“. . . Citizen David, who accompanied General Pichegru in the 1794 campaign,
tells the following story :—* "
A soldier, serving in the brigade commanded by
Colonel Valetau, was placed in arrest for having left
his garrison, without permission, to make some
political speeches. The soldier wrote to General
Souham, who commanded the district, demanding
that Valetau should be dismissed as an aristocrat, and
suggested himself as the colonel's successor. General
iiron and his Staff made every effort
to arrest the panic, but the soldiers ran over his body,
Souham answered the soldier to the effect that' the
complaint savoured rather of passion and revenge
than of true patriotism.' The soldier then addressed
the Administrators at Lille, but getting no satisfaction,
denounced Colonel Valetau to the ' Committee
of Public Safety ' in Paris, and an order was promptly
sent to dismiss the colonel from his command "!!
Now, under such circumstances, even the best
officers could not have effected much with trained
troops. . . .
*Pichegru Campaign," by Citizen David, published in 1796.
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