The Virginian. [volume] (Lynchburg [Va.]) 1822-1829, 1823-10-07
from Bidck,ooed's Edinburgh Magazine
RAPP'S MEMOIRS.

| INT Oh hrilPral picture Oh the nattle oi TINS
lusterlilz--indeed ii Is on many snuff.
box. They may remembc the cavalry
officer, who, with his hat off, and sabre
broken, is galiop,as up 10 Napoleon, Mho
receives him surrounded by his SUITE
| This Is no other than the author of the
auiohiographicai volume now before us,
the General itapp himself. Tie Was retur-
nmg from the decisive charge which he had
led in person, and which decided the day
MY sabre half broken,' says he, "my
wound, the blood With which | was cover
ed, the decisive advantage gained over
= choice of the enemies troops inspired
The Emperor at the moment with the idea
OF the picture, afterwards executed by Ge-
rard."
l.app was a native of Alsace he early
distinguished himself under Desaix, and
was taken notice of by that talented gene
raj. He soon rose To favour under NapO-
leon, whose esteem nj times, and whose
Suspicion and dspleasure, at others, he
won by military trankness and bluntpess
ofsPeech. Wheneverany of Rapp's friends
fell into disgrace with Napoleon, the blunt
Alsaeian was sure 10 show il by some ex-
preston of spleen or Ill timed expostua-
tons. And he thus became generally inn
picatcd in the misiortnnes Of Regnicr,
Hernado1te, aud subsequently OIL Josephine
But his g,llantry at Ansterlltz and Essng,
with twenty and odd wounds, unbalanced
his want OF dcxihiity with Napoleon. Ney
and Rapp were the only Generals said
Napoleon, that preserved the hearts of
stout soldiers in the retreat from Moscow.
Rapp certainly paid his court at the Tuil-
lerics in 1914, and in 1915 commanded the
army of the Rhine for his old MASTER
We shall see whether the curious interview
in which Napoleon won him over, can ex-
cuse the dcsertion. He became after
wards chamberlain, or some such officer,
about Louis the Eighteenth's person, and
was on duty 1T ST. Cloud the very day that
the news Of Napoleon's death arrived II
Paris the veteran, summoned suddenly
before the Kiag, made his appearance in
undsscmhled tears =" Go, Rapp," sud
the Monarch, ~ homer you for this tribute
to your old master"
These memoirs, seemingly excited by
the ultra CaluiUnics against the eA Empc-
ror, which they commence with answering,
are sketched by tie bold aud hurried hand
of an old soldier. Iierepscsrnts Napoleon
as mild, tender, g. scarcely eve IincxorabIe
in matters of life and death, lie relates ma
ny instances of successful interference in
such cases, hut allows TINT he was driven
into excess by the seryIe aduatious of the
court. He represents him rs open to ad
Wee, even to remOnstrance, though intOle.
rant ofthe commonplace arguments, which
his relations especially sometimes pestered
him with.
Fesch was about to demonstrate with
him one day on the war IN Spain. He had
not uttered two words, when Napoleon,
drawing towards the window, asked, DO
you see that star = 1t was broad day.
No replied the archbishop. We'll, as
long as alone can perceive it, follow my
plan, and suflcr no observation
The following anecdotc, though nothing
IN Itself, may account for the contrddic-
items and contrary reports about the EN-
peror's apathy Of feeling, on which point
the authorof Chide Harold. and the Quar-
terly Review, are at issue:
= On his return from the Russian cam
paSn, he was deploring with deep emotion
the death of So many gallant soldiers,
moved down, not by the Cossacks, but
by cold and hanger \ courier seeking
II put in his word, added with puiful
tone, We have indeed suffered great loss
Yes rejoincd Napo'roo, Madame Baril
Ii, the singer, is indeed )
He IN 5tihed indis retion, says Rapp,
but rcpulsed neither f.easantry nor frank
ness.
After some chapter devoted to the cha
racter of Napolrnn, made inte anecdotes
concerning him, the Mrmolrs proceed with
the Third War of Austria" when, all
hopes Of invading our island being at an
end. the French succeeded in shutting up
Mack with the remains of his army in
Tin. Scgur's account of the surrender is
exceedingly interesting the getting pos
session of tho bridge over the Danube at
Vrnna is o.e OF the best morceaus Of
Rapp's book, and shows how eiiectuaIly
Bonaparte was seconded by the dexterity
aud courage Of his generals:
We were marching on the traces Of the
enemy's rcar-guar,l. 1t would have been
easy for us TO have routed it, but we knew
better. The object was IN deceive them
ilto AN abatement of vigilance we never
pushed them, but on the contrary, spread
about reports of appi oaching peace. We
permitted troops and baggage to escape
il few men were of little Importance in
comparison with the preservation Of the
bridges. Once broken we would have had
The whole campaign To fight over again.
Austria was assembling fresh forces, Prus-
sia Was thowinS oifihe mask and Russia
presented herself prepared for action with
all the resources Of these two powers
The possession of the t'idges was VIC
tory, and one only To be obtained ny sur
Prise. We took orr measures in conse-
qoence. The troops stationrl on the route
we.e forbidden To 1--WE the least demonatra