FRANgOIS KELLERMANN, MARSHAL OF FRANCE 25$ battalions, and advancing his reserved artillery to the front of his position, waited the advance of the enemy, who approached in silence. When they were within range of a destructive fire, Kellermann, waving his hat upon the end of his sabre, shouted, " yive la Nation ! " to which the whole army responded with enthusi- astic cries, and at the same moment, the artillery opened a tremendous fire. The Prussians halted ; the heads of their columns melted away under the galling discharges ; and they retreated, in good order, to their original position after sus- taining a serious loss. The fire, however, continued on both sides with spirit ; and about four o'clock in the afternoon the Prussians renewed their attack in column, but were again repulsed, even more decidedly, and by six in the evening were in full retreat. The victory was thus decided in favor of the French ; but the safety of the magazines at Dampierre and Voilmont was still not secured. Kellermann allowed his army about two hours' repose, and then, leaving large fires lighted along his whole line, and some regiments of light cavalry to defend the position, if the enemy should attempt an attack, he quietly drew off about nine o'clock at night, and reached Dampierre without the enemy being aware of his movement. About six o'clock the next morning, the Prussians marched for the same point, and were not a little astonished to find Kellermann's army drawn up in line of battle on the heights of Dampierre, in a position which rendered it impracticable to attack. They immediately retreated, and their retiring columns suffered severely from a fire opened by the French artillery. This operation raised the reputation of Kellermann to an exalted height. The allies soon after- ward retreated from France, and Kellermann desired to attack their rear ; but Dumouriez would not allow the movement to be made. In recompense of these services Kellermann was made commander-in-chief of the army of the Alps ; but incurring the jealousy of the ruling faction, he was thrown into prison in June, 1793, and lingered there for thirteen months, until the 9th Thermidor (July 27, 1794) restored him to liberty. In 1795 the army of Italy was reincorporated with the army of the Alps, from which it had been separated in the beginning of 1793 ; and the command of the united force was given to Kellermann at the close of that month. On his way to Nice to take the command, he met Napoleon at Marseilles, who, having been displaced by the re- construction of the army, was now visiting his mother at that place on his way to Paris. Napoleon gave much valuable information respecting the seat of war ; and Kellermann, continuing his journey, reached head-quarters at Nice on May 9, 1795. His operations during the campaign that followed diminished the reputa- tion which he had previously acquired. " Throughout the conduct of this war," says Napoleon, " he was constantly committing errors." On June 23d General Devins, at the head of the Austrian and Piedmontese armies, advanced against his positions; and after a series of engagements on the 25th, 26th, and 27th, Kellermann was driven out of all the posts in which Napoleon's arrangements had placed him in the preceding October, and falling back to the line of the Borghetto, wrote to the Directory that, unless he was speedily reinforced, he would be obliged even to quit Nice. The government were now satisfied that
