This letter discusses the biggest thing that I don’t understand about Napoleon and that caused him big problems. Napoleon married someone that his whole family thought was terrible for him; an “old” “loose” woman with 2 nearly grown children YET Napoleon made his brother divorce a young American who had born him a child. He also lost his brother Lucien for a time over the same type of issue. From the memoirs, Napoleon’s explanation was that he wanted to uphold a certain standard of conduct for the members of the “royal family”. From the vantage point of now, Napoleon really looks bad regarding this. He also wouldn’t let Hortense out of an abusive marriage that appeared to be killing her for similar reasons. We see a lot of strange behavior from Napoleon regarding marriage.
Did Eugene leave for the war? Hortense is adamantly demanding news as if he did.
Dear Eugene,
This Sunday, 14 Vendemiaire, year XIV, October 6, 1805.
I do not hear from you again, my dear Eugene. Tell Mr. Bataille to write to me if you do not have time. We are waiting for news like the Messiah.
Mom has received a letter from the Emperor, from Sollingen. It seemed very low key. Mom is still in Strasbourg. In her last letter, I think she was mistaken, for it is impossible for Marmont to have passed the Danube. As she was in a hurry, she may have put one name in for another, and I myself would have erred in faithfully copying her letter.
Paris is terribly sad. We only obsess about politics and I myself am all morning with the newspaper and the map. You see there are no more children.
I saw Jerome. He told me a lot about his wife [Elizabeth Patterson, who Napoleon eventually made him divorce]. He thinks he wants to be married. He is refusing because he still loves his wife and intends never to remarry again. At least that's what he says. Farewell, my good Eugene, news or I get angry.
I have weaned my little boy who is a year old in a few days. He is doing very well. Napoleon is always very kind.
HORTENSE.
Hortense and Josephine Bonaparte’s Letters are available here.
The memoirs so far are available here.