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Memoirs of Napoleon Bonaparte； V11
by Louis Antoine Fauvelet de Bourrienne
His Private Secretary
Edited by R。 W。 Phipps
Colonel； Late Royal Artillery
1891
CONTENTS：
CHAPTER XIX。 to CHAPTER XXVII。 1809…1812
CHAPTER XIX。
1809。
The castle of DiernsteinRichard Coeur de Lion and Marshal Lannes；
The Emperor at the gates of ViennaThe Archduchess Maria Louisa
Facility of correspondence with EnglandSmuggling in HamburgBrown
sugar and sandHearses filled with sugar and coffeeEmbargo on the
publication of newsSupervision of the 'Hamburg Correspondant'
Festival of Saint NapoleonEcclesiastical adulationThe King of
Westphalia's journey through his StatesAttempt to raise a loan
Jerome's present to meThe present returnedBonaparte's unfounded
suspicions。
Rapp； who during the campaign of Vienna had resumed his duties as aide de
camp； related to me one of those observations of Napoleon which； when his
words are compared with the events that followed them； seem to indicate a
foresight into his future destiny。 When within some days' march of
Vienna the Emperor procured a guide to explain to him every village and
ruin which he observed on the road。 The guide pointed to an eminence on
which were a few decayed vestiges of an old fortified castle。 〃Those；〃
said the guide； 〃are the ruins of the castle of Diernstein。〃 Napoleon
suddenly stopped； and stood for some time silently contemplating the
ruins； then turning to Lannes； who was with him； he raid； 〃See！ yonder
is the prison of Richard Coeur de Lion。 He； like us； went to Syria and
Palestine。 But； my brave Lannes； the Coeur de Lion was not braver than
you。 He was more fortunate than I at St。 Jean d'Acre。 A Duke of Austria
sold him to an Emperor of Germany； who imprisoned him in that castle。
Those were the days of barbarism。 How different from the civilisation of
modern times！ Europe has seen how I treated the Emperor of Austria； whom
I might have made prisonerand I would treat him so again。 I claim no
credit for this。 In the present age crowned heads must be respected。 A
conqueror imprisoned！〃
A few days after the Emperor was at the gates of Vienna； but on this
occasion his access to the Austrian capital was not so easy as it had
been rendered in 1805 by the ingenuity and courage of Lannes and Murat。
The Archduke Maximilian； who was shut up in the capital； wished to defend
it； although the French army already occupied the principal suburbs。 In
vain were flags of truce sent one after the other to the Archduke。 They
were not only dismissed unheard； but were even ill…treated； and one of
them was almost killed by the populace。 The city was then bombarded； and
would speedily have been destroyed but that the Emperor； being informed
that one of the Archduchesses remained in Vienna on account of ill…
health； ordered the firing to cease。 By a singular caprice of Napoleon's
destiny this Archduchess was no other than Maria Louisa。 Vienna at
length opened her gates to Napoleon； who for some days took up his
residence at Schoenbrunn。
The Emperor was engaged in so many projects at once that they could not
all succeed。 Thus； while he was triumphant in the Hereditary States his
Continental system was experiencing severe checks。 The trade with
England on the coast of Oldenburg was carped on as uninterruptedly as if
in time of peace。 English letters and newspapers arrived on the
Continent； and those of the Continent found their way into Great Britain；
as if France and England had been united by ties of the firmest
friendship。 In short； things were just in the same state as if the
decree for the blockade of the British Isles had not existed。 When the
custom…house officers succeeded in seizing contraband goods they were
again taken from them by main force。 On the 2d of July a serious contest
took place at Brinskham between the custom…house officers and a party of
peasantry； in which the latter remained masters of eighteen wagons laden
with English goods： many were wounded on both sides。
If； however； trade with England was carried on freely along a vast extent
of coast； it was different in the city of Hamburg； where English goods
were introduced only by fraud； and I verily believe that the art of
smuggling and the schemes of smugglers were never before carried to such
perfection。 Above 6000 persons of the lower orders went backwards and
forwards； about twenty times a day； from Altona to Hamburg； and they
carried on their contraband； trade by many ingenious stratagems； two of
which were so curious that they are worth mentioning here。
On the left of the road leading from Hamburg to Altona there was a piece
of ground where pits were dug for the purpose of procuring sand used for
building and for laying down in the streets。 At this time it was
proposed to repair the great street of Hamburg leading to the gate of
Altona。 The smugglers overnight filled the sandpit with brown sugar； and
the little carts which usually conveyed the sand into Hamburg were filled
with the sugar； care being taken to cover it with a layer of sand about
an inch thick。 This trick was carried on for a length of time； but no
progress was made in repairing the street。 I complained greatly of the
delay； even before I was aware of its cause； for the street led to a
country…house I had near Altona； whither I went daily。 The officers of
the customs at length perceived that the work did not proceed； and one
fine morning the sugar…carts were stopped and seized。 Another expedient
was then to be devised。
Between Hamburg and Altona there was a little suburb situated on the
right bank of the Elbe。 This suburb was inhabited； by sailors； labourers
of the port； and landowners。 The inhabitants were interred in the
cemetery of Hamburg。 It was observed that funeral processions passed
this way more frequently than usual。 The customhouse officers； amazed at
the sudden mortality of the worthy inhabitants of the little suburb；
insisted on searching one of the vehicles； and on opening the hearse it
was found to be filled with sugar； coffee； vanilla； indigo； etc。 It was
necessary to abandon this expedient； but others were soon discovered。
Bonaparte was sensitive； in an extraordinary degree； to all that was said
and thought of him； and Heaven knows how many despatches I received from
headquarters during the campaign of Vienna directing me not only to watch
the vigilant execution of the custom…house laws； but to lay an embargo on
a thing which alarmed him more than the introduction of British
merchandise； viz。 the publication of news。 In conformity with these
reiterated instructions I directed especial attention to the management
of the 'Correspondant'。 The importance of this journal； with its 60；000
readers； may easily be perceived。 I procured the insertion of everything
I thought desirable： all the bulletins； proclamations； acts of the French
Government； notes of the 'Moniteur'； and the semi…official articles of
the French journals： these were all given 'in extenso'。 On the other
hand； I often suppressed adverse news； which； thou