nobility with insults. At Potsdam he seized
on the sword, belt, and hat of the Great
Frederick; at the capital he removed the
trophy, commemorating the victory at
Rossbach, to Paris; and on the 21st of
November, 1806, issued his celebrated Berlin
decree, interdicting the commerce between
Great Britain and the Continent. He
refused the King of Prussia even a
temporary armistice unless he at once
surrendered the fortresses of Grandenz, Dantzic,
and Colberg, which still remained to
Prussia.

But in 1813, after the retreat from
Moscow, Prussia seized the opportunity,
and took her revenge. The Russians and
Swedes joined her, and Blucher was
appointed generalissimo of the Prussian
army. Prince Eugène instantly evacuated
Berlin, and was blockaded in Magdeburg.
Hamburg and Lubeck declared for the
allies. Thorn and Spandau quickly
surrendered. At Lutzen Napoleon met his
new enemies, and slew twenty thousand
of them. The French loss was great, but
they kept the field, while the allies retreated
to Bautzen. There, again, the French
victory was dearly earned. The allies lost
ten thousand men, the French considerably
more. At the second battle the allies left
scarcely a single gun or prisoner, and
retreated as if on parade. This war
terminated in the great tragedy of Leipsic.
Driven back into the town by a superior
force of the allies, after the opportune
arrival of Blucher, the French had to retreat
through narrow streets and over two small
bridges, with much marshy ground between
them. Of the French twenty-five thousand
men were made prisoners, and Poniatowski
was drowned in covering the retreat.
Napoleon himself narrowly escaped. A small
victory at Hanau enabled him to retreat.
Dresden, Stettin, and Dantzic soon after
surrendered to the allies.

It was not long before France was
invaded. Blucher and the army of Silesia
blockaded at once the frontier fortresses
of Metz, Thionville, and Luxembourg, and
passing the defiles of the Vosges, pushed
forward to Joinville, Vitry, and Saint
Dizier. Napoleon, flying at Blucher, first
attacked him at Brienne. Blucher was
surprised at the chateau, and with
difficulty escaped. Napoleon himself soon
after was all but cut off by the Cossacks.
Blucher eventually retreated, but only to
turn again at La Rothiers, and take four
thousand Frenchmen prisoners, and
capture seventy-four guns. Fiercely defending
every step, Napoleon surprised and
repulsed the allies at Sacken, and drove
back Blucher. The old Prussian, with
only three regiments of cavalry, had to
fight a way for his infantry through
columns of French horse. At Cronne and
Laon, Napoleon again plunged at Blucher,
but with little success. At the latter place
the French, indeed, lost thirty guns and
thirty thousand men. A few more struggles
and Napoleon signed his abdication at
Fontainebleau.

In the Waterloo campaign Blucher and
the Prussians again had their share of
fighting. General Ziethen was driven
back from Charleroi and Fleurus, and with
difficulty joined the main body at Ligny.
Napoleon attacked Ligny furiously, and
his heavy cavalry ascending the heights
assailed Blucher in the rear. The Prussian
horse were driven back, and Blucher,
dismounted, escaped by a miracle only
from the hoofs of a whole regiment of
French cuirassiers. The battle ended by
the Prussians' retreat to the heights of
Tilly. In their last fight the Prussians
lost ten thousand men, and the French not
much fewer.

The part which the Prussians took at
Waterloo it is even yet difficult to ascertain.
That it was important no one can
deny, that it turned a repulse into a defeat
is probable, that it changed a defeat into a
rout is certain. The French writers make
the Prussians arrive as early as eleven.
In reality, the cannon of Bulow and the
fourth Prussian corps were heard about
half-past four; the second grand division
actually arrived about half-past six. At
seven took place the final charge of the
Old Guard. We had then had seven hours'
fighting. Blucher knew Grouchy was in
his rear, but he still pressed on for Waterloo.
We had promised him co-operation at
Ligny, but we could not fulfil our promise.
Wellington, too, hoped for earlier assistance
on the eighteenth, but it was unavoidably
delayed. But for the Prussian pursuit
Napoleon might have rallied another army.
Blucher's men were cruel with their sabres
there is no doubt, and the pursuit was hot
and furious. At Gemappe alone the French
soldiers tried to barricade the streets, but
were murdered in a moment. The Prusiians
had their revenge for Jena then, as
at Jena the French had had theirs for
Rossbach.

When the allies reached Paris, the duke,
it was said, had the greatest difficulty in
preventing the Prussians blowing up the