UNIVERSITY OF CALIFORNIA 
 AT LOS ANGELES
 
 ORIGINAL 
 CORRESPONDENCE 
 
 BETWEEN 
 
 GENERALS 
 
 DUMOURIER, MIRANDA, P ACHE AND 
 BEURNONVILLE, 
 
 MINISTERS OF WAR, 
 
 SINCE JANUARY, 
 1793, 
 
 including the Orders of General Dumourier to General 
 Miranda, from the Invafion of Holland to the Overthrow 
 of the French, after the Battle of Nerwinden. 
 
 TRANSLATED FROM THE FRENCH, 
 
 PUBLISHED BY GENERAL MIRANDA. 
 
 LONDON : 
 
 HUNTED FOR J. OWEN, NO. l68, PICCADILLY.
 
 ORIGINAL CORRESPONDENCE, 
 
 &fc. csfr. fefc.' 
 
 LETTER I. 
 
 Paris, Jan. 5, I 793i Second Year of the 
 French Republic. 
 
 tfhe MINISTER AT WAR to the LIEUTENANT 
 GENERAL of the Northern Divijion of the 
 French Army in Belgium. 
 
 THE Provifionary Executive Council have 
 authorized me, General, to tranfmit to 
 you the order for taking the command of the 
 French army in Belgium, in the room of Ge- 
 neral Valence, he having obtained leave of ab- 
 fence. In this fituation you will pleafe particu- 
 larly to attend to the intereft of the Republic. 
 
 Signed 
 
 PACHE. 
 
 PACH%
 
 C * 3 
 
 LETTER II. 
 
 . ^. Paris, Jan. 7, 1 793, Second Year of the 
 
 French Repubiic. 
 
 PACHE, Minifter of War, to MIRANDA, Lieutf- 
 
 nant General commanding the Army in Belgium. 
 \ 
 
 A WANT of confidence between 
 the Officers on the Staff and the Commiffaries 
 appointed for fupplying the army with necefla- 
 ries, occafions material "injury, to the brave de- 
 fenders of the Republic. 
 
 The Commiffioners of the Convention an- 
 nounce, that the army is in want of forage. The 
 Members of the Committee for fupplying the 
 army declare, that confiderable {lores on the ba 
 fons at Louvain are fuffered to rot, as no maga- 
 zines have been allowed, and becaufe the Aflif- 
 tant Commiflaries neglect forwarding them to 
 thofe places where they are neceflary. 
 
 At a moment when public fafety, and the cer- 
 tainty of enjoying liberty, require that we (hould 
 be united to fubdue our enemies, I cannot con- 
 ceive why private emolument and felfifli views 
 fhould thus fet at variance men in foliations of 
 the greatefl refponfibility, and endanger the ex- 
 
 iflence
 
 C 3 1 
 
 iflcnce of our brethren, who brave all dangers to 
 defend our common welfare. 
 
 There not being a poffibility for me to travel 
 into the Low Countries, to afcertain the true 
 jtate of things, and compare the various accounts 
 with each other, I call upon you, General, in 
 the name of Liberty and Equality, in the name 
 pf the Republic, of which you have declared 
 yourfelf one of the defenders, to afford both pro- 
 tection and affiftance to thofe who are entrufted 
 with the care of fnpplying our troops with pro- 
 vilions. 
 
 Order magazines to be ready for the afliftants 
 of the committee, who have contracted ; and in 
 the fame manner for thofe who are charged with 
 the distributing and management of provifions. 
 Order thofe appointed by the contractors to ap- 
 pear before you.- Let the places be pointed out 
 to you where the provifions are depofited, and 
 the quantities of each fort. Give orders imme- 
 diately to every one in his refpective department 
 to get them carried off, and fent wherever they 
 are moft wanting. Give orders that no obftacle 
 be fuffered in the conveyance ; and that no pri- 
 vate views, or a fhadow of perfonal intereft, may 
 qccafion the diforganization of the army, by ex- 
 poling our brave defenders to the danger of dy- 
 Ba, ing;
 
 C 4 ] 
 
 ing by want, and thus fully the glory of the re- 
 pub.ican Army. 
 
 When you (hall have afcertained the quanti* , 
 ' ties whieh. have been bought, and the places 
 where they are ftored, you will immediately in- 
 form me, General, if there be a fufficient fupply ; 
 if not, where and how much is to be purchafed ; 
 I mall immediately give orders for that purpofe, 
 and fend money fufficient to anfwer any engage- 
 ment entered into for fupporting our troops. 
 
 I repeat it, General, I am moft fenfibly afflict- 
 ed with the condition of the French troops in 
 Belgium, which I am determined to ufe every 
 effort in my power, and whatever is incumbent 
 on me, either by my duty or fituation, to amend 
 and improve ; but I ftand in need of afliflance : 
 your acknowledged probity, your friendthip and 
 intimacy with Petion, your rank in the army, all 
 determine my appointing you to co-operate with 
 me for the welfare of the army. 
 
 Write to me often every day, relative to 
 
 , your fituation, to its improvement, and on the 
 
 means necerTary to be taken for accompli filing 
 
 that ftate of tranquillity and fecurity which ought 
 
 long fince to have been attained. 
 
 Signed PACHEV
 
 [ 5 
 
 LETTER III, 
 
 General DUMOURIER to General MIRANDA. 
 
 Paris, Jan. icx 
 
 THE Minifter of War, my dear 
 Miranda, fends you the ftate of the garrifons, 
 the movements of which are concerted in order 
 to come near maritime Flanders ; and will 
 flrengthen your corps with about 10,000 men, 
 of whom there are from 12 to 1500 cavalry: 
 they are collecting from Dunkirk, byOflend, 
 Bruges, and extending towards Ghent and An- 
 twerp. You are to feem as if you changed one 
 of the cantonments on your left, in order to 
 ftrengthen Antwerp by a brigade of infantry, 
 without drawing any from thence. Thus affairs 
 now (land. The EngliCh will certainly declare 
 war : their project is to make fure of Zealand : 
 they have nine frigates, which, if not there al- 
 ready., will foon arrive at Fluihing. The Dutch 
 will then declare thcmfelves. 
 
 The patriots afiert, that the Dutch have al- 
 ready evacuated Venloo, which is to be garri- 
 foned by Pruffians : they are likewife to eva- 
 cuate Maeftricht, and be replaced by the allied 
 troops : thus they will form a body of 20000 
 men to defend the interior parts, from Bergen- 
 
 dj>-zoona
 
 r 6 ] 
 
 op-zoom to Nimeguen, and furnifh a contin- 
 gent which, with the affiflance of the Engliflh, 
 will attack our flank. 
 
 * As the Stadtholder dreads the revolirionary 
 fpirit which ferments with the greateft activity 
 in all the provinces, particularly at Amfterdam, 
 and the Hague, he is fortifying the iflanci of 
 Walcheren ; and it is his .plan to retire there, 
 with the States and the heads of the different 
 adminiftrations, under the protection of the 
 Dutch and Englifh fleets. They are at work 
 at the fortifications with the utmofl care and la- 
 bour ; and it is fuppofed thefe will be compleu 
 ed in fifteen days. 
 
 I am now to inform you of the determination 
 of the Executive Council. As General Valence 
 returns to Paris* you are to take the command 
 of the army j and you are entrufted with the 
 execution of the plan which I now tranfmit, at 
 the fame time that you are enjoined to the.clofeft 
 fecrecy. 
 
 ift. Leave of abfence is granted to General 
 Bourdonnaye, that he may not impede the bu- 
 finefs you have to accomplilh ; and all the troops 
 of maritime Flanders are left at your difpofal, 
 that every part may. be fet in motion at your 
 fingle will. You have at Bruges General De-
 
 C 7 ] 
 
 fiers, who is a very good officer, to whom you 
 will fend your orders, and entruft with the dif- 
 pofal of the troops in lower Auftrian Flanders, 
 while you are able to do the fame relative to 
 lower French Flanders, and then commit them 
 to the care of General Pafcal, commander of 
 Dunkirk. Give your orders in fuch a manner, 
 that the troops mall, in twelve days at moft, ap- 
 proach Zealand, and take polTeffion of Dutch 
 Flanders ; while you will order your foldiers to 
 go to the Hland of Zuyd-Beveland, and from 
 thence reach Walcheren Ifland, which we are 
 defirous of taking, before the Stadtholder is able 
 to make it a place of refuge, or before it can be 
 fortified, and in a condition to receive a gar- 
 rifon. No time is to be loft ; and although the 
 patriots pretend that the Zealanders are ready, 
 and that in all Zealand there are at moft but 55 
 companies of infantry, of 40 men in a company, 
 and no cavalry ; and that confequently this ex- 
 pedition requires but 3000 men, I think eight 
 battalions of infantry are neceflary, the Dutch 
 legion, the flotilla of Moultfton, and two regi- 
 ments of cavalry ; eight twelve pounders, two 
 mortars, two howitzers, a company of artillery, 
 of horfe, and fixteen field pieces. You are to 
 go to Antwerp; and there be joined by the Dutch 
 patriots, who will bring you the maps, and ferve 
 you as guides in your progrefs through the coun- 
 ty.
 
 [ 8 J 
 
 try, after having aflured themfelves of all the 
 means of effecting the expedition with fuccefs. 
 The Minifter of the Marine has given orders to 
 prepare furnaces, and every thing neceffary on 
 board each of the three armed ilcops, in order 
 to fire red-hot balls. Thefe three' veflels draw 
 little water, and will eafily drive off the frigates 
 by their weight of metal of twenty-four poun- 
 ders as by their red-hot balls. As a pretence 
 ' for your journey to Antwerp, you will demand 
 a loan of eight millions of florins from that city ; 
 as I have already fignified it to the inhabitants. 
 Infill on it with feverity. Inform the city, the 
 body of the clergy, and the merchants o"h the 
 exchange, that the French will not fuffer them- 
 felves to be made the dupes of their ill-will j 
 that the troops are ready to take by contribution 
 to the value of what they are moderate enough 
 to propofe by way of loan ; that you know 
 thofe who have the largeft capitals ; that you 
 will take the money from thefe alone, leaving 
 them to fettle afterwards among themfelves arid 
 fellow-citizens their refpective proportions. 
 Tell them, that I am endeavouring to get the 
 decree of the i5th repealed, and that I hope to 
 fucceed ; in which cafe they will only be fubjeft 
 to the conditions of my proclamation : but that, 
 in confequence of this proclamation, where I 
 fay, " That the provinces and towns which will 
 
 " perfift
 
 t 9 1 
 
 e * perfift in confidering themfelves as fubjec~tt 
 ** the Houfe of Auftria, in preferring their old 
 "government, founded on the ilavery of the 
 * fc people, and the inequality of orders, (hall b 
 ** dealt with as enemies." You will tell them, 
 General, that you will aft as if you were in an 
 enemy's country; annul all their refolutionsj in 
 fine, you will take their money, in order to in- 
 demnify us for the expences of the war. 
 
 A lift to be made out of the richeft per- 
 fons at Antwerp , call over their names at th& 
 Hotel de Ville ; let them have a guard kept over 
 them ; and do not fet them free, until they mail 
 have agreed to comply with the loan, either vo- 
 luntarily or by compulfion. If they appear to 
 do it freely, call for two millions of florins, for 
 the expences of the expedition ; if compelled, 
 make one pay 50,000 florins, more or lefs, ac- 
 cording to their circumftances ; and make them 
 all pay within the fpace of eight days, having firft 
 Bordered them to be guarded in their own houfes. 
 Ad in the fame manner with regard to the cler- 
 gy ; but feparately from the merchants and 
 others in trade. 
 
 During this rigorous operation, which alon* 
 can fave the French army and Belgium, con- 
 cert with the Dutch patriots for the final cxe- 
 C
 
 cution of our plan. Caufe all the paflages to be 
 reconnotred which can lead from Antwerp into 
 South Beveland. Obtain certain information re- 
 lative to the works of Walcheren Ifland j and 
 colled your forces at the point of Antwerp, 
 which mould arrive on a fixed day, and depart 
 in the fame manner from thence. Place your 
 confidence only in Thowenot and Ruault, in 
 order to affift you in this plan of invafion; which 
 fhould be fuddenly effected, in order to take the 
 fiart of the Engli/h, who are trifling with us. In a 
 few days after, I (hall privately join you at An- 
 twerp. Every thing muft be ready ; and you 
 are to have, one way or the other, two or three 
 millions of jflorins, as hinted before. 
 
 Let it be apart of your plan, i. That Deflers 
 fhall collect at Bruges 4 or 5009 infantry, with 
 four twelve pounders, 1200 horfe, two mortars, 
 two field pieces (four pounders) to each batta- 
 lion,' and march with the greateft expedition to 
 Middleburgh, thence to Cadfand Ifland, and fo 
 to Biervlict. 
 
 idly. While you are thus preparing in Auf- 
 trian Flanders, fend an excellent field officer 
 with a trumpet to Ruremond, and acquaint the 
 Governor of Venloo you have received informa- 
 tion that the Dutch* are going to evacuate that 
 
 town,
 
 C " ] 
 
 town, which is to be garrifoned by Prufiian 
 troops. Aflemble all the forces which compofe 
 your own army at Ruremonde, or rather at Kom., 
 and give the command to Duval, with two pieces 
 of twenty-four, four of twelve, two mortars, two 
 howitzers, in order to get poffeflion of Venloo, 
 if it be evacuated, or elfe to prevent its evacua- 
 tion. 
 
 3dly. When you (hall have fettled the expe- 
 dition into Zealand, and made fure of Venloo, 
 by the army under Duval, have your orders 
 ready, that without weakening the pofts on the 
 river Roe'r, the army under General Lanou fhall 
 completely inveft Maeftricht ; for that purpofe, 
 let the army of Valence be collected atTongres, 
 after your own fhall have evacuated it. You 
 perhaps will tell me, that you neither have pro- 
 vifions nor forage ; but you have on one hand the 
 market of Simfon, and alfo the provifions (though 
 little) collected by Pieck and Moncluan, Agents 
 for the Committee of Stores. At any rate, you 
 have only to contract your cantonments. Dif- 
 patch an exprefs, and give me information of 
 fuch obftacles or advantages as may attend the 
 execution of this plan ; which you will be ena- 
 bled to know to a certainty, when you (hall have 
 communicated your intentions to the Dutch pa-* 
 triots, and examined their maps and their par- 
 C + ticylar
 
 [ I* ] 
 
 ticular projects. All depends on expedition and 
 fecrecy. Every day I fhall more and more un- 
 fold to you my plan : it is fet in motion with ' 
 precipitation, becaufe we are preffed by the tide 
 of great events, and we have not one day to 
 lofe ; prepare, therefore, without lofs of *ime, 
 If I fhould find here any obftacles, either by the 
 wavering or irrefolute ftate of the Executive 
 Council, by the tedious deliberations of the dif- 
 ferent Committees, or the conflict of factions, I 
 lhall make you acquainted daily with the refult* 
 If poffible, we (hall adopt it, or renounce it, to 
 execute another ; or, finally, if nobody will lijlen 
 to me ; iffufpiciott) want of candour ', the jarring of 
 factions, ignorance, and a pitiful parfimony, more de- 
 jtmftive than it is mean and fordid; if all thefe, or 
 any of tbem^ prevent myfaving my country -, I fhall 
 rejign my command, and lament in fome corner the 
 Jate of my blind countrymen. Farewel, my friend, 
 my worthy auxiliary, I falute you, and love you 
 with ajl my foul. 
 
 Signed 
 
 DUMOURIER, 
 
 LETTER
 
 [ '3 3 
 
 LETTER IV. 
 
 General MIRANDA, to General DUMOURIER. 
 
 15 Jan. *793 
 
 THE more I read your letter of 
 the loth, my dear and worthy general, the more 
 I difcover the expanfion of a noble and gene- 
 rous foul, which foars above all obftacles, in 
 proportion to the preflure of difficulties but to 
 the point.- 
 
 I believe your plan is very difficult to be car- 
 ried into execution, confidering our abfolute 
 want of magazines, and the prefent flate of na- 
 Jcednefs which pervades all our armies. Never- 
 thelefs, the arrival of Comrmflary Petit Jean, 
 with orders from the Minifter of War, which I 
 {hall not fail to enforce, will, I believe, caufe 
 our movement to be much better and fpeedier. 
 
 If you had left out of your plan the attempt 
 on Zealand, it appears to me, to be much more 
 practicable, and we mould not incur the danger 
 of commiting ourfelves with the maritime forces 
 of England and Holland, which cannot fail to 
 
 check
 
 [ H ] 
 
 check us in the very onfct of our attempt) not having 
 on our fide any maritime ftrength to oppofe to theirs. 
 
 Remember, General, that the Zealanders were 
 thofe, who with their boats alone, checked the 
 progrefs of the conftantly victorious armies of 
 the tyrant Philip, and finally overthrew them 
 on this account, if you re-confider the plan, and 
 leave out of it the attempt on Zealand, this pro- 
 vince will fall of itfelf, when the reft of Hol- 
 land (hall be taken by furprize. Dutch Flan- 
 ders mould be invaded, and then theScheld will 
 be our barrier on that fide. This is an obferva- 
 tion which may perhaps deferve your attention. 
 Four battalipns have already marched towards 
 Antwerp, without any appearance of defign, or 
 occafioning any change in our cantonments. 
 The order for the movement of the troops to- 
 wards maritime Flanders, which you and Pache 
 the Minifter promifed me, is not yet corne. I 
 wait for it impatiently, as well as for your farther 
 inftrucYions to proceed ; and now, therefore, let 
 us not lofe a moment. 
 
 By the mod certain information which I have 
 juft obtained, it appears that the garrifon of 
 Wefel lince the 8th inftant, has been reinforced 
 by 10, or 12,000 men : this corps can only 
 have for its object to fuccour Holland in cafe of 
 
 an
 
 an invafion, or perhaps to attack Ruremonde, 
 and the left of our cantonments. I have re- 
 inforced thofe behind the Roer, and gave orders 
 to Lamortidre to retreat by the Roer, on the 
 bridges of Ruremonde and Vodorpt, and ultimately 
 to fall back on Gelekircben, which will effectually 
 fecure us from the apprehenfion of a check; 
 
 Signed 
 
 MIRANDA. 
 
 P S. I forefee many difficulties attending 
 the plan of operations which you have fent to 
 me according to the rules of art, it appears al- 
 moft impracticable ; neverthelefs, do not doubt 
 that I (hall do every thing that is poffible, and 
 I believe the army, from the confidence they re- 
 pofe in you, will follow with alacrity. I only 
 fear, that in cafe of fuccefs, the adepts will fay 
 afu eft non arte.* 
 
 * Chance and not knowledge 
 
 LETTER
 
 t I 
 
 LETTER V, 
 
 To General MIRANDA. 
 
 Paris, 19 Jan. 1793, Second yeaf of thd 
 Republic. 
 
 I ANSWERED, my dear Mi- 
 randa, your difpatches by the two mefTengers ; 
 the one who firft arrived, returns with this. 
 I fent them immediately to the council, and 
 their anfwer is inclofed. 
 
 Signed PACHE. 
 
 1 8 Jan. 1793. 
 
 " The Provifionary Executive Council, has 
 " received, General, that which yoto wrote con- 
 " cerning the attempt on Zealand, with a copy 
 " of the letter from General Miranda. The 
 " Council after deliberating on its contents, 
 " have refolved to fufpend for the prefent the 
 " intended expedition to Zealand, and requeft 
 t( you will communicate this determination to 
 (f General Miranda. The members of the Coun- 
 " cil defire, likewife, that General Miranda 
 " fliould wait for the Dutch Patriots who are 
 *-' preparing to go to Liege, and that the necef-
 
 t '7 ] 
 
 ** fary meafures be taken to afcertain the real 
 ' { difpofition and fentiments of the Zealanders, 
 " and to compare their different accounts on the 
 fc fubject. General Miranda, however, is not in 
 " other refpe&s, to employ the forces which 
 " were collected for this expedition, and which 
 " are out of the French territories." 
 
 You therefore fee, my dear General, that we 
 are extremely irrefolute, both with regard to the 
 enemies we are now fighting, and to that fort of 
 war in which we are eu gaged. I fee but one 
 fingle advantage in what has been determined 
 in this affair of Zealand, which is, that you have 
 at prefent, an army of fome thoufands, more 
 immediately connected with your own. 'tis 
 time we mould know the forces we have in the 
 J_/)w Countries. I received the ftate of the army 
 which I commanded, and that of General 
 d'Harville. On the izth of January, it amount- 
 ed to 50,000 infantry, and 5800 cavalry, includ- 
 ing the garrifons of Brills, Mecklin, and 
 JVIons. 
 
 Require of General Valence a feparate ftate 
 qf his army, or of the Ardennes, which I fuppofe 
 amounts to 15 or 16,000 men, of which there are 
 at moft only 3000 cavalry. Order a very exact 
 ftate to be drawn of the northern army which 
 
 D you
 
 you command: encreafe it with all the forecs thaC 
 are fent to you from France, and the garrifons of 
 Tournay, Courtray, and other places not com- 
 prehended in the ftate of the 1 2th, which was 
 fent to me by General Lanoue. Order them tp ; 
 be made out, and fend them immediately to me, 
 that I may confer and fettle every thing with 
 the Council and Committee of General Safety^ 
 upon the moft permanent foundation. 
 
 I believe, if it be determined that we are 
 to go to war with Holland and England, a falfe 
 attack only mould be made againft Zealand 
 that we mould take Maeftricht, Venlop, Guel- 
 dres, Emmerick, and falling back toward? 
 Nimeguen, and by the high grounds of Amers- 
 fort, turn Utrecht, reach the fluice of Muyden, 
 which Marfhal Luxembourg failed in, during 
 the year 1762, we (hall then, without difficulty, 
 arrive at Amfterdam. In this campaign, which 
 ought to be fpeedily opened,, and which I have 
 for a long time planned we are to confider the 
 Dutch Patriots but in a fecondary point of view, 
 and to rely only on our own ftrength, and on 
 the means of fecuring our conquefts. Zealand 
 falling therefore, as it were, of itfelf, Walcheren 
 ifland, though fortified in fuch a manner as to 
 be confidered impregnable, becomes a poor re- 
 treat for the Houfe of Orange, the ftates and ad- 
 
 miniftrations
 
 t >9 ] 
 
 ininiftrations of the country,, becaufe we might 
 unite all the power of the Dutch Navy, with 
 our own formidable artillery to attack and take 
 it, when we (hall have nothing elfe to do in that 
 country. You muft, however, not only liften 
 to every thing which the Dutch Patriots have to 
 fay to you on the means of effecting the enter- 
 prife againft Zealand, but alfo endeavour, by 
 every poffible means to make their various pro- 
 pofals probable. For this purpofe you fliould 
 have at this moment with you, a man who is 
 well calculated for this fort of employment, a 
 kind of Bufcon*, who has a brevet of Lieutenant 
 
 Colonel, and whofe name is ; you are to en- 
 
 truft him with this miflion, but with precaution, 
 and without acquainting him with the real ob- 
 ject. You are to pretend to know, through his 
 means, the real difpofition of the cities of Am- 
 ilerdam, and Rotterdam. Recommend to him 
 to go to Walcheren Ifland, to fee whether any 
 fortifications are making there, and to return by 
 way of Oftend, after making himfelf acquainted 
 with the fituation and number of (hips belong- 
 ing to the little Englifh Fleet; but take care 
 Firft, to determine the number of days neceffary 
 for his journey. Secondly, not to give him any 
 thing in writing. Thirdly, not to make him ac- 
 
 * A better fort of fpy. 
 
 D 2 quainted
 
 t * ] 
 
 quainted with any of the Dutch Patriots, whofe 
 accounts are to be verified. Fourthly, not to 
 fpeak to him of any plan relative to Zealand. 
 Fifth, not to give him more money than is ne- 
 ceffary for his journey, and for his return, pro- 
 ,mifmg, however, fome reward, if his ftatement 
 is very particular and exact. 
 
 With refped to Maeftricht, I have fufficient 
 information to hope for complete fuccefs there. 
 I (hall fend you in a few days Lieutenant Colo- 
 nel H , he is a Saxon Officer, who ferved in 
 Ruffia," and whom I have appointed on the ftaff 
 of the army, as a recompence for the particular 
 intelligence which he obtained'for me by going 
 to Maeftricht. He appeared to me to be above 
 acting the part of a fpy, which he only did on 
 this occafion to oblige me; he will bring you 
 the moft minute detail relative to that town, and 
 you are to place your confidence in him. 
 
 I will not talk to you of the events of this 
 country. I endeavour to prepare every thing, 
 as if I were, to make the campaign, and yet it is 
 very poffible, that I may not, for nothing is de- 
 termined on, and certainly I (hall adhere to my 
 own conditions, whatever may be the refuit. 
 You have read my letter to the Convention ; it 
 was followed by four memorials, relative to 
 
 which,.
 
 which, nothing has as yet been determined, and 
 it appears to me that I (hall meet with fome 
 difficulty in making them agree with my views. 
 It is upon this condition, that depends either 
 my accepting the command of the army, or my 
 refignation. I hope that your fecond meffenger 
 who (hall be immediately difpatched to you, 
 will bring you final refolutions on this fubjed. 
 
 I am forry that General Maraffe ga\te leave to 
 Major General Canolles to appear at the bar of 
 the National Convention, in the name of the 
 garrifon of Antwerp ; but if you had read a let- 
 ter which he wrote to me on this occafion, you 
 would have been more indulgent to this old 
 man, refpectablein every fenfe, and who might be 
 of fmgular fervice to you, if you placed more 
 confidence in him. With regard to the burn- 
 ing of your camp equipage in the Hofpital at 
 Antwerp, it cannot be imputed to him as a fault; 
 for he muft have thought that they were fafe 
 among the ftores, where he gave orders that they 
 mould be placed ; and a conflagration is a mif- 
 fortune, which could not be forefeen. There- 
 fore, whatever difappointment it may be to you, 
 you ought not to confider him as refponfible for 
 the damage. 
 
 With
 
 With regard to the papers you fend me cort- 
 .cerning the Committee of Provifions, I expe&ed 
 matters would fo turn out, and left they mould 
 be fupprefled by the influence of the interefled 
 parties, I have tranfmitted them to the Execu- 
 tive Council. I likewife fend a copy of them 
 to the Committee of General Defence -I em- 
 brace you, my dear Miranda, with all my heart. 
 
 Signed 
 GENERAL DUMOUR1ER. 
 
 LETTER VI. 
 
 General MIRANDA to General DUMOURIER. 
 
 Liege, 23 Jan. 1793. 
 
 I RECEIVED laft night, my dear 
 General, your letter of the ipth. We have 
 drawn out the three ftatements of the iituation 
 of the armies which you require, with all poflible 
 accuracy, to which is added, that of the gar- 
 rifons of the army of the Ardennes. By the in- 
 clofed account) as you will fee, the total amount 
 co be, 
 
 Northern
 
 Northern army, with the Garrifons of 
 
 Antwerp and vicinity, 
 .Augmentation, 
 
 Army of the Ardennes, , * 
 Garrifons of the Ardennes, 
 
 Total 70,264 
 
 In this ftatement the garrifons of Fumes, 
 Nieuport, Oflend, Courtray, Tournay, Ath, and 
 the former garrifons of Bruges are not included. 
 
 We have moreover made the necerTary ar- 
 rangements conformable to your inftructions, 
 and we wait your further orders to begin our 
 operations. 
 
 I received the Dutch Commiffioncrs, in con- 
 fequence of the orders of the Executive Power, 
 and your wiflies and I informed you in my laft 
 letter of the refult of our conference. 
 
 The Auftrian Commiflary for the exchange 
 of prifoners of war, writes me a letter of chicane 
 relative to the capitulation of Antwerp, which 
 is completely anfvvered by my annexed copy. 
 
 Signed 
 
 MIRANDA.
 
 C 24 
 
 LETTER VII. 
 
 To General MIRANDA. 
 
 Paris, 23 Jan. 1793. 
 
 -.;?. I INFORMED you, my dear 
 Miranda, that I gave over all thoughts as well 
 as you, of the project relative to Zealand j but 
 it is flill a ftronger reafon to pufh on, moft vi- 
 goroufly, the attack of Maeftricht, Venloo, and 
 Nimeguen. I fhall neverthelefs, perhaps, give 
 to Caock and Boudels, the fmall fuccours they 
 defire, as they expert to fucceed with 3 or 4000 
 men, which is all required from the Executive 
 Council. In a few days, I will examine the 
 whole matter on the fpot. The cataftrophe of 
 the 2 1 ft, will probably make all the nations of 
 Europe our enemies learn what has been re- 
 folved on, in this reflect, by the Executive 
 Council. We are, as yet, uncertain what mea- 
 fiires England will take, and whatever is done 
 by that country, will determine our conduct re- 
 lative to Holland, The Council at the defire 
 of the Englifti and Dutch, have fixed their at- 
 tention on me, to go to England as extraordi- 
 nary Ambaffador, in order to make that nation 
 
 give
 
 [ *5 3 
 
 give a categorical anfwer either for peace or War,, 
 in confequence of which, orders have been fent 
 to our Ambaflador, Chauvelin, to return. To- 
 morrow a fecret agent will be difpatched, well 
 known to Mr. Pitt and Mr. Fox, to demand 
 from both parties, that is, from the whole na- 
 tion, a fafe-conduit for me, and a certainty of 
 being well received, whatever may be the fuc- 
 cefs attending the object of my mifllon ; as it is 
 ayes, or a no, I am going to demand, as Cato to 
 Carthage, this mifEon will not be longer than 
 eight days. 
 
 While I am waiting for an anfwer, I intend 
 fetting off to morrow night for Dunkirk, thence 
 I mail go to Oftend, Nieuport, Bruges and 
 Antwerp, at which places I (hall be at fartheil 
 on the 3Oth. I intend fleeping at Antwerp, 
 where I (hall order my horfes to be fent, and 
 continue my journey to Ruremonde, Mafeick, 
 Tongres, and meet you at Liege. A perfon 
 of confidence is fent to the Hague, in order to 
 acquaint my Lord Aukland, and the Grand 
 Penfionary Van-Spiegel, to meet and confer 
 with me, agreeable to their own reyefl, on the 
 frontier between Antwerp and Breda, in order 
 to commence a negociation. This (hort delay 
 at Antwerp, will give me time to receive a cou- 
 rier fromLe Brun, the Minifter, withan anfwer 
 E from
 
 C ><s 3 
 
 from London. If this anfvver is categorical and 
 friendly, as they ftill flatter themfelves it will be, 
 then I (hall return to Paris, to receiVe my final 
 inflrudtions ; or 1 (hall go, if the Executive 
 Council think fit, from Antwerp, and embark 
 at Calais. If, on the contrary, the anfwer of the 
 Britifh Cabinet be either peremptory or evafive, 
 I will attack Maeftricht eight days after j and 
 in order to cover the fiege, will make a general 
 movement, at the fame time that you will fur- 
 prize Venloo, where there is only one battalion 
 in garrifon. 1 have very particular information 
 relative to Maeftricht, which makes me hope for 
 fuccefs. During my flay at Antwerp, I fliall 
 complete, by good will or by com pulton, the 
 loan from the merchants, in order to have the 
 firft ready money neceflary to begin my opera- 
 tions. During this fhort journey, mark what 
 you have to do. Go to Louvain and St. Tron, 
 and order the artillery to be ready, fo that it may 
 fet out at fartheft from the loth to the ijjth of 
 February. Make likewife every neceflary, every 
 poflible difpofitTori for the troops, but without 
 its having a too obvious appearance. The great 
 point is to be beforehand with the Pruflians at 
 Wefel, and that they mould not be foon ap- 
 prized of our preparations. 
 
 I will
 
 C v 3 . 
 
 I will inform you from Antwerp what mca- 
 fures I fhall have taken relative to provifions. 
 However, you are to give immediate orders to 
 the firfl Commiflary and Comptroller of Provi- 
 fions, to get ready at Tongres ovens for 3000 
 men. Make known my arrival, as a prelude to 
 a flight infpection general of the quarters, by or- 
 der of the Executive Council and the Committee 
 of General Defence. Do not mention a fyllable 
 relative to the negotiation ; not that 1 mould make 
 a my fiery of it, but that it might be kept fecret 
 until the moment o its final fuccefs or failure, 
 This meafure is grand and noble. If it fucceeds, 
 we leflen the* number of our enemies ; and we 
 can carry on the war in the fame manner as in 
 the laft campaign. If the negqciation fails, we 
 take the ftart of the Englifh and Pruffians. We 
 will aftonim them, by invading Holland. We 
 will caufe a great diverfion, whidi faves the 
 army of Cuftine ; and we mall perhaps afterward 
 obtain peace^on eafier terms - 3 for that is the ob- 
 jed to which we muft direct our thoughts, for 
 reafons which I (hall make known to you. Do 
 not come to Antwerp to meet me, becaufe it 
 would occafion a iurmife different from that ap- 
 pearance of infpeclion, which I wifh my journey 
 Ihould have. We fhall give each other a meet- 
 ing, at Tongres or Ruremonde ; but if you have 
 any thing very important to communicate, fend 
 E 2 mo
 
 C *8 ] 
 
 me General Thowenot to Antwerp, and he {hall 
 return immediately. T will write to you more 
 particularly from Antwerp ; en attendant, I em- 
 brace you cordially. 
 
 Signed, 
 The Commander in Chief, 
 
 DUMOURIER, 
 
 LETTER VIIL 
 
 General MIR AXD A to General DUMOURIER, 
 Liege, Jan. 28, 1793. 
 
 I RECEIVED your letter of the 
 23d of January; and Lieutenant Colonel 
 fet offyefterday to fulfil the commiflTion which 
 you ordered me to entruft to him : he will be 
 at Antwerp about the beginning of February, 
 and make his report to you. The ovens are 
 building at Tongres, according to your orders ; 
 and every preparation pointed out by yon is 
 making. The enemies are encreafing their for- 
 ces : more or lefs pafs every day on the left fide 
 of the Rhine. I do not believe, as , General 
 Stingel, that their number amounts to 50,000 
 jrien - 9 but 1 can eafily imagine that they do not 
 
 exceed
 
 exceed 25,000. General Lamorliere told me, 
 that the Pruffianshave fent troops towards Meurs 
 and Kaldekirchen. This movement may have 
 for its obj<6t the taking pofleflion of Ven'oo, 
 or pernaps the march of the forces from Wefel 
 towards Holland. 1 fent toStingel a reinforce- 
 ment of 5,000 men, wi'h a train of artillery, and 
 three officers of en^menrs, to fortify fome of the 
 pods. Th's meoiure has dou briefs made him 
 eaiy ; bur it c"oes not leflen my great anxiety re- 
 lative to the advanced pods, 
 Signed 
 
 MIRANDA. 
 
 LETTER IX. 
 
 General DUMOURIER/O General MIRANDA. 
 
 Antwerp, Feb. 5, 1793, Second Year of the 
 French Republic. 
 
 I ABSOLUTELY ftand in need, 
 General, of General Thowenot : he muft bring 
 me the ftate of the cantonments of your army, of 
 mine, of the army of General Valence, an.l of the 
 body under the command of D'Harville. It is 
 upon this foundation that I (hall determine our 
 general movement, the outlines of which are 
 
 Firft,
 
 [ 3 .1 
 
 Firft, You are to march with your army, 
 with four twenty-four pounders, and two mor- 
 tars, towards Venloo ; while I (hall with mine, 
 and part of General Valence's, inveft Maeftricht 
 with the remainder of the heavy artillery, in or- 
 der to haften its capture. - You will do the fame 
 at Venloo, where you cannot meet with any re- 
 iiftance, as there is no garrifon. 
 
 My intention is to prefs Maeftricht with un- 
 ab^ted fpirit ; and I have every reafon to hope, 
 that after throwing the third bomb-mell into the 
 town, it will furrender. 
 
 Secondly, During this operation, which I 
 hope may not be long, Valence will take a po- 
 fition -upon the Roe'r, and colled his forces. 
 
 Thirdly, At the fame time, General D'Har- 
 ville mull affemble his force near Namur, to be 
 ready to join Valence, in cafe General Clairfait, 
 reinforced by fuccours from Germany, and per- 
 haps by a PrufTian army, mould v be tempted tq 
 pafs the Pvoe'r. If by chance Clairfait mould 
 think proper to come down the Rhine and join 
 the Pruffians in the neighbourhood of Wefel and 
 Cleves, a\id afterwards march towards the pro- 
 vinces of Groninguen and Zutphen,then D'Har- 
 ville is to continue in the environs of Aix-la- 
 
 Chapelle ;
 
 1 t 3- ] 
 
 Chapelle ;-whilft Valence is to come down the 
 Roer as far as Ruremonde. 
 
 I hope, General, that by being very expedi- 
 tious in all our movements, we fhall be matters 
 ofthofetwo towns about the latter end of Fe- 
 bruary. But we mull not then think of relin- 
 quifliing our enterprize ; f"or I ccnfider Nime- 
 guen, during^ the prefent ftate of the war in 
 which we are engaged, as the key to Holland. 
 If we are beforehand with the Prufllans in taking 
 this very eflential poft, we are certain to be in 
 fifteen days matters of Amfterdam. All this ap-f 
 pears chimerical, if the country were not very 
 much difpofed in our favour; but every infor- 
 mation which I have received on the fubjedt, 
 affords me the greateil hope of fuccefs. 
 
 Lieutenant Colonel F returns to you : 
 
 his journey has been extremely ufeful to me ; 
 and all his accounts exactly agree with thofe I 
 have received from feveral other quarters. I 
 am going to write to Lieutenant General O'Mo- 
 ran, in order to know the certain number of 
 troops which are under his command. Poffibly 
 I may think it ufeful to have a fmall body near 
 Antwerp, to penetrate between Breda and Bois- 
 le-Duc, towards Gertruydenberg or Heufden : 
 this fmall body, which I might give to Berneron, 
 
 will
 
 r 3* 3 
 
 will check all the garrifons, and prevent the re- 
 inforcement of thofe on the frontiers, which we 
 mean to attack. 
 
 I (halt give very clear inftruftions to all the 
 Generals, my auxiliaries. I requeftof you only, 
 at this moment, to reflect fumcientiy on the 
 outlines of this plan of the campaign, and ro 
 fend your obfervations by General Thowenot, 
 whom I beg you will difpatch to me immedi- 
 ately, for we have not a moment to lofe. 
 The General in Chief, 
 Signed 
 
 DUMOURIER. 
 
 P. S. Send me Citizen Cantin, my Secretary, 
 with Major General Thowenot. 
 
 LETTER X. 
 
 General DUMOURIER to Genera! Mm AX-DA. 
 
 Antwerp, Feb. 8, Second Year of the 
 French Republic. 
 
 IT is nine o'clock in the morn- 
 ing, and Thowenot is not yet arrived ; 1 am 
 moft anxiouily expecting him with the detail of 
 
 the
 
 C 33 J 
 
 the movement of the forces. The taking of 
 Venloo is of fuch importance, that I requeft you 
 will inftantly fend offan exprefs to Champmorin, 
 that he may be matter of it before the arrival of 
 the Pruffians. If that is not done, the campaign 
 on our part is loft, 'and the defence of the Lo\v 
 Countries very much endangered. My only 
 hope, my dear Miranda, is in the rapid opera- 
 tion of Venloo. Send inftantly to Champmorin 
 two mortars, if he has none. PofTefs Huenf- 
 werdt, then you can avail yourfelf of the Meufe 
 for your artillery and forage. I am fending or- 
 ders to Duval to join the army directly. If we 
 do not furprize, if we do not aftonim, if we are 
 not before hand with the Dutch and EngKfli, 
 we lofe every thing in the fpring, particularly 
 this country, which will be ill-affected towards 
 us, through our Own fault ; therefore let us do 
 things incredible, I am bold enough to fay, im- 
 poffibilities. 
 
 The General in Chief, 
 
 Signed 
 
 DUMOURIER, 
 
 P. S. Annexed is a packet, which I requeft 
 you to fend immediately to Maeftricht. 
 
 LETTER
 
 [ 34 J 
 
 LETTER XI. 
 
 General MIRANDA to Citizen PACHE, Minifler 
 of War. 
 
 Head Quarters, Liege, Feb. 7, 1793, Second Year 
 of the French Republic. 
 
 ALTHOUGH I have not as yet 
 received, Citizen Minifler, any official intelli- 
 gence relative to the declaration of war by the 
 French Republic againft Holland, the public 
 notoriety of the event leaves me no occafion to 
 doubt of its certainty. I am to add to the ac- 
 count of the military difpofitions which I had 
 the honour to communicate to you yefterday, the 
 taking of the fort of Stevenfvverdt, and that of 
 St. Michel, one on the right, and the other on 
 the left fide of the Meufe, belonging to the 
 Dutch, as you will fee by the annexed copy of 
 the orders given for that purpofe to Major Ge- 
 neral Champmorin, waiting for your further in- 
 ftructions. 
 
 I had forgotten to communicate to you the 
 orders which I gave to the army on the third of 
 February, with regard to the glorious death of 
 
 Citizen
 
 C 35 ] 
 
 Citizen Pelletier, the illuftrious martyr of liberty, 
 I thought that, in following the example of the 
 Legiilative Body, and of the Executive Power, 
 the army would only do its duty. 
 
 Signed 
 
 MIRANDA, 
 
 LETTER XII.; 
 
 to General MIRANDA. 
 
 Antwerp, Feb. n, 1793, Second Year of the 
 French Republic. 
 
 GENERAL Thowenot, my dear 
 Miranda, will give you all the particulars of the 
 bold enterprize which I projected, the execu- 
 tion of which will take place on the 1 8th or 191!! 
 at fartheft. I fend 'you Thowenot, that at the 
 fame period at 'fartheft you may begin to bom- 
 bard Maeftricht. You muft pufh on this at- 
 tack ; for it is not either the proper feafon, nor 
 is it fuitable to our purpofe, to begin a regular 
 fiege : every thing, therefore, depends on your 
 expedition, in order to march directly againfb 
 Nimeguen at the head of 25,000 effective men. 
 You will entrufl the remainder of your army to 
 F z the
 
 I 36 ] 
 
 the command of General Lanoue, if General Va- 
 lenqe is not yet arrived. You will leave to this 
 General Officer orders and inftructions to pro- 
 tect Aix-la-Chapelle, and to defend the paffage 
 of the Roer. 
 
 I authorize you to take into pay all the Dutch, 
 German and Swifs of the garrifon of Maeftricht; 
 who will be inclined to join you. You are to 
 take in the town all the cloathing and arms that 
 you may find there, even thcfe belonging to the 
 garrifon, whom you are to difmifs, if a capitu- 
 lation be granted. At the worft, you can buy 
 their cloaths ; but you are not to let pur troops 
 want any while thefe gentry are Well cloathed. 
 In order to get rid of your prifoners, you mufb 
 fend them into France, particularly the Swifs and 
 the Germans. You will leave General Leveneur 
 in Maeftricht with a garrifon : it need not be a 
 ilrong one, fince General Lanoue can cover the 
 town. t 
 
 If we had time to act methodically, it would 
 be neceflary that you fhould take Grave after 
 Maeftricht; but as Nimeguen is the key of the 
 United Provinces on that fide, we muft prevent 
 the arrival of the Pruflians in thofe parts. As 
 Grave is fituated on a curve of the Meufe, and 
 covered by Stevenfwerdt and Venloo, where you 
 
 muft
 
 I 37 ] 
 
 muft leave troops, it is better to pufli forward 
 to Nimeguen. 
 
 When you have commenced your expe- 
 dition, and I lhall have begun my hazardous 
 enterprize, you may no longer be enabled to re- 
 ceive any orders From me ; for our communica- 
 tion will be entirely interrupted, until we can 
 meet again in the rear of the country, by means 
 of my marching againft Utrecht, when the revo- 
 lution will be completed at Rotterdam and Am- 
 fterdam, where I (hall make -no flay,' in order to 
 join you with expedition, and deliver you from 
 the trouble of befieging towns, in confequence 
 pf the orders which I will make the new Republic 
 give the different Commanders in Chief. 1 fhall 
 probably bring with me a reinforcement of 
 Dutch troops. If I do not completely fucceed, 
 I mall at leaft endeavour to take Breda, and 
 perhaps even Bergen-op-zoom, or. Bois-le-Duc, 
 in order at leaft to cover our left flank in the 
 fpring. But vhe more daring my plan of attack, 
 the greater hopes I entertain of its fuccefs. If 
 I had fufficient forces, and time, I would puifue 
 a more methodical fyftem ; but in our prelent 
 fituation, we muft ajlonijh and do afts extremely 
 Hazardous. 
 
 301266 i beg
 
 I beg you will give General Thowenot the two 
 maps of Germany, which are pafted on linen, 
 and which you muft have found in the fmall 
 drawers of a bureau. Learn if Adjutant General 
 de Pille and his four afliftants, whom I ordered 
 to leave Liege, have executed this order ; if not, 
 make them inftantly depart. 
 
 Vic are undertaking an enterprize as difficult 
 as it is daring. It is on this occafion that we 
 mould fay, Conquer or die : our warmed friend- 
 fhip .(hall level all obftacles : you are my faith- 
 ful fecond, and I expect every thing from you. 
 On this important occafion, I confider the enter- 
 prize as the only means of faving the Republic. 
 Caufe Petit- Jean, the CommhTary, to whom I 
 fent orders, to come away inftantly : he muft ab- 
 folutely flay with me forty-eight hours ; for he 
 alone can procure me the means of not experi- 
 encing any delay in my expedition. I have here 
 a Commiflary, a great novice, and very timid : 
 and I am not acquainted with the refources of 
 the country. Petit Jean mall return to you im- 
 mediately. I imagine that in three or four days 
 at fartheft your artillery will be before Maeftricht, 
 and that you will begin to bombard immedU 
 'ately. 
 
 Take
 
 [ 39 ] 
 
 Take care to fpread the report that I ftay here 
 only for a few days, and that I am to meet you 
 before Maeflricht, or farther, if Maettricht be 
 taken about the zoth : and that it may not occa- 
 fion any murmurs, mention it in a public man- 
 ner, that I am only (laying here in order to com- 
 plete a loan of 1,200,000 florins, and that I am 
 certain of fucceeding. I mall write to you again 
 before my departure j but once gone, no longer 
 reckon on any news from me until our intended 
 junction. Adieu ! I falute you cordially. 
 The General in Chief, 
 Signed 
 
 DUMOURIER. 
 
 P. S. Annexed is an order for Waggonmafter 
 Payen. Make him fet off immediately. 
 
 LETTER XIII. 
 
 General MIRANDA to General DUMOURIER. 
 Liege, Feb. 12, 1793. 
 
 THIS inftant I receive your let- 
 ter of the i ith of February, from Antwerp, and 
 am waiting with, the greateft impatience for the 
 arrival of General Thowenot, in order to exe- 
 cute, if poffible, your orders. 
 
 The
 
 C 40 1 
 
 The four affidants to the Adjutant Gcinefai 
 fet offyefterday for Antwerp, agreeably to your 
 commands. With regard to Adjutant General 
 de Pilles, he is at this moment fomewhat indif- 
 pofed ; and if you can let him be with me- in 
 the Northern army, he would be infinitely ufe- 
 jul to me : I find him a man of integrity, in con- 
 iequence of the enquiries which I particularly 
 made concerning him, in order to verify what 
 Thowenot told me relative to him ; and I can 
 affure you, that I pofitively believe all that 
 Thowenot thinks with regard to him is falfe ; 
 and that the almofl general complaint of the 
 morofe and jealous character of Thowenot has 
 a certain foundation. Here is Stevenfwerdt 
 taken, and Venloo probably attacked at this mo- 
 ment, perhaps taken, as you will fee by the de- 
 tail of the movements of Champmorin, relative 
 to which I fend you the annexed copy, and of 
 my difpatches yeflerday to the Minifter of War. 
 I am employed in conftructing a bridge at Vifet, 
 which I confider as very eflential for our opera- 
 tions againft Maeflricht. 
 
 The exchange of prifoners of war is going on 
 at Mafeyick between the Auftrian CommirTaries 
 and ours, with tolerable harmony, and without 
 difficulty. They propofe one or two articles 
 more to be added to the cartel, which I fubmit 
 to your decifion. 
 
 Baron
 
 Baron Senfft, ci-devant the Envoy of the King 
 of Pruffia to Liege, has been ftopt on his jour, 
 ney from Maeftricht to Utrecht : I think he is 
 to be confidered as a prifoner of war. But with- 
 out determining any thing relative to him, I 
 ordered him to be fentto Bruflels, where he is to 
 wait your orders and decifion in this refpect. 
 Signed 
 
 MIRANDAS 
 
 LETT E R xiv. 
 
 General DUMOURIER to General MIRANDA.' 
 
 Antwerp, Feb. 13, 1793, Second Year of the 
 French Republic. 
 
 I SEND you. General, fome of 
 my proclamations. Order three or four thou- 
 fand copies to be printed, and take every poffible 
 opportunity to difperfe them among the Dutch, 
 as I am now doing on my fide. I receive this 
 moment your letter of the i2th, which gives me 
 great pleafure. I hope you will foon inform me 
 of the taking of Venloo. I am perfuaded like- 
 wife, that before the lyth you will be on your 
 march, and that mortars have already fired on 
 Maeftricht. The Prince of Hefie, who com- 
 G mands
 
 ( 4*. ) 
 
 mands there, is nothing of a military man : he 
 will propofe to you, perhaps, to evacuate the 
 town, and to retire with his garrifon ; for the 
 plan of the Dutch was to form a fmall army un- 
 til the arrival of the Pruffians ; and the 6000 
 men of the garrifon of Maeftricht, if they were 
 fuffered to leave it, would ferve to form this 
 little army, or would reinforce the garrifons of 
 Arnham and Nimeguen 5 which is abfolutely to 
 be avoided, by intimidating the Governor, and 
 making him perfonally refponfible towards the 
 inhabitants for the damages occafioned by the 
 bombardment. If in the liege of Maeftricht 
 you appear to meet with refiftance, leave it to be 
 difpatched by my army and that of Valence, and 
 inarch yourfelf to Nimeguen, taking half the 
 mortars, and the cannon of twelve and fixteen 
 pounders ; if, on the contrary, Maeftricht fur- 
 renders, in confequence of a brifk attack and 
 bombardment, as I hope it muft, then you will 
 be ftronger for the attack on Nimeguen. 
 
 Upon fummoning the town of Maeftricht to 
 furrender, do not forget, befide the Governor, 
 to fummon the magiftrates, and to make them 
 perfonally refponfible for the damage occafioned 
 by the bombardment. Inform them, and 
 through the means of the magiftrates, the inha- 
 bitants, that you only wage war againft the par- 
 
 tizans
 
 [ 43 1 
 
 tizans of the Stadtholder, whom you will purfue 
 with all poflible rigour ; but that you, as well 
 as all of us, entertain no other fentiment for the 
 Dutch nation than that of friendfhip ; and that 
 we only wifh to take advantage of the Prufiians, 
 who would opprefs them, as they have already 
 done. This admonition and advice you will 
 clothe in your own peculiarly animated ftyle, 
 and take great care to circulate copies by 
 every poflible means. I hear that the Brunf- 
 wick troops, in the fervice of Holland, have no 
 intention whatever to fight. Avail yourfelf of 
 this information. 
 
 You may keep in your army Adjutant Gene- 
 ral de Pille, who could not agree with Thow- 
 enot. This laft may be haughty and imperious; 
 but he is too ufeful a man not to give him this 
 little fatisfadbion, particularly in confequence of 
 -certain very ferious, charges, he laid before me, 
 and of which we will fpeak, when we meet. 
 
 I will write to General Moreton, that he may 
 fend Baron Senfft to Valenciennes, from whence 
 LeBrun, the Minifler, mail be made acquainted 
 with his arrival, and determine his fate. 
 
 Courage, my friend, while we urge on with 
 
 French impetuofity in this expedition ,* we can- 
 
 G 2 not
 
 [ 44 1 
 
 not fail of fuccefs ; and this brilliant debut of 
 the campaign will give us arms, cloaths, provifions, 
 Ammunition, and money. 
 
 The General in Chief of the Army in 
 
 Belgium, 
 Signed 
 
 DOUMOURIER. 
 
 LETTER XV. 
 
 be MINISTER OF WAR to General MIRANDA. 
 
 I'aris, Feb. 14, Second Year pf the French Republic. 
 
 I RECEIVED, Citizen, your 
 letter of the 7th inft. to the Minifler of War. 
 The declaration of war by the French Republic 
 againft Holland and England mould have been 
 by this time officially knowr. to you : I entirely 
 approve, however, of the meafures adopted by 
 you iri confcquence of this determination, before 
 you even received information of the event from 
 the Minifters. You will keep poffeffion of the 
 Dutch forts of Stevenfwerdt and St. Michel, 
 which you ordered Geneial Champmorin to take. 
 General Dumourier is now at the head of his 
 army, employed on an expedition againft Hol- 
 land : he has concerted with his 'Generals the 
 
 plan
 
 t 45 3 
 
 plan of the campaign, "and confequently you 
 ought to have received the neceflary inftruc- 
 tions to co-operate with and affift him, 
 
 I thank you for the communication of your 
 letters written to Generals Leveneur, Stingel, 
 and Champmorin ; they contain very wife mea- 
 fures, which I cannot but applaud. 
 
 I equally approve of the order given by you 
 refpe&ing the death of Citizen Pelletier. Every 
 good Frenchman fhould participate in the regret 
 pccafioned by the lofs of this martyr of liberty ; 
 and you did well to afford a public teftimony 
 of it, by the general mourning which you or- 
 jiered in the army. 
 
 The Minifter of War, 
 Signed 
 
 BEURNONVILLE. 
 
 P. S. I this inftant received your difpatches 
 pf the nth, and am going to acquaint the Con- 
 vention with the taking of Fort Stevenfwerd's. 
 This news will give them as much pleafure as 
 it affords to me. 
 
 You may rely on the utmoft activity on my 
 part, to compenfate for all the misfortunes which 
 overwhelm us. I only require a little patience 
 
 from
 
 [ 46 ] 
 
 from my comrades, and every thing will go on 
 well. I do not think there js any reafon to com- 
 pliment me on my nomination to the Miniftry : 
 I was better at the head of my army ; but a fol- 
 dier mould not have any will. However, I 
 know the evils, and will be able at leaft to point 
 them out. 
 
 LETTER XVI. 
 
 General MIRANDA to General BEURNONYILLE, 
 
 Liege, Feb. 14, 1793, 
 
 I RECEIVED this day, General, 
 the news of the taking of the Dutch fort of St. 
 Michel, upon the . left bank of the Meufe, and 
 oppofite Venloo, of which our troops took pof- 
 feffion without refifbmce, having made fome 
 Dutch foldiers who were before the fort, pri- 
 foners. An extraordinary inundation of the 
 Meufe, for fome days part, has prevented our 
 becoming mafters of the fortifications of Ven- 
 loo,-on the right bank of that river. The Pruf- 
 fians, taking advantage of thefe circumftances, 
 have thrown themfelves into the town in great 
 numbers, affifted by the Dutch troops who 
 guarded the fortifications, and fupported by a 
 
 body
 
 C 47 ] 
 
 body of infantry amounting, as I have been in- 
 formed, from 8 to 10,000 men. We occupy 
 the left fide of the Meufe, a fituation which fa- 
 vours all our operations againft Holland, while 
 a confiderable body of Pruffians occupy Pruflian 
 Gueldre, and are raifing batteries on the right 
 fide of the Meufe. I do not doubt that this 
 Pruffian corps, which, as I am informed, amounts 
 to 15,000 men, is deftined to aflift Holland, 
 ftiould our armies attempt to invade the United 
 Provinces. If a revolution in favour of liberty 
 breaks forth in Holland, it will facilitate our en- 
 terprize, and remove numberlefs difficulties, 
 which we mud otherwife experience from the 
 Pruffian army. 
 
 It is probable, that on the commencement of 
 the fiege or bombardment of Maeftricht, the 
 Auftrian army, which is before us on the Roer, 
 and amounts, as I am informed, to 40,000 men, 
 will attempt to attack ours, flationed behind 
 that river, to cover the attack on Maeftricht, 
 and endeavour to compel us to raife the fiege. 
 Our forces are far from being fufficient to keep 
 poffeflion of that extent of ground we now oc- 
 cupy, and to execute the plans we are about to 
 enter upon. The Commander in Chief, General 
 Dumourier, has doubt! efs apprized you of every 
 particular. I have received his orders, and the 
 
 whole
 
 [ 48 ] 
 
 whole army is in motion, with confidence and 
 alacrity. The enterprize appears aftonimingly 
 difficult -, I therefore hope, that, if the fiK> 
 cefs is not in every thing anfwerable to our 
 wifhes, and to the hopes you may have con- 
 ceived of the expedition, we (hall meet with that: 
 indulgence* which an ardent zeal for the fervice 
 and glory of the country infpires to a free na- 
 tion, who beholds her children eager to meet 
 death in her defence. 
 
 Annexed is a copy of the report of General 
 Champmorin on the taking of Fort St. Michel, 
 with a note from Lieutenant General Bouchet; 
 requefting you to fend us, by return of the 
 meiTenger, the plans ; and defcription o the for- 
 tifications of Maeftricht, which we are much in 
 want of at prefent ; as alfo a copy of the letters 
 of the ci-devant Marchionefs de Favras, which 
 contain fome information. 
 
 The other paper annexed Is a difpatch written 
 in the Dutch language, with a translation, ad- 
 dreffed to the magiftrates of Maeftricht, for the 
 fuppreffion of patriotic writings, which was in* 
 tercepted at one of our pofts near Maeftricht. 
 Signed 
 
 MIRANDA, 
 
 LETTER
 
 49 
 
 LETTER XVII. 
 
 "General DUMOURIER to General MIRANDA. 
 
 Antwerp, Feb. 15, 1793, Second Year of the 
 French Republic. 
 
 COMMISSARY Petit- Jean, who is 
 arrived this moment, informs me, my dear Ge- 
 neral, that 12 or 13,000 Pruflians have made 
 themfelves matters of Venloo and the environs. 
 This intelligence is of a very difagreeable nature - y 
 for having been beforehand with us at Venloo, 
 the Pruflians will certainly either wait for us be- 
 hind the canal Eugene, which runs from Venloo 
 to Gueldre, march to Ruremonde, mould they 
 receive reinforcements, or fpread themfelves in 
 Holland, in order to defeat my expedition. 
 This laft meafure, mould they embrace it, will 
 be dangerous to them ; becaufe, if Maeftricht 
 does not hold out long, as I hope it will not ; 
 and if I fucceed in penetrating into the heart of 
 Holland, which I am ready to attempt, you 
 marching on your fide with fpirit againft them, 
 at the head of 25 or 30,000 men, I will charge 
 them in the rear, fo that they will find themfelves 
 obliged to fuftain a double fire. 
 
 H Thus
 
 [ 5 1 
 
 iThus you will be enabled to judge how im- 
 portant it is, the attack on Maeftricht be fud- 
 den and unexpected, and that you may be able 
 on the firft day to fix your mortar batteries. I 
 
 fend you Lieutenant Colonel , to whom 
 
 Beurnonville has not been able to give any other 
 rank than that of Adjoint, or affiftant to the Ad- 
 jutant Generals. He will acquaint you with 
 the moft fectet particulars relative to Maeftricht, 
 and you will employ immediately all the means 
 which he has praclifed to bring about the defer- 
 tion of the Swifs and Germans. You will alfo 
 form, under his command, an independent bat- 
 tallion of 800 or 1000 men of thefe deferters; 
 you will fulfill, in order to attract and fix them 
 among your troopsy the promifes which he was 
 obliged to make them. We muft not be parti- 
 cular 'as to the money they may coft, for in the 
 end, the city of Maeftricht will pay all expen 
 ces. I wifh, and I venture even to hope, that 
 this place will not coft you more than two or 
 three days, and you will then be able inftantly 
 to march againft the Pruffians, flopping only 24 
 hours in Maeftricht, and fetting your columns 
 Immediately in motion. If you can at this mo- 
 ment detach fome troops to reinforce General 
 Champmorin, they will be very acceptable. I 
 hope he is mafter of Fort St. Michel, from 
 whence it will be very eafy to bombard Venloo. 
 
 When
 
 r. 5- 3 
 
 When you have reduced Maeftricht, you can, 
 in approaching Venloo, draw off the Garrifon of 
 Ruremonde, or leave there what is indifpenfably 
 neceffary, and follow the Pruffians towards Ni- 
 meguen, while 5 or 6000 men are bombarding 
 Grave in your rear. Confider how important it 
 is, my dear friend, that you mould harrafs the 
 Fruffians, to hinder them from marching againfl 
 me, who have only 15000 men, and fcarcely 
 even that number neverthelefs we cannot re- 
 treat ; my advanced guard fets off on the i8th, 
 and I will follow it the next day. Continue to 
 propagate the report of my arrival at the army, 
 and be active in aflembling your artillery, am. 
 munition, and other carriages, that no delay 
 may be fuffered after the taking of Maeftricht. 
 On your readinefs to co-operate with me, de- 
 pends the fate, not only of Holland, but of the 
 republic, of the liberty of nations ; for if we do 
 not fucceed in our attempt in this inftance, not 
 being either liked by the Belgians, whom, on 
 the contrary we have exafperated againft us; 
 nor having an army equal to a<ft defenfively, zve 
 Jkall be driven from Belgium with the fame pre- 
 cipitation with which we became majlers of the 
 Auflrian Netherlands. Difgrace and conjlernation. 
 muft follow our tumultuous and disorderly retreat, 
 and wejhall afterwards be expofed to difficulty and 
 danger in defending even our oivn country. Such 
 H a being
 
 [ 5* 3 
 
 being the extremity to which we may be re- 
 duced, it is only by the moft undaunted cou- 
 rage, and rapidity that we can, fave our country. 
 
 The Commander in, Chief of 'the Army in, 
 Belgium. 
 
 Signed 
 
 DUMOURIER. 
 
 LETTER XVIII. 
 
 General DUMOURIER to General MIRANDA. 
 
 Antwerp, 16 Feb.. Secpnd year of the Republic, 
 
 THOWENOT has been obliged, Ge- 
 neral, to flop at Biuffels and Louvain, and per- 
 haps at Tirlemont :' but this delay is only for the 
 advantage of your expedition. I think as you 
 do, and I fupported what you wrote to the Mi- 
 nifter of War, Beurnonville. I do not however 
 think, that Clairfait has already 40,000 men. I 
 know that General Beaulieau has been conveyed 
 to Luxembourg dangeroufly ill, and that his 
 army is in want of every thing. I know like- 
 wife that the army of Clairfait is as badly fup- 
 plied as our own, and I do not think he can, 
 have it in his power, before three weeks, to at- 
 tempt any thing againft that body of the army. 
 
 which
 
 [ 53 ] 
 
 which you will leave afiembled near Aix-la- 
 Chapelle^and in the cantonments of the Rocr; 
 leave this deftination to General Valence, who 
 will join the army immediately. I authorife 
 you to take from my army as many. as, with 
 your own, may make from 25 to 30,000 men, 
 and you will leave the remainder to General Va- 
 lence, to cover Liege and Maeflricht. You will 
 likewife leave with him his Lieutenant General 
 Leveneur, and appoint Lieutnant General La- 
 .poue, Governor of Maeflricht. 
 
 \ General Euftace * has written to me an abfurd 
 fetter, in his ufual ftyle, complaining that you 
 irdered him to be guarded by two gendarmes. 
 Ifend him orders to go to Paris, and your gen- 
 <irmes will return to the army, when they have 
 n him on his journey. This man has fo lit- 
 tl worth, that you fhouldnot be vexed on his 
 Iwpunt. 
 
 >lieve this day, or to-morrow at fartheft you 
 wil^egin your march. You received my letter 
 
 yefl\day by Lietenaut Colonel . I (hall 
 
 leavintwerp to -morrow or aft r to-morrow, and 
 (hall\ot delay attempting the graude avanture. 
 Thejeneral in Chief of the Army in Belgium. 
 Signed DUMOURIER. 
 
 native of the Uoited States of America.
 
 C 54 3 
 
 LETTER XIX. 
 
 General MIRANDA, Commander in Chief \ to Gene- 
 ral LANOUE. . 
 
 Liege, 16 Feb. 1795. 
 
 IT is neceflary, General, for the 
 iervice of the Republic, that you fhould imme- 
 diately go to Aix-la-Chapelle, and take the 
 command of all the troops of the Belgic army 
 which are cantoned between the Roe'r and L 
 
 General Stingel, who now commands thei, 
 has received the neceflary orders for the arrane- 
 ment of the troops, and the meafures to:>e 
 taken, fhould the enemy make any attemppn 
 the cantonments, or to pafs the Roe'r. ^ou 
 will act in conformity to thefe orders, and, ith 
 the affilance of this refpectable veteran,and 
 Generals Miazinfki and Dampierre, take s the 
 precautions which your vvifdom and rritary 
 talents fuggeft, vigoroufly to defend the tflage 
 of the Roer; or to offer battle to the iemy, 
 Ihould they determine to crofs that riv vvith 
 an intention to throw fuccours into M^richt, 
 to attack our troops which inveft it, ojin fine, 
 to counteract any other attempt they rr/ make., 
 
 When,
 
 . [ 55 ] 
 
 When 5 r ou have made your obfervations rela- 
 tive to the pofition of our troops, and thofe of 
 the enemy, difpatch a courier immediately, that 
 acting conjointly for the good of the fervice, 
 I may be enabled to afford you fuch fuccours as 
 Cur exteniive operations will permit. 
 
 Signed 
 
 MIRANDA, 
 
 LETTER XX. 
 
 General MIRANDA to General BEURNONVILLE, 
 Minifler at War, 
 
 Liege, Feb. 17, 1793 _ 
 I HAVE the honor to fend 
 you, General, the annexed copy of all the orders 
 I have juft iffued to the three armies of Belgium, 
 the North, and the Ardennes, which at prefent 
 occupy the banks of the Roe'r, of the Meufe ; as 
 far as Fort St. Michel, and which form, at this 
 moment, the inveftment of Maeftricht. I hope 
 they will merit your approbation. 
 
 I truft, in eight o ten days at fanheflr, Mae- 
 ftricht xvill have furrendered to our arms, from 
 whence, by a rapid march, I propofe to attack. 
 Nimeguen with a body of 25,000 men, and to
 
 t 56 ! 
 
 join of fupport General Dumourier, who by that 
 time will have penetrated into Holland on ano 
 ther fide, as" has been agreed on between us. 
 I forefee extreme difficulty in all thefe enter- 
 prifes, but truft we fhall furmount them, if ei- 
 ther the weather, er chanee, be favorable to us, 
 
 I fend you annexed different papers: i. An in- 
 famous printed paper, which the ariflocrats in 
 the environs attempted to circulate among the 
 army, and which the officer to whom it was di- 
 rected, immediately delivered to me. 2. The 
 military reconnoljjance made by the officers of the 
 artillery, and the corps of engineers, for the bom- 
 bardment of Maeftricht. 3. Military proceed- 
 ings againfl Major General Euflace, for difobe- 
 dience, and other ferious charges - the principal 
 of which is a correfpondence with the Prince' of 
 Hejje, Governor of Maejtricht, which was fent to 
 Paris, by General Dumourier. Some members 
 of the National Convention can give information 
 relative to the former conduct of this individual, 
 whom they perfonally knew at Bordeaux, and of 
 whom they complained in my prefence, to Citi- 
 zen Le Brim, Miniiler for foreign affairs. 
 
 Signed 
 
 MIRANDA, 
 
 LETTER
 
 t *7 3 
 
 LETTER XXI. 
 
 tte MINISTER AT WAR, to G?<?T/MIRANDA. 
 
 Paris, Feb. 17, 1793, Second Year of the 
 French Republic. 
 
 I RECEIVED, General, your 
 exprefs on the i4th inftant, and thank you for 
 the particulars relative to the furrender of fort 
 St. Michel. 
 
 I have acquainted the National Convention 
 with the fuccefs of this enterprife, conducted by 
 General Champmorin. I fa"w with concern, 
 that the inundation of the Meufe, prevented the 
 attack of Venloo, which is now garrifoned by 
 the Pruffians. I cannot doubt butyouhave com- 
 municated this circumftance to General Du- 
 tnourier, and that you will immediately receive 
 inftrudions how to proceed, and connect your 
 operations. The precautions you have taken 
 to come at the knowledge of the enemy's move- 
 ments, are very prudent. I exhort you to con- 
 tinue them. I have feen the extracts of the let- 
 ters which were intercepted. 
 
 I Adjutant
 
 Adjutant General St. Fief, my afllftant in the 
 concerns of the engineers and artillery, anfwers 
 General Bouchet's enquiries concerning the 
 plans and particulars relative to Maeftricht ; Ge- 
 neral D'Ar$on, who at this time Ihould be with 
 General Dumourier, has carried them all away ; 
 and he is in pofleflion of every information, 
 which can throw light on the proper mode of 
 attack. General Bouchet mould be made ac- 
 quainted with them. 
 
 The General Minifter of War. 
 Signed 
 
 BEURNONV1LLE. 
 
 P. S. The moment I receive the plans of 
 which General Bouchet ftands in need, I will 
 fend them to you. Search is now making for 
 them. 
 
 LETTER XXII. 
 
 General MIRANDA to General DUMOURIER. 
 
 Liege, Feb. 18, 1793. 
 
 YOU will fee, General, by the 
 annexed copy of my letter to the Miniller of 
 War, the condition of the forces, and the difpo- 
 
 . fal
 
 [ 59 ] 
 
 fal of them to execute your orders.- You will 
 thereby be enabled to judge of the impoffibi- 
 lity to begin the bombardment in lefs than four 
 or fix days hence, and that confequently we can- 
 not be at Nimeguen with a corps of 25,000 
 men before the 26th or 28th. This calculation 
 appears to me fufficiently probable, and I believe 
 I (hall be able to execute it, if we are not im- 
 peded by any unforefeen accident. You may 
 rely, exclufive of this circumftance, on my ful- 
 filling your orders; or, if you think it proper, 
 
 fend me fome frefli inftruftions. Colonel 
 
 arrived here yefterday, and I (hall avail myfelf 
 to the utmolt of his connexions with Mae- 
 ftricht. 
 
 Send me as foon as pofiible Commifiary Pe- 
 tit-Jean, fince thofe who are here, 'inftead of 
 ferving and affifting, are only thwarting us : 
 this principally occafions a delay in our future 
 enterprize, and if not inftantly remedied, will 
 end in the difcomfiture of the whole. 
 
 Signed 
 
 MIRANDA, 
 
 BETTER
 
 LETTER XXIII, 
 
 General DUMQURIER to General MIRANDA.' 
 
 Antwerp, Feb. igth. 1793, Second Year 
 of the Republic. 
 
 THE delays which I experience, 
 General, give me great anxiety, and would ftill 
 increafe it, if your letter of the 1 8th. did not prove 
 that you experience fimilar trials. This jufti- 
 fies the opinion I have always entertained, that 
 too much precipitation was ufed in the declara- 
 tion of war. They fhould have fpun the nego- 
 tiation, until I was ready to enter Holland, and 
 lay fiege to Maeftricht. Make what expedition 
 you can. Petit- Jean, the CommifTary, who can- 
 not leave this until the 21 ft, will join you di- 
 reftly; he informs me that 7000 horfes, which 
 he required from the Northern department for 
 your army, are on their way. We are waiting 
 for the former Comptrollers of provifions and 
 forage, who had returned back for the greater 
 advantage of the armies ; I therefore hope, that 
 in this refped, we mail not want for any thing, 
 
 Thowenot will give you an account of the 
 general plan which I have drawn for the levy of 
 
 Belgian
 
 [ 6i ] 
 
 Belgian troops, agreeable to the defi. e of tho 
 Mhiftcr of War. I will be after to-morrow be- 
 fore Breda, which I mall threaten to bombard, 
 while veflels are colleclh- for my great enter- 
 prize. I hope tlie enemies will fwallow the 
 bait, and believe that I have a mind to fit dowa 
 before this town, and afterwards attack Ger- 
 truydenberg. I am well pleafed with the letter 
 from DulTcldorf ; for if it is true, which I have 
 reafon to think it is ; Clairfayt will not be fo 
 fopn ready. I can inform you befide, that ex- 
 cept the cavalry and the Hungarian grenadiers, 
 all the reft of his army is compofed of new le- 
 vies, which are not equal to ours. Take th?re- 
 fpre Maedricht ; for we cannot make fure of 
 the courfe of the Meufe, but when in pofieflion 
 of that town. I know their confirmation is very 
 great, that the greater part of the troops in the 
 garrilbn have very little inclination td fight: 
 that the lefs method and form employed at this 
 fiege, the fooner you will fucceed, becaufe the 
 bombardment will be difagreeable to the garri- 
 fon, and frighten the inhabitants. The emi- 
 grants even who retired the, , will add to their 
 many embarraffments, and will haften the fur- 
 render of the place. All your orders to the dif- 
 ferent Generals are clear and comprehenfive. I 
 (hall fend you an exprefs the moment I leave 
 
 Antwerp,
 
 > L "^ J 
 
 Antwerp, and it is very probable yon will hear 
 littiv. from me, before our intended junction.- 
 
 The General in Chief of the Araiy of Belgium. 
 Signed 
 
 DUMOURIER.. 
 
 P. S. Tranflatedfrom the Spani/h* ' 
 We are now deep in our enterprize, let us not 
 look back ; it is not the time for prudence, or 
 method; every day loft is attended with the 
 IgreatePc danger. 
 
 As I have here two of your meffengers, I 
 keep one, whom I mall fend away to-morrow. 
 
 LETTER XXIV. 
 
 General MIRANDA, Commander in Chief, to Ge- 
 neral LANOUE. 
 
 Liege, igth Feb. 1 793. 
 
 I HAVE received, General, your 
 letter, written yeflerday from Aix-la-Chapelle. 
 I have ordered a ftate of the troops under your 
 command to be drawn out, by General Thowe- 
 not at the head of the ftaff, which can be imme- 
 diately
 
 diately employed, and by which it appears that, 
 with the bodies commanded by Generals La 
 Marche and Neuilly, who are equally fubordi- 
 nate to you, and with five battalions which you 
 are to receive immediately, two of them having 
 begun their march this day, you will have an 
 army of 30,000 effective men, without reckon- 
 ing a body of 3500 commanded by General 
 Lamorliere, which covers your left, and that of 
 General Leveneur, confifting of 6000 men be- 
 fore Wyck, who are all in a condition to fup- 
 port you in cafe of neceffity. 
 
 You artillery, according to-the ftate given by 
 General D'Augheft, commander in chief, is now 
 22 field pieces, befide what belongs to the bat- 
 talions ; and four engineers have been employed 
 in fortifying the points which were judged pro- 
 per for that purpofe. Therefore, General, you 
 muft endeavour with this force to fulfil what is 
 allotted to you, while we are compleating mat- 
 ters on another fide, which we are bound to 
 execute, although with lefs comparative ftrength. 
 If you think proper to fend a copy "of this order 
 to General La Marche and Neuilly, or others, 
 you may do fo, that a neceflary harmony may 
 every where prevail. 
 
 I have
 
 C 64 J 
 
 I havejuft given orders, that the military 
 hofpital mall not want money, and that there 
 fhall be plenty of forage. 
 
 Signed 
 
 MIRANDA. 
 
 LETTER XXV. 
 
 General MIRANDA to Citizen LA CROIX, Com* 
 mijfioner from the National Convention to the 
 Army in Belgium. 
 
 Liege, Feb. 2 1, 1793. 
 
 THAT you may be enabled, 
 Citizen^ to know the particular motives which 
 determined me ,to comply with the requeft of 
 the Committee of Safety of the city of Liege, 
 with regard to the Englifh who are now here, I 
 fend you a copy of my orders to General Thow- 
 enot, and a lift of the Englifh. The correfpond 
 cnce which moft of them have kept up, either 
 with the emigrants, or with the garrifon of 
 Maeftricht, has rendered this precaution necef- 
 fary, both with regard to themfelves as well as 
 for the commonwealth. 
 
 A Lift
 
 [ 65 3 
 
 A Lift of the Englifo who are denounced by the Com- 
 mittee of Safety of the City of Liege. 
 
 B GRAINGER, his wife and 
 
 daughter. Muft depart alone by the Diligence. 
 (Are not gone.) 
 
 MRS. TAYLOR, wife of an 
 Englifti Phyfician : lives at the Convent of the 
 Englim Nuns, although Jhe has a koufe at Hoche- 
 porte. 
 
 B MRS. DALLMAN and her 
 
 niece. Shall depart together on Friday. 
 
 (Are not gone.) 
 
 LADY CLIFFORD and her 
 
 two daughters. 
 
 STANHOPE, one of the 
 national guards, and his wife. Many perfons 
 vouch for them. 
 
 B SERLE, his wife and 
 
 children. He is very intimate with the Dutch 
 Envoy. Shall depart with his family on Thurf- 
 day. 
 
 (fs gone for Brujfels,) 
 
 K LADY
 
 [ 66 ] 
 
 LADY FITZGERALD, with 
 a niece, great acquaintances of the Pope's Nun- 
 cio -, her brother and fifter. 
 
 5 RICHARDS and his fa- 
 
 mily. Shall depart with his family. 
 (Gone for Brufels.) 
 
 MRS. RYAN. 
 
 jg BURRESS, an Trim-wo- 
 
 man in trade. Shall depart with her fon by 
 the Diligence. 
 
 (Is not gone.) 
 
 Certified by YHLER, Major General, 
 Governor of the City of Liege, Se- 
 cond Year of the French Republic. 
 
 N. B. Thofe with the mark of letter B pre- 
 fixed to their names, have been particularly de 
 nounced as fufpicious perfons. 
 
 LETTER
 
 r 7 3 
 
 LETTER XXVI. 
 
 Ths MINISTER OF WAR to General MIRANDA. 
 
 Paris, Feb. 22, 1793, Second Year of the 
 French Republic. 
 
 I RECEIVED, General, your 
 letter of the i7th inft. with the particular detail 
 of the meafures taken in confequence of General 
 Dumourier's inductions for inverting and bom- 
 barding Maeftricht. Your plan of operations, 
 which I have examined with much attention, 
 appears to be combined and fraught with wif- 
 dom. I hope the harmony fubfifting between 
 the different Generals, and the valor of our fel- 
 low-foldiers, will enfure complete fuccefs. I 
 anxioufly wait for news from you, and am con- 
 fident it will prove good. 
 
 I cannot at this inftant anfwer the other fub- 
 jefts of your letter ; but will give orders to have 
 it particularly examined. You may rely on my 
 zeal to do every thing you defire, as far as it de- 
 pends on me. 
 
 The Minifter of War, 
 Signed 
 
 BEURNONVILLE. 
 K 2 LETTER
 
 f 68 ] 
 
 LETTER XXVII, 
 
 General DUMOURIEU to General MiRAXV A. 
 r 
 
 Groot-Klundert, Feb. 22, Second Year of the 
 French Republic. 
 
 I AM now in full march : my 
 left divifion, confifting of nine battalions, blocks 
 up Bergen-op-zoom : my advanced guard is on 
 the Merck, and has feized fome boats : I hope 
 it will take Dort in its way, affifted by my rear- 
 guard, and the right divifion. To-morrow I 
 (hall fend Devaux * with a fevere fummons to 
 the Governor and magiftrates, a copy of which 
 is annexed. 
 
 Devaux has imparted a converfation he has 
 had with yju. I hope you will take Maeftricht, 
 that we may make hands between Nimeguen 
 and Utrecht. If Nimeguen falls fpeedily, you 
 muft likewife take Amersfort, that the Germans 
 may be completely flmt out from the province 
 of Utrecht. 
 
 My flay before Breda will be no longer than 
 ;s neceflary to get ready the tranfports, feventeen 
 
 * His Adjutant General, fmce guillotined at Paris, in the 
 2;th year of his age. TRANSLATOR, 
 
 Of
 
 C 69 ] 
 
 ctf whom have already fallen into our hands. If 
 Breda furrenders, I will take artillery of every 
 calibre, which will greatly facilitate my opera- 
 tions in Holland, where I fhall find all the pon- 
 toons of the republic. You will eafily judge 
 that, having fufficient bufinefs on my hands, 1 
 have only time to wifti you well. 
 
 The General in Chief of the armies 
 
 in Belgium, 
 Signed 
 
 DUMOURIER. 
 
 LETTER XXVIII. 
 
 General MIRAND A to General DUMOURIER. 
 
 ' 
 
 Hochten, Feb. 25, 1*93. 
 
 I INCLOSE you a copy, Ge- 
 neral, of my difpatches to the Minifter at War : 
 you will fee what I have done in confequence of 
 your orders. We mail fee if the confufion in 
 Maeftricht, now on fire in five places, will in- 
 duce the Governor and magiftrates to furrender ; 
 if not, I propofe leaving this place in four or five 
 days, and will meet you towards Grave or Ni- 
 meguen ; it is imppfiible to do it fooncr, as I 
 
 have
 
 [ 7 1 
 
 have not yet feen Commifiary Petit- Jean, and 
 can have no dependance on the fubalterns, fince 
 my army has been left without a principal Com- 
 mifTary. We now find ourfelves almoft at a 
 ftand, by the disjointed condition of the Admi- 
 mftrators, and a want of provifions, the necef- 
 fary confequence. Howevef , CommiiTary Petit- 
 Jean having promifed fo come this day, I (hall 
 fettle the bufinefs with him ; and you may rely, 
 that not a moment fhall be loft in the execution 
 of your orders. 
 
 Signed 
 
 MIRANDA. 
 
 LETTER XXIX. 
 
 General MIRANDA to General BEURNONVILLE, 
 Minifler of War. 
 
 Hochten, Feb. 25, 1793. 
 
 MAESTRICHT having been 
 inverted, according to my orders, by a body of 
 12,000 men, on the right bank of the river, we 
 began our works by raifmg the neceflary batte- 
 ries to bombard the town. Every thing was 
 happily completed on the 23d, on the heights 
 of Caqwenbergh, at 400 toifes from the covered 
 
 way,
 
 t 71 1 
 
 way, and only with the lofs of three men, not- 
 withftanding a conftant fire from the befieged. 
 
 Our batteries being ready to play yefterday 
 at noon, I fent the annexed fummons to the 
 Commander in Chief, and to the magiftrates of 
 Maeftricht. The anfwer of the Prince of Hefle, 
 the Governor (of which you have a copy), was 
 a refufal fending me a verbal meflage by Colo- 
 nel Arnaudin, that he thought fummoiiing 
 him to furrender the town a furprifmg matter, 
 as he did not know that the Dutch nation had 
 declared war againft France; and that if I would 
 give him permiflion, he would difpatch an ex- 
 prefs to their High Mightineffes, to require iri- 
 ftructions on this head. 
 
 Our fire began in the night, fupported by ano- 
 ther battery of mortars, raifed before Wick, and 
 foon after the town was feen on fire. The enemy 
 extinguimed it ; but this morning, at ten, it 
 broke forth with greater fury, and Maeftricht is 
 at this inftant in flames. 
 
 The garrifon have made two forties, each of 
 about two hundred men ; one, on the fide of 
 Wick, the other by St. Peter's gate : our troops 
 eafily repulfed them with lofs, and we have not 
 loft a man. 
 
 I am
 
 [ 7* 1 
 
 I am very defirous to put an end to this liege, 
 and execute matters of greater importance, ac- 
 ' cording to the orders of General Dumourier, 
 communicated to you in a former difpatch ; but 
 I ought not to conceal from you, that the want 
 of a principal Commiffary with my army, makes 
 it impoflible for me to execute all within the li- 
 mited time, which may be productive of the 
 moft fatal confequences to the intereft of the. 
 Republic. 
 
 Signed 
 
 MIRANDA. 
 
 LETTER XXX. 
 
 General DUMOURIER to General MIRANDA. 
 
 Sevenbergen, Feb. 26, 1793, Second Year of the 
 French Republic. 
 
 I AM perfuaded, my dear Ge- 
 neral, that yourfirft meflenger will bring me the 
 news of the furrender of Maeftricht : I calcu- 
 late, that as it was on fire in five places on the 
 25th, you continued it without interruption, and 
 that the citizens will at length be wearied with 
 fuch ufelefs reliftance, and perhaps give law to 
 the Governor. Befide, the news of the taking 
 
 of
 
 E 73 ] 
 
 of Breda will fpiread confternatioft among them. 
 General Berneron took laft night the town of 
 Klundert : to-morrow they will attack William- 
 iladt ; and the day following Gertruydenbcrg ; 
 and, in the mean time, my batteries will be 
 placed along the coaft, which I have completely 
 reconnoitred, and have the greateft hopes of 
 fuccefs. I have for the paffage twenty-one co- 
 vered boats, making near 800 tons, and five or 
 fix floops well calculated for boarding. The 
 artillery of Breda and of Klundert will ferve for 
 my batteries, and for keeping up a crofs fire 
 during the paflage of the advanced guard ; by 
 thefe means a dozen of armed veflels will be 
 kept at a diftance, and I hope will do no great 
 mifchief. It is even poffible I may feize fome 
 to acompany me to Rotterdam. 
 
 You will imagine that the artillery of Breda 
 is very confiderable ; that of Klundert affords 
 me 1500 good fufils, ten pieces of cannon, out 
 of fifty which I found there ; more than 2000 
 ten-inch bombs, 18,000 weight of gunpowder, 
 and a tolerable collection of ducats from the 
 worthy inhabitants, as well as by the feizure of 
 what belongs to the Prince of Orange. I have 
 befide from that place 1000 facks of oats and 
 corn, with forage. I hope my paflage will be 
 made before the 5th of March ; and it is very 
 L probable
 
 [ 74 J 
 
 probable that I may then travel along without 
 fighting. Avail yourfelf of the confternation 
 whi Ji all this good news will fpread on your 
 fide. Extend your arms (allongez les bras) as 
 much as you poffibly can, that we may join 
 at Nimeguen, and there dance the Carmagnole 
 together. 
 
 I wrote in the mofl preffing manner to Beur- 
 nonville on the abfolute neceflity of fending to 
 you immediately Commiffary Malus ; for Petit- 
 Jean is necefiary in Holland, in order to take 
 advantage of thefupplies of that country for the 
 war in the Low Countries. I have enjoined Ge- 
 neral Thowenot to expedite the embodying 
 from 25 to 30 battalions of Belgians, and every 
 Commander, General Officer, or other, is com- 
 jniflioned to affift in this bnfinefs, each in his 
 refpective arrondijjement. I therefore hope that, 
 before the month of may, we fhall have at leaft 
 25,000 Belgian infantry to join our army. Our 
 volunteers will return in thoufands * when they 
 hear of our fuccefs ; and 1 hope that in this cor- 
 ner we fliall be able to colled: 150,000 men, 
 who will ,enr.ble me to play fome monkey tricks 
 (faire quelques Jingeries) with the dcfpots who at* 
 
 * Very near 60,000 quitted their colours, having agreed 
 only to ferve during the preceding fummer. TRANSLATOR. 
 
 tack
 
 C 75 3 
 
 tack us. Adieu ! my dear comrade keep up a 
 good fire drink dry take care of yourfelf, and 
 be in good ipirits. 
 
 The General in Chief of the Army in 
 
 Belgium, 
 Signed 
 
 DUMOURIER. 
 
 LETTER XXXI. 
 
 General MIRANDA to 
 
 Hochten, Feb. 27, 1793. 
 DEAR GENERAL, 
 
 SINCE my laft letter we have 
 done great damage to the town, notwithstanding 
 a very brifk fire on the part of the befieged, 
 which has done us but little hurt. I avail my- 
 ielf of the favourable opportunity of the good 
 news you communicated, to write to the Go- 
 vernor of Maeftricht, a copy of which, his and 
 the magiftrates anfwers, are annexed. This time 
 they did not allow Colonel Arnaudin to go into 
 the town, either that he fhould not wicnefs the 
 damage done, or for fear that his admiffion 
 might occafion the inhabitants to get together, 
 of which the patriots would take advantage. 
 But the converfation which he held with an old 
 JL z
 
 C ? 3 
 
 Brunfwick officer on guard at the gate, induced 
 him to believe the town was in the greateft dif- 
 trefs $ and from thence I infer, that by conti- 
 nuing the bombardment, and even throwing in 
 fome red-hot balls, Maeftricht will furrender to 
 the forces of France in ten days. I will leave 
 this bufinefs to General Valence and his army, 
 and form ajundlion with you. 
 
 The General came here to fee me, when I 
 made him acquainted with all your plans : he 
 appeared difpofed to contribute to, the utmoft 
 of his power in every thing ; he has fince written 
 to me from Liege, and renewed his good in- 
 tentions. General Thowenot and Commiflary 
 Pet it -Jean came here yefterday, when we fet- 
 tled our refpeclive plans. I agreed with Thow- 
 enot, that a body of 10,000 men (hall occupy 
 the pofts which I leave before Maeftricht, while 
 my apparently infenfible movement will begin 
 to-morrow, and proceed towards Kerzel and 
 Grave, with a body of from 20 to 23,000 men, 
 where we (hail remain from the 4th to the 6th 
 of next month. I will write to you daily. The 
 intelligence I received from Champmorin, of 
 which I fend you a copy, determines me, if the 
 roads, which I have ordered to be reconnoitred, 
 are in a good condition, to move forward by the 
 
 left-
 
 [77 3 
 
 left of the Meufe : this General's divifion natu- 
 rally forming my advanced guard, I mail fooner 
 reach Grave and Nimeguen. But in this fitua- 
 tion it would be imprudent not to leave 4 or 
 5000 men in t the rear towards Rurernonde, to 
 fupport General Valence on the Roe'r, and to 
 continue the blockade of Maeftricht. I propqfe 
 that the force under Lamorliere mall remain be- 
 low Rurernonde, and have placed under his com- 
 mand the army of the Ardennes, that he may 
 be enabled to difpatch thofe on the right fide of 
 the Meufe. Lamorliere's * fituation, by this 
 arrangement, will be much improved. At pre- 
 fent we have nothing to fear from Beaulieu. 
 
 You will fee by the copy of the difpitches 
 received yefterday from General D'Harviile, 
 that he has ftretched towards Luxembourg, af- 
 ter diflodging the ene-my from the fmail town of 
 Laroche, an important point, which will enable 
 him to difcover the motions of the enemy from 
 the heights of Houftalife and Laroche : I have 
 communicated it to the Minifter, and fent all 
 the difpatches to Valence, with whom he is in 
 future to correfpond. 
 
 Colonel appears to be incapable of 
 
 executing what he promifed you : he has re. 
 
 * Since beheaded. 
 , quefted
 
 quefted to be employed at Rekem, that he may 
 continue his different projects. 
 Signed 
 
 MIRANDA. 
 
 SUMMONS 
 
 TO THE 
 
 
 
 MAGISTRATES AND GOVERNOR 
 
 OF 
 
 MAESTRI CHTV 
 
 UBERTY EQALITY. 
 
 In the name of the French. Republic, 'Lieutenant Ge- 
 neral Francis Mir&nd^ co'm->- \g ht Army of 
 the French Republic, kfsre Maejlrubt, 
 
 TV the Magiftrates of the free People of the City of 
 Maefirubt, 
 
 ce The French Nation, having been compelled 
 t( to declare war a^ainft the Stadtholder. and his 
 " partizans, is defirous to break the bondage of 
 c< the Batavians. Vv'e come into your country 
 * e as friends and brethren ; therefore it is not 
 * f againft, .but for you, that we fhall wage war. 
 
 "You
 
 [ 79 ]. 
 
 " Your city is inverted, and if compelled by 
 " an obftinate refuCtl to comply, I muft continue 
 " to befiege it. The garrifon and partizans of 
 " the , Stadth older cannot Kdpe to defend it 
 " with fuccefs. I therefore fummon it 'to fur- 
 " 'render. 
 
 "Your duty, as repreferitatives ofthepeo- 
 ec pie, calls upon you 'to proted them againft 
 * c the difafters and calamities of ufelefs refif- 
 (f tance. I require you. in t-ie name of huma- 
 * f nity, a^d'for your perform! prefei vation, to pre- 
 (< vail on, or to oblige the governor and officers 
 " to deliver up the town without delay, to the 
 " arms of the French Republic. 
 
 <e I declare to you, magiftrates of the people, 
 <e that if unhappily you compel me to fire on 
 " the town, it is you, who (hall be made re- 
 " fponfible for the irreparable misfortunes, 
 " which your weaknefs, or your connivance 
 " with our enemies, may bring on your coun- 
 <c try; and your capital punifhment, fliallferve 
 " as an example to the fatellites of defpotifm, 
 " and wipe away the national injury. 
 
 " The Friend of the People. 
 
 F. MIRANDA/ 1 
 
 P. S.
 
 <c P. S. The annexed declaration of the Bata 1 - 
 " vian Committee, in reminding you of your 
 tc duty will make you, I doubt not/- comply 
 * 6 with mydemand." 
 
 Head quarters, Hockten Febl 24, Second Year of the 
 French Republic. 4 o'clock P. M. I 
 
 IN THE NAME OF THE FRENCH REPUBLIC. 
 
 Lieutenant General Francis Miranda, Commander 
 in Chief of the Army of the French Republic, be- 
 fore Maejlricht, ' 
 
 " SUMMONS the military Commander of the 
 " Dutch troops in Maeftricht, to furrender in 
 " three hours, and deliver up the town to the 
 < e arms of the French Republic, that the inha- 
 st bitants may be faved from the horrors of a 
 " bombardment and a fiege, and the town from 
 " flames and total deftrudion. 
 
 " The General declares to the Governor, that 
 " if he is fo imprudent, as to hazard a refiftance, 
 * e as ufelefs as" it is ram ; if, he prevents the an- 
 " nexed letter to the magistrates of Maeftricht, 
 < from being delivered to them j and if he in- 
 " tercepts their anfwer, his criminal temerity 
 * e mail be rigoroufly puniflied, and the General 
 " of the Republic neceflitated to put to thefword 
 '* all the officers of the gar r if on. 
 
 " The
 
 t t ] 
 
 Batavian citizens and foldiers, who 
 r * reluctantly fight againft the friends of liberty 
 se and equality, will be admitted to the fraternity 
 (e and protection of the French nation, which, 
 " having been compelled to declare war againft 
 ts the Stadtholder and his partizans, anxioufly 
 " avails itfelf of the favourable opportunity 
 * c which thefe ufurpers afford them, to re-tlla- 
 " blifh the national fovereignty, the facred and 
 ' < unalienable rights of the people, 
 
 "F, MIRANDA." 
 
 " The annexed declaration made by the Ba- 
 " tavian Committee, to the troops of the Re- 
 ff public of the Uunited Provinces; in remind- 
 " ing them of their duty, mould be fufficient to 
 f f make them comply with my fummons." 
 
 Head quarters, Hochten, 24 Feb. 1793. Second Year of the 
 French Republic. 4 o'clock, P. M. 
 
 LETTER XXXII. 
 
 Hockten, Feb. 27, 1793 
 
 Since the laft news, General, which I had the 
 honour to communicate to you on the 25th m- 
 ftant, the bombardment has continued with 
 fuccefs, having reduced the town, by repeated 
 
 fires, to the greateft diftrefs. 
 
 M Having
 
 [ Sz I 
 
 Having deceived this morning the official in- 
 telligence of the furrender of Breda, I availed 
 myfelf of this occafion to renew to the Governor 
 and magiflrates my declaration and my repug- 
 nance tq ufe fuch rigorous meafures againft the 
 inhabitants, whom we wimed to confider as 
 friends and brethren. I wrote a letter (annexed 
 is a copy), inviting them to put the town under 
 the fafeguard and protection of the armies of 
 France. 
 
 The officer charged with the meflage was not 
 admitted into .the town, probably to prevent his 
 remarking the ravages occafioned by the bom- 
 bardment; with which, however, the officer, on 
 guard at the advanced poft made him fufficiently 
 acquainted. The Governor and magiftrates 
 fent an evafive anfwer, a copy of which I fend 
 you. 
 
 We are preparing fome batteries, which, in 
 addition to the bombs, will doubtlefs reduce the 
 town to the indifpenlible neceflity of furrender- 
 ing in a few days, mould our fucceffes in Hol- 
 land continue. The fiege will be carried on by 
 a" body of 10,000 troops of the Belgian army, 
 who will occupy the pofts before Maeftricht, 
 now filled by thofe under my command ; while 
 my army, the advanced guard of which is now 
 
 on
 
 C 83 ] 
 
 on the left fide of the Meufe, beyond Venloo, is 
 directing its march towards Grave, to fecond 
 the operations of General Dumourier in Holland, 
 as it was agreed on between us. 
 
 General D'Harville has officially communi- 
 cated the capture of the poft of Laroche, occu- 
 pied by the Auftrians on the old road from Lux- 
 embourg to Namur. At my defire, he drove 
 them from thence, and without any lofs. 
 
 LETTER XXXIII. 
 
 ofMaeflricht. 
 
 Hochten, Feb. 27, 1793. 
 
 HAVING waited two days for the 
 promifed anfwer of the magiftrates of the town 
 of Maeftricht, T beg you to confider, and to in- 
 form them, that if they perfift in refilling a fatis- 
 fadory anfwer to the equitable and fraternal pro- 
 pofals made to them by the French Republic, 
 we will ufe the laft refource to complete the ab- 
 folute deftruction of the city. 
 
 I announce to you, that a French army, com- 
 
 manded by General' Dumourier, is already in 
 
 M z poflefliorx
 
 I 84 ] 
 
 poiTeffion of Breda, and two other fortreffes, and 
 that at this moment it has penetrated into the 
 heart of Holland. 
 
 Thefe circumftances mould point out to you 
 the inutility of a fuperfluous refiftance, which is 
 alone calculated to injure the inhabitants, whom 
 we wifh to confider as brothers, and who per- 
 haps are but the innocent victims of private 
 intereft. 
 
 The Commander in Chief, 
 Signed 
 
 MIRANDA, 
 
 LETTER XXXIV. 
 
 Qeneral MIRANDA to General LEVENEVR. 
 
 Hochten, Feb. 28, 1793. 
 
 " I REQUEST you, General, to 
 fend to St. Tron or Liege for four twelve poun- 
 ders, and put them behind a good tpaulement, 
 that you may throw fome red-hot balls en ricochet 
 againft Wick, while we are doing the fame thing 
 on this fide with fixteen pounders againft Mae- 
 ftricht. This laft expedition, added to the ha- 
 
 " vock
 
 r 5 i 
 
 vock maHe by the bombardment and conflagra- 
 tion of the town, will compel it to furrender per- 
 haps in a very few days ; it is all that we an do 
 at this feafon of the year, w'uh the means th:it 
 are left us, and the orders I have received : I re- 
 peat it again, it is not our intention to carry on 
 a regular fiege, but merely to bombard the 
 town. 
 
 Two officers, wljo came here this morning in 
 your name, allured me, that fome fervants be- 
 longing to the emigrants left Macftricht by the 
 fortifications of Wick, and were received by 
 . your divifion. I recommend to you the greateft 
 circumfpection in this refpect, fmce the laws 
 againft emigrants are fo very fevere ; and that 
 thofe perfons, acting probably as fpies, and in 
 the pay of our enemies, may occafion mod fe- 
 rious evils, ultimately fatal to the Republic, 
 which we ferve in the flricteft principle. Ano- 
 ther officer of your Staff arrived afterwards, and 
 began to dictate to us, faying, that all we had 
 hitherto done wore only the appearance of a 
 fiege, &c. You muft be fenfible of the impro- 
 priety of fuch behaviour, which I would neither 
 approve of nor hear with patience. Endeavour 
 to execute your orders literally, and agreeable 
 to the intentions of our Commander in Chief, 
 General Dumourier, and not according to that 
 
 kind
 
 [-86 J 
 
 kind of comment which this Officer on your Staff 
 appears to exhibit, as it were, in your name. 
 
 If, neverthelefs, there is any thing in our 
 park of artillery which may be of ufe to you for 
 the new battery of twelve pounders, you have 
 only to apply to the General of Artillery D'Han- 
 geft, who will inftantly fend it you. 
 
 LETTER XXXV. 
 
 ?be MINISTER OF WAR to General MIRANDA. 
 
 Paris, March 2, 1793, Second Year of the 
 French Republic. 
 
 WITH your letter of the 2yth 
 ult. I received, General, the continuation of the 
 attack of Maeftricht. I am not aftonimed at 
 the refiftance of this town : 5 or 6000 emi- 
 grants, at the head of which is D'Autichamp, 
 and who on every fide fee nothing lefs than certain 
 death, may hinder the inhabitants from furren^ 
 dering, when perhaps they would be defirous to 
 do fo. You muft triumph over this refiftance ; 
 conftancy, and, may I add, the obftinacy to 
 conquer in a General born a Spaniard, ought to 
 bear down every thing. I rely, therefore, on 
 
 tha|
 
 that fpirit and energy with which you will con- 
 tinue to prefs forward this moft important at- 
 tack. An uninterrupted fire mould at length 
 force this place tofurrender ; and you muft even 
 burn its walls, if it obftinately perfifts. I approve 
 of the meafures for the march of your army 
 againft Grave, to fecond the operations of Ge- 
 neral Dumourier, leaving 10,000 men of the 
 Belgic army to continue theinveftinent of Maef- 
 tricht. 
 
 I faw with pleafure that the pofition of our. 
 advanced guard beyond Venloo was as grand a 
 meafure as could be wiftied for ; and I muft do 
 juftice to Champmorin by declaring, that his 
 movements are excellent, and tend to keep the 
 Pruffians in awe. It is good news to have driven 
 the Auftrians from the poft of Laroche : the 
 activity of the troops vvho carried it leaves us no* 
 thing to wifh for : every where we fee what the 
 ardour of the French foldiers is capable of per- 
 forming, and it infpires the moft happy omens 
 of fuccefs in the enfuing campaign. 
 
 Signed 
 
 BEURNONVILLE. 
 
 LETTER
 
 LETTER XXXVf, 
 
 DUPLICATE. 
 
 . General. VALENCE to General DUMOURIEK. 
 
 Liege, March 2, 1793, Seqond Year of the 
 French Republic. 
 
 OUR dream in Holland, my dear 
 General, is over : what I forefaw is come to pafs : 
 the enemy has attacked Lanoue in his canton- 
 ments on the right and left : he then drew out 
 his army before Aix-la-Chapelle, but was rout- 
 ed. I had the firft intelligence of this attack 
 yefterday at eleven at night ; and I heard this 
 morning at five that he abandons Aix, and re- 
 treats to Herve. 
 
 In confequence of this difagreeable intelli- 
 gence, I think it will be neceffary to hold out 
 until Miranda determines to offer battle, by paf- 
 fing the Meufe, or to raife the fiege of Maef- 
 tricht, if he is averfe to crofs the river. Thow- 
 enot and I think, that while Miranda takes this 
 ftep, Leveneur mould fall back on us, and de- 
 ftroy .the bridge of Vifet ; Miranda will then 
 take a pofition to hinder the enemy from pafling 
 
 by
 
 by Maeflricht. Providence^ who watches over 
 the deftiny of France, has ordered, General, that 
 you are not as yet embarked fly to us : I de- 
 clare, tl^at if you do not come, I am unable to 
 command fuch forces, in fuc'h a pofition : re- 
 member that I informed, the Minifler of it, on his 
 defiring me to replace you, when you firft left' 
 your army, It is evident, that the expedition 
 to Holland cannot take place, after being oblig- 
 ed to raife the fiege of Maeflricht. At any.rate, 
 you may be here in 24 or 30 hours fly hither : 
 I repeat it, you will be time enough to determine 
 what meafures to take. I have not received any 
 intelligence of what pafles on the left of our can- 
 tonments, where Champmorin is, &c. Fly hi- 
 ther. Throw fome troops into Mechlin, and at 
 your arrival, you will have it in your power ta 
 determine what you will do with the army that 
 has taken Breda. 
 
 The General in Chief, 
 Signed 
 
 C. VALENCE. 
 
 P. S. Although you may wifti purfue your 
 project relative to Holland, you muft change 
 the plan of the campaign you alone can do it 
 minutes are ages ! You alone, the prime 
 mover of the army, can determine a movement, 
 which puts either Maeftricht or our retreat to the 
 
 hazard of a battle. 
 
 N LETTER
 
 C 90 ] 
 
 LETTER XXXVIL 
 
 General MIRANPA to General VALENCE. 
 
 Hochten, March z. 1793. 
 MY DEAR GENERAL, 
 
 IN our prefent fituation, the ad- 
 vanced pofts driven back, and all your forces 
 between the Roe'r and Meufe not having been 
 able to prevent the enemy from entering Maef- 
 tricht by the bridge of Wick, the only refolu- 
 tion we can come to is, to make Leveneur repafs 
 by Vifet, where I will join him with the forces 
 that inveft Maeflricht ; then taking a polition 
 between Vifet and Tongres, protect the retreat 
 of my artillery, and endeavour to keep the ene- 
 my at bay, until your forces having formed a 
 junction with mine, we (hall be in a condition 
 to attack and rout them. The troops under 
 Champmorin and Lamorliere will check the 
 Pruflians on the left fide of the Meufe, and faci- 
 litate any movement General Dumourier thinks 
 proper to make, when he is made acquainted 
 with our prefent fituation. Tardy, an officer of 
 engineers, having adored me, that all the Ge- 
 nerals, declare the enemies forces amount to 
 30,000 men atleaft, I cannot, with a body of 10 
 
 or
 
 I 91 ] 
 
 or 12,900 at moft, abandon the artillery, and 
 march againft them ; while a garrifon of 7000 
 men might perhaps attack me in the rear. I 
 give my orders accordingly, and requeft you 
 will communicate to me your different arrange- 
 ments, that we may act in unifon. 
 
 LETTER XXXVIII. 
 
 | General MIRANDA to General VALENCE/ 
 
 - Tongres, 10 o'Clock, March 3, 1793. 
 
 I AM but juft arrived, dear Ge- 
 neral, and your letter of this morning is this in- 
 flant prefented to me. I am at Tongres, with a 
 body of 6000 men, and have given orders to 
 Leveneur, with an equal number, to keep up 
 the communication between Vifet and Liege, 
 that the enemy fhould not penetrate either on 
 one fide or the other. With refpecl: to other ar- 
 rangements, I am about to depart with General 
 Bouchet for Liege, where we may confer with 
 you, and take fuch definitive meafures as may 
 intimidate the enemy, and enable us toad offen- 
 fively. 
 
 K* My
 
 C 9* 3 
 
 My' retreat was effected without moleflation, 
 and the artillery is arrived at Tongres, from 
 whence I fhall fend it by way of Liege towards 
 Louvain. Do not entertain any apprehenfions 
 relative to the retreat of Lamorliere and Champ- 
 morin : I ani almoft certain they will eafily ef- 
 fect it by Dieft and St. Tron, and join us much 
 fooner than by the road of Mafeyck. x Farewell 
 till noon. 
 
 Signed 
 
 MIRANDA, 
 
 LETTER XXXIX. 
 
 General DUMOURIER to General MIRANDA. 
 
 ' ^.> 
 
 Moerdyck, March 3, 1793, Second Year of the 
 French Republic. 
 
 IT was neceflary for me to fee 
 your letter *, my dear General, to leffen my ap- 
 prehenfions refpefting the check General La- 
 noue met with near Aix-la-Chapelle. The let- 
 ter Valence wrote gave me great uneafinefs, 
 without affording me an opportunity of judging: 
 
 * The firft part' of Miranda's Letter to the Minifter of 
 War, written from Liege, March 4, is the copy of that which 
 Dumourier' refers to i it was dated the zd. 
 
 he
 
 [ 93 ] 
 
 he entered into no particulars : your account is 
 infinitely more explicit, and more encouraging. 
 I cannot better anfwerat, than by fending you a 
 copy of mine to Valence. You will fee that our 
 opinions are the fame. Defend the Meufe with, 
 vigour ; and if the enemy attempt to pafs it, 
 face them. Such a fpirited meafure will deftroy 
 the bad impreffion created by tne panic of our 
 advanced guard. Keep this pofition fifteen days; 
 about that time our army in Belgium will receive 
 prodigious reinforcements, and things wilj take 
 another turn. Within that period, I (hall be 
 mafter of half Holland, or join you ; but I can- 
 not for five 6r fix days leave an army which is 
 performing wonders, and, as it were, by a kind 
 of magic, becaufe lam at their head.. While I 
 am writing, Williainftadt is in flames, and will 
 probably be taken this evening. Berneron con- 
 tlufts the fiege. D' Ar$on * has taken all the ex- 
 ternal forts of Gertruydenberg, and will bom- 
 bard it this night/ I am covering Moerdyck 
 with batteries, which will be ready after to- 
 morrow. Thirty four tranfports are com] ng 
 down the canal of Klundert, protected by thefe 
 batteries, to convey my army to the oppofite 
 
 * The famous Frehch engineer employed by the Spaniards 
 at th^ fiege of Gibraltar, who attempted to conftruft boats 
 bomb\proof, in which he failed. .TRANSLATOR. 
 
 fliore,
 
 [ 95 ] 
 
 more, where I (hall not meet with the leaft re- 
 fiftance as far as Amfterdam. 
 
 A revolution in Holland is linked with this 
 expedition ; if 1 fucceed, I (hall free you from 
 enemies, who will march againft me, but whom 
 I will eafily fight in a country interfered by ca- 
 nals ; where I mall find money, cloathing, ammu- 
 nition, -provifions in abundance, and 40 or 50,000 
 men animated with the moft ardent republicanifm. 
 If I renounce this prodigious advantage, I lhall 
 not be able to fave Belgium in the fpring ; but 
 if I fucceed, by taking the enemy in flank and 
 rear, you will all be faved. The Dutch troops, 
 who figh f/ whh reluctance againft us, will be glad 
 to have me for their commander, after having 
 compelled the States General to order them to 
 join my ftandard. Every thing depends on the 
 furrender of Williamftadt and Gertruydenberg : 
 if taken, I pafs the Moerdyck and fecure my 
 retreat ; if otherwife, I mall move with my army, 
 reinforced by that under General Deflers, to 
 whatever part is chiefly threatened by the Pruf- 
 fians. Say to the troops that my abfence is for 
 their advantage ; that I intend to charge the 
 enemy in the rear, while they attack them vigo- 
 roufly in front. Infpire the other Generals with 
 a portion of your energy ; calm thofe whofe 
 imaginations appear to be too ardent - 3 in 'fhort, 
 
 be
 
 [ 96 ] 
 
 be my fubftitute. Nothing is as yet loft ; But 
 all would foori be fo, were I to abandon my prey, 
 in cafe Williamfladt and Gertruydenberg fhould 
 fall. 
 
 The Commander in Chief, 
 Signed 
 
 DUMOURIER. 
 
 LETTER XL. 
 
 Copy of General DUMOURIER'/ Letter to General 
 VALENCE. 
 
 Moerdyck, March 3, 1793, Second Year of the 
 French RepubJic. 
 
 THIERY brings me, my dear 
 Valence, your duplicate. I am far from confi- 
 dering the Holland dream as over, however ill. 
 timed I may think the expreflion. The enemy 
 have not more than from 20 to 25,000 men, 
 who have furprifed the cantonments of your ad- 
 vanced guard, and you already conclude that 
 all is loft, and that you are confirmed in the in- 
 different opinion you have always held of our can- 
 tonments. Had thefe cantonments been vigilant- 
 ly fupported, and, as it was neceflary, the troops 
 judicioufly ftationed (fmce this advanced guard, 
 
 occafionally
 
 ( 96 ) 
 
 occafionally reinforced and more compaft, was 
 become an army of obferva ion covering a fiege) 
 we thould not have experienced the prefent dif- 
 afler. "'; - 
 
 As I have already informed you I am in hour- 
 ly expectation of the final iffue of the liege of 
 Williamftadt and G^rtruydenberg ; and I cer- 
 tainly do not intend to difcourage and leave a 
 victorious army,j^lumed with fuccefs to do 
 what ? Eiil the fiege of Maeftricht (they fay) is 
 overhand Aix-Ia-Chapelle evacuated. What then? 
 Unanimity, vigor, and determination are only 
 wanting, ftill to defend the Meufe, and cover 
 Liege by the pofition of Herve. General Thow- 
 enot, who has aflifted in all my movements, 
 and planned my encampments, is equal to per- 
 fect a fyftem of defence for at leaft fifteen days; 
 in that time matters will have taken another 
 turn. Should the enemy attempt to pafs by 
 Maeftrichr, Miranda, who commands at Ton- 
 gres, when joined' by you, may eafily fall oh 
 and purfue them to the gates of the town. 
 
 The pod of Herve, now confiderably rein- 
 forced, may be defended for a length of time 
 againil even a fuperior enemy, as I obferve, by 
 Leveneur's letter, that he has fallen back on 
 Henry Chapelle. 1 prefume that all his artil- 
 lery
 
 t 97 ] 
 
 lery is fafe, as well as the left of the advanced 
 guard. This check fhould ferve as a leflbn ; 
 but unfortunate would it be indeed if the Ge- 
 nerals of the Republic mould fuffer themfelves 
 to be difmayed fo far by it, as to render them 
 incapable of defending the Meufe againft as 
 yet an inferior army. I hope they have reco- 
 vered from their firfl furprife, and that yournext 
 meflenger will bring me more encouraging ac- 
 counts. You muft be fenfible of my anxiety in 
 the prefent pofture of affairsu I imagine that 
 you will draw from D'Harviile's army, or from 
 France, any number of men yoa-may have oc- 
 cafion for. I have requefted Beurnonville to 
 fend you as many as can be fpared. Defiers af- 
 fembles before Antwerp a body of from 6 to 
 7000 men, which may be of great fervice^ as 
 well as the 15,000 under my command, when- 
 ever it may be neceflary to form a junction. 
 Courage, my dear Valence, this is but a flight 
 check which you can eafily repair ; it may con- 
 tribute to afford us better hopes, if we take care 
 to collect our forces more apropos. 
 
 The Commander in Chief* 
 Signed 
 
 DUMOURIER; 
 
 An exact Copy. 
 Signed DUMOURIER. 
 
 O LETTER
 
 [ 98 ] 
 
 LETTER XLI. 
 
 General DUMOURIER to General MIRANDA. 
 
 Moerdyck, March 4, 1793, Second Year 
 of the French Republic. 
 
 BRAVE Republican my bro- 
 ther my friend, forget your cares. Proclaim 
 to your army, and celebrate the capture of Ger- 
 truydenberg, which furrendered this evening, at 
 half paft four, by capitulation. I hope the ar- 
 mies in Belgium will recover their ardour, and 
 pride themfelves with a noble emulation. Ger- 
 truydenberg, covered with inundations, defend- 
 ed by numerous forts and formidable artillery, 
 with a garrifonof Swifs,withftood only 36 hours 
 the impetuofity of the French, and the great ta- 
 lents of General D'A^on. Gertruydenberg is 
 the key of Holland, on whatever fide I wifli to 
 attack it. 
 
 You are very feniible, my friend, that I am 
 lefs difpofed than ever to relinquish a plan that 
 gives me money, ammunition, provifions> and allies j 
 a plan, in ftiort, which at the fame time faves 
 Belgium and France. The confequence will 
 probably be, that the Pruffians will abandon the 
 
 Auftrians
 
 Auftrians arid fly to the Hague and Arnfterdam, 
 where I (hall arrive before them. I will fight 
 at the head of the fame Dutch againft whom I 
 now wage war. You will march back towards 
 Grave, and take it ; then attack Nimeguen, 
 where we will join ,and {hake hands. In the 
 mean time, Valence having only to cope with 
 the Auftrians, over whom he will have a decid- 
 ed fuperiority, and receiving fuccours from 
 every quarter, will be enabled to keep them in 
 awe, until your return to take them in flank, by 
 Cleves and Juliers, 
 
 There are two ways by which the Pruffians 
 may endeavour to check my victorious arms : x 
 the firft, to force the paflage of the Meufe by 
 Ruremonde or Venloo, with a view to cut off 
 the communication with Antwerp. I have taken 
 care to prevent this defign, by aflembling be- 
 tween Bergen-op-zoom and Brejda, a body of 
 troops, under thecommand of General Deflers, 
 who before the loth will have between 5 and 
 6000 men; thefe will be encreafed to 15 or 
 18,000, reinforcements having been fent by the 
 Minifter of War. Should the Pruffians deter- 
 mine on this ftep, you are to fupport Champ* 
 morin and Lamorliere, and defend the paflage 
 of the Meufe : in cafe they (hall have pafled it 
 before you, join Champmorin, Lamorliere, and 
 CU
 
 C 10? 3 
 
 Deflers, when you will fight them with grea 
 advantage. I doubt whether they are ftrong 
 enough to adopt this firft plan. 
 
 Secondly. The Pruflians may march ftraight 
 by Nimeguen, and prefs rapidly for Amfterdam : 
 if they fucceed in this, fend Deflers to reinforce 
 me by the fame road I may have taken, while 
 you beliege Grave, and afterwards Nimeguen ; 
 if they do not adopt either of thefe meafures, and 
 if they remain united to the Auftrian army, with 
 an intention to penetrate into Belgium ; then, 
 in conjunction with Valence, you will keep them 
 employed on the Meufe ; and if they are hardy 
 enough to pafs it before they receive reinforce- 
 ments, you can fight them advantageoufly. At 
 all events, your fituation is not dangerous ; but 
 as it as neceflary to reftore courage to the army, 
 perhaps even to the Generals (Thowenot and 
 you excepted). I fend you. an Addrefs to the 
 Army, which I requeft you will proclaim, and 
 order to be printed. Williamftadt defends it- 
 felf gallantly ; but I believe the furrender of 
 Geitruydenberg will dimearten the garrifon. 
 Our artillery is confiderably encreafed by the 
 capture ; and I am fortunate enough to find in 
 every place I go to, a fufficient quantity of ord- 
 nance to take the next town. Courage, I fay,
 
 - , 
 
 [ 
 
 
 py dear Peruvian j remember we have ftill 
 many great actions to achieve. 
 
 The Commander in Chief, 
 Signed 
 
 DUMOURIER. 
 
 LETTER XLII. 
 
 General MIRANDA to the MINISTER OF WAR. 
 
 Liege, March 4, 1793. Finifhed at St. Tron 
 the 6th, and fent off at one in the morning. 
 
 THE attack of Maeftricht, Citi- 
 5&en General, is carrying on with the greateft fuc- 
 cefs, and, on the 2d inft. our batteries 24 poun- 
 ders were ready to begin a mofl tremendous 
 conflagration, which muft have reduced the city 
 o the laft extremity, and occafioned its furren- 
 (der ; when, about eleven in the morning, J re- 
 ceived official intelligence from General Lanoue, 
 and con finned by General Valence, that the 
 enemy had attacked our advanced pofts on the 
 Roer, forced their pafTage through the army of 
 pbfervation, commanded by General Lanoue, 
 who covered the inveftment of Maeftricht, and 
 Vvith a body of 35,000 men marched rapidly to- 
 Vvards Wick, in order to throw fuccours into
 
 [ 102 ] 
 
 Into the town, and put an end to the blockade 
 and'attack. 
 
 I fcarcely had time to withdraw 3000 men 
 inen, under the command of General Leveneur, 
 who was pofted before Wick, and who in three 
 hours afterwards was attacked by the advanced 
 guard of the enemy. I however continued the 
 bombardment in the ufual manner, to cover my 
 intentions, and with fo much fuccefs, that from 
 the beginning of the attack, the conflagration 
 had never been fo confideratye. 
 
 At twelve at night I gave orders for the re- 
 treat, fending before me all the artillery, which 
 happily arrived at Tongres, being covered by 
 4oo men who formed the rear guard. 
 
 The enemy, notwithftanding all their efforts, 
 did not make the leaft impreffion on them, but 
 were constantly fepulfed. A body of 7000 men 
 was pofted in an advantageous fituation at Ton- 
 gres, under the Generals Egalite*, Ruault, and 
 Blotterler ; another of the fame force under Ge- 
 nerals Diettmann and Ylher, being the comple^ 
 ment of troops forming the blockade of Mae- 
 ftricht, was fent to the heights of Haccour, near 
 Yifet, to cover Liege, and prevent the enemy 
 
 * The fon of Philip of Orleans. 
 
 from
 
 C -03 ] 
 
 from penetrating by either of the roads leading 
 to that city. Our lofs in the attack of Mae- 
 ftricht is very trifling, amounting only to lo 
 killed, and 10 wounded, notwithstanding the 
 very heavy fire kept up b'y the garrifon, eftimat- 
 cd at lead at 32,000 cannon fhon 
 
 An error, committed by the army of obferva- 
 tion covering the liege, behind the Roer, is the 
 caufe of this confufion in our affairs* I hope 
 our future efforts will amply compenfate for this 
 misfortune, and that the nation, aware of the 
 importance of the enterprife committed to our 
 care, will aflift us in nobly completing it. 
 
 This day the enemy made four different at- 
 tacks on all our pofts : two upon Tongres, from 
 whence they were repulfed with lofs. One at 
 Kaccour, the other at Herve. I re-inforced 
 the pofts at Haccour this morning, with a con- 
 fiderable body. The enemy who prefumptu- 
 ouily advanced towards Jupille, halted, and re- 
 treated after a fhort cannonade from one fide of 
 the Meufe to the other. The meafures agreed 
 on yefterday by Generals Thowenot, Valence 
 and myfelf, will, I truft, be fufficient to check 
 them. 
 
 March
 
 March . 
 
 Laft night at 10 o'clock I learnt, that thd 
 fenemy made a fourth attack with between 1 2 
 and 13,000 men, took Tongres, and forced our 
 army to retreat to Hans and St. Tron. This 
 intelligence determined General Valence and 
 inyfelf to order all the troops at Vifet, Herve, 
 &c. to Hans, near the citadel of Liege, that 
 they might retreat in force to St. Tron, where 
 we could take a good military pofition, and if 
 neceflary, even rifk a battle. 
 
 We therefore affembled in force this morn- 
 ing, and marched to St. Tron, by the high road 
 of Liege. About half way, we fell in with be- 
 tween 3 and 4000 men, which the enemy had 
 fent to the village of Orey. Our light troops 
 attacked them, and they fell back to Tongres. 
 
 At 8 o'clock at night, the army arrived at St. 
 Tron with all the artillery, where we have taken 
 a very advantageous pofition, protecting the re- 
 treat of our magazines and hofpitals, as well as 
 Come flight detachments, who from the difficul- 
 ty of giving them timely notice, or by the ne- 
 gligence of the commanders, have not as yet 
 joined the army. 
 
 V 
 
 We
 
 t 105 ] 
 
 .We have given the neceflary orders this day to 
 cover their retreat, and fent them frelh inftrue- 
 tions. 
 
 Our troops are well inclined; and we ftiould 
 hope that if an occafion offers, their bravery and 
 love of their country will furmount every obfta- 
 ele, and make them triumph over their numer- 
 ous enemies. 
 
 . General Valence has without doubt informed 
 you of the attack on the cantonments of the 
 Roe'r and Aix-la-Chapelle : he will write to you 
 again this day. I beg you to excufe this delay, 
 the ftate of things having obliged me to be con- 
 ftantly in the field, and chiefly on horfe-back. 
 
 Signed 
 
 MIRANDA, 
 
 LETTER XLIII. 
 
 General MIRANDA to General DUMOURIER, 
 
 St. Tron, 8 o'Clock, March 6, 1793. 
 MY DEAR GENERAL, 
 
 I NOW inform you with fatisfac- 
 
 tion, that all our pofts in the rear and in the en- 
 
 p virons
 
 virons of Liege, are come in, and having joined 
 the army laft v night, augments its force to 10000 
 men, horfe and foot. The brave General Ylker 
 collected and led them on with undaunted cour- 
 age -, this morning, with fix battalions forming 
 his rear guard, he defeated a body of cavalry 
 which had attempted to interrupt them. It is 
 not a little remarkable, that laft night he kept 
 pofleffion of one of the gates of Liege while the 
 .enemy were within, without their having dared to 
 diflodge him. - 
 
 Our troops are again in high fpirits, and the 
 enemy flying before them. They now wiili 
 to come to an action, that by their gallantry they 
 may make amends for the difagreeable affair of 
 Aix-la-Chapelle. 
 
 You may be affured, my dear General, mould 
 an apportunity offer, we will fufficiently revenge 
 ourfelves on the enemy: I therefore fee no oc- 
 cafion for your coming here ; but continue to 
 execute your great plans in Holland. If you 
 do not confider it as detrimental to the fervice], 
 I much with for a (hort interview, or that I may 
 be permitted to join you with 15,000 men ; 
 which will by no means endanger the fafety of 
 Belgium. The troops flationed at Louvain are 
 very fufficient to repel any attack, Farewell, 
 
 my
 
 my dear General ! may Minerva proted your 
 fuccefs, and Mars crown your illuilrious ex- 
 ploits. 
 
 P. S. I have directed Champmorin to join 
 you, in cafe he cannot effeft his retreat to Lou- 
 vain, and hope you will approve of this mea- 
 fure. The annexed letter is to the Minifler of 
 War, 
 
 I am giving, in orders, your very forcible ad- 
 drefs to the army, which cannot fail of produc- 
 ing the effed you defire. 
 
 Signed 
 
 MIRANDA. 
 
 LETTER XLIV. 
 
 General DUMOURIER to General MIRANDA 
 
 Moredyck, 7th March, 1 795. 
 Second Year of the Republic. 
 
 BY comparing your two letters, 
 my dear Miranda, you may eafily imagine liow 
 agreeable your fecond muft have been, as little 
 hopes were left by the impreffion of your firft. 
 Ready to pafs the Moerdyck, to furmount all 
 obftacles, and on the point of fecuring for ever, 
 the liberty and glory of my country, andofHol- 
 P a land,
 
 land, I faw every thing was loft, if you had 
 not exhilarated my fpirits by an accurate flate of 
 your pofition, and the good difpofition of the 
 foldiery. The letter from Valence threw me 
 almoft into defpair. I faw nothing in it but a 
 fcene of confufion, without a fingle refource. 
 Now my- hopes revive, and dangers leflen. We 
 have fufficient time before us; and if you pro- 
 mife me on your fide, of which I cannot enter- 
 tain the fmalleft doubt, I have every hope on 
 mine. v 
 
 You acted judicioufly in giving orders to 
 Champmorin and Lamorliere to fall back on 
 Antwerp and Breda. They will there find Ge- 
 neral Deflers, when we mail be able to form, in 
 that quarter, an army covered by feveral rivers, 
 which will difcourage the enemy on your left 
 from attempting a narrow pafs, to expofe them- 
 felves to the moil imminent danger. Let 
 me know, in plain terms, how the General in 
 Chief conducts himfelf; if he incommodes you 
 by his vague, irrefolute manner, an exprefs will 
 do his bufinefs. You, my friend, and Thow- 
 enot j can alone fave the republic. 
 
 Tell me, if it is true that has deferted 
 
 his colours ? If that is the cafe, we need not look 
 elfewhere for the caufe of our late misfortune. 
 
 I defire
 
 C I0 9 ] 
 
 J defire, and repeat it, that fome of the feparate 
 corps ftiall unite at Antwerp, which will natu- 
 rally be one of the points to ''attack, if the ene-r 
 my are as ilrong as fome incline to believe. 
 
 The evacuation of Liege and Aix-la-Cha^ 
 pelle is nothing. The enemy can no more re- 
 tain that pofition than we. Expedite the forti- 
 fications of Mechlin ; let a river be before you, 
 choofe your ground, and keep it a fortnight ; 
 but, as I have repeatedly faid, -colled: an army 
 at Antwerp, which, being fupported by the gar- 
 rifon of Breda, will form part of that great one 
 dcftined to drive the Auftrians from the Low- 
 Countries. I have requefted the Minifter of 
 War to fend forces that way, without, however, 
 leffening the number fpecified before. In 15 
 days we mall be fuperior to our enemies, and 
 thanks to you, Miranda, with the addition of 
 Holland. By your excellent arrangements I 
 reckon I (hall be there the day after to-morrow. 
 If 1 fucceed, the Pruffians will leave you to fall 
 upon me; and if I fail, my army will join yours. 
 AS we are now in poflefiion of one of the keys of 
 the country, we (hall foon find means to pene- 
 trate into the heart of it. 
 
 I will not allow you to come to me with 
 15,000 men, until a republican fpirit and cou- 
 rage
 
 rage have invigorated the army, and when rein- 
 forcement fhall have made our forces fuperior to 
 the enemy. My fuccefs mould evenaflift you; 
 as you may eafily convince my brave brother 
 foldiers, that whether I am prefent, or abfent, 
 their conduct mould always be influenced by 
 me. Affure them of the fatisfaction I feel in 
 finding that they merit the victories we have 
 reaped together.-^Farewell, my friend, and more 
 than ever my friend ; let us be worthy of each 
 other, and be convinced that two or three heads 
 ^re fufftcient to fave a Republic. 
 
 The Commander in Chief, 
 Signed 
 
 PUMOURIER, 
 
 ;' LETTER XLV, 
 
 General MIRANDA to General DUMOURIER. 
 
 Tirelemont, 8 March, 1793. 
 MY DEAR GENERAL. 
 
 ANNEXED is a copy of my 
 
 letter written this day to the Minifter of War. 
 It contains an account of the prefent ftate of 
 the army, and all our operations. Things af- 
 
 fume
 
 t ' ] 
 
 fume a more favourable afpect, and it only de- 
 pends on us to derive fingular advantages, eved 
 from misfortune itfelf. 
 
 We are now in the beft condition to fecond 
 your heroic enterprize, Tfie army, is abun- 
 dantly fupplied, in great order, and animated 
 with a true republican courage. I am forry that 
 your addrefs to our comrades was not given with ' 
 the orders, or published, as I propofed it. Va- 
 lence ftarted fome objections; and a de fire to 
 keep up a fpirit of harmony, fo neceffary in. the 
 prefent circumftances, induced me to give way, 
 though on another occafion, I would not have 
 fubmitted. I will foori however fee him, when 
 it is poffible he may be able to give me the bed 
 reafons for a difference in opinion, which at 
 prefent, I think, appears to be altogether inex- 
 plicable 
 
 You may depend my dear General, that we 
 fhall hold our prefent pofition at Louvain, as 
 long as you wifti, with only the fame force we 
 brought with us. 
 
 Lamorliere and Champmorin arc happily ar- 
 rived at Louvain and Died, having made a fkil- 
 ful retreat, as you will be enabled to judge by 
 the annexed reports. 
 
 I mall
 
 t * ] 
 
 _/ 
 
 t mall make the neceffary arrangements with 
 Thowenot for forming an army at Antwerp. I 
 thought that Lamorliere's and Champmorin's 
 troops were to march to-morrow for that city, 
 but it does not meet the approbation of Gene- 
 ral Valence. Are we to wait his will and plea- 
 fure /but I will take care to enforce it. 
 Signed 
 
 MIRANDA. 
 
 LETTER XLVI. 
 
 General MIRANDA to <?#<?;-#/ BEURNONVILLE, 
 Minijler of War* 
 
 St. Tron, 8 March, 1793. 
 
 SINCE my laft letter, Citizen Ge- 
 neral, all the feparate detachments of the army, 
 under the command of Generals Yhler, Lamor- 
 liere, and Champmorin, are collected, having 
 been more or lefs engaged with their purfuers ; 
 they however effected their retreat with the 
 greateft fuccefs. When their particular reports 
 have reached me, I will do myfelf the honour to 
 tranfmit them to you. The advanced guard of 
 the army has likewife repulfed, towards Ton- 
 gres, a body of obfervationj placed there to 
 watch our motions. 
 
 On
 
 t "3 i 
 
 On the 6th and yth the army kept the pofition 
 before St. Tron, to give reft to the troops, and 
 protect the junction of the different detachments : 
 they will move this day towards Tirlemont, 
 where we have field-equipage and provifions in 
 abundance : to-morrow probably they will tn- 
 camp before Louvairi, which entirely covers 
 Belgium, and affords us an opportunity to a& 
 offenfively on all points. Here we will wait for 
 orders from General Dumourierj and from the 
 Executive Council. 
 
 I have juft heard that a meffenger, fent from 
 .Paris to General Valence, has been detained in 
 feveral places, under the pretence that h'e wag 
 carrying difpatches to the Generals who were 
 betraying their country. This infamous accu- 
 fation, beneath my dignity to notice, fhall only 
 be anfvvered by the moft fovereign contempt. 
 
 The Nation is loo generous to give any credit to 
 the injurious reports of bafe defer ters, who, abandon- 
 ing their pojl in the moment of danger, pretend to 
 cover witbjhame, and calumniate Citizens faithful . 
 to their 'duty, and glorioujly defending their country. 
 1 hope you will make known thefe fintiments to the 
 Nation. The whole of the army, and the Offi- 
 cers in general, give proofs of patriotifm, fubor- 
 dination and refpeft : the national gendarmerie 
 n alone
 
 [ "4 ] 
 
 alone (and particularly the thirty-fecond divi- 
 fion), holds difcourfeof the moft fcandalous na- 
 ture, of the moft inflammatory tendency, which 
 has been communicated to me by fome of the 
 principal Officers in the army. 
 
 It would be but an act of juftice and neceflity 
 to inflict on this corps a fevere punifhment. I 
 have ordered them to be efcorted to the frontiers 
 of France, and have fent the annexed order to 
 Generals Lamdrliere and Champmorin, to pre- 
 vent the bad effects a fimilar conduct may pro- 
 duce in the army. 
 
 A copy of the letter of General D'Angeft, 
 and the deliberation of the principal Officers of 
 the artillery, with my anfwer, are fubmitted to 
 your confederation. 
 
 Signed 
 
 MIRANDA. 
 
 LETTER
 
 LETTER XLVII. 
 
 General DUMOURIER to General MIRANDA, 
 
 Moerdyck, March 9, 1793. Second year of the 
 Freiich Republic, 
 
 YOU, rrty worthy friend, and 
 Thowenot are the only perfons who can give me 
 confolation and hope. The capture of Gertruy- 
 denberg has enriched me with at leaft 50 capi- 
 tal pieces of cannon, befides about 150,000 
 weight of gunpowder, and 50 tranfports. The 
 retreat of Lamorliere and Champmorin is verjr 
 fortunate j but it is abfolutely neceffary for you 
 to puiri them, one towards Herenthals, the other 
 towards Lier : Colonel Wefterman, with his le- 
 gion and the 31(1 brigade of gendarmerie, with 
 which I am not much fatisfied, I have fent to 
 Turnhout. This fmall corps, amounting to 
 2500 men, will clear that part of La Campine 
 where it is poffible the enemy may meditate an 
 attack on my rear, fhould they learn the real 
 diftance between our armies. In palling by 
 Antwerp, I will give General Marafle inftruo 
 tions to deliver General Champmorin, who will 
 command the fmall corps, of which Wefterman 's 
 z conftitute*
 
 C l6 ] 
 
 constitutes a part. J have determined to jom 
 you, as the letters I receive from Valence are of 
 the mofl defponding nature, particularly that 
 brought this day by your rneflenger. To-mor- 
 row morning 1 mall be at Antwerp, in the even- 
 ing at Bruflels, and immediately after with you. 
 
 On the receipt of this letter, fend Champmo- 
 rin to Lier, and Lamorliere into Herenthals. 
 Throw a battalion into Dieft, 30 horfe, and a 
 Governor of fpirit and refolution. This point, 
 as well as Lier, muft be fortified. 
 
 One motive determines me to this journey: 
 To animate the people of the Low Countries, 
 to make them more favourable to our caufe, 
 through the confidence they place in me, and, 
 above all, by overturning that fyftem of injuf- 
 tice and tyranny they have hitherto groaned un- 
 der. I am determined to keep my word with 
 them, notwithftanding every effort of Cambon* 
 
 * Cambon, the great financier of die Convention, who, 
 upon the firft irruption of the French under Dumourier in 
 the Low Countries, procured a general feizure of church 
 plate, ordering detachments of Jacobins td fequefter and con- 
 fifcate eftates as in France. The fimple Belgians gave credit 
 at firft to their fraternal declarations, but this moft arbitrary 
 meafure at once opened their eyes, and in general they became 
 their declared enemies.
 
 [ "7 ] 
 
 and his fatellites. I have fent orders for General 
 P'Angheft to go to Douay. I will punifh Ge- 
 neral for having abandoned Huy, which 
 
 muft be retaken. 
 
 The paflage of the Moerdyk will be effected, 
 in my abfence, by General Deflers and Thow- 
 cnot the younger. Order all your artillery to 
 join you. I promife myfelf much pleafure from 
 our intended interview. The fiege of William- 
 ftadt ftill continues- it defends itfelf well, pro- 
 bably becaufe thebefiegers did not at firft attack 
 with fpirit and energy. Two days hence we 
 will converfe together on the fubject, therefore 
 I need enlarge on it here. My horfes will foon 
 be at Louvain, but I mall borrow fome, en paf- 
 fant, at BrufTels. Adieu (in Spanift) my friend ! 
 
 The Commander in Chief, 
 
 Signed 
 
 DUMOURIER. 
 
 P. S. Infert immediately in the orderly book, 
 my Proclamation to the Army, and caufe it to 
 be printed. 
 
 LETTER
 
 [ us 3 
 
 BETTER XLVIII. 
 
 , General MIRANDA to General Du MOU RIER, 
 
 Tirlemont, March 9, 1 793. 
 DEAR GENERAL, 
 
 YESTERDAY I made you fully 
 acquainted with every particular relative to the 
 prefent fituation of the army-^-that part of it 
 tinder the commaad of General Lamorliere will 
 inarch to-morrow, and that under Champmorin 
 on the 1 2th, for Antwerp, till they receive your 
 further orders. The annexed ftatement will 
 fliew you the difpofition of the two corps, which 
 in every refpeft cannot be better. 
 
 Captains Dambarrere and Marefcot, of the 
 engineers, are appointee! to put Mech,lin in a 
 pofture of defence. * 
 
 The general pofition of the army, with other 
 fubordinate circumftances are agreed on, as you 
 will fee by the fubjoined minutes. The troops 
 march with alacrity and firmnefs to their refpec- 
 tive pofts, where a fufficiency of camp equipage 
 and provifions are already arrived. 
 
 Farewell, my brave and worthy General. 
 Signed 
 
 MIRANDA:
 
 LETTER XLIX. 
 
 MINISTER AT WAR to Citizen MIRANDA, 
 Commander of the Army in Belgium. 
 
 Paris, March 19, 1793, Second Year of the 
 French Republic. 
 
 I HAVE laid before the Execu- 
 tive Council yourrequeft of the 8th inftant, for 
 a fpeedy and fevere punimment of the national 
 Gendarmerie employed in the army of Belgium, 
 particularly of the 32d divifion. The Execu- 
 tive Council applaud the rneafures you have 
 taken, in fending this divifion back to the fron- 
 tiers of France, as an example to the reft of the 
 army, and to preyent the dangerous influence 
 fuch conduct might otherwife be productive of. 
 The Council requeft you will inflict: a fimrlar 
 punimment wherever there may be the fame 
 caufe for complaint, or it appears that their 
 connection with the army, may in the lead en- 
 danger the public fafety. 
 
 In the 32d divifion there are evidently delin- 
 quents, whom the Executive Council empowers 
 you to try by a court-martial ; and whatever 
 may be the determination, dictated by a necef- 
 fary act: of juftice, you will pleafe to inform rne 
 without delay. 
 
 Whether
 
 f 
 
 Whether you fend the other divifions of the 
 Gendarmerie back to France, or otherwife dif- 
 pofe of them, you are alike authorized to in- 
 flict military punifhment on the guilty. It may 
 be necefiary, however, to acquaint General Du- 
 mourier with the meafures you think proper to 
 adopt, for the re-eftablimment of order and dif- 
 cipline in the National Gendarmerie. 
 
 Signed BEURNONVILLE. 
 
 LETTER L. 
 
 *The MINISTER OF WAR to General MIRANDA* 
 
 Paiis, March 23, 1793, Second Year of theJ 
 French Republic. 
 
 THE National Convention, by 
 their decree of the 22d inft. have ordered me to 
 lay before them without delay, a flatement of* 
 thofe battalions under your command, who in 
 the action of the i8th, bafely deferted their co- 
 lours, and by this act of cowardice, endangered 
 the fafety of the country. 
 
 I particularly recommend to you, General, 
 that no time may be loft in complying with the 
 above requeft, that the Convention may be fa- 
 tisfied, and the traitors brought to condign pu- 
 niihment. 
 
 Signed BEURNONVILLE.
 
 L JE t E R Lt. 
 
 PETION to General MIRANDA. 
 
 Paris, March 13, 1793, Second Year of the 
 French Republics 
 
 I BELIEVE, my good friend, 
 there are traitors in our armies, and the moft 
 dark confpiracies are forming againft the fafety 
 of the Republic. Give me your opinion frankly 
 of the general officers who command the ad- 
 vanced guard, under General Valence, and your 
 fentiments < on their conduct during the late 
 events. Do not, I befeech you, nay conjure 
 you by the love you bear your country, ufe any 
 referve. My anxiety is for the public wealj 
 yours, I am convinced, is no lefs fo. 
 Your friend, 
 
 Signed PETION* 
 
 LETTER LIT. 
 
 MIRANDA to Citizen PETION, Member of tht 
 National Convention. 
 
 Louvain, March 21, 1793. 
 MY DEAR AND WORTHY FRIEND, 
 
 I HAD juft begun to anfwer 
 your letter of the i3th inftant, but the unceaf- 
 R in
 
 [ 122 ] 
 
 ing attacks of the enemy on our advanced pofts, 
 have prevented me from giving you the defired 
 information, relative to the engagement of the 
 advanced guard at Aix-la-Chapelle, &c. Since 
 then not a moment of leifure has offered, of 
 which you will be but too well convinced, when 
 you have heard the unhappy confequences of 
 our further operations, combined and directed 
 by General Dumourier, and his intimate friend 
 andadvifer, Thowenot. 
 
 Your friend had no fhare in all thefe ma- 
 noeuvres, which, fo far from being confonant to 
 his ideas, have ever received his moft pointed 
 difapprobation. Had it been in his power to 
 have rejected them, it would long fince have 
 been done. 
 
 I do not, however, entertain an opinion, that 
 in the affair at Aix-la-Chapelle there was any 
 ground for fufpeding a traitorous condud in 
 the General Officers and others, although fuch 
 a report has been generally received : Negli- 
 gence and errors were committed by the troops 
 entrufted with the defence of the Roe'r. One 
 particularly, the abfence of General Valence, 
 who though he mould have been at his pofl, 
 has been at Liege fince February 23. 
 
 Important
 
 C -us ] 
 
 Important Particulars relative to the Battle of Ner, 
 winden and the Defection of General Dumourier. 
 
 The fubfequent affairs of Nerwinden, which is 
 of far greater confequence, cannot be confidered 
 as arifing either from negligence or miftake; 
 and I ftrongly fufped the advifer of the General, 
 who neither pofleffes principles nor republican- 
 ifm, which ought to fcreen him from fo ferious 
 an inculpation. 
 
 It was certainly very extraordinary, that Ge- 
 neral Dumourier, who always confulted me re- 
 lative to the military and political affairs of the 
 army, never once mentioned this buiinefs. At 
 eleven at night my orders were delivered in 
 writing, and I learnt, in converfation with him, 
 that we were to offer battle to an enemy 5 1 ,000' 
 ftrong, very advantageoufly pofted, and a for- 
 midable artillery, with a force inferior to theirs, 
 and with ever}- difadvantage of fituation and en- 
 campmentall this was to be effected without 
 having previoully reconnoitered the ground, or 
 the particular pofition of the enemy. In fhort, 
 I had only time to fay to him Ton may depend 
 on me, and we Jhall not fail to execute your orders, 
 by making a vigorous attack in five different co- 
 l limm three of which were led on by myfelf. 
 Numberlefs difficulties were to be overcome on 
 R 2 the
 
 t "4 1 
 
 the commencement of the action, for the want 
 of local knowledge ; neverthelefs we Tucceeded 
 fo far as to bring them to engage about three in 
 the afternoon on five different points : we fought 
 until fix with various fuccefs, when the troops 
 were obliged to give way to a fuperior force, ad- 
 mirably pofted, and affifled by the galling fire of 
 their very numerous artillery. The other divi- 
 fions experienced more or lefs a fimilar fate, in 
 proportion to the proximity of their attack on 
 the lines and batteries of the enemy, notwith- 
 ilanding the proclamation of General Dumou- 
 rier, whofe very inaccurate ftatement of the ac- 
 tion can neither change the nature of facts, nor 
 adulterate truth. 
 
 Our lofs is very confiderable in my divifion 
 alone. One General Officer was killed, and up- 
 wards of thirty killed or wounded. Among the 
 former was my aid-de-camp, whom you knew ; 
 he was mot by my fide ; near 2000 men have 
 been killed or wounded. By the lofs in my di- 
 vifion, you may eftimate that of the two others. 
 
 Next morning the enemy attacked us in a vi- 
 gorous manner, and we were at length obliged 
 to retreat behind Tirlemont, and fucceflively as 
 far as Lou vain, where I led, about three in the 
 morning, the centre and left divifion of the 
 army. 
 
 This
 
 C i ] 
 
 This check muft neceflarily produce very fa- 
 tal confequences to our influence in Belgium, 
 and our political affairs in general. I am afto- 
 nifhed how Dumourier could fuffer himfelf to 
 be led into fo fatal an error. 
 
 Thus, my dear friend, have I truly ftatcl the 
 prefent fituation of our military affairs in this 
 country. You may rely on what I have ad- 
 vanced, notwithstanding the tergiverfation and 
 fophiftry of thofe whom reproach will naturally 
 point out as the authors of our misfortunes. 
 Many more important things remain to be faid, 
 which I would be happy to communicate to 
 you, but cannot truft to paper. 
 
 When I learnt from your letter that the rami- 
 fication of a plot, lately difcovered againft our 
 dear liberty, extended even to the army, I con- 
 fefs 1 imagined it to be more the effect of your 
 fears, than as having exiftence in reality ; now, 
 however, I am convinced, there is but too good 
 foundation for believing it to be the cafe, and 
 fufpicion refts on more than one, who is the 
 principal agent in bringing about our prefent 
 difafters. I can tell you more, my friend, thofe 
 perfons have made indirect propofals, with great 
 art and caution, highly offenfive to my patriot- 
 ifm, and my unfhaken love for liberty. 
 
 I therefore
 
 [ ,26 ] 
 
 I therefore lament that we are agitated by vile 
 intriguers, who have already done much mif- 
 chief, and who may, in the end, overturn our 
 liberties. 
 
 Could an interview be procured, either by 
 your coming to the army (which, I believe, at 
 this moment would be of the higheft import- 
 ance), or obtaining leave forme to meet you 
 elfewhere, I could communicate what I imagine 
 to be of the utmoft confequence to the fafety of 
 the Republic. It is to you alone, whofe inte- 
 grity, principles, ar. v fincere love of liberty I fo 
 well know, that I can freely and openly com- 
 municate them. I even believe there is a cabal 
 to get rid of me, as they wifhed to do with you 
 before the i oth of Auguft. I do not correfpond 
 with the Minifter, or any other perfon, and mail 
 let Dumourier and others make out their reports 
 as they think fit. Virtue and truth will bear 
 down all before them with Jo irreliftible a fway, 
 that the mafk of intrigue cannot long withftand 
 their united power. 
 
 You will make a prudent ufe of this letter, 
 and fend me an anfwer by return of the meflen- 
 ger, whom I. have exprefsly fent for that pur- 
 pofe, and who will deliver it to none but your- 
 felf. 
 
 Signed 
 
 MIRANDA;
 
 22 d March. 
 
 P. S. Our retreat towards France, and the 
 evacuation of the Netherlands are determined 
 on, as I learnt this day from General Dumou- 
 rier, who (hewed his letter to the JMinifter on 
 this fubject ; at the fame time he communicated 
 to me the actual military pojition of our army. 
 .This is the firft time, fmce his return, that he has 
 entered into any converfation with me on the 
 fubjecl:. He appears willing to bring me in for 
 a mare in the difafter which has overtaken us, 
 through ill-concerted plans and bad manage- 
 ment. You will therefore naturally fuppofe, I 
 did not enter into any explanation with him. 
 Neverthelefs, nothing on my part (hall be want- 
 ing fr - the prefervation of the army, for the 
 fupport and defence of the Republic, to which 
 1 have devoted myfelf fmcerely to the lateft pe- 
 riod of my life. 
 
 Signed 
 
 MIRANDA. 
 
 ORDERS
 
 ORDERS 
 
 OF 
 
 General DUMOURIER fo General MIRANDA^ 
 
 Camp Gutzenhoven, 1 7th. March} 
 9 in the Morning. 
 
 IMMEDIATELY on the re- 
 ceipt of my letter, my dear Miranda, you are to 
 give your inftructions to General Champmorin, 
 that he is to guard all the curtain of Oplinter 
 and Neerlinter. If you think he may want 
 another brigade of infantry, let him have it. 
 It is poffible the Prince of Cobourg intends to 
 attack us in return ; in that cafe, I defire that 
 the army under General Ghampmorin, may be 
 more ufeful. You will give him orders to ex- 
 amine in perfon the paflages before his bridges 
 over the Crete, by which, in cafe of an attack, 
 he may fall on the right flank of the enemy, by 
 reaching the height before Wommerfom. If 
 the bridges are damaged, they muft be repaired 
 in the courfe of the day, that a free communica- 
 tion may be kept up with us. With regard to 
 yourfelf, my dear General, I beg you will in- 
 ftantly march off your whole divifion. You are 
 to pafs through Tirlemont, and proceed in a co- 
 lumn
 
 lumn by the highroad, where you will find your 
 proper encampment, or the open air. 
 
 If Champmorin Las no 12 pounders j you will 
 leave him two. I reckon at leaft on twelve bat- 
 talions in your divifion, fuppofmg you to leave 
 a brigade of infantry with Champmorin. Fare- 
 well ! 
 
 Signed 
 
 DUMOURIER. 
 
 ORDER IL 
 
 Hautmarre, March 17, 1793. 
 THE troops under the command 
 of General Miranda are to afcend the height 
 between Wommerfon.and the road to St. Tron, 
 and take their ground. The foreft of Walaber- 
 gen and of the caftle of Wommerfon are to be 
 occupied. A considerable poft at Orfmael; 
 another at Heel en*, and a guard at the bridge of 
 the chapel of Bethanie. 
 
 General Miranda is to give orders to General 
 Champmorin to take a pofition to the left of 
 Neerlinter, and occupy the three villages of 
 Driefche, and thofe of Viffecot, Terhaegen, and 
 Roere. If it is poffible to give tents to the bat- 
 S tallions
 
 C '30 3 
 
 talions deftined to occupy the heights, they may 
 encamp. The main body of the army has a, 
 pofition on the right. 
 
 The fpot for delivering rations is to be de- 
 termined by the officers on the ftaff of each di- 
 vifion, and fent to the Commifiaries* Office at 
 Tirlemont, to enfure every neeeffary fupply. 
 The Commander in Chief, 
 Signed 
 
 DUMOURIER* 
 
 ORDER III. 
 
 March 18. 
 
 GENERAL Miranda is to attack 
 by the left, between Orfmael, and the chapel of 
 Bethanie, with his troops and thofe of General 
 Champmorin to pafs the river over all the 
 bridges) and to attack vigorpufly in as many co- 
 lumns. He is informed that the attack is gene^ 
 ral from Overwinden to the chapel of Bethanie. 
 
 The entire attack of the left is pofitively pare 
 of his orders. 
 
 General Champmorin is neceflarily to guard 
 the bridge of Budingen, and place there a fuffi- 
 
 cient
 
 C '3' ] 
 
 cient force to threaten the flank of the enemy, 
 if requifite, towards Leau, where this force 
 fhould march in a column. 
 
 Signed 
 
 DUMOURIER. 
 
 ORDER IV. 
 
 Head quarters, Tirlemont, March 19, 1793, 
 Second Year of the French Republic. 
 
 Watchword Cato Vengeance Rallying 
 Patriotifm. 
 
 ALL the divifions of General 
 Miranda which is at Wommerfom, and before 
 Hseckendover, is to ' retreat in good order, at 
 the moment of the general movement of the ar- 
 my. To pafs through Tirlemont and take a 
 polition on the heights of Cumptich, the right 
 inclining to the high road. 
 
 The Commander in Chief, 
 Signed 
 
 DUMOURIER. 
 
 S z ORDER
 
 ORDER V. 
 
 March 20, 
 
 GENERAL Miranda is to retreat by 
 the high road of L-quvain, to the crofs between 
 the height of Bauterfem, and the wood of Struys 
 Block-Bofch. There he is to reft all his infan- 
 try, and place his artillery at the opening of the 
 wood, and in the wood and he is to order 
 abattis to be made. 
 
 The General is to take notice, that General 
 Egalite will occupy with his infantry the height 
 of Bauterfem, and that the Generals Champmo- 
 rin and Rualt are to retreat, the firft by Wever, 
 the fecond by Kerchero, in order to occupy the 
 wood des Lievres, and the heights of Binkom. 
 The Commander in Chief, 
 Signed 
 
 DUMOURIER. 
 
 ORDER VI. 
 
 Received at half paft eleven. 
 Certified 
 
 The Adjutant, General, 
 
 Signed ARNAUDIN. 
 
 THE body of the army under 
 the command of Generals Miranda, Chancel, 
 
 Stetenhoftj
 
 [ '33 3 
 
 and Egallte, will form in two columns ; one is 
 
 to pafs by the road, and retreat towards the 
 
 heights, behind Louvain, where the camp was ; 
 
 the other 40 march by Lovenjoul, Corbeeck- 
 
 Overloo and Hevejle, and take a pofition behind 
 
 JLouvain, the right inclining to the river Vaer, 
 
 and the left to the wood of the Communaiite. 
 
 The Commander in Chief, 
 
 Signed 
 
 DUMOURIER, 
 
 Louvain, March a i, Second year of the French Republic 
 
 This movement is to take place at 1 1 o'clock 
 precifely. General Miranda is to take the com- 
 mand of the two columns, and fee order obferved. 
 
 Head quarters, Louvain, March 22 1793, Second 
 Year of the French Republic. 
 
 Watch word Frenchmen's Courage zRallying 
 Conftancy. 
 
 THE General is extremely fatis- 
 fie$ to have received proofs of the confidence 
 placed in him by fuch of the privates of the ar- 
 my as he fpoke to. He expects the fame de- 
 gree of confidence from the whole army: it is 
 by that alone that we can hope to (hew to 
 the enemy, and to all nations, who have their 
 
 eyes
 
 ( '34 ) 
 
 eyes fixed on us, that we are the fame French 
 who conquered at Jemappe, at Anderleck, at 
 Liege, and who drove back the enemies from 
 the heart of France, with heroic patience and 
 courage. 
 
 .The army, no doubt, (uffers hardships, tiot- 
 withftanding the great care the Generals haye 
 taken to fupply all their wants ; but the ene- 
 mies, although of late fomewhat fuccefsful, (and 
 which has cofl them very dear j) fuffer ilill more 
 They are fpread all over a country which is ex- 
 haufted, from the conftant prefence of armies; 
 they have no magazines, and we mould hope it 
 may be foon our turn again to conquer. 
 The Adjutant General, 
 Signed 
 
 EMMONOT, 
 
 ORDER VII. 
 
 From General Orders, *$& March, 1 793, 
 Second Year of the Republic. 
 
 Watch word Country -firmnefs- rallying 
 
 Dumourier. 
 
 The troops under the command 
 of Generals Miranda and Champmorin, are to 
 move at 7 this night : they muft go through 
 the city of 3ruflels, by the gate of Schaerebeeck, 
 
 and
 
 C '35 3 
 
 and out by that which leads to Hal, when the 
 divifions commanded by Generals Stetenhdfr, 
 Chancel, and Champollon have filed off. Then 
 follow the high road to Hal and Enghien, to the 
 height of the village of Saintes, and there take a 
 pofition, the right inclining to the divifions 
 which march before them, and the left to the 
 wood of Strie-Houx. The Generals are in- 
 formed that the left flankers occupy the heights 
 of Haute-Croix and Bogaerden. -He pofitively 
 orders the Generals not to quit their troops., when 
 they (hall have chofen their refpective grounds. 
 The Commander in Chief, 
 Signed 
 
 DUMOURIER, 
 
 ORDER VIII. 
 
 Head-Quarten Enghien, ztfh. March, 1793. 
 Second Year of the Republic. 
 
 Extract from the general Orders of the Army. 
 
 Watch word Republic Government rallying* 
 
 peace at home. 
 
 THE army under the command 
 of Dumourier and Champmorin is to move ac 
 four, to-morrow morning, and take the road to 
 Enghien, as far as the town. The column to 
 proceed by the village of Marck, Moulin-du 
 
 Chene
 
 C 136 j 
 
 Chene, Rombecq, Kellbecq, Meflin-l'Eveque^ 
 ' Bounier, Hermitage, Roux. Pafs the bridge of 
 the Dendre above Ath, and the village of Bran- 
 tigues ; there to take a pofition on the height, 
 behind this village; the right inclining to the 
 high road of Lauze, and the left ilretching along 
 the elevation behind la Croix-de-Bilhee. 
 The Commander in Chief* 
 Signed 
 
 DUMOURIER. 
 
 P. S. The Generals are to remain with their 
 divifions, and fend their returns to Head-quar- 
 ters, which will be to-morrow at Ath. 
 
 General Miranda is informed, that Lieutenant 
 General Rozieres, and, Major General Kermor- 
 van are going to ferve in the left divifion, each 
 according to his rank. 
 
 The General of Brigade, Chief on the Staff 
 of the Northern Army. 
 Signed 
 
 THOWENOT; 
 
 FINIS;
 
 9 3 Si 13
 
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