atter end
of September, as we rode side by side; "the grand movement is begun."

Augereau, with his powerful _corps d'armee_ of twenty thousand, pressed
on from Frankfort and Mayence; Bernadotte moved up on his flank from
Nuremberg and Bamberg; Davoust hastened by forced marches from the
Danube; while Soult and Ney with a strong force remained in the south,
and in observation on the Austrian frontier. Farther to the north,
again, were the new levies and the whole Imperial Guard, strengthened
by four thousand additional men, which, together with Murat's cavalry,
formed a vast line embracing the Prussian frontier on the west and
south, and converging with giant strides towards the very heart of the
kingdom. Still, mid all the thunders of marching squadrons and the
din of advancing legions, diplomatists interchanged their respective
assurances of a peaceful issue to their differences, and politely
conveyed the most satisfactory sentiments of mutual esteem.

On the 1st of September the Emperor left Paris; but, even then, covering
his designs by an affected hope of peace, he was accompanied by the
Empress and her suite to Mayence, where all the splendor of a Court was
suddenly displayed amid the pomp and preparation of war. On the 6th he
started by daybreak; relays of horses were in waiting along the road
to Wetzlar, and with all speed he hastened forward to Bamberg, where he
issued his grand proclamation to the army.

With all his accustomed eloquence he represented to the army the
insulting demands of Prussia, and called on them, as at Austerlitz, to
reply to such a menace by one tremendous blow of victory, which should
close the campaign. "Soldiers!" said he, "you were about to return to
France to enjoy the well-won repose after all your victories. But an
enemy is in the field; the road to Paris is no longer open to you:
neither you nor I can tread it save under an arch of triumph."

The day which succeeded the issue of this proclamation, a cavalry affair
occurred at the advanced posts, in which the Prussians were somewhat the
victors. Two days later, a courier arrived at the imperial headquarters
with the account of another and more important action, between the
grenadiers of Lannes and a part of Suchet's corps, against the advanced
guard of Prince Hohenlohe, commanded by the most daring general in the
Prussian service,--Prince Louis. A cavalry combat, which lasted for near
an hour, closed this brief but bloody encoun