Part 12 (1/2)
In La Vendee, General Haxo, after the example of General Moulin, blows his brains out, to avoid being taken prisoner.
All letters coming into France are opened.
From the 29th of April to the 4th of May, 109 persons are guillotined in Paris, and many more in the departments.
In the valley of Aost, 6000 French were killed by the peasants of Piedmont.
Barrere announces the capture of a Spanish camp, with two hundred cannon, and two thousand men.
All the farmers-general are accused in a ma.s.s, and sent to the revolutionary tribunals, The town of Sargio and Piedmontese camp taken by the French.
11. Seventy-one persons, among whom are 27 farmers-general, are guillotined.
Madame Elizabeth, sister of the late King, is carried before the revolutionary tribunal and interrogated, ” What is your name?” ”Elizabeth ”Philippine Marie Helene de France.”
”Your quality?” ”Aunt of the King.” These last words are scarcely p.r.o.nounced, when the tribunal condemns her to death.
12. The next day she is conducted to the scaffold, with 25 persons who were guillotined in her presence; it being directed that she should suffer the last.
She died at the age of thirty years, and left a character of unblemished purity.
Decreed, that all aged and infirm priests be kept in houses belonging to the republic.
Report upon mendacity. Decreed, that the convention will efface the name of beggary and poverty from the annals of the republic.
The town and citadel of Bastia taken by the English.
The commune of Sens writes to the convention, that it has dug up all the bodies of the Capets that were interred in their cathedral, in order to bury them in ordinary ground.
An address to the French nation is prepared by Barrere, and published by the convention, concluding with these words: ”Let the English ”slaves perish, and let Europe be free.”
13. Revolutionary tribunals suppressed, except that of Paris.
14. L'Huillier kills himself in prison, and Rebecqui drowns himself--both active agents in the ma.s.sacres of Avignon, and of the 2d of September.
15. Kaunitz forces the French to repa.s.s the Sambre with the loss of 5000 men.
18. The Duke of York, with 3500 men, is attacked by 15000 French, and forced to retreat.
General Beaulieu, near Bouillon, kills 3000 French, and takes 700.
22. Battle near Tournay, lasts 16 hours; the French lose 12,000 men, and the allies 3000.
A French army of 10,000 men penetrates into Luxembourg.
24. Kaunitz takes 80 cannon, kills 2000 French, and takes 3000.
Insurrection of the patriots at Liege.
The Emperor quits the army, and returns to Vienna.
29. Battle of Germersheim; the French lose 400 killed, and 600 taken prisoners.
A plot to a.s.sa.s.sinate Robespierre and Collot d'Herbois fails of success; the former obtains a guard for his person.
_June_ 1. The British fleet under Lord Howe engages the French; the latter loses eight sail of the line.
2. The convention decrees, that no Englishman or Hanoverian shall be made prisoner in battle--no quarter to be given, but all without reserve to be put to the sword.
The Duke of York communicates this barbarous decree to his army, in a manner that does honour to a soldier and to a man.
The guillotine is destroyed by the people at St.
Brieux, and the revolutionary tribunal expelled.
4. The French are routed near Charleroy with the loss of 4000 men.
The man who saved Collot d'Herbois from a.s.sa.s.sination, obtains a pension of 1500 livres a year.
Decreed, that the members of the convention, when on duty, shall wear marks of distinction.
Proclamation of the Emperor to induce all Brabant to rise in a ma.s.s.
A military school is inst.i.tuted in the plain of Sablons near Paris.
Decreed, that a new grammar be published, to give to the language of liberty a character that is suitable to it.
8. Jourdan, called Coupe-tete, general of the army at Avignon, guillotined.
The son and daughter of Louis XVI. employed to make shoes and s.h.i.+rts for the nation.
10. General Clairfait is obliged to retreat.
The French take Port-Vendre, Collieure, and St.
Elme.
13. A festival to the Eternal. Robespierre acts the part of Pontiff. The ceremony is designed to satisfy the people, by putting an end to atheism.
The members of the convention a.s.sume the distinction of a plume of feathers in the hat, and a three-coloured scarf.
The French army in Maritime Flanders amounts to 170,000 men.
The inviolability of the members of the convention is renewed.
A large convoy from America with corn arrives in France.
16. The French lose 7,000 men in an action near Charleroy.