The Sun.
London, England, 1833-01-03 00:00:00

BELGIUM.

ANTWERP, MONDAY EvENINU, DEC. 31.
The last scene of the siege of the citadel of Antwerp
is past. At 2 o'clock the French soldiers quitted it, and
this day, the last of 1832, has been the first on which
this celebrated fortress became the possession of the Bel-
gians, as a free and independent people. It has existed
250 years, and now it has at length become the property
of the people in whose country it was erected as a cause
of terror. At first " religious bigotry" laid the basis
under the Government of Philip 11., King of Spain,
and after many changes, it lastly found the support of
" commercial bigotry" under William, King of Holland. The capture oit by the French army under Marshal
Gerard, has added to the military renown of that nation ;
for the only " Crown" to which their claim could be in
the least doubted, was the mural one ; they have obtained
it here, by carrying on the siege against only two bas-
tions. Yet to me their glory seemed pure, disinterested,
and peaceful, when I saw to-day the soldiers surrender
the gates and the body of the place to the Belgians. This
act demonstrated that the French Government of the
modern time can earn laurels and maintain good faith—
the best encomium that can be bestowed on any nation.
The appearance of the citadel itself is a heap of ruins;
all the buildings are destroyed by the shells and by the re-
sults of the garrison's departure. To many it was during
last week an object cf interest, yet to me it was most so
when the Belgians entered it. I was present and saw them
enter into possession. The ground and the ramparts
were ploughed up ; broken shells, cannon-bal:s, and
wrecks of houses were scattered amidst walls devastated
by fire. Yet the provision-store, through which I passed
to Chasse's apartment, had received but one shell. There
several hundred barrels of provisions, bread in abundance,
and the pumps in the casemates were untouched. The
chapel is a striking ruin ; nothing there is whole ; one re-
markable object was the broken headless statute of Dun
Fernando de S .lis, erected over his grave in Spanish times.
The inscription yet remains in that language.
The apartment in which General Chasse lately lived
was at one end of a casemate fronting the south, and not
exposed much to the fire of the French. It is situate at
the end of the provision-store, and near a pump,
c,,,nsiderably lower than the other parts of the cita-
del. It is in the direction of the bastion Duque,
and near the Scheldt. There was nothing of value
remaining, yet some persons, in their eagerness, sought
even a slight memorial of the spot in which the old Ge-
neral heard so many thousand shells bursting around him.
I saw at the gate by the river, close to the Fort du Kiel,
the last division of the Dutch take their departure yester-
day morning, at 8 o'clock, from the scene of their exploit.
They looked in general strong healthful young men, of
about 22 or 25, intermixed with some old soldiers. The
sailors taken in the 'fete de Flandres, after the burning of
their gun-boats, followed, singing ship ditties.
After an interval of an hour, the trunks of General
Chasse and of his staff were brought out, and placed in
three carriages: then came the old General himself, with
his officers. The French Guards stationed where the
coaches were waiting near the gate instantly presented
arms. Another party drove away about a hunched spec-
tators. The carriages passed on through the village of

St. Laurent. In the first, an old-fiashioned postchaise

sat General Chasse and Colonel de Boer ; it passed close
to where I stood. I SAW the old General, calm and se

•
rene ; his age, his intrepidity, and his fidelity created for
him respect in my eyes. I forgot for a moment the in-
tolerance of his master, and although none said " God

bless him," or the contrary, all were pleased to see him
leave the citadel. I took off lIIf hat; an Englishman in

my company did the same ; the old man saw us, and re-
turned the salutation, the only one I saw him receive from
the spectators. The prisoners and he passed to Burcht,
and from thence to sleep a league on this side of Ghent.
Captain Koopin in, who is now treated as the other pri-
soners, accompanied him in another carriage.
The French are all to quit this neighbourhood to•mor-
row. General Seb istiani's division to be replaced in Doel
by six battalions of Belgians. The Dutch troops in
Liefkenshoek, and the sailors on board tile ships there, are

expected to make an immediate attempt to cut dikes there
order to inundate that district. This must produce a

collision.

A Belgian division under General Daine, the General
who ran away last year from Hasselt, is to take the posi-
tion o❑ on the right bank of the Scheldt now occupied by
the French General Achard.

As yet nothing indicates peace : on the contrary, a
movement seems apprehended by the Prince of Orange.
It is presumed that it will, as usual, be too late.
The weather is cold and frosty ; perhaps the ice will
_ _ _

soon allow the attack of Liefkenshoek and Lillo. Yet
one may ask if the Belgians can do so, as the armistice
may be supposed to subsist still between them and the
King of Holland. Ail is still doubt, and, we may add
danger.

TUESDAY, JAN. 1.

This is indeed a day of rejoicing in this city ; Chasse
mid his repeated threats of bombardment kept Antwerp
during 15 months in continual alarm ; be and his soldiers
are gone, and the inhabitnnts are delighted. This day
the bells and chimes have been rung, and this night an
illumination is also to take place.
The only want now is the opening of the Scheldt. The
Dutch fleet remains near the Belgian village of Doel,
which the Dutch are exceedingly desirous of inundating,
in order to throw obstacles in the way of an attack on the
fortress of Lief kenshotk. There are six battalions of the
Belgian troops stationed there now in the position of the
French divison under General Sebastiani ; yet there are
apprehensions that another attack, such as that of the 23d
ult., will be attempted, and bring about hostilities be-
•ween the two countries. The attack is expected from
the Dutch.

Diplomacy has now again to labour to persuade the
King of Holland to accept peace on just terms. The at-
tempt will, it is feared, be still useless. The lesson he has
received by the taking cf the citadel appears to be thrown
away. Judging from the chicanery of the speech of the
Dutch Foreign Minister, delivered on the 10th ult., there
is no probability of his accepting the award of Europe, as
specified in the 21 articles. This speech is an able pro-
duction,—specious like a lawyer's speech.—on one side
only. Its arguments are not based on natural or positive
justice ; its object is to encourage the Dutch in their re-
solution not to accept those articles, and at the same time
to sow dissension among the Powers.

The spirit which animates the Dutch King towards
Belgium has been illustrated in the vindictive destruction
effected by the garrison of all the articles in the citadel,
except the mere materiel of war. The soldiers, like the
sailors in the gun-boats, were determined that the Bel-
gians should profit of nothing which they could destroy
consistently with the capitulation.
The Dutch wounded in the hospitals here are treated
with the same kindness as the French. Marshal Gerard,
who takes his departure to-day, and ail the remaining
regiments go to-morrow, has visited the hospitals fre-
quently, and consoled all the soldiers, as a good General
ought. Colonel Gomoen, who came as a volunteer front
Holland to the citadel on the 7th of December, having
been dangerously wounded during the siege, was removed
to the military hospital of this city, where he died last
week. His body has been sent by water to Bergen-op•
Zoom, to be interred in his own country.
The Austrian brig which is to open the Scheldt remains
still in the river : I saw it there at 2 o'clock. The Austrian
Consul applied last week, as I understand, at the Hague,
for leave for it to sail out, but no answer has been received
as yet.
If the Dutch recommence their inundations, and if

they persist in keeping the Scheldt closed, the Bigians
will, as some contend, be justified in preparing actively
for, if not actually making, war. If the attack be by
the line of the Mouse, as contemplated, to shut up the
Rhine near Nitneguen, Prussia will, it is apprehended, in-
terfere, and then must all Europe be embroiled by the
refusal of toe Dutch to make peace. They are afraid of
a frost now, and wish to procrastinate the settlement until
spring.
In the newspaper which I remit* you will find Chasse's
account of the siege, which is rather curious, as contrasted
with the accounts from hence published during the siege
by the Conservative papers of London.

4 O'CLOCK.
There is a cannonade going on towards Duel where the
Belgians are taking their positions. Two Belgia❑ regi-
ments have arrived in Antwerp. They are better looking
than the French or Dutch, clean and comfortably clad,
and well equipped. They have made a long march from
Louvain and Wavre to-day. K.

BRUSSELS, TUESDAY MOANING, JAN.

The Belgian revolution of 1830 is now nearly com-
pleted. The fig of William of Holland floats over only
two small forts, which, properly speaking, should be un-
der Belgian col,urs. As far as the intervention of France
and England is concerned, the affair of the citadel of
Antwerp is at an end. At noon of yesterday the French
authorities gave up to the Belgians whatever their shot
and shells had left of that fortress, and certainly there is
not a foot of ground in it (buildings, except the magazine,
no longer exist) which does not attest their prowess.
A detachment of the Garde Civique of the contingent

* The down:2l du Commerce d' Anvers, dated the 2d ofJan,
but we have not room to-day for the account:: contained in it.

of Mons, Tournay, Ath, &c., marched up to the burnt
arsenal at eleven o'clock, and on being- admitted, sent,
after a short delay, their sentinels to relieve those of the
French. By noon the whole were relieved, and soon after
the French marched out, thus giving the lie to the thou-
sand calumnies which were sent from this against them.
If it were not that the interest of the whole affair has
now, in a great measure, gone by, it might be worth
while to recapitulate the predictions which were made here
and in London as to the siege of Antwerp, but leaving
the detail, which would be too voluminous, I shall con-
tent myself with a very few points, and I do so because
they were flatly contradicted as they arose by the corre-
spondence from Antwerp and from this place to you.
First, we were told that the French army would not march
at all—that France and England were afraid of provoking
the Northern Powers and the Germanic Confederation ;
next, that the first step the French made across their fron-
tier would be the signal for the approach of the Prussians
from the other side, followed by Germans, Austrians, Rus-
sians, &c. ; then, that if the French approached the cita-
del, their first shot against it would be followed by a
movement of the Prince of Orange for its relief; and,
lastly, that if the French should take it (which was very
doubtful) they would keep it, not for the Belgians,
hut for themselves, preserving, at the same time, such a
force in Belgium as would be sufficient to secure that
country as an appanage to France. How well founded all
those pieces of accurate intelligence have b en is now
proved. The French marched,—thePrussians were quiet—
the citadel was attacked—the Prince of Orange did not
move. The citadel has been taken—the Belgians have it
in possession, and the whole of the French army is now
on its way home. So much for correct intelligence—so
much for news derived from " the best informed circles,"
here and at Antwerp! What is to be said of the 7,000
French troops which were (according to the Ilandelsblad
and some London morning and evening papers) buried in
the trenches, I cannot tell until the ground occupied by
those trenches again reverts to agriculture—the digging
up of the ground must show. To come to facts,
however, time French are on their way home. The
6th (Belgian) Regiment of the Line went off yesterday
morning, accompanied by a large detachment of the Garde
Civique Mobilisee of Louvain, to relieve the troops of
General Sebastiani on the dikes of the Scheldt; and you
will observe from the statement of the Minister of War, in
the subjoined extracts from the papers here, that the Bel-
gian force is to be, numerically at least, and I hope effec-
tively, as great as that of the French, which it is about to
replace. General Daine will command the force at the
left bank of the Scheldt. Probably, but of this I am not
informed on any authority on which I could ask you to
rely, General Desprez will supply the place of the French
General Achard on the right bank.
There are many persons here, and those well informed
too, who think that the Dutch troeps only wait for the
removal of the French in order to make an irruption
across the frontier, and to lay a still larger portion of the
country under water. As they will consider this only as
a measure of precaution, and as one side of the dikes
belongs to them, they may expect that the act will
not he regarded as one of hostility ; but., nevertheless,
it is likely to give rise to some sharp skirmish-
ing, and probably to something more between them and
the Belgian troops. It is perfectly certain, as I mentioned
in a former letter, that the will is not wantitig at either
side; and that though it is probable the Dutch will be
the aggressors, neither party will weigh the cases belli in
a very nice scale.
The French, as I have said above, hive finished the
affair of the citadel; but the Scheldt is still closed to the
commerce of Antwerp. That, however, though it is
strongly felt by the commercial people of Belgium, is
looked upon not so much as a question between Belgium
and Holland as between Holland and the other commer-
cial states of Europe. It is not on that ground alone that
hostilities are likely to arise between the rival Powers,
though it would be an ingredient in the quarrel ; but there
are so many other inducements at both sides to come into
angry collision that I have not met a man here who does
not look out for fresh hostilities before a month. I hope
they may be mistaken, but I own that from all I hear and
see I do not think these fears unfounded ; however, one
short month will tell.

The following are the only thi❑gs worth notice in the
papers of Sunday and Monday :
(From the Emancipation.)
The Chamber of Representatives adopted only the first
part of AI. Gendebien's proposition—that expressive of the
nation's gratitude to the French army, which has on two
occasions been its liberator. ---

The second part of his proposition, being for the removal
of the monument at Waterloo, was rejected.
In the Senate Chamber, Count Robiano moved that a
sword of honour should be pt esented to Marshal Gerard
as a token of gratitude from the Belgian people to the
French army. There is every reason to suppose that the
Senate will prefer adopting the resolution which the Cha-
mber of Representatives has passed up to it on the same
subject. The budget was adopted without any amend-
ment, by a majority of 33 to 4.
The Government has received a letter from the King of
Sardinia, announcing to the King of the Belgians the
marriage of his daughter with the King of Naples. Also
a letter from the Regency of Greece, acquainting King
Leopold with the accession of Otho I. to the throne of that
country.
His Majesty arrived in Brussels from Antwerp last night.
Marshal Gerard is expected here to-morrow.
The King and Queen will receive on New year's-day
the deputation appointed to present them with the congra-
tulation of the Chamber of Representatives.
It has been stated by several journals that the Dutch pri-
soners will pass through Ghent. We can assure our
readers that the first column will sleep to night within a
league of Ghent, and will move on to-morrow morning for
France without entering that city.
Some of the mails belonging to the French head-quarters
at rived yesterday at the Brussels Bank, from which they
received a considerable portion of the French military chest.
The 3d division of the French army, under General
Jarnin, consisting of the 19th Light Infantry and the 18th
of the Line, forming General Zoepfel's brigade, and the
52d and 58th of the Line, General George's brigade, will
pass throu,4h Brussels this day and to-morrow for France,
by Nivelles.
The head-quarters of the Belgian army will be removed
i❑ a few days from Lierre to Brussels.
The Journal de Luxemburg of the 26th of Dec.
gives an account of the arrest, by a Prussian patrol, of five
Belgian revenue officers, who had passed the boundaries in
pursuit of a vehicle laden with French sugar. As they
appeared, on examination, to be ignorant of the exact line
of boundary, they were released after a short detention.
(Extract from the Antwerp papers of the 29th.)
At 6 o'clock this morning 2,500 of the Dutch garrison,
including General Favange, set out on their march for Dun-
kirk, under a French escort. In all probability they will
be followed to-morrow by the remainder of the garrison.
The Dutch Colonel Gumoens died last night at the military
hospital. This distinguished officer, whilst going his
rounds in the citadel on the 22d of December, received nine
wounds by the explosion of a single shell.
Captain Koopman still remains at Berchem. The strict
surveillance that has hitherto been kept over him is in
some degree relaxed, and a better lodging has been assigned
to him.
The sailors who, after having destroyed their gun-
boats, had retired to the 'Fete de Flandres, were conveyed
this morning to the citadel.
There is ❑o truth in the report of the grand flag of the
citadel, nor of the Admiral's, having been sent as trophies
to Paris ; these, together with all the flags, both of the
citadel and the fleet, except that of the 10th Regiment,
were burnt by the Dutch.
Marshal Gerard is here, and is not expected to leave
till to-morrow.

(The following is from the second edition of the Liberal.)
BERCHEM, SUNDAY, HALF-PAST 11.
A detachment of Dutch prisoners has left to-day, but
the whole garrison will not have evacuated the citadel be-
fore to .morrow. The Belgian forces will then take pos-
session of it. General Chasse quitted the fortress at 9
o'clock. On the road he met Colonel Godard, with whorls
he entered into conversation. He ordered everything that
he owed in Antwerp to. be paid.
General Daine's division, which is now stationed at
Terveuren, will arrive to-morrow, and take up canton-
ments in the vicinity of Antwerp.
(From the Independant, dated Jan. 1.)
The Senate adopted yesterday the projet for an address
of thanks from the nation to the French army ; and also
resolved that a sword of honour should be presented to
Marshal Gerard.
In the course of the brief discussion on the extraordinary
grant to the Minister of War for the service of the army,
the condition of the inhabitants of the ploders near forts
Lillo and Liefkenshoek being alluded to, that Minister sta-
ted " that he would direct to those parts a force equal to
that which the French had stationed there." In fact, six
battalions are immediately to cross the Scheldt, and go into
cantonments at Beveren, Calloo, and the neighbourhood.
The inhabitants of Doel may therefore rest assured, that if
the Dutch renew their attempt upon that point, another
23,1 will await them.
(From the Eni incipation, dated Jan. 1.)
The Nureinburg Correspondent states, in its Berlin

column, that neither Prussia nor Russia will send Ambassa-
dors to Brussels till the differences between Holland and
Belgium are terminated.
The precautions taken yesterday by the municipal au-
thorities of Ghent to protect the first column of Dutch
prisoners from insult, during their march through the
vicinity of the town were unnecessary : there was not
the slightest indication of tumult.
The second corps of prisoners left the citadel yesterday,
and will pursue the same road as the first. Marshal
Gerard assured the two Dutch Generals that they were
at liberty to chose any mode of conveyance they thought
proper.
Before leaving Antwerp, King Leopold visited the
hospital and distributed decorations among the wounded,
Several French officers of the medical staff have gone to
Louvain to provide the means of transporting the sick and
the wounded from the hospital of that city to France.
Orders have been issued from the War-office to the
sth Regiment of Infantry, now in Brussels, to join the
7th division of the army at Antwerp, which is to
be commanded by Colonel Buzen, whose promotion to
the rank of General is daily expected. The 4th divi-
sion, under General Daine, will replace General Achard's
corps on the right bank of the Scheldt, occupying
the roads of Breda and Eindhoven. It is not yet known
what regiment will relieve General Sebastiani's division
on the left bank ; the change will, however, take place
to-morrow.

By a letter from Flushing, dated the 26th instant, it
appears that in the affair of the 23d, near Liefkenshoek,
the Dutch had 11 killed and 48 wounded. Among the
former were Lieutenants Menzo and Paravicini di Capelli,
and among the latter, Lieutenant Jacobs, of the navy, and
Major Bnele.

(From the Evening Edition of the Liberal.)

BERCHEM, DEC. 31, 6 A. 31.

General Chasse proceeded with the second convoy of
Dutch prisoners. He rode in a carriage drawn by post-
horses, and was accompanied by some superior Dutch
officeri, among whom was Captain Koopmsn, whose sword
had been returned to him, Lieut.-Colonel Deboerque, who
was reported to have been severely wounded, and the
Commanders of engineers and artillery. They were an in
full uniform; Captain Kooprnan wore several orders, and
General Chasse was decorated with the grand cross of
William, lately presented to him by his Sovereign. It
was remarked that a great many Dutch officers were deco-
rated with the Legion of Honour ; the French officers
recognised several who had served with them in the
Russian and German campaigns. The Dutch took a
considerable quantity of baggage with them, and were at-
tended by a numerous body of suttlers. They had like-
wise about 100 dogs with them.
The prisoners experienced no molestation or insult from

le crowds that flocked to witness their departure.

Yesterday at noon the French gave up the 'fete de
Flandres to the Belgians. At the same hour to-day, pro-
bably, the Belgians will take possession of the citadel, and
the other forts,

BRUSSELS, DEC. 31.

The 4th battalion of the sth infantry will remain here
in garrison till the 3d of January. The 52d French Re-
giment of the line has just arrived. The Minister of War
will set out this evening for Antwerp.
TUESDAY EVENING, JAN. 1.

There is nothing new here. Everybody connected with
the army, or brought here by the siege, is moving home-
ward, as I shall be when this is sent off.
The enclosed, by the negligence of the messenger, came
too late for the despatch of this morning.
The following are the only things i❑ the papers of this
clay worth extracting. The Order of the Day and the ac-
count of the materiel in the citadel will not be without
some interest :

ARMY OF THE NORTH.-ORDER OF THE DAY,
" HEAD-QUARTERS, DEC. 31, 1532.

Marshal Gerard feels it his duty to convey to the
army the testimony of the King's approbation, on the
capture of the citadel of Antwerp. He is also anxious
to express his own acknowledgments on the occasion,
—for what else can he feel for soldiers so brave and
devoted ? If Government approves what we have
done, we are rewarded in the satisfaction of
having served France, and merited the esteem of
our country. Since the formation of the Army of the
North, the good order, conduct, and discipline of the sol.
diers have supported its reputation both abroad and at
home. In the first expedition, which took place last year
in Belgium to aid our ally, the rapidity of our march and
the promptitude of the result showed what French sol-
diers could do before an enemy. This year the Dutch
expected us at Antwerp, and the army has shown that it
knows how to unite courage and perseverance, and that it
can brave dangers and endure privations and fatigues.
The obstinate resistance of the enemy behind their fosses
and their walls detained the soldiers 24 days and 25
nights in the trenches, in rain, cold, and mud, engaged in
the works, in continual danger from the fire of the works.
Yet the sappers and miners, the artillery and infantry,
never for a day—never for
,an instant, ceased to show
themselves good-humoured, obedient, courageous, and un-
daunted. In this memorable siege there have been
opened 14,000 metres (about 45,000 English feet) of
trenches. There have been fired 63,000 cannon-balls by
our Artillery. We have taken, by the capitulation, an
enemy of 5,000 men of all arms, of whom ISS are of-
ficers. We have had 687 wounded and 108 killed.
[The Emancipation, in its copy of this order, states,
evidently by an error of the press, the killed 608, and
makes no mention of wounded.]
"The soldiers of all ranks have done their duty. The me-
dical department has given proofs of its skill and zeal. The
soldiers, whether in camp or bivouack, or in doing double
and treble duty, have never murmured. The wounded
have given proofs of great fortitude. The Marshal the
Commander-in-Chief cannot notice this admirable conduct
without stating it to the whole army, and, as it were, to
ownrewardswholeto
army,meritorious,who
hisshall a hl
hn
ed,
pointed distribute
ou
t
by , with own
by their officers.
" In making this promise the Marshal knows that he
expresses the personal feelings of his Mijesty. This pro-
mise will not be made in vain. _

" ST. CYR NUGUES."

INVENTORY OF THE MATERIEL OF TILE CITADEL.
Cannon 24 pounders l2
-- 18 ditto ll
-- 12 ditto 2l
------ 6 ditto 3l
Howitzers of 20 centimetres 9
A

----- 15 ditto
Mortars of 12 incises

- 8 ditto 4
29 centimetres 5
-- 20 ditto 4
13 ditto 3l
Cohorns (13 in metal) 3
Swivell guns 2

Total
Of the foregoing there were 10 at the Tete de Flandres.
PROJECTILES, POWDER, ROCKETS, &C., EXISTING IN

THE MAGAZINES OF THE CITADEL.

Bullets of 24:b., 2,008 ; howiivrs of 20 centimetres,
1,400 ; howitzers of 15 ditto, 1,700 ; bombs of 12 ditto,
2,200 ; bombs of 29 ditto, 1,500 ; grenades charged,
3,500 ; cannon powder in barrels, 73,190 kilograms, or
146,38010. English ; 450 kilograms sporting powder;
cartridges for infantry, 1,200,000 ; cartridges for bullets
of 61b. 500 ; cannon cartridges, of 241 b. 120 ; ditto of
1810. 370 ; ditto of 1210. 350 ; ditto of 61b. 140 ; chests
of bullets of 241 b. 400 ; ditto of 181 b. 76 ; ditto of 1210.
660 ; ditto of 61b. 1,000.
Fire-rockets in 826 barrels, 4,100 kilograms ; saltpetre,
80 kilograms ; material for fire balls, 330 ; hand grenades,
2,072 ; ditto for fusees 50 ; ditto for matches, 50 ; fusees
charged, of 29 centimetres, 190 ; of 20 centimentres,l2B ;
of 15 centimetres, 1,104, for 13 ditto, 626 ; matches
finished, 67,380 ; ditto 18,480 ; fire balls of 29 centime-
tres, 32 ; of 20 ditto, 55 ; of 18 ditto, 50 ; balls-a-
main, 1,029 ; ditto, 60; ditto, 20 ; ditto, 92 ; ditto, 240.

(From the Independant.)

ANTWERP, DEC. 31.
To-day some companies of the sth of the Line have
taken possession of the forts of the left bank of the Scheldt,
relieving the French troops.
The 6th Regiment of the (Belgian) Line marched off
this morning, at seven o'clock, for Eastern Flanders. It
will cross the Scheldt at Burgbt. Its bead-quarters will
be at Calm. These troops will occupy St. Marie, Perle,
and all the works erected by the French since their
arrival in this country. It is said that the sth Regi-
ment, in garrison at Brussels, will also march to Eastern
Fanders. (They have already set out for that destination.)
There remains at Antwerp at this moment only the
Garde Civique of Hainault, to do the duty of the place.
The municipality of the city, accompanied by the mi-
litary cotnroand int of the province and some officers of
engineers, took possession of the citadel this morning, and
relieved the French troops stationed there.
An officer of engineers who visited the citadel has as-
sured me that the garrison had provisions, and that the
pumps and the casemates were not injured. This officer
does not think that it was the want of water or the state
of the casemates which induced the commandant to sur-
render. He surrendered to avoid an assault. It now ap-
pears that he could not place any great reliance on his
troops. W,