conviction of the evil which would result； and I heard him at the end of
a conversation with the marshal which had lasted more than an hour； utter
these words； 〃They would have it so。〃
The Emperor on his march to Duben was at the head of a force which might
be estimated at one hundred and twenty…five thousand men。 He had taken
this direction with the hope of finding Blucher again on the Mulda； but
the Prussian general had recrossed the river； which contributed much to
give credit to a rumor which had been circulated for some time。 It was
said that in a council of the allied sovereigns held recently at Prague；
and at which Moreau and the Prince Royal of Sweden were present； it had
been agreed that as far as possible they should avoid engaging in a
battle whenever the Emperor commanded his army in person； and that
operations should be directed only against smaller bodies commanded by
his lieutenants。 It is impossible； certainly； to render more striking
homage to the superiority of the Emperor's genius； but it was at the same
time stopping him in his glorious career； and paralyzing his usually all…
powerful action。
However that may be； the evil genius of France having obtained the
ascendency over the good genius of the Emperor； we took the road to
Leipzig； and reached it early on the morning of the 15th of October。 At
that very moment the King of Naples was in the midst of an engagement
with the Prince von Schwarzenberg； and his Majesty； on hearing the sound
of cannon； crossed the town； and visited the plain where the engagement
was taking place。 On his return he received the royal family of Saxony；
who had come to join him。 During his short stay at Leipzig； the Emperor
performed an act of clemency which must undoubtedly be considered most
meritorious if we take into consideration the gravity of the
circumstances in which we were placed。 A merchant of this city named
Moldrecht was accused and convicted of having distributed among the
inhabitants； and even in the army； several thousand copies of a
proclamation in which the Prince Royal of Sweden invited the Saxons to
desert the cause of the Emperor。 When arraigned before a tribunal of
war； M。 Moldrecht could not exculpate himself； and； indeed； this was an
impossibility； since several packages of the fatal proclamation had been
found at his residence。 He was condemned to death； and his family in
deep distress threw themselves at the feet of the King of Saxony； but；
the facts being so evident and of such a nature that no excuse was
possible； the faithful king did not dare to grant indulgence for a crime
committed even more against his ally than against himself。 Only one
recourse remained for this unhappy family； which was to address the
Emperor； but as it was difficult to reach him； M。 Leborgne D'Ideville；
interpreting secretary； was kind enough to undertake to place a note on
the Emperor's desk； who after reading it ordered a postponement which was
equivalent to a full pardon。 Events followed in their course； and the
life of M。 Moldrecht was saved。
Leipzig； at this period； was the center of a circle in which engagements
took place at numerous points and almost incessantly。 Engagements lasted
during the days of the 16th； 17th； and 18th； and his Majesty； as a poor
return for his clemency towards M。 Moldrecht； reaped the bitter fruits of
the proclamation which had been scattered in every direction through the
efforts of this merchant。 On that day the Saxon army deserted our cause；
and reported to Bernadotte。 This left the Emperor a force of only one
hundred and ten thousand men； with an opposing force of three hundred and
thirty thousand； so that if when hostilities were resumed we were only as
one to two； we were now only one to three。 The day of the 18th was； as
is well known； the fatal day。 In the evening the Emperor； seated on a
folding stool of red morocco in the midst of the bivouac fires； was
dictating to the Prince of Neuchatel his orders for the night； when two
commanders of artillery were presented to his Majesty； and gave him an
account of the exhausted condition of the ammunition chests。 In five
days we had discharged more than two hundred thousand cannon…balls； and
the ammunition being consequently exhausted there was barely enough left
to maintain the fire for two hours longer； and as the nearest supplies
were at Madgeburg and Erfurt； whence it would be impossible to obtain
help in time； retreat was rendered absolutely necessary。
Orders were therefore given for a retreat； which began next day； the
19th； at the end of a battle in which three hundred thousand men had
engaged in mortal combat； in a confined space not more than seven or
eight leagues in circumference。 Before leaving Leipzig； the Emperor gave
to。 Prince Poniatowski； who had just earned the baton of a marshal of
France； the defense of one of the faubourgs。 〃You will defend the
faubourg on the south；〃 said his Majesty to him。 〃Sire；〃 replied the
prince； 〃I have very few men。〃〃You will defend it with those you have。〃
〃Ah； Sire； we will remain； we are all ready to die for your Majesty。〃
The Emperor； moved by these words； held out his arms to the prince； who
threw himself into them with tears in his eyes。 It was really a farewell
scene； for this interview of the prince with the Emperor was their last；
and soon the nephew of the last king of Poland found； as we shall soon
see； a death equally as glorious as deplorable under the waves of the
Elster。
＇Prince Joseph Anthony Poniatowski； born at Warsaw； 1762。 Nephew
of Stanislas Augustus； the last king of Poland。 He commanded the
Polish army against Russia； 1792； and served under Kosciuszko； 1794。
He led an army of Poles under Napoleon； 1807 and 1809； and commanded
a corps in the Russian campaign。 Had Napoleon succeeded in that
campaign； Poniatowski would have been made king of Poland。 Wounded；
and made a marshal at Liepzig； he was drowned on the retreat。＇
At nine o'clock in the morning the Emperor took leave of the royal family
of Saxony。 The interview was short； but distressing and most
affectionate on the part of each。
The king manifested the most profound indignation at the conduct of his
troops。 〃I could never have imagined it；〃 said he； 〃I thought better of
my Saxons； they are only cowards； 〃 and his grief was so intense that the
Emperor； notwithstanding the immense disadvantage which had accrued to
him from the desertion of the Saxons during the battle； sought to console
this excellent prince。
As his Majesty urged him to quit Leipzig in order that he might not be
exposed to the dangers attending the capitulation which had now become
absolutely necessary； this venerable prince replied； 〃No； you have
already done enough； and it is carrying generosity too far to risk your
person by remaining a few minutes longer in order to console us。〃 Whilst
the King of Saxony was expressing himself thus； the sound of heavy firing
of musketry was heard； and the queen and Princess Augusta joined their
entreaties to those of the monarch； in their excessive fright already
seeing the Emperor taken and slain by the Prussians。 Some officers
entered； and announced that the Prince Royal of Sweden had already forced
the entrance of one of the faubourgs； that General Beningsen； General
Blucher； and the Prince von Swarzenberg were entering the city on every
side； and that our troops were reduced to the necessity of defending
themselves from house to house； and the Emperor was himself exposed to
imminent peril。 As there was not a moment to lose； he consented at。
last to withdraw； and the King of Saxony escorted him as far as the foot
of the palace staircase； where they embraced each other for the last
time。
CHAPTER XVI。
It was exceedingly difficult to find an exit from Leipzig； as this town
was surrounded on every side by the enemy。 It had been proposed to the
Emperor to burn the faubourgs which the heads of the columns of the
allied armies had reached； in order to make his retreat more sure； but he
indignantly rejected this proposal； being unwilling to leave as a last
adieu to the King of Saxony his cities abandoned to the flames。 After
releasing him from his oath of fidelity； and exhorting him to now
consider only his own interests； the Emperor left him； and directed his
course to the gate of Ramstadt； but he found it so encumbered that it was
an impossibility to clear a passage； and he was compelled to retrace his
steps； again cross the city； and leave it through the northern gate； thus
regaining the only point from which he could； as he intended； march on
Erfurt； that is； from the boulevards on the west。 The enemy were not yet
completely masters of the town； and it was the general opinion that it
could have been defended much longer if the Emperor had not feared to
expose it to the horrors of a siege。 The Duke of Ragusa continued to
offer strong resistance in the faubourg of Halle to the repeated attacks
of General Blucher； while Marshal Ney calmly saw the combined forces of
General Woronzow； the Prussian corps under the orders of General Billow；
and the Swedish army； bre