The Kentucky Gazette

ARMY OF THE SAMBRE AND MEUSE.

Extract of an official letter from Andernach 28th Fructidor, 7th year.

"I have seen gen. Jourdan, and informed him of the unfavorable reports that were abroad. The following is the answer which he made.

"When Moreau passed the Lech we were ten leagues from Ratishon. The archduke fell back, and reinforced with 25,000 men, the corps of gen. Wartensteben, already equal in number to ours. The right was penetrated by a numerous body of cavalry, which gained a position in our rear, and, in order to save the army of the Sambre and Meuse, we were obliged to retreat when the roads were steep. This retreat was effected, tho the enemy were ten times more numerous than we were, were close upon our rear. Jourdan contrived to gain a retreat by maintaining a close front with the Austrian flank, opposing his progress. He maneuvered with so much ability the infantry, 4 squadrons of dragoons, all incessantly, seconded his intention with so much gallantry, that the attack of the cuirassiers cost them 60 men. We retreated slowly. The soldiers being yet with intrepidity. The French nation has thus gained honor. We have not lost a single bigwig. We are now upon the Lahn. Our position is impregnable.

Ehrenbreitstein is vigorously besieged. I reckon upon its speedy surrender.

We are very soon to engage the enemy, and we shall soon gain the victory, our warriors burn with it. They have fought two to one at least, and they had to face the enemy on every side.

In fine, Ernouf has sworn to me that our reputation should never be sullied, and that some disastrous accidents had taken place. They shall still be very lively successes for the imperialists.

An exact copy.

(Signed) BOUTEVILLE,
Commissioner of the government.

Jourdan, general in chief of the army of the Sambre and Meuse, to the Executive Directory.

Head-quarters at Wetzlar, 24th Fructidor,

Citizen Directors,

I have the honor to inform you, that yesterday, in the evening the army reached the Lahn, behind Wetzlar. I this morning detached gen. Bernadotte, with the division under his command, towards Limburg, where he is to form a junction with a corps which gen. Moreau was to march to that quarter, in retreating towards the left bank of the Rhine.

Since the affair of the 17th, the army has continued its retreat, and though followed by the enemy's army, we have only been disturbed in our march by parties of hussars, and by peasants, who frequently attempted to carry off our park artillery.

(Signed)
JOURDAN."