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He was brought to the tower； where he found Froment in a fury；
declaring that the Council had not kept its promise； having sent no
relief； and having delayed to give up the citadel to him。
The escort； however； had only retreated in order to seek help； they
rushed tumultuously to the barracks； and finding the regiment of
Guienne drawn up in marching order in command of Lieutenant…Colonel
Bonne； they asked him to follow them； but he refused without a
written order from a Town Councillor。 Upon this an old corporal
shouted； 〃Brave soldiers of Guienne！ the country is in danger； let us
not delay to do our duty。〃 〃Yes； yes；〃 cried the soldiers； 〃let us
march〃 The lieutenant colonel no longer daring to resist； gave the
word of command； and they set off for the Esplanade。
As they came near the rampart with drums beating； the firing ceased；
but as night was coming on the new…comers did not dare to risk
attacking； and moreover the silence of the guns led them to think
that the rebels had given up their enterprise。 Having remained an
hour in the square； the troops returned to their quarters； and the
patriots went to pass the night in an inclosure on the Montpellier
road。
It almost seemed as if the Catholics were beginning to recognise the
futility of their plot； for although they had appealed to fanaticism；
forced the Town Council to do their will； scattered gold lavishly and
made wine flow； out of eighteen companies only three had joined them。
〃Fifteen companies；〃 said M。 Alquier in his report to the National
Assembly； 〃although they had adopted the red tuft； took no part in
the struggle； and did not add to the number of crimes committed
either on that day or during the days that followed。 But although
the Catholics gained few partisans among their fellow…citizens； they
felt certain that people from the country would rally to their aid；
but about ten o'clock in the evening the rebel ringleaders； seeing
that no help arrived from that quarter either； resolved to apply a
stimulus to those without。 Consequently； Froment wrote the following
letter to M。 de Bonzols； under…commandant of the province of
Languedoc； who was living at Lunel：
〃SIR； Up to the present all my demands； that the Catholic companies
should be put under arms； have been of no avail。 In spite of the
order that you gave at my request； the officials of the municipality
were of opinion that it would be more prudent to delay the
distribution of the muskets until after the meeting of the Electoral
Assembly。 This day the Protestant dragoons have attacked and killed
several of our unarmed Catholics； and you may imagine the confusion
and alarm that prevail in the town。 As a good citizen and a true
patriot； I entreat you to send an order to the regiment of royal
dragoons to repair at once to Nimes to restore tranquillity and put
down all who break the peace。 The Town Council does not meet； none
of them dares to leave his house； and if you receive no requisition
from them just now； it is because they go in terror of their lives
and fear to appear openly。 Two red flags have been carried about the
streets； and municipal officers without guards have been obliged to
take refuge in patriotic houses。 Although I am only a private
citizen； I take the liberty of asking for aid from you； knowing that
the Protestants have sent to La Vannage and La Gardonninque to ask
you for reinforcements； and the arrival of fanatics from these
districts would expose all good patriots to slaughter。 Knowing as I
do of your kindness and justice； I have full trust that my prayer
will receive your favourable attention。
FROMENT； Captain of Company No。 39
〃June 13； 1790； 11 o'c。 p。m。〃
Unfortunately for the Catholic party； Dupre and Lieutaud； to whom
this letter was entrusted for delivery； and for whom passports were
made out as being employed on business connected with the king and
the State； were arrested at Vehaud； and their despatches laid before
the Electoral Assembly。 Many other letters of the same kind were
also intercepted； and the red…tufts went about the town saying that
the Catholics of Nimes were being massacred。
The priest of Courbessac； among others； was shown a letter saying
that a Capuchin monk had been murdered； and that the Catholics were
in need of help。 The agents who brought this letter to him wanted
him to put his name to it that they might show it everywhere； but
were met by a positive refusal。
At Bouillargues and Manduel the tocsin was sounded： the two villages
joined forces； and with weapons in their hands marched along the road
from Beaucaire to Nimes。 At the bridge of Quart the villagers of
Redressan and Marguerite joined them。 Thus reinforced； they were
able to bar the way to all who passed and subject them to
examination； if a man could show he was a Catholic； he was allowed to
proceed； but the Protestants were murdered then and there。 We may
remind our readers that the 〃Cadets de la Croix 〃 pursued the same
method in 1704。
Meantime Descombiez； Froment； and Folacher remained masters of the
ramparts and the tower； and when very early one morning their forces
were augmented by the insurgents from the villages （about two hundred
men）； they took advantage of their strength to force a way into the
house of a certain Therond； from which it was easy to effect an
entrance to the Jacobin monastery； and from there to the tower
adjoining； so that their line now extended from the gate at the
bridge of Calquieres to that at the end of College Street。 From
daylight to dusk all the patriots who came within range were fired at
whether they were armed or not。
On the 14th June； at four o'clock in the morning； that part of the
legion which was against the Catholics gathered together in the
square of the Esplanade； where they were joined by the patriots from
the adjacent towns and villages； who came in in small parties till
they formed quite an army。 At five A。M。 M。 de St。 Pons； knowing that
the windows of the Capuchin monastery commanded the position taken up
by the patriots； went there with a company and searched the house
thoroughly； and also the Amphitheatre； but found nothing suspicious
in either。
Immediately after； news was heard of the massacres that had taken
place during the night。
The country…house belonging to M。 and Mme。 Noguies had been broken
into； the furniture destroyed； the owners killed in their beds； and
an old man of seventy who lived with them cut to pieces with a
scythe。
A young fellow of fifteen； named Payre； in passing near the guard
placed at the Pont des files； had been asked by a red…tuft if he were
Catholic or Protestant。 On his replying he was Protestant； he was
shot dead on the spot。 〃That was like killing a lamb；〃 said a
comrade to the murderer。 〃Pooh！〃 said he； 〃I have taken a vow to
kill four Protestants； and he may pass for one。〃
M。 Maigre； an old man of eighty…two； head of one of the most
respected families in the neighbourhood； tried to escape from his
house along with his son； his daughter…in…law； two grandchildren； and
two servants； but the carriage was stopped； and while the rebels were
murdering him and his son； the mother and her two children succeeded
in escaping to an inn； whither the assassins pursued them；
Fortunately； however； the two fugitives having a start； reached the
inn a few minutes before their pursuers； and the innkeeper had enough
presence of mind to conceal them and open the garden gate by which he
said they had escaped。 The Catholics； believing him； scattered over
the country to look for them； and during their absence the mother and
children were rescued by the mounted patrol。
The exasperation of the Protestants rose higher and higher as reports
of these murders came in one by one； till at last the desire for
vengeance could no longer be repressed； and they were clamorously
insisting on being led against the ramparts and the towers； when
without warning a heavy fusillade began from the windows and the
clock tower of the Capuchin monastery。 M。 Massin； a municipal
officer； was killed on the spot； a sapper fatally wounded； and
twenty…five of the National Guard wounded more or less severely。 The
Protestants immediately rushed towards the monastery in a disorderly
mass； but the superior； instead of ordering the gates to be opened；
appeared at a window above the entrance； and addressing the
assailants as the vilest of the vile； asked them what they wanted at
the monastery。 〃We want to destroy it； we want to pull it down till
not one stone rests upon another；〃 they replied。 Upon this； the
reverend father ordered the alarm bells to be rung； and from the
mouths of bronze issued the call for help； but before it could
arrive； the door was burst in with hatchets； and five Capuchins and
several of the militia who wore the red tuft were killed； while all
the other occupants of the monastery ran away； taking refuge in the
house of a Protestant called Paulhan。 During this attack the church
was respected； a man from Sornmieres； however； stole a pyx which he
found in the sacristy； but as soon as his comrades perceived this he
was arrested and sent to prison。
In the monastery