ccount of the desiccation of Colonel Fougas, my sole heir.

It was on the 11th of November in that unhappy year 1813, that my
relations with this brave young man began. I had long since quitted
Dantzic, where the noise of cannon and the danger from bombs had
rendered all labor impossible, and retired with my instruments and books
under the protection of the Allied Armies in the fortified town of
Liebenfeld. The French garrisons of Dantzic, Stettin, Custrin, Glogau,
Hamburg and several other German towns could not communicate with each
other or with their native land; meanwhile General Rapp was obstinately
defending himself against the English fleet and the Russian army.
Colonel Fougas was taken by a detachment of the Barclay de Tolly corps,
as he was trying to pass the Vistula on the ice, on the way to Dantzic.
They brought him prisoner to Liebenfeld on the 11th of November, just at
my supper time, and Sergeant Garok, who commanded in the village, forced
me to be present at the examination and act as interpreter.

The open countenance, manly voice, proud firmness and fine carriage of
the unfortunate young man won my heart. He had made the sacrifice of his
life. His only regret, he said, was having stranded so near port, after
passing through four armies; and being unable to carry out the Emperor's
orders. He appeared animated by that French fanaticism which has done
so much harm to our beloved Germany. Nevertheless I could not help
defending him; and I translated his words less as an interpreter than as
an advocate. Unhappily, they found upon him a letter from Napoleon to
General Rapp, of which I preserved a copy:

"Abandon Dantzic, break the blockade, unite with the
garrisons of Stettin, Custrin and Glogau, march along
the Elbe, arrange with St. Cyr and Davoust to
concentrate the forces scattered at Dresden, Forgau,
Wittenberg, Magdeburg and Hamburg; roll up an army like
a snow ball; cross Westphalia, which is open, and come
to defend the line of the Rhine with an army of 170,000
Frenchmen which you will have saved!

"NAPOLEON."

This letter was sent to the headquarters of the Russian army, whilst a
half-dozen illiterate soldiers, drunk with joy and bad brandy, condemned
the brave Colonel of the 23d of the line to the death of a spy and a
traitor. The execution was fixed for the next day, the 12th, and M.
Pierre Victor Fougas, after having thanked and embraced me with the most