TESTE (François-Antoine, Baron) Bagnols-sur-Cèze (Gard) 1775 - Lot 491

TESTE (François-Antoine, Baron) Bagnols-sur-Cèze (Gard) 1775-1862 - General - Letter signed "Le Général de Brigade TESTE", to a General, Grosdorff on December 29, 1809 at 3 p.m. - "...The Bourgmestres and notables of the assembled communes have heard your instructions. They are all people who took part in the last insurrection (except for Grosdorff, who and the parish priest are the most respectable old men in the region). They claim to have been dragged there by envoys from the brigands... who threatened with death those who refused to join them in burning Lientz. They claim to have surrendered all their weapons, and on the threat of searching houses and burning those that had any left, they declare that this can be done, and that they will surrender their remaining lead and gunpowder. We are busy receiving them, but I have kept hostages until the search... is over...". - 1 1/4 pages folio.