, Italy, and Piedmont.
But in the night after the consultation, and before the ultimatum
received his signature, Napoleon received information which quite
altered his views. He learned that Blucher, instead of continuing his
march down the Aube, and in communication with Schwartzenberg on the
Seine, had transferred his whole army to the Marne, and was now
advancing towards Paris by the Montmirail road. That the Allies, after
experiencing the effects of disunion at Brienne, and those of
conjunction at La Rothiere, should have almost in the moment of victory
again resolved on separating their forces, is a circumstance which no
writer has as yet explained in any satisfactory manner. The blunder was
great; yet in the end its consequences were disastrous, not to those who
committed, but to him whose eagle-eye detected it, and who could not
resist the temptation which it presented, to make one warlike effort
more. Buonaparte, in a word, refused to sign the despatch on the
morning of the 9th; and having left Bourmont at Nogent, with a small
force to defend the bridge over the Seine, and Oudinot with another, for
the same purpose, at the next bridge in descending the river, namely,
that of Bray, immediately commenced his march with the main body of his
army upon Sezanne.

It was the depth of winter--the cross-roads on which they moved were in
the most frightful condition, insomuch that had not the zealous Mayor of
Barbonne collected 500 horses, and come to their assistance, they must
have been forced to leave all their artillery in a slough near that
town; yet this determined band marched nearly forty miles ere they
halted with the dark. Next morning they proceeded with equal alacrity,
and at length debouched on the road by which Blucher's army was
advancing, at Champaubert. Alsusieff and the central division were
passing, when Napoleon unexpectedly appeared at this point, and were
altogether unable to resist his onset. They dispersed in confusion with
great loss, and fled towards the Marne. Meantime the van of the same
army, commanded by Sacken, who were advancing on La Ferte, and the
division of D'York, already in sight of Meaux, turned on hearing the
cannonade of Champaubert, and countermarched with the view of supporting
Alsusieff. They shared the fate of the centre, and having been severely
handled at Montmirail, escaped across the Marne at Chateau-Tierry; thus
leaving Blucher and the rear division alone to abide the attac