The Virginia Gazette

Extract of a letter from Paris, September 5.

We are assured that the troop of carabineers, in their late march from Compeigne to Paris, laid the villages under contribution, and behaved quite in a military manner, taking by force, and without payment, whatever they thought proper. These disorders have irritated several Noblemen to whom their vassals have complained, and they have joined together to carry on a process against M. de Poyanne, to obtain an indemnification for the devastation and plunder made by his carabineers.

One of them passing towards Montrouge (a village half a league from Paris) met a washerwoman and her daughter carrying some linen; he addressed the youngest, asked her what she had got, searched, and found some men's shirts, said they would suit him very well, and carried them off, in spite of the intreaties and tears of the woman. He went afterwards to a tavern, got drunk, and, in quality of a carabineer, marched off without paying. He met in his way one of his comrades, as drunk as himself, who asked what he was about, and from whence he came, &c. The former confessed that he had some remorse for having just committed a scandalous action, and related the story. The latter said, with the contempt and tone of a carabineer, "What an infamous action is that, it deserves the rack." "You are right (says the other) but I was not made for the rack; no, a carabineer is not destined to that." "What to be done then? I have a great mind to cut you to pieces," replied his angry comrade. "You will do well, flash away----hold, here I am;" (and at the same time he pulled off his hat and presented himself to his comrade, who drew and lifted his sabre) "courage, my friend, hack me well, purify me in my blood." The other immediately fell on, and cut him to pieces, without his uttering one cry or groan. This victim expired, and the sacrificer walked coolly off.