No. 7
October 21st.—Battle of Trafalgar; Franco-Spanish fleet destroyed after a five hours’ fight. “The result of the battle of Trafalgar compensates, for England, the results of the operations of Ulm. It has been justly observed that this power alone, of all those who fought France from 1793 to 1812, never experienced a check in her political or military combinations without seeing herself compensated forthwith by a signal success in some other part of the world” (Montgaillard).
To the Empress, at Strasburg.
Elchingen, October 21, 1805, Noon.
I am fairly well, my dear. I start at once for Augsbourg. I have made 33,000 men lay down their arms, I have from 60,000 to 70,000 prisoners, more than 90 flags, and 200 pieces of cannon. Never has there been such a catastrophe in military annals!
Take care of yourself. I am rather jaded. The weather has been fine for the last three days. The first column of prisoners files off for France to-day. Each column consists of 6000 men.
Napoleon.