eorge III. at his levee.]

CHAPTER XVIII

Recommencement of the War--French seize Hanover and Naples--the
English seize various French colonies--Scheme of invading England
resumed--Moreau--Pichegru--Georges Cadoudal--Captain Wright--Murder
of the Duke d'Enghien--Napoleon Emperor of France--King of
Italy--Genoa united to the Empire.

The war was re-opened vigorously on both sides. The English fleets
rapidly reconquered various colonies surrendered back to France by the
treaty of Amiens, and assisted in compelling the dwindled army which
Leclerc had commanded to evacuate St. Domingo. Buonaparte, on the other
hand, despised utterly the distinction between the British Empire and
Hanover--a possession indeed of the same prince, but totally unconnected
with the English Constitution, and, as belonging to the Germanic Empire,
entitled, if it chose, to remain neutral--and having first marched an
army into Holland, ordered Mortier, its chief, to advance without
ceremony and seize the Electorate. At the same time, and with the same
pretext, French troops poured into the South of Italy, and occupied
Naples.

General Mortier's appearance on the Hanoverian frontier was such as to
satisfy the Duke of Cambridge, governor for the Elector, that resistance
was hopeless. He entered into a negotiation (May, 1803), by which the
territory was to be surrendered, provided his army were permitted to
retire unbroken behind the Elbe, pledging themselves not to take the
field again against France during this war. But the ministers of George
III. advised him not to ratify this treaty. Mortier demanded of General
Walmsloden, commander-in-chief of the Hanoverian army, to surrender his
arms--or abide the consequences of being attacked beyond the Elbe--and
that fine body of men was accordingly disarmed and disbanded. The
cavalry, being ordered to dismount and yield their horses to the French,
there ensued a scene which moved the sympathy of the invading soldiery
themselves. The strong attachment between the German dragoon and his
horse is well known; and this parting was more like that of dear
kindred than of man and beast.

The emperor, whose duty it was, as head of the German body, to reclaim
against this invasion of its territory, was obliged to put up with the
Consul's explanation, viz. that he had no wish to make the conquest of
Hanover, but merely to hold it until England should see the necessity of
fulfillin