Mariambourg Bravery

Alembic D'Gustion, Harry Covert, Jean Huile show off their uniforms

We can be proud of our troops and in particular the gentlemen we have been following closely. All of them were mentioned in dispatches for their bravery (and in some cases extreme bravery). In the event most of them have returned safely to Paris with their tales of bravery and with bulging purses with their gains from the sacking of Mariambourg.

Sadly we have to report the death of Alembic D'Gustion¹ whose bravery in charging the light cannon set up by the inhabitants as part of their ambush led to the outflanking of their position as they concentrated their fire on Alembic D'Gustion as he charged their position. This action allowed Harry Covert and Jean Huile to use this as a distraction to achieve positions in the adjacent building and then bravely chopped down the supports of the wall dividing them from the light cannon and they dived through the wall as the floor above collapsed².

Fourier Transformée and Côte de Boeuf gained their mentions in dispatches during the initial assault on the town. M. Transformée was assigned to the sappers that tunnelled under the town gate. He was mentioned in dispatches for his brave defence of the tunnel after it accidentally broke into the cellar of the gate³. Côte de Boeuf was assigned to the squad that followed up when the town gate was opened and rallied his squad after the death of the subaltern originally assigned to the squad⁴.

Cardinal Richelieu condemns Huguenot perfidy

Responding to the reports from the action at Mariambourg Cardinal Richelieu has condemned the treachery of the heretics who had set up the ambush of the frontier regiment as it set about arrangements for the surrender of the town. The Cardinal was very clear that this was a demonstration of the lack of honour and trust that is regularly displayed by the enemies of France, both those inside and outside of the country.

Pineapple Party is the event of the month

Presentation of the pineapple

Guillame De Batz and Phillipe Lemoine stunned Paris society with their display and subsequent consumption of a whole pineapple - especially imported from Guadeloupe in the Caribbean Islands. The display drew many admirers from across Paris, including a few from the royal court itself (it is said that the visitors from the court were attracted by the opportunity to actually taste the fruit (it being normally reserved for the royal table itself and those able to afford the hundred crowns for an individual fruit.

Among those attending the party included Albert Kestrel, Marius Thibodeux and somewhat bemused René Descartes, a young lawyer who gained his degree at the University of Poitiers and visiting Paris to learn more about potential clients.

Release for Mlle. Transformée?

One person who will be particularly pleased by the bravery shown by Fourier Transformée will be his sister, Hélène. She was detained by M. Sillery last year and her brother's letter shows that the family is most supportive of the current regime:

I hope that this reaches you, it's been such a long time. know that when I eventually make my fortune that I will see you released. With the first sign of spring weather, I find that my fine blue winter coat is now a brown-coat, mud is everywhere. There is enough wood to to keep us warm with a Fire. Fly's make life a hell here. My normal serenity is somewhat shattered as I look over the valley, mist and smoke from musket fire mask any birdsong or green fields.
For the glory of king Louis this war will see unification with the misguided enemy.
Vive La France!

The bravery of the Transformée family, together with the fall of the Marquis Sillery lends hope for the release of Hélène⁵.

Splendid oration after La Reine d'Ecosse

Attendees at latest staging of La Reine d'Ecosse were treated to an oratory written by Marius Thidobeaux as an epilogue to the play⁶:

The goddess Aphrodite wept in vain
And all Olympus marveled at her tears
The many beauteous nymphs that formed her train
Wept with her, to the wonder of their peers.
"What ails thee?", cried Ares, god of war
"Perchance some mortal fool hath slighted thee?
Tell me his name that falsely thee abhor
A bitter vengeance shall I work on he."
"Alas," the lovely goddess wailed aloud,
"I fear 'tis jealousy that makes me weep Like raindrops tumbling earthwards from a cloud
Tormenting me so that I cannot sleep.
You call me fair, whose eyes are red and wet But FLORA is accounted fairer yet!"

Victoria Gainsbourg charmed by Roget Thésaurus

Despite hints of interest from Omer Dalors, Victoria continues to be charmed by Roget Thésaurus. She was treated to an excellent picnic and conversation on the outskirts of Paris⁷.

Aurélie Pueyrredón stays single

Despite the attentions of Sir Alex Kuzbidon, Mlle Pueyrredón has, so far, rejected his advances. Perhaps his bad luck has aided the good luck of (most of) those who joined the frontier regiments!

Regimental News

Queen's Own Carabineers

We regret that we are unable to accept an application from Albert Kestrel at this time.

Picardy Musketeers

Aline Yar is promoted to Subaltern in C company.

13^th Fusiliers

Captain Omer Dalors stands accused of ungentlemanly behaviour. He is called before a board of inquiry in three months time⁸.

L’Ark de Triomphe a success

A safer form of the ostrich racing?

Despite a low turnout for the event of the month, the grand menagerie race and the associated activities proved to be a fairly successful day for the organisers, Phillipe Lemoine and Gulliame De Batz. The day itself was overcast, but at least the mud of the street had a delightful crust for the racers to crunch through. The day started with an initial set of races to determine the fastest animal of each type. Getting the ostriches to race proved relatively easy after the stand providing mulled wine to the spectators collapsed in flames (it appears that the stallholders weren't watching over the candles used to keep the mulled wine to temperature), bu the armadillos proved to be much more reluctant to race and embarrassingly were eventually overtaken by the tortoises that had only been added to the roster as an additional late entry by a pair of enterprising bookies.

Before the main event, Guillame rose to make his challenge to Phillipe: Phillipe, you scoundrel, you leave me no choice but to challenge you to a duel, to which Phillipe quickly responded with Accepted, I choose to fight with Lances with us mounted on these Ostriches..... Although there was some mutterings as to whether this was an honourable way to settle the issue¹, the road was quickly cleared by Albert Kestrel and his quickly organised band of gofers all ably overseen by Élisabeth Beaumont. One of the nearby stalls was dismantled to be converted into lances and then Phillipe and Guillame retreated to opposite ends of the road and attempted to mount their new steeds. Their first attempt was marred for both of them when their respective ostriches dodged their dramatic leaps with the pair ending up in the mud. After their mounts had been recaptured both took a more cautious approach and eventually both were on their ostrich. They then attempted to do the run down the street towards their opponent. While Guillame was able, miraculously, to keep his balance and keep his steed on the line of the street, Phillipe was less lucky as his ostrich dove down a side street, reaching Le Pont Neuf and dodging around La pompe de la Samaritaine, dumping the unfortunate Phillipe into the Seine.

After the rescue of Phillipe from the waters, and a short break for him to recover his composure (and luckily he was otherwise unhurt), Phillipe declared himself to have lost the joust on grounds that Guillame had, at least, managed a run down the course without losing his way!²

The final race of the day was then easily won by the Guillame's ostrich Gisèle Barthélemy awarded him the grand prize cup in her role as Queen of the Revels and the winnings from his bets on himself!

Marquis of Sillery dismissed by Louis XIII

His Majesty, King Louis XIII is looking to form a new council after dismissing the Marquis of Sillery from his court for the financial irregularities in the foreign affairs department. Attempts by the marquis to prevent further investigation seem to have failed and the ramifications of the plot have yet to become clear.

Mariembourg falls to the Royal North Highland Regiment

Frontier Regiments try new mentorship programme

After a furious assault, the town of Mariembourg has been taken by the frontier regiments preparing the route for this summer campaign. The assault was led by the elite Royal North Highland Regiment who broke through the town gates after a very short siege of only a couple of days. However it seems that the inhabitants had attempted to set a trap for our brave frontier forces when the main force was ambushed inside the town itself as it attempted to assert its control of the main square of the town. Control was re-established after two days of heavy fighting³.

Those concerned for the well being of our raw recruits will be relieved to hear that the frontier regiments have adopted a mentorship scheme to attempt to improve the general survivability of the regiments. In the scheme raw recruits are looked after by veterans of earlier campaigns to stop them from making simple errors of judgement and help them gain some initial experience⁴.

Guillame De Batz turns to Bernadette Cuvier's shoulder

Following his success at L’Ark de Triomphe, Guillame De Batz has been seen with the stunningly beautiful Bernadette Cuvier who has apparently already forgiven him for forgetting about Saint Valentine's Day on the 14^th. To be fair to Guillame, it seems that almost all of the gentlemen in Paris (with the honourable exception of Phillipe Lemoine) had also ignored this most auspicious day leaving the ladies of Paris somewhat disappointed.

Flora Pernet and Marius Thibodeaux

We have managed to find another example of Marius's poetry (suggestions that, perhaps, Flora is our source cannot be confirmed or denied!):⁶

Full well I know how fortunate am I
That hath the beauteous Flora hand in mine
And when apart, my thoughts to her must fly
And comfort seek in memory of her eyne

Suggestions that Marius's application to join the Picardy Musketeers was only accepted after Flora Pernet was seen visiting the Regiment headquarters are being refuted by the regiment. Colonel Henri d'Alembert⁷ is quoted as saying We do not judge recruits based on their connections even when Mademoiselle Pernet visits. On the other hand rumours suggest that Marius' application was on the verge of being rejected...

Investment opportunities abound

After the 40% investment returns from financial investments that was drawn by investors last septembre, many of the richer gentlemen in Paris are considering whether to make investments before the summer. The potential returns are high, but then so are the risks that the investments may turn sour and require yet more funds to keep the investment solvent⁸.

Le Perche du Coudray Updates

Le Perche du Coudray, the famous fencing master, offers his congratulations to Albert Kestrel, who has now completed a course of Coudray's rapier training and whose Rapier Expertise is rated at 11.

Regimental News

Picardy Musketeers

Marius Thibodeaux joins B company as a private. Aline Yar joins C company as a private.

We regret that we were unable to accept an application from Albert Kestrel - better luck next time.

More financial scandals hit the Marquis of Sillery

Enquiries at the exchequer continue

The financial rumours surrounding Pierre Brulart, Marquis of Sillery, have intensified with the discovery that he had been involved in the overcharging of the fees for officer's commissions in our brave regiments. Although the amount of the surcharge is quite small (10 crowns in general¹), the combination of this new problem, together with the earlier irregularities that are still under investigation, many at the royal court are being to question whether it is time for a new Secretary of State for Foreign Affairs and if so, who?

The furore over the commission charges may have been the cause for the rejection of several of our new young gentleman's applications to join a regiment. Among the affected are Albert Kestrel, Aline Yar and Marius Thibodeaux - better luck next time!

Albane Bacque's door being repainted

After several quite unsuitable suitors beat a path to Albane Bacque, the well renowned young lady, her front door is being repainted with a brilliant white finish in an attempt to discourage those suitors whom she would rather not have to send her butler to stop them from blackening her door.²

Frontier Regiments welcome new recruits

Several recent arrivals have opted to support France by becoming members of the Frontier Regiments for the winter campaigning season. Côte de Boeuf and Fourier Transformée have been accepted into the elite Royal North Highland Regiment, while Alembic D'Gustion and Harry Covert join the regular troops of the Expeditionary Regiment. M. D'Gustion looked particularly dashing in his new blue uniform³. This winter season campaign is occupied with an attempt to gain ground in the Spanish Netherlands in readiness for the main summer cmapaign⁴.

Gisèle Barthélemy's Lucky Month

Feather Fan presented by Guillame De Batz to Gisèle Barthélemy

During the first week of janvier, Gisèle Barthélemy was courted by the dashing Guillame De Batz who wined and dined the young lady in a manner that she was very happy become accustomed to. In fact, she became so accustomed to it that after pledging herself to M. De Batz, she was able to enjoy the same again courtesy of Phillipe Lemoine in the following week. Gisèle was very even handed about the affair and has now pledged herself to M. Lemoine⁵. As a result of her fickle nature, Guillame De Batz now has cause to issue a challenge to a duel with Phillipe Lemoine⁶.

Impromptu Race Planned

Porte Saint-Honoré

Not content with his stunning appearance at the first showing of La Reine d'Ecosse at the Hôtel de Bourgogne (where he was showing off the latest in Paris fashion despite only recently being arrived in Paris), we are hearing rumours that Phillipe Lemoine is organising a race to be held during the first week of février at the Horsemarket (just outside Porte Saint-Honoré). However this will be no ordinary horse race as M. Lemoine has been seen inquiring of the whereabouts of unusual animals in the city and has been pointed to those private collections known as menageries as the most likely source of such creatures as ostriches, armadillos and llamas, the gentlemen also appears to be looking for mythical creatures such as kangaroos (apparently some form of giant rabbit). Also involved in this scheme, and presumably before he discovered Phillipe Lemoine's affair with Gisèle Barthélemy, is Guillame De Batz who has been telling all and sundry (or, at least, those that matter) about the scheme and has been handing out ostrich feathers (and cards) to remind people about the event. One also hopes that the Commissioner for Public Safety doesn't decide that the event is a cover for some other activity⁷.⁸

Flora Pernet and Marius Thibodeaux

After rebuffing Jean Huile's approaches earlier in the month, Flora Pernet has been charmed by Marius Thibodeaux's poetry and two have been sharing evenings together⁹. We have managed to smuggle out the following as an example of the art:¹⁰

Where Flora treads, a myriad buds burst forth
And shew their perfumed petals in her train
And I, inhaling deep, know well her worth
And pray that she will bid me not refrain

Groovy heads to Provence

The business requirements of being a pirate (or, at least, of being a pirate's descendent) have forced Groovy to head out of town and to the rural wilds of Provence for the time being. We hope to see his return to Parisian society once he has sorted out all the problems with Provence (either that or once he has drunk all the available wine!)

Regimental News

Grand Duke Maximillian Dragoons

Omer Dalors appointed captain of A troop. Roget Thésaurus joins E troop as a private.

Royal Marines

Sir Alex Kuzbidon joins C company as a subaltern.

Picardy Musketeers

Jean Huile joins D company as a private.

Personal Notices

Albert Kestrel: I'm looking to make mutual connections and explore ways of advancing our mutual standing. Looking to meet up at Red Phillips or other venues, perhaps at the fencing master¹²? -- Roget Thésaurus