of the first
Revolution, viz., Belgium, the left bank of the Rhine, Savoy, and
Nice; but Napoleon could not be content with such curtailment of his
power. Evading at first the proposal, he would have accepted it, but
with suspicious qualifications, when too late. The invasion of France
followed. The allies issued a manifesto on December 1st, saying they
were waging war against Napoleon alone, and advanced with three
separate armies. Schwarzenberg led the Austrians through Switzerland,
Bluecher crossed the Middle Rhine toward Nancy, while the northern army
passed through Holland. Napoleon had yet hopes of success on account
of the forces he still had in the German fortresses, the mutual
jealousies of the allies, his connection with the Emperor of Austria,
and the patriotism which would be aroused in France by invasion. But
the allies gave him no time to utilize these influences, and Paris was
not fortified. Napoleon carried on a campaign full of genius, gaining
what advantage he could from the separation of his enemies. He
attacked Bluecher and won four battles in four days at Champaubert
(February 10, 1814), Montmirail (11th), Chateau-Thierry (12th), and
Vauchamps (13th). These successes would have enabled him to make a
reasonable peace, but his personal position forbade this, and he tried
subterfuge and delay. The allies, however, were not to be trifled
with, and in the beginning of March signed the treaty of Chaumont,
which bound them each to keep 150,000 men on foot for twenty years.
The battles of Craonne and Laon followed, in which Napoleon held his
own, but saw his resources dwindle. On March 18th the conferences at
Chatillon came to an end, and on the 24th the allies determined to
march on Paris. Marmont and Mortier, with less than thirty thousand
men, could make no head against them, while Napoleon himself tried a
fruitless diversion against their communications. Joseph Bonaparte
withdrew Maria Louisa and the King of Rome to Tours. On March 30th the
allies attacked Paris on three sides, and in the afternoon the French
marshals offered to capitulate. Napoleon, when he learned the real
state of affairs, hurried up in rear of the allies, but was too late,
and had to fall back to Fontainebleau. His position was desperate, and
to add to his difficulties Wellington, whose career of success had
gradually cleared the French out of the Peninsula, had now led his
victorious army across the Pyrenees into France itself.