Scarcely had the Parisians seen the prisoners from Montmirail marched along their boulevards, before they heard that the Cossacks were in possession of Fontainebleau.  Napoleon had left, as was mentioned, small divisions of his army to guard the bridges over the Seine at Nogent and Bray.  The enemy, however, soon discovered that the Emperor and his chief force were no longer in that quarter, and—­while he was beating Alsusieff, Sacken, and Blucher—­had made good the passage of the Seine, at three different points, at Nogent, at Bray, and still further down, at Montereau, driving the discomfited guardians of these important places before them.  Schwartzenberg had already his headquarters at Nangis, and was obviously resolved to reach Paris, if possible, while Napoleon was on the Marne.  The light troops of the grand allied army were scattering confusion on both sides of the Seine—­and one party of them were so near the capital as Fontainebleau.

Buonaparte instantly committed to Marmont and Mortier the care of watching the Chalons road and the remains of Blucher’s army, and marched with his main body on Meaux, where he received (15th February) the welcome reinforcement of 20,000 veterans from Spain, commanded by Grouchy.  On the 16th, Victor and Oudinot were engaged with the van of Schwartzenberg, on the plains of Guignes, when the Emperor arrived to their assistance.  The enemy immediately drew back, and concentrated his strength at Nangis.  Napoleon attacked that position on the morning of the 17th, and with such effect, that the allies retreated after considerable loss, though not in disorder, on the bridges in their rear.

They halted, however, at Montereau, and Victor, who commanded the pursuers on that route, failed in dislodging them.  Napoleon resented this as a heinous error, and coming up on the morning of the 18th, rebuked him in terms of violent wrath, and formally dismissed him from the service.  The Marshal, tears streaming down his face, declared that though he had ceased to be an officer, he must still be a soldier, and would serve once more in the ranks, from which he had originally risen.  The old man’s son-in-law, General Chateau, had been slain the same morning.  Napoleon extended his hand to him, and said he could not give him back the command of his corps d’armee, which had already been assigned to another, but that he was welcome to place himself at the head of a brigade of the guard.  The attack then commenced with fury, and the bridge and town of Montereau were carried.  The defence was, however, long and stern, and Napoleon was seen pointing cannon with his own hand, under the heaviest of the fire.  The artillerymen, delighted with witnessing this resumption of his ancient trade, were, nevertheless, alarmed at the exposure of his person, and entreated him to withdraw.  He persisted in his work, answering gaily, “My children! the bullet that shall kill me is not yet cast.”  Pursuing his advantage, Napoleon saw the grand army continue their retreat in the direction of Troyes, and on the morning of the 22nd arrived before Mery.