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Recollections of the Private Life of Napoleon — Volume 10 by Louis Constant Wairy
page 50 of 73 (68%)
barn, which were all burned. One of these wagons contained the traveling
treasury chest; in another were the clothes and linen belonging to the
Emperor, as well as jewelry, rings, tobacco boxes, and other valuable
objects. We saved very few things from this fire; and if the reserve
corps had not arrived promptly, his Majesty would have been obliged to
change his customary toilet rules for want of stockings and shirts. The
Saxon Major d'Odeleben, who has written some interesting articles on this
campaign, states that everything belonging to his Majesty was burned; and
that it was necessary to have him some pantaloons made in the greatest
haste at Breslau. This is a mistake. I do not think that the baggage-
wagon was burned; but even if it had been, the Emperor would not on that
account have needed clothing, since there were always four or five
complete suits either in advance or in the rear of the headquarters.
In Russia, when the order was given to burn all carriages which lacked
horses, this order was rigorously executed in regard to the persons of
the household, and they were consequently left with almost nothing; but
everything was reserved which might be considered indispensable to his
Majesty.

At length on the 1st of June, at six o'clock in the morning, the advance
guard entered Breslau, having at its head General Lauriston, and General
Hogendorp, whom his Majesty had invested in advance with the functions of
governor of this town, which was the capital of Silesia. Thus was
fulfilled in part the promise the Emperor had made in passing through
Warsaw on his return from Russia: "I go to seek three hundred thousand
men. Success will render the Russians bold. I will deliver two battles
between the Elbe and the Oder, and in six months I will be again on the
Niemen."

These two battles fought and gained by conscripts, and without cavalry,
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