ervice to him; that
events must take their course; that he might accept or refuse the offer
as he chose; that he (Bonaparte) would place no obstacles in his way, but
that he could give him no advice. It was very evident that the choice of
Sweden was not very agreeable to Bonaparte, and though he afterwards
disavowed any opposition to it, he made overtures to Stockholm, proposing
that the crown of Sweden should be added to that of Denmark.

Bernadotte then went to the waters of Plombieres, and on his return to
Paris he sent me a letter announcing his elevation to the rank of Prince
Royal of Sweden.

On the 11th of October he arrived in Hamburg, where he stayed only three
days. He passed nearly the whole of that time with me, and he
communicated to me many curious facts connected with the secret history
of the times, and among other things some particulars respecting the
battle of Wagram. I was the first to mention to the new Prince Royal of
Sweden the reports of the doubtful manner in which the troops under his
command behaved. I reminded him of Bonaparte's dissatisfaction at these
troops; for there was no doubt of the Emperor being the author of the
complaints contained in the bulletins, especially as he had withdrawn the
troops from Bernadotte's command. Bernadotte assured me that Napoleon's
censure was unjust; during the battle he had complained of the little
spirit manifested by the soldiers. "He refused to see me," added
Bernadotte, "and I was told, as a reason for his refusal, that he was
astonished and displeased to find that, notwithstanding his complaints,
of which I must have heard, I had boasted of having gained the battle,
and had publicly complimented the Saxons whom I commanded."

Bernadotte then showed me the bulletin he drew up after the battle of
Wagram. I remarked that I had never heard of a bulletin being made by
any other than the General who was Commander-in-Chief during a battle,
and asked how the affair ended. He then handed to me a copy of the Order
of the day, which Napoleon said he had sent only to the Marshals
commanding the different corps.

Bernadotte's bulletin was printed along with Bonaparte's Order of the
Day, a thing quite unparalleled.

Though I was much interested in this account of Bonaparte's conduct after
the battle of Wagram; yet I was more curious to hear the particulars of
Bernadotte's last communication with the Emperor. The Prince informed me
that on his return from Plombi