Napoleon's Letters To Josephine Part 7

_August 5th.--Augereau victorious at Castiglione, completing the Campaign of Five Days, in which 10,000 prisoners are taken._

_August 8th.--Verona occupied by Serrurier._

_August 15th._--(Moreau arrives on the Danube) _Wurmser retreats upon Trent, the capital of Italian Tyrol_.

_August 18th._--Alliance, offensive and defensive, between France and Spain.

_September 3rd._--Jourdan routed by Archduke Charles at Wurtzburg.

No. 7.

TO JOSEPHINE, AT MILAN.

_Brescia, August 30, 1796._

Arriving, my beloved, my first thought is to write to you. Your health, your sweet face and form have not been absent a moment from my thoughts the whole day. I shall be comfortable only when I have got letters from you. I await them impatiently. You cannot possibly imagine my uneasiness. I left you vexed, annoyed, and not well. If the deepest and sincerest affection can make you happy, you ought to be.... I am worked to death.

Adieu, my kind Josephine: love me, keep well, and often, often think of me.

BONAPARTE.

No. 8.

TO JOSEPHINE, AT MILAN.

_Brescia, August 31, 1796._

I start at once for Verona. I had hoped to get a letter from you; and I am terribly uneasy about you. You were rather ill when I left; I beg you not to leave me in such uneasiness. You promised me to be more regular; and, at the time, your tongue was in harmony with your heart.

You, to whom nature has given a kind, genial, and wholly charming disposition, how can you forget the man who loves you with so much fervour? No letters from you for three days; and yet I have written to you several times. To be parted is dreadful, the nights are long, stupid, and wearisome; the day's work is monotonous.

This evening, alone with my thoughts, work and correspondence, with men and their stupid schemes, I have not even one letter from you which I might press to my heart.

The Staff has gone; I set off in an hour. To-night I get an express from Paris; there was for you only the enclosed letter, which will please you.

Think of me, live for me, be often with your well-beloved, and be sure that there is only one misfortune that he is afraid of--that of being no longer loved by his Josephine. A thousand kisses, very sweet, very affectionate, very exclusive.

Send M. Monclas at once to Verona; I will find him a place. He must get there before September 4th.

BONAPARTE.

_September 1st.--Bonaparte leaves Verona and directs his troops on Trent. Wurmser, reinforced by 20,000 men, leaves his right wing at Roveredo, and marches via the Brenta Gorge on Verona._

No. 9.

TO JOSEPHINE, AT MILAN.

_Ala, September 3, 1796._

We are in the thick of the fight, my beloved; we have driven in the enemy's outposts; we have taken eight or ten of their horses with a like number of riders. My troops are good-humoured and in excellent spirits. I hope that we shall do great things, and get into Trent by the fifth.

No letters from you, which really makes me uneasy; yet they tell me you are well, and have even had an excursion to Lake Como. Every day I wait impatiently for the post which will bring me news of you--you are well aware how I prize it. Far from you I cannot live, the happiness of my life is near my gentle Josephine. Think of me! Write me often, very often: in absence it is the only remedy: it is cruel, but, I hope, will be only temporary.

BONAPARTE.

_September 4th.--Austrian right wing defeated at Roveredo._

_September 5th.--Bonaparte enters Trent, cutting off Wurmser from his base. Defeats Davidowich on the Lavis and leaves Vaubois to contain this general while he follows Wurmser._

_September 6th.--Wurmser continues his advance, his outposts occupy Vicenza and Montebello._

_September 7th.--Combat of Primolano: Austrians defeated. Austrian vanguard attack Verona, but are repulsed by General Kilmaine._

_September 8th.--Battle of Ba.s.sano: Wurmser completely routed, and retires on Legnago._

No. 10.

TO JOSEPHINE, AT MILAN.

_Montebello, Noon, September 10, 1796._

_My Dear_,--The enemy has lost 18,000 men prisoners; the rest killed or wounded. Wurmser, with a column of 1500 cavalry, and 500 infantry, has no resource but to throw himself into Mantua.

Never have we had successes so unvarying and so great. Italy, Friuli, the Tyrol, are a.s.sured to the Republic. The Emperor will have to create a second army: artillery, pontoons, baggage, everything is taken.

In a few days we shall meet; it is the sweetest reward for my labours and anxieties.

A thousand fervent and very affectionate kisses.

BONAPARTE.

_September 11th.--Skirmish at Cerea: Austrians successful.

Bonaparte arrives alone, and is nearly captured._

No. 11.

TO JOSEPHINE, AT MILAN.