hesitate to obey this order： he set out from Nimes on the 7th； passed
the night at Uzes； and finding that town abandoned by the
magistrates； declared it in a state of siege； lest disturbances
should arise in the absence of authority。 Having placed M。 de
Bresson in command； a retired chief of battalion who was born in
Uzes； and who usually lived there； he continued his march on the
morning of the 8th。
Beyond the village of Conans； General Gilly met an orderly sent to
him by Colonel Saint…Laurent to inform him that he； the colonel； had
occupied Pont Saint…Esprit； and that the Duc d'Angouleme； finding
himself thus caught between two fires； had just sent General
d'Aultanne； chief of staff in the royal army； to him； to enter into
negotiations for a surrender。 Upon this； General Gilly quickened his
advance； and on reaching Pont…Saint…Esprit found General d'Aultanne
and Colonel Saint…Laurent conferring together at the Hotel de la
Poste。
As Colonel Saint…Laurent had received his instructions directly from
the commander…in…chief； several points relating to the capitulation
had already been agreed upon； of these General Gilly slightly altered
some； and approved of the others； and the same day the following
convention was signed：
〃Convention concluded between General Gilly and Baron de Damas
〃S。A。R。 Mgr。 le Duc d'Angouleme； Commanderin…Chief of the royal army
in the South； and Baron de Gilly； General of Division and
Commander…in…Chief of the first corps of the Imperial Army； being
most anxiously desirous to prevent any further effusion of French
blood； have given plenary powers to arrange the terms of a convention
to S。A。R。 M。 le Baron de Damas； Field…Marshal and Under…Chief of
Staff； and General de Gilly and Adjutant Lefevre； Chevalier of the
Legion of Honour； and Chief of the Staff of the first Army Corps；
who； having shown each other their respective credentials； have
agreed on the following terms：
〃Art。 1。 The royal army is to be disbanded； and the National Guards
which are enrolled in it； under whatever name they may have been
levied； will return to their homes； after laying down their arms。
Safe conducts will be provided； and the general of division
commanding…in…chief guarantees that they shall never be molested for
anything they may have said or done in connection with the events
preceding the present convention。
〃The officers will retain their swords； the troops of the line who
form part of this army will repair to such garrisons as may be
assigned to them。
〃Art。 2。 The general officers； superior staff officers and others of
all branches of the service； and the chiefs and subordinates of the
administrative departments； of whose names a list will be furnished
to the general…in…chief； will retire to their homes and there await
the orders of His Majesty the Emperor。
〃Art。 3。 Officers of every rank who wish to resign their commissions
are competent to do so。 They will receive passports for their homes。
〃Art。 4。 The funds of the army and the lists of the paymaster…
general will be handed over at once to commissioners appointed for
that purpose by the commander…in…chief。
〃Art。 5。 The above articles apply to the corps commanded by Mgr。 le
Duc d'Angouleme in person； and also to those who act separately but
under his orders； and as forming part of the royal army of the South。
〃Art。 6。 H。R。H。 will post to Cette； where the vessels necessary for
him and his suite will be waiting to take him wherever he may desire。
Detachments of the Imperial Army will be placed at all the relays on
the road to protect His Royal Highness during the journey； and the
honours due to his rank will be everywhere paid him； if he so desire。
〃Art。 7。 All the officers and other persons of His Royal Highness'
suite who desire to follow him will be permitted to do so； and they
may either embark with him at once or later； should their private
affairs need time for arrangement。
〃Art。 8。 The present treaty will be kept secret until His Royal
Highness have quitted the limits of the empire。
〃Executed in duplicate and agreed upon between the above…mentioned
plenipotentiaries the 8th day of April in the year 1815； with the
approval of the general commanding…in…chief； and signed；
〃At the headquarters at Pont…Saint…Esprit on the day and year above
written
（Signed） LEFEVRE
Adjutant and Chief of Staff of the
First Corps of the Imperial Army
of the South
（Signed） BARON DE DAMAS
Field…Marshal and Under…Chief of
Staff
〃The present convention is approved of by the General of Division
Commanding…in…Chief the Imperial Army of the South。
（Signed） GILLY〃
After some discussion between General Gilly and General Grouchy； the
capitulation was carried into effect。 On the 16th April； at eight
o'clock in the morning； the Duc d'Angouleme arrived at Cette； and
went on board the Swedish vessel Scandinavia； which； taking advantage
of a favourable wind； set sail the same day。
Early in the morning of the 9th an officer of high rank had been sent
to La Palud to issue safe…conducts to the troops； who according to
Article I of the capitulation were to return home 〃after laying down
their arms。〃 But during the preceding day and night some of the
royal volunteers had evaded this article by withdrawing with their
arms and baggage。 As this infraction of the terms led to serious
consequences； we propose； in order to establish the fact； to cite the
depositions of three royal volunteers who afterwards gave evidence。
〃On leaving the army of the Duc d'Angouleme after the capitulation；〃
says Jean Saunier； 〃I went with my officers and my corps to
Saint…Jean…des…Anels。 From there we marched towards Uzes。 In the
middle of a forest； near a village； the name of which I have
forgotten； our General M。 de Vogue told us that we were all to return
to our own homes。 We asked him where we should deposit the flag。
Just then Commandant Magne detached it from the staff and put it in
his pocket。 We then asked the general where we should deposit our
arms； he replied； that we had better keep them； as we should probably
find use for them before long； and also to take our ammunition with
us； to ensure our safety on the road。
〃From that time on we all did what we thought best： sixty…four of us
remained together； and took a guide to enable us to avoid Uzes。〃
Nicholas Marie； labourer； deposed as follows：
〃On leaving the army of the Duc d'Angouleme after the capitulation； I
went with my officers and my corps to Saint…Jean…des…Anels。 We
marched towards Uzes； but when we were in the middle of a forest；
near a village the name of which I have forgotten； our general； M。 de
Vogue； told us that we were to go to our own homes as soon as we
liked。 We saw Commandant Magne loose the flag from its staff； roll
it up and put it in his pocket。 We asked the general what we were to
do with our arms； he replied that we were to keep both them and our
ammunition； as we should find them of use。 Upon this； our chiefs
left us； and we all got away as best we could。〃
〃After the capitulation of the Duc d'Angouleme I found myself；〃
deposes Paul Lambert； lace…maker of Nimes； 〃in one of several
detachments under the orders of Commandant Magne and General Vogue。
In the middle of a forest near a village； the name of which I do not
know； M。 de Vogue and the other officer； told us we might go home。
The flag was folded up； and M。 Magne put it in his pocket。 We asked
our chiefs what we were to do with our arms。 M。 de Vogue told us
that we had better keep them； as we should need them before very
long； and in any case it would be well to have them with us on the
road； lest anything should happen to us。〃
The three depositions are too much alike to leave room for any doubt。
The royal volunteers contravened Article I of the convention。
Being thus abandoned by their chiefs； without general and without
flag； M。 de Vogue's soldiers asked no further counsel of anyone but
themselves； and； as one of them has already told us； sixty…four of
them joined together to hire a guide who was to show them how to get
by Uzes without going through it； for they were afraid of meeting
with insult there。 The guide brought them as far as Montarem without
anyone opposing their passage or taking notice of their arms。
Suddenly a coachman named Bertrand； a confidential servant of Abbe
Rafin； former Grand…Vicar of Alais； and of Baroness Arnaud…Wurmeser
（for the abbe administered the estate of Aureillac in his own name
and that of the baroness）； galloped into the village of
Arpaillargues； which was almost entirely Protestant and consequently
Napoleonist； announcing that the miquelets （for after one hundred and
ten years the old name given to the royal troops was revived） were on
the way from Montarem； pillaging houses； murdering magistrates；
outraging women； and then throwing them out of the windows。 It is
easy to understand the effect of such a story。 The people gathered
together in groups； the mayor and his assistant being absent；
Bertrand was taken before a certain Boucarut； who on receiving his
report ordered the generale to be beaten and the tocsin to be rung。
Then the consternation became general： the men seized their muskets；
the women and children stones and pitchforks； and everyone made ready
to face a danger which only existed in the imagination of Bertrand；
for there was not a shadow of foundation for the story he had told。
While the village was in this state of feverish excitement the royal
volunteers came in sight。 Hardly were they seen than the cry； 〃There
they are！ There they are！〃 arose on all sides； the streets were
barricaded with carts； the tocsin rang out with redoubled frenzy； and
everyone capable of carrying arms rushed to the entrance of the
village。
The volunteers； hearing the uproar and seeing the hostile
preparations； halted； and to show that their intentions were
peaceful； put their shakos on their musket stocks and waved them
above their heads； shouting that no one need fear； for they would do
no harm to anyone。 But alarmed as they were by the terrible stories
told by Bertrand； the villagers shouted back that they could not
trust