THE BATTLE OF THE BUNNIES: NAPOLEAN'S SECOND WATERLOO

This story was inspired by by sharing 'The Count of Monte Cristo' in its entirety recently at 1001 Stories For The Road Podcast. If you want a great cllassic romance/adventure story- this is it!

THE BATTLE OF THE BUNNIES

It sounds like a tall tale, but this actually happened! In July 1807, after signing the Treaties of Tilsit, Napoleon Bonaparte decided to celebrate with a grand imperial rabbit hunt. 
The event didn't go exactly as planned:
The Setup: Napoleon's chief of staff, Alexandre Berthier, was in charge of the festivities. To ensure a "successful" hunt, he didn't trap wild hares; instead, he reportedly bought roughly 3,000 domesticated rabbits from local farmers.
The Ambush: When the cages were opened, the rabbits didn't hop away in fear. Because they were farm-raised, they saw Napoleon and his men as providers of food. Instead of fleeing, the massive swarm charged toward Napoleon in a fluffy wave.
The Retreat: Thousands of rabbits swarmed the Emperor's legs, climbed his silk jacket, and reportedly even hopped into his imperial carriage. The "Greatest Military Mind in History" was forced to beat a hasty retreat, using his riding crop and coat to shoo away the persistent bunnies.

 

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