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Meanwhile on the 8th of January appeared the decree which called out for
active duty thirty thousand men of the National Guard of Paris on the
very day when by a singular and fatal coincidence the King of Naples
signed a treaty of alliance with Great Britain。 The Emperor reserved for
himself the chief command of the National Parisian Guard； and constituted
the staff as follows： a vice…commander…in…chief； four aides who were
major…generals； four adjutant commandants； and eight assistant captains。
A legion was formed in each district； and each legion was divided into
four battalions subdivided into five companies。 Next the Emperor
appointed the following to superior grades：
General vice…commander…in…chief。 Marshal de Moncey； Duke of Conegliano。
Aidesmajor…generals。 General of division； Count Hullin； Count
Bertrand； grand marshal of the。 palace； Count of Montesquieu； grand
chamberlain； Count de Montmorency； chamberlain of the Emperor。
Adjutant…commandants。 Baron Laborde； adjutant…commandant of the post of
Paris； Count Albert de Brancas； chamberlain of the Emperor； Count
Germain； chamberlain of the Emperor； M。 Tourton。
Assistant captains。 Count Lariboisiere； Chevalier Adolphe de Maussion；
Messieurs Jules de Montbreton； son of the equerry of the Princess
Borghese； Collin； junior； the younger； Lecordier； junior； Lemoine；
junior； Cardon； junior； Malet； junior。
Chiefs of the twelve Legions。 First legion； Count de Gontaut； senior；
second legion； Count Regnault de Saint Jean d'Angely； third legion； Baron
Hottinguer； banker； fourth legion； Count Jaubert； governor of the bank of
France； fifth legion； M。 Dauberjon de Murinais； sixth legion； M。 de
Fraguier； seventh legion； M。 Lepileur de Brevannes； eighth legion； M。
Richard Lenoir； ninth legion； M。 Devins de Gaville； tenth legion； the
Duke of Cadore； eleventh legion； Count de Choiseul…Praslin； chamberlain
of the Emperor； twelfth legion； M。 Salleron。
From the names we have just read； we may judge of the incredible insight
by which his Majesty was enabled to choose； among the most distinguished
persons of the different classes of society； those most popular and most
influential from their positions。 By the side of the names which had
gained glory under the eyes of the Emperor； and by seconding him in his
great undertakings； could be found those whose claim to distinction was
more ancient and recalled noble memories； and finally the heads of the
principal industries in the capital。 This species of amalgamation
delighted the Emperor greatly； and he must have attached to it great
political importance； for this idea occupied his attention to such an
extent that I have often heard him say； 〃I wish to confound all classes；
all periods； all glories。 I desire that no title may be more glorious
than the title of Frenchman。〃 Why is it fate decreed that the Emperor
should not be allowed time to carry out his extensive plans for the glory
and happiness of France of which he so often spoke？ The staff of the
National Guard and the chiefs of the twelve legions being appointed； the
Emperor left the nomination of the other officers； as well as the
formation of the legions； to the selection of M。 de Chabrol； prefect of
the Seine。 This worthy magistrate； to whom the Emperor was much
attached； displayed under these circumstances the greatest zeal and
activity； and in a short time the National Guard presented an imposing
appearance。 They were armed； equipped； and clothed in the best possible
manner； and this ardor； which might be called general； was in these last
days one of the consolations which most deeply touched the heart of the
Emperor； since he saw in it a proof of the attachment of the Parisians to
his person； and an additional motive for feeling secure as to the
tranquillity of the capital during his approaching absence。 Be that as
it may； the bureau of the National Guard was soon formed； and established
in the residence which Marshal Moncey inhabited on the Rue du Faubourg
Saint…Honore； near the square Beauveau； and one master of requests and
two auditors of the council of state were attached to it。 The master of
requests； a superior officer of engineers； the Chevalier Allent； soon be
came the soul of the whole administration of the National Guard； no one
being more capable than he of giving a lively impulse to an organization
which required great promptness。 The person from whom I obtained this
information； which I intermingle with my personal souvenirs； has assured
me that following upon； that is to say； after our departure for Chalons…
sur…Marne； M。 Allent became still more influential in the National Guard；
of which he was the real head。 In fact； when King Joseph had received
the title of lieutenant…general to the Emperor； which his Majesty
conferred on him during the time of his absence； M。 Allent found himself
attached on one hand to the staff of King Joseph as officer of engineers；
and on the other to the vice…general…in…chief in his quality of master of
requests。 It resulted that he was the mediator and counselor in all
communications which were necessarily established between the lieutenant…
general of the Emperor and Marshal Moncey； and the promptness of his
decisions was a source of great benefit to that good and grave marshal。
He signed all letters； 〃The Marshal； Duke de Conegliano； 〃 and wrote so
slowly that M。 Allent had； so to speak； time to write the correspondence
while the marshal was signing his name。 The auditors to the council of
state duties of the two were nothing； or nearly so； but these men were by
no means nobodies； as has been asserted； though a few of that character
of course slipped into the council； since the first condition for holding
this office was simply to prove an income of at least six thousand
francs。 These were Messieurs Ducancel； the dean of the auditors； and M。
Robert de Sainte…Croix。 A shell had broken the latter's leg during the
return from Moscow； and this brave young man； a captain of cavalry； had
returned； seated astride a cannon； from the banks of the Beresina to
Wilna。 Having little physical strength； but gifted with a strong mind；
M。 Robert de Sainte…Croix owed it to his moral courage not to succumb；
and after undergoing the amputation of his leg； left the sword for the
pen； and it was thus he became auditor to the council of state。
The week after the National Guard of the city of Paris had been called
into service； the chiefs of the twelve legions and the general staff were
admitted to take the oath of fidelity at the Emperor's hands。 The
National Guard had already been organized into legions； but the want of
arms was keenly felt； and many citizens could procure only lances； and
those who could not obtain guns or buy them found themselves thereby
chilled in their ardor to equip themselves。 Nevertheless； the Citizen
Guard soon enrolled the desired number of thirty thousand men； and by
degrees it occupied the different posts of the capital； and whilst
fathers of families and citizens employed in domestic work were enrolled
without difficulty； those who had already paid their debts to their
country on the battlefield also demanded to be allowed to serve her
again； and to shed for her the last drop of their blood。 Invalided
soldiers begged to resume their service。 Hundreds of these brave
soldiers forgot their sufferings； and covered with honorable wounds went
forth again to confront the enemy。 Alas！ very few of those who then
left the Hotel des Invalides were fortunate enough to return。
Meanwhile the moment of the Emperor's departure approached； but before
setting out he bade a touching adieu to the National Guard； as we shall
see in the next chapter； and confided the regency to the Empress as he
had formerly intrusted it to her during the campaign in Dresden。 Alas
this time it was not necessary to make a long journey before the Emperor
was at the head of his army。
CHAPTER XXII。
We are now about to begin the campaign of miracles； but before relating
the events which I witnessed on this campaign； during which I； so to
speak； never left the Emperor； it is necessary that I here inscribe some
souvenirs which may be considered as a necessary introduction。 It is
well known that the Swiss cantons had solemnly declared to the Emperor
that they would not allow their territory to be violated； and that they
would do everything possible to oppose the passage of the allied armies
who were marching on the frontiers of France by way of the Breisgau。 The
Emperor； in order to stop them on their march； relied upon the
destruction of the bridge of Bale； but this bridge was not destroyed；
and Switzerland； instead of maintaining her promised neutrality； entered
into the coalition against France。 The foreign armies passed the Rhine
at Bale； at Schaffhausen； and at Mannheim。 Capitulations made with the
generals of the confederated troops in regard to the French garrisons of
Dantzic； Dresden； and other strong towns had been； as we have seen；
openly violated。 Thus Marshal Gouvion Saint…Cyr and his army corps had
been； contrary to the stipulations contained in the treaties； surrounded
by superior forces； d