Almighty. These cold, formal, deliberate perversions of the rules of human conduct are infinitely worse, and more wicked, than the slaughter of thousands or tens of thousands in a contest of open and avowed force. The one is only the brutal fierceness of a tiger; the other is the craft and malice of a demon. The well-being of society requires that the legitimate magistrate should be invested with a power of punishing a breach of native allegiance, even by the death of the offender; but when the French Ruler invades the office of the magistrate, allegiance is not only not his due, but to oppose him is a duty and a virtue. If Buonaparte had been the lawful sovereign of Bremen, exercising his power legally, he would have done right in ordering the insurgents to be punished as the law might direct: but he was not the lawful sovereign; and the whole question of right or wrong in principle, turns upon this previous question of true or false in fact*. Was Buonaparte, however, alone to be blamed for this dreadful outrage? This is an important question, and it will not be disputed that this fresh outrage would never have been ventured upon, had a just vengeance pursued the satellites and ministers of his ferocity at Moscow. While the motives which dictated the forbearance of the Russians were to be applauded, the false humanity which led to these fresh murders must be reprobated. The Rulers of Europe owe high duties to their subjects and to mankind; and the remedy for every desperate case should be suited to the exigency. If the moral foundations of social order are undermined, the whole fabric must be crumbled into ruins: The main armies of the Russians and Prussians were now concentrating in the neighbourhood of Leipsic; Wittgenstein's headquarters were at Doelisch, about twenty miles to the north, and Blucher's at Altenburg, about thirty miles to the south of that city. Von Yorck was in advance of Wittgenstein at Zoerbig, and his detachments occupied Bernburg and Calbe. The Allies were perfectly * It is the interest of all to protest against so monstrous a doctrine; but when that doctrine is carried into practice, by murdering the subjects of a foreign state for their loyalty and patriotism, as if these were crimes, mankind should not content themselves with protestation or remonstrance; it is their duty to avenge the sufferers. The names of Hermann Fruse, Rpke Bosche, Henre Heuchaus, and Gerd Harms, are to be added to the twelve citizens of Moscow-to the Duke D'Enghien-to the bookseller Palm-and to the numberless others, whom Buonaparte murdered, in open violation of all law, but with the mockery of legal solemnities. aware that the French were debouching from the Thuringian mountains, with a view to join Beauharnois, who, in order to favour this measure, moved towards the upper part of the Saale: the plan of the Allies was calculated on such knowledge. Meanwhile, Magdeburg was left, for the moment, as a point of minor importance by both parties. The experience of Jena was not thrown away upon the Allies. They employed every exertion to prevent the junction of so vast a body of French force as was then assembled. The natural consequence of Beauharnois receding from Magdeburg was, that it became less practicable and less important to maintain his communications with Davoust. The latter, therefore, uniting with Sebastiani and Vandamme, became at liberty to attempt the great object of Buonaparte's wishes-the cutting off the troops which came to organize insurrection in the neighbourhood of the Weser; in which, however, he was in a great measure disappointed. General Doernberg, with that skill and activity which has all along characterised his conduct, removed all his troops to the right bank of the Elbe, without the least loss. Here they covered Hamburgh, against which Davoust continued to make a demonstration, though with very little effect, from the opposite side of the river. On the 18th of April the garrison of Thorn, consisting of 400 Poles, 3500 Bavarians, and 90 Frenchmen, surrendered to the Russian arms. In the meantime Buonaparte, who, on his return to Paris, instead of betraying that dismay and those apprehensions which almost every other mind, under circumstances similar to those in which he was placed, would have shewn, vigorously exerted himself to repair the losses he had suffered, and by another grand effort he endeavoured to support that character of importance and superiority over the Continent, which his former successes and policy had enabled him to acquire. His system and skill soon procured him addresses from all the corporate bodies; and his usual energy, assisted by well-appointed emissaries, his arrogance, and that levity which is admirably adapted to suit the feelings of the French. people, enabled him, in a short period, to raise extraordinary armies, out of a population which the feeble politicians of Europe had fancied to be entirely exhausted by the general drain made thereon for the execution of his former prospects of ambition and aggrandisement. The disposable force which he now secured for his future schemes, amounted to 400,000 men to be employed on the Elbe, 200,000 for services in Spain, and 200,000 partly on the Rhine, partly in the 32d Military Division, and in Italy. Every moment Buonaparte could spare from the Cabinet he devoted to the active personal toil of his new recruits. He put his shoulder to the wheel, sparing neither himself nor others, neither body nor mind. In one week, from the time of their being called upon, all the conscripts were clothed, and put in march for their places of destination. This perseverance, this zeal, this resolute struggle with impossibilities, exhibit an energy of mind and talent which even we as enemies must admire. The line of road from Frankfort on the Maine to Bamberg, formed the base of a triangle, from which the different French corps were now marching towards Jena, for the commencement of the second campaign. Marshal Ney, who took the lead on the left, arrived on the 21st of April, in front of Erfurt, by the great road from Hanau; and Bertrand, whose corps formed the extremity of the right wing, reached Cobourg about the same time. The intermediate corps were rapidly closing up. Marshal Marmont was immediately in the rear of Marshal Ney, at Gotha; and Bessieres was behind him at Eysenach. Marshal Ney passed the Saale after an action between Louham's division and a part of the Allied troops near Weissenfels. Bertrand occupied Jena, and on the 29th of April moved his head-quarters to Dornburg on the Saale. Beauharnois debouched by Halle and Musebourg, and at the latter place some Prussians, belonging to D'Yorck's corps, were defeated by General Macdonald. Victor at this period was at Bernebourg, Oudinot at Saalfeldt, and Sebastiani at Vilzen, when he defeated a small corps of the Russians, commanded by Tschernicheff. Lauriston had advanced to Witten, and afterwards opposite to Halle, where he defeated some Prussians. Marmont was at Koesen upon the Saale, Davoust at Bremen. The plan of operations being fully determined on, Buonaparte quitted Paris. On the 20th of April he arrived at Mentz; on the 25th at Erfurt, and on the 29th he moved his head-quarters to Nambourg. The object of the French Ruler appeared to be fo concentrate his forces on the right bank of the Saale, not far from the famous plain of Lutzen, where the great Gustavus fell in the arms of victory. It had been expected that this project would have been defeated by the early junction of Blucher and Wittgenstein, in such force as to have compelled Beauharnois to give 1813.] OR OFFICERS COMPANION. 429 battle or retreat; this event, however, did not occur, and Beauharnois was allowed to move up the Saale from Bernburg, whilst Ney descended its left bank, and Bertrand its right. The French, nevertheless, encountered a persevering, and, in many respects, an effectual opposition. Lauriston and Macdonald endeavoured, on the 27th, 28th, and 29th ult. to force a passage at three different points successively, viz. Wettin, Halle, and Marseburg; it was only on the third attempt, and at the last mentioned place, that they were successful: they consequently suffered considerably in these affairs. Souham, who commanded Ney's advance, passed the Saale with some opposition, near Nambourg, and pushed on to Weissenfels, ten miles on the road to Leipsic. In obtaining possession of Weissenfels, he was opposed by the Russian General Lanskoy; and a very warm engagement ensued, in which the French killed and wounded exceeded one hundred. Ney was followed by Marmont, whose head-quarters were at Koesen, three miles on this side of Nambourg. On the right bank, Bertrand and Oudinot each brought up a corps from Bamberg; the former reached Dornburg, twenty miles south of Nambourg; the latter was at Saalfeld, about twenty-five miles further in the rear. The proceedings of Buonaparte were marked with the greatest degree of caution. The gallant veteran Prince Kutusoff was left ill on the march at Buntztau, where he died*; and General Wittgenstein was appointed to the chief command of the Russian army. Buonaparte's movements, however, announced his immediate * Letter addressed by the Emperor of Russia to the widow of Prince Kutusoff, Princess Catherine Ilinishna!-The Almighty, whose decrees it is impossible 1 intention to act on the offensive, and accordingly the combined Russian and Prussian armies united between Leipsic and Altenburg, a central position, and very advantageous in all possible cases. Meanwhile the General-in-Chief, Count Wittgenstein, perfectly ascertained, by good and spirited reconnoissances, that the enemy, after having concentrated himself, was debouching with the whole of his forces by Merseburg and Weissenfels, whilst at the same time he sent a considerable corps on Leipsic, which appeared to be the principal view of his operations. General Wittgenstein immediately decided on taking advantage of the moment when it would be out of the power of this detached corps to cooperate with the main body of the French army, and to attack it with his whole force. For this purpose, it was necessary to conceal his movements, and during the night between the 19th and 20th, (1 to 2d of May) he drew to himself the corps under the orders of the General of Cavalry Tormazoff. this junction, he was enabled to throw himself en masse on the enemy, at a place where the latter might suppose he had only to deal with a detachment, whose aim was to give him disturbance on his flanks. The action commenced. Generals Blucher and Yorck entered into it with an ardour and energy which was in a lively manner participated by the troops. The operations took place between the Elster and the Luppe. The village of GrossGorschen was the key and centre of the French position. By The following accounts are given by the Russians of this engage ment. "The battle commenced by the attack of the village of Gross-Gorschen. The enemy was sensible of the whole importance of this point, and wished to maintain himself in it. It was carried by the right wing of the corps under General Blucher's orders; and, at the same time, his left wing pushed in front, and soon charged on the village of Klein-Gorschen. From this time, all the corps came successively into action, which soon became general. The village of GrossGorschen was disputed with unexampled obstinacy. Six times it was taken and retaken with the bayonet: but the valour of the Russians and Prussians obtained the superiority, and this village, as well as those of Klein-Gorschen and Rham, remained in the hands of the combined armies. The enemy's centre was broken, and he was driven off the field of battle. He, nevertheless, brought forward fresh columns, which being come from Leipsic, were destined to |