The King of Prussia, thus deprived of his whole army, retreated first to Custrin, and afterwards to Koningsberg, where he awaited the arrival of the Russians, without whose assistance he had imprudently engaged in the contest.
Those Princes of Germany who had joined the King of Prussia in this short and unfortunate war, were severely punished by the conqueror. The Elector of Hesse, and the young Duke of Brunswick, were deprived of their do minions ; Mecklenburg was taken possession of; the Elec tor of Saxony, however, was pardoned, as he had been com pelled to act against France. Hanover was occupied ; and Fulda, Cassel, and Hamburg, were taken possession of in the name of Bonaparte.
In the mean time, the Russian army destined for the support of Prussia, had crossed the Vistula under general Benningsen. The French also advanced into Poland, and, by their manceuvres and superior force, obliged the Rus sians to recross the Vistula. Their retreat, however, having enabled them to join strong reinforcements, they again ad vanced, and fixed their head-quarters at Pultusk. Here, on the 26th of December, a dreadful battle was fought, which continued for sonic time with considerable ‘ieissi tude; but at length terminated in the de feat of the Rus sians, who fell considerably back. Bonaparte, however, found his army so much weakened by his dearly bought victory, that this circumstance, and the severity of the win ter in this country, induced him to go into winter quarters. The King of Prussia, still more dispirited by the misfor tunes of his ally, endeavoured to procure peace, but in vain.
It has already been mentioned, that Bonaparte had made his brother Joseph king of Naples. It may, however, be proper briefly to narrate the events, which deprived the le gitimate monarch of his throne. lie had lately made peace with Bonaparte, but by permitting au Anglo-Russian army to embark at Naples, which was to act against France, he incurred the displeasure of Bonaparte. Joseph Bonaparte was sent with au army against him ; the Neapolitan troops could make no resistance ; the kingdom was in a very short time overrun and subdued ; and Joseph Bonaparte entered his capital in tliumph.
Although Bonaparte, after the battle of Pultusk, deemed it necessary to go into winter quarters with his main army, yet the rest of his forces were by no means idle. Silesia was invaded ; and on the 8th of January 1807, Breslau sur rendered. The other fortresses in this country did not hold out long afterwards. Other divisions of his army were
employed in besieging Stralsund, Colberg, and Dantzic. But the efforts of Bonaparte were principally directed against the Russian army, which early in 1807 was in great force. About the end of January he quitted Warsaw, (where lie had done nothing towards the re-establishment of Poland, though by promising this he had gained over the Poles to his interest,) and joined his army. Operations im mediately commenced, the result of which was, that the Russians were obliged to retreat, and take up a position behind Eylau. Here Bonaparte attacked them ; the con test was desperate. At one period of it, a thick fall of snow intercepted the view of the French divisions, and for a considerable time they were exposed to extreme uncer tainty and danger. At length Marshal Davoust succeeded in outflanking the Russians, who retreated, but not in the least disorder. (See ENGLAND) Both parties claimed the victory ; in fact, the battle was indecisive, except so far that the French compelled the Russians to retreat on the day when it took place ; for they in their turn, instead of passing the Pregel in pursuit of the enemy, or pushing on to Koningsberg, retired to their entrenchments. Soon afterwards, the Emperor Alexander, and his brother Con stantine, joined the Russian army with upwards of 60,000 troops ; and Bonaparte ordered strong reinforcements from France and Germany.
In the mean time, the siege of Dantzic was prosecuted with great vigour, and it was obstinately defended. The garrison consisted of 16,000 men. On the 24th of April the bombardment began ; and in one night three attempts were made by the French to gain the citadel, but they were ineffectual. As the relief of this place was an object of great importance to the allies, they resolved to attempt it : the Russians first advanced for that purpose, but they fail ed, and suffered a very severe loss. The Prussians next endeavoured to penetrate to Dantzic, but they were soon obliged to abandon their enterprise. On the 21st of May, every thing being prepared for the assault, the governor, (his garrison being reduced to 9000 men, and there being no hope of relief,) agreed to surrender. This conquest was of great importance to Bonaparte, as Dantzic strengthened the left wing of his army, while the centre was supported by Thorn, and the right by Praga.