Hundred Days
The term Hundred Days indicates the period of the French history lain between on March 1st (return in France of the emperor Napoleon I {{er}}) and the June 18th 1815 (demolished of Waterloo).
For the detail of the events which proceeded during the Hundred Days, to see the article Chronologie of France during the Hundred Days (1815) .
The return of the emperor
The judgment with the exile
February and March 1814 will see, between the Seine and the Marne, the emperor Napoleon to fit his boots of 1793 to defend the territory, step by step against all united Europe. Urged on by Pozzo di Borgo and Talleyrand, the Allies end up arriving under Paris while Napoleon wants to stop them with Saint-Dizier. After a track race, it arrives too late and must be folded up with Fontainebleau.It charges its Master of the Horse Caulaincourt with negotiating with the Tsar Alexandre I {{er}}, gone down at Talleyrand, street Saint-Florentin. Caulaincourt was ambassador in Russia and bound of friendship with the tsar. It negotiates an abdication in favor of the King de Rome, wire of Napoleon. The tsar, who hates the Bourbons, is not opposed, but learning the defection from the Maréchal Marmont, placed in avant-garde to the Essonne, it imposes abdication without conditions of Napoleon, from now on with overdraft, the Château of Fontainebleau.
Not to let a civil war develop, Napoleon abdicates after vainly having tried to rejoin the marshals. The Sénat calls “freely”, Louis-Stanislas-Xavier de Bourbon, like “king of the French, according to the wish of the nation”. As the tsar promised an establishment out of France worthy of the Napoleon emperor, he proposes the Corsica with Caulaincourt, which refuses because it forms integral part of the Nation and request the Sardinia. Alexandre Ier in his turn disallows the proposal, this island belonging to the King of the Piedmont. On the map of the world, its finger slips on the Isle of Elba and this small island will be retained, Caulaincourt recommending that is better than anything, because soon the English and the Prussians will be less accommodating…
The Traité of Fontainebleau of the April 11th 1814 stipulates that Napoleon keeps his title of Empereur, receives in full sovereignty the isle of Elba as well as a revenue of 2 franc million of the French government. The Impératrice Marie-Louise becomes duchess of Parma, Plaisance and of Guastalla, finally close to the isle of Elba.
The April 20th take place the Good-byes of Fontainebleau. Napoleon embarks with Saint-Raphaël and enters to Portoferraio the May 3rd. This same day Louis XVIII of France makes a triumphal entry in Paris.
The return voyage
The treaty of Fontainebleau is not respected, the revenue is not paid and Napoleon learns that with the Congrès of Vienna, it is strongly question of exiling it with the the Azores or on the Île Grey waxbill. In addition, its favorite Cipriani, sent in Austria at the end of 1814, teaches him treason and the inaccuracy from his Marie-Louise wife. It includes/understands at once that it will not re-examine any more his wife and especially her son, the Eaglet, retained with Vienna, who soon will become Franz, Austrian prince. For Napoleon, the departure is inescapable and it will try the whole for the whole.March 1st, the unloading envisaged with Saint-Raphaël, will be done with Vallauris. Napoleon who lived the Castle Salted with Antibes in 1794, knows the area very well. It is in full day, with considering and with known with all that the operation proceeds, in front of the customs officers surprised. A first bivouac is installed on the shore of what is from now on Gulf-Juan. “The invasion of the country by only one man” starts… Napoleon prevented the general Cambronne which orders the avant-garde not to draw any rifle shot. The surprise and the speed are the essential reasons of the success of this operation. At the night, Napoleon joined Cannes by the dunes and sleeps near the Notre-Dame vault of Good-Help. Cambronne, always in front of a few hours, left for Grasse the important chief town of more than 10.000 inhabitants.
It circumvents by the Play-of-Balloon and makes a pause on the quay level of Foux with Grimaud to make provisions. There is no way suitable for motor vehicles to climb the mountain since the road was not finished. Ordered during the Empire the road of Sisteron in Grasse was started with the other end and the way Grasse - Digne is traversed by the mule tracks which took the place of the road of the salt of the Middle Ages which itself replace the Roman way.
The March 2nd, 64 km will be carried out until Séranon where the troop bivouacs in snow with more than 1.000 meters. The March 3rd, at dawn it is started to reach Castellane where it will be able to provide many horses and mules. Napoleon is accommodated with the Sous-préfecture. It will be the single time because the Sous-préfet, Mr. Francoul, was relieved by Louis XVIII and awaits his substitute. After the meal the group takes a bad road covered with snow by the collar of Lèques and one goes along the river the Asse to practically arrive at Barrême where Cambronne prepared a housing in Tartanson judge, after having walked 44 km in Indian file. The March 4th, by the collar of Corobin, the troop goes down on Worthy-the-Baths where it finds the road which runs along the Bléone. Emperor is gone down with inn from Small-Paris, while Cambronne slips by on Malijai to requisition the castle of Noguier and that the Général Drouot, which orders the rear-guard, makes print declarations. All restart militarily. At the head, walk colonel Mallet with the three companies of hunters to foot of the old guard, the sailors and the Lancer S Polish assembled to the fur and measures purchases of horses. Then comes the Loubers captain with three companies from pomegranates, the gunners and about thirty officers without troop. It is in this group that the emperor, the staff and the treasure are. The Fusilier S of the Corsican battalion of the commander Guasco close walk. The Drouot general, with a group, remains in rear-guard. It remains in Digne some time to wait until the printer finished its work.
While the army bivouacs in the gardens of the castle of Malijai, at the place where the Bléone mixes with the Durance, Cambronne left ahead on Sisteron where it would be easy to blow up the Bridge of the Balsam and to stop the imperial troop. Cambronne has operation well and sends a Polish lancer in Estafette, to prevent that the way is free. In the small hour of the March 5th, reassured Napoleon gets under way by the Stopover and Volonne on Right Bank of the Durance and penetrates in Sisteron by the door of the Dauphine one. Constrained, the mayor Mr. de Gombert makes good figure and the Emperor lunches with the inn of the Gold Arm held by the grandfather of the poet Paul Arène.
The army does not trail because it must be with Gap at the evening, at the end of a stage of 69 km. By Saulce then Tallard it is with the lanterns Porte Dove and leads to the Jean-Marcellin place, where a stake of the national guard presents the weapons while the drum beats “With the fields”. The reception is enthusiastic and Napoleon will make a gift to open refuges in mountain, the always famous “Napoleon refuges”.
The March 6th, the troop leaves Gap by the small bridge of Burle and assembles the Col Bayard to go down towards the Drac and Saint-Bonnet-in-Champsaur where the population acclaims the Emperor and wants to join him. While skirting the river it goes up by Chauffayer towards Corps where Cambronne has prepares housing. The March 7th, the longest day. “Adventurous with Body, prince in Grenoble… ”. Very early, the army gets under way for Grenoble. Cambronne, walk with a few hours in advance with a Polish company of pomegranates and some estafettes. It opened the road by preventing royalist soldiers from Grenoble with for mission of making jump the Bridge-High, at the entry of Walls It. The general Marchand which orders from Grenoble is firmly decided to stop impostor and to lock up it at the height Barraux. It sent the Bataillon of the commander Lessard who gave an opinion with Laffrey, ravelled narrow between the hill and the lake. They there that is held with the “Meadow of the Meeting”, thus is named by Stendhal, the famous scene immortalized by the German painter Steuben: Napoleon opening his frock coat advances in front of the royalist soldiers and shouts to them: “Soldiers of 5th! Recognize your Emperor! If it is which wants to kill me, here me is! ”
The slope of Laffrey goes down on Vizille. Napoleon passes in front of the castle of Lesdiguières, where in 1788 took place the meeting of the states of the Dauphiné. He goes up towards Eybens and on the plate of Brie-and-Angonnes, the Emperor meets the regiment of Bédoyère come with his meeting. In Grenoble, a long straight line leads to the door of Good that the Marchand general holds closed. It will be necessary hours so that the population manages to insert it and it is at the night that Napoleon between Grenette place and will take his housing, not with the Préfecture, but with the hotel of the Three Dolphins, street Montorge, where it was descended, young lieutenant artillerist in garrison with Valence, in 1791…
Two days spent in its good town of Grenoble made it possible the Emperor to receive the authorities, to enact the first decrees and especially to send, by Turin, a mail with Marie-Louise, giving him go to Paris…
The March 9th, in the afternoon, the column leaves Grenoble by the door of France. It was enlarged of some companies organized by the general Auguste Debelle. After a stop with Voreppe, new halt with Moirans, Napoleon supper with Rives at 8 o'clock in the evening stops, with the post office building. The troop goes back on the way to arrive at Bourgoin-Jallieu at 3 o'clock in the morning. In spite of the late hour, the city is illuminated, and the Emperor is ovationné by an impatient crowd. The National guard presents the weapons to him and the Emperor goes down to the hotel from the Park, street Impériale, held by Antoine Guillard. It is there that it remained with the empress Joséphine, the April 16th 1805, on the way towards the Italy. Napoleon left Bourgoin-Jallieu at 3 o'clock in the afternoon and passing by Verpillière, it makes stage with his staff, with the hotel of the Eagle with Guillotière, at the time, borough independent of Lyon.
The March 10th, entered triumphal Lyon that the Count d' Artois, brother of Louis XVIII, helped of the marshal Macdonald, would have liked to defend by barricading the bridge of Guillotière. The March 11th in Lyon, descended to the palate from the Archbishop's palace, Napoleon reviews troops Place Bellecour. Napoleon will say to Sainte-Hélène all the found pleasure “I were become again a great power”. He will send a new mail to Marie-Louise. The March 12th, it does not promulgate less than 11 decrees. The March 13rd, departure of Lyon to 13:00 by Villefranche where it is received with 15:00 by 60.000 assembled people. It arrives at Mâcon the evening. It can there be declared dissatisfied with little resistance which in 1814 offered the town of Mâcon vis-a-vis the Austrians. The Préfet Germain fled the day before, after having published the abusive wording. The Guard joined it by stage coach on the Saone. It is this fatal day which is announced the message of “the virtual assassination” by the sovereigns brought together with the Congrès of Vienna of a text avenger inspired by Talleyrand. When Napoleon takes note of it a few days later, it will be cut down by it.
The March 14th, Napoleon requires the mayor, a wine merchant named Bonne, which fled with the prefect. A Brunet assistant returns awkward. Napoleon has fun to embarrass it: “- Me you Say received the duchess of Angouleme last year? - Lord… circumstances… - But you made well! Isn't it my cousin? ” Departure of Mâcon at the end of the morning, then Tournus, which will obtain the Légion of honor for its combat of 1814. Crowd is dense and the people shout “the Father the Violet! ”. The troop arrives finally at Châlon-sur-saône towards 22:00. A delegation of Dijon presents itself which expelled its mayor and his prefect.
The March 15th, departure of Trawl-net. Napoleon named new prefects and sub-prefects in the place of the absent ones. He names with the head of the 18th military division the Général Devaux, and gives the Legion of honor to the mayor of Saint-Jean-with-Losne for his beautiful behavior in 1814. He takes the road of Burgundy, passes by Autun. In Autun, Napoleon, relieves and replaces the municipal magistrates. In the night, the baron Passinges, an aide-de-camp of the marshal Ney which is with Lons-the-Salt maker, comes to announce his rallying to him. Napoleon answers: “My cousin, preserve your command. Start at once your troops and come to join me with Auxerre, I will receive you as the shortly of Elchingen and the Moskowa”. The March 16th, departure of Autun, to move on Avallon share Chissey-in-Morvan. Napoleon is in the barouche with six horses, escorted by the Poles, reds and gold, driving Tauris his horse " Persan white ". The troop crosses the campaigns, Rock-in-Brenil, Rouvray, Cussy-the-Forging mills. Avallon, in the middle of the population carrying of the Tricolours, the general Girard waits with two new Régiment S.
The March 17th, Napoleon leaves Avallon, Auxerre direction where it will be received officially with the prefecture. After a relay with Vermenton, five cars transport the companions of Napoleon, that of the prefect Gamot, the brother-in-law of the Ney marshal, with his Audibert sub-prefect, then that of the Drouot general, that of the Emperor accompanied by the Large-Marshal Bertrand, a simple car of station around which caracolent the Polish lancers with colonels Jermanwski and Of the Field and the Raoul captain. Follow the car of the secretaries Fleury de Chaboulon, Rathery, Champollion and in the last people of the service: Commercial, the Noverraz giant, Gentilini, the Mameluke Ali. The car penetrates in the prefecture by a new door, rebuilt in 1810 after one demolished the old one to release the marshal Davout, prisoner in his car wedged between the stones. The evening towards Napoleon 6:00 passes in review, Saint-Etienne place, 14th of Line of the colonel Bugeaud.
The March 18th, in Auxerre, Napoleon traverses the arrived newspapers of Paris and the intercepted dispatches. On his side, the Ney marshal, taken between the hammer and the anvil, did not know any more where was its duty after having joined the Emperor. His wife Aglaé Auguié, niece of Mrs. Campan, unceasingly underwent brimades at the court of Louis XVIII. Michel Ney suffered from persecutions of his wife, as he suffered to see the little of case which the new arrive at the capacity made and who forgot the 20 past years. He also adopted in memories his attitude with Fontainebleau. For the time being it came from Besancon, where Soult, Minister for the War, had dispatched it to go to the front of the Inhabitants of Elba, then of Lons-the-Salt maker where it had given leave to his divisional Lecourbe and Bourmont. The defection of the Ney marshal made strong impression in the capital. In Auxerre, Napoleon brings together the boatmen and retains them during one hour. They are jellyfishes to see that an emperor knows some about shipping as much as a marine. The troops will reassemble by the water stage coach, in the barges, boats, all that floats. Guard, arrival with Chaumont, the orders of the marshal Oudinot, joined Napoleon.
In Auxerre, Napoleon writes in Marie-Louise, his third letter since his departure of the isle of Elba which an officer disguised while negotiating will try to carry to Vienna: “My good Louise, the people run as a crowd ahead of of me. Whole regiments leave very to join me. I will be in Paris when you receive this letter. Come to join me with my son. I hope to kiss you before the end of the month”.
The March 19th, Palm Sunday, Napoleon organized the last jump which will lead it to Paris. Via Bertrand and of his secretaries and aide-de-camps, it functioned as the day before a bataille.
Of Auxerre to Direction share Joigny, while the Emperor gallops, the army gives up the king. To Sens the mayor M of Laurencin, comes to present himself. The Emperor, who fears a bloody revolution in the capital, says to him: “The outposts are with the hands. A moment ago to lose to prevent blood from running, and my presence alone can all rejoin”.
This night there, Louis XVIII, share towards Beauvais. The duke of Berry and the marshal Marmont which ordered the house of the King, form the escort. All the ministers leave in the night.
The news of the escape of the King is not long in arriving at the ears of the 20.000 men of the duke of Berry, spread out between Villejuif and the Corbeil-Essonne: the 1st body of Infantry under the orders of House, with Chevilly-Larue, the 2nd body under the orders of Rapp, with Borough-the-Queen, cavalry as a scout under the orders of Kellermann. The general Belliard order as a second during the absence of the Macdonald marshal. The evening, this marshal their fact of passing the order to fold up itself towards Saint-Denis to go up on Beauvais. At the Napoleon night and his continuation arrive at Pont-sur-Yonne.
Arrived at Fossard, the Emperor finds aligned along the road of the riding emmitouflés. They are the men of the 13th Dragons of the army of the Duke of Berry. Their officers left while their men prefer to rejoin the army of the Emperor. In the night, on the way for Melun where he believes to find the army of the duke of Berry, seeing its troops spread out without officers, Napoleon decides to return in Fontainebleau and forks on Moret-sur-Loing. Without drum nor trumpet, the Emperor unloads and requires to rest a few moments. One sends mails to him all the fifteen minutes. Napoleon is always anxious believing Louis XVIII in Paris and fearing a popular rising. Arrived at Fontainebleau, the city sleeps but the castle is illuminated. Entry in the court of the White Horse, the court of the Good-byes of the April 20th.
The March 20th, the General Haxo which thinks of joining Louis XVIII, finds Tileries almost deserted. Lavalette at 7 a.m. took the direction of the Post office and warns the postmasters which the Emperor will be there before two hours and not to provide horses without authorization more. Lavalette stops the publication of the universal Moniteur . With Tileries, the Minister for Finance forgot 50 million in the trunks. The Chancelier Pasquier questions Cambacéres.
At Fontainebleau, the troops arrive unceasingly. The Inhabitants of Elba assembled by horse-drawn barge arrive by Montereau-Fault-Yonne.
On the road of Fontainebleau, people run to re-examine the Emperor. He is on the way for Paris. The mail of Lavalette arrived, at the same time as of other messengers sent by Savary, Hortense and perhaps Fouché.
In Paris, the generals Exelmans and Sébastiani took the things in hands. The Tricolor floats with Tileries with 2:20, dome of the Clock, with the Invalids with 2:30. With 2:45, with the Louis-the-Large College, Sadi Carnot by the window see the flag hoisted at the top of the Colonne Vendôme.
In the afternoon, following Exelmans, the imperial dignitaries reappeared, with Hortense which wears the clothes of the mourning of his/her mother, the Joséphine empress. Napoleon enters Paris.
Reactions to the return of the Emperor
The March 18th in Holland, the prince d' Orange, sovereign of the Netherlands for a few months, has published a license where he states to take the titles of king of the Netherlands and duke of the Luxembourg. To Brussels, it reviews the troops, which lend oath to him. Crowd looks at passing the Dutch staff and about the evening, the troops go down, to open the way with the announced English allies. They pass by a roadway paved in a village, like all the other villages, WaterlooThis same day, the duke of Orleans is with Cambrai accompanying the marshal Mortier. He extremely thinks that Napoleon will make fall the elder branch, then will be driven out by the allied sovereigns and that will be related to him to the throne. He flees of the Boulevard Saint-Germain. The duke of Richelieu makes call the count de Rochechouart and says to him that all badly will finish. “In the danger which the king runs, I then to give up it. Here 10 000 gold francs that Ouvrard got to me. If you have some money, carry out and done it your preparations. You have two horses, lend to me of one, we will leave together in a few hours undoubtedly. ” Ouvrard, Laffitte and the twenty large bankers who hold in hand all fortunes of France are the most occupied men of the day: more than 20 franc million will change hands.
The newspaper the universal Monitor announces that the calm one was restored in Lyon, that the Marchand general reconquered Grenoble, and Napoleon is taken out of clipper by the troops going up the Rhone and the army gathered close to Melun under the orders of the duke of Berry assisted by the Macdonald marshal. This last will offer its resignation to Louis XVIII who will refuse it. He asks the king to say to him in the event of events in which department it wishes to be withdrawn: “- In the Vendée, Louis XVIII answers. - In this case all is lost, if your Majesty takes this direction, It undoubtedly has there, of the partisans more than elsewhere, but the greatest number will remain inactive: it is tired, satisfied civil war. You will be continued there, one will seize the coasts and any retirement will be impossible.
Appointment in Flanders, the spirit of the departments of North and the Pas-de-Calais is better than elsewhere. One or the other of the places will be used as rallying where you will be able to establish your government. ”
The generals Sorry House and , faithful to the king, come to say to Blacas, favorite of the king, whom they are held ready to sacrifice their life by attacking Napoleon. But that their resistance would never be forgiven and that in the event of failure they would lose their fortune and should be exiled. It was counted to them with each one 200.000 francs. The Bourse de Paris falls to 66 francs, being to 78 on March 5th…
Another rout, in the Liberals, old conventional, rejoined and sat between two chairs, one is dodged: Fayette returns to Auvergne. firm Madam de Staël her living room.
In this distress, Chateaubriand suggests lining up around the king to be made cut the throat of. Only Juliette Récamier guard the open door and Benjamin Constant, which has just finished its Adolphe, writes an article which will appear in the Newspaper of the debates : “It reappears this dyed man of our blood! this Attila…”
The afternoon in the Gardens of the Tileries, a group of exaltés young people insult a half-pay, strikes it with dead and gives up it with the corner of the Rue Saint-Honore, the open cranium. Following this incident, the Bonapartists remain cloisters. Always the March 18th, in Italy, Murat is started for Rome.
The March 20th, in Vienna, in Austria, the Eaglet is on the point of celebrating its 4 years. With the advertisement of the unloading of his father, one made him leave the Château of Schönbrunn for the cold palate of the Hofburg easier to supervise. The sentinels are doubled and equipped as servants, with order to supervise the three French who remain and who will not be long in leaving, Madam de Montesquiou, Ménéval and Bausset.
The general Neipperg bids his farewell with Marie-Louise. He leaves to take the head of a division in Italy against the Murat brother-in-law.
This same day, to London, the House of Commons, Samuel Whitbread, leader of the Whigs, opponents with the fight against France, rises to raise questions with the powerful whole Castlereagh, Prime Minister, who has just returned of the Congress of Vienna. “Is this well the moment to start again England in a war on the continent which will complete to exhaust us? Your famous assembly of Vienna made as well as it brought back Bonaparte on the political scene, it brings back it there invested of a new moral fiber on her adversaries. I would like to know if the Powers did not give themselves to Bonaparte legitimate subjects of complaint? The Traité of Fontainebleau he was violated? Did one refuse to pay the pension that one had promised to him? Did one try to remove with the young person wire of Bonaparte the duchies of Parma? If Bonaparte triumphs, it is probable that large reverses will have taught better him to judge its true interests and that consequently, England could remain in peace with him. ”
Reaction of the allies
Napoleon i did not have any more to see of another safety for him but in the war. It had already prepared there. Since its return, eight armies had been formed, under the names of armies of the Moselle, of the Rhine, of the Jura, of the Alps, of the Pyrenees, of Paris, of Laon; 150 batteries were available; one organized irregular forces and partisans. The levy in masse of the seven departments borders of North and the East was solved and ready; the fortified towns were well supplied, the processions were kept, France finally could be believed able to defy, support and to even push back the efforts of united Europe. Napoleon had restored with the regiments the nicknames of Invincible , of Terrible , Incomparable . The army counted 200 000 men. National guard, made up of 3 130 battalions, of which 1 500 companies of hunters and pomegranates, formant 180 000 men, was availability of the Minister for the war.
The interior situation
If France in general accepted the return of the Emperor, of the movements agitated the Vendée somewhat, which obliged Napoleon has to send 40.000 soldiers in the area to maintain the order, soldiers who will be cruelly lacking thereafter.
The external situation
Situation and number of the powers leagued against France
Many people showed Napoleon of temerity, when in 1815, leaving the isle of Elba, it went up on its throne with the firm hope to be maintained there in spite of the coalition, whose joined together armies could be triple or the quadruple of those which it was possible for him to oppose to them; but Napoleon had calculated so well the distances and times, which it was certain to meet his adversaries, almost with equal forces, on all the battle fields. Its skill must restore balance everywhere, and all the probabilities of the victory are opposite the French.
Indeed, as of April 1815, the Russian armies pass by again the Niémen, those of Prussia and of Austria are partly on the foot of peace. The majority of the Prussian bodies occupy Right Bank of the Elba, and a good part of the Austrian army holds garrison in the Royaume of Naples. The English have half of their forces in America.
Thus, it was calculated that the armies of Russia, of Austria, of Prussia and England, could not be supplemented each one with 150 000 men (according to the conventions made between these powers), and returned on the borders of France, that towards the end of July. The English army, reinforced that of Hanover, could count only 80 000 men. The quotas of Holland and Belgium, Nassau, of Denmark, of the houses of Saxony, of Bavaria, of Hesse, Bade, of Wurtemberg, were to be melted in the years of the four great powers.
At the beginning of June there were only the armies of the generals Blücher and Wellington which was able to fight; they presented a force available of 200 000 men. Combined forces against France, according to the official documents.
Situation of the French Armies in April, May, June - Preparations of defense
In May, France counted 105 regiments of infantry, whose manpower, one carrying the other, went up to 900 men, of which two thirds were present under the weapons; all the infantry thus presented 80 000 men available. The genius presented three regiments each of two thousand men; the artillery had 8 regiments with foot and 4 with horse, the latter at most had 100 assembled gunners. The battalions of the train counted so to speak only executives and had only one very-small number of draft horses. The personnel of artillery and the genious was still sufficient for more the large armies. The material, in spite of the tested losses the previous years, could be enough during several campaigns. The stores contained 150 000 new rifles and 300 000 as well in spare parts as out of rifles to be repaired.The cavalry was in the worst condition. All the regiments and their deposits formed with the more 17 000 horses.
The army was generally badly vêtue. There was not an ell of cloth in the stores.
The Emperor called up for the military service all the men in leave, all the former servicemen and the conscription of 1815. 200 battalions of national guard were raised, which gave a force of 120 000 men. The organization of 6 000 gunners coastguard, and the creation of 20 regiments of marines were ordered; the cavalry was reinforced by 12 000 horses taken and paid cash with the gendarmerie.
A great number of workshops of weapons, established in Paris, provided 1 500 rifles per day, and, before July 1st, they were to deliver some of 3 with 4 000. All the munitions factories of the Empire had doubled their products. The defense of all the places once ensured, Paris and Lyon were selected like great centers of resistance. One joins together, in the first of these cities, 400 parts of countryside and 300 large gauge, and, in Lyon, a crew of 100 pieces of ordnance large gauge and 100 of field artillery.
The ultimate war
The June 14th at the evening, Napoleon makes publish an day order in which it employs all the average oratories to excite the heat and the courage of his soldiers, pointing out to them their old victories, their superiority over enemies whom they had beaten so many times, the dangers which threatened the fatherland.Having calculated that it would take two days for the armies English and Prussian to operate their junction, the first having its general headquarter with Brussels, and the second it his with Namur, it made provisions, the June 15th, with the point of the day, to fall on the Prussian . Attacked by three columns, Blücher was highly pushed back and lost a few thousands of men in the confrontation. Charleroi was taken, and in the night of the 15 to the June 16th, all the French Army had passed the Sambre; she bivouacked between the two enemy armies. This success is all the more remarkable as the lieutenant-general Bourmont, chief of staff of the 4th body, with the orders of the general Gerard, having refused to sign the additional act with the constitutions of the empire, had joined Louis XVIII in Ghent.
See also: Battle of Four-Arm
The 16, the marshal Ney, which ordered the left, had received order to occupy with 43 000 men, in front of the Four-Arm (crossing of four ways), a position on the road of Brussels, by preserving at the same time those of Bubbles and Namur.
See also: Battle of Ligny
The inexecution of this kind prevented the Bataille of Ligny, under Fleurus, which was delivered in the course of the day, to be decisive. It cost the English and the Prussians about thirty thousands of men. Eagerness was such between the two enemy armies that the village of Ligny was taken and taken again up to five times. The loss of the enemy was evaluated of 8 with 9 000 men.
The general Girard, near to the emperor, who ordered the ] attached to the Body of [[Reille]], belonging to the left wing under the command of [[Michel Ney|Ney]], will be very seriously wounded during the batailleIl was to die it [[June 27th]] [[1815]] at four o'clock in the evening, with [[Paris]], after being made [[List of the dukes of Ligny|duke of Ligny]], three days after [[Battle of Waterloo|Waterloo]], by an imperial decree of [[June 21st]] [[1815]]. .
[[The June 17th|17]], with the point of the day, the general [[Pierre Claude Pajol|Pajol]] was put at the continuation of [[Prussia|Prussians]] in the direction of [[Wavre]], and took many luggage. [[Emmanuel de Grouchy|Grouchy]] and [[Michel Ney|Ney]] not having carried out the orders of [[Napoleon i|Napoleon]] as promptly as they would have it, the day of the 17 did without advantageous results for the French Army.
==Bataille of Waterloo==
{{Detailed Article|Battle of Waterloo}}
== end of the Napoleonean epopee ==
[[Victor Maingarnauld]], perfectly summarized the events starting from the return of Napoleon in the capital until the moment of its abdication: it includes/understands the exact and complete account of one of the most interesting periods of the life of Napoleon.
The Emperor arrived it [[June 20th]] at Paris. Its intention was to join together the Rooms at an imperial sitting, to paint misfortunes of the army to them, to ask for the means to them of of saving the fatherland, and then of setting out again. At this point in time he learned with surprise that the Rooms, with the news of the disasters of [[Midsummer's Day mount]], increased by the ill will and the inaccurate report/ratio of the Ney marshal, had shown provisions more hostile than French; that the spirits, directed by the faction of the false republicans, were in a great agitation; that it was to be feared that the representatives did not answer waiting of the prince, and that it had better been not to separate from the army, which made its force and its safety. But the Emperor believed and was to believe that its presence would contain the perturbateurs “A few moments of rest had soon given it of its tirednesses; at once it gathered its council: “Our misfortunes are large, says him it, I came to repair them, print with the nation large and noble devotion. If it rises, the enemy will be crushed; so instead of liftings, of extraordinary measurements, one disputes, all is lost. The enemy is in France; I need, to save peerage, to be covered of a great capacity, a temporary dictatorship. In the interest of the fatherland, I could seize me of this capacity; but it would be more useful and more national that it was given to me by the Rooms. ” Challenged to say their feeling on the state security measures that the circumstances required, the ministers lowered the eyes and did not answer.
: “Integrates It Carnot, Minister of Interior Department, guided by the only interest of France, was of opinion that it was necessary to declare the fatherland in danger, to call with the weapons the federate ones and the national guards, to put Paris in state of siege, to defend it, to withdraw themselves at the last end behind the Loire, there to cut off, point out the army of the Vendée, bodies of observation of the South, and to hold the army in stop until one had been able to join together and organize of the sufficient forces to take again the offensive and to drive out it France.
: “Caulincourt, Foreign Minister, by pointing out the events of 1814, supported that the occupation of France by the enemy would decide one second time of the fate of the throne; that one needed a main effort of the nation to save independence; that the question of the hello of the State was in the Rooms and their union with the Emperor.
: “Fouché, Minister for the police force, and several of his/her colleagues, by sharing this feeling, said that by showing with the Rooms confidence and bona fide (and it was Fouché which spoke in good faith!) one would manage to make them feel the duty of their meeting with Napoleon, to save together, by energetic measurements, the honor and the independence of the nation {{refl|12}}.
: “Decrès, Minister for the navy, declared clearly that one was not to count on the Rooms, of which the members were badly laid out and appeared decided to go to violent one excess.
: “Régnault added that he did not believe that the Representatives wanted to assist the intentions of the Emperor, and that on the contrary it feared that they did not ask his abdication.
: “Lucien supported with force that the larger the crises were, the more one was to deploy energy; that if the rooms did not want to assist the Emperor, the Emperor would do without their assistance; that it was necessary that it declared dictator, that he put France in state of siege, and called with his defense all the patriots and all the French.
: “It was the only good opinion and that which Carnot adopted by declaring that it appeared essential to him that the Emperor had, throughout crisis, large and imposing authority; but that was not enough: it was necessary for all to dissolve the Rooms and to make stop the faction which dominated them.
: “The Emperor however did not divide the opinion of his brother; he always believed that the presence of the enemy would return to the deputies the feeling of their duties… “the nation, says he, did not send them to reverse me, but to support me. I do not fear them. Something that they make, I would be always the god of the people and the army. If I said a word, they all would be lost: but not fearing anything for me, I fear very for the fatherland… The patriotism of the nation and its attachment with my person offer immense resources to us; all is not desperate. ” Reviewing then successively the means of repairing the disasters of Midsummer's Day mount, it rapidly recalled the table of the evils of which an invasion threatened the fatherland, preventing all the objections, indicating all the obstacles and all the resources. Its eloquence made pass the conviction in the heart of the majority of the members of the council; the opinions hitherto divided tended to approach; one was going to deliberate, when one was stopped by a message of the Room of the representatives.
: “This Room had been assembled at midday and a quarter. Lafayette going up to the platform, had submitted to the Parliament the following proposals:
: “The Room of the representatives declares that the independence of the nation is threatened.
: “The Room is declared permanently. Any attempt to dissolve it is a crime of high treason. Whoever would be made guilty of this attempt will be declared treacherous with the fatherland and at once judged like tel.
: “The army of line and the national guard, which fought and still fight to defend freedom, independence and the French territory, deserved fatherland well.
: “The Ministers for the war, the foreign relations and the interior are invited to go at once in the center of the Parliament. ” .
These proposals did not tighten anything less than to raise the Room above all the constitutional capacities, than to isolate in this difficult circumstance the nation from the Emperor, than to deliver it to the anarchy or the avid hands from abroad, finally to charm any hope of hello to him. They were accommodated of it by many applause and not adopted. One had stopped that they would be transmitted to the Room of the pars and the Emperor; and it was the message of which the handing-over had stopped the council.
The Emperor, after the reading of this declaration, declared the meeting closed: however, it prescribed at the same time with [[Regnauld]] to go to the Room, to announce to him that it was of return, that it had just convened the Council of Ministers; that the army, after an announced victory, had fought a great battle, that all was well, and that the English were beaten when the malevolent ones had caused a panic fear; that the army joined; that had come to him to act in concert with its ministers and the rooms, and that it occupied in this moment of the state security measures which required the circumstances.
Carnot, by order of the Emperor, carried at the same time the same communication to [[Room of the pars]], and it was accepted there with the calm one and the respect suitable; but Regnauld, less happy, could not moderate the impatience of the representatives who, by a new message, imperiously renewed with the ministers the invitation to present themselves to the bar.
Napoleon, shocked to see that the Room assumed rights which did not belong to him on its ministers, defended to them to go there; but, tired to hear the relation which was made noise and improper tumult which had been followed from there to the Parliament, it authorized them to warn the president of their next arrival; nevertheless, not wanting to let believe that they obeyed the injunctions of the Room, it appointed them there like in charge of an imperial message, and made them accompany by Lucien, who, after having deposited on the desk the capacities and the message of the Emperor, asked for a secret committee to intend the ministers. The platforms being evacuated, one lute the message of His Majesty which announced the loss of the battle, and named Caulincourt, Fouché and Carnot, police chiefs to treat peace with the allies.
This reading was not stopped; but hardly it was finished, that, of all the parts of the room, the interpellations as absurd as unimportant were addressed to the ministers, and carried in one moment confusion in the deliberations of the Parliament.
The disorder being alleviated, [[Lacoste]], one the most carried of a little, managed to be made hear, and, after being itself endeavoured to show that the ministers did not have in their capacity any means of communication “You know it like me, it is in Napoleon alone that Europe declared the war. Thus separate from now on the nation from Napoleon? For me, I declare it, I see only one man between peace and us: that it leaves, and the fatherland will be saved. ”
: “Never proposal was not inopportune any more, or of a more distinguished bad faith; because one knew well that in this moment, one was to rejoin France and the army around Napoleon, if one wanted frankly to save them one and the other. Lucien hastened to answer, and endeavoured to prove that the Room could not separate from the Emperor without losing the State, without missing with its oaths, fading the national honor forever, at the moment, especially, where the Foreign Ministers and of the war (Davoust), had just given satisfactory explanations. All appeared finally, for the happiness of France, to rejoin with the cause of the Emperor the majority of the Parliament, and to predict a favorable exit, when Fayette, apostrophizing the brother of the Emperor, succeeds in relighting the fire of the discord which died out little by little, and all was lost.
: “The Parliament named a commission of five members, made up of the president and vice-presidents, to act in concert with the Council of Ministers and a commission of the Room of the pars. This one named indeed a commission of six members, and the conference opened the same evening, at eleven hours, in the presence of Lucien. It was decided, in the majority of sixteen votes against five:
:: “1° That the safety of the fatherland required that the Emperor grant so that the two Rooms named a commission which would be charged to negotiate directly with the united powers, in the conditions of respecting national independence and the right that have any people to give themselves the constitutions which he judges by the way.
:: “2° That it was advisable to support these resolutions by the entirety development of the national forces;
:: “3° That the ministers of state would propose the means suitable to provide men, horses, money, as well as the necessary measures to contain and repress the movements of the interior.
: “This resolution did not fulfill the desired goal of ambitious Chambre: Fayette fought it without cares; one did not speak there about abdication; and according to him, the surest means and promptest to put an end to the worrying state where France was, resided only and exclusively in the abdication of Napoleon, and that had to be invited it, in the name of the fatherland, to dislocate crown.
: “Lucien declared that the Emperor was ready to make all the sacrifices which the safety of France could require; but that the moment to resort to this desperate resource had not arrived, and that it was suitable to wait, in the interest of France itself, the result of the openings which would be made with the allies.
: “The Parliament shared this opinion and separated from lassitude at three o'clock in the morning. The Grenier general was charged by his colleagues with returning account to the Room of the result of this conference. What it did, by adding, according to the opinion that the ministers had just given him, that the Room was going to receive a message by which the Emperor declared that it found good that the Parliament named the ambassadors to be sent to the allies, and that if it were an invincible obstacle so that the nation was allowed to deal with its independence, it would be always ready to make the sacrifice which would be required of him.
: “This generous explanation had satisfied of the men sincerely attached to the hello of the fatherland and their oaths of fidelity sworn with the prince; but, far from calming the heads furibondes, they fermented more; the leaders were agitated so much in all directions, that already it was a question of pronouncing the forfeiture. What a misleading prestige or what a promises of our enemies fascinated the eyes of these men who believed the elite of the citizens!
: “The Emperor was informed what did without; made indignant of the violence which one wanted to make him, it rejected initially all the authorities which were renewed to him. However, yielding to the councils its ministers, of his brothers and some of its servants, he agree to abdicate rather than to put itself at the head of his army, which was formed in front of Paris, strong already of 80 000 men, and who, anxious of his Emperor, called it with great cries.
: “Fouché had order to write with the Room which it was going to be satisfied; and Lucien wrote, under the dictation of the Emperor, the following declaration:
: '' Déclaration with French people '' (Given to [[Elys3ee palace]], it [[June 22nd]].).
:: “French! by beginning the war to support national independence, I counted on the meeting of all the efforts, all the wills, and the contest of all the national authorities. I was founded to hope for success of them, and I had faced all the declarations of the powers against me. The circumstances appear changed. I am offered in sacrifice to the hatred of the enemies of France; can they be sincere in their declarations, and of never have wanted but with my person! My political life is finished, and I proclaim my son under the title of Napoleon II, emperor of the French. The current ministers will train temporarily the government council. The interest that I carry to my son, commits me to invite the Rooms to organize without delay Regency by a law. You all for public safety link, and to remain an independent nation” '“In the council which had been held relative with more or less of need for this measurement (abdication), Carnot only showed a sharp opposition there, saying that it would be the blow of died of the fatherland: he wanted that one defended oneself until extinction; and when finally he saw that he was alone of his opinion, when he saw solved abdication, he supported the tète his two hands and started to melt in tears. ” [[Chennechot]], '' Histoire of Napoleon Bonaparte ''.
:: It is to be noticed that the enemy dispersed his forces on the border, and that it thought of going on Paris only by learning the news from abdication.)
: “This declaration was heard in largest calm: it reigned then a deep silence: the Parliament seemed to collect itself, and return by there homage to the prince who had just resigned himself. The Room stopped unanimously that a solemn delegation would carry to the Emperor, in the name of the nation, the expression of the respect and the recognition with which it accepted the noble sacrifice that he had made with the independence and the happiness of French people.
: “Napoleon answered with dignity:
:: “I thank you for the feelings that you express me; I wish that my abdication can make the happiness of France, but I do not hope for it; it leaves the State without chief, without political existence. Time wasted to reverse monarchy could have been employed to put France in a position to crush the enemy. I recommend to the Room to promptly reinforce the armies; who wants peace must prepare with the war. Do not put this great nation at the thank you from abroad; fear to be disappointed in your hopes. It is there that is the danger. In some position that I am, I will be always well if France is happy. ”
: “The Room of the pars hastened to follow the example of the deputies.
: “The abdication of Napoleon left the free field to the ambition of the factious one. Divided opinions on the chief which they would choose, a small number only kept neutrality, though all looked at the throne like vacant. Afterwards many discussions, it was stopped that one would name an executive commission of government, whose members were taken in the center of the two Rooms. This violation of the act of abdication returned it no one, since Napoleon II was not proclaimed, in favor of which this abdication had been given. The Emperor should then have recovered to the head from his honest army, to fight the enemies who advanced on Paris, that they knew full with agitation, and from which they claimed to draw an advantageous party; but, honest in all his actions, the Emperor left for Rochefort, from where he thought of embarking for the United States of America.
: “The ignominie of the faction, it is that, holding all wire of the screen warped to intertwine this prince, it tightened them at the time of its departure, in order to deliver it to its crueler enemies; fortunately that he escaped treason once again. Not wanting however to move away from the army without him to bid its farewell, he addressed this proclamation to him, in which he shows himself always large, always generous, and always French.
:: “Soldiers!
:: “When I yield to the need which forces me to move away me from the honest French Army, I carry with me the happy certainty which it will justify, by the eminent services that the fatherland waits of it, praises that our enemies themselves cannot refuse to him.
:: “Soldiers! I will follow your steps, though absent. I know all the bodies, and none them will gain an advantage announced over the enemy, whom I do not return justice to courage that it will have deployed. You and I we were calumniated. Unworthy men to appreciate your work saw, in the marks of attachment that you gave me, a zeal of which I was only the object; that your future successes teach them that it was the fatherland, over all, that you are useful by obeying me; and that if I have some share with your affection, I owe it with my burning love for France, our mother common.
:: “Soldiers! still some efforts, and the coalition is dissolved. Napoleon will recognize you with the blows that you will carry.
:: “Save the honor, the independence of the French; have been until the end such as I knew you for twenty years, and you will be invincible. ” (This proclamation is dated from Malmaison, it [[June 25th]]).
: “The army, of which part of the generals had given up the rows or had been sold at money price, dismayed to have lost without return its famous chief, was withdrawn on banks of the Loire, where it was sacrificed and dispersed by those that it had left dust. ” .
Napoleon left for [[Malmaison]] the 25, where it was accepted by the princess [[Hortense]]. The memories which this residence pointed out to him caused him a violent emotion. [[Joséphine de Beauharnais]] did not exist any more. There, all pointed out the brilliant years of the Consulate to him, the gigantic triumphs of the Empire.
{{Detailed Article|Battle of Rocquencourt}}
The more critical circumstances becoming of day in day, one gave him to understand that it went there from its interests to move away and to leave France. He asked two frigates to go to [[the United States]] with his family. The day before it had refused the offers of an American captain who proposed to him to transport it incognito, on his vessel on other side of [[Atlantic]].
The two frigates were armed; but the government considered it suitable to obtain from Wellington of the safe conducts for the safety of these ships, and the lieutenant-general [[Becker]] was selected to become at Napoleon the guarantor of his own safety towards the government.
However the safe conducts of Wellington did not arrive. The enemy was with [[Compiegne]]; no more time ago to lose. Napoleon finally promises to leave at once; at the same moment, a blow of gun is made entendre “That one makes me general, says highly it to the count Becker, I will order the army, I will make the request of it. General, you will carry my letter; start from continuation; explain to them that I do not want to seize again the capacity, that I want to crush the enemy, that then I will carry on my road. ” These offers were not approved by the commission of the government: Fouché, its president, answered Becker: “He does make fun of us! ” .
The next day, after a long discussion on the party which it was to take, somebody proposed to him to be delivered to united, and to disarm them by this courageous act of confidence aveugle “This devotion would be beautiful, answered he, but a nation of 30 million men which would suffer it would be dishonoured forever. ” .
It voluntarily goes to the English hoping to go to [[the United States]], but those exiled it in [[Island Grey waxbill|Grey waxbill]], a small island afflicted in the middle of [[the Atlantic Ocean|South Atlantic]], with the generals [[Henri Gratien Bertrand|Bertrand]], of [[Charles-Tristan de Montholon|Montholon]] and it [[Emmanuel de Las Boxes|count de Las Boxes]].
The consequences were terrible in France: ultraroyalist bands pursued to them [[Bonapartist]] S and the civils servant of [[the First Empire|Worsen]] to carry out them; [[Louis XVIII of France|Louis XVIII]] found the throne thanks to the allies (as in [[1814]]) and saw himself imposing sanctions: loss of some fortified towns (without counting that of the territories conquered by the Empire and the Revolution) and payment of a war indemnity to allied are equivalent to the annual budget of the State.
== Notes and references ==
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