gunshops were plundered by the mob, republican
writers that the owners of guns voluntarily distributed them.
Besenval, lacking instructions from Broglie, and hesitating at what
faced him, had done little or nothing; but Paris intended to be ready
for him if he should act on the following day.

On the 13th, the disorder and excitement continued. The committee at
the Hotel de Ville took in hand the formation of battalions for each
section of the city; while Besenval still remained almost inactive at
the gates. On the 14th the insurrection culminated, and won what
proved to be a decisive victory.

At the east end of Paris stood the Bastille. It was a mediaeval
dungeon of formidable aspect, armed with many cannon and dominating the
outlet from the populous faubourg St. Antoine to the country
beyond--one of the mouths of famishing Paris. It contained a great
store {67} of gunpowder and a garrison of about 100 Swiss and veterans.
The fortress had an evil reputation as a state prison. Although in
July, 1789 its cells were nearly all unoccupied, popular legend would
have it that numerous victims of royal despotism, arbitrarily
imprisoned, lay within its walls. So it was a symbol of the royal
authority within Paris, a threat, or reckoned so, to the faubourg St.
Antoine and the free movement of food supplies from the east side of
the city, a store of guns and ammunition. For all these reasons the
mob, undisturbed by Besenval, turned to attack it.

The first effort was in vain. Although the garrison of the Bastille,
except its commander, the Marquis de Launay, was disinclined to fire on
the mob, and was so short of provisions that resistance was useless,
the attackers succeeded in little more than getting possession of some
of the outbuildings of the fortress. The musketry which the Governor
directed from the keep proved more than the mob cared to face. But the
first wave of attack was soon reinforced by another. From the French
regiments of Besenval's army a steady stream of deserters was now
setting into Paris through every gate. A number of these soldiers and
of the men of the regiment of the French guards {68} were drawn to the
Bastille by the sound of the firing and now took up the attack with
system and vigour. Elie, a non-commissioned officer of the Queen's
regiment, gave orders, supported by Hullin, Marceau, and others; two
small pieces of cannon were brought up, the soldiers and some few
citizens formed e