Memoirs of Napoleon Bonaparte — Complete

PREFACE 1836 EDITION. In introducing the present edition of M. de Bourrienne's Memoirs to the public we are bound, as Editors, to say a few Words on the subject. Agreeing, however...

1769-1783. Authentic date of Bonaparte's birth--His family ruined by the Jesuits--His taste for military amusements--Sham siege at the College of Brienne--The porter's wi...

1784-1794. Bonaparte enters the Military College of Paris--He urges me to embrace the military profession--His report on the state of the Military School of Paris--He obt...

1794-1795. Proposal to send Bonaparte to La Vendée--He is struck off the list of general officers--Salicetti--Joseph's marriage with Mademoiselle Clary--Bonaparte's wish ...

1795-1797 On my return to Paris I meet Bonaparte--His interview with Josephine --Bonaparte's marriage, and departure from Paris ten days after-- Portrait and character of...

1797. Signature of the preliminaries of peace--Fall of Venice--My arrival and reception at Leoben--Bonaparte wishes to pursue his success-- The Directory opposes him--He ...

1797. Napoleon's correspondence--Release of French prisoners at Olmutz-- Negotiations with Austria--Bonaparte's dissatisfaction--Letter of complaint from Bonaparte to the...

1797. Unfounded reports--Carnot--Capitulation of Mantua--General Clarke-- The Directory yields to Bonaparte--Berthier--Arrival of Eugène Beauharnais at Milan--Comte Delan...

1797. The royalists of the interior--Bonaparte's intention of marching on Paris with 25,000 men--His animosity against the emigrants and the Clichy Club--His choice betwe...

one of the five Directors, convinced that, if he obtained that object, he would speedily stand single and alone. The fulfilment of this wish would have prevented the Egyptian exped...

1797. Bonaparte's joy at the result of the 18th Fructidor.--His letter to Augereau--His correspondence with the Directory and proposed resignation--Explanation of the Dir...

1797. Influence of the 18th Fructidor on the negotiations--Bonaparte's suspicion of Bottot--His complaints respecting the non-erasure of Bourrienne--Bourrienne's conversa...

which he had in his own hands, would render him far more popular than the renewal of hostilities undertaken with all the chances of success and reverse. The signing of the peace, a...

1797 Effect of the 18th Fructidor on the peace--The standard of the army of Italy--Honours rendered to the memory of General Hoche and of Virgil at Mantua--Remarkable let...

1798. Bonaparte's departure from Paris--His return--The Egyptian expedition projected--M. de Talleyrand--General Desaix--Expedition against Malta--Money taken at Berne--B...

1798. Departure of the squadron--Arrival at Malta--Dolomieu--General Barguay d'Hilliers--Attack on the western part of the island-- Caffarelli's remark--Deliverance of th...

1798. The mirage--Skirmishes with the Arabs--Mistake of General Desaix's division--Wretchedness of a rich sheik--Combat beneath the General's window--The flotilla on the ...

1798. Establishment of a divan in each Egyptian province--Desaix in Upper Egypt--Ibrahim Bey beaten by Bonaparte at Salehye'h--Sulkowsky wounded--Disaster at Aboukir--Dis...

1798. The Egyptian Institute--Festival of the birth of Mahomet--Bonaparte's prudent respect for the Mahometan religion--His Turkish dress-- Djezzar, the Pasha of Acre--Th...

1798-1799. Bonaparte's departure for Suez--Crossing the desert--Passage of the Red Sea--The fountain of Moses--The Cenobites of Mount Sinai--Danger in recrossing the Red ...

1799. Arrival at Jaffa--The siege--Beauharnais and Croisier--Four thousand prisoners--Scarcity of provisions--Councils of war--Dreadful necessity--The massacre--The plagu...

1799. The siege of Acre raised--Attention to names in bulletins--Gigantic project--The Druses--Mount Carmel--The wounded and infected-- Order to march on foot--Loss of ou...

1799. Murat and Moarad Bey at the Natron Lakes--Bonaparte's departure for the Pyramids--Sudden appearance of an Arab messenger--News of the landing of the Turks at Abouki...

1799. Our departure from Egypt--Nocturnal embarkation--M. Parseval Grandmaison--On course--Adverse winds--Fear of the English-- Favourable weather--Vingt-et-un--Chess--We...

1799. Effect produced by Bonaparte's return--His justification-- Melancholy letter to my wife--Bonaparte's intended dinner at Sens-- Louis Bonaparte and Josephine--He cha...

1799. Moreau and Bernadotte--Bonaparte's opinion of Bernadotte--False report--The crown of Sweden and the Constitution of the year III.-- Intrigues of Bonaparte's brother...

1799. Cambacérès and Lebrun--Gohier deceived--My nocturnal visit to Barras --The command of the army given to Bonaparte--The morning of the 18th Brumaire--Meeting of the ...

not give me a favourable foreboding of what he was about to say. We passed through a narrow passage to the centre of the hall; our backs were turned to the door. Bonaparte had the ...

1799. The two Councils--Barras' letter--Bonaparte at the Council of the Five Hundred--False reports--Tumultuous sitting--Lucien's speech-- He resigns the Presidency of th...

1799. General approbation of the 18th Brumaire--Distress of the treasury-- M. Collot's generosity--Bonaparte's ingratitude--Gohier set at Liberty--Constitution of the yea...

1799-1800. Difficulties of a new Government--State of Europe--Bonaparte's wish for peace--M. de Talleyrand Minister for Foreign Affairs-- Negotiations with England and Au...

1800. Great and common men--Portrait of Bonaparte--The varied expression of his countenance--His convulsive shrug--Presentiment of his corpulency--Partiality for bathing-...

1800. Bonaparte's laws--Suppression of the festival of the 21st of January--Officials visits--The Temple--Louis XVI. and Sir Sidney Smith--Peculation during the Directory...

1800. Bonaparte and Paul I.--Lord Whitworth--Baron Sprengporten's arrival at Paris--Paul's admiration of Bonaparte--Their close connection and correspondence--The royal c...

1800. Police on police--False information--Dexterity of Fouché--Police agents deceived--Money ill applied--Inutility of political police-- Bonaparte's opinion--General co...

1800. Successful management of parties--Precautions--Removal from the Luxembourg to the Tuileries--Hackney-coaches and the Consul's white horses--Royal custom and an insc...

1800. The Tuileries--Royalty in perspective--Remarkable observation-- Presentations--Assumption of the prerogative of mercy--M. Defeu-- M. de Frotte--Georges Cadoudal's a...

1800. War and monuments--Influence of the recollections of Egypt-- First improvements in Paris--Malmaison too little--St. Cloud taken --The Pont des Arts--Business prescr...

1800. The Memorial of St. Helena--Louis XVIII.'s first letter to Bonaparte --Josephine, Hortense, and the Faubourg St. Germain-- Madame Bonaparte and the fortune-teller--...

1800. Bonaparte's confidence in the army--'Ma belle' France--The convent of Bernadins--Passage of Mont St. Bernard--Arrival at the convent-- Refreshments distributed to t...

1800. Suspension of hostilities--Letter to the Consuls--Second Occupation of Milan--Bonaparte and Massena--Public acclamations and the voice of Josephine--Stray recollect...

Bonaparte's wish to negotiate with England and Austria-- An emigrant's letter--Domestic details--The bell--Conspiracy of Ceracchi, Arena, Harrel, and others--Bonaparte's visi...

1800-1801 Austria bribed by England--M. de St. Julien in Paris--Duroc's mission--Rupture of the armistice--Surrender of three garrisons-- M. Otto in London--Battle of Hoh...

1801-1802. An experiment of royalty--Louis de Bourbon and Maria Louisa, of Spain--Creation of the kingdom of Etruria--The Count of Leghorn in Paris--Entertainments given ...

1802. Last chapter on Egypt--Admiral Gantheaume--Way to please Bonaparte-- General Menou's flattery and his reward--Davoust--Bonaparte regrets giving the command to Menou...

1802. The most glorious epoch for France--The First Consul's desire of peace--Malta ceded and kept--Bonaparte and the English journals-- Mr. Addington's letter to the Fir...

1802-1803. Bonaparte President of the Cisalpine Republic--Meeting of the deputation at Lyons--Malta and the English--My immortality--Fete given by Madame Murat--Erasures ...

1802. Proverbial falsehood of bulletins--M. Doublet--Creation of the Legion of Honour--Opposition to it in the Council and other authorities of the State--The partisans o...

1802. General Bernadotte pacifies La vendee and suppresses a mutiny at Tours--Bonaparte's injustice towards him--A premeditated scene-- Advice given to Bernadotte, and Bo...

1802. Bonaparte's principle as to the change of Ministers--Fouché--His influence with the First Consul--Fouché's dismissal--The departments of Police and Justice united u...

1802. Citizen Fesch created Cardinal Fesch--Arts and industry--Exhibition in the Louvre--Aspect of Paris in 1802--The Medicean Venus and the Velletrian Pallas--Signs of g...

1802-1803. The Concordat and the Legion of Honour--The Council of State and the Tribunate--Discussion on the word 'subjects'--Chenier--Chabot de l'Allier's proposition to...

1802-1803. Departure for Malmaison--Unexpected question relative to the Bourbons--Distinction between two opposition parties--New intrigues of Lucien--Camille Jordan's pa...

1802. The intoxication of great men--Unlucky zeal--MM. Maret, Champagny, and Savary--M. de Talleyrand's real services--Postponement of the execution of orders--Fouché and...

1802. The day after my disgrace--Renewal of my duties--Bonaparte's affected regard for me--Offer of an assistant--M. de Meneval--My second rupture with Bonaparte--The Duc...

1803. The First Consul's presentiments respecting the duration of peace-- England's uneasiness at the prosperity of France--Bonaparte's real wish for war--Concourse of fo...

1803. Vast works undertaken--The French and the Roman soldiers--Itinerary of Bonaparte's journeys to the coast--Twelve hours on horseback-- Discussions in Council--Opposi...

1803. Mr. Pitt--Motive of his going out of office--Error of the English Government--Pretended regard for the Bourbons--Violation of the treaty of Amiens--Reciprocal accus...

1803. Presentation of Prince Borghese to Bonaparte--Departure for Belgium Revival of a royal custom--The swans of Amiens--Change of formula in the acts of Government--Com...

1804. The Temple--The intrigues of Europe--Prelude to the Continental system--Bombardment of Granville--My conversation with the First Consul on the projected invasion of...

1804. The events of 1804--Death of the Duc d'Enghien--Napoleon's arguments at St. Helena--Comparison of dates--Possibility of my having saved the Duc d'Enghien's life--Ad...

1804. General Ordener's mission--Arrest of the Duc d'Enghien--Horrible night-scene---Harrel's account of the death of the Prince--Order for digging the grave--The foster-...

1804. Pichegru betrayed--His arrest--His conduct to his old aide de camp-- Account of Pichegru's family, and his education at Brienne-- Permission to visit M. Carbonnet--...

1804. Arrest of Georges--The fruiterer's daughter of the Rue de La Montagne--St. Genevieve--Louis Bonaparte's visit to the Temple-- General Lauriston--Arrest of Villeneuv...

1804. Trial of Moreau, Georges, and others--Public interest excited by Moreau--Arraignment of the prisoners--Moreau's letter to Bonaparte-- Violence of the President of t...

1804. Clavier and Hemart--Singular Proposal of Corvisart-M. Desmaisons-- Project of influencing the judges--Visit to the Tuileries--Rapp in attendance--Long conversation ...

1804. Curious disclosures of Fouché--Remarkable words of Bonaparte respecting the protest of Louis XVIII--Secret document inserted in the Moniteur--Announcement from Bona...

1804. England deceived by Napoleon--Admirals Missiessy and Villeneuve-- Command given to Lauriston--Napoleon's opinion of Madame de Stael-- Her letters to Napoleon--Her e...

1805 My appointment as Minister Plenipotentiary at Hamburg--My interview with Bonaparte at Malmaison--Bonaparte's designs respecting Italy-- His wish to revisit Brienne--...

1805 Napoleon and Voltaire--Demands of the Holy See--Coolness between the pope and the Emperor--Napoleon's departure for Italy--Last interview between the Pope and the Em...

1805. Capitulation of Sublingen--Preparations for war--Utility of commercial information--My instructions--Inspection of the emigrants and the journals--A pamphlet by Kot...

1805. Treaty of alliance between England and Russia--Certainty of an approaching war--M. Forshmann, the Russian Minister--Duroc's mission to Berlin--New project of the Ki...

1805 Difficulties of my situation at Hamburg--Toil and responsibility-- Supervision of the emigrants--Foreign Ministers--Journals--Packet from Strasburg--Bonaparte fond o...

1805. Abolition of the Republican calendar--Warlike preparations in Austria--Plan for re-organizing the National Guard--Napoleon in Strasburg--General Mack--Proclamation-...

1805. Rapidity of Napoleon's victories--Murat at Wertingen--Conquest of Ney's duchy--The French army before Ulm--The Prince of Liechtenstein at the Imperial headquarters-...

1805. My functions at Hamburg--The King of Sweden at Stralsund-- My bulletin describing the situation of the Russian armies--Duroc's recall from Berlin--General Dumouriez...

1805. Depreciation of the Bank paper--Ouvrard--His great discretion-- Bonaparte's opinion of the rich--Ouvrard's imprisonment--His partnership with the King of Spain--His...

1805-1806. Declaration of Louis XVIII.--Dumouriez watched--News of a spy-- Remarkable trait of courage and presence of mind--Necessity of vigilance at Hamburg--The King o...

1806. Menaces of Prussia--Offer for restoring Hanover to England--Insolent ultimatum--Commencement of hostilities between France and Prussia-- Battle of Auerstadt--Death ...

1806. Ukase of the Emperor of Russia--Duroc's mission to Weimar-- Napoleon's views defeated--Triumphs of the French armies--Letters from Murat--False report respecting Mu...

1806. Alarm of the city of Hamburg--The French at Bergdorf--Favourable orders issued by Bernadotte--Extortions in Prussia--False endorsements--Exactions of the Dutch--Nap...

1806 The Continental system--General indignation excited by it--Sale of licences by the French Government--Custom-house system at Hamburg-- My letter to the Emperor--Caus...

1806-1807. New system of war--Winter quarters--The Emperor's Proclamation-- Necessity of marching to meet the Russians--Distress in the Hanse Towns--Order for 50,000 cloa...

1807 Abuse of military power--Defence of diplomatic rights--Marshal Brune --Army supplies--English cloth and leather--Arrest on a charge of libel--Dispatch from M. Talley...

1807. Effect produced at Altona by the Treaty of Tilsit--The Duke of Mecklenburg-Schwerin's departure from Hamburg--English squadron in the Sound--Bombardment of Copenhag...

1807-1808. Disturbed state of Spain--Godoy, Prince of the Peace--Reciprocal accusations between the King of Spain and his son--False promise of Napoleon--Dissatisfaction ...

1808. Promulgation of the Code of Commerce--Conquests by Status-consulte-- Three events in one day--Recollections--Application of a line of Voltaire--Creation of the Impe...

1808. The Spanish troops in Hamburg--Romana's siesta--His departure for Funen--Celebration of Napoleon's birthday--Romana's defection-- English agents and the Dutch troop...

1808. The Republic of Batavia--The crown of Holland offered to Louis-- Offer and refusal of the crown of Spain--Napoleon's attempt to get possession of Brabant--Napoleon ...

1809. Demands for contingents from some of the small States of Germany-- M. Metternich--Position of Russia with respect to France--Union of Austria and Russia--Return of ...

1809. The castle of Diernstein--Richard Coeur de Lion and Marshal Lannes, --The Emperor at the gates of Vienna--The Archduchess Maria Louisa-- Facility of correspondence ...

1809. Visit to the field of Wagram.--Marshal Macdonald--Union of the Papal States with the Empire--The battle of Talavera--Sir Arthur Wellesley--English expedition to Hol...

1809. The Princess Royal of Denmark--Destruction of the German Empire-- Napoleons visit to the Courts of Bavaria and Wurtemberg--His return to France--First mention of th...

1810 Bernadotte's departure from Hamburg--The Duke of Holstein- Augustenburg--Arrival of the Crown Prince in Sweden-- Misunderstandings between him and Napoleon--Letter f...

1811 Arrest of La Sahla--My visit to him--His confinement at Vincennes-- Subsequent history of La Sahla--His second journey to France-- Detonating powder--Plot hatched ag...

M. Czernischeff--Dissimulation of Napoleon--Napoleon and Alexander-- Josephine's foresight respecting the affairs of Spain--My visits to Malmaison--Grief of Josephine--Tears ...

My return to Hamburg--Government Committee established there-- Anecdote of the Comte de Chaban--Napoleon's misunderstanding with the Pope--Cardinal Fesch--Convention of a Cou...

1812. Changeableness of Bonaparte's plans and opinions--Articles for the 'Moniteur' dictated by the First Consul--The Protocol of the Congress of Chatillon--Conversations...

1813. Riots in Hamburg and Lübeck--Attempted suicide of M. Konning-- Evacuation of Hamburg--Dissatisfaction at the conduct of General St. Cyr--The Cabinets of Vienna and ...

1813. Napoleon's second visit to Dresden--Battle of Bantzen--The Congress at Prague--Napoleon ill advised--Battle of Vittoria--General Moreau Rupture of the conferences a...

1813 Amount of the Allied forces against Napoleon--Their advance towards the Rhine--Levy of 280,000 men--Dreadful situation of the French at Mayence--Declaration of the A...

1813. The flag of the army of Italy and the eagles of 1813--Entrance of the Allies into Switzerland--Summons to the Minister of Police-- My refusal to accept a mission to...

1813-1814. Prince Eugène and the affairs of Italy--The army of Italy on the frontiers of Austria--Eugène's regret at the defection of the Bavarians--Murat's dissimulation...

1814 Curious conversation between General Reynier and the Emperor Alexander--Napoleon repulses the Prussians--The Russians at Fontainebleau--Battle of Brienne--Sketch of ...

1814. The men of the Revolution and the men of the Empire--The Council of Regency--Departure of the Empress from Paris--Marmont and Mortier-- Joseph's flight--Meeting at ...

1814. Unexpected receipts in the Post-office Department--Arrival of Napoleon's Commissioners at M. de Talleyrand's--Conference of the Marshals with Alexander--Alarming ne...

1814. Unalterable determination of the Allies with respect to Napoleon-- Fontainebleau included in the limits to be occupied by the Allies-- Alexander's departure from Pa...

1814. Italy and Eugène--Siege of Dantzic-Capitulation concluded but not ratified-Rapp made prisoner and sent to Kiew--Davoust's refusal to believe the intelligence from P...

1814. Changes produced by time--Correspondence between the Provisional Government and Hartwell--Louis XVIII's reception in London-- His arrival at Calais--Berthier's addr...

1814-1815. Escape from Elba--His landing near Cannes--March on Paris. About the middle of summer Napoleon was visited by his mother and his sister the Princess Pauline. Both t...

1815. Message from the Tuileries--My interview with the King-- My appointment to the office of Prefect of the Police--Council at the Tuileries--Order for arrests--Fouches...

1815. Message to Madame de Bourrienne on the 20th of March--Napoleon's nocturnal entrance into Paris--General Becton sent to my family by Caulaincourt--Recollection of ol...

--[By the Editor of the 1836 edition]-- 1815. Napoleon at Paris--Political manoeuvres--The meeting of the Champ-de-Mai--Napoleon, the Liberals, and the moderate Constit...

--[Like the preceding, this chapter first appeared in the 1836 edition, and is not from the pen of M. de Bourrienne.]-- 1815. THE BATTLES OF LIGNY AND QUATRE BRAS. The momen...

1815 THE BATTLE OF WATERLOO. One of the most important struggles of modern times was now about to commence--a struggle which for many years was to decide the fate of Europe. Napol...

1815 Interview with Lavallette--Proceedings in the French Chambers-- Second abdication of Napoleon--He retires to Rochefort, negotiates with Captain Maitland, and finally...

1815. My departure from Hamburg-The King at St. Denis--Fouché appointed Minister of the Police--Delay of the King's entrance into Paris-- Effect of that delay--Fouché's n...

of the session. I was deeply grieved to see the Government resort to measures of severity to punish faults which it would have been better policy to attribute only to the unfortuna...

THE CENT JOURS. The extraordinary rapidity of events during the Cent fours, or Hundred Days of Napoleon's reign in 1815, and the startling changes in the parts previously filled b...

--[This chapter; by the editor of the 1836 edition, is based upon the 'Memorial', and O'Meara's and Antommarchi's works.]-- 1815-1821. Voyage to St. Helena--Personal trait...