The Twin Falls times. [volume] (Twin Falls, Idaho) 1905-1916, 1913-11-07
NAPOLEON BONAPARTt
Copyright, 1913, by the Mentor Asso-
citation, Inc.)
Retreat From Moscow.

Napoleon's invasion of Russia was
one OF the most disastrous military en-
terprises in the history Of the world.
1t was not the Russians that defeated
the emperor. During much of his ad-
vance he was left alone. Sometimes
he was harassed by skirmish forces.
Several great battles were fought,
notably that of Borodino. But for the
most part he was allowed to go on his
way; for his enemies knew that he
had greater than human forces to face
and battle with,-the vast Russian sol
| itudes and the cruel, killing Russian
winter. The terrible story is summed
up in the statement that Napoleon in
vaded Russia with an armed force
numbering more than 100000 men,
and that he returned with less than
100000
Bonaparte had once said, Il will
never lead an army to destruction as |
did Charles XII on the steppes of Rus
STA. My soldiers are my children"
However, when Gear Alexander of
Russia refused to accept his terms, |
Napoleon assembled his grand army
Of Frenchmen, Italians, Austrians, and
Germans and invaded Russia as far as
Moscow, distance of 1000 miles from
Paris.
He was victorious at Moscow; but
the Russians burned the city, and thus
destroyed 1t for purposes of winter
quarters. The czar delayed in his ne
gotiations for peace SO long that Ma
poleon was compelled to order a re-
treat, which began on October 10, 1912.
His army was then harassed from the
rear, and many lives were lost in
these engagements. After two weeks
of marching the soldiers met the first
wave of Russian winter. The roads
were frozen sheets of ice, and in a
week nearly all the horses persisted.
The cavalry could no longer ward off
the attacks of Cossacks Many of the
guns had to be abandoned The army
lacked the artillery necessary to fight
a big battle. Food supplies had to be
abandoned as there were no horses to
draw them. Thousands stretched out
by the fire at night never to awaken in
: the morning. Cold and starvation kill
ed them.
At Smolensk the army presented an
appalling spectacle. Napoleon head
ed it, clad in furs, his expression set
and siren. Behind him came the cap
tains, majors, and lieutenants, then a
few harnessed wagons with the en-
I peror's war chest and papers; after
that the struggling forces, many OF
them unarmed, limping, half frozen,
some wandering away with wild looks,
others falling by the roadside never
to rise again.
At the frontier Napoleon left this
pitiful fragment of an army in charge
of the king of Naples, took horse,
+ and rode to Paris.
On Board the BelIerOphOn.
The Battle of Waterloo, June 1S,
1915, was the final blow to Napoleon S
4 power. On that day hung the fate OF
Europe. Napoleon faced the allied
forces of Prussia, England, Germany
and the Dutch, and had assembled an
army of 10000 to meet them The al
lied forces were under command of the
Duke of Wellington. They were bound
to gether by one stern purpose,-to
is annihilate once for all the man whom
they called the scourage of Europe.
o heavy rainstorm prevented the emper-
/ or from carrying out his original plan
d of attack, which was to meet the en-
envy in two sections. The night OF
d June II was stormy. A heavy rain
/ storm made the roads SO heavy that
e the emperor could not move his can
IS non into the place desired until short
:? time before the enemy's forces joined
It Then, too, General Grouchy had been
3, instructed to intercept the Prussian
l. forces under Butcher, and hold them
back while Napoleon fought his fight
= with Wellington. II he could not dc
g, that, he was at least to follow Bluchel
Il to Waterloo. The arrival, therefore
OF Butcher and his forces in gooC
II fighting trim put the French into such
II confusion that crushing defeat was
T. inevitable. In the route men had tt
save themselves as best they could
l. Napoleon left the field, and took the
'e road to Paris, where he found his pow.
err gone. He resigned as emperor ir
at favor Of his son, and went to Roche
IS fort in hope of finding a ship COINS
e. to the United States. The English
10 vessel Bellerophon blockaded the har
4 Dor, and Napoleon boarded it, throw
ing himself on the mercy of Great Bri
f. tain. He reckoned, however, withou
sr his host; for England had never for
~ gotten that Napoleon had threatene,
an invasion of Great Britain More
De over, within the year Napoleon ha,
g been declared an international outlaw
rs outside the pale of social and civil
)y relations, and liable to public venge
ance"
g.. So. as Napoleon crossed the Englis1
3; Channel from Rochefort to Ports
mouth with Captain Maitland, o.
: board his Majesty's ship Bellerophor
he had sought safety in the lion
mouth. England assumed charge 9
II him on behalf of all Napoleon's Euro
pean enemies, and consigned him t
. exile on the island of st. Helena.
At St Helena.
n, On a rock-honnd island IN tho son+
IL Atlantic the greatest military geniu
ne of all time spent the last six years Q
d. his life. There Napoleon dragged GU
n the months In company with numbe
~ of his former associates, recalling tn
plories of the past and complaining O
/. the bitter conditions Of the present