sample the author's ideas before
making an entire meal of them. D.W.]
MEMOIRS OF NAPOLEON BONAPARTE, VOLUME 12.
By LOUIS ANTOINE FAUVELET DE BOURRIENNE
His Private Secretary
Edited by R. W. Phipps Colonel, Late Royal Artillery
1891
CONTENTS:
CHAPTER XXVIII.
to
CHAPTER XXXVI.
1813-1814
CHAPTER XXVIII.
1813.
Riots in Hamburg and Lubeck--Attempted suicide of M. Konning--
Evacuation of Hamburg--Dissatisfaction at the conduct of General St.
Cyr--The Cabinets of Vienna and the Tuileries--First appearance of the
Cossacks--Colonel Tettenborn invited to occupy Hamburg--Cordial
reception of the Russians--Depredations--Levies of troops--
Testimonials of gratitude to Tettenborn--Napoleon's new army--Death
of General Morand--Remarks of Napoleon on Vandamme--Bonaparte
and Gustavus Adolphus--Junction of the corps of Davoust and
Vandamme-- Reoccupation of Hamburg by the French--General
Hogendorff appointed Governor of Hamburg--Exactions and vexatious
contributions levied upon Hamburg and Lubeck--Hostages.
A considerable time before Napoleon left Paris to join the army, the
bulk of which was in Saxony, partial insurrections occurred in many
places. The interior of France proper was indeed still in a state of
tranquillity, but it was not so in the provinces annexed by force to the
extremities of the Empire, especially in the north, and in the
unfortunate Hanse Towns, for which, since my residence at Hamburg, I
have always felt the greatest interest. The intelligence I received was
derived from such unquestionable sources that I can pledge myself for
the truth of what I have to state respecting the events which occurred in
those provinces at the commencement of 1813; and subsequently I
obtained a confirmation of all the facts communicated by my
correspondence when I was sent to Hamburg by Louis XVIII. in 1815.
M. Steuve, agent from the Court of Russia, who lived at Altona
apparently as a private individual, profited by the irritation produced by
the measures adopted at Hamburg. His plans were so well arranged that
he was promptly informed of the route of the Grand Army from
Moscow, and the approach of the Allied troops. Aided by the
knowledge and activity of Sieur Hanft of Hamburg, M. Steuve profited
by the discontent of a people so tyrannically governed, and seized the
opportunity for producing an explosion. Between eight and nine o'clock
on the morning of the 24th of February 1813 an occurrence in which
the people were concerned was the signal for a revolt. An individual
returning to Hamburg by the Altona gate would not submit to be
searched by a fiscal agent, who in consequence maltreated him and
wounded him severely. The populace instantly rose, drove away the
revenue guard, and set fire to the guard- house. The people also, excited
by secret agents, attacked other French posts, where they committed the
same excesses. Surprised at this unexpected movement, the French
authorities retired to the houses in which they resided. All the
respectable inhabitants who were unconnected with the tumult likewise
returned to their homes, and no person appeared out of doors.
General Carry St. Cyr had the command of Hamburg after the Prince of
Eckmuhl's departure for the Russian campaign.
--[General Carry St. Cyr is not to be contused with the Marshal
Gonvion de St. Cyr; he fell into disgrace for his conduct at Hamburg at
this time, and was not again employed by Napoleon. Under the
Restoration he became Governor of French Guiana.]--
At the first news of the revolt he set about packing up his papers, and
Comte de Chaban, M. Konning, the Prefect of Hamburg, and M.
Daubignosc, the Director of Police, followed his example. It was not
till about four o'clock in the afternoon that a detachment of Danish
hussars arrived at Hamburg, and the populace: was then speedily
dispersed. All the respectable citizens and men of property assembled
the next morning and adopted means for securing internal tranquillity,
so that the Danish troops were enabled to return to Altona. Search was
then made for the ringleaders of the disturbance. Many persons were
arrested, and a military commission, ad hoc; was appointed to try them.
The commission, however, condemned only one individual, who, being
convicted of being one of the most active voters, was sentenced to be
shot, and the sentence was carried into execution.
On the 26th February a similar commotion took place at Lubeck.
Attempts were made to attack the French Authorities. The respectable
citizens instantly assembled, protected them against outrage, and
escorted them in safety to Hamburg, where they arrived on the 27th.
The precipitate flight of these persons from Lubeck spread some alarm
in Hamburg. The danger was supposed to be greater than it was
because the fugitives were accompanied by a formidable body of
troops.
But these were not the only attempts to throw off the yoke of French
domination, which had become insupportable. All the left bank of the
Elbe was immediately in a state of insurrection, and
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