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NATIONAL C O NVENTIGN.
Fir ft day of the third decent: of the firji
mouth of the j'cccnd year of the French
F cpu b He.
Saturday, October 12.
Read a letter from general Dop
pet, to the miniftcr of war, dated
from the houle of commons of Lyons,
Odober 9th.
Citizen Minjier ,
“ When I arrived before Lyons, I
acquainted -you of the great impor
tance of this place, and that 1 would
not quit it, until l Ihould have reduc
ed this rebellious city. I have not
yet seen any thing of the army of the
< .Alps; the ft aft of that army, which
is at JVlont Blanc, lias not even cor
refpondtd with me, and I cannot
therefore be accountable for its pro
ceedings.
“ Be.ng arrived at the artny which
surrounded Lyons, I vKited all its
pelts. On the third day, I found it
was neceftary to make niyfelf niafter
of the heights of St. Foix, and I
planted a column of troops to carry
my wishes into execution. On the
29th of taft month, we took four re
doubts and nine pieces of cannon from
the rebels, besides many prisoners,
among whom was the bilhop of
norette. I took pofieffion of St. Foix,
arid ereded batteries against Fou
vierre., St. George, and St. Irenee.
I did not then think it neceftary to
fend you a dispatch, but delayed to
inform you that Lyons was taken.
“ Yesterday, the Bth instant, I had
given orders, and mule the neceftary
dilpofttions to give the rebels a final
blow. At three o’clock in the after
noon, one of our advanced guards
got pofteftiou of the strong redoubt of
St. Irenee, and our batteries let fire
to the houlcs situated in the quarter
of St. Just I had given orders to
another column of troops to enter
the town cm the fide of Ferache, be
tween 11 o’clock, ar.d midnight. At
nine o'clock I was informed that the
rebels meant to make a sortie on the
• fide of Vaile ; so I countermanded
the attack on the fide of Perache, in
order to direct my whole force against
the rebels.
“ Commiftioncrs from Lyons ar
rived in our camp, who exp re fled
the ‘willies of the people to surrender.
I ordered the firing to cea e, and
during the night our advanced guards
took poflellion of the enemy’s re
doubts. We entered Lyons this
morning; but the chiefs of the re
bels had fled from the city . ft is not,
however, ptobable, that they can
get beyond two leagues of it- Seve
ral of our columns lurround them ;
and in the mean time I have placed
a fuflicient guard in the city, to le
cure us from every attempt of trea
son, as well as to maintain tranquility,
I write you from the hotel of the com
mons. you ftiall receive further ad
vices when I have made my arrange
ments. DOPPET-”
P, S- At the moment of my do
ling my letter, I learn, that molt
• of the rebel generals have been killed.
We have lei zed on the treasure they
. intended to carry off with them. It
• feeols fnrprizing that lo many of the
rebels who,defended Lyons Ihould
have found means to escape, when
the commifiioners of the convention
informed us fifteen days since, that
the city was lurrounded. Ihe emi
grants are gone into La Lozere to
stir up anew Vendee insurrection in
that country, after pillaging all they
can in thsir way. Bourdon inlifts
that this matter ftuuld be cleared
up.”
The national convention, after
having heard the report of the coin -
mittee of public welfare, decrees:
Art. 1. There fljall be named by
the national convention, upon the
prefer.tation of the committee of pub
lic welfare, an extraordinary coinmif
lio.i cempofed of five members, in
order to punlfli the revoLitionifts of
Lyons according to the military law,
aqd without delay.
2. All the inhabitants of Lyons’
fball be difarrtjed ; their artrts imme-i
diately distributed among the defen
ders of the republic. A partlhall be
restored lo the patriots of Lyons,
who have been opprefied by the coun
ter-re volutionifls.
3. The city of Lyons ftiall be de
ftroyeJ. Whatever was inhabited
by a rich man, (hall be demolished-
The poor-house, the dwellings ot
slaughtered proferibed patriots,
the edifices specially employed to in
dustry, and the monuments consecrat
ed to humanity and public inftruiftion,
ftiall alone remain. *
4. The name of Lyons ftiall be
effaced from the lifts of the towns of
the republic. The re-union ofhoufes
preserved, ftiall henceforth bear the
name of Ville Affranchiei
Barrere read a letter from general
D.igobert, who announced that the
troops of rhe republic had entered
Spain, and taken the town of Campre
don. During the time grante 1 to
the alcade major, or governor, to
answer the fumriions, the Spaniards
fired upon the French trumpeter who
brought the summons ; they alio con
tinued to fire upon the troops of the
republic ; the town was ultimately
taken by storm, and the enemy pur
sued to a great distance.
The representatives of the people,
in a letter from Bagnole, dated Oc
tober 8, stated that the victory of
Argeles produced an immense booty
of all kinds of effetts. The garrison
of Collieure is now encamped on the
heights ; the Spaniards picked out
the flower of their cavalry to attack
them, but to no purpose; the enemy
had 300 men killed, and 15 taken
prisoners ; two*of whom are lieute
nant colonel: ; the troops of the re”
public had only 60 men either killed
or wounded. They found at St. Ge
nies a Spanifli hospital fitted up and
ready for between 7 and Soopatients ;
the Spanish army is laid to be in the
saddest condition, and dare not even
venture to retreat.
The representatives of the people
at Lyons, in a letter dated Novem
ber 9, announce, that the patriots
are in pursuit of the rebels who eva.
cuated that city by the gate of Vaile ;
1500 ot them have been cut to pieces,
and 300 were made prisoners. A
mong the latter is Virieux, one of
their chiefs. ‘l'he republicans enter
ed Lyons in the greatest order. Pre
vious to their entry they swore to
refpeft persons and property, and
they now share their allowance cf
bread with rhe diftrefled inhabitants.
The commifiioners of the conven
tion wuh the army on the coast ot
Rochelle, stated in a dispatch dated
from the head-quarters of-the wood
of* Moulin, October 9, 11 o’clock
at night; that the armies ofNiort
and Saumur had just given a bloody
battle to the rebels, who were com
pletely routed ; they were purified
in ail directions, and their army,
upwards of 20,000 strong, dispersed
to a distance of ten leagues. A divi
lion ot the corps of general Welter
man entered Chotillon, where they
found two small pieces of cannon, and
the printing-office and prels of the
royalilis; they liberated upwards of
too captive patriots. “ The end of
this war,” fays the commifiioners,
‘‘ draws near; every where we use
fire and sword. We have loft fome
brave Sans Culottes, among others
fome of the grenadiers of the conven
tion, and general*Chambon.”
Tu cf day, October 15.
Barrere read a letter from Cou
thon and Maignels, dated Lyons,
October 11. They announce that
they have re ‘eftablilhed the patriotic
municipalities in their functions; the
popular society is re-instated ; a mili
tary connniflion has entered upon its
office, 1 - t confecVated irs firft uiity
ro the trial of four aids-de camp,
who are to be executed on the 12th.
The disarming is begun, and a com
mittee of vigilance has been created-
The rebels°being pursued, are re
duced to 300, who fled into a wood,
around which the toefin has gathered
6000 men, who will do justice to
them. It is said that several of the
chiefs, confeious of the impoflibility
of their being saved, have shot thern
felves; and it is thought that Pretty
is of the number.
A letter from an agent of the com
mittee of public fafety, dated Mar
seilles, October 1, announced, that a
corigrefs of deputies from 250 popular
societies of the Couth, had united in
that city, to combine meafnres- of
public fafety. The battalions la
Drome, the Var, Fauclufe, the Card,
the Bouches de Rhone, are departed
for Toulon, the walls of which are
surrounded by 30,000 men. It is
only the advanced guard which is go
ing to match against this rebellious
city.
Second announced, that he had
found out the means to direct bailoons
at pieafure, and from this dilcovery
he thinks the enemy will receive great
injury. Referred to the committee
of public instruction, where Second
will exhibit his dilcovery.
Lacomb St. Michel, commifiioner
in Corsica, wrote word from C'alvi,
under date of October 1, that the
Eiiglifh, after having cut oft’ all com
munication by lea, had summoned
Baftia and St. Florent, and werede
termined to attack the latter place in
concert with Paoli, who directed the
attack by land ; but a violent storm
obliged the English to retire, Paoh
has been repulsed, and the Corsicans
have not been more fuccefsful, apatn
n ionic bar bay i 0 ct funam .
Wednesday, October 16.
The convention were informed that
all the young persons of the firft class
of the department of l’Aveyron, had
marched to drive the Spaniards from
he territories of the republic. They
swear to return with victory, or to die
with honour on the field of battle.
Letter from Lacombe St. Michel, repre
/entative of the people in Coftca, Gel 0
her 2-
Cirizens,
You are already acquainted with
my reply to the English, and with a
general fhte of affairs in Corsica. The
Enolifli at firft endeavoured to cut oft’
our communication with St. Horent,
which they attacked by sea and land.
Leonetti commanded the attack by
land, according to a plait laid down by
Paoli, who came for the purpose of
lupe: intending the attack from Cor
tez to Murato.
I'he Englilh landed four pieces of
cannon, and attacked the battery of
CoVnelli for two days.
I'he English loft 17 men, one of
whom was Marcilia, the friend of
Paoli.
Finding it neceftary to re-embark
on board their ships, the enemy left a
detachment to guard the four pieces
of cannon. We immediately made a
sortie, put the detachment to flight,
and made our.elves matters of their
cannon.
Thursday, October 17.
Bunard de Jointer wrote from
Montbeliard, the xoth of October,
as follows :
* I make use of a bit of paper found
in the castle of the duke of Wurtem
berg, to tell you, that his principality
belongs now to France. After hav
ing been informed that the little duke
had furnifhed his contingent to the
allied armies, and that his children
were in the emperor’s service, I have
this morning entered Montbeliard
with a battalion of Dole, 50 cavalry,
and fome small artillery. We took
the city without difficulty, nor was
there a gun fired.
< I fiiall form a diftricl, a munici
pality, ami a club in this town, and
leq'iefter all the domains of the prince.
‘ Feudal signs (hall be replaced \y
the cap of liberty, and I Ilia ! I try to
revive the confidence of our ailignat?
which are very much dffcredited in*
this country.’
Ch'ateauneuf Randon wrote from
Limotoay, October io, that the t,v 0
columns of rebels that went out of
Lyons had been db per fed ; that five
hundred of them were killed, and as
many more made prisoners , their ar.
tillcrv, their forage, and their trea
sures have been taken.* The latter
consisted in one million of affignats.
Friday, Oclober 18.
Letter from the minijier nf war to t' {
prefiJent of the convention, dated Pa TANARUS,
Qtiober i J*
Citizen prefideht, our brave repub.
licans have fought with the ilftvvsof
the delpots. The general in chief j*
going to commence lome new opera
tions.
Extra ft of a letter from Jourdan, gt- ‘
ncral, in chief of the army of , t
north, Oftober 16.
‘ Citizen mijajfter, the republicans
yesterday attacked the (l ives. The
right division, commanded by general
Duquefnoy, has done wonders. Jhe
left divifuSn did rot answer what was
expected from it. Ihe battle ‘.aided
from ten in the morning till the dole
of night. Our republicans conducted
themselves, and fought with a courage
worthy of free men. The battle will
recommence to-morrow. lam going
to let out, I hope to fend you good
news to-morrow.’
BRUSSELS, October 22.
The great and bloody battle, which
should have crowned all the former
victories of the campaign, and front
which we expected luch brilliant iuc
cels, was fought on the 17th and ,
16th instant, unfortunately to the
disadvantage of the combined armies,
i he lot's of our army is 5000 men 1
men killed and wounded, among
whom are 11 5 officers. • The prince
of Anhalt-Kothen, who commanded
the dragoons of Cobourg on the i.ft,
was (truck down by a Ihot, and it is >
not know n w hether he fell dead of
alive into the bands of the enemy.
It is now certain that the defeat
of the left wing of the prince of Co
bourg’s army commanded by Teftzi
and llohen ohe, was the principal
cause of the loss of the battle, which
obliged the generals to retreat, in the
night, to avoid being precipitated in
to the Samhre. The retreat was .
effected in good order ; and the army
is now encamped along the other fide
of the river, partly under cover of
the fortrefles of Conde, Qnefnoy, and
V alenciennes.
The French attacked usin all points
at once, with from 70 to Bo,cCo
men, commandedby general Jourdaa;
general Dupont commanded their
right. Levafieur and Bentabole, the
two representatives of the people, ap
peared sword in hand at the head 01
I their combatants, whom they
i with loud cries of exhortation to ad-,,
vance, and as loudiy menaced when
they seemed to hesitate. Behind/
their firft line, an immense number oi
women, without fear or disorder,
supplied the fohiiers with ammunition,
distributed brandy among them, and .
j carried off the wounded ; luch were
tite means by which they obtained a
victory over our veteran troops.
The English, who came up just as
the battle was beginning, were not
in a condition to display their accus
tomed valour and intrepidity. 1 h e >
were exhausted by the fatigues ot a
forced march of nine leagues. I ‘ ;Cli
cavalry were so out of order, that
they were unable to aft.
The day before yesterday 4 30 ’
French prisoners, and 39 vragg oll
loadsof wounded arrived here. 1