goncurrents in his Ine of duty; for the 
way which led to his poft was directly 
under the fire of the enemy’s cannon, and 
fo continually {wept with their balls, that 
few dared venture thither without inclin- 
ing their body in fuch a manner as nearly 
to touch the ground. Notwithftanding 
the gallant defence which was made, the 
garrifon was reduced to the greateft dif- 
trefs, and became incapable of holding 
out any length of time; as the French ar- 
mies made no movement fuficiently deci- 
five in their behalf, in fpite of the gafcon- 
ading of the Reprefentatives, who were 
then with the Army of the Rhine. They 
daily fent word that they fhould foon have 
an opportunity of embracing their bro- 
thers in Mentz, and of overthrowing the 
Pruffian forces ; but advancing one day 
and retreating the next, they never took 
the proper way of attaining this object. — 
Mentz at length furrendered ; and the 
Jacobins loudly taxed the garrifon with 
treachery and cowardice. The refult of 
thefe vociferations was a decree, by which 
all the leaders of the army of Mentz were 
ordered under arreft without any hearing 
on their part. 
Kleber, who headed one of the co- 
Jumns, and juftly expected to meet with 
éncomiums, if not with rewards, was 
ftrangely furprized to find himfelf put un- 
der arreft, on his entrance into Nancy, and 
attended by two gens-d’armes, who did 
not leave him fora moment. He could 
not forbear burifting into tears at this un- 
juft treatment. 
The Convention, however, repealed 
this decree ; and by a contradition of con- 
duét net uncommon to that Affembly, it 
was voted that the army of Mentz had de- 
ferved well of their country, and that they 
fhould be fent to the Vendée. 
Three days after, Kleber arrived at Pa- 
ris, where the Minifter at War confirmed 
his nomination to the place of Adjutant 
General ; he was, furthermore, made Ge- 
neral of Brigade, and was fo fatisfied with 
this act of juftice, that he forgot the harth 
treatment which he had juft experienced. 
During the fiege of Mentz, he became 
intimately acquainted with Aubert Du- 
bayet: the latter had the higheft efteem 
for K!eber, who in return conceived the 
fincerest friendfhip for him. After many 
feparations, and as many meetings again, 
they had both terminated their career in 
their campaigns againft the Turks. 
At this period the procefs of the unfor- 
tunate General Cuftine exhibited one of 
thofe fpectacles-which the Jacobins de- 
lighted to give, becaufe they conceived 
MONTHLY Mac, No.166, 
Biographical Account of General Kleber. 241 
them neceffary to fpread terror throughout 
the armies. Witnefles were fent for from 
all quarters. © The officers of the army of 
Mentz were called upon for their depofi- 
tions, and of this number ‘was Kleber. 
In the teftimony he gave, he was fo far 
from throwing any blame on Cuftine, 
that he pafled encomiums upon his zeal 
and intrepidity. That he might not, 
however, appear too partial, he regretted | 
that the General had chofen for the com- 
mand of Frankfort a man who was infuf- 
ficient to the tafk, and whe, by not hold- 
ing out as long as the place admitted of, 
had been highly injurious to the defence of 
Mentz. Cuttine haftily replied, ‘* That 
is true ; but I had then no choice. Had 
I known the witnefS, whom I declare to be 
one of the moft enlightened and gallant 
officers in the Republican armies, he 
fhould have commanded at Frankfort 5 
and in that cafe Mentz would ftill have 
remained in the bands of the French.” — 
The teftimony which Kicber bore to the 
conduct of Cuftine was fuch as to reflect 
the higheft honour on his candour and in- 
tegrity. 
_ After the expiration of two days he fet 
off for the Vendée, in company with Au- 
bert Dubayet. Previoufly to his depar- 
turé for this wretched country, he endea- 
voured to gain every poffible information 
as to the fpecies of warfare upon which 
he was going to enter; and he was con-— 
vinced that mildnefs, perfuafion, and 
above all, equitable laws, would be fuffi- 
cient to extinguifh the flames of civil war 
with which the province was devaftated, 
without the aid of thofe threatening and 
dreadful preparations which were made 
again the inhabitants, 
It is not our intention to enter into a 
detail of the campaigns in the Vendée : 
they are already known: fuffice it to fay, 
that Kleber was almoft the only one 
among the Generals who were fent there 
at that period, who conduéted himfelf as 
a foldier ought to do; and had not his 
movements and arrangements been 
fhackled, he would have put a fpeedy ter- 
mination to that difaflrous war. ‘This, 
however, did not enter into the views of 
the rulers of the day, whofe intereft it was 
to exafperate this political cancer. He 
difplayed too much talent, and, at the 
fame fime, too much contempt for fome of 
2 
his colleagues in the army, not to create 
a number of enemies: indeed, the denur- 
ciations againft him were fc frequent, 
that the Committce of Gencral Safety 
had, fix or feven times, pronounced his’ 
difsuflal, though it was never notified. — 
li Being 
