dispositions of the project of the constitutional act, the framing of which was expressly ordered by the French people; and when its sittings were suspended, it adjourned to this day, the Sih of July, at eight in the morning. "In consequence of this adjournment, the members of the chamber of representatives repaired to the usual place of their assembly. But the gates of the palace being shut, the avenues guarded by a military force, and the officers who commanded it having declared, that they had a formal order to refuse the entrance of the palace. "The undersigned, members of the chamber, have assembled at the house of M. Lanjuinais, their president, and there they have formed, and signed individually, the present procès-verbal, to authenticate the above facts. CHAPTER III. Operations of the Grand Army under Schwartzenberg.-Proclamations of the allied Generals to the French Nation.-Rapid Progress of the Allies, and Retreat of the French.-Various ActionsProclamation of Marshal Wrede.-Arrival of the allied Sovereigns at Paris.—Military Operations on the Side of Italy.-Retreat of Marshal Suchet.-Entry of the Austrians into Lyons.-Opera tions in the South of France. HAVING now carried Lord Wellington and Blucher to Paris, and seated Louis XVIII. again on the throne, with as much rapidity as he was driven from the same, it is now time to turn our attention to the operations of the allies in the other parts of France. These had also been important and successful; and at any other period than after the battle of Waterloo, with the events which we have just related, would have claimed the attention of Europe. Although the whole of the Russian army was not yet arrived and in line, yet the accounts of the battle of Waterloo determined the allies to enter France at this point, and animated them to the utmost exertions. In their advance they had nothing to dread from any force which the enemy could assemble, on their right wing, as before the defeat of Bonaparte would have been the case; while, on the other hand, the advance of Blucher and Wellington, into France, rendered it necessary that they should advance, in order to draw the attention of any troops which might otherwise assemble on the Moselle and towards Rheims, and prevent these from barassing or endangering the rear of the latter. To this they were solicited by both Blucher and Wellington; who had requested Prince Schwartzenberg to cause Marshal Wrede to advance rapidly. Including all the Russian force, it appears that from the environs of Thionville to Manheim, and from thence to Basle, nearly 470,000 men lined that frontier, ready to pass the Rhine at a moment's notice. This mighty force was stationed, and had the line of its operations marked out, in the following manner; Prince Wrede, with the Bavarians, which formed the advance of the Russian army, was to advance from Saarguimines, by Chateau Salines, to Nancy, or otherwise as circumstances might require. Count Langeron's corps of Rus sians was destined for the blockade of Metz, Thionville, Pfalsbourg, and Bitsche. Part of the garrison of Mayence, consisting of 4,000 Bava rians, with some Austrian battalions and the third corps d'armée, under the direction of the Archduke Charles, were destined to blockade Landau and Strasburgh. The division of Count Walmoden, assisted by the third corps, was to occupy the Quiesch and the lines of Wiessembourg and Lan terburg, and the communications between these corps and the Bavarian army was to be constantly kept up, as well as with the corps on their left. The Russians were directed to take charge of constructing the bridges at Oppenheim and Manheim, and the Bavarians that of Germer shiem, and the third corps that of Fort Louis Some battalions of Wirtemberg troops were des tined to blockade Scheletstadt; and General Count Hochberg, with General Volkman and some Darmstadt and Baden troops, were to invest New Briesach. The left column of the army, under the command of the Archduke Ferdinand, and consisting of the first and second corps d'armée, with the reserve, were to throw bridges over the Rhine at Grensach, on the night of the 25th to the 26th, and to move on Basle and occupy it. This force was entrusted with the dispositions against General Lecourbe. The two first corps were to push on towards Nancy, the one by Remiremont and Espinal, and the other by Luneville. The first corps was to march upon Langres, and to it was to be left the blockade of Belfout and Huninguen. For the latter fortress eight battalions of the regiment of Colloredo, under General Watzel, were appointed. Two battalions of Austrians, one battalion of Wirtembergers, and two battalions of Kisers Cheveaux Legers, under General Cullenberg, were to act against Belfort. The chief command of the blockade of these places was to be entrusted to the Archduke John. The head-quarters of Prince Schwartzenberg were to march by Hagenau, Mutzig, and Luneville, to Nancy. The forces which the enemy had to oppose these, were Lecourbe's corps and reserves at Besançon, Rapp's corps complete at Strasbourg, and a corps under Belliard on the Moselle, the strength of which is unknown. The force was, therefore, considerable, amounting to perhaps 80 or 90,000 men, besides strong garrisons in all the fortified towns, such as Huninguen, New Brisach, Belfort, Schelestadt, Landau, Strasbourg, Pfalzbourg, Bitsche, Metze, and Thionville, besides numerous free corps and national-guards; still, however, these forces were :: very much inferior to the force brought against 2 them. "All Europe rose: one cry of indignation served to rally all nations. It depended on the allied in 1814, to exercise powers, France a just vengeance, which she had but too much provoked; but great monarchs, united for one only and sacred cause, the re-establishment of peace promoter of so many evils, and the people whom BOOK XVI. he had made use of to 'oppress the world. 1815. "The allied sovereigns declared, under the CHAP. III. walls of Paris, that they would never make either peace or truce with Napoleon Bonaparte. The capital rose against the oppressor of Europe; France, by a spontaneous movement, rallied itself to the principles which were to restore and to guarantee to her liberty and peace. The allied armies entered Paris as friends. So many years of misfortune, the spoliation of so many countries, the death of millions of brave men who fell on the field-of-battle, or victims of the scourges inseparable from war, all was buried in oblivion. Bonaparte solemnly abdicated a power which he had exercised but for the misfortune of the world. Europe bad, from that time, no enemy more to combat. Europe desires to enjoy the first benefit of peace; it desires to disarm, and it cannot do this as long as Napoleon Bonaparte is on the throne of France. Europe, in short, desires peace, and because it desires it, will never negociate with him whom it regards as a perpetual obstacle to peace. Already in the plains of Brabant heaven has confounded his criminal enterprize. The allied armies are going to pass the frontiers of France; they will protect the peaceable citizen, they will combat the soldiers of Bonaparte, they will treat as friends the provinces which shall declare against him, and they will know no other enemies than those who shall support his cause. "Field-marshal Prince SCHWARTZENBERG, Commander-in-chief of the Imperial Austrian and Allied Armies on the Upper Rhine. "Head-quarters, at Hiedelburg, June 23, 1815." General Barclay de Tolli, in another proclamation, followed in the same strain. It is as follows: "Frenchmen!-Europe, united at the Congress of Vienna, has informed you of your true interests by the acts of the 15th of March and the 12th of May. It comes in arms to prove to you that it 1815. BOOK XVI. need of it; it must be confirmed by its amicable relations with you; it can have none, it can never have any, with the man who pretends to govern you. A fatal infatuation may have made the French soldier forget for a moment the laws of honor, and have extorted a perjury from him. An ephemeral power, supported by all kinds of illusion, may have misled some magistrates into the paths of error; but this power totters, soon it will wholly disappear. The combined army of the North convinced you of it on the day of the 18th of June; our armies are marching to convince you of it in their turn. "Frenchmen, it is still time!-Reject the man who again, chaining all your liberties to his car, threatens social order, and brings into your native country all nations in arms. Be restored to yourselves, and all Europe salutes you as friends, and offers you peace. It does more:-From this moment it considers all Frenchmen, who are not ranged under the standards of Bonaparte, and who do not adhere to his cause, as friends. We have consequently the order to protect them, to leave them the peaceable enjoyment of what they possess, and to support the laudable efforts which they shall make to replace France in the relative situation which the treaty of Paris had re-established between her and all the European nations. "God, justice, the wishes of all nations, second us. Frenchmen, come to meet us: our cause is your's; your happiness, your glory, your power, are still necessary to the happiness, the glory, and the power of the nations who are going to combat for you. (Signed)" Marshal Count BARCLAY DE TOLLY, "General-in-chief of the Imperial Russian armies. "Head-quarters, Oppenheim, June 26." Prince Schwartzenberg also issued the following proclamation to his army: « Head-quarters, June 24. "Soldiers of the Austrian army of the Rhine!Napoleon, whose ambitious plaus and lusts of conquest armed all Europe against him, was conquered by you and your allies. Returning Returning from the exile into which the generosity of the victors had sent him, he again attacks the repose, the welfare, the peace, the security, of all states; provokes, by his guilty arrogance, the armies of United Europe to combat for the inviolability of their frontiers, the honor of their country, the happiness of their fellow-citizens; these most sacred of all possessions, which this man, to whom nothing is sacred, and who has become the Scourge of humanity, has been attacking and endeavouring to destroy for so many years. Thus, brave soldiers of the Austrian army, a new and vast career of glory is opened to you. I know that you will distinguish it by new victories, and that your new deeds in arms will render still mor dear to me the proud satisfaction of calling myself your general. It is as honorable to you as agree able to me, that I have only to recal the remenbrance of your ancient exploits to animate you to new ones. The victories of Culm, Leipsic, Brienne, and Paris, are so many illustrious garlands that crown your standards; continue worthy of your glory by combating, as you did formerly, and by adding fresh laurels to those you have already gained. "Great things have been already performed; your brethren in Italy have, with their arms opened themselves a way into the heart of the enemy's country, and their victorious bannes wave in the capital of the kingdom of Naples Those in Flanders gained, on the 18th instant, one of the most memorable victories recorded in history. These victorious armies bave their eyes fixed upon you, and summon you to similar ex ploits. Let the recollection of what you bie been on so many a hard-fought day-let the feel ing of what you owe to yourselves animate you to become constantly more worthy of your ancient glory, by embarking for your emperor, your honor, and your country. "SCHWARTZENBERG, Field-marshal," This vast force, collected from the extremity of Europe, passed the Rhine at all points; and, like a mighty wave, swept over the Vosges moutains with irresistible force, inundating the banks of the Marne and the Seine, and sweeping before it all resistance. Saarguimines was carried by storm, and with trifling loss. Saarbruck shared the same fate. It was defended by a General Menege, with some cavalry and 400 peasants; the enemy lost 100 men. The Prince-royal of Wirtemberg passed the Quiesch, on the morning of the 25th, without resistance. The mayors of all the places had orders to cause a general rising of the people, but they refused to resort to a measure which might prove so fatal to them The fortress of Bitsche was summoned, but the governor refused to surrender, being determined to defend the place. Continuing to advance with the utmost rapidity, on the 25th, Marshal Wrede received a message from General Belliard, making fresh propositions for an armistice, to which o attention was paid. On the same day be arrived in the neighbourhood of Nancy, when a depui tion from the town came to assure the general of their good-will to the allied troops, and that they were ready to give him the most favorable recep tion. They were accordingly received with cries of "Vivent les Bourbons!-Vivent les Allies" On the right of Prince Wrede, General Chemi cheff, with 4,000 men, communicated betwee General Lambert, the Bavarians, and Marhai Blucher. Blucher. On the left of the Moselle, between Metz and Lougrion, he fell in with a force of 3,000 French troops, with some artillery, which be attacked and drove back to Metz, and pushing on to Chalons, he made himself master of that place after a brilliant affair. One division at first entered the town by consent of the inhabitants, but these were no sooner got in than the enemy closed the gates, and attacked them, whereupon the party dashed forward to the Paris gate, and succeeded in extricating themselves from the unexpected danger. In the meantime, Chernicheff advanced with the main body of his force, brought forward some cannon, and battering down the gate, entered at the head of his troops, and dispersed the enemy's force assembled in the place, which was treated with great severity. Blockading Toul, and throwing bridges over the Moselle, Marshal Wrede continued to advance towards Paris, in the neighbourhood of which he soon afterwards arrived without much further opposition. In his march through the country, General Wrede issued the following proclamation to the French : "Frenchmen!-The manner in which we entered your country yesterday may prove to you that we are not the enemies of the peaceable inhabitants. I have pardoned even such of your fellow-citizens as were taken with arms in their hands, and who had deserved to be punished with death, like banditti. "But considering that these armed bands, which rove about the country, under the name of free corps, to plunder their fellow-countrymen, without being able to contribute to their defence, are a scourge which Bonaparte brings upon France, which is already become sufficiently miserable through the boundless ambition of this enemy of the peace and happiness of the world, I command, 1. "That every one who belongs to these free corps, or is taken with arms in his hands, without belonging to the regular troops, and wearing their uniform, shall be brought before a courtmartial, and put to death within twenty-four hours. 2." That every town or commune in which any one belonging to the allies is murdered, shall be punished in the first instance; the town with a contribution of 200,000 francs, the village with 50,000. In case of repetition, the town or village shall be plundered and burnt. 3. "That twenty-four hours after the entrance of the allied troops, any town or commune shall deliver up its arms at the residence of the prefect or sub-prefect. 4. "Every town or commune where, twentyfour hours after the entrance of the allies, arms or ammunition shall be found, shall be fined, the town 200,000, the village 50,000 francs. "The house of the proprietor of these arms 108. shall be plundered, the owner brought before a BOOK XVI. "Frenchmen! Be easy: our victorious armies "Given at my head-quarters, at Saargemund, 24th of June, 1815. "Field-marshal Prince WREDE." On the side of the Prince-royal of Wirtemberg, however, the opposition was more serious. On the 26th, he forced the enemy to abandon a position he had taken up between Setz and Sarrbourg, and to retire through the forest of Hagenau. Continuing to press the enemy under General Rapp, an obstinate engagement took place on the 29th, in which the former was defeated with considerable loss, and pursued under the guns of Strasburgh, into which place he entered, and the blockade of which was quickly begun. Here Rapp was shut up, with a force of, at least, 35,000 men; and, according to the accounts in the German journals, watched by a force of about 50,000. The French lost many prisoners, and five pieces of cannon. The Austrian, Baden, and Wirtemberg troops rivalled each other in courage. Here, as soon as his corps was relieved by the Austrians, the prince-royal commenced his march upon Luneville and Nancy; and, continuing his advance, came in contact with the army under Prince Ferdinand; their united forces forming a mass of 200,000 men. It is almost impossible to detail, or to bring into any connected form, the numerous skirmishes which took place between the advance of the allied armies and the retreating enemy, and the different engagements which took place between them and the garrisons of the fortified towns, in which the allies were generally successful, and in which a very considerable loss of men was sustained on both sides. Crossing the Rhine in vast force, and blockading the fortress of Pfalzbourg, the main body of the allied army pushed on through the defile of the Vosges mountains, on the great road from Strasburgh to Paris, but for some time advanced with great difficulty. To avoid the fortress, a road was made in the course of a few hours, and the guns and carriages were dragged by parties of soldiers up rocky steeps that appeared almost inaccessible; after which the army continued its march to Paris, without meeting with any serious obstacle to oppose its 1815. 1815. HISTORY OF THE WARS BOOK XVI. movements. On the morning of the 26th, the ment followed upon the instant. The aged, the women, and the children, suffered with the wicked perpetrators. At Mulhausen, two soldiers were shot by a clergyman. His house was sur rounded, and he was destroyed with it, Halfa league from this, six buhlaus inquired of a boy, in a farm-house, the name of the next village instead of answering, the man was shot from his horse. The boy was immediately cut down by the side of his mother. Similar was the conduct of the people in this part of France, and similar was their punishment. Wherever the allied troops met with resistance from the country people, every thing was destroyed. "For six days," said accounts from that quarter," the sky has been red every day with the flames of burning villages. Where a single shot is fired from them upon the allies, all is levelled to the ground. A dreadful judgment hangs over France the crimes of preceding times are visited upon their descendants, who rival them in the commission of enormities," On the side of Italy, hostilities had commenced between Marshal Suchet and the Austrians in that quarter. On the 14th of June, Suchet at tacked and carried the town of Montmelian, situated upon the Isere. According to his account, the allies lost 300 killed and wounded, and 600 prisoners. The French immediately penetrated into Savoy, and overran nearly all that country, where as yet there was but an inadequate force to oppose them. Suchet advanced with part of his army to Geneva, upon the lake of that name, and gained possession of the whole valley of the Arve, and endeavoured also to get possession of the town of St. Maurice, upon the Rhine, which commands the road that passes over Mount St Bernard from Italy, and by that a formidable Austrian army was advancing. The career of Suchet, however, was soon stopped by the arrival of the Austrian general, Frimont, with the Italian army above 60,000 strong. Passing Mount St. Ber nard, he descended the Rhone to St. Maurice, and pushing forward, soon cleared all the south bank of the Lake of Geneva. Bubna followed with a further force over Mount Cenis, and took the direction of Grenoble; while an army ef Austrians, Piedmontese, and some English troops were preparing to enter France by Nice, upen the shores of the Mediterranean. This completely tied up the hands of Marshal Brune, sta tioned in that quarter, and prevented him from sending any assistance to Suchet. It was at th moment that Suchet communicated to the Austrian general the unexpected news of the abdication of Bonaparte, and solicited an armistice, which was granted for twenty-four hours, upon conditions that he should evacuate the whole valley of the Arve. On the same day, Geneva was occupied and the enemy driven from the heights of S vonen with considerable loss. At the same time |