After the Revengeur battery and the gunboats had wrecked the camp, Pétion ordered the evacuation of Belle-Vue at midnight.

This second day cost the army of the South a grievous loss: that of the brigade chief Tessier, who was killed by a Biscayan ball (1). This event dismayed the camp. There was talk of abandoning Belle-Vue, which could no longer hold out before the Revengeur. Toureaux opposed it. At last, the enemy’s final cannon shot dismounted a piece of 8 which Pétion could no longer use. Everything was desperate. On 2 brumaire (24 October) three other gunboats, commanded by the naval lieutenant Lacroix, came to reinforce the first two. Pétion faced this little flotilla. He sent two shots aboard the Égyptien, which shattered her yards and her planking (1). There followed a new fury on both sides until nightfall. Then the order of evacuation was given. Pétion had the trunnion of the piece of 8 broken off and could not do the same to that of 24, for want of a sledgehammer, but he had it buried. All the wounded were placed on stretchers. At midnight the retreat was carried out, Pétion with the rear guard. The brigade chief Dartiguenave evacuated Glaize, Faubert and Mariguez. The other posts followed the same movement.