Wilmington journal. [volume] (Wilmington, N.C.) 1844-1895, 1851-05-02
From the London Times.
The 24th OF February, 1s4s.


The annexed important letter of the late Marshal
Bugeaud, forwarded by our Paris correspondent
describing that able soldiers share in the events of
the morning which witnessed the overthrow of the
French monarchy, is a most valuable and indisputa-
bly, authentic addition to the history of the most
mentous events of modern times. So far as the con-
duct of the government is brought forward, it is a
complete illustration Of the maxim--Quem Uut per-
deere Deus:
sChancc has thrown into my hands document not hith-
noticed perhaps the most instructive and useful of
that have appeared that amazing catastrophe and the
publication which, though referring to the past could not
aprpos when consider that the situation
country may before long bear close resemblance to
what in the of I3lS The document
referred to letter addressed by Marshal Bugeaud to
FRIEND member of the Chamber of Deputies and which
tans succnct clear narrative of the events in which he
took part 24th of February The letter written
not long before his death 1t is as follows:
My DEAR 1t was o'clock in the morning
of the 9th, when aid-de-camp came to me to re-
quest my attendance at the Chateau, (the Tuille
res) | fastened thither. was offered the COM
mand of the troops and the National Guard. well
understood that it was too late: but thought it
would be unworthy of me to refuse The ministers
(MM Guizot and Duchatel) were sent for to coun-
tersign the ordinances which named me- All this
took some time; so that it about halfpast
o'clock the same morning before was enabled to
put myself in communication with the troops that
were then in the Place du Carrousel in the Court
of the Tulleries. | assembled the officers and sub
officers, and harangued them with energy. My ad-
dress was incorrectly reported in the journal. The
troops were much discouraged They had been kept
for more than sixty hours in timd and even shame
full attitude, in presence of the emeute-ther feet
were in the mud their knapsacks their backs and
they looked on TRANQUILITY while the insurgents at
tackled the municipal guards, burnt the guard hou-
ses, cut down the trees, smashed the lamps and ha
rangued the soldiers The soldiers had only received
for nourishment three ratons OF biscuit that had
already been consumed they had generally but ten
cartridges per man the most amply provided bat
talons had but 90 On the Place du Carrousel there
were only three chests of cartridges. There were
none whatever at the Ecole Milaire, nor elsewhere
in Paris. The only supply to be found was at Vim
cenaes, and that only of Is caissons. To bring up
this supply it necessary to traverse the whole
theatre Of the nsurrecton and thousands OF barrl-
cades. The cavalry horses were completely knocked
up, and had not grain of corn; the men had been
constantly kept on horseback. The whole of the
troops detached to the Bastile the Hotel de Vile,
the Boulevards, and the Pantheon had received or
ders to fall back at daybreak the Tuilleries. Il
lost no time in ordering them to remain firm at their
post, and assured them that other columns would
move towards them at the break of day. and that
then they should decidedly assume the offensive
81 employed the rest of the night in organizing
raising the courage of all around me- and must say
with success. | saw faces, that were very downcast
at first, gradually brighten up at seeing the meas
ures adopted and the orders and instructions that
gave | had about at least $50 persons. Officers
of the staff of the army and of the National Guard,
and a crowd of generals, to offer me their ser
vices. There were too many of them; each one
wished to claim my attention and to make me pro-
testations They made me lose great deal of most
valuable time Add to this that all at the same time
brought hundred kinds of news and demanded OF
me hundreds of orders. wanted information on the
National Guard Jacqueminot was in bed very ILL
His chief of the staff did not make his appearance
sent to look for him. He was found in room on
the fourth story. He came to me in very bad hui
NOR, and rendered me his resignation. That's not
the question, sir, [ said inform of the steps
taken with respect to the National Guard could
get no information from him. The commandant OF
the division was equally silent and could only OBJ
tain information from his chief of the staff,
Colonel Rollin, who showed himself a man of heart
and intelligence At last, at daybreak at halfpast
five o'clock in the morning. four columns set out
from the Place du Carrouse animated with the very
best spirit but badly furnished with ammunition to
sustain long combat The chief of these columns,
and good number of officers who composed it, re-
ceived instructions in which Iapidly indicated the
manner of attacking the barricades and compact
Masses of penetrating into the houses, &c. Conf
denee depicted in every face and as consider
ed the seriously engaged did not doubt that
the combat was to begin immediately
lone of the columns directed itself on the Hotel
de Vile, by the Palas Royal, and by traversing the
Rues Montmartre, Poissonniere, Saint Martin, &c.
The second column marched towards the Bastile, by
the Rue Rchelieu the Bourse the lower part of the
Rue Montmartre, and the Boulevards. The third
was to mannuvre the right and left to the of
the two first in order to hinder the construction of
barricades behind them. The fourth proceeded to
the Pantheon to reinforce Gen. Renaud, who was to
take the command of all, and who had already re-
ceived nv instructions. Gendarmes, in disguise ac-
companied these columns to bring me back reports
orderlies for reserves organized in the Place
du Carrousel, under the command of Gen Rulhieres
At seven o'clock learned officially that my columns
had reached the points indicated, and without any
resistance; the barricades had not been defended
and they had been sufficiently removed to allow a
free passage to the artillery. The column of the
Boulevards alone did not reach the Bastile because
it had encountered on the Boulevard Montmartre an
enormous The general who commanded it
sent to me to say, am in presence of an enormous
mass, but badly armed. The mass is not offensive
and the only thing it does is to cry out Vive Ia Re-
publque Vive Ia lgne! A bas Guizot What
am to do g | replied, Make the usual summons
to the crowd to retire. if they do not obey, employ
force, and act according to my Instructions. learn
ed at later period that my instructions had not been
complied with. About seven o'clock crowd of we'll
dressed civilians, coming from different points where
the instruction was established, ran towards me,
and, with tears in their eyes. besought to remove
the troops whose presence irritated the people, and
to leave to the National Guard, which assem-
bling, the task of appeasing the emeMe. was in
gerous in the advice they gave me, when NJ Theirs
and NJ. Barrot came to me- bringing on the part OF
the King, the order to withdraw the whole of the
troops and to employ the National Guard only, OF