The General-in-Chief executed this commission with as much pleasure as zeal, but he often met with difficulties which appeared to be insurmountable.

It has been very incorrectly stated that these prisoners obtained their liberty by one of the articles of the preliminaries of Leoben.

I wrote a great deal on this subject to the dictation of General Bonaparte, and I joined him only on the day after the signature of these preliminaries.

It was not till the end of May of the year 1797 that the liberation of these captives was demanded, and they did not obtain their freedom till the end of August.
There was no article in the treaty, public or secret, which had reference to them.

Neither was it at his own suggestion that Bonaparte demanded the enlargement of the prisoners, but by order of the Directory.