WARS and BATTLES
From Ancient Greece - to modern day.
Goethe's description of the cannonade has been quoted. His observation to his comrades, and the camp of the allies at the end of the battle, deserves quotation also. It shows that the poet felt (and probably he alone, of the thousands there assembled, felt) the full importance of that day. He describes the consternation and the change of demeanor which he observed among his Prussian friends that evening. He tells us that " most of them were silent, and, in fact, the power of reflection and judgment was wanting to all. At last I was called upon to say what I thought of the engagement, for I had been in the habit of enlivening
and amusing the troop with short sayings. This time I said, ' From this place and from this day forth commences a new era in the world's history,
and you can all say that you were present at its birth." 1794. Lord Howe's victory over the French fleet. Final partition of Poland by Russia, Prussia, and Austria. 1795. The French armies, under Pichegru, conquer Holland. Cessation of the war in La Vendee. 1796. Bonaparte commands the French army of Italy, and gains repeated victories over the Austrians. 1797. Victory of Jervis off Cape St. Vincent. Peace of Campo Formio between France and Austria. Defeat of the Dutch off Camperdown by Admiral Duncan. 1798. Rebellion in Ireland. Expedition of the French under Bonaparte to Egypt. Lord Nelson destroys the French fleet at the battle of the Nile. 1799. Renewal of the war between Austria and France. The Russian emperor sends an army in aid of Austria under Suwarrow. The French are repeatedly defeated in Italy. Bonaparte returns from Egypt and makes himself First Consul of France. Massena wins the battle of Zurich. The Russian emperor makes peace with France. 1800. Bonaparte passes the Alps, and defeats the Austrians at Marengo. Moreau wins the battle of Hohenlinden. 1801. Treaty of Luneville between France and Austria. The battle of Copenhagen. 1802. Peace of Amiens. 1803. War between England and France renewed. 1804. Napoleon Bonaparte is made Emperor of France. 1805. Great preparations of Napoleon to invade England. Austria, supported by Russia, renews war with France. Napoleon marches into Germany, takes Vienna, and gains the battle of Austerlitz. Lord Nelson destroys the combined French and Spanish fleets, and is killed at the battle of Trafalgar. 1806. War between Prussia and France. Napoleon conquers Prussia at the battle of Jena. 1807. Obstinate warfare between the French and Prussian armies in East Prussia and Poland. Peace of Tilsit. 1808. Napoleon endeavors to make his brother king of Spain. Rising of the Spanish nation against him. England sends troops to aid the Spaniards. Battle of Vimiera and Corunna. 1809. War renewed between France and Austria. Battles of Asperne and Wagram. Peace granted to Austria. Lord Wellington's victory of Talavera, in Spain. 1810. Marriage of Napoleon and the Arch-duchess Maria Louisa. Holland annexed to France. 1812. War between England and the United States. Napoleon invades Russia. Battle of Borodino. The French occupy Moscow, which is burned. Disastrous retreat and almost total destruction of the great army of France. 1813. Prussia and Austria take up arms again against France. Battles of Lützen, Bautzen, Dresden, Culm, and Leipsic. The French are driven out of Germany. Lord Wellington gains the great battle of Vittoria, which completes the rescue of Spain from France. 1814. The allies invade France on the eastern, and Lord Wellington invades it on the southern, frontier. Battles of Laon, Montmirail, Arcis-sur-Aube, and others in the north-east of France; and of Toulouse in the south. Paris surrenders to the allies, and Napoleon abdicates. First restoration of the Bourbons. Napoleon goes to the Isle of Elba, which is assigned to him by the allies. Treaty of Ghent between the United States and England.
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