Having arrived within a hundred paces of the place where his troops were assembled he found the generals who were under his orders advancing to meet him.  They urged him not to go farther, as the men were in open insurrection.  “I will go into the midst of them,” said Marmont.  “In a moment they shall either kill me or acknowledge me as their chief:”  He sent off another aide de camp to range the troops in the order of battle.  Then, alighting from the carriage and mounting a horse, he advanced alone, and thus harangued his troops:  “How!  Is there treason here?  Is it possible that you disown me?  Am I not your comrade?  Have I not been wounded twenty times among you? . . .  Have I not shared your fatigues and privations?  And am I not ready to do so again?” Here Marmont was interrupted by a general shout of “Vive le Marechal!  Vive le Marechal!”

The alarm caused among the members of the Provisional Government by the mission of the Marshals was increased by the news of the mutiny of Marmont’s troops.  During the whole of the day we were in a state of tormenting anxiety.  It was feared that the insurrectionary spirit might spread among other corps of the army, and the cause of France again be endangered.  But the courage of Marmont saved everything:  It would be impossible to convey any idea of the manner in which he was received by us at Talleyrand’s when he related the particulars of what had occurred at Versailles.

On the evening of the day on which Marmont had acted so nobly it was proposed that the army should adopt the white cockade.  In reply to this proposition the Marshal said, “Gentlemen, I have made my troops understand the necessity of serving France before all things.  They have, consequently, returned to order, and I can now answer for them.  But what I cannot answer for is to induce them to abandon the colours which have led them to victory for the last twenty years.  Therefore do not count upon me for a thing which I consider to be totally hostile to the interests of France.  I will speak to the Emperor Alexander on the subject.”  Such were Marmont’s words.  Every one appeared to concur in his opinion, and the discussion terminated.  For my own part, I find by my notes that I declared myself strongly in favour of Marmont’s proposition.

The Marshal’s opinion having been adopted, at least provisionally, an article was prepared for the Moniteur in nearly the following terms: 

The white cockade has been, during the last four days, a badge for the manifestation of public opinion in favour of the overthrow of an oppressive Government:  it has been the only means of distinguishing the partisans of the restoration of the old dynasty, to which at length we are to be indebted for repose.  But as the late Government is at an end, all colours differing from our national colours are useless:  let us, therefore, resume those which have so often led us to victory.

Such was the spirit of the article, though possibly