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The fate of the wretches sent before the Revolutionary Tribunals
was no better。 The first mockery of trial was quickly
suppressed。 At Nantes； Carrier drowned and shot down according
to his fancy nearly 5；000 personsmen； women； and children。
The details of these massacres figured in the Moniteur
after the reaction of Thermidor。 I cite a few lines：
‘‘I saw；'' says Thomas； ‘‘after the taking of Noirmoutier； men
and women and old people burned alive 。 。 。 women violated； girls
of fourteen and fifteen； and massacred afterward； and tender
babes thrown from bayonet to bayonet； children who were taken
from beside their mothers stretched out on the ground。''
In the same number we read a deposition by one Julien； relating
how Carrier forced his victims to dig their graves and to allow
themselves to be buried alive。 The issue of October 15； 1794；
contained a report by Merlin de Thionville proving that the
captain of the vessel le Destin had received orders to embark
forty…one victims to be drowned‘‘among them a blind man of 78；
twelve women； twelve girls； and fourteen children； of whom ten
were from 10 to 6 and five at the breast。''
In the course of Carrier's trial （Moniteur； December 30； 1794）
it was proved that he ‘‘had given orders to drown and shoot women
and children； and had ordered General Haxo to exterminate all the
inhabitants of La Vendee and to burn down their dwellings。''
Carrier； like all wholesale murderers； took an intense joy in
seeing his victims suffer。 ‘‘In the department in which I hunted
the priests；'' he said； ‘‘I have never laughed so much or
experienced such pleasure as in watching their dying grimaces''
（Moniteur； December 22； 1794）。
Carrier was tried to satisfy the reaction of Thermidor。 But
the massacres of Nantes were repeated in many other towns。
Fouche slew more than 2；000 persons at Lyons； and so many were
killed at Toulon that the population fell from 29；000 to 7；000 in
a few months。
We must say in defence of Carrier； Freron； Fouche and all
these sinister persons； that they were incessantly stimulated by
the Committee of Public Safety。 Carrier gave proof of this
during his trial。
‘‘I admit；'' said he （Moniteur； December 24； 1794）； ‘‘that 150
or 200 prisoners were shot every day； but it was by order of the
commission。 I informed the Convention that the brigands were
being shot down by hundreds； and it applauded this letter； and
ordered its insertion in the Bulletin。 What were these deputies
doing then who are so furious against me now？ They were
applauding。 Why did they still keep me ‘on mission'？ Because I
was then the saviour of the country； and now I am a bloodthirsty
man。''
Unhappily for him； Carrier did not know； as he remarked in the
same speech； that only seven or eight persons led the Convention。
But the terrorised Assembly approved of all that these seven or
eight ordered； so that they could say nothing in reply to
Carrier's argument。 He certainly deserved to be guillotined； but
the whole Convention deserved to be guillotined with him； since
it had approved of the massacres。
The defence of Carrier； justified by the letters of the
Committee； by which the representatives ‘‘on mission'' were
incessantly stimulated； shows that the violence of the Terror
resulted from a system； and not； as has sometimes been claimed；
from the initiative of a few individuals。
The thirst for destruction during the Terror was by no means
assuaged by the destruction of human beings only； there was an
even greater destruction of inanimate things。 The true believer
is always an iconoclast。 Once in power； he destroys with equal
zeal the enemies of his faith and the images； temples； and
symbols which recall the faith attacked。
We know that the first action of the Emperor Theodosius when
converted to the Christian religion was to break down the
majority of the temples which for six thousand years had been
built beside the Nile。 We must not； therefore； be surprised to
see the leaders of the Revolution attacking the monuments and
works of art which for them were the vestiges of an abhorred
past。
Statues； manuscripts； stained glass windows； and plate were
frenziedly broken。 When Fouche； the future Duke of Otranto
under Napoleon； and minister under Louis XVIII。； was sent as
commissary of the Convention to the Nievre； he ordered the
demolition of all the towers of the chateaux and the
belfries of the churches ‘‘because they wounded equality。''
Revolutionary vandalism expended itself even on the tomb。
Following a report read by Barrere to the Convention； the
magnificent royal tombs at Saint…Denis； among which was the
admirable mausoleum of Henri II。； by Germain Pilon； were smashed
to pieces； the coffins emptied； and the body of Turenne sent to
the Museum as a curiosity； after one of the keepers had extracted
the teeth in order to sell them as curiosities。 The moustache
and beard of Henri IV。 were also torn out。
It is impossible to witness such comparatively enlightened
men consenting to the destruction of the artistic patriotism of
France without a feeling of sadness。 To excuse them； we must
remember that intense beliefs give rise to the worst excesses；
and also that the Convention； almost daily invaded by rioters；
always yielded to the popular will。
This glowing record of devastation proves； not only the power of
fanaticism： it shows us what becomes of men who are liberated
from all social restraints； and of the country which falls into
their hands。
CHAPTER VI
THE ARMIES OF THE REVOLUTION
1。 The Revolutionary Assemblies and the Armies。
If nothing were known of the revolutionary Assemblies； and
notably of the Convention； beyond their internal dissensions；
their weakness； and their acts of violence； their memory would
indeed be a gloomy one。
But even for its enemies this bloodstained epoch must always
retain an undeniable glory； thanks to the success of its armies。
When the Convention dissolved France was already the greater by
Belgium and the territories on the left bank of the Rhine。
Regarding the Convention as a whole； it seems equitable to credit
it with the victories of the armies of France； but if we analyse
this whole in order to study each of its elements separately
their independence will at once be obvious。 It is at once
apparent that the Convention had a very small share in the
military events of the time。 The armies on the frontier and the
revolutionary Assemblies in Paris formed two separate worlds；
which had very little influence over one another； and which
regarded matters in a very different light。
We have seen that the Convention was a weak Government； which
changed its ideas daily； according to popular impulse； it was
really an example of the profoundest anarchy。 It directed
nothing； but was itself continually directed； how； then； could it
have commanded armies？
Completely absorbed in its intestine quarrels； the Assembly had
abandoned all military questions to a special committee； which
was directed almost single…handed by Carnot； and whose real
function was to furnish the troops with provisions and
ammunition。 The merit of Carnot consisted in the fact that
besides directing over 752；000 men at the disposal of France；
upon points which were strategically valuable； he also advised
the generals of the armies to take the offensive； and to preserve
a strict discipline。
The sole share of the Assembly in the defence of the country was
the decree of the general levy。 In the face of the numerous
enemies then threatening France； no Government could have avoided
such a measure。 For some little time； too； the Assembly had sent
representatives to the armies instructed to decapitate certain
generals； but this policy was soon abandoned。
As a matter of fact the military activities of the Assembly were
always extremely slight。 The armies； thanks to their numbers；
their enthusiasm； and the tactics devised by their youthful
generals； achieved their victories unaided。 They fought and
conquered independently of the Convention。
2。 The Struggle of Europe against the Revolution。
Before enumerating the various psychological factors which
contributed to the successes of the revolutionary armies； it will
be useful briefly to recall the origin and the development of the
war against Europe。
At the commencement of the Revolution the foreign sovereigns
regarded with satisfaction the difficulties of the French
monarchy； which they had long regarded as a rival power。 The
King of Prussia； believing France to be greatly enfeebled；
thought to enrich himself at her expense； so he proposed to the
Emperor of Austria to help Louis on condition of receiving
Flanders and Alsace as an indemnity。 The two sovereigns signed
an alliance against France in Febru