Virginia Argus. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1796-1816, 1814-04-02
FOREIGN.
FRENCH OFFICIAL ACCOUNT.
PARIS, Feb. S.

the armies On the 81 teOruary:-
The Emperor arrived at Vitry, Jan. goth.
Gen. Butcher, with the army of Silesia, had
passed the Marine, and was marching upon
Troyes. The enemy entered Brienne the |
9th, and continued his march, but he lost |
much time in re establishing the bridge of |
Lesmont, upon the Aube. On the 9th the |
Emperor attacked st. Dizier-The Duke |
OF Relluno presented himself before this town |
Gen. Dnhesme overtlsrew the rear guard |
OF the enemy, which was still ,here, and
made some hundred prisoners. The EN-
.peror arrived at St. bizier-It is difficul,
TO paint the intoxication and joy of the inha-
bitants at this moment. The depredations
OF every kind which the enemy commit, par
ticu'arly the Cossacks, are beyond descrip-
ton. On the SSth the Emperor moved up
on Monteriender. On the 29tl, at O'Clock
in ithe morning. Gen Grouchy, who. COM
mands the cavalry. informed, that Gen. Mil.
baud, with the 5th corps of cavalry, be.
tween Maizieres and Brienne, was in sigh,
OF the army of the enemy, commanded by
Gen. Butcher, which was estimated at 4O,>
coo Russians and Prussans; the Russians
commanded by Gen. Sacken. At 4 o'clock
the little town cf Brienne was attacked.-
Gen. Lefevrc Desnouettes, commanding a
| division OF the guard, and Gems. Grouchy
| and Milhaud, made several fine charges up-
on the right of the road, and seized upon the
height of Perthe. The Prince of Moskwa
put himself at the head of six battalions IN
close column, and moved upon the town by
the road of Maizieres.-Gen. Chateac turn.
ed by the right, and entered the castle of
Brienne by the Park. At this moment the
Emperor directed column upon the road
TO Bar, upon Aube, which appeared 70 be
the retreat of the enemy-The attack was
nh 4 , IN
envy not expecting so severe an attack, had
not time to withdraw his parks from the
bridge of Lesnont, where he intended to
pass the Aube-t to advance. This counter
march has much embarrassed him. Night
did not put an end to the combat. The great
force OF the enemy, and the fine situation of
brienne, gave him many advantages but
the taking CT the castle which he had neglect-
ed to occupy IN force, deprived him of them.
Towards so'clock. seeing that he could no
longer maintain himself, he set fire to the
town, and the conhagration spread with RAJ
pidity. all the houses being of wood. Pro-
hting by this event, he endeavored to retake
the castle, which the brave Major '---. of
the 56h, defended intrepidly. He strewed
all the approaches to the castle with dead.
particularly the steps ont the side of the Park.
This last check decided the retreat of the
enemy, which the burning ofthe town favor,
ed. Gen. Grouchy and the Duke of Bellu-
no. at IL O'Clock on the morning of the 3Oth,
pursued him beyond the village of Rothiere,
where they took up their position.
We employed the 3lst in repairing the
bridge OF Lesmont, the Emperor Wishing to
march upon Troyes, in order to operate
(oherer) on the columns which directed
themselves upon Sens by Bar, upon Aube.
and by the road of Auxerre. The bridge Of
Lesmont was not re established until the
morning CT the 1st Feb. A part of the
troops immediately filed over it. At 8 o.
clock in the afternoon, the enemy having
been reinforced by the whole of his army.
1 debonched upon Rothiere and Dienyille.
which we still occupied. Our rea. guard
Showed much firmness-Gen. puhesme dis
ungulshed himself by preserving Rothiere,
and Gen. Girard by maintaining Dienvilie.
| The corps o. the Austrian Gen. Goulay
which wished to pass from the left bank GO
the right and force the bridge, had several
of his battalions destroyed. The Duke of
Belluno maintained the hamlet of Giberie all
day, In spite of the enormous disproportion
OF the forces which attacked it. This affair.
| in which our rear guard stood in a vast plain
against the whole army of the enemy, and
OF quiHtriple force, is one of the finest ex
| PLOTS OF the French army. In the midst of
the obscurity of the night, battery OF ar
tillery OF the guard following the motion of
| a corps OF cavalry which was advancing to
4 repel a charge of the enemy, lost its road,
! aud was taken. When the cannoniers uer.
ceived the ambuscade into which they had
fallen, and that there was not time tn pre
| pare tlieir pieces for action, they formed a
| squadron, attacked the enemy, ard saved
their horses, losing Is men killed or made
prisoners. AT 10 o'clock, at night, the
| Prince OF Neufchatei visiting the posts.
| found the two armies so near each otber
shat he several times took the posts of The
enemy for our own. One of his aids finding
| himself within ten PAGES of vidette. was
made prisoner. The same accident has
happened to several Russian officers, having
the parole, who threw themselves into our
posts beieying them to be their own. Few
| prisoners have been made on either side
! We have made $50.
| On the I'd of Feb. at the break Of dav ALI
| the rear guard of the army was in order Of
battle before Brienne. It successfully took
positions to complete the passage Of the
Dridge oil Lesmont, and to rejoin the rest of
the army. The Duke Of Ragusa, who was
I'D position on the bridge of Rosmay, was
attacked by IN Austrian corps, which had
passed in the rear of the woods He re-
pulls it, made 800 prisoners, and drove the
enemy beyond the little river yore.
On the Sd at noon, the Emperor entered
Iroyes We have lost in the battle of Bri.
| enne, the brave Gen. Basic. Gen. Lefebre
Desnouettes was wounded by bayonet.-
Ten. Forster was severely wounded. Our
oss in these two days may be estimated al
from 1000 to 5000 killed and wounded. The
ioss OF the enemy is at least double. A di
yislon drawn from the corps of the enemy's
army which observes Metz, Thionyille and
buxembourgh, IL battalions strong, has
marched urant Nifru IT, a-.--- o'