The National Register. — London, England, 1813-09-26 00:00:00

[THE N v ATIONTAL REGISTER. Our Iting, Conztitution, anu Laths. PUBLISHED AT NO. 11, NEWCASTLE-STagET, STRAND. N 300. SUNDAY, SEPTEMBER 126, 1813. Nrct Pei GENERAL MOREAU. Ceneral Morteau, who unfortunately died on the 2d instant (rt . the wounds he received before Dresden, on the 27th of .Nugust, was born in the year 1761 at Mor!aix, in Lower Brittany. Ills father was a t espectable and respect ed ad , o ate in that town, a profession which it appears had been followed by the family for generations. Young Morteau was also Wended for the law, and after he usual studies was sent to the University of Rennes to take his degrees In the year 17g8, be was Pri:- vot de Droll, or bead of the students in law at Rennes, a body of young men at all times remaikable for their tto = o:ence and public spirit, and over whom he had a well known and marked influence. In the petty squabbles, which at that period took place between the Court of France and the T'arbaments, Moaeau was, in consequence, appointed their leader, and styled the General of the Parliateent, whose cause was at that time considered as that of public liberty. In the winter fo'lowing, however, MOREAU acted at the bead of his youthful band, against that very Parliament, and the States of Brittany, who were then proceeding against the orders of the Court, and the wishes of the people, in resisting the convocation of the general States of the kingdom; for even an his early career MOEEAU*S leading principle appears to have IR en a sincere love for rational liberty. In those occasions MOREAU evinced an equal degree of prudence and courage, and his gentleman-like manners and graceful person, ;aided not a little to his popularity. In January 1790, he acted as President of the Confederation of the Youth of Brittany assembled at Pontivy ; and on the formation of the National Guards, was named Commandant of one of the batallioes of that province. MOREAU had then for the fist time an opportuirty of embracing permanently a pro fession so congenial to his feelings ; for he has been heard often to declare that_ he found neth'ng but disgust in the study of the law, which he followed merely in com pliance with the wishes of his family, and even his father's offer, to give him one half of his business, could not divest him from his favourite pursuits. His labours in the new career he had entered were incessant. Ili , : fi iends- say, ac cording to the biographer of his youth, " that he devourtd in four months more military works, treatises, and memoirs, than had been composed in four centuries, and went, in three months, through more military manceuvres and evolutions, than many officers in thirty yea's. Ills battalion was first reviewed in May 1790, and the In specting-General, Count de THIARS Dr. BISSY, notwithstand ing the jealousy which the troops of time line then entertained of the National Guard, could not help saying " that few Co lonels of the line with their old corps could have afforded him the gratification of seeing so much regularity, disci pline, and precision in the evolutions of that battalion of National G earls " " The Count de TIIIA as has done me nitwit honour," said MOREAU, returning from the review, " but I hope lid' will live long enough to see me command not only National Guards, but the miny of the line." MOREAU, however, .did not take the steps which were likely to ensure his rapid promotion ; he shewed too openly his hatred of the measures and principles of the anarchists; Vol. Ff. No. CCC. and his battalion was the hst to act ept the le,. famous con stitution of 1793, at a time when hesitation was ouniThed with instant death. The Convention, however, were in want of good officers, and in July 1793 be was promoted to !be rank of General of Brigade, by the Commit7ee of Pub!ic Safety. Ilis first action as a comtnarder was on the 14th of September, when, with a division of the army of the' NI osee. he attacked the Prussian army commanded by the Duke of BauNswicto. He was defeated ; but the Duke of BRUNS WICK. that excellent judge of military met it, duly praised the conduct of the young General, in his report to the King of PRUSSIA, of the 15th of September 1793, by sits ing that " his able plan of attack was surpassed only by his vet abler dispositions for retreat ; and that the corps be commanded w:ts neither dispersed nor dishonoured." Thus this dc/ no, although not ominous, gave an earnest of his future glory. !n the autumn of 1793, MOREA u made the acquaintance of PICIII.G RI% who, having discovered in him those pre, ious germs of military t: :eats which only reqnired the festering hand of an experienced friend to be matured into excellence. ob'ained for him the command of a division in tie arms of the Rhine, to which be had been appointed. Under that ahle master, Mon EAU, in a variety of enterprises, in which it is not our intention to follow him, acquit ed that military experience, and those comprehensive views, of which he so successfully availed himself afterwards. It was in the m;dst of these successes that the Jacobins of Morlaix sent to the guillotine his aged father, who was considered as the father of the poor. . The first resolution of . MOR EAU at bearing the fatal intelligence, was to leave the service.of these mon ! sters and to join the emigrants armed to pltti-h their crimes. Ile accordingly tendered his resignation to his friend- and -General, PICHEG P.U. But PI CFI EGRU was of a very diftlrent opinion, and we had the following details from himself, while in' this conetry. " What do yon intend to do?" he asked MGR r AU. "To quit the army and France." was the reply. "'to quit the army and France !" re' eated hen L.- CR V, " Do you not then see the manner iii which the Enligril ate treated by the Foreign Powets ? I do not . ccept. your resignation. I beg . of you, as a friend, to teflect on the step you intend to take. Come to me again to-morrow. , It is not thus that von should intend to avenge the death of your father ! You must think of acquiring a glory and an import i anCe which may one day put you in a !iituation to avenge it. I I shall soon furnish you with an opportunity of distioguish. 1• ing yourself." MottEau came the day after to PICHEGRU, I and told him, that he was convinced by his reasoning, which 1 . appears to have influenced the whole of his conduct after. 1 wards. We shall not follow this Commander in his brilliant I e m ilit a ry career; that belongs to histmy : but we canoc•e avoid observing, that thrice he had th e honour of savii l French arm es from impending desti uction, and in t.a o o f those occasions lie acted as a simple volunteer, or,. , ;; 1 1 subor dinate situations in the army , having been q , opet.sleA, by t h e accomplices of his father's murdeter, who iho':ded ;be just vengeance of a man whom his exploits aid moral. kondoet had made so popular with the troops and the ye o ple„ It was on this occasion that a French Colonel. no..a prisoner of war in' this country a , i asked him, when thi .na then attached to I'd'oßtAu's arm ,. .e order of the Dire ~ t• d ry supetsetl' . 7. ;, j ; • ,64