A Sub-Committee having been commissioned to examine the documental papers and other sources from which Mr. Ackermann's Narrative of the most remarkable Events in and near Leipzig, &c. is compiled, as some insinuations have been thrown out that much of what is therein related is rather exaggerated, and Mr. Ackermann having furnished them with the said papers, they were found to consist of—
1. A Pamphlet, printed at Leipzig, entitled, "Leipzig, während der Schreckenstage der Schlachten, im Monat October, 1813; als Beytrag zur Chronik dieser Stadt." ("Leipzig, during the terrible Days of the Battles in the Month of October, 1813; being a Supplement to the History of this City.")
2. A printed Advertisement of a large Work, to be accompanied with Nine Plates, the Advertisement itself giving a brief but comprehensive account of the battle of Leipzig.
3. A second Advertisement, giving a similar description of these battles in German and French.
4. A Letter from Count Schönfeld to Mr. Ackermann, describing the dreadful condition of the villages in the neighbourhood of Leipzig, especially of those over which the storm of the battle passed.
5. An Official Paper, signed by some of the principal Bankers and Merchants at Leipzig, containing an appeal to the benevolence of the British Public, in behalf of the sufferers.
6. An Official Attestation of the truth of the statement made in the said Appeal, signed by the acting Burgomaster of Leipzig, with the City Seal affixed.
7. Several private Letters, entering more or less into the detail.
The Sub-Committee, having read and considered the chief parts of these several sources of information, were unanimous in their opinion, that far from any exaggeration of facts having been resorted to, in presenting this Narrative to the British Public, facts have been suppressed under an idea that they might shock the feelings of Englishmen, who, in general, by God's mercy, have so imperfect an idea of the horrors of a campaign, and the unspeakable sufferings occasioned by the presence of contending armies, that, to hear more of the detail contained in the said papers, might destroy the effect of exciting compassion by creating disgust, and doubts of the possibility of the existence of such enormities.
The Sub-Committee were likewise fully persuaded that the accounts contained in these official and printed Papers could not have been published at Leipzig itself, without being acknowledged by all as authentic, as they would otherwise have been liable to the censure of every reader and reviewer; and therefore, comparing them also with various similar accounts, received from other places, they feel no hesitation in expressing their opinion, that the Narrative published by Mr. Ackermann is a true and faithful representation of such facts as came within the Reporter's own observation.