Alexandria gazette, commercial and political. [volume] (Alexandria [Va.]) 1812-1817, 1814-03-22
French Barbarity.
woxRDRN, {Hollsnd) Nov. so.

..sg W OENDBN, w.
"Wednesday the 24tb inst. was certain.
" the most dreadful day ever known in
this town, and which has been produce
i've of general sorrow and extreme mi.
sery. On the preceding evening, about
$50 men of the nationsl guards, from
The Hague, with two pieces Of cannon,
appeared before this town, and demand
f ed % the French commandment, VINO had
possession of il with about TWENTY-FIVE
Of his own natter, TO Surrender it. - This
WAS complied with, and on the same G.
yeains the town received its new garri-
son. On the following morning, being
the S4th Nov, this new garrison was I'M
expeciedly surprised bv very namer-
Gus body of French troops from Utrecht,
provided with some pieces of artillery,
and sitter smart skIrmisb, IN which
some men fell on. both sides, taken by
sferm. Now commenced the dreadful
piundesing, devastation and inhOman
murders. The houses whic', could not
be opened, on account of the doors and
windows having been fastened, ware
beaten open by artillery cabinets, chests
aud boxes were, cut and broken open !;
the ready money, uncoined gold and Sill
yer, Jewels, liRen aud clothing, stolen /;
valuable papers DESTROYED glasses, chi
ma, and ether earthenwa c, broken and
thrown into the streets; the poor inha-
bi,aBts, already frightened almost to
death, and begging for their lives, were
forced TO discover where they had Sc
creted their other valusbles Death and
destruction had at length penetrated into
every habita.ians the blood of the most
siriuous husband and fsthers, of the
best mothers, of grey haired ancients,
sof tender Infants, stained the walls OF
their psacefei habita,ions. and streamed
out of the houses aldag the streets
Four and twenty Inhabitants of this little
town, which had already suffered by the
barbariaBs, were eraeliy taurdered with.
out any reason given for such proceed.
ings. About 50 others were wounded.
more or less severely, several Of whom
must certailIy die OF their Wounds
Not even the ministers at any religion
were spared, although they had hed TO-
the alter Old men Of upwards Of 80
years, and iotants in their mothers arms,
were immediately shot or slain by the
ssord A woman in childbcd, and who
= would have been delivered Of twins, was
deliberately shot ,hrn' the body, whilst
lying in her bed, after having uncovered
her, and the bestead act on hre, after mi.
serably numbering the mother and her
ofFspring,-No tears of the ponr crea-
lures begging for mercs--no cries of
knesiSg children. could soften the hearts
ofthese Iniscresots; who, on the contra
ryand with loud laughter and derision,
6isgEacefnl to hnnauity, carried their
scrueliies so tar as to ccmalit their mar,
ders before the eyes of their nearest re-
latisns, throwing out the bleeding Boz
dies Covered with dirt. in presence Of
the despairIng widows and shrieking
children, and committing all abuses on
che naked corpses Il is impossible to
give any particular statement OF the a.
trocities and crueities committed, in this
slight description the pen refuses, and
moaesty iorbIdS to describe all the enor-
mites of these Cannibals, who have rem
dered the former French tyrann. q mere
pastime. Langour and mortal dread is
TO be read in every counrensnCe. At
the first meeting, people nf all ranks
embraced each other, wondering 70 meet
again alive. The bloody streets, the
brokea buildings, ne furniture destroy
ed. from picture, from which every
human being must START with horror.
Those WOO formerly dispensed 10 others,
are now themselves IN want of the FIRST
pecesssries oil life, and cast their longing
eyes 70 their fellow Netherlanders, who,
by the Divine Providence, have been
nyes-rvetI from these exe cusioners.
They remained here Till they bad car
RED OF their bloody hooty with stolen
( horses and carriages, and then like mon.
sters, who snun the ligat of day. left the
tow n in silence, like thieves, III the night
of the 27th, leaving nothing behind them
hot blood ADD tears. Csod preserve the
Netherlands in future from such mise
ries, and Ell tie heart. at all benevolent
peaple with feelings OF due humanity
towards these unfortunate creatures, and
With gratitude for not having psrtaksn
cf,heis dreadful sufferisgs, as TO contri-
butte as much as possible, to reEte'lng
their losses, which they themselves ne
yer can do without assistance from O.
,hers--uor even then, until the irrePa-
rabie loss of dear relations, and valuable
! friends, shall have been slleviated re.
ligiou and time. Subscriptions arec-
peSed at Rotterdam for the relief OF the
sufferers At Woerden.
{ London Times.
From the Bombay Paher.