Highland recorder. (Monterey, Highland County, Va.) 1877-1972, 1910-10-14
BLUFFED AND WON
A Dramatic incident of the Fate
full Hundred Days.
ONE OF MAP0LEON'S coUPS
The Way of the Great Military Genius
Overcame the First Opposition he
Encountered on the March to rarIs
After His Return From Elba.

After His Return From Elba.
A striking incident in the career or
Napoleon Is described by Camille Co
cuaud in his book. lie Retour de Plsie
d'Elbe" ("The Return From the Island
of EIba"). 1t describes how be met the
first opposition offered TO his narch 10
Paris after his escape from Elba:
Meanwhile Napoleon had Travelled
by the Alps to Dauphine. advancing
into the interior of the country Hav-
ing received information on Sunday.
the 18th of March. the project OF
lIsere had Immediately. In concert
with the military authority, taken
measures to deal with the startling sit
uation. A detachment composed OF
battalion Of the Fifth regiment of the
line and two companies of engineers
was dispatched to prevent the further
advance of the emperor.
1.-THE meeting between this detach
ment and the little troop from the Isle
of Elba took place on the 7th of
March near While. but not before the
peasants had had time to hasten to In
form Napoleon of the antagonlstic dis
position of the officers commanding
the troops which had been sent from
Grenoble. In order to avoid the shed
ding of blood the emperor ordered
Cambronne. who was accompanied by
small escort. to enter into treaty
with the cocardes blancbes (white
cockadesD. Cambronne found the de
tachment ranged In order Of battle
The commanding officer refused to en-
ter into communica ton. and the sol
diers remained silent and gloomy.
Napoleon Immediately took his
share 10 the proceedings. He gave the
order TO his grenadiers to put their
rifles under their arms. In order to
give proof OF their pacific dispositions
Then he advanced alone: while some
of bis friends cried to the soldiers OF
the line:
".Friends, do not fire! There Is the
emperor, who wishes 70 speak to you,
Napoleon now found himself about
thirty meters from the Grenoble de-
tachment. He dsmounted and. his
arms crossed on his breast. remained
standing in the middle of the road
"'Soldiers of the Fifth he said In a
loud tone soldiers of the Fifth. do
you recognize meY
"'Yes. yesr they all replied.
"Then Napoleon. throwing open his
gray cloak with a dramatic gesture
and pointing TO his breast with his
hands. replied:
"'If there is one among you who
wishes to kill his general. his emperor.
he can do it. Here ann
''Fhe response was unanimous. sub
lime: Long live the emperor! Long
live the emperor!
breaking the ranks. their shakos al
the ends of the swOrds-or on the bayo-
nets, the soldiers of the Fifth. to whom
were joined the engineers. ran toward
Napoleon. surrounded him. embraced
him, kissed his hands. called him theil
preserver. their father. their general
their emperor. Finally the two de
tachments mingled together and be
came consolidated Napoleon then haG
1000 men with whom TO march on tt
Grenoble.
"They took the road. and 1t was
triumphal march. The people OF the
district came to meet the column. &C
claiming Napoleon as the liberatOr o.
the nation and as the living incarna
ton of the revolution.
1.-THE peasants wept with JOY. A
this sight the emperor. turning TOWARD
his officers. Droudt and Bertrand. salt
to them F.:
"'Everything is now In good order
Within ten days we shall be at tn
Tuileries""