S7<3 X O N 
ing fcene is defcribed to have taken placeWhen his 
majefty palled on his way to mafs, he was faluted with una¬ 
nimous Ihouts of Vive VEmpereur. On his return they 
were reiterated witli new force. The officers, divided into 
legions, formed a valt circle, in the nnidft of which the 
emperor placed himfelf. Then appeared a fcene the molt 
aftefting, the molt fublime. The emperor, addreffing 
himfelf to the officers of the national guard, told them, 
that a part of the French territory was invaded ; that he 
was going to place himfelf at the head of his army; and 
that he hoped, with the affiftance of God, and the valour 
of his troops, to repulfe the enemy beyond the frontiers. 
At this moment his majelly’s looks were tenderly fixed 
upon the emprefs and the king of Rome, whom his auguft 
mother carried in her arms; and his majefty added, with 
a tremulous voice, that he confided his wife and his fon to 
the love of his faithful city of Paris; that he gave it the 
higheft mark of his efteem, in leaving under its protec¬ 
tion the objects of his deareft affections ; that he hoped his 
capital would not be polluted by the prefence of the enemy ; that 
however, if, in the midft of the grand manoeuvres which 
were preparing, fome hordes of light troops dared to in- 
fult its barriers, he was lure that its brave inhabitants 
would not forget that their fovereign had confided its de¬ 
fence to them.”—At that inftant, it is added, “a thou- 
fand voices refounded, a thoufand arms were raifed to 
fvvear to defend the precious truft: confided to a faithful 
people.” 
The national bank of France encountered difficulties 
amounting nearly to a ftoppage of payment.—It appears 
that, on the 18th of January, the directors affembled in a 
general committee, to deliberate on the fituation in which 
the commerce of Paris now is ; and in the report pub- 
liffied of their proceedings, it is afferted, that they had in 
ready money. lbmething more than fourteen millions of 
francs, (about 600,oool.) but that “the eagernefs which 
the holders of notes fliowed to come and require payment 
of them, would exhault in a few days all the calh in the 
bank.” They obferved, that the greateft part of their 
money was in gold ; that gold was at a confiderable pre¬ 
mium ; and that this circumftance would naturally render 
the draining of the bank the more rapid, as the gold 
would infallibly difappear from circulation. Under thefe 
cipcuniftances they refolved not to pay more than 500,000 
francs (about 20,000k) per day; and, in order to make 
the reftriftion more effectual, the prefect of police had an¬ 
nounced, by order of Bonaparte, “ that no one could ap¬ 
ply to the bank of France to change bank-notes, unlefs 
lie were the bearer of a number which {hall have been de¬ 
livered to him by the mayor of his quarter.” 
An engagement was fought on the ift of February, 
which lord Burgherfh calls the battle of La Rothiere ; the 
French, that of Brienne. The troops immediately en¬ 
gaged, on both fides, amounted to 70 or 80,000 men. The 
whole of the allied corps were placed, as a particular mark 
cf confidence, under the command of marlhal Blucher; 
and Bonaparte commanded the French in perl'on. The 
engagement commenced at twelve o’clock. Both armies 
occupied extended pofitions. The moft obftinate refin¬ 
ance was experienced at the village of La Rothiere, where 
Bonaparte led on the young guards in an attack, and had 
» horfe {hot under him. At twelve at night viftory 
crowned the valour of the allied troops, and the lkilful 
combinations and movements of their commanders. The 
French, defeated at all points, retreated in two columns 
upon Lefmont, Lefficourt, and Ronay : their lofs, which 
could not be afcertained, was fuppofed to be immenfe. 
Thirty-fix pieces of cannon, and four thoufand prifoners, 
were taken by the allies. The prince royal of Wirtem- 
bcrg and general Wrede purfued the French ; and gene¬ 
ral Guilay took Lefmont by affault. 
The refult of the victory of La Rothiere was the imme¬ 
diate advance of the allied armies, which however were 
foon to receive a check. The following is an abftraft 
®i the official accounts.—Gen. d’Yorck attacked Chalons 
DON. 
on the 5th of February, which furrendered by capitula- 
tion, marffial Macdonald retiring over the Marne in the 
di reft ion of Meaux; he had with him the corps of Sebaf- 
tiani and Arrighi, befides his own. On the 6th, marffial 
Blucher’s head-quarters were at Sandron. On the 8th 
they were moved from Vertus to Etoges ; Gen. Sacken be¬ 
ing then at Montmirail, Gen. d’Yorck at Chateau Thierry, 
and Gen. ICleift at Chalons ; the whole advancing upon the 
army of Macdonald, who was retiring, with 100 pieces of 
artillery. On the evening of the 8th, Blucher's head¬ 
quarters were again removed to Vertus, on the report of a 
Ruffian regiment having been attacked at Baye. The ad¬ 
vanced potts of d’Yorck from Dormant, and of Sacken 
from Montmirail, now reached as far as Chateau Thierry, 
and la Ferte fous Joare.—In the afternoon of the loth, 
the Ruffian corps of Alfufief, being at Champaubert, was 
attacked by a very fuperior force of the French from Se¬ 
zanne; and, after an obftinate refiftance, was compelled 
to retire, with confiderable lofs. 
On the nth, marffial Blucher’s head-quarters were at 
Bergeres. On that day the corps of Sacken and d’Yorck 
inarched upon Montmirail againlt the enemy. A fevere 
engagement enfued for feveral hours, both armies remain¬ 
ing in their pofitions. Gen. Sacken loft four guns. The 
hotteft part of the aftion was in the village of Marcliais, 
which was t'aken and re-taken three times. The French 
were 30,000 ftrong, under Bonaparte. On the 12th, Sac¬ 
ken was at Chateau Thierry, and d’Yorck at Biffert; 
Marmont, with the fixth corps, at Etoges. O11 the fame 
day, marftial Blucher, with the corps of Kleilt and Kal- 
fiewitz, were in pofition at Bergeres. 
On the 13th, Blucher’s head-quarters were at Cham¬ 
paubert. He had advanced from Bergeres to attack mar¬ 
ffial Marmont at Etoges, who had about 9 or 10,000 men. 
The French gradually retired, and feveral brilk attacks were 
made upon their rear, particularly by the Cofacs. The pur- 
fuit continued from Etoges to beyond Champaubert. The 
French bivouacked in front of Fronientieres. In the mean 
time Bonaparte marched upon Chateau Thierry, front 
whence generals d’Yorck and Sacken had retired behind the 
Marne. On the 14th, Marmont retired from Fromentieres 
to Janvillieres, where he was joined by Bonaparte, who had 
made a forced march in the night from Chateau Thierry, 
with the whole of his guards and a large body of cavalry. 
A very fevere aftion now took place. Marftial Blucher’s 
force being very inferior in numbers, and particularly in 
cavalry, his infantry was formed into fquares, and he de¬ 
termined on a retreat. The French made the moft defpe- 
rate attacks of cavalry upon thefe fquares, but were re¬ 
ceived with fuch undaunted firmnefs, that not one of them 
W'as broken. After a very fevere and unequal conteft, 
carried on during a retreat of nearly four leagues, marftial 
Blucher obferved a large corps of cavalry ported on the 
chauffee in his rear near Etoges. He refolved to force his 
way through this obftacle, and, by opening a heavy fire of 
artillery and muiketry upon this cavalry, ported in a folid 
mafs on the chauffee, he fucceeded in his object. Upon 
reaching Etoges towards night, he was allailed by a body 
of infantry, which had penetrated through by-roads upon 
his flanks and rear; but generals Kleilt and Kafliewitz 
forced their way through this obftacle alfo, and placed 
their corps for the night in the pofition of Bergeres. Gen. 
Blucher’s whole lois on thefe days is eltimated at 3500 
men killed, wounded, and prifoners ; that of the French 
is Hated to have been very great, as they were expofed to 
a tremendous fire of artillery, in which Blucher was fupe¬ 
rior. Blucher fubfequently retired to Chalons, where he 
was joined on the 16th by Sacken and d’Yorck. Part of 
Gen. Winzingerode’s corps had carried Soiffons by af- 
fault, taking two generals and about 3000 men. Gen. 
Winzingerode was himfelf atRheims. Counts Langeron 
and St. Prieft were rapidly advancing to join marftial Blu- 
cher, whofe whole army was to unite at Chalons, to re¬ 
fume the offenfive. 
The town of Sens was taken by affault on the nth, by 
the 
