Frasers of Philorth > Volume 1

THE FRASERS OF PHILORTH, LORDS SALTOUN. 277
On the 29th he writes from the camp at Choisi : —
" The Prussians had an affair two days ago with Soult at Compeigne, in
which Soult was beat, and suffered considerably ; they say to-day that
Boneparte has left Paris and gone to Havre, with an intention of embarking
for America, it is the best thing he can do now, for if he is taken, I do not
know what the Allies will do with him, but I should think they would hang
him.
" "We have to-day fallen into the line of a column of Prussians, who have
been plundering at such a rate that all the villages are entirely deserted, and
I may almost say destroyed. To be sure they are only paying off old scores,
but it is rather a bore for us, as we have great difficulty in purchasing any
articles of provision, for the people are afraid of returning to their houses, as
they do not know that they will be protected by us."
On the 2d July, from Le Bourjet : —
" I wrote you last on the 29th, on the 30th we marched to La Chapelle,
about two miles beyond Senlis ; and yesterday we came to this place, which
is about two miles beyond Gonesse, on the left of St. Denis, and nearly
parallel with it ; and we have taken our position on this ground, our right
resting on the Seine, opposed to St. Denis, where the French are strorjg, our
centre in this town, which is immediately opposite to Mont Martre, and our
left resting on the canal de l'Ourcq, to the left of the road that runs through
this place to Paris, which is about four miles distant ; and I rather think we
shall remain in this position till the Eussians and Austrians come up. The
Prussian army, on our arrival yesterday, made a movement to the right,
crossed the Seine at the bridge of St. Germain, and are to take post on that
side of Paris, at Malmaison, St. Cloud, and Versailles. . . .
" We were yesterday on the advance posts with the Prussians, support-
ing them, until Lord Hill's corps came up, when we took our front of the
line, and they told us they took the whole of Vandame's baggage, as well
as Napoleon's. One of their officers of light cavalry fell in with his jewels,
and had his pocket full of diamonds. I wish I had had the same luck, I
would have put them to good account, besides the iclat of the thing. If I
fall in with him again, I will try and buy some of them, but yesterday I
was not very full of cash, as the baggage had not come up ; he wanted to