Page:Battles of Quatre Bras & Waterloo.pdf/3

 France to Paris. On the 26th February, Napoleon reviewed his little army in Elba, consisting of 700 men of his old guard, 300 Corsicans, and 140 Poles. His fleet consisted of a brig mounting 26 guns, and 6 small transports. With this handful of men, he invaded a kingdom containing 26,000,000 of inhabitants. At eight o'clock they embarked, the firing of a gun being the signal of departure; and they sailed from the harbour enthusiastically shouting " Paris or death." On the 1st of March they entered the gulf of Juan, at a short distance from Frejus. Previous to their landing, he ordered his men to throw the cockade of Elba into the sea, and presented them with the national colours, amid shouts of "The Emperor for ever.” At Digne and Cunnes, the peasants flocked from every quarter to join his standard.Leaving the main body of his troops behind him, he proceeded with only 10 horsemen, and 40 grenadiers, and arrived at Gap on the 5th March, where he issued his first proclamations, thousands of which were distributed through the country, and rousing the spirit of the army, by reminding them of the battles of Ulm, Austerlitz, Jena, Eylau, Friedland, Tudela, Eckmuhl, Essling, Wagram, Smolenkso, Moscow, Lutzen, Worken, Montmiral, &c.

On the 6th, Napoleon hastened to Grenoble, but at the village of Mure, he met the advanced guard of the troops from that place who were to oppose him. When he was informed that his progress would be contested, he resolved to put in practice a ruse-de-guerre, which does infinite credit to his talents and courage. He proceeded towards the royal troops, accompanied only by two or three officers. When he arrived within pistolshot, he alighted and advanced to the right of the