defeats Spaniards.
January 14th.—Treaty of Alliance between England and Spain.
January 16th.—Battle of Corunna. Moore killed; Baird wounded.
January 17th.—English army sails for England.
January 22nd.—King Joseph returns to Madrid.
January 27th.—Soult takes Ferrol (retaken by English, June 22nd).
February 21st.—Lannes takes Saragossa.
February 23rd.—English capture Martinique.
March 4th.—Madison made President of United States.
March 29th.—Soult fights battle of Oporto. Spaniards lose 20,000 men and 200 guns. Gustavus Adolphus abdicates throne of Sweden.
April 9th.—Austrians under Archduke Charles cross the Inn, enter Bavaria, and take Munich. Napoleon receives this news April 12th, and reaches Strasburg April 15th.
April 15th.—Eugène defeated on the Tagliamento.
April 16th.—And at Sacile.
April 19th.—Combat of Pfafferhofen. Oudinot repulses Austrians, while Davoust wins the Battle of Thann. Napoleon joins the army.
April 20th.—Battle of Abensberg. Archduke Louis defeated. Austrians take Ratisbon, and 1800 prisoners. Poles defeated by Archduke Ferdinand at Baszy.
April 21st.—Combat of Landshut; heavy Austrian losses. Austrians under Archduke Ferdinand take Warsaw.
April 22nd.—Battle of Eckmühl. Napoleon defeats Archduke Charles.
April 23rd.—French take Ratisbon.
April 25th.—King of Bavaria re-enters Munich.
April 26th.—French army crosses the Inn.
April 28th-30th.—French force the Salza, and cut in two the main Austrian army—“One of the most beautiful manœuvres of modern tactics” (Montgaillard).
April 29th.—Combat of Caldiero. Eugène defeats Archduke John.
May 3rd.—Russia declares war on Austria, and enters Galicia.
May 4th.—Combat of Ebersberg. Massena defeats Austrians, but loses a large number of men.