The Waterloo Campaign, 1815

by William Siborne

For the defence of the principal works, three hundred guns of large calibre were supplied; and for the manning of these, twenty Companies of Marine Artillery, which had been brought into the capital. The line between St Denis and Vincennes was defended by the First, Second, and Sixth Corps d'Armée. The Imperial Guard formed the Reserve, and was posted at Menil Montant. The Cavalry was stationed in the Bois de Boulogne. The Third and Fourth Corps d'Armée, under Vandamme, defended the south side of Paris, and occupied Montrouge.

In the midst of all these preparations, the Provisional Government, the majority of which, under the influence of Fouché, was most desirous of effecting a cessation of hostilities, though acting ostensibly upon the grounds of a necessity of gaining time for the completion of the measures of defence, and of securing the capital from an assault, could not be otherwise than convinced, from the tenor of the replies made by the Allied Commanders to all its propositions, that the presence of Napoleon in Paris was the chief obstacle to any satisfactory arrangement. General Becker had been appointed to attend the latter at Malmaison, to watch over his safety, to insure him that respect to which he was so eminently entitled, and to prevent the ill-disposed from making use of his name for purposes of excitement and tumult.

Symptoms of a rising among the Buonapartists in Paris had been manifested on the 28th, a circumstance naturally consequent upon the re-union in the capital of so many Regiments of the Line, as also of the Imperial Guard; whose excitement, devotion, and enthusiasm, had Napoleon placed himself once more at their head, might have been such as to have brought them into hostile and fierce collision with the other great Parties of the State; and thus have led to scenes of the wildest anarchy and confusion within the walls, whilst the Enemy was thundering at the gates from without.

Hence every effort was employed to induce the ex-Emperor to quit the capital. The fact of the arrival of the Prussians in front of St Denis, and the possibility of an attempt being made to carry him off from Malmaison, were explained to him with much earnestness. He immediately referred to the map, and on perceiving the practicability of this coup de main; he adopted precautionary measures of defence. He also offered to the Government his services in the capacity of General only; remarking, that he was prepared to march against the Enemy, and frustrate his bold and hazardous attempt upon the capital. This proposal was sternly rejected. Fouché declared that to accede to it would be to remove every chance of arrangement with the Allied Powers; to create fresh troubles and disorders throughout the country; and, though a temporary success might be gained, to bring down eventually the concentrated force of the immense European armament upon the devoted capital.

The Commissioners appointed by the Government to communicate its wishes to Napoleon, no longer hesitated in arranging his departure. The Minister of the Marine, and Count Boulay, repaired to his residence, and explained to him that the Duke of Wellington and Prince Blücher had refused to give him any safeguard or passport; and that he had now only to take his immediate departure.

Napoleon at length yielded to what he considered to be his destiny; and the preparations for travelling having been completed, he entered his carriage about five o'clock in the afternoon of the 29th, accompanied by Generals Bertrand, Gourgaud, and other devoted friends, and took the road to Rochefort: whither two Frigates had been ordered for the embarkation of himself and suite for America.

Napoleon narrowly escaped falling into the hands of the Prussians, whilst at Malmaison. Blücher, hearing that he was living there in retirement, had despatched Major Colomb, on the 28th, with the 8th Hussars and two Battalions of Infantry to secure the Bridge of Chatou, lower down the Seine, leading directly to the house. Fortunately, however, for Napoleon; the Prince of Eckmühl, when he ascertained that the Prussians were nearing the capital, had desired General Becker to cause this Bridge to be destroyed. Hence Major Colomb was much disappointed at finding there was no passage at this point, which in fact was not more than eight hundred yards distant from the Palace in which Napoleon was yet remaining at the time of the arrival of the Prussians.

On the 29th, the new Commissioners appointed by the French Government waited upon the Duke of Wellington at Estrée, for the purpose of negotiating a Suspension of Hostilities. In the course of the discussion which took place on this occasion, the Duke declared that he had nothing to add to the communication he had made to the former Commissioners; that he could not but consider the Abdication as a deception; and would not feel himself justified in suspending his operations on such a pretext, which was by no means calculated to fulfil the object the Allies had in view. He explained that, besides Napoleon, there were his adherents, who were the declared Enemies of the Allies; and stated that before he could agree to any Suspension he "must see some steps taken to re-establish a Government in France which should afford the Allies some chance of peace."

Upon this point his Grace was pressed to give some explanation as to what would satisfy the Allies.

He replied that he had no authority from his own Government, much less from the Allies, to enter upon the subject; and that all he could do was to give them his private opinion, which he should certainly urge upon the Allies with all the influence he might be supposed to possess, unless otherwise instructed by his own Government.