part of his troop.  It was learned also that Vandamme, incited by his natural intrepidity, and unable to resist a desire to attack the enemy whom he saw within his grasp, had left his intrenchments to make the attack.  He had conquered at first, but when after his victory he attempted to resume his former position he found it occupied, as the Prussians had seized it; and though he fought with all the abandon of despair, it was all in vain, and General Kleist, proud of this fine trophy, conducted him in triumph to Prague.  It was while speaking of this audacious attack of Vandamme that the Emperor used this expression, which has been so justly admired, “For a retreating enemy it is necessary to make a bridge of gold, or oppose a wall of brass.”  The Emperor heard with his usual imperturbability the particulars of the loss he had just experienced, but nevertheless repeatedly expressed his astonishment at the deplorable recklessness of Vandamme, and said he could not comprehend how this experienced general could have allowed himself to be drawn away from his position.  But the deed was done, and in such instances the Emperor never lost time in useless recriminations.  “Come,” said he, addressing the Duke of Bassano, “you have just heard—­that means war from early in the morning until late in the evening.”

After giving various orders to the army and his chiefs, the Emperor left Dresden on the evening of the 3d of September, with the intention of regaining what he had lost from the audacious imprudence of General Vandamme.  But this defeat, the first we had sustained since the resumption of hostilities, became the forerunner of the long series of reverses which awaited us.  It might have been said that victory, having made one last effort in our favor at Dresden, had finally grown weary; for the remainder of the campaign was but a succession of disasters, aggravated by treachery of every description, and ending in the horrible catastrophe at Leipzig.  Before leaving Dresden we had learned of the desertion to the enemy of a Westphalian regiment, with arms and baggage.

The Emperor left Marshal Saint-Cyr in Dresden with thirty thousand men, with orders to hold it to the last extremity, since the Emperor wished to preserve this capital at any price.  The month of September was spent in marches and countermarches around this city, with no events of decided importance.  Alas! the Emperor was never again to see the garrison of Dresden.  Circumstances becoming still more embarrassed, imperiously demanded that his Majesty should promptly oppose some obstacle to the progress of the allies.  The King of Saxony, furnishing an example of fidelity rare among kings, determined to accompany the Emperor, and entered his carriage in company with the queen and the Princess Augusta, having the headquarters’ staff as escort.  Two days after his departure the Saxon troops joined the French army at Eilenburg, on the banks of the Mulda.  The Emperor exhorted