DIG IT
Loghan Hennes
Return from the Russian Campaign, and the Fall of Napoleon Bonaparte
After my failed invasion of Russia in 1812, the fall of my empire was inevitable. My people lost faith in me. I underestimated Russia's power. I was power crazy. I truely believed that I was invincible, and that Russia wouldnt stand a chance against my 600 000 men. It isn't my fault that my allies' troops abandoned me at the first sign of danger, I mean who gave them the right to get up and leave whenever they wanted. Its too late now. There is no way I will allowed to remain in power.
I felt humiliated returning to Paris with a pitiful number of men. I am no longer trusted to lead France. No longer seen as the great leader I was when I left. This loss showed my weakness. Not only to my people, but to the rest of Europe. Other enemies, and even some allies began to strike against us in attempts to gain some of the power my empire held. France as a whole began to suffer great losses, not only of land, but power. My empire was crumbling to nothing. All my hard work going to waste.
In April of 1814, I was forced to Exile on the Medditerainean island of Elba. Forced to say a final goodbye to my wife and child, whom I was never to see again.
I was allowed to bring some of my close friends and enough people to populate the small island to Elba. I began work on my little society immediately. I modelled it almost exactly after my French empire. I even had a miniature military. But I soon grew bored of the island and my mock society, and when I got the news that the reigning king in France was failing, I saw oppurtunity. I escaped back to the mainlands of France.
My return to France was short. My people did not trust me, and my men did not want to fight for me. But I convinced them to. I guess I just had a way with people that way, I was able to use words to have them believe what I wanted.
So I had my men back. With my men I went on to fight the Battle of Waterloo, or what I thought was a garunteed win. I realize now that I was naieve to believe this. It was my final battle, I was full of fool's hope. Loss. I was now well versed in losing. I knew that this would be the "last straw" among my people.
I returned to France only to be exiled to St. Helena. Escape was imposible from this dreaded island. There would be no return this time. So I am now forced to live out my final days on the secluded island of St. Helena.