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Pair of Autograph Letters Signed, written from the field, while serving under Lafayette, May and June 1792, to his brother, Soissons, France
two letters, small quarto, 6 pages, in very good clean and legible condition.
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The collection contains a description of the Battle of Maubeuge, which featured in a plot to destroy Lafayette's reputation, however his success in the field trumped this vicious plot.
Au Camp de Rancenne sous Givet 12 Mai 1792
"Mon cher frère,
Je n'ai aucune nouvelle de toi ni de Villers. Je ne scais quell parti il aura pris, ni comment-il pourra exister quand il aura consommé le capital de son cantonment numeraire, qui lui a été rembourse M. Sutaine Bertrand negt rue ceres à Rheims en depositaire du billes de 6000... Si tu lui ecris par la suite tu mettra à lt. L. Pille, Volre de la 2e Come du Bord de Volont. De la Cote d'or, a l'armee du Genl Lafayette au camp de Rancenne pres Givet si nous avons décampé cela non joindra ... occupe toi donc , je te prie de de faire payer m d'alonville sil en émigré, c'est une raison de plus pour ne pas le menager le decret contre ces debiteurs en formel. Pendant que nous allons la constitution an dehors, mets toi àla tete de nos petites proprietés es tâche de sauver villes de la misère qui le menace ne laissons point perdu le bien de Citry ce sera une retraite agreeable pour des guerriers si nous pourroit y revenir comme notre ayent couvers comme lui de gloire es de blessures. Si villers vouloir venir ... rejoinder je lui donnerai un fusil es 15 pour jour jusqu'au que fais instructions es sa valeur merite que les frères d'armes le nomment officer, sil en a le ...
Nous sommes comme tu scais, part de Rheims pour Meziere le 10 Mars der. Le battalion a été
Cayerne ce qui a achevé son instruction militaire de place; il sort tres bien, aussi bien que quelque regimens de ligne que ce soit, il est sage, es plein de courage.Nos officiers generaux es ont toujours été content cela nous avalu l'avantage d'être tires de la reserve pour etre en 1er ligne et nous avons la droit l'armée de M de la Fayette. Nous sommes partis de Mezieres le 29 avril a midi et nous sommes arrives ici le lendemain à la meme heure par la traverse des Ardennes. Nous avons passé la 1e nuit au bivouac. Nous avons campe le lendemain. Nous devions nous porter sur le champs sur Namur sans l'echec des detachemens du nord, Nous eprouvans ici des ... froid extraordinaire ... je coucher sur la paille dans deux couverturs j'aurai ce soir mon matelas. M. dela Fayette nous a deja fait manoeuvrer deux fois il est fort content de l'armée. ..."
(The letter closes with a sketch at the base of page three with a line drawing explaining the order of the troops delineating the relative location of the various regiments.)
Au camp retranche de Maubeuge le neuf Juin 1792 l'an 4e de la liberté a l'armée de Gal Lafayette
"Nous etions depuis longtems notre cher frère, dans l'inquietude sur votre compte nous ne faisons ou vous ecrire parceque nous ignorons si vous aves continue votre residence a la garniere... et nous vous vous verrons et vous embrasserons avec grand plaisir puisque son promettes de venir nous rejoindre a l'armee nous eussions bien desire vous voir reuni à nord dans la militaire, n'ayant aucune retraite, il nous paraissoit naturel que vous churches a vous en faire un etat avec ... plus de raison que tout le servis de votre service dans les domains vous aurait compte pour etre reuni a vos service ... et vous assurer un fort honnete aubout de trente ans de tons services e'st le parti qu a pris Etienne es il s'en trovera bien il a fait son service de simple volontaire avec la plus grande exactitude depuis sept mois et je vien de lui obtenir du General Lafayette la promesse de la premiere sous lieutenance vacant dans la ligne...
Nous avons à Givet chez m du craigniaux, notre malle ... dans la malle sont nos papiers je vais ecrire à ce citoyen de vous addresser par la menagerie en vous en donnant avis. Vous aurés alors trois papiers quell conques sans avoir besoin d'aller à Rheims ni à Dijon ou il n'y en n'a plus aucun nous vous enverrons aussi procuration pour toucher les fonds. ...
Vous aves apris les papiers publis notre affaire ... du 23 mai ou notre second bataillon setoit couvert de gloire. Il y avait perdu 1 caporal et 9 volontaires. Les ennemis ont fait hyer a 2 h du matin une nouvelle attacque sur cette meme avant garde de M de Gouvion avec aussi peu de uccess; mais notre second bataillon y a cruelle souffert il a fait sa retraite le derniere es il a perdu 70 hommes taillés en piece par la cavaleri ennemi il a eu en autre 18 blessés ; ses trois chefs ont ete tues les 2 collegue et bons amis ... et pour comble de Malheur le General Gouvion a été tué d'un boules de canon. L'armée entier a marché mais nous avons eu le chagrin de ne pouvoir joinder l'ennemi qui s'etoi replié ... nous sommes rentra à 3 h en soir dans notre camp nous attendons avec impatience le moment d'attaquer en combinant nos movement avec l'armee de Luckner et pleins de confiance dans notre General et dans le courage, le patriotism la concorde de tous nos frères d'armes nord ferons tot-outard triomphes la bonne cause ..."
From Bernard Sarrans' Memoirs of General Lafayette and of the French Revolution of 1830, is a passage outlining the May 23 affair at Maubeuge and the plot of the "Jacobin clubs" to destroy Lafayette:
"Among the intrigues, foreign and domestic which were at this time carried on, one was hatched for the purpose of ruining Lafayette. On the evening of the 24th, he received orders to form an army-corps and a train of artillery which were to be at Givet, on the 30th. All was ready in four and twenty hours, and this unexpected march of fifty six leagues was performed in five days; so that while every good citizen deplored the checks sustained at Lille and Mons, it was impossible to withhold thanks for the efforts and zeal of Lafayette. He directed on the enemy's territory a corps which fought valiantly near Phillipville, and afterwards in conformity with a plan which left the offensive to Marshal Luckner, he proceeded to occupy the entrenched camp at Maubeuge. Before that time a partial engagement took place, in which General Gouvion was killed. The accidents and delays which too frequently ensue with raw troops, rendered ineffective a movement on the flank, and gave the enemy time to retreat.
According to the first plan which was concerted in the King's presence, between the minister Narbonne and the three generals, Luckner was to manoeuvre on the Rhine, and Lafayette at the head of forty thousand men, was to enter the Netherlands, while the army of Rocahmbeau was to be in readiness to support him. However this plan was modified by Dumoriez and the jacobins, who were at that time his friends. Rochambeau in disgust resigned his command, and Marshal Luckner, who failed in his offensive operations against the Netherlands, thought proper to retire on Valenciennes. Lafayette, who had occupied Maubeuge as a means of diversion, dispatched Bureaux-Puzy to prevail on Luckner to make a combined attack upon the Austrians nearly at the point where the battle of Jemmapes was fought. Lafayette answered for his troops, and entertained no doubt of their success, for he had from the very outset constantly and publicly predicted the advantage which our new institutions, and a spirit of patriotism must possess over old tactics and old armies. Luckner obstinately refused to yield to the recommendation of his colleague. This circumstance proved not a little mortifying to the enemies of Lafayette, both within and without the assembly , for by dint of repeating that he had prevented Luckner from attacking, and had proposed that he should march on Paris, Bureauz-Puzy was summoned to the bar, and they themselves rendered necessary the publication of the correspondence.
Lafayette was at the same time engaged in a more perilous war against the colossal and disorganizing power of the Jacobin clubs. He was aware that the enemies of the Revolution both at home and abroad, had formed the systematic design of destroying liberty by excess and licentiousness. He saw among the jacobins sincere patriots, who were the involuntary instruments of intrigue, fury, and the counter-revolution. He determined to brave them; but he attacked them alone, and his letter of the 16th of June, to the national assembly openly denounced that formidable association; and specifically named the jacobins..." - Bernard Sarrans, Memoirs of General Lafayette and of the French Revolution of 1830, (London: Richard Bentley, 1832) volume 1, pp., 61-64.
Louis Antoine Pille, whose name is engraved on the Arc de Triomphe, was born in Soissons (Aisne) on July 14, 1749 and died there on 7 October 1828. Pille after serving in an administrative capacity in the army became a lieutenant in a unit of volunteer cavalry at Dijon in 1789, the battalion commander the following November, and commander of the volunteers of Dijon on April 18, 1790, and part of the Federated volunteers who went to Paris on the 14 July of the same year.
He was appointed 30 August 1791 Lieutenant-Colonel of the 1st Volunteer Battalion of the Côte d'Or, and served in the Army of the Center in 1792, and saw action in a number of engagements. In 1793 he went to the Army of the North and was present at the bombardment of Maastricht, the battles of Nerwinde and Pellenbeck and was wounded in the head. He was promoted to the rank of brigadier general, served in both administrative and military he was in charge of twelve departments in the south of France, served in Italy, he retired in 1815 and died in Soissons in 1828.
