432 TREATIES WITH WURTEMBERG AND BAVARIA. by which I am sure time will be gained, although they may remain at Ostend until the arrival of the missing companies. I hope to hear of the arrival of the 38th at Ostend from Cork next week. Yours very sincerely, BATHURST, There has been also an unaccountable delay in the collecting together the 2nd Garrison Battalion it is now, however, ready to sail. Major-Gen. Sir W. Dörnberg to Lord FitzRoy Somerset. MY LORD, Mons, 8th June, 1815. A man who left Valenciennes last night reports: "At Valenciennes are 6000 to 7000 National Guards and 1500 troops of the line; from 4000 to 5000 troops of the line arrived in the villages near Valenciennes, mostly infantry. The Young Guard was expected last night at Valenciennes, and a report spread that the Old Guard was marching to Maubeuge. At Condé 4000 National Guards." I have the honour to lay before your Lordship the subsidiary treaties which I have concluded with the plenipotentiaries on the part of His Majesty the King of Wurtemberg and His Majesty the King of Bavaria. I have, &c., WELLINGTON. Intelligence from General Müfling. 9 Juin, 1815. Un émissaire parti d'ici le 31 du mois passé et arrivé le 4 de ce mois à Paris, en passant Mons, Valenciennes, et Péronne, vient de nous communiquer en principal ces nouvelles. La garnison de Valenciennes se montait à 4000 hommes, du nombre desquels étaient beaucoup de troupes de ligne; ils s'y trouvaient, sans l'artillerie des remparts, 100 pièces de canon et 200 caissons; on a fait prêter serment aux habitans de la ville de ne rendre ni la forteresse ni leurs personnes. PROPOSED OPERATION ON THE COAST OF FRANCE. 433 Quinze généraux pas encore nommés pour des commandemens séjournaient dans la ville. Ils se trouvaient des troupes en cantonnemens aux environs de Valenciennes, depuis la frontière Belge jusqu'à Cambrai. Cambrai en renfermait 600 ou 700 hommes. Entre Cambrai et Paris il n'y avait que très peu de troupes. On ne met pas beaucoup d'activité aux retranchemens commencés à Paris, quoiqu'ils soyent de grande étendue, de manière que les ouvrages ne sont guère avancés. Il y a beaucoup de troupes de ligne et de la Garde dans la capitale; on y fabrique 2000 fusils par semaine. Notre émissaire fut conduit chez Davoust, qui, après lui avoir enjoint de dire que Napoléon partirait pour Strasbourg, l'a envoyé au Duc de Bassano; celui-ci cependant n'ayant plus le portefeuille des affaires étrangères, le fit retourner chez Davoust, qui entre autres s'informa s'il y avait beaucoup de fusils en Saxe, et s'il ne saurait lui donner des nouvelles de la Pologne et de la Bavière? lui recommandant qu'en retournant il se fasse conduire chez Soult, au quartier général. Le public s'attendait que Napoléon partirait le 7 de ce mois pour Valenciennes, et non pour Strasbourg, quoique la Vieille Garde doit être partie pour cette dernière ville. Chaque département doit fournir 3000 conscrits, et l'armée Française sera portée à 400,000 hommes. Les Prussiens ne sont pas aimés; on met de l'intérêt à connaître leurs forces. Les nouvelles qu'on débite à Paris sont : qu'il venait d'arriver à Paris un courrier Autrichien; que sur les frontières du Nord il doit y avoir 40,000 hommes; mais on ajoute que 60,000 hommes se mettraient en marche pour les renforcer. Dans la Vendée les insurgés ont essuyé un échec; 12,000 à 13,000 fusils ont été pris par le Général Travot; néanmoins il doit y avoir derechef 25,000 Royalistes sous les armes, de manière qu'on a fait partir de Paris pour la Vendée beaucoup de troupes de ligne et de la Jeune Garde. Les plus grands partisans de Napoléon sont la populace de Paris; en général il n'y a que peu de monde pour les Bourbons en France. L'émissaire est reparti de Paris le 6 de ce mois; mais on l'a fait passer par Amiens et Arras, disant que sur la route directe par Péronne les chevaux de poste étaient réservés pour l'Empereur; en repassant Valenciennes et ses environs il n'a trouvé rien de changé. Earl Bathurst to Field Marshal the Duke of Wellington. Downing Street, 9th June, 1815. MY LORD, Your Grace's despatch, No. 7, with a copy of a memorandum received from a French officer employed by the Duke d'Aumont, proposing a plan for a naval operation on the coast of France, was immediately communicated by me to the Admiralty; and I have now the honour of enclosing the copy of a letter from Mr. Croker to my Under-Secretary, stating the steps which have been taken by their Lordships in consequence of your Grace's communication above alluded to. I have the honour to be VOL. X. Your Grace's most obedient servant, BATHURST,,' 2 F 434 PROPOSED OPERATION ON THE COAST OF FRANCE. SIR, [ENCLOSURES.] The Right Hon. J. W. Croker to Major-General Sir H. Bunbury. Admiralty Office, 8th June, 1815. In reference to your letter of the 1st of last month, enclosing a copy of a despatch from the Duke of Wellington, together with a memorandum therein referred to, left with his Grace by a French officer, and in which a plan is proposed for an operation on the coast of France, I have it in command from my Lords Commissioners of the Admiralty to acquaint you, for the information of Lord Bathurst, that their Lordships have given the fullest consideration to the suggestions contained in the Duke's letter and in its enclosure; but that unless they were apprised more fully in detail of the particular operation which his Grace wished to have performed at the mouth of the Seine, they can offer no opinion as to its practicability. As a general proposition, however, their Lordships have no difficulty in stating, that though seamen and marines may occasionally be employed with advantage in sudden attacks on batteries and other works on an enemy's coast, and may also afford useful assistance to troops in more extensive service on shore, they ought not, without such co-operation, to be opposed to regular troops in the field, or in besieging fortified places. As their Lordships, however, are very desirous to afford every aid in their power in carrying into effect the objects which the Duke of Wellington may have in view, they have directed Rear-Admiral Sir Pulteney Malcolm, who commands a small squadron in the Scheldt, to repair to his Grace's head quarters for the purpose of conferring with him, and of communicating thereafter to their Lordships such further information as may enable them to decide on the practicability of such measures of naval co-operation as may be suggested. I herewith enclose a copy of the instruction given to Sir Pulteney Malcolm, and return you the French memorandum above alluded to, and am, &c., J. W. CROKER. II. The Right Hon. J. W. Croker to Rear-Admiral Sir Pulteney Malcolm. SIR, Admiralty Office, 7th June, 1815. In reference to my other letter of this date, acquainting you that my Lords Commissioners of the Admiralty have signed a commission appointing you Commander-in-Chief of a squadron of His Majesty's ships and vessels to be employed on a particular service, I have it in command from their Lordships to acquaint you that it is their intention that you should conduct the service of co-operating, in the event of hostilities, with His Majesty's land forces in the Netherlands and those of his Allies, on all occasions where the assistance of a naval force can be advantageously afforded; and I herewith enclose to you their Lordships' order for your proceeding, without loss of time, to the Scheldt, and taking under your command the ships and vessels therein named. You will lose no time in acquainting the Commander-in-Chief of His Majesty's land forces of your arrival, and communicating with him on the subject of the service entrusted to your charge, repairing personally to the head quarters of the said Commander-in-Chief whenever it may be desirable JUNE, 1815. REINFORCEMENTS FOR THE DUKE. 435 for the purpose of your communications with him, and you will use every exertion to render him and His Majesty's Allies all the aid, in naval co-operation, which may be in your power and which circumstances may require. You will make frequent reports to me, for their Lordships' information, of all occurrences that may take place; and you will, in particular, be careful to transmit timely application for any species or increase of force of which you may expect to stand in need in the execution of the service in question, I am, &c., J. W. CROKER. Major-Gen. Sir H. Torrens to Field Marshal the Duke of Wellington. MY LORD DUKE, Horse Guards, 9th June, 1815. I have the honour, by direction of the Commander in Chief, to acquaint your Grace that the 2nd Garrison Battalion and detachments mentioned in margin have been ordered to proceed to Flanders as a reinforcement to the troops serving under your command. I have the honour to be, my Lord Duke, Your Grace's faithful and very obedient servant, H. TORRENS. P.S. The 2nd Garrison Battalion is intended for garrison duty at Antwerp or Ostend, as your Grace may think proper. Major-Gen. Sir H. Torrens to Field Marshal the Duke of Wellington. MY DEAR LORD DUKE, Horse Guards, 9th June, 1815. I forgot to mention in my last private letter the circumstances which had induced the order for the squadron of the Brunswick Hussars to join your army. They are reported to be a very good detachment, well mounted and equipped, and the Commander in Chief thought they might be attached to one of the hussar regiments of the Legion until the remainder of the Brunswick regiment shall arrive from the Mediterranean. Every exertion has been making for the equipment of the regiments lately arrived from America. The 4th was nearly naked, and by a report received this morning it does not appear they will be all ready until the 12th. The 29th will be ready about the same time, or perhaps sooner. But in consequence of a communication from the Secretary of State this evening, urging the necessity of despatch, an order has been given for their proceeding to Ostend by companies. I cannot believe that it will be satisfactory to receive corps in so slovenly a state; but the order has been given. As Buonaparte is reported to have left Paris, you may now be considered on the eve of commencing your arduous but interesting operations; and, * 2nd Garrison Battalion, about 800 rank and file; 23rd Foot, 50; 27th, 300; 37th, 20; 51st, 34; 59th, 34. 436 REPORTED ARRIVAL OF NAPOLEON AT THE ARMY. exclusive of the public interest which all must take in their progress, allow me to express personally my earnest and heartfelt good wishes for your success. Ever, my dear Lord Duke, most faithfully and sincerely yours, H. TORRENS. Unfortunately about one-half of the 7th and 43rd regiments have not yet arrived. H. T. MY LORD, Major-Gen. Sir W. Dörnberg to Lord FitzRoy Somerset. Mons, 9th June, 1815. A peasant arriving from Maubeuge assures that Buonaparte came there yesterday at two o'clock, and that he left it this morning at seven o'clock for Valenciennes, from whence, it was said, he was to go to Lille. By another report, Buonaparte arrived at Laon the day before yesterday (7th), and was yesterday at Avesnes. Almost all the Generals have been out yesterday and inspected their troops. I forgot to report that nine persons have been arrested at Condé, and that all the military authorities at that place have been changed. I have still three men in France: one towards Douai, one at Avesnes, and the third at Laon itself; but, as the two former are not yet returned, I am afraid they are arrested. The Dutch outposts on the Maubeuge road, near Havay, have been reconnoitred this morning by a French party. 1 have the honour to be, my Lord, Your most obedient humble servant, DÖRNBERG. Major-Gen. Sir W. Dörnberg to Lord Fitz Roy Somerset. MY LORD, Mons, 9th June, 1815. A deserter of the 3rd Lancers, coming from Valenciennes, says that very few new infantry arrived there he assures that his regiment has 800 horses. A man whom General Zieten sent to Paris said that 30,000 men would be transported on waggons to this frontier; but he met no troops between Paris and Valenciennes. This instant (half-past nine) a gun firing is heard in the direction from Maubeuge, which is supposed to signify Buonaparte's arrival at the army. I have the honour to be, my Lord, Your most obedient humble servant, Papers of the 6th. DÖRNBERG. |
