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CHAP. IX.

The Ceffation of Arms in the discontented Provinces of France not Universal. -Correfpondence between Loyalift Chiefs and the English Fleet.-Supplies received by the Chouans from England.-Conciliatory Measures perfevered in by Buonaparte.-Determination to Ufe force where thefe fail.-Part of the Royalifs agree to Terms of Peace.-Part remains in Arms and Hoftility to the Republic.-Laws of the Royalifts among themfelves.-Proclamations of General Brune, Commander-in-Chief of the French Army of England. Various Skirmishes.-The Chiefs of the Royalifts, one after the other, lay down their Arms.-General Pacification between the Republicans and the Inhabitants of the Western Departments.-Caption and Death of the heroic Count Lewis de Frotté.

【OTWITHSTANDING the Fourmont, and de Chatillon, that

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naparte to imprefs the whole French nation with a conviction of his moderation, humanity, and love of juftice and peace, and all that had been proclaimed by the new government, in order to reftore peace in the weft, it was only d'Autichamp,

other infurgent chiefs perfevered in hoftile acts and defigns, and kept up a correfpondence with the Englifh fleet on the coaft of Britanny.Three English frigates had fucceeded in landing four field-pieces, a large quantity of ammunition, and

Great numbers of the loyalifts, on the faith of government, had returned, and were daily returning to France: among which fome of these were not only restored to their country, but were again put in poffeffion of their eftates, or as much of them as it was at all practicable by any means to restore, without violating the new tenures of landed property. Among this number was the marquis de la Fayette, and the companions of his flight and exile; Alexander la Meth, the marquis de Puzey, the chevalier de Grave, minitter at-war, during the firft year of 1791. La Fayette, with his family, returned in December to his caftle of Fontenoy, near Chaume, in the department of Seine and Marne. The duchefs of Arenberg too, and other Flemish emigrants returned to France and the enjoyment of their property there. All those who quitted France in 1792, at the fame time that they did, alfo returned: nor was there any doubt entertained but all the emigrants, known by the name of Conftitutionalists, would be permitted to return. A number of those who had been exiled by the directory, without any previous trial, being also recalled, as above obferved, returned to France, in which number was Carnot, Barrere, Barthelemy, Boiffy d'Anglas, and Dumolard. Pichegrue was not permitted to return. Even the perfons juft mentioned were reftricted to certain limits, on the pain of being held as emigrants. Sir Robert Barclay, an English gentleman, who had been closely confined, in the tower of the Temple, for more than a year, by orders of the directory, was fent for by Buonaparte, who, after a civil converfation, fet him at complete liberty, without any condition or restriction.

provifions,

partments of the weft as follows:"Every thing that reafon could fuggeft, the government has done to restore peace and tranquillity to your dwellings. After long forbearance, ftill farther time has' been granted for repentance. A great number of citizens have been brought to a sense of their errors, and have rallied round the government, which, without hatred or revenge, without fear or fufpicion, protects all citizens alike, and pu nifhes thofe who defpife their duty. There no longer remain any in arms against France, except fome men without faith, as without country, fome perfidious inftruments of a foreign foe, or brigands, black with guilt, whom indulgence itfelf knows not how to pardon. The fafety of the ftate, and the fecurity of citizens require that fuch men fhould perifh by the fword, and fall under the axe of national juftice. A longer forbearance would be a triumph to the enemies of the republic.A valiant force only waits the fignal to difperfe and deftroy thefe brigands, if that fignal muft be given. National guards join the force of

provifions, and fome chefts of filver; all which fupplies were received near Muzillac, by a body of ten thousand Chouans, who were provided with fixty or eighty waggons. The waggons when filled with the ftores and provifions were immediately buried in the earth.The troops, employed afterwards in efcorting these ftores, were attacked by a body of republican troops, infantry and cavalry, amounting to two thoufand. This body fet out from Vannes, and came up with the loyalifts about a mile and a half from St. Nelt. The engagement which enfued continued from the morning to four o'clock in the afternoon. The loyalifts fuffered the lofs of two hundred men, in dead and wounded, all of whom, however, they carried off, with the convoy, to Plendrem. The clofe of the day, and the want of provifions, obliged the republicans to fall back to Vannes. In the mean time, while the roy alifts in their proclamations infifted on two principles, the reftoration of their lawful king, and the defence of the country againft the foldiers of Buonaparte. The chief conful, perfevering in measures of conciliation, abolished the oath of hatred to kings and monarchical government, and fubftituted in its place a fimple declaration of fidelity to the conftitution. But the chief conful, perceiving the inefficacy of his conciliatory meafures, in which he had perfevered for two months, for the restoration of tranquillity and order in the weft, began to change that tone of moderation, which had hitherto characterized his government. On the eleventh of January, 1800, the confuls addreffed the inhabitants of the deVol. XLII.

your arms to that of the troops of the line. If you know among you any partizans of the brigands arreft them. Let them no where find an afylum againft the foldier who purfues them. And if there be any traitors who fhould dare to receive and defend them, let them perish along with them! Inhabitants of the departments of the weft, on this laft effort depends the tranquillity of your country, the fafety of your families, the fecurity of your properties. By the fame blow you will deftroy those wretches who ftrip you, and the enemy who purchafe and pay for their crines."

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On

On the fame day the confuls decreed,

Ift. That no general, or public functionary fhould correfpond, in any fhape or under any pretext whatever with the leaders of the rebels.

2d. That the national guards of all the communes fhould take up arms and expel the brigands from their territories.

3d. That the communes, whofe population exceeded five thoufand inhabitants fhould furnish moveable columns, in order to affift other communes of a lefs numerous population.

4th. That whatever commune fhould afford an afylum, or protection to the brigands, fhould be treated as rebels; and that fuch in habitants as fhould be taken with arms in their hands, thould be inftantly put to the fword.

5th. That every individual, who infligated rebellion and armed refiftance, fhould inftantly be fhot.

6th. That the general who commanded the army of the weft fhould put in force all the neceffary regulations for organizing the national guards, as well as for prefcribing the diftricts which thefe communes were to watch over and protect: and, that he should iffue orders for all the troops, the free companies, and the moveable columns in the pay of the republic, to be exclufively employed in clearing the country, and in purfuing the rebels. Buonaparte, on the day after that in which he fent the proclamation to the inhabitants, fent one alfo to the army of the weft; in which he told them that the mafs of the welldifpofed inhabitants had laid down their arms, and that there now remained only robbers, emigrants,

and hirelings of Britain, French men hired by Britain! This could not be done but by men without forefight, without heart, and without honour. March again them, you will not be called on to fhew any great exertion of valour. The army is compofed of more than fixty thoufand brave men. Let me learn fhortly that the chiefs of the rebels have lived. Let the generals fhew the example of their activity. Glory is to be required only by fatigues. If it could be acquired by a refi dence in great towns, or in good quarters, every man would be in poffeffion of it. You muft brave the intemperance of the feafons, the froft, the fnow, the exceffive cold of the nights: you muft furprize your enemy at the break of day, and exterminate those wretches who are a difhonour to the French name. Make a brief but brilliant campaign. Be inexorable to bri gands, but obferve a fevere discipline."

The expiration of the armiftice, between the Chouans and general Hedoville, was fixed at the fe venth of January, 1800, but it was afterwards prolonged. A short time before the period juft mentioned, the divifion of the royalifts, under Chatillon, accepted and figned the conditions of peace.And as other divifions were confidently expected in like manner to do the fame, it was decreed by general Brune, who had been appointed to the chief command of the army in the difcontented provinces, that it fhould no longer be called by the name of the army the weft, but by that of the army of England; an infinuation that all Frenchmen were foon to be united, and to fall on England. When

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general Brune was appointed to the chief command of the western army, in the council of ftate, being a member of that body, he rose up and faid, "In the two-fold character of a general officer and a counsellor of ftate, I am flattered with the choice which, on the prelent occafions, has been made of me, by the first conful. The talk impofed on me is a painful one, but I will undertake to unite the French whatever may be their opinions. Thole who are not to be influenced by reafon, I will reduce by force of arms. Thofe who have been led into error, I will pardon. Thele fhall be the principles of my conduct; but, I will never forget that weakness is not lefs an enemy to moderation than to firmness. It is that which is the ruin of the republics: may the deluded inhabitants of the weft return into the bofom of their country; but, may they return as penitent children."

The conciliatory measures purfued by the French government, and particularly the fecond procla. mation of Buonaparte; on the eleventh of January, produced the defired effect on part of the loyalifts, while others continued ftill in the refolution to maintain their caufe. General Autichamp, who had accepted the armiftice at the fame time with Chatillon, employed his influence among the Chouans, in the department of Deux Levres, in favour of peace, with fuccefs. The armiftice he told them was prolonged, and he conjured them to. do nothing in violation of its conditions. They liftened to his advice, and remained peaceably at their refpective homes. The example of d'Autichamp was faccelsfully imitated by Bourtont and

other chiefs. Few parties of Chouans were to be feen in departments where they had lately appeared in great force. The courier between Nantz and l'Orient reported, as fomething extraordinary, on the fif teenth of Jaryary, that he had not feen a fingle Chouan all the way between thefe cities.

General Brune, on arriving at his head-quarters, at Angers, in a letter to the minifter-at-war, dated the twenty-firft of January, faid, "I enter this day on my command of the army. General Hedoville has been pleafed to act as my lieutenant; he commands the left wing of my army. The ineftimable general Hedoville has united the inhabitants of La Vendée in peace; Í fhall henceforth find the Chouans tractable." Thus every thing, it fome quarters, wore a peaceful afpect. This was by no means the cafe in every diftrict and department. A body of fix hundred, Chouans was cantoned at Soublans, with the defign of roufing the inhabitants to arms: this party was difperfed by general Nevot, with the lofs of one hundred mufkets, and fome prifoners. Confiderable parties of Chouans, in the department of the Eure and Loire, were difperfed, by the arrival of a moveable column at Noyent le Ration; but, in other parts, the war on the part of the royalifts affumed a more ferious afpect. In the principal towns and villages of the depart ment of Dinan, in Britanny, the following injunctions were publi ed, in placards or hand-bills, fuck up on the high walls, and in all the places of general refort:

Ift. All public officers, not being pricfts, who thall receive any act of marriage, at the hands of men, [M 2]

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under forty years of age, fhall be

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2d. Thole who fhall marry after fuch acts. fhall have their heads fhaven, and their relations fhall be condemned to pay a fine.

3d. Young men refufing to join and march along with the loyalifts, when called on, fhall be hot. 4th. All deferters from provifory affemblies fhall be shot.

5th. Every man who does not feparate himself from the moveable column of the republicans, to which he belongs, fhall be fhot; and his next relation fhall pay a fine, or be fhot alfo.

6th. Lewis XVIII. and religion, are the principal objects of all Frenchmen's defires.

7th. Whoever shall deftroy, or tear, or take down thefe bills and orders fhall be fhot.

Such was the state of affairs in the department of Dinan, in Britanny; but the departments in which the refiftance of the royalifts, or, as it was called, the rebellion, had become the most general, inveterate, and obftinate, were the coafts of the North, Lifle and Vilaine, Morbihan, and the Nether Loire. Thefe departments, accordingly, by two decrees, paffed the fixteenth of January, were declared to be out of the protection of the law, and under military government; and extraordinary tribunals were established for the execution of juftice in criminal cafes. General Brune, who was invested with the most complete and abfolute power, fet out immediately from Angers, at the head of the main army, on his way to Morbihan, in the department of the Nether Loire. From his head-quarters, at Vannes, he addrefled to the inhabitants of Mor

bihan, a proclamation, dated the thirteenth of February. In this piece, after recapitulating his various efforts, for the prevention of bloodthed, and exhorted the deluded people to forfake their perfidious leaders, he fays, "The day of pardon is nearly paft, and I take God and man to witness, that the blood that must be fed is on the heads of the chiefs of the Chouans, of the flipendiaries of England, and of the traitors of their country.

"Within twenty-four hours after the publication of the prefent proclamation in all the communes of Morbihan, every unmarried man, of age, from fourteen to fifty years fall appear before the civil or military authority of the place where he hall be, and declare that he is nct a Chouan, or that he abjures the party.

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"The chiefs of the Chouans shall make a fimilar declaration, and must likewife procure the arms and ftores, under their direction, to be given up.

"Corps are opened for the reception of deferters, according to their line of fervice, their rank, and qualifications.

"All authorities, which fhall receive the declarations and acknowledgements of fubmiffion to the law, fall keep a register of them, and give a copy to each declarant, which, fanctioned by the generals, fhall be a fufficient protection.

"The general staff will receive petitions and memorials, refpecting the means of fecuring the tranquillity of individuals.

"Such are the laft conditions which I offer to the rebels.

"Such is the fatal limit, which, once paffed, arms and councils of war muft be the only means employed

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