The Phoenix — Dover [N.H.], 1793-01-26 00:00:00, page 2

" The firft tier of redoubts was immedi
ately carried With the greatest vivacity; but
soon the difficulties and obstacles increasing,
the centre was in some danger ; and 1 saw
some of the enemy's horse ready to enter the
plain, to charge the columns in flank. I in
flantly dispatched thither Lieut. General Ag
alite, who, by his cool bravery, quickly rallied
the columns, and led them to the second tier
of redoubts. I ordered the 3d regiment of
chaffeurs and the 6th of hussars to support this
attack, who arrived very a-pro-pos to make
head againfl and charge the enemy's cavalry.
I repaired at the fame time to the right where
Tfound that General BounonviJle, haying tur
ned and carried the redoubts, met with com
plete futcefs—his horse had been thrown into
some disorder, whilst he was busily employed
at the head of his infantry^ I quickly ralli
ed them, and they instantly charged with the
.greatest vigor the enemy's horse, who had al
ready, reached our right flank. Whilst our
cavalry was rallying, a body of the enemy s
horse attempted to break the sirs tbattalion
of Paris volunteers, who received them with
steadiness, and with a single difeharge killed
sixty men! . „
"At two o'clock they retreated in the
greatest disorder, leaving us in the possession
of the ground Which they had occupied and
which was covered with the killed of both
parties. Their loss was so considerable, and
their confternatioq so great, that they passed
through the city of Mons, without once hal
ting ; neither did they halt,t Berthomen^ or
Mount Pelifele, or ev, on the teghts pf
- "In the interval of this action on'tfe right
our left had dafried tilte village of ; Genneppt,
^Xrcentre had forced and take, the Ie
ordering the artillery to be pufked nearer to
the Austrians, that it might have the greeter
effect ; and I ordered an attack upon the vil
lage of Carignon, because I could not fall
upon Genneppe, on that fide, without being
firft thadc: of that village.
•' I sent Colonel Thouvenor, my adjutant
general an officer of the highest merit, with
orders to direct the attack, and carry all the
right flank of the enemy. I desired General
d'Harville to advance his batteries nearer to
them, that the greater execution might be
made upon their left. I ordered General
Bournonville to do the like, and be ready for
the attack, precisely at noon. I dispatched
similar orders to the left, because I calculated
we should by that time be matters of Carig
non, which it was necessary we should have
in our possession, as the left of my line attack
ed might be turned, if that village was to con
tinue in the power of the enemy.
4 Precisely at 12 o'clock at noon, all the
infantry formed in columns in the twinkling
of an eye, and advanced with the greatest ra
pidity and alacrity towards the enemy's works
—not a single head of a column remained be
hind.
^rdied nndßver?&fr&gh ite evolutions as
on a fielJ da „N)ot panicula^'h the three
receding days,' when 1 could not but admire
'the cooluefs and precifion^dth which they
executed al! the'mancet^A wtfcftl had
planned. I
4 A hot cannonade begaX)n bom fires at
, o'clock in the morning, and lifted ffil ten,
at which time 1 was not able to perceive
that our success was such as to make it elfei-j
blcto confine myfelf to that species of attack;'
Whilst I vitited the different parts of my line,
the troops expressed their impatience to push
bayonets with the enemy General Bour
nonville and General Egalite had repeatedly
proposed the fame measure. I retrained
their ardour, only, that I might make its ex
ertion the more vigorous ; tor it was my plan
ultimately, to storm the redoubts. In the
mean time, however, I contented myfelf with
dcd.
" I am hot exaaly acquainted with the a
mount of our loss, butl eftirtiate it at about
goo killed and .600. wounded. I will fend
you a more exad account, as soon as I receive
thf regular returns from the different corpse.
The enemy have loft eight guns, taken by
Gen: Eounonville's advanced guard and three
in our attack of the left.-7-Our gunners main
tained their reputation for bravery and (kill so
much dreaded by our enemies.
'" The Austrians have loft in killed, wound
d@d,and deserters, at least 4000 men,exclufive
of almost as many more miffing,and disbanded
fomeof whom we are every hour picking up.
had/ his horse killed. Adjutant Gerr Mon
foy was, shot in the mouth, and has seven of
his teeth knocked out. Col. Dubourret is
badly wounded, as is citizen Lieut. Berlicke,
of the National Gardarmerie, who received
,41,wounds (all given with broad fwords)after
he had with his own hands killed 7 of the
enemy. Citizen La'offes, Lieut Col. of the
two battalions of the two Sevres, had bis arm
broke by a musket ffiot. Several other offi
cers and loldiers have been kilted and woun-
" I led the whole victorious army to the
height of the vilage of Cufmus, where I pla
ced some infantry, and found one thirteen
pounder. I collected ahere some wounded
.and deserters. The fame day I sent a de
tachment under Gen. d Harville, to take post
on Mount Palifele, and another under Gene
ral Stetenboffe, to take possession of Bartelle-
"Th's ever memorable event cover£France
with immortal glory. There is mot in the
whole army a battalion, or squadron, or even
a single individual, who has not been In elofe
engagement with the enemy. You are al
ready well acquainted with the abilities and
bravery of General Bournonville/ -All the
other Generals, particularly General Egalite,
.fhewedrthe greatest judgment in leading on
the army. The afield officers and aid-de
camps carried ray orders with the greatest
a&ivity and precision, through the midst of
most dreadful fire and Daughter. Gen. Dro
net had a leg broken by a musket shot. Col-
Claumont adjutant general was (hot through
the arm, and his horse (hot under him. Gen.
Ferrand received a contusion in the leg, arid
cond tier of redoubts ; we dill had another
battle to fight before we could become maC
ters o^the last tier ; but it was neither as long
or as Ur as the former; the Austrians being
filled „th consternation at the exploits per
formed by the obstinate and dill encreafmg
bravery of our troops.
ment.
" I sent a summons to the city of Mons to
surrender, and a parley took place of which
I enclose the particulars. The troops, though
they had scarcely elofed an eye for three days
and had not been able to prepare any dinner
on the day of the terrible battle, pressed me
nevertheless to let them march to Mons and
take the town by efcalade. I told them they
should have their fatisfaaion the next day ; —
and I accordingly took proper measures for
completing the circumvalatibn of the city, and
attacking it in several places at once. But
the enemy availed themselves of the night,
and avacuated it ; the last 400 men of the
garrison left it at nine o'clock the next mor-
ning.
" I was making preparations for planting
batteries, when the inhabitants, after having
broke open the gates, which had been elofed
by the Austrians, came forth and invited me
to enter their city, which 1 immediately did.
I found the magistrates at the gates to receive
me, they offered me the keys of Mons laying
my hand upon them, i told them we were
come as friends and brethren, to persuade
them to keep their gates always (hut against
their old oppressors, and to defend the liberty
which we had just procured them.
|(fr As there has been a (bort though
warm dispute in the paper for a few
weeks past, concerning the republica- —
tion of the result of the Pomfret con
vention, and as the uncharaclable paf
or of thechurch in S. as he stiles himfff
affirmed in the presence ofa number of
witnesses, that he knew nothing about
it—that he never had a thought of its
being published in this paper—that he
never wished the publication of it—
and in short, that he never exchanged
one word with the Editor, concerning
the result, or the republication of it,
either dire&ly or indirectly in his life :
We shall, in consequence thereof pub
lish a few fads, which may proverb
the world that Mr. Thurston is not so
innocent as he may have pretended.
ift The introduction of the result,
wherein a wifli is expreft for the re
publication of it, is evidently wrote by
Mr. T. as may be seen by comparing
hand writings. s
idly. .That he afterwards came over
in person, and called me out of the of
fice into the counting-room, and wish
ed to know the reason why the refyt
was not published ; I told him that it
was not right to pnblifh itin this part
of the country, for as Mr. Dodge had
a number of friends here it might hurt
his character in their esteem, but that
my paper was free and impartial, that
if be wished it published, it Should be
done, but told him that it would un
doubtedly be answered—he then re
plied that the person who sent it, would
wish to have it published, it was ac
cordingly inserted. -
gdly. The next time I saw the <
ileman was at Mrs. Knight's ferry.—
where we had considerable conversation
about the result, in company with se
veral as refpeftable characters as the
big Mr. T. and I informed him that
the result was answered, and that he
was pointed out as the instigator of the
republication —he replied, that though
Unwilling to engage in a newspaper
war, if the result was answered be must
enter the lift.- Those are the fafy,
now the world may judge wbatfortfy
a creature tbis f. is—fads areflub—
born /b%,and.will not give back.-jj
<z 6nch @ i, feffityfrhis batA
which may be cqnliderCTis decifivm|
the co^ueft of the Netherlands ; fol
th^tyrcts will not again venture
me^^^&ength with us in apit&ed<
last, we haft fliewn
united resources of situ
ation and art are not able to raise a bar
rier too strong for French bravery ,to
pull down.
" The bearer of these dispatches, is 4
Lieut. Col. Larau, my aid-de-cam 4
man of the greatest intrepidity.
" DUMOURIER,
"^Commander in Chief."
1 \
A GOOD BOY, to fetve as an a
prentice to the printing business
TO THE 'PUB LIC.
WANTED