. A life of Napoleon Boneparte:. the Franceof 1812. The army of twenty nations, the Russianscalled the host which was preparing to meet them, and theexpression was just, for in the ranks there were Spaniards,Neapolitans, Piedmontese, Slavs, Kroats, Bavarians, Dutch-men, Poles, Romans, and a dozen other nationalities, sideby side with Frenchmen. Indeed, nearly one-half the forcewas said to be foreign. The Grand Army, as the active bodywas called, numbered, to quote the popular figures, six hun-dred and seventy-eight thousand men. It is sure that this isan exaggerated number, though certainly ov
. A life of Napoleon Boneparte:. the Franceof 1812. The army of twenty nations, the Russianscalled the host which was preparing to meet them, and theexpression was just, for in the ranks there were Spaniards,Neapolitans, Piedmontese, Slavs, Kroats, Bavarians, Dutch-men, Poles, Romans, and a dozen other nationalities, sideby side with Frenchmen. Indeed, nearly one-half the forcewas said to be foreign. The Grand Army, as the active bodywas called, numbered, to quote the popular figures, six hun-dred and seventy-eight thousand men. It is sure that this isan exaggerated number, though certainly over half a mil-lion men entered Russia. With reserves, the whole forcenumbered one million one hundred thousand. The neces-sity for so large a body of reserves is explained by the lengthof the line of communication Napoleon had to keep. Fromthe Nieman to Paris the way must be open, supply stationsguarded, fortified towns equipped. It took nearly as manymen to insure the rear of the Grand Army as it did to makeup the army PORTRAIT OF THE KING OF ROME. Painting by Lawrence. Collection of the Due de Bassano. This portrait ofNapoleon II. is an exquisite work of art, a bright and fresh must have executed this portrait while travelling in Europe, whitherhe was sent by his sovereign George IV., and paid twenty-five thousand francsa year, to paint for the great Windsor gallery the portraits of all the heroes du grand hasard de Waterloo.—A. D. 23S TROUBLE WITH THE POPE 239 With this imposing force at his command, Napoleonbeheved that he could compel Alexander to suppport thecontinental blockade, for come what might that systemmust succeed. For it the reigning house had been drivenfrom Portugal, the Pope despoiled and imprisoned, Louisgone into exile, Bernadotte driven into a new alliance. Forit the Grand Army was led into Russia. It had become,as its inventor proclaimed, the fundamental law of the em-pire. Until he crossed the Nieman, Napoleon preserved
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Keywords: ., bookcentury1900, bookdecade1900, booksubjectnapoleo, bookyear1901
