Such a country will not admit of good by your army, when frequent undulations roads; in fact, they are very bad in la of land, hedges, trees, and bushes, which Vendee. There are only two great roads obstruct the surface, will not admit of in la Vendee; that from Nantes to Saumur your seeing fifty paces around you? by Chollet, and that from Nantes to la Against rebels you can never unite in orRochelle by Montaigu, Saint Fulgent, &c.der of battle. You know not at what These great roads which can only be followed by chance, are not more favorable | for military operations than the cross roads. They only admit of greater order in marching. They are flanked by wide and deep ditches; their banks are obstructed by hedges, trees, bushes, &c.; and it is generally upon the borders of these great roads that the enemy prepare their ambuscades, and plan their attacks. The convoys can scarcely travel three leagues during the whole day; and for conveyance, it is necessary to make use of oxen, and the carts of the country, which are not of the usual breadth. The roads are sometimes sunk ten or twelve feet below the surface of the carth, and are not wider than these carts. Spaces or cross roads where carriages can turn, are seldom to be found; and when the escort of a convoy is defeated, it becomes infallibly a prey to the banditti. If you were able, previously, to make a disposition for a retreat, it would necessarily be so slow that it could not be saved. Thus, la Vendee that asylum of robbery and crimes, is like an extensive fortress, where the agents of royalism and aristocracy can convert their plots and meditate their horrid projects in security; and nature misled, seems there to have exerted all her power to protect the guilty resistance and the fatal independence of the domestic enemies of the Republic. point you shall engage; whether you shall be attacked in front, in flank, or in the rear, or what dispositious the ground will allow you to make. How can you take advantage of fortunate occurrences, or speedily remedy contrary events? or chserve, or at least, be soon enough informed of, any check or partial event that may have taken place during a battle, when you are often longer in receiving a report, or in sending an order from one end of the line to the other, than is required to decide the fate of a battle? The banditti, favoured by every natural advantage, have a peculiar tactic, which they know perfectly how to apply to their position and local circumstances. Confident in the superiority which their mode of attack gives them, they never suffer themselves to be anticipated; they never engage but when and where they please. Their dexterity in the use of fire-arms is such, that no people we are acquainted with, however warlike or well skilled in manœuvring, can make such good use of a gun as the huntsman of le Loroux, and the poacher of le Bocage. Their attack is a dreadful, sudden, and almost unforeseen irruption, because it is very difficult in la Vendee to reconnoitre well, to get good information, and consequently, to guard against a surprize. Their order of battle is in the form of a crescent, and their wings, thus directed en fleches, are composed of their best marksmen, soldiers who never fire without taking aim, and who It is doubtless very difficult to carry on a seldom miss a mark placed at a common war in a country like that of which I have distance. You are routed before you have just drawn a hasty description. In a counhad time to look about you, by a heavy try which opposes every thing to an attack, discharge, which surpasses that ofour ordand presents so many resources for defence,nance, the effects of which cannot be comhow is a column to be led on and its move-pared with theirs. They wait not for the ments regulated? how is order and union to be preserved in its marches; manoeuvres, signals informing the line, dispositions for an attack or a retreat, to be executed. How can the artillery and cavalry have fair play, and all the action which is congenial to these two arms, in the midst of obstacles by which the haunts of la Vendee are protected? How can a line of battle be instantly formed the distances measured with the eye, the advantages and disadvantages of a forced position hastily taken be calculated, that of the enemy known, their projects foreseen, their position understood by a quick perception, like that occupied If you word of command to fire, they are unac- with all obstacles which could obstract | execution of the new laws, and fresh motheir flight, and the means of avoiding tives of attachment to ancient habits and them. If y f you are obliged to give way to prejudices; hence the effeminancy and intheir attacks, you find as much difficulty ertness of the public functionaries, both in retreating, as they easily escape when civil and military, who have sacrificed the defeated. When conquerors, they com- public good in that part of France, by pletely rout you, and cut you off in all giving way to local considerations and afparts; they pursue you with an inconceiv- fectious. able fury, animosity, and swiftness. They run in an attack and in a victory as they do upon a defeat; but they charge whilst marching, even in running, and the vivacity and justness of their musketry loses nothing by this constant state of mobility. Not the Prussians, the Austrians, regular troops inured to the discipline of a Nassau, and a Frederick, are so dreadful in battle, have so much address, cunning, and audacity, as the ferocious and intrepid marksmen of le Bocage and le Loroux. The rebels often covered themselves with the cloak of patriotism: they crept into the popular societies, into the administrations, and even into the republican army, where they managed so ably as even to organise its defeats. The experience of more than twenty battles which I have witnessed in la Vendee, has convinced me that the real advantages gained by six victories over the banditti, were not equal to the evils suffered by a single defeat. In our victories we kill but few rebels; but, they kill many of our The rebels derived great advantages troops in their retreats, (I believe I have from the amicable dispositions of the inha- mentioned the reason of it). Masters of bitants that remained in la Vendee. Too the field of battle, we there find nothing weak to take up arms with them they no but wooden shoes, and some slain; but never less secretly favoured their cause they any arms or ammunition. The Vendean, acted as their spies; the women, and even pursued, hides his gun; if too closely presthe children, were faithful and intelligent sed upon, he breaks it; and in surrenderagents, who minutely informed the rebeling his life, he very seldom leaves you his chiefs of the slightest movement made by the weapon. republican army. Our generals were desirous also of having spies belonging to the country; they have always been betrayed or badly served by them; and they have never been able to organize a plan in the Western army for obtaining information by spies. It is certain that the greatest part of the inhabitants of the towns, boroughs, or villages situated upon the frontiers of la Vendee, had their estates in this country; that their tenants, or farmers were with the banditti, or at least favoured them, either through fear, conformity of opinion, or pri vate interest. Hence the continual com munications, and the innumerable and indispensible connexions between the rebels and the inhabitants bordering upon the theatre of the war: both being united by the ties of parentage, friendship, mutual interest, and even prejudices, mixed and confounded together, connected as they were by these moral circumstances. The rebels attended all fairs and assemblies; their wives filled the public markets; hence, innumerable connections, cautious contrivances, commercial relations, and private agreements; hence the cause of the Vendeans and their neighbours became common; hence the system of indulgence and moderation adopted by the greatest part of the administrations; hence the imperfect I have seen two retreats of the Western army; (I was adjutant-general in the first, and a general of brigade in the second). We lost many men, a prodigious number of muskets, about sixty pieces of cannon, and eighty waggons. During the first five months of the war of la Vendee, we gave the rebels upwards of three hundred pieces of canuon, and five hundred waggons. The whole mass of the Vendeans was not less than 200,000 meu. They tra40,000, 50,000. The natives were classed versed the country in bands of 30,000, into divisions. They assembled only to go on expeditions. One or more divisions together. When the expedition was over, they returned to their houses. The next day they assembled again, if necessary. They went to battle as to a festival; women, priests, children, of twelve or thirI have seen some of teen years of age. them slain in the front ranks of the rebel ariny. It requires from 50,000 to 70,000 men to encircle La Vendee, so as to command it entirely. The Royalists were ruined by internal divisions, more probably, than by any other cause. This is now guarded against by the King's authority and commissions. National Register; FOREIGN. AMERICA: SPANISH. Copper Money: Metallic penury. cause out of 160,000 conscripts placed at the disposal of Government, only 45,000 were called out. Alarmed and terrified at its own strength, the Royal Government made long and vain endeavours to dissolve it. The provocations to desertion, the encouragements offered by the agents of foreign powers, the On the 1st of September, 1814. for the neglect of the armies and the military first time, copper money began to circulate funds, still left 250,000 old soldiers in the in Mexico-an occurrence that will form ranks; and to shake their fidelity, to cut an epoch in the history of Spanish Ame- down the army to the proportion prescribrica, as indicating a period of distressed by a system of finance, all the savings and penury never before known in that country. AFRICA. Deposition: quiet and easy. A letter received from Algiers, dated the 27th ult. states, that on the 2nd of March the reigning Dey was poisoned by his Negro cook, upon which event the Chief Minister was proclaimed in his place; but on the 7th of April he was strangled, and the Aga Omar was proclaimed. During these revolutions there was scarcely any commotion outside the Palace walls; but few inves were lost; and at the above date tranquillity was fully restored. of which were to be made at the sole expence of the army, it was still necessary that 110,000 more brave men should be expelled from the ranks. The disorder was great; the disorganization so rapid, that it was found requisite to call for 60.000 men in the month of November, 1814; but confidence was lost; on the 20th of March last only 35,000 men had entered, and this force of more than 600,000 men was reduced in less than a year to 175,000. Since the 20th of March, in less than two months, the army of the line has been augmented from 175,000 to 375,000 men. This additional mass of 200,000 men, with the exception of some voluntary recruits, consists entirely of old soldiers; and as it does not comprehend men under 20 years of age, leaves the resources for recruiting untouched. Bey Slain.-Letters from Tunis of the 20th of January announce, that there has been a complete revolution in the Government of that Regency, and, as in all countries ruled by despots, the revolution has been bloody and unexpected. Sidi Ottomano, the old Bey, has been assassi-increasing, and in such a proportion that The strength of the army of the line is daily nated by his cousin Sidi Mahmoud Flussen, there is reason to hope that it will be who had for a long time enjoyed his confi- raised to 500,000. dence and favour. The two sons of the unfortunate Sidi Ottomano were in the apart ments of their wives, at the time when their father was murdered. They left the women to the mercy of the rebels, and tried to save their lives by running to the fort Goulette; but they were pursued and brought back into the presence of Sidi Mahmoud, who immediately ordered their heads to be cut off. He was afterwards acknowledged absolute Lord of the Re-heroic valour, the coolness, and firmness -Europe knows the The family of the old Bey is ex gency. tinct. FRANCE. [From the Minister's Official Report.] Strength of the Armies. On the 1st of April, 1814, the French army, in the field, and in the fortresses of Germany, Italy, Spain, and France, was composed of 450,000 combatants, and if we include 150,000 prisoners, the most hardy soldiers who were to be restored to us, the total force of the army at that time amounted to 600,000 men. In this number is not comprised the levy of conscripts for 1815, be 850,000 French are about to defend the independence, the liberty, the honour of the mass of the sedentary national guards, our country; and whilst they are fighting, the elites, affords, in the fortified places, in as strongly and as regularly organized as all the posts, in all the towns of the interior, national cause. resources for the triumph of the new Imperial Guard. of the Imperial Guard; France has not a stronger rampart in war, nor a fairer ornament in peace. The Royal Government owed to these warriors, to these eldest sons of glory, for the national honour, and for its own interest, if it had ever been capabie of knowing it, a signal testimony of admiration and esteem; but their fidelity to the Emperor rendered them suspectedthey were studiously kept at a distance and humbled. The Emperor, by a decree dated Lyons, March, 15, re-established the Imperial Guard; it is now composed of 24 regi ments of infantry, and five regiments of cavalry; several corps of gendamerie, artillery, and engineers, and already amounts to more than 40,000. tion. which defend our frontiers, have been armed, and supplied with military stores. The coasts of the empire have been armed, and the companies of gunners destined to guard them, have been re-organised. Twenty fortresses in the interior have been put in a state of defence, armed and provisioned. Fortifications.-The Emperor, after extending the boundaries of the empire, had caused the places on the new frontiers to National Guard. The decree of the 10th of April, founded on the ancient laws, organised the National Guards of the empire. This general organisation is rapidly proceeding; it presents not fewer than 2,254,320 National Guards, who, regularly formed into 3,131 battalions, comprize nearly one thirteenth of the popula-be fortified, and assigned during the last As an elite of 751,440 men, between ten years, a sum of 125 millions for the the ages of 20 and 40 years, might be extract- construction of new fortresses and the repair ed from this mass, and rendered movable, of those which it was of importance to put the Emperor has, by successive decrees, in a state of defence. ordered the formation of 2,500 companies of grenadiers and chasseurs, constituting 417 battalions, and presenting a force of 300,240 men, solely destined for the defence of fortresses, strong posts, and entrenched defiles. Exclusively of these battalions, numerous companies of gunners have been formed in all the fortresses, and recently entrenched towns. All the special schools, all the lyceums have organized companies, the gunners of which are alread trained by officers and subalterns of artillery. The number of these volunteer gunners amounts to about 25,000, including the 18 companies of the artillery of Paris. Artillery.-The Treaty of Paris reduced France to its ancient limits, and the Convention of the 23d of April, 1814, which preceded the Treaty, delivered up to the Allies the fifty-five fortresses still held by the French troops beyond those limits, in which immense stores of artillery were abandoned without compensation. Nevertheless, though they had carried off all the artillery which they had found at La Fere, Avesnes, Belfort, and some other small places which they had entered without striking a blow, and contrary to the very terms of the capitulation, there still existed great resources, if the sluggish system pursued by the Royal Government had not prevented it from profiting by them. This fatal economy-a real treason against the nation-suspended the works in the arsenals, the founderies, and the powder-mills, and reduced the commands for arms by one half. The troops of the artillery and train were thus considerably diminished. But on the 21st of March, all the branches of the service of the artillery were re-organised. One hundred batteries of artillery have been completely organised, and are in line. The hundred and fifty fortresses or forts, By the Convention of the 23rd of April, 1814, fifty-three fortresses and forts, occupied by the French troops beyond the limits of ancient France, were delivered up to the enemy in Germany, Italy, and Spain. An immense quantity of ammunition, 12,600 pieces of cannon, 11,300 of which were brass, given up without equivalent, occasioned a loss of more than 200 millious. Since the 20th of March last, works have been undertaken and executed, which have put all our places of war in a state of defence; those whose fortifications were neglected have been repaired; the open towns and the most important positions on our frontiers have been fortified. Lille, June 7--The Mayor of Lille has just announced, that, by order of the Governor, the Ghent, Tournay, and Notre Dame gates are to be shut from to-morrow 8th of June) Several public functionaries who have been suspended or discharged, have received from the commission of high police, an order to remove to the distance of 50 leagues from the frontiers. The commission of the high police will exercise, in respect to public functionaries who resign, who shall be suspended or discharged, the whole extent of the powers which are con fined to it Puris. It appears that the accident. which lately gave rise to the rumour of an Infernal Machine, originated in the circumstance of a Saxon chemist, of the name of Sahla, carrying about with him a detonating substance, with which he was making experiments. He had been proposing to the Minister at War to form of it a more destructive engine than the Congreve rocket. His foot slipped; and the powder exploded. Commerce: France and England. The Moniteur of May 27th, in mentioning the importance of peace to the commercial interests of England, states, that "the trade of France with London was Balance in favour of London.. 39,337,494." Fossil skeleton: not human. this suspicion; and perhaps, the writers who had orders to abuse this, or the other religious community, or system, were not aware of the consequences intended. But, those who penetrated through the mystification, always inferred that the intended establishment would be a modification of Mahom medism; that being the system best adapted to support and perpetuate the power of the sword in the hands of the chief of the community. GERMANY. Stipulation value of troops. M. Cuvier has examined at Haerlem a petrified skeleton, extracted more than a hundred years ago from the quarries of Hamburgh, May 19." According to Eningen, near the lake of Constance, accounts from Wurtemberg the King of which Scheuchzer, a naturalist of Zurich, that country will receive from the British had taken for that of a man, and which he government £11 2s. sterling for each man had engraved, as "the man who was a wit- of the number of 29,000, which his Maness for the Deluge." M. Cuvier has as-jesty has bound himself to bring into the certained that this skeleton belonged to field against the common enemy. These an unknown and gigantic species of Sala-payments commence with the 1st of April mander, as he had already announced, on and are to continue for one year, in equal a simple view of the engraving, in his monthly instalments." great work on fossil animals. From not meeting with the fossil remains of human beings, M. Cuvier thinks that man is the newest inhabitant of the globe. It has been ascertained that in Brest harbour the French have 31 large ships of war, and in all about 54 sail. Napoleonism: a New Religion in Contemplation. It is known to few persons, but there are some who affirm it, that Napoleon, when in power, had an intention of suppressing the Catholic religion, at the first convenient opportunity, and substituting a kind of Unitarianism, or something like it, under the name of Napoleonism. He had read a book published by a Protestant Minister, in defence of himself, and his tenets, as a Socinian: with this he was so well pleased, that he determined to adopt it, and to use all his power and influence to make it the religion of France. He had observed, that warriors, or politicians, or leading meu in the world are sooner forgot, than founders of religions; as Moses, Condius, Jesus Christ, and Mahomet. He perceived that the director of a new sect, the leader and head of a religious society, lived in the hearts of posterity: and was transmitted with renown to succeeding generations. The sect of Theo-philanthropists in France, offered some assistance fowards the execution of this project. Why should not the sect of Napoleonists endure as long as that of the Christians? The character of several publications which issued from the degraded press of Paris, was such as gives countenance to Funeral Commemoration. Hamburgh, May 29. Yesterday was celebrated the funeral ceremony of the fugitives from Hambro', in the burying ground at Ottenson. All contributed to make this solemnity interesting; the profound emotion of the thousands of spectators who attended it; the simple forms of the two obelisks at the entrance of the plain, and elegantly designed sarcophagus, with death surrounding it; the clouds of incense its expressive inscriptions; the insignia of rising over the graves of those unhappy victims of tyranny; the harmony of the funeral dirges, all tended to heighten the solemn feelings of the spectators, and to open their hearts to the words of the speaker.-Dr. Meyer recalled some of the sufferings of those unhappy times to which these exiles fell victims. He paid an af fecting tribute to their manes, and those of their generous supporters eleven of whom died with them, thanked the generous committee of citizens of Hamburgh and Altona, who at that time saved so many thousands, and now stood by him in deep mourning, to lament with him, those victims, on whom human art and human pity had been exhausted in vain; and then turning fronhose fields of death, cast a look upon futurity, for which new hopes, new courage, and new strength, now arise in a city which was then in Germany the last and most cruel sacrifice of despotism.-Hamburgh Correspondenten.), Prince Berthier: Suicide. The following are said to be particulars of the death of Prince Berthier. For some |
