—­[Joseph Bonaparte, in a note on this peerage, insinuates that the account of the 13th Vendemiaire was never sent to Sens, but was abstracted by Bourrienne, with other documents, from Napoleon’s Cabinet (Erreurs, tome i. p. 239).]—­

“On the 13th,” says Bonaparte, “at five o’clock in the morning, the representative of the people, Barras, was appointed Commander-in-chief of the Army of the Interior, and General Bonaparte was nominated second in command.

“The artillery for service on the frontier was still at the camp of Sablons, guarded solely by 150 men; the remainder was at Marly with 200 men.  The depot of Meudon was left unprotected.  There were at the Feuillans only a few four-pounders without artillerymen, and but 80,000 cartridges.  The victualling depots were dispersed throughout Paris.  In many Sections the drums beat to arms; the Section of the Theatre Francais had advanced posts even as far as the Pont Neuf, which it had barricaded.

“General Barras ordered the artillery to move immediately from the camp of Sablons to the Tuileries, and selected the artillerymen from the battalions of the 89th regiment, and from the gendarmerie, and placed them at the Palace; sent to Meudon 200 men of the police legion whom he brought from Versailles, 50 cavalry, and two companies of veterans; he ordered the property which was at Marly to be conveyed to Meudon; caused cartridges to be brought there, and established a workshop at that place for the manufacture of more.  He secured means for the subsistence of the army and of the Convention for many days, independently of the depots which were in the Sections.

“General Verdier, who commanded at the Palais National, exhibited great coolness; he was required not to suffer a shot to be fired till the last extremity.  In the meantime reports reached him from all quarters acquainting him that the Sections were assembled in arms, and had formed their columns.  He accordingly arrayed his troops so as to defend the Convention, and his artillery was in readiness to repulse the rebels.  His cannon was planted at the Feuillans to fire down the Rue Honore.  Eight-pounders were pointed at every opening, and in the event of any mishap, General Verdier had cannon in reserve to fire in flank upon the column which should have forced a passage.  He left in the Carrousel three howitzers (eight-pounders) to batter down the houses from which the Convention might be fired upon.  At four o’clock the rebel columns marched out from every street to unite their forces.  It was necessary to take advantage of this critical moment to attack the insurgents, even had they been regular troops.  But the blood about to flow was French; it was therefore for these misguided people, already guilty of rebellion, to embrue their hands in the blood of their countrymen by striking the first blow.

“At a quarter before five o’clock the insurgents had formed.  The attack was commenced by them on all sides.  They were everywhere routed.  French blood was spilled:  the crime, as well as the disgrace, fell this day upon the Sections.