Phenix gazette. [volume] (Alexandria [D.C.]) 1825-1833, 1830-11-13

during starvation the Garde BourgeOse commit
ted no excess: and can speak from personal ex'
perience of the admirable conduct Of most OF the
privates of that corps; not so OF most oil their
officers.
Thus stood the matter on We'd. csday evening:
the Prince had an army under his command; ne
enjoyed popularity in the city; ne was aided oy
famine and DISCRIMINATION prevailing amongst
his opponepts. who were deserted Oy the prin-
clpal part of their chiefs-the foul crayens VINO
blenched from the helm when the wind blew the
highest. but who returned when success became
probable, to guide the efforts of those few who
still struggled on when all was dark, gloomy,
and hopeless.
Despite all his advantages, in opposition to all
human foresight, the Prince has been The defeat
ed party. His Hishness was aided by many cir
cumstances, but he forgot he had formidable
opponent in the excited, the indescrlbably exclt-
ed hatred of the Belgians to the Dutch, and which
could only be rendered tractable by conquer
or's success, or by the Cancellation OF a beloved
Prince. His Highness had the choice OF two
courses-to enter Brussels in triumph, as the
vanuuisher of the Belgian nation, or as the friend
of the people, relying on their love. and unaided
by "a mercenary foreign army, as the Dutch are
considered by his Belsic subjects The Prince
was lndecisive: he adopted neither course, but
traversed from one to the other. To pursue the
first course, and to enter as conquering prince.
he on Thursday, the esd, required but a few re.
solute troops; for the disunion of his enemies and
the flight of their chiefs, would nave left but lit
tie for disciplined men to effect. To have adop-
ted successfully the other alternative. and to have
commanded in Brussels Prince beloved by
the people. he needed only to have granted
more precise amnesty, and have promised to en-
ter the city with those troops alone who were
Belgians by birth, and who, as events have prov
ed, were not inclined to desert his cause till Its
success became more than dubious. and that OF
his opponents was absorbingy popular.
When in possession of Brussels. nc might
have concilated all parties, for the people were
weary Of anarchy, and the possession of the capt
tai by the Kings forces. would have crushed the
hopes of the revolutionists in other places. 1t is
difficult to say what the Prince designed: his
attack on the town was just sufficient to excite
hatred and inspire contempt: his soldiers must
be most atrociOus cowards-their leaders the vii
est Of traitors, or the most unspeakable idiots.
On Thursday morning. the esd: the Prince ell
tered in the direction of Scaerbeck; his troops
marched down the Rue Royale, and entered the
park. At seven i'm the morning he had encOun-
tered but little resistance, at this period first
saw the conflict. The Place de Louvain (which
lies between the gate Of Scaerbeck aud the Park
was at this time defended by not more than 60 or
20 undisciplined Bourgeois, with only one officer
that could distinguish They complained bit
terly that they were betrayed, and did not ima-
CINE that above an hour would elapse before the
Prince would have had full possession of the town,
of which he already occupied the higher part,
with the consequent means of early subduing the
remainder. AT this time (seven in the morning)
the Princes army exhibited tbemselXess in sen.
er they speedily retired from. sheltering them
selves behind the corners of the houses, though
they were resisted only by handful of the Bour-
geOis and a few strangers, who fought behind the
barricades. which had been thrown up very care
lessly, and which were not of sufficient height
Or breadth to have offered any material obstacle
to either foot or horse: very Indifferent hunter
would have thought little Of leaping these bar
riers. AT this time there was no firing from the
houses | saw the inhabitants close their doors
and refuse to allow their houses to be used as
forts for the defence of the CITY against the
Princes forces. The Prince. however. instead
of advancing, commenced to retreat; his troops
yielded up several Of the barbados they possess
ed, and retired behind the trees of the Roulevards
Their cOwardice is nconceiveable to men who
have not witnessedit. saw six persons drive
company of Dutch from barricade. Amongst
these six were gallant French youth, apparent
~ about l6 years of age, one Of the bravest of
OF the brave; Belgian who displayed the most
adventurous valor the whole day; and two bro
theirs the eldest Of ,chom. in 1895, obtained the
douoie first honors of rLford.* and the other a
member of the Jamaica Assembly. Both these
brothers were wounded, the latter slightly, but
the former very severely in several pla-
ces. particularly by shot. which at later
period of the day. he received through the leg at
the Place Royal, whilst leading on the Bourgeois
at the Cafe de PAmite. in front of the Park. lie
was carried from the field by his brother and an
Irish gentleman to the ne t hospital; some of
the vagabonds, who were in the rear endeavor-
ing to rob him. He was afterwards removed |
from the hospital to his hotel by the Bourgeois, |
and almost stifled with caresses. Several ladies |
of Brussels have continued to visit him during
the procrastinated cure of his wounds, expressing
their gratitude to him for having come express
from Paris, to defend them, when many of the
leaders of the people had deserted them. Gen.
Van Halen called on him to express his high ap-
prevail of his conduct and that of his brother.