XII. 1793. CHAP. children, displayed unbounded goodness and inexhaustible resources. A poor girl, deaf and dumb, had been made to comprehend the dangers of the Royalists, and incessantly warned them by signs when their enemies were approaching. Neither menaces of death, nor offers of gold, could shake the fidelity of the youngest children. The dogs even had contracted an aversion to the Republicans, who always used them harshly; they barked invariably at their approach, and were thus the means of saving great numbers. On the other hand, they never uttered a sound when the Royalist fugitives were to be seen, taught by the peasants to do nothing that could betray them. There was not a cottage in the whole country where a fugitive might not present himself at any hour with perfect security; if they could not conceal them, they gave them food, and guided them on their road. For none of these perilous services would they accept any reward; they were even seriously offended if any was offered.1 1 Laroch. 350, 351. Beauch. ii. 267, 268. On reviewing the history of this melancholy war, Reflections nothing is so remarkable as the prodigious victories traordinary gained by the peasants in so sequestered a district, Successes of and the near approach they made to the re-establish on the ex the Ven déans ; ment of the monarchy, contrasted with the feeble efforts and comparatively bloodless actions of the great military powers which combated on the frontier. Without the aid of mountains, fortresses, or any of the ordinary resources of war, undisciplined and inexperienced, destitute of cavalry, artillery, or military stores, without either magazines or money, they did more towards the overthrow of the Revolution than all the vast armies which Europe had assembled for its destruction. While the victories of the Allies or the Republicans were never attended with the loss of more than three or four thousand men to their opponents, and seldom led to any other result than the overrunning of a province, or the reduction of a fortress, the triumphs of the Vendéans dissipated whole armies, were signalized often by the loss of ten and fifteen thousand men to the Republicans, made them masters of vast parks of artillery, and but for the inability of the chiefs to keep the peasants to their colours after any great success, would, by the admission of the Republicans themselves, have re-established the throne.1 CHAP. 400. XII. 1793. We pass at once in the same year, from the Jom. vi. battles of Famars and Kayserslautern, to the triumphs of Marengo and Hohenlinden. Such were the astonishing results of the enthusiastic valour which the strong feelings of religion and loyalty produced in this gallant people; such the magnitude of the result, when, instead of cold calculation, vehement passion was brought into action. Cause of On the other hand, the ultimate result of this con- And the test, notwithstanding the heroic efforts of the pea- their Disassantry, is the strongest proof of the inability of mere ters. valour, unaided by discipline, experience, and military resources, to contend permanently with a regular government. No future insurrection can be expected to display greater bravery, none be animated with a stronger spirit, none gain more glorious successes, than that of La Vendée. Yet all was unavailing. This great example should always be kept in mind in calculating on the probable results of popular enthusiasm, when opposed to the systematic efforts of discipline and organization. It was the want of these which proved fatal to the Vendéans. Had they possessed two or three fortified towns, they might have repaired, under their shelter, all their disasters; had they been masters of a regular army, they might have XII. CHAP. improved their victories into lasting conquests. The want of these two things rendered their triumphs un1793. productive of real advantages, and their defeats the forerunner of irreparable ruin. The war at a subsequent period, in Tyrol and Spain, demonstrated the same truth; while the durable successes of the Portuguese and Russian campaigns showed the vast results which arise from ingrafting the vigour of popular enthusiasm on the steady courage of regular forces. The conclusion to be drawn from this is, not that popular feeling can effect no lasting achievement, and that every thing in war depends on military organization, but that it is the combination of the two which is requisite to permanent success. In 1793, the discipline of Austria and Russia on the Rhine could effect nothing, because it was not animated by a vehement spirit; while the enthusiasm of La Vendée withered, because it was unsupported by regular organization. In 1812, the Russians combined both to resist the attack of an enemy tenfold greater, and the campaign of Moscow was the consequence. Vendéan commits the But though La Vendée fell, her blood was not shed War finally in vain. The sword of the conqueror subdues the Revolution bodies, but it is often the heroism of the vanquished ligion. which subjugates the minds of men, and achieves con against Re quests of eternal duration. The throne of Cæsar has passed away; but the blood of the Christian martyrs cemented a fabric of eternal duration;-the tyranny of Mary for a time crushed the religious freedom of England; but Latimer and Ridley lighted a fire which will never be extinguished. From the ashes of La Vendée has sprung the spirit which hurled Napoleon from his throne, and is destined to change the face of the moral world. It first put the cause of Revolution openly and irrevocably at war with that of Religion; XII. the friends of real freedom may thank it for perma- CHAP. nently enlisting on their side a power which will never be subdued. From the atrocious severities of the Republican sway, in this devoted province, has arisen the profound hatred of all the believers in the Christian faith at their rule, and the stubborn spirit which was everywhere roused to resist it; the desolation of the Bocage was avenged by the Charnel House of Spain; the horrors of the Loire have been forgotten in the passage of the Berezina. Periods of suffering are in the end seldom lost either to the cause of truth, or the moral discipline of nations; it is the sunshine of prosperity which spreads the fatal corruption. Christianity withered under the titled hierarchy; but she shone forth in spotless purity from the revolutionary agonies of France; and that celestial origin which was obscured by the splendour of a prosperous, has been revealed in the virtues of a suffering age. CHAPTER XIII. CAMPAIGN OF 1793.-PART II. FROM THE ROUT IN THE CAMP OF CESAR TO THE CONCLUSION OF THE CAMPAIGN. ARGUMENT. Principles of Carnot for the Conduct of the War-Aided by the effects of the Revolution-Vigorous Measures of the Government-Their efforts to rouse the whole Population-Great Levy of 1,200,000 Men ordered, and carried into effect-Carnot, War Minister-His Character-Retirement of Kaunitz at Vienna-Appointment of Thugut-His Character, and first measures— Incipient divisions of Prussia and Austria-Recognition of the Maritime Law by the Allies-Absurd Policy of the Allied Powers-The English insist upon dividing the Army-Its ruinous Consequences-They March to Dunkirk, and the Imperialists to Quesnoy-Quesnoy falls: but the Siege of Dunkirk is raised by the French-Bad Consequences of this DisasterThe Republicans do not follow up their success with vigour, and Houchard is arrested-Maubeuge is besieged-Jourdan takes the Command of the Army -Firm Conduct of the Convention—Jourdan approaches to raise the Siege -Battle of Watignies-Retreat of the Allies, and raising of the Siege-Conclusion of the Campaign in Flanders-Both Parties go into Winter Quarters-Pichegru appointed to the command of the Republicans—Campaign on the Rhine-Inactivity of the Prussians-French defeated at Pirmasenz, and their Lines are Stormed at Wiessenberg with a total Rout-Leads to no Results-Fort Vauban taken, and Landau blockaded by the Allies-Cruel Revenge of the French in Alsace-Divisions between the Prussians and Austrians -Able Measures of the French: they drive the Allies over the Rhine, and raise the Blockade of Landau-Campaign on the Spanish Frontier-On the Bidassoa-And Eastern Pyrenees-Invasion of Roussillon by the SpaniardsThey are Defeated-Battle of Truellas, and Defeat of the French-Second Rout of the French, who fall back to Perpignan-Campaign in the Maritime Alps-Feeble Irruption of the Piedmontese on the side of Chambérry— Great Discontents in the South of France-Abortive Insurrection at Marseilles-Revolt at Toulon, which opens its Gates to the English-Revolt and Siege of Lyons-Great Efforts of the Republicans for its Reduction-Bombardment of the City, and Cruelty of the Besiegers-Dreadful Sufferings of the Inhabitants -Their heroic Efforts-Precy forces his way through the Besiegers' LineTown Capitulates—Sanguinary Measures of the Convention to the Inhabitants -Collot d'Herbois' Proceedings-His atrocious Cruelty-Terrible Measures of the Revolutionary Tribunal there- Metrillades of the Prisoners-Vast Numbers who thus perished-Siege of Toulon-Allies assemble for its DefenceProgress of the Siege-Decisive Measures of Napoleon-Capture of the exterior Forts-Despair of the Inhabitants-Burning of the Arsenal and FleetHorrors of the Evacuation-Dreadful Cruelty of the Republicans-General Reflections on the Issue of the Campaign. |