Napoleon Bonaparte was now approaching the zenith of his power: the unsettled state of affairs in France had induced him to quit his army in Egypt, and on his return the Directory was abolished, Bonaparte being appointed First Consul of the French Republic. This occurred in 1799, and in the following year Europe was astounded by his daring passage of the Alps, followed by the victory of Marengo, which caused Austria to sue for peace.
The French being driven from Egypt in 1801 by the gallant Abercromby and his brave troops, in which the THIRTY-FIRST regiment would probably have shared, had it not been for the circumstances stated at [page 61], the Peace of Amiens was concluded; it, however, gave but a slight interval of tranquillity to Europe. The military spirit of the French nation had been aroused by the genius of Napoleon, who endeavoured to realize his schemes for the aggrandizement of France;—and England appeared as a barrier to his designs.
In May, 1803, the war was renewed; Hanover was overrun by the French, and severed for a time from the British Crown. An immense flotilla was also assembled at Boulogne for the invasion of England. The threat of invasion aroused the patriotism of the British people, and the most strenuous measures were pursued to defeat the French ruler’s designs; the “Army of Reserve Act” was passed in June, 1803, for raising men for home service by ballot; numerous volunteer and yeomanry corps were formed in every part of the kingdom; and all party differences merged into one universal effort for the preservation of Great Britain.
1804
On the 18th of May, 1804, Napoleon was invested with the dignity of Emperor of the French, and on the 26th of May of the following year he was crowned King of Italy at Milan.
Further measures of defence were adopted by Great Britain, and the “Additional Force Act” was passed on the 14th of July, 1804, by which a second battalion was added to the THIRTY-FIRST regiment, to be formed of men raised in the county of Chester, for limited service.
The regiment embarked at Jersey for England on the 9th of November, and on the 27th of that month arrived at Portsmouth, whence it marched to Winchester, and received a further number of volunteers from the Militia.
On the 12th of December the Court of Spain issued a declaration of war against England, in consequence of the capture of some frigates off Cadiz, which had been intercepted while on their way to France with cargoes of treasure,—Spain having agreed to furnish a powerful aid to Napoleon.