Letter 040 — XL
Original French
Elchingen, le 18 octobre 1805.
J’ai été, ma bonne Joséphine, plus fatigué qu’il ne le fallait; une semaine entière et toutes les journées l’eau sur le corps et les pieds froids, m’ont fait un peu de mal; mais, la journée d’aujourd’hui, où je ne suis pas sorti, m’a reposé. J’ai rempli mon dessein; j’ai détruit l’armée antrichienne par de simples marches; j’ai fait 60 000 prisonniers, pris 120 pièces de canon, plus de 90 drapeaux et plus de 30 généraux. Je vais me porter sur les Russes; il sont perdus. Je suis content de mon armée. Je n’ai perdu que, 1 500 hommes dont les deux tiers faiblement blessés. Adieu, ma Joséphine; mille choses aimables partout. Le prince Charles vient couvrir Vienne. Je pense que Masséna doit être à cette heure à Vienne. Dès l’instant que je serai tranquille pour l’Italie, je ferai battre Eugène. Mille choses aimables à Hortense.
Musean translation
Machine-assisted Musean English translated from the French of the 172 Napoleon letters selected from Tancrède Martel, ed., Œuvres littéraires de Napoléon Bonaparte, tome 1 (Albert Savine, Paris, 1888). French Wikisource contributors supplied the scan-backed transcription: https://fr.wikisource.org/wiki/Livre:Bonaparte_-_Œuvres_littéraires,_tome_1,_1888.djvu (page histories credit contributors). The transcription is CC BY-SA 4.0: https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/4.0/; this adapted text and translations are shared under the same license. Extraction removes markup and editorial notes; selected transcription repairs were checked against print images.
Elchingen, October 18, 1805.
I have been more tired than I should have been, my dear Joséphine; a whole week of being wet through every day and having cold feet has done me some harm; but today, when I did not go out, has rested me. I have achieved my purpose; I have destroyed the Austrian army by marches alone; I have taken 60,000 prisoners, 120 cannon, more than 90 flags, and more than 30 generals. I am going to move against the Russians; they are lost. I am pleased with my army. I have lost only 1,500 men, two thirds of them lightly wounded. Farewell, my Joséphine; many kind regards to everyone. Prince Charles is coming to cover Vienna. I think Masséna must by now be in Vienna. As soon as I am at ease about Italy, I shall have Eugène beaten. Many kind regards to Hortense.
Plain English translation
Independent machine-assisted Plain English translation from the 1888 Martel French edition, not a historical English translation. French Wikisource contributors supplied the scan-backed transcription: https://fr.wikisource.org/wiki/Livre:Bonaparte_-_Œuvres_littéraires,_tome_1,_1888.djvu (page histories credit contributors). The adapted transcription and translation are shared under CC BY-SA 4.0: https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/4.0/. Extraction removes markup and editorial notes and makes documented transcription repairs. French-source model review is not human specialist certification or a complete scan collation.
Elchingen, October 18, 1805.
My dear Joséphine, I have tired myself more than I should have. A whole week of being wet all day and having cold feet has done me some harm, but I stayed indoors today and have rested. I have accomplished my aim: by marches alone I have destroyed the Austrian army, taken 60,000 prisoners, 120 guns, more than 90 flags and more than 30 generals. Next I shall advance on the Russians; they are finished. My army has pleased me. My losses amount to just 1,500 men, of whom two-thirds are only slightly wounded. Farewell, my Joséphine; many kind messages to all. Prince Charles is moving to protect Vienna. By now, I think, Masséna must be there. Once I am reassured about Italy, I shall send Eugène into battle. Kind regards to Hortense.
About this section
Letter 040 — XL is part of Letters to Josephine by Napoléon Bonaparte. This page sets the French original beside 2 direct-source translations, so any line can be checked against the source. It is part 40 of 172 in the work, which is kept in the European tradition.
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