Phenix gazette. [volume] (Alexandria [D.C.]) 1825-1833, 1825-10-06
NO. 11Oo

forms and epaulettes; he exercised no
others during the campaign in Russia,
&c."
Certainly the circumstances. which
happen TO be strictly correct. do NOT
give US very high idea Of the accura-
cy to be expected in work wherein all
- detailed from hearsay, but if M. de
Segur be thus disqualified for writing
the history Of the Russian campaign.
certainly Gourgaud himself is not
much better fitted forit. He was Buo-
naparte's officer d'ordonance-true he
entered the cabinet Of the great man
true, but what were his functions, we
care not ny what name they were de.
signated, they were that Of the militia
ry messenger, route to be placed
somewhere between an aid-de-eamp
and common servant, he was letter.
Carrier to the Emperor, and in this ca
pacity certainly entered the cabinet and
frequently received his orders from bis
masters own lips, therefore he could
know about as much of the political
part as Segur; as to the military part
it was different. Gourgaud was remar-
kable for a quick perception, and for
considerable military knowledge and
experience, and wherever the action ap-
peared hottest Napoleon sent Gour-
gaud 10 bring him an account what
was going on. He was the first, it is
asserted, who entered the Kremlin at
Moscow and discovered 500, Ooolbs of
gunpowder, which Rostopchin had for
gotten to destroy, and which was much
wanted, as $1,000 cannon shot had
been fired by the French at the battle
OF the Moskwa. Gourgaud's work has
therefore, in military point of view,
higher claim to accuracy than Sc
gur's, as Gourgaud was really an eye.
witness, and was twice wounded in the
Russian campaign; his volume contains
some important discoveries, one of
which regards US, Moscow was Sc: on
fire at the instigation of the English
Government, and English gold assn.
red the polar fidelity of Rostopchin! !!
We knew English gold had done much
but we were yet to learn that it had
burnt Moscow.
The perpetual tone ofirony in Gour-
gaud's work, which always designates
Segur as guarter-master Segur, and
the positive lie given to many parts Of
the work, induced Segur to call him
out; the gendarmes being informed by
some kind friends prevented the NEE
ting, but The next day yesterday
they did meet, Segur attended by Gen
eraI Lobau and Dejean, both ex aids
decamp of Napoleon, and Gourgaud
by General ,Pajol and Col. Duchamp.
Segur received slight wound in the
arm, and Gourgaud one in the body,
when the seconds interfered, and made
up the quarrel
The ruins Of the Chateau de la Yer
riere, on the banks Of the Erdre, in the
department Of the Loire Inferieure, are
according to the tradition Of the neigh
boring peasantry, those Of the castle
of the celebrated Blue Beard, the hero
of the well known nursery tale. This
formidable parsonage, who is not alto.
gether a mere creation OF the fancy,
was Giles de Rc,z, who lived in the
reign of Charles VII and was a vassal
of John V. Duke Of Bretagne He
was tried at Nantes on the suspicion of
having destroyed number Of children
who had BEEN seen to enter the castle
and were never heard Of afterwards
The bodies Of several were afterwards
found, he having caused them to be
put to death to make use Of their blood
in writing charms and forming mean
tations to raise internal spirits, BY
whose means he believed according to
the horrible superstitions Of the times,
that buried treasures would be revealed
TO him. On his trial he confessed the
most horrible acts Of atrocity, and was
sentenced to be burned alive but the
duke caused him to be strangled before
he was tied to the stake. The execu-
ton took place December 25th, l44o,
and a detailed account Of it still pre-
| served in MS. in the archives OF
Nantes.
When Socrates was building himself
house at Athens, being asked by one
that observed the littleness Of the de-
sign, why man SO eminent would no'
Have an abode more suitable TO his dig
nity; he replied, that he should think
himself sufficiently Accommodated, IL ne
could see that narrow habitation hlied
with real friends. Such was the O.
pinion of this great master OF human
life, concerning the infrequeney' OIL
such an union Of minds, as might de-
serve the name Of friendship, that a.
morng the multitudes whom vanity, Gu,
riosity, civility or veneration, crowded
about him, he did not expect that very
spacious apartments would be neeessa-
nv to contain all that should regard him
with sincere kindness, or adhere 70