massacres of the south-第37章

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king　and　country；　and　exhorting　them　to　union　and　peace。　　This
address　was　unanimously　adopted　and　signed　by　all　present；　and
amongst　the　signatures　were　those　of　the　principal　Protestants　of
Nimes。　　But　this　was　not　all：　the　next　day　it　was　printed　and
published；　and　copies　sent　to　all　the　communes　in　the　department　over
which　the　white　flag　still　floated。　　And　all　this　happened；　as　we
have　said；　on　April　and；　eleven　days　after　Napoleon's　return　to
Paris。

The　same　day　word　arrived　that　the　Imperial　Government　had　been
proclaimed　at　Montpellier。

The　next　day；　April　3rd；　all　the　officers　on　half…pay　assembled　at
the　fountain　to　be　reviewed　by　a　general　and　a　sub…inspector；　and　as
these　officers　were　late；　the　order　of　the；　day　issued　by　General
Ambert；　recognising　the　Imperial　Government；　was　produced　and　passed
along　the　ranks；　causing　such　excitement　that　one　of　the　officers
drew　his　sword　and　cried；　〃Long　live　the　emperor！〃　　These　magic　words
were　re…echoed　from　every　side；　and　they　all　hastened　to　the　barracks
of　the　63rd　Regiment；　which　at　once　joined　the　officers。　　At　this
juncture　Marshal　Pelissier　arrived；　and　did　not　appear　to　welcome　the
turn　things　had　taken；　he　made　an　effort　to　restrain　the　enthusiasm
of　the　crowd；　but　was　immediately　arrested　by　his　own　soldiers。　　The
officers　repaired　in　a　body　to　the　headquarters　of　General　Briche；
commandant　of　the　garrison；　and　asked　for　the　official　copy　of　the
order　of　the　day。　　He　replied　that　he　had　received　none；　and　when
questioned　as　to　which　side　he　was　on　he　refused　to　answer。　　The
officers　upon　this　took　him　prisoner。　　Just　as　they　had　consigned　him
to　the　barracks　for　confinement；　a　post…office　official　arrived
bringing　a　despatch　from　General　Ambert。　　Learning　that　General
Briche　was　a　prisoner；　the　messenger　carried　his　packet　to　the
colonel　of　the　63rd　Regiment；　who　was　the　next　in　seniority　after　the
general。　　In　opening　it；　it　was　found　to　contain　the　order　of　the
day。

Instantly　the　colonel　ordered　the　'gineyale'　to　sound：　the　town
guards　assumed　arms；　the　troops　left　the　barracks　and　formed　in　line；
the　National　Guards　in　the　rear　of　the　regular　troops；　and　when　they
were　all　thus　drawn　up；　the　order　of　the　day　was　read；　it　was　then
snatched　out　of　the　colonel's　hands；　printed　on　large　placards；　and
in　less　time　than　seemed　possible　it　was　posted　up　in　every　street
and　at　every　street　corner；　the　tricolour　replaced　the　white　cockade；
everyone　being　obliged　to　wear　the　national　emblem　or　none　at　all；
the　city　was　proclaimed　in　a　state　of　seige；　and　the　military
officers　formed　a　vigilance　committee　and　a　police　force。

While　the　Duc　d'Angouleme　had　been　staying　at　Nimes；　General　Gilly
had　applied　for　a　command　in　that　prince's　army；　but　in　spite　of　all
his　efforts　obtained　nothing；　so　immediately　after　the　dinner　at
which　he　was　insulted　he　had　withdrawn　to　Avernede；　his　place　in　the
country。　　He　was　awoke　in　the　night　of　the　5th…6th　April　by　a　courier
from　General　Ambert；　who　sent　to　offer　him　the　command　of　the　2nd
Subdivision。　　On　the　6th；　General　Gilly　went　to　Nimes；　and　sent　in
his　acceptance；　whereby　the　departments　of　the　Gard；　the　Lozere；　and
Ardeche　passed　under　his　authority。

Next　day　General　Gilly　received　further　despatches　from　General
Ambert；　from　which　he　learned　that　it　was　the　general's　intention；　in
order　to　avoid　the　danger　of　a　civil　war；　to　separate　the　Duc
d'Angouleme's　army　from　the　departments　which　sympathised　with　the
royal　cause；　he　had　therefore　decided　to　make　Pont…Saint…Esprit　a
military　post；　and　had　ordered　the　l0th　Regiment　of　mounted
chasseurs；　the　13th　artillery；　and　a　battalion　of　infantry　to　move
towards　this　point　by　forced　marches。　　These　troops　were　commanded　by
Colonel　Saint…Laurent；　but　General　Ambert　was　anxious　that　if　it
could　be　done　without　danger；　General　Gilly　should　leave　Nimes；
taking　with　him　part　of　the　63rd　Regiment；　and　joining　the　other
forces　under　the　command　of　Colonel　Saint…Laurent；　should　assume　the
chief　command。　　As　the　city　was　quite　tranquil；　General　Gilly　did　not
hesitate　to　obey　this　order：　he　set　out　from　Nimes　on　the　7th；　passed
the　night　at　Uzes；　and　finding　that　town　abandoned　by　the
magistrates；　declared　it　in　a　state　of　siege；　lest　disturbances
should　arise　in　the　absence　of　authority。　　Having　placed　M。　de
Bresson　in　command；　a　retired　chief　of　battalion　who　was　born　in
Uzes；　and　who　usually　lived　there；　he　continued　his　march　on　the
morning　of　the　8th。

Beyond　the　village　of　Conans；　General　Gilly　met　an　orderly　sent　to
him　by　Colonel　Saint…Laurent　to　inform　him　that　he；　the　colonel；　had
occupied　Pont　Saint…Esprit；　and　that　the　Duc　d'Angouleme；　finding
himself　thus　caught　between　two　fires；　had　just　sent　General
d'Aultanne；　chief　of　staff　in　the　royal　army；　to　him；　to　enter　into
negotiations　for　a　surrender。　　Upon　this；　General　Gilly　quickened　his
advance；　and　on　reaching　Pont…Saint…Esprit　found　General　d'Aultanne
and　Colonel　Saint…Laurent　conferring　together　at　the　Hotel　de　la
Poste。

As　Colonel　Saint…Laurent　had　received　his　instructions　directly　from
the　commander…in…chief；　several　points　relating　to　the　capitulation
had　already　been　agreed　upon；　of　these　General　Gilly　slightly　altered
some；　and　approved　of　the　others；　and　the　same　day　the　following
convention　was　signed：

〃Convention　concluded　between　General　Gilly　and　Baron　de　Damas

〃S。A。R。　　Mgr。　le　Duc　d'Angouleme；　Commanderin…Chief　of　the　royal　army
in　the　South；　and　Baron　de　Gilly；　General　of　Division　and
Commander…in…Chief　of　the　first　corps　of　the　Imperial　Army；　being
most　anxiously　desirous　to　prevent　any　further　effusion　of　French
blood；　have　given　plenary　powers　to　arrange　the　terms　of　a　convention
to　S。A。R。　　M。　le　Baron　de　Damas；　Field…Marshal　and　Under…Chief　of
Staff；　and　General　de　Gilly　and　Adjutant　Lefevre；　Chevalier　of　the
Legion　of　Honour；　and　Chief　of　the　Staff　of　the　first　Army　Corps；
who；　having　shown　each　other　their　respective　credentials；　have
agreed　on　the　following　terms：

〃Art。　　1。　　The　royal　army　is　to　be　disbanded；　and　the　National　Guards
which　are　enrolled　in　it；　under　whatever　name　they　may　have　been
levied；　will　return　to　their　homes；　after　laying　down　their　arms。
Safe　conducts　will　be　provided；　and　the　general　of　division
commanding…in…chief　guarantees　that　they　shall　never　be　molested　for
anything　they　may　have　said　or　done　in　connection　with　the　events
preceding　the　present　convention。

〃The　officers　will　retain　their　swords；　the　troops　of　the　line　who
form　part　of　this　army　will　repair　to　such　garrisons　as　may　be
assigned　to　them。

〃Art。　2。　　The　general　officers；　superior　staff　officers　and　others　of
all　branches　of　the　service；　and　the　chiefs　and　subordinates　of　the
administrative　departments；　of　whose　names　a　list　will　be　furnished
to　the　general…in…chief；　will　retire　to　their　homes　and　there　await
the　orders　of　His　Majesty　the　Emperor。

〃Art。　3。　　Officers　of　every　rank　who　wish　to　resign　their　commissions
are　competent　to　do　so。　　They　will　receive　passports　for　their　homes。

〃Art。　4。　　The　funds　of　the　army　and　the　lists　of　the　paymaster…
general　will　be　handed　over　at　once　to　commissioners　appointed　for
that　purpose　by　the　commander…in…chief。

〃Art。　5。　　The　above　articles　apply　to　the　corps　commanded　by　Mgr。　le
Duc　d'Angouleme　in　person；　and　also　to　those　who　act　separately　but
under　his　orders；　and　as　forming　part　of　the　royal　army　of　the　South。

〃Art。　6。　　H。R。H。　will　post　to　Cette；　where　the　vessels　necessary　for
him　and　his　suite　will　be　waiting　to　take　him　wherever　he　may　desire。
Detachments　of　the　Imperial　Army　will　be　placed　at　all　the　relays　on
the　road　to　protect　His　Royal　Highness　during　the　journey；　and　the
honours　due　to　his　rank　will　be　everywhere　paid　him；　if　he　so　desire。

〃Art。　7。　　All　the　officers　and　other　persons　of　His　Royal　Highness'
suite　who　desire　to　follow　him　will　be　permitted　to　do　so；　and　they
may　either　embark　with　him　at　once　or　later；　should　their　private
affairs　need　time　for　arrangement。

〃Art。　8。　　The　present　treaty　will　be　kept　secret　until　His　Royal
Highness　have　quitted　the　limits　of　the　empire。

〃Executed　in　duplicate　and　agreed　upon　between　the　above…mentioned
plenipotentiaries　the　8th　day　of　April　in　the　year　1815；　with　the
approval　of　the　general　commanding…in…chief；　and　signed；

〃At　the　headquarters　at　Pont…Saint…Esprit　on　the　day　and　year　above
written

（Signed）　LEFEVRE
Adjutant　and　Chief　of　Staff　of　the
First　Corps　of　the　Imperial　Army
of　the　South

（Signed）　BARON　DE　DAMAS
Field…Marshal　and　Under…Chief　of
Staff

〃The　present　convention　is　approved　of　by　the　General　of　Division
Commanding…in…Chief　the　Imperial　Army　of　the　South。

（Signed）　GILLY〃


After　some　discussion　between　General　Gilly　and　General　Grouchy；　the
capitulation　was　carried　into　effect。　　On　the　16th　April；　at　eight
o'clock　in　the　morning；　the　Duc　d'Angouleme　arrived　at　Cette；　and
went　on　board　the　Swedish　vessel　Scandinavia；　which；　taking　advantage
of　a　favourable　wind；　set　sail　the　same　day。

Early　in　the　morning　of　the　9th　an　officer　of　high　rank　had　been　sent
to　La　Palud　to　issue　safe…conducts　to　the　troops；　who　according　to
Article　I　of　the　capitulation　were　to　return　home　〃after　laying　down
their　arms。〃　　But　during　the　preceding　day　and　night　some　of　the
royal　volunteers　had　evaded　this　article　by　withdrawing　with　their
arms　and　baggage。　　As　this　infraction　of　the　terms　led　to　serious
consequences；　we　propose；　in　order　to　establish　the　fact；　to　cite　the
depositions　of　three　royal　volunteers　who　afterwards　gave　evidence。

〃On　leaving　the　army　of　the　Duc　d'Angouleme　after　the　capitulation；〃
says　Jean　Saunier；　〃I　went　with　my　officers　and　my　corps　to
Saint…Jean…des…Anels。　　From　there　we　marched　towards　Uzes。　　In　the
middle　of　a　forest；　near　a　village；　the　name　of　which　I　have
forgotten；　our　General　M。　de　Vogue　told　us　that　we　were　all　to　return
to　our　own　homes。　　We　asked　him　where　we　should　deposit　the　flag。
Just　then　Commandant　Magne　detached　it　from　the　staff　and　put　it　in
his　pocket。　　We　then　asked　the　general　where　we　should　deposit　our
arms；　he　replied；　that　we　had　better　keep　them；　as　we　should　probably
find　use　for　them　before　long；　and　also　to　take　our　ammunition　with
us；　to　ensure　our　safety　on　the　road。

〃From　that　time　on　we　all　did　what　we　thought　best：　sixty…four　of　us
remained　together；　and　took　a　guide　to　enable　us　to　avoid　Uzes。〃


Nicholas　Marie；　labourer；　deposed　as　follows：

〃On　leaving　the　army　of　the　Duc　d'Angouleme　after　the　capitulation；　I
went　with　my　officers　and　my　corps　to　Saint…Jean…des…Anels。　　We
marched　towards　Uzes；　but　when　we　were　in　the　middle　of　a　forest；
near　a　village　the　name　of　which　I　have　forgotten；　our　general；　M。　de
Vogue；　told　us　that　we　were　to　go　to　our　own　homes　as　soon　as　we
liked。　　We　saw　Commandant　Magne　loose　the　flag　from　its　staff；　roll
it　up　and　put　it　in　his　pocket。　　We　asked　the　general　what　we　were　to
do　with　our　arms；　he　replied　that　we　were　to　keep　both　them　and　our
ammunition；　as　we　should　find　them　of　use。　　Upon　this；　our　chiefs
left　us；　and　we　all　got　away　as　best　we　could。〃

〃After　the　capitulation　of　the　Duc　d'Angouleme　I　found　my