Memoirs of Napoleon, vol 9 | Page 8

terms; but that he yielded to the
ascendency of Napoleon's fortune; and on the following day Berthier
was sent into Ulm, from whence he returned with the capitulation
signed. Thus Napoleon was not mistaken respecting the Caudine Forks
of the Austrian army. The garrison of Ulm marched out with what are
called the honours of war, and were led prisoners into
France.--Bourrienne.]--

Napoleon, who was so violently irritated by any obstacle which
opposed him, and who treated with so much hauteur everybody who
ventured to resist his inflexible will, was no longer the same man when,
as a conqueror, he received the vanquished generals at Ulm. He
condoled with them on their misfortune; and this, I can affirm, was not
the result of a feeling of pride concealed beneath a feigned generosity.
Although he profited by their defeat he pitied them sincerely. How
frequently has he observed to me, "How much to be pitied is a general
on the day after a lost battle." He had himself experienced this
misfortune when he was obliged to raise the siege of St. Jean d'Acre. At
that moment he would, I believe, have strangled Djezzar; but if Djezzar
had surrendered, he would have treated him with the same attention
which he showed to Mack and the other generals of the garrison of Ulm.
These generals were seventeen in number, and among them was Prince
Liechtenstein. There were also General Klenau (Baron de Giulay), who
had acquired considerable military reputation in the preceding wars,
and General Fresnel, who stood in a more critical situation than his
companions in misfortune, for he was a Frenchman, and an emigrant.
Rapp told me that it was really painful to see these generals. They
bowed respectfully to the Emperor, having Mack at their head. They
preserved a mournful silence, and Napoleon was the first to speak,
which he did in the following terms: "Gentlemen, I feel sorry that such
brave men as you are should be the victims of the follies of a Cabinet
which cherishes insane projects, and which does not hesitate to commit
the dignity of the Austrian nation by trafficking with the services of its
generals. Your names are known to me--they are honourably known
wherever you have fought. Examine the conduct of those who have
committed you. What could be more iniquitous than to attack me
without a declaration of war? Is it not criminal to bring foreign invasion
upon a country? Is it not betraying Europe to introduce Asiatic
barbarities into her disputes? If good policy had been followed the
Aulic Council, instead of attacking me, would have sought my alliance
in order to drive back the Russians to the north. The alliance which
your Cabinet has formed will appear monstrous in history. It is the
alliance of dogs, shepherds, and wolves against sheep--such a scheme
could never have been planned in the mind of a statesman. It is

fortunate for you that I have not been defeated in the unjust struggle to
which I have been provoked; if I had, the Cabinet of Vienna would
have soon perceived its error, for which, perhaps, it will yet one day
pay dearly."
What a change fifteen days of success, crowned by the capture of Ulm,
had made in affairs! At Hamburg I knew through my agents to what a
degree of folly the hopes of Napoleon's enemies had risen before he
began the campaign. The security of the Cabinet of Vienna was really
inexplicable; not only did they not dream of the series of victories
which made Napoleon master of all the Austrian monarchy, but the
assistants of Drake and all the intriguers of that sort treated France
already as a conquered country, and disposed of some of our provinces.
In the excess of their folly, to only give one instance, they promised the
town of Lyons to the King of Sardinia, to recompense him for the
temporary occupation of Piedmont.
--[In the treaties and declarations (see Martens and Thiers, tome v. p.
355) there is rather a tendency to sell the skin of the bear before killing
him.]--
While Napoleon flattered his prisoners at the expense of their
Government he wished to express satisfaction at the conduct of his own
army, and with this view he published a remarkable proclamation,
which in some measure presented an abstract of all that had taken place
since the opening of the campaign.
This proclamation was as follows:--
SOLDIERS OF THE GRAND ARMY--In a fortnight we have finished
an entire campaign. What we proposed to do has been done. We have
driven the Austrian troops from Bavaria, and restored our ally to the
sovereignty of his dominions.
That army, which, with equal presumption and imprudence, marched
upon our frontiers, is annihilated.
But what does this signify to England? She