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LIFE OF COLONEL MACERONI.

advice to his brother-in-law. I know there are manyenthusiastic admirers of Napoleon who will affect to treatthis account as apocryphal or doubtful. No man canadmire and appreciate the great genius and virtues —yes,virtues, great virtues of Napoleon , more than myself—butthat is no reason why an important truth should be con-cealed—and Murat’s reputation defrauded of an instance sohonourable to his judgment!—King Joachim is to be alwayscalled—-“the impetuous” — “the eager”—but when asignal example is given of his foresight and prudence, anattempt is made to rob him of its merit. For some daysthe Emperor remained at Smolensko , in evident doubt andindecision; but, at length, anxious for a general battle ortwo, as the only apparent means towards his end—a peace,he gave the word “ forward ”—which, for the first time inhis life, Joachim Murat heard with regret! It is but justiceto add, that this proposal to winter at Smolensko , wasapproved of by Marshals Davoust, Ney, and GouvionSaint Cyr .

The French advanced, — the Russians retreated. AtPolotsk they were sorely defeated by Marshal Saint Cyr.At Valontina they were beaten with great loss by Ney, andon this occasion I will stop an instant to give a characteristicanecdote of King Joachim , the like of which he was seen toperform almost every day. At the attack of ValontinaMurat was charging the Russians on the high road iri front,and was expecting the co-operation of the Westphalianscommanded by Junot , on the enemy’s left flank. But notseeing any thing of them, he left his forces, and accom-panied by a few aides-de-camp and a single squadron, he flewacross certain woods and swamps towards Junot . Re-proaching the latter for his inaction, he was answered thatthe Wirtemburg cavalry was too soft ( molle ) to be trustedwith an attack upon such strong positions as the Russians