John Quincy Adams Digital Diary

2. It was an hour or two more after going to bed that I laid before getting to sleep— So it almost always happens when I sit up late reading and yet I cannot entirely break myself of it— The next consequence is, as happened this Morning, that it is nine or ten O’Clock before I get up— I walked out immediately to the Parade; but it was so late that all the passages to the admiralty Boulevard were already forbidden— The Emperor was just mounting his horse as I came to the Palace Square— I went and took my stand near Count Romanzoff’s House, at a spot where all the troops would file off before me, and waited the Emperor’s return, which was in less than ten minutes— There were ninety-six Companies of Infantry, each of sixty men rank and file, marching in plattoon’s of twenty in a rank, and three deep— They formed I think six regiments— One regiment of Cavalry— the Hulans— Twenty troops of sixteen in a rank and two deep— six-hundred and forty men— And sixteen pieces of Artillery— Each piece drawn upon a car with six horses, and each two pieces fronting together preceeded by a troop of twenty horsemen— There was a plattoon of Horse Guards and another of Infantry, between which the Emperor took his stand with his suite, and which did not file off with the rest— The whole number of men on the parade was about six thousand foot and one thousand horse— I returned home between eleven and twelve O’Clock, and wrote to the Secretary of State— Mr: Harris dined with us— After dinner I went with him to the Whitsunday ride to Catherinenhoff— It is precisely like that of the first of May— The Empress was there with her Sister the Princess Amelia; but no other of the Imperial family— It is the Grand-Duke Constantine’s name-day, and it is said there was a fête at Gatschina which the Emperor went to attend— There were about six hundred Carriages, at the ride— We returned home about 9. O’Clock; after which I went and walked on the river Quay— The French Ambassador’s House was illuminated with a transparent cypher N. F. J. C. for Napoleon François Joseph Charles the names of the king of Rome who was baptized this day at Notre-Dame— There were some public buildings on the Wasili-Ostroff likewise illuminated, but that was on account 254of the Grand Duke— There was too much day-light for any illumination to make much show. I came home about eleven at Night, and read Massillon’s Discourse on the Modesty of Clergymen, and Robinson’s Character of Christ— Sections 21. and 22.