At midnight I despatched orders to all the troops to march towards the points specified.  Before day all the bridges and principal places were planted with cannon.  At daybreak the halls of the councils were surrounded, the guards of the councils were amicably mingled with our troops, and the members, of whom I send you a list, were arrested and conveyed to the Temple.  The greater number have escaped, and are being pursued.  Carnot has disappeared.’

   —­[In 1824 Louis XVIII. sent letters of nobility to those members
   of the two councils who were, as it was termed, ‘fructidorized’. 
   —­Bourrienne]—­

   Paris is tranquil, and every one is astounded at an event which
   promised to be awful, but which has passed over like a fete.

The stout patriots of the faubourgs proclaim the safety of the Republic, and the black collars are put down.  It now remains for the wise energy of the Directory and the patriots of the two councils to do the rest.  The place of sitting is changed, and the first operations promise well.  This event is a great step towards peace; which it is your task finally to secure to us.

On the 24th Fructidor (10th September 1797) Augereau writes: 

My ‘aide de camp’, de Verine, will acquaint you with the events of the 18th.  He is also to deliver to you some despatches from the Directory, where much uneasiness is felt at not hearing from you.  No less uneasiness is experienced on seeing in Paris one of your ’aides de camp’,—­(La Vallette)—­whose conduct excites the dissatisfaction and distrust of the patriots, towards whom he has behaved very ill.

The news of General Clarke’s recall will have reached you by this time, and I suspect has surprised you.  Amongst the thousand and one motives which have determined the Government to take this step may be reckoned his correspondence with Carnot, which has been communicated to me, and in which he treated the generals of the army of Italy as brigands.

   Moreau has sent the Directory a letter which throws a new light on
   Pichegru’s treason.  Such baseness is hardly to be conceived.

   The Government perseveres in maintaining the salutary measures which
   it has adopted.  I hope it will be in vain for the remnant of the
   factions to renew their plots.  The patriots will continue united.

Fresh troops having been summoned to Paris, and my presence at their head being considered indispensable by the Government, I shall not have the satisfaction of seeing you so soon as I hoped.  This has determined me to send for my horses and carriages, which I left at Milan.

Bernadotte wrote to Bonaparte on the 24th Fructidor as follows:—­