  (For subjoined Notes to this Series see pages 267-269.)
LETTERS OF THE EMPEROR NAPOLEON TO THE EMPRESS JOSEPHINE DURING THE STAY THAT HE MADE AT BAYONNE, 1808."This year offers a strange picture. The Emperor Napoleon was at Venice in the month of January, surrounded by the homage of all the courts and princes of Italy; in the month of April he was at Bayonne, surrounded by that of Spain, and the great personages of that country; and, finally, in the month of October he is at Erfurth, with his parterre of kings."—MÉmoires du Duc de Rovigo. January 27th.—Queen and Prince Regent of Portugal reach Rio de Janeiro. February 2nd.—French troops enter Rome. February 17th.—French occupy Pampeluna, and February 29th.—Barcelona. March 19th.—Charles IV. abdicates, and his son proclaimed Ferdinand VII. March 20th.—Godoy imprisoned by Ferdinand. March 23rd.—Murat enters Madrid. March 27th.—Napoleon excommunicated. April 15th.—Napoleon arrives at Bayonne. No. 1. To the Empress, at Bordeaux. Bayonne, April 16, 1808. I have arrived here in good health, rather tired by a dull journey and a very bad road. I am very glad you stayed behind, for the houses here are wretched and very small. I go to-day into a small house in the country, about a mile from the town. Adieu, dear. Take care of yourself. No. 2. To the Empress, at Bordeaux. Bayonne, April 17, 1808. I have just received yours of April 15th. What you tell me of the owner of the country-house pleases me. Go and spend the day there sometimes. I am sending an order for you to have 20,000 francs per month additional while I am away, counting from the 1st of April. I am lodged atrociously. I am leaving this place in an hour, to occupy a country-house (bastide) about a mile away. The Infant Don Carlos and five or six Spanish grandees are here, the Prince of the Asturias fifty miles away. King Charles and the Queen are due. I know not how I shall lodge all these people. Everything here is still most primitive (À l'auberge). The health of my troops in Spain is good. It took me some time to understand your little jokes; I have laughed at your recollections. O you women, what memories you have! My health is fairly good, and I love you most affectionately. I wish you to give my kind regards to everybody at Bordeaux; I have been too busy to send them to anybody. Napoleon. April 20th.—Ferdinand arrives at Bayonne. No. 3. To the Empress, at Bordeaux. April 21, 1808. I have just received your letter of April 19th. Yesterday I had the Prince of the Asturias and his suite to dinner, which occasioned me considerable embarrassment. I am waiting for Charles IV. and the Queen. My health is good. I am now sufficiently recovered for the campaign. Adieu, dear. Your letters always give me much pleasure. Napoleon. No. 4. To the Empress, at Bordeaux. Bayonne, April 23, 1808. My Dear,—A son has been born to Hortense;[28] I am highly delighted. I am not surprised that you tell me nothing of it, since your letter is dated the 21st, and the child was only born on the 20th,[29] during the night. You can start on the 26th, sleep at Mont de Marsan, and arrive here on the 27th. Have your best dinner-service sent on here on the 25th, in the evening. I have made arrangements for you to have a little house in the country, next to the one I have. My health is good. I am waiting for Charles IV. and his wife. Adieu, dear. Napoleon. April 30th.—Charles IV. and the Queen arrive at Bayonne. May 1st.—Ferdinand gives back the crown to his father. May 2nd.—Murat subdues insurrection at Madrid. May 5th.—Treaty of Bayonne; Charles IV. and Ferdinand (May 6) surrender to Napoleon their rights to the Spanish crown. June 6th.—King Joseph proclaimed King of Spain and the Indies by Napoleon, in an imperial decree, dated Bayonne. June 7th.—French, under Dupont, sacked Cordova. June 9th.—Emperor of Austria calls out his militia. June 15th.—French fleet at Cadiz surrender to the Spanish. July 4th.—English cease hostilities with Spain, and recognise Ferdinand VII. July 7th.—Spanish new constitution sworn to by Joseph and by the Junta. July 9th.—Commences the siege of Saragossa. July 14th.—BessiÈres defeats 40,000 Spaniards at Medina de Rio Seco. July 15th.—Murat declared King of Naples. July 20th.—Joseph enters Madrid. Mahmoud deposed by his younger brother at Constantinople. July 22nd.—Dupont capitulates at Baylen—"the only stain on French arms for twenty years (1792-1812)."—Montgaillard. July 30th.—French protest against Austrian armaments. August 1st.—Wellington landed in Portugal. August 21st.—Battle of Vimiera, creditable to Junot. August 25th.—Spanish troops reoccupy Madrid. August 30th.—Convention of Cintra. French only hold Barcelona, Biscay, Navarre, and Alava, in the whole of Spain. September 8th.—Convention of Paris (Prussia and France); Prussian army not to exceed 40,000 men. |
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