household, to whom he related all the disasters that had befallen Buonaparte’s legions, and which was the first true account that ever reached the Prussian court.
The base conduct of St. Cyr, in retaining possession of the paper signed by Captain Willoughby, at Polotzk, was most sensibly felt by the latter after his entry into Prussia, as he was not only often urged to make his escape, but even frequently insulted by the officers of that nation, for refusing to follow their advice: they argued, that as the French had broke the contract, under which he affixed his signature to that instrument, he was by no means bound to adhere to the promise it contained; and they declared that he was not doing justice to his country in going as a prisoner to France, when he could so easily recover his liberty. Every one of them assured him, that their King was ready to break his connection with Napoleon, and to join the Russians as soon as they advanced in force: on one occasion, during the momentary absence of his guard, a party actually dragged him by main force to an outhouse, from whence they would have removed him to some secure place of concealment: all their entreaties, taunts, and assurances, however, proved unavailing; he had signed his name to the paper, and he was well aware that, if he escaped, it would be gazetted, not only by the French, but by every government under their influence, that an English officer of rank had dishonorably broke his parole, as had already been done in another case, under nearly similar circumstances.
While passing through the Prussian territory. Captain Willoughby travelled slow; and not a night passed without his being invited to join parties, so eager were the subjects of Frederick William III. to question him respecting the Russian campaign, the famed expose of which had not yet been issued by Napoleon, but whose partisans were every where employed fabricating and spreading accounts of dreadful losses sustained by the Russians, both by the sword and the severe winter[1]. As Captain Willoughby spoke with the
- ↑ Buonaparte’s exposé of the campaign of 1812, was the truest he ever issued – in it, none of his disasters were disguised.
