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20 April 1814

Napoleon Bonaparte

Soldiers of my Old Guard: I bid you farewell

After his abdication ending the War of the Sixth Coalition, Napoleon bade farewell to his Imperial Guard at Fontainebleau on 20 April 1814 before exile on Elba. Delivered in French and recorded in varying accounts, it marked the end of his first reign; the text here is an English translation.

Source Archived copy ↓ Original language

Soldiers of my Old Guard: I bid you farewell. For twenty years I have constantly accompanied you on the road to honor and glory. In these latter times, as in the days of our prosperity, you have invariably been models of courage and fidelity. With men such as you our cause could not be lost; but the war would have been interminable; it would have been civil war, and that would have entailed deeper misfortunes on France.

I have sacrificed all of my interests to those of the country.

I go, but you, my friends, will continue to serve France. Her happiness was my only thought. It will still be the object of my wishes. Do not regret my fate; if I have consented to survive, it is to serve your glory. I intend to write the history of the great achievements we have performed together.

Adieu, my friends. Would I could press you all to my heart.

View the original language

Soldats de ma vieille Garde, je vous fais mes adieux. Depuis vingt ans, je vous ai trouvés constamment sur le chemin de l'honneur et de la gloire. Dans ces derniers temps, comme dans ceux de notre prospérité, vous n'avez cessé d'être des modèles de courage et de fidélité. Avec des hommes tels que vous, notre cause n'était pas perdue ; mais la guerre eût été interminable ; c'eût été la guerre civile, et la France n'en eût été que plus malheureuse.

J'ai donc sacrifié tous nos intérêts à ceux de la patrie ; je pars. Mais vous, mes amis, continuez de servir la France. Son bonheur était mon unique pensée ; il sera toujours l'objet de mes vœux. Ne regrettez pas mon sort ; si j'ai consenti à me survivre, c'est pour servir encore votre gloire ; je veux écrire les grandes choses que nous avons faites ensemble. Adieu, mes enfants ! Je voudrais vous presser tous sur mon cœur ; que je puisse au moins embrasser votre drapeau !

Adieu, soldats ! Soyez toujours braves et fidèles.

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