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THE WEEKLY MESSENGER
Boston, Friday, March 5, 1813
LATEST FRENCH NEWS.
By the Thetis which left Bordeaux on the 23rd January and arrived at Philadelphia on the 27th ult.. we have received the following news:
DEATH OF JOEL BARLOW
Capt. Bolton of the Thetis has Despatches for government, announcing the death of Mr. Barlow, Ambassador from the United States to the Court of France. He died on the road between Dresden and Paris, of a fever brought on by the fatigues of his journey to and from Wilna.
SECESSION OF THE PRUSSIAN TROOPS
The General Commandant of the Prussian army, Yorke, and Lieut. Gen. Massenbach, with all their forces, amounting to about 20,000 men, have gone over to the Russians.
At a sitting of the Conservative Senate at Paris on the 10th January, the Duke of Bassano made a Report. He states, that when the Russian war commenced, the Emperor formed from the six last classes of the conscription, from 20 to 26 years of age, 100 battalions of men, called Cohorts of the National Guard, that the whole levy of conscription for 1813 raised, and now under arms; that the force now in France, amount to more than 300,000 men; that Prussia had offered to augment her contingent to 30,000 men; but that the English had enticed General Yorke, who commanded the Prussian force to make a perfidious compact with the enemy. He then proceeds thus:
"Sire, there are few countries where the salacity and manoeuvres of disorganizing have not carried disquiet among the depositarins (?) of the public tranquility, an the courts agents of corruption, in the camps vile instigators, in the cities, in the schools, and even in the bosom of the most revered institutions false enthusiasts laboured without ceasing to seduce by their dark doctrines, both those who ought to maintain by the most courageous fidelity the authority which is confided to them, and those who have no other duty than obedience.
In such circumstances, Sire, and which even the intention of an allied Prince, could not guarantee the advantages which your political system ought to insure to you; it becomes an imperious necessity to rescue the means which your Majesty will find in the power of your Empire, and in the love of your subjects.
For these considerations, your Majesty's Ministers assembled in an extraordinary cabinet council before you.
1. To send to the active army, the hundred escorts of National Guards.
2. To call out 100,000 men of the conscriptions … (paper torn)
3. To raise 100,000 men of the conscriptions of (paper torn) who shall form themselves in the garrisons, and the camps on our frontiers, and on our coasts, (paper torn) can transport themselves wherever it may be (paper torn) to come to the assistance of your Majesty's allies.
By this immense display of forces, the interest, in consequence of France and the safety of its allies, will be guarded against all events.
The French people will feel the force of circumstances, it will render a new homage to this truth so often proclaimed by your Majesty from the height of your throne, that there is no repose for Europe till England has been forced to conclude a peace.
It is not in vain, Sire, that you have given to France the title of a great nation; no effort is painful to it when it can illustrate its love for your Majesty and devotion to the glory of the French name.
I join to this report the proofs relative to the desertion of general Yorke.
I am &c.
THE DUKE OF BASSANO.
Paris, June 9, 1813
The proofs alluded to, are:
1. Letter of Count St. Marsan, at Berlin, to the Ministers of exterior relations, informing of the event of Yorke's desertion; and he adds — I am assured that the King at once determined to break General Yorke, to have him arrested, to give the command to General Khest, to recall the troops, although there was little probability of getting them back, and to put them under the orders of the King of Naples, to address all his orders to that Prince, to publish in the French ??? at Potsdam in Silesia, and in the Gazettes an order of the day in consequence of it.
I am assured finally that on this occasion, the King has manifested anew and publicly, his attachment to the cause of his Imperial and Royal Majesty, and his indignation at what had happened.
2. Letter of Macdonald, to whose corps the Prussian force was attached, as follows: —
Tilsit, Dec 31.
My Lord — After some days of strife, of disquiet and anguish, of which a part of the Prussian corps has been witnesses, respecting the fate of the rear guard, which from Mitlau followed me at one march distance: I finally learn by a letter of General Yorke, that he had himself disposed of the Prussian corps.
I join hence a copy of the letter, on which I do not allow myself to comment, it will excite the indignation of all men of honor.
General Massenbach who was here with me, with two batteries, six battalions and six squadrons, departed this morning without my orders, to re-pass the Niemen. He goes to join General Yorke, and has thus abandoned us in the face of the enemy.
3. Letter of General Yorke to Macdonald.
Tauroggen, Dec. 30, 1812.
My Lord — After very painful marches, it was not possible to continue them without being broken in upon, on my flanks and rear. It is this which has retarded my junction with your excellency, and being obliged to choose between the alternatives of losing the greater part of my troops, and all the materials which alone could insure my subsistence, or to save the whole. I have believed it to be my duty to make a convention by which the concentration of the Prussian troops is to take place in a part of east Prussia, which, by the retreat of the French army, is in the power of the Russian army.
The Russian troops will form a neutral corps, and will not permit hostilities towards either party, negotiations which ought to take place between the belligerent powers will decide their future destiny.
I hasten to inform your Excellency of a step to which I have been forced by imperious circumstances.
Whatever may be the judgement the world may pronounce on my conduct, I am but little uneasy; my duty to my troops on the most mature reflection, have dictated it; the purest motives, whatever may be the appearance, has guided me.
In making you this declaration, my Lord, I acquit myself of my obligations towards you, and I pray you to accept the assurances of the most profound respect, with which I have the honor to be, &c.
(Signed) YORKE.
True copy The Marshal Duke of Tarentum,
MACDONALD
4. A letter of Gen. Massenbach, in which he assigns as the cause of his returning, the orders of Yorke.
THE FOLLOWING IMPORTANT NOTICES FROM THE GRAND ARMY, ARE UNDER THE PARIS DATE OF JANUARY 9.
The Prince of Neufchatel, major-general, writes from Konigsberg, under date of this 31st Dec. making known the position of the army.
Marshal duke of Tarentum, with the 10th corps, occupies Tilsit and the borders of Niemen. He has taken several Russian battalions, and several pieces of cannon.
The division of Heudelet occupies Lablaw. Welaw, and Insterbourg; the head-quarters of the 31st division and the guard are at Konigsberg.
The 1st corps is at Thorn; and 2nd at Marienswerder; the 4th at Marienbourg; the 3rd occupies Ebling; the 9th Dantzig; the 6th Plok; the Austrian corps, under Bralistock covers the duchy of Warsaw; the 7th corps, between Presing and the Vistula, is in advance of Warsaw; the 5th corps at Warsaw.
The season has suddenly changed, and the thermometer, from 23 degrees, has sunk to 0. This occasioned severe frost. It is to this circumstance in part, that the physicians attribute the unfavorable turn which place in disorder of General Elbe, an officer of prime merit, who has died, regretted by all the army.
FROM PORTUGAL
We have accounts from Lisbon to the 8th January. They state that Lord Wellington had arrived in Lisbon; that in his retreat from Madrid, he lost 4000 men; that being compelled to force his passage through a narrow pass surrounded by the French, this step was found necessary, but that in effecting it, he succeeded in destroying above 4000 of the enemy. The same accounts state, that General Maitland had been placed under an arrest, and was to be sent to England for trial, on the charge of having omitted to make suitable exertions to prevent the junction of the armies under King Joseph and Marshal Soult.
Provisions in great plenty in Spain and Portugal.
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-Napoleon Bonaparte
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