and behind large piles of stones, large and small,
collected in that place for a bridge, which was to
be built adjacent to it. In this position, happening
to be in my carriage on a visit, I passed through
the lane they had formed, without interruption.
But the moment after I had passed, the people attacked
the cavalry with stones. They charged, but the
advantageous position of the people, and the showers
of stones, obliged the horse to retire, and quit the
field altogether, leaving one of their number on the
ground, and the Swiss in their rear, not moving to
their aid. This was the signal for universal
insurrection, and this body of cavalry, to avoid being
massacred, retired towards Versailles. The people
now armed themselves with such weapons as they could
find in armorers’ shops, and private houses,
and with bludgeons; and were roaming all night, through
all parts of the city, without any decided object.
The next day (the 13th), the Assembly pressed on the
king to send away the troops, to permit the Bourgeoisie
of Paris, to arm for the preservation of order in the
city, and offered to send a deputation from their
body to tranquillize them: but their propositions
were refused. A committee of magistrates and electors
of the city were appointed by those bodies, to take
upon them its government. The people, now openly
joined by the French guards, forced the prison of
St. Lazare, released all the prisoners, and took a
great store of corn, which they carried to the corn
market. Here they got some arms, and the French
guards began to form and train; them. The city-committee
determined to raise forty-eight thousand Bourgeois,
or rather to restrain their numbers to forty-eight
thousand. On the 14th, they sent one of their
members (Monsieur de Corny) to the Hotel des Invalides,
to ask arms for their Garde Bourgeoise.
He was followed by, and he found there, a great collection
of people. The Governor of the Invalids came
out, and represented the impossibility of his delivering
arms, without the orders of those from whom he received
them. De Corny advised the people then to retire,
and retired himself; but the people took possession
of the arms, it was remarkable, that not only the
Invalids themselves made no opposition, but that a
body of five thousand foreign troops, within four
hundred yards, never stirred. M. de Corny, and
five others, were then sent to ask arms of M. de Launay,
Governor of the Bastile. They found a great collection
of people already before the place, and they immediately
planted a flag of truce, which was answered by a like
flag hoisted on the parapet. The deputation prevailed
on the people to fall back a little, advanced themselves
to make their demand of the Governor, and in that
instant, a discharge from the Bastile killed four
persons, of those nearest to the deputies. The
deputies retired. I happened to be at the house
of M. de Corny, when he returned to it, and received
from him a narrative of these transactions. On