Descending On France 1780
Chapter 91 - 085 must make a heavy move

Chapter 91: 085 must make a heavy move

Anning had originally not paid much attention to Conte’s rebellion.

The current time was the fourth month after the march on Versailles, February 1790, just at the beginning of spring.

According to the script Anning had read, 1790 was a calm year, except for a series of military uprisings like the one in Nancy; there were not many significant events.

By July 14, 1790, the whole of Paris would have celebrated the "first anniversary of the Storming of the Bastille" joyously, singing about the future.

That’s how it should have been.

The reason for the military revolts was mainly due to the new ideas of equality brought about by the revolution, but at this point, France’s army was still the old army, with a strict hierarchy among ordinary soldiers, non-commissioned officers, and the high-ranking military officers.

The lower-ranking soldiers who had embraced the new ideas were unwilling to continue to be oppressed by the officers, and coupled with the army’s unpaid wages, mutinies broke out.

But these were all part of the old army and should have nothing to do with the National Guard.

As for rebellions, according to Anning’s memory, they were supposed to start erupting in succession from 1791, reaching the peak in 1793.

Hugo’s famous work "Ninety-Three" described the most intense moments of the French civil war.

The year 1793! Now it was 1790, still three years to go!

Therefore, Anning didn’t care about Conte’s rebellion at all, thinking it was just a minor rebellion that the local garrison could suppress with a wave of the hand.

However, by the end of February 1790, the situation in Conte became severe.

The local revolutionary committee sent several letters to Paris in succession, requesting decisive action from Paris to dispatch troops to suppress the rebellion.

By this point, Anning faintly felt that Lafayette’s look towards him had begun to change.

Sure enough, this morning, Lafayette made a special trip from the National Guard headquarters to the former Equestrian Arena where the parliament was housed, requesting to speak.

The rotating chairman of the parliament, the "Virtuous" Petition, immediately agreed to Lafayette’s request to speak.

Lafayette stepped onto the podium.

This podium, only built a little over four months ago, had its varnish polished shiny by the hands of countless speakers.

"Ladies and gentlemen! The rebellion in Conte has now spread to the nearby cities. The Rebel Army has even stormed into the National Assemblies of nearby cities, massacring the assembly members and patriots. I have here a captain from the National Guard who has come from Conte. I request the Chairman’s permission for him to speak!"

Petition nodded: "He may speak. We, too, would like to hear about the situation in Conte."

Lafayette immediately gestured to the captain who was waiting below the stage.

The captain then stepped onto the podium.

He still had a bandage wrapped around his head, with a large bloodstain seeping through.

Captain: "My name is Bela Eler, and I am a captain of the First Infantry Regiment of the Liberville National Guard. Although it is an infantry regiment, we have less than a thousand men, all patriots from Conte.

"We received orders from the Libreville Revolutionary Committee to go to Conte to suppress the rebellion, with instructions to occupy the town and drive out the Church Court’s administrative personnel from Conte, restoring France’s sovereignty over Conte after annihilating the Rebel Army.

"We immediately set off, but shortly after leaving Liberville, we encountered the Rebel Army at the border between Conte and Liberville..."

Mirabeau interrupted Captain Bela’s narrative: "What Rebel Army? Where did the Church get a Rebel Army?"

Captain Bela Eler replied, "It’s the Church’s rebel army, they are dressed in black, and greatly outnumber us. After just one volley, the troops under my command were scattered, and then the men in black began to chase, using their bayonets to pierce through everyone’s heart.

"They simply do not accept surrender, calling us ’heathens’ and mercilessly slaughtering us."

The members of the Parliament looked at each other.

Captain continued to narrate: "Then the rebels attacked Liberville, the city had no other self-defense forces, and anyone on the street wearing the tricolor was stabbed in the chest by the rebels in black, even children as young as seven or eight were no exception.

"The committee of Liberville was disbanded, and most of the parliamentarians were stabbed to death by bayonets.

"This is a massacre, without a doubt a massacre."

The whole Parliament was in an uproar.

Mirabeau stood up, glaring angrily at priest Molière, the leader of the Black Party in Parliament: "This is no ordinary rebel force, a heavy hand must be used!"

Lafayette returned to the podium to replace the Captain, but the Captain did not immediately give up his place. Instead, he gripped the railings of the podium, leaning forward, and cried out loudly to the parliamentarians: "Gentlemen! Not a single patriot remains in Liberville. The blood of patriots cannot be shed in vain! Gentlemen! Send the troops!"

Lafayette patted the young Captain’s shoulder, "Alright, we understand, we will not let the blood of Liberville be shed in vain."

Captain Bela Eler nodded, then ceded the podium.

As he stepped down, many came over to pat his shoulder.

Lafayette stood at the podium, hands spread on the railings, leaning forward: "Gentlemen! This is the greatest challenge to the newborn France, a challenge to liberty, equality, and fraternity! A challenge to the Declaration of Human Rights!

"We must respond with a thunderous retaliation! I propose we immediately vote to send the National Guard to Cotter to put down the rebellion!"

Banaf raised his hand and asked, "Is it possible to mobilize troops from nearby regions instead? Must the suppression forces be dispatched from Paris?"

Lafayette responded loudly, "The National Guard in Paris has the greatest numbers, longest establishment, and Paris is deeply influenced by Enlightenment thought, the military’s consciousness is the highest! In such times, sending out the National Guard from Paris, with the force of thunder to suppress the rebellion in Cotter, can highlight the strength of the newly formed National Guard and give confidence to patriots everywhere!"

Banaf nodded repeatedly without further comment.

Petition stood up: "Then, let’s begin the vote! Those in favor of dispatching the National Guard from Paris to suppress the Cotter rebellion, please vote!"

Half an hour later, the results were in, with only eight abstentions, and twenty-seven against, the motion to dispatch the National Guard was passed by an almost unanimous vote.

After announcing the results, Petition spoke to Lafayette who was still standing at the podium: "National Guard Commander, the Parliament authorizes you to dispatch troops to put down the rebellion!"

Lafayette nodded his head and then turned to look at Andy.

Andy suddenly felt uneasy.

The moment Lafayette took to the stage, he had the feeling that the Commander was repeatedly looking in his direction.

Lafayette: "Then, I propose that the Parliament reviews the candidates for the Rebellion Commander! I suggest, for this rebellion, the hero of the Storming of the Bastille, the Savior of Versailles, the founder of the Soldier Committee system, Andy Frost to take the position of Commander!"

— It really is going this way!

Inside, Andy cursed bitterly. In the history books of 1790, a year glossed over, where the focus was on what resolutions were passed by the Parliament, what policies were implemented, and hardly spoke of actual events.

And so Andy had originally planned to skate through this year, waiting for the more passionate year of 1791 to arrive.

But now, what do you know, he’s been made the Rebellion Commander!

Mirabeau responded loudly, "I think it’s a good idea! Mr. Frost is brave and capable, surely he will be able to suppress the robed rebels!"