242 
Being fometimes employed as Comman- 
cer'in Chief, and at others as an advifer 
to the perfon-deftined to fucceed him, it 
feemed as though they withed rather to 
mortify, than get ridof him: they took 
away his appointment, and yet forbade 
him to quit his pot. 
In purfuance of his advice and plans, 
the famous battle of Savenay was given, 
which ought to have terminated the war 
in the Vendée. Although not aéting as 
Commander in Chief, he directed the-ex- 
pedition.againft the ifland of Noirmontier, 
where the principal officers of the infur- 
gents were made prifoners. 
The Prince of Talment, who was 
wounded and taken, and on the point of 
being tried by the military commifhon, 
and confequently fure of condemnation, 
having now no further intereft m conceal- 
ing the truth, gave Kleber a detailed ac- 
count of the force of the infurgents, and’ 
motives of the infurreCtion. The refult 
was, that they were almoft totally de- 
flroyed, and the truth now became 
evident, that the difturbances arofe folely 
from the tyranny which had been exer- 
cifed in regard to theix religious opinions. 
Kleber now endeavoured to perfuade his 
colleagues to employ clemency and gentle- 
nefs, but without fuccefs, Fatigued at 
length with the dreadful fcenes which 
were continually before his eyes, and in- 
dignant at the conduét of the Generals 
and Reprefentatives of the People, he left 
this land of defolation, after’ having re- 
mained fix months in it—after having 
been feverely wounded in the fhoulder— 
and, ona hundred occafions, incurred the 
hazard of being: killed. 
On his arrival at Paris, he prefented 
himfelf before the Committee of General 
Safety, and requefted employment elfe- 
where than in. the Vendée. Before his 
withes~ were granted, they reprefented to. 
him, that as the year during which he was 
bound, after the furrender of Mentz, not 
to ferve againft the Coalefced Powers, had 
not yet expired, he would expofe himfelf 
to imminent danger, efpecially if he fhould 
chance to be taken. ‘* That (anfwered 
he,) is my bufinefs; we fhall not be en- 
gaged before that time, and if we fhouid, 
Thave a remedy againft fuch inconveni- 
ence.” He was, in confequence, fent to 
the Northern Army, and appointed to the 
‘command of a divifion. 
“This army -had experienced  fome 
checks, which they were anxious to re- 
pair. General Jourdan came to the neigh- 
wourhood of Arlon, for the purpofe of 
5 
e 
12 -—-Bingraphical Account of General’Kleber. 
a ? 
[O&. t, 
organizing it ; nor did he make any long 
delay before he began that famous cama 
paign in which a continuation of fuccefs 
was feen on the part of the French ar- 
TERS eee ae 
. The enemy, elated with the advantages 
they had obtained in the North, were pre- 
‘paring to extend them, and to penetrate | 
to the interior of the Republic, when Jour- 
dan advanced to befiege Charleroi. The 
Army of the Ardennes joined that of 
Jourdan, as well as a detached columh of 
the Army of the North: this column was 
led by Kleber, who had jut defeated the 
Auftrians at -Merber-le-Chateau, and 
made twelve hundred prifoners. This 
impofing force, after uniting and pafing 
the Sambre, /aflumed the name, fince fo 
celebrated, of the Army of the Sambre 
and Meufe. : | 
On the fame day in which the paflage 
of the Sambre was effected, the united 
armies attacked the enemy, and gained. a 
fignal advantage over them at Goffelier, 
and then invefted Charleroi. Four days 
after, the Auftrians appeared and at. 
tacked the French with the greateft 
vigour. ‘This firft battle, of Fieurus, dif- 
tinguifhed equally by the length of is du- 
ration, and by the bloodfhed on both fides, 
in which the advantages and reverles were, 
balanced, was only the prelude to that 
which took place ten days after, on the. 
fame plains. Kleber acquired great ho- 
nour on this occafion : his coolnefs and 
intrepidity procured him the efeem of 
every intelligent officer, and the confi, 
dence of his General, who did not fail 
to give the moft marked proofs of it. 
After the battle of Fleurus, the Av- 
ftrians experienced nothing but mii 
chances: whilft Jourdan purfued them on 
one point, Kleber harafied them on an- 
other fide: he came up with and beat 
them before Marchiennes. He then. 
haftened to Mons, of which he took pof- 
feffion. In fhort, every day was attended 
with fome victory. He drove the enemy 
from_Louvain, after giving them a com- 
plete defeat, and from the celebrated poft 
of Montagne-de-fer. 
Kleber now joined the army of Jour- 
dan. Their firft ftep after this junétion 
was to pafs the Ourthe, fubfequently to 
which feveral a€tions took place, in which 
the enemy loft a confiderable number of 
men, and in which Kleber added gieatly 
to the military fame he-had already ac-. 
quikedy 1, 9, : 
(To be continued.) 
‘ORIGINAL _ 
