179 - THÉROIGNE DE MÉRICOURT Anne-Josèphe Terwagne, known as [1762 –, 1817], revolutionary leader, nicknamed “the Amazon of Liberty”; having come to the defense of the Girondins, she was flogged by the women of a club and went mad.

THÉROIGNE DE MÉRICOURT Anne-Josèphe Terwagne, known as [1762 –, 1817], revolutionary leader, nicknamed “the Amazon of Liberty”; having come to the defense of the Girondins, she was flogged by the women of a club and went mad. Autograph letter signed “Theroigne.” 8 Thermidor, Year 2 (July 26, 1794); 2 pages, in-4°. A superb letter written during her captivity in which she urges her correspondent to intervene with the Patriots to come to her aid and expresses her need to write in order to support the citizens. “I am still under arrest; I have lost precious time. I wrote to you to ask you to send me two hundred livres and to come see me, but I have received no reply. I do not think much of [...] the Patriots for leaving me here destitute.” It seems to me that it should not be of no concern to them that I am left with nothing to do. I sent you a letter in which I said that it was I who claimed to have had friends even in the emperor’s palace, that I had been unfair to the citizen [...] but that I am sorry about it; I was told that I had forgotten to sign that letter.” She asks her correspondent to come see her or, alternatively, for her to be escorted to see him so that “to establish the Union, I must be able to develop all my projects and continue writing what I was writing. I have great things to say; I can assure you that I’ve made progress. I have neither paper nor light nor anything, but even so, I must be free to be able to write. It is impossible for me to do nothing [...] any longer; if I were to remain any longer without doing anything, without publishing anything, I would discredit the patriots and the civic crown. You know that there has also been talk of you and me, and that the signs of unity demand action. We need many good writings to provide momentum; you endorse my principles. I am sorry I was unable to speak with you a few days before my arrest [...] we must hope that the patriots will not let me fall victim to intrigue.”