Hungary. On the other side, Bavaria took the alarm, and levied additional forces, besides placing its fortresses in the best condition. At length the armistice terminated without having produced the effect of opening a road to peace; and Barclay de Tolly, now commander-in-chief of the allied army, announced from his headquarters at Reichenbach to the French general, the prince of Neufchatel, the re-commencement of hostilities on August 17th. On the 11th count Metternich delivered to the count de Narbonne at Prague, a declaration of war by Austria against France. This important document, styled a manifesto, began with adverting to the part which Austria had been compelled to take in the wars that for twenty years past had desolated Europe, during which his imperial majesty's only object had been, selfpreservation, and the maintenance of the social system, without any views of conquest or aggrandizement. He then took notice of the cession of his provinces on the Adriatic, which was the result of the war of 1809, and which would have been a still more sensible blow, had not at the same time the whole continent been closed by a general destructive system prohibiting all commercial intercourse. Convinced of the impossibility in the existing state of Europe of any improvement in its political condition from the exertions of individual powers, and that a peace of some continuance was necessary for the restoration of his own and the neighbouring states, he made a sacrifice of what was dearest to his heart, and "exalted above all common scruples,"

consented to an alliance which might incline the stronger and victorious party to a course of moderation and justice; an effect which he had the more reason to expect, as at that time the emperor Napoleon had attained that point at which the preservation of his conquests was a more natural object than a struggle after nèw possessions. In 1810, however, he resolved to unite a considerable portion of the north of Germany, with the free cities of Hamburg, Bremen, and Lubeck, to the mass of the French empire, without any other pretext than that the war with England required it. The manifesto proceeds to make a number of observations on the effects of this usurpation, particularly on the alarm it might justly excite in Prussia and Russia, and considers it decisive of a future rupture between Russia and France. It then touches, in the way of apology, upon the part Austria had been obliged to take in the war with Russia, and on the events of that war. Its result was a confederacy which presented a point of union to the neighbouring states; and in all parts of Germany the desires of the people anticipated the proceedings of their governments. The Austrian cabinet, as far back as December, took steps to dispose the French emperor to peaceful policy, but to all its advances the answer was, that he would listen to no proposals of peace that should violate the integrity of the French empire, in the French sense of the word. This was the more mortifying to Austria, as it placed her invitations to peace, made with the consent of France, to other courts, in a false and dis

advantageous light; and when a minister was sent to London to invite England to share in a negociation for peace, the British ministry replied, "that they could not believe that Austria still entertained hopes of peace, when the emperor Napoleon at the same time expressed sentiments which could only tend to the perpetuation of war." It now became evident that either by negociation or by force of arms a new state of things must be effected. Austria made preparations for war, which even Napoleon acknowledged to be necessary. The actions which brought on the retreat of the ailies, and the armistice, rendered it still more impossible for the emperor of Austria to remain an inactive spectator. The state of the Prussian monarchy, in particular, attracted his attention, its restoration being the first step towards that of the political system of Europe. As early as the month of April, Napoleon had suggested to the Austrian cabinet, that he regarded the dissolution of that monarchy as a natural consequence of its defection from France, and that it now only depended on Austria to add the most flourishing of its provinces to her own state, a sufficient indication that no means were to be neglected to save that power either by negociation or arms. The manifesto then takes notice of the congress of Prague, which, when first proposed by Napoleon, was perfectly unknown to the Austrian cabinet, which became acquainted with it only by the medium of the public papers. It states the reasons for the emperor's concurrence in this project, and his acceptance of the VOL. LV.

office of mediator, with the protraction of the armistice. Another attempt for including the British government in the negociation is then mentioned, to which Napoleon at first gave his approbation, but after various delays, finally refused to grant passports to the persons who were to proceed through France to England for the purpose. Other circumstances are then mentioned, to shew that France was disinclined to take any serious step to facilitate a treaty. At length "the Congress was at an end, and the resolution which Austria had to form was previously determined, by the progress of the negociation, by the actual conviction of the impossibility of peace, by the no longer doubtful point of view in which his majesty examined the great question in dispute, by the principles and intentions of the allies, wherein the emperor recognised his own; and finally, by the former positive declarations, which left no room for misconception."

Such was the general substance of this state paper, in which, though ably drawn up, may be discerned the difficulty of conciliating the past measures of a temporising policy, with the principles of justice, and regard to the public good, which are represented as having dictated so important a change. It is manifest, however, that, as in the case of Prussia, the new prospects opened of freeing the European continent from an overwhelming power, wielded by insatiable ambition, were the real motives which induced Austria to desert her connection with France, and join the allies; and if an apology were necessary for this con[K]

ground before that city, and with drew into the suburbs and their different works. At this time sir C. Stewart says, that perhaps the history of war does not afford a period in which two great armies stood committed to such bold operations. It had been the business of several months, during the occupation of Dresden by the French, to strengthen it with fortifications, on which all the art of the engineer had been bestowed, and Napoleon was within its walls with a force estimated at 130,000 men. The determination of the allied gene rals to make an assault upon it, cannot therefore but be regarded as of extraordinary boldness. An attack upon the Grossen Garten, or gardens in front of the town, on the morning of the 27th, by the light troops of Witgenstein and Kleist, was attended with some loss. At four in the evening of that day, the allied army, in different columns, moved to the grand assault under a tremendous cannonade. The Austrians took an advanced redoubt not 60 yards from the main wall, and the troops on all sides with the most undaunted courage approached close to the town. But the enemy retired from their outworks only to take shelter behind new defences, and the thick walls of the town resisted the impression of the artillery. At the approach of night a sortie was made by the French guards, amounting to 30,000 men, with the intention to separate the allied troops, and to take one wing in front and rear. This was frustrated by a skilful disposition, but no hope now remained of carrying the place. The loss in this assault is estimated at about 4,000

men, which chiefly fell upon the Austrians.

On the following day the French became the assailants. Napoleon, supported by an immense artillery, moved to the attack of the allies, who occupied a very extended position on the heights surrounding Dresden. The battle was chiefly carried on by cannonade, though charges were made in different parts by the allied cavalry, which had to contend with bad roads and incessant rain. The main bodies of infantry on each side did not come into contact. Among the disasters of the day was the mortal wound received by the celebrated General Moreau, who had left his retreat in America to visit his old fellowsoldier, the Crown Prince of Sweden, and had engaged in that party which he regarded as the true cause of liberty and mankind. As he was conversing with the emperor of Russia, a cannon shot which passed through his horse carried off one of his legs and shattered the other; and after suffering two amputations with great, fortitude, he died of the consequences, universally regretted by those whom he had joined. The result of the day was, that the allies retreated in the evening, with an acknowledged loss of 6 or 7,000 men. The French accounts of the two actions swell the losses to an exorbitant amount. That the check was severe, appeared from the retrograde movements of the allies, which were directed upon Bohemia, across the range of mountains which separate that kingdom from Saxony. It was not to be expected that they should retreat unmolested from such an enemy as they had to contend with. A large division of the French ar

my, under generals. Vandamine and Bertrand, crossing the Elbe at: Pirna and Konigstein, pre-occupied the pass in the mountains at Osterwalde, through which the Russian column under count Os terman was to proceed on the road to Toplitz; and it became necessary for the Russians to force their way with the bayonet. The reserves of the Russian guards were sent to their support, and during the greatest part of the day on the 30th, they remained in action with the enemy. The king of Prussia, who was at Toplitz, made very able dispositions to reinforce Osterman, and the result of the day was, the loss of 3,000 killed and wounded of the Russians, and a much greater of the French. The following day proved decisive respecting this division of the enemy, whose rapid advance rendered an attack upon them necessary, der to give time for the retiring columns of the allies to fall back, and to extricate general Kleist, who was still engaged in the mountains. The French had taken a strong position at Kulm, three German miles from Toplitz, when an united force of Russians and Austrians, under Miloradovitch and Coloredo, commenced their attack. In the midst of it Kleist was seen descending the mountains on the rear of the enemy, who, thus assailed on all sides, was completely put to the rout, the immediate fruits of the victory being the capture of Vandamme and six other general officers, all his baggage, 60 pieces of artillery, and about 10,000 prisoners.

in or

In the mean time the arms of the allies were crowned with success in another quarter. General

Blucher having been again attacked on August 22nd, near Goldberg, after a sanguinary conflict retired, upon Jauer. On the 25th, marshal Macdonald, who occupied a very strong position near that place, advanced with the expectation of carrying it; but he was himself attacked by Blucher on the 26th, and after a severe action, terminated only by the night, the French were driven back upon the Katsbach. That river being swoln by rains, and its bridges being broken, afforded no passage for artillery : so that on the following and succeeding day, the combat being renewed, the French incurred a loss estimated at 18,000 prisoners, including a general of division and two generals of brigade, 103 pieces of cannon, a great quantity of am→ munition and provision, two ea gles, and other trophies of victory. The allies continued to advance till, on September 2nd, Blucher, encamped near Gorlitz in Lusatia, was able to congratulate his troops on the deliverance of Silesia from the enemy.

The Crown Prince of Sweden, whom we left posted in advance of Berlin for the defence of that capital, had his head-quarters on August 30th at Belitz, to the south of Potsdam. Parties from his army had been successful against the French, and were in possession of several places further southward. The Prince, on September 4th, being on his march, with an intention of crossing the Elbe, and proceeding towards Leipzic, was informed that the enemy, after making a demonstration of passing to the left side of that river, had suddenly returned to their entrenchments in advance of Wittenberg.