* The famous action of the Affietta, the defeat of the French army, and death of its commander, the Count of Belleifle.

"A little farther on, upon the Turin fide of "the Grand Croix, the mountain called the Affietta, presents itself nearly at the diftance of about "two leagues upon your right, rendered famous “ by the entire defeat of the French army, invading the Sardinian territories, under the com"mand of the Count de Belleifle, brother to the "Marefchal of that name, who was then at the "head of the French cabinet. Voltaire in parti"cular, and other writers, have made gross mis"takes, or wilful mifrepresentations of this im

portant action; I was glad of an opportunity of "procuring an exact detail of it, which I have

just had from the mouth of an officer now of "confiderable rank, both in the military fervice, "and at the court of his Sardinian Majefty, who "then commanded the firft grenadier company of "the Piedmontefe guards; his relation has been "confirmed to me in all its circumstances, by the 66 prefent commandant of Turin, who fought at the "head of the above regiment upon that day.

"The French army, commanded by Belleisle, was composed of forty-eight battalions, the army of Piedmont of thirteen only, three Ger"man regiments included. The Sardinian troops "had taken up their ground near the Affietta,

* This account appeared in the first edition at the end of my letters from Turin, where M acquired the particulars of it, but is now inferted in its proper place.

* about three weeks before, and raised in their "front a strong parapet of earth, lined within and "without by a dry ftone-wall, whofe outward "face might be about nine feet in height, strength"ened at fuitable diftances with earth and "fafcines, to a proportionate folidity; the whole

fupported by batteries, and lined with their

infantry. Against this work the French army "advanced in three columns. The extent of the "Piedmontefe lines was near two leagues; they "were obliged to take this compass to prevent "the enemy from winding round their flanks; "too confiderable extent of front for so small a "force. Belleifle's army formed three different "attacks at the fame moment, with their wonted "national vivacity, in order to weaken and dif"tract the enemy's refiftance. The next in com"mand to Belleifle opened the action in force; the "ground upon that quarter being equal and prac"ticable, even to the breast-work, at the foot of "which he soon after fell.

"The regiment of Piedmontefe guards, opposed "to this attack, with-held their fire until the enemy was within twenty-five paces of them. Up" on the other two quarters the French troops,

r

"obliged to struggle with fharp and rude accli"vities, unprotected by cannon, were pushed "back with a miferable flaughter. No want of "ammunition, as has been falfely afferted, pre"vailed in the army of Piedmont; nor was there "a fingle pallifadoe in their camp, nor upon their works; though Voltaire maintains the contrary, "who

"who ought to have had better information, declaring that many of the French foldiers,

grievously wounded upon the parapet, were "feen attempting to tear up the pallifadoes with "their teeth. The Count de Belleifle led on in

perfon the second general affault, and was faced "by the Piedmontefe guards. Thefe received "the enemy as before, with a clofe and effective "fire, followed by vollies of ftones, which in"creased the mischief of their fmall arms; but "this was more particularly the cafe at the other "two attacks, where the Piedmontefe rolled "down huge fragments of rocks upon their ad-> "vancing battalions, that had been made fast "with ropes to ftakes placed within fide their parapet-walls, which when tore up, or cut. away, let loose their charge upon the enemy, "embarraffed in dangerous defiles, or struggling "with difficult afcents, thereby forcing their ranks "back, one upon the other, and throwing the "whole into irreparable disorder. It is not true (as has been afferted), that Belleifle had attempted to mount the parapet; nor was a man "of his whole army (one fingle grenadier excepted), seen upon the top of it, and he was instant"ly shot dead.

"The French battalions moved on to the third "and fourth attacks without order, courage, or "difcipline; tottering and ftumbling forwards "like men ftunned and blinded, who knew not "whither they were going, nor what they were "about;

"about; fresh regiments preffed forward to fup-. "ply fresh flaughter. Their officers, who were "heard to exhort and encourage their efforts, "fuffered prodigiously in proportion to their "numbers. They had no cannon, no fafcines, “fand bags, ladders, or other implements necef"fary for such an attempt; a strange and unmi"litary overfight. Their first attack was made "with great noife and tumult; hollowing out to "the Piedmontese, that they should be foon with"in their works; but, notwithstanding their boasts,

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they never made any other than a feeble, dif"tracted, and ill-fupported fire, from the death "of Belleifle (who fell about thirty yards from "the parapet, by a fhot through the breaft), just in that anxious moment whilft all was in fufpenfe. In his pockets were found plans and difpofitions for the affault of Exiles and other "fortreffes of his Sardinian majesty, drawn by his "chief engineer; alfo a letter to his mistress, "fealed and directed, that no time might be loft "in acquainting her of his having entirely defeated "the enemy, with great rout and flaughter, and "obtained a complete victory. His pocket-book "contained also several letters from that lady, "full of paffion, tenderness, and affection; "wherein the advises him to menagé (to take care "of) himself for the fake of his brother, his coun"try, and herself. She was known to be a mar"ried woman, and of the first rank, from the 66 names, circumstances, and coteries mentioned

"in her letters. This pocket-book, which fell "into the hands of the foldiery, was applied for

by letter from the French miniftry to the Sar"dinian court the year following, and was confequently restored.

"The Count of St. Sebastian, Lieutenant"colonel of the guards of Piedmont, received "orders from the Count de B (now Com

"mandant of the citadel of Turin, then at the "head of the Sardinian army, who, from an "eminence in the centre of his lines, faw prepa"rations for the fecond attack, making by Bel"leisle in person) to rejoin him inftantly, left his “regiment, and the troops with him, might be cut "off, should the French fucceed in piercing his "works at any one of the different attacks: but "that gallant officer refufing to obey (foreseeing "that his giving way would only re-animate the "enemy's hopes, and encourage a perfeverance "that might be attended with fatal confequences.

to this little army), ftood his ground like a good foldier, gave his orders with temper and presence "of mind, and thereby contributed in a great "measure to this most important victory. This "brave man, who rifked at once both life and "reputation, by difobeying the orders of his

gene

ral, was rewarded with a pension of 50l. fterling per annum; fuch is the prefent King's generofity and economy.”

From La Ferriere to La Novalefe, the road is in fome places not quite fo fteep as before; but at