FRANCE. 377 



who, with some loss, were driven into the town. In this action, tho 

 famous Austrian general Dalton, and some other officers of note, were 

 killed. The succeeding day, the siege might be said regularly to 

 commence. A considerable naval armament from Great Britain was 

 to have co-operated in the siege ; but, by some neglect, admiral 

 Macbride was notable to sail so early as was expected. In the mean 

 time, the hostile army was extremely harassed by the gun-boats of 

 the French : a successful sortie was effected by the garrison on the 

 6th of September; and the French collecting in superior force, the 

 duke of York, on the 7th, after several severe actions, in which the 

 allied forces suffered very considerably, was compelled to raise tire 

 siege, and leave behind him his numerous train of artillery. General 

 Houchard was afterwards impeached by the convention, and behead- 

 ed, for not having improved his success to the best advantage ; as it 

 was asserted that he had it in his power to capture almost the whole 

 of the duke of York's army. 



The disaffection of the southern provinces of France was at this 

 time productive of serious dangers to the new republic. It is well 

 known that the deputies and people of these provinces were among 

 the most active to promote the dethroning of the king on the 10th of 

 August, 1792. It is therefore somewhat extraordinary, that the same 

 men should be among the first to rebel against the authority of the 

 con\ention. The formidable union which look place, under the name 

 of Jedtraie republicanism, between the cities of Marseilles, Lyons, 

 and Toulon, in the course of the months of June and July, seemed to 

 threaten almost the dissolution of the existing authorities. A consi- 

 derable army was, however, dispatched against Lyons, and the city 

 closely besieged. The Marseillois, in the mean time, opened then- 

 gates on the approach of the republican army, and submitted : but 

 the people of Toulon entered into a negociation with the English ad- 

 miral, lord Hood, who was then cruising in the Mediterranean ; and 

 he took possession both of the town and shipping, in the name of 

 Lewis XVII, and under the positive stipulation that he should assist 

 in restoring the constitution of 1789. 



Among the victims of popular resentment who fell about this pe- 

 riod, was the celebrated general Custine ; whose former services, 

 whatever might have been his subsequent demerits, ought to have 

 secured him more lenient treatment. He was recalled to Paris, from, 

 the command of the northern army, in the beginning of July ; and on 

 the 22d committed, under a decree of the convention, a prisoner to 

 the Abbey. He was tried by the revolutionary tribunal ; and accus- 

 ed of having maintained an improper correspondence with the Prus- 

 sians while he commanded on the Rhine, and of having neglected va- 

 rious opportunities of throwing reinforcements into Valenciennes, 

 It is needless to say that he was found guilty; to be suspected was 

 then to be condemned : and the populace of Paris, now accustomed 

 to such scenes, beheld the sacrifice of their former defender with 

 calm indifference, or with blind exultation. 



The trial and condemnation of the queen immediately followed that 

 of general Custine. She had been removed, on the night of the 1st 

 of August, from the Temple, to a small and miserable apartment in 

 the prison of the Conciergerie ; where she remained till she was 

 brought before the revolutionary tribunal, on the 15th of October. 

 The act of accusation consisted of several charges, many of which 



Vol. I, 3C 



