Delaware journal., 1827-12-11

Two three months keeping strict to these rules,
Can never fail making couple Of fools.
BONAPARTE.
The annexed sketch of the warrior talents of Ma
poleon, and Of the causes Of his downfall, is from
Gen. Foy's history of the Peninsula war.
sWth his passions and in spite of his errors, Ma
poleon is, taking him all in all, the greatest warrior
of modern times. He carried into battle stoical
courage, profoundly calculated tenacity, mind
fertile in sudden inspirations which by unhoped for
resources Disconnected the plans of the enemy. Let
us beware Of atributing long series of success to
the organic power of the which he set in mo-
ton. The most experienced eye could scarcely dis
cover in them any thing but elements OF disorder.
Still less let it be said that he was successful
captain because he was mighty monarch. or all
his campaigns the most memorable are, the cam
pagn of the Adige, where the general of yesterday,
commanding an army by no means numerous. and
at first badly appointed. placed himself at once
above Turenne and on level with Frederick ;-and
the campaign in France in l8 a. when, reduced to
handful of harrassed troops, he combatted force
of ten times their number. The last flashes Of the
imperial lightning still dazzed the eyes OF our enc
mics and it was fine sight to see the bounds of
the old lion. tracked, hunted down, beset, present
ing lively picture of the days of his youth. when
his powers developed themselves in the fields oi
carnage.
| "Napoleon possessed. in an eminent degree
the faculties requisite for the profession of arms
temperate and robust. watching and sleeping at
pleasure, appearing unawares where he was least
expected he did not disregard details to which i'm
portant results are sometimes attached. The hand
which had Just traced rules for the government ol
many millions Of men would frequently rectify an
incorrect statement of the situation of regiment,
or write down whence two hundred conscripts were
to be obtained, and ON what magazine their shoes
were to be taken A patient and easy interlocutor
he was home questOner, and he could listen j;
rare talent in the grandees of the earth. he car
ried with him into battle a cool and impassab
courage never was mind deeply medtative
more fertile in rapid and sudden illuminatons.-
On becoming Emperor he ceased not to be the sol
dier. If his activity decreased with the progress
age, that was owing to the decrease OF his physlca
powers.
.'In games of mingled calculation and hazard
the greater the advantages which man seeks t
obtain, the greater risks he must rum 1t is precise
ly this that renders the deceitful science OF con
querors SO calamitous to nations. Napoleon, thoug
naturally adventurous, was not deficient in cons
tencvor method and he wasted neither his soldier
nor his treasures where the authority OF his nam
: sufficed. What he could obtain by negotiations
by artifce, he required not by force of arms. III
sword, although drawn from the scabbard, was nj
al stained with blood, unless it was impossible to
d tain the end in view by manguvre. Always rel
y dy to fight. he chose habtuay the occasion and II
4 ground Out Of fifty battles which he fought,he WI
: the assailant in at least forty
"Other generals have equalled him in the art
disposng troops on the ground. Some have GIVE
battle as well as he did ; we could mention sever
who have recevedit better but IN the manner
directing an offensive campaign he has surpass'
all.
"The wars in Spain and Russia. prove nothl
in disparagement Of his genius. 1t is not by q
rules of Montecuculi and Turenne, manGuyrlns
the Renchen, that we ought to Judge OF such ente
prises. The first warred to secure such or SUI
winter-quarters the other to subdue the world
frequently beloved him not merely to gain battl
but to gain ii in such manner as to astound Euro
and to produce gigantic results. His political vie'
were necessarily interfering with the strategic gel
~ us and to appreciate him properly we must n
- conne ourselves within the limits of the art OF wa
ny This art is not composed exclusively OF technlc
details it has also its philosophy. To find in I'll
mt elevated region rival to Napoleon, must go bal
ss to the times when the feudal institutions had n
yet broken the unity Of the ancient nations. III
founders of religions alone have exercised ov
their disciples an authority comparable with tn
which made him the absolute master of his arm
This moral power became fatal to him, because
he strove to avail himself of it even against the asce
RI dency of material force. and because it led him
be despise positive rules, the long violation Of whie
de will not remain unpunished.
nv "When pride was hurryng Napoleon towards b
r., fall, he happened to say: France has more need
me than l have of France He spoke the trut
But why had he become necessarily Because
had committed the destiny Of the French to Il
- chances of an interminable war; because, in spin
I'D of the resources oits genius, rendered ds
st ly more hazardous by his stalking the whole OF II
he force and by the bodne of his movements, risk
in every campaign in every battle, the frui