their competency unlimited, like their powers, and having
just joined the army, claim the right of being appointed
major-generals.[32112] "Declare officially," writes Fabre to the
Committee of Public Safety,[32113] "that, in future, generals shall be
simply the lieutenants of the delegates to the Convention." Awaiting the
required declaration, they claim command and, in reality, exercise it.
"I know of neither generals nor privates," says Gaston, a former justice
of the peace, to the officers; "as to the Minister, he is like a bull
in a china shop; I am in command here and must be obeyed." "What are
generals good for?" adds his colleague Guiter; "the old women in our
faubourgs know as much as they do. Plans, formal maneuvers, tents,
camps, redoubts? All this is of no use! The only war suitable to
Frenchmen after this will be a rush with side arms." To turn out
of office, guillotine, disorganize, march blindly on, waste lives
haphazard, force defeat, sometimes get killed themselves, is all they
know, and they would lose all if the effects of their incapacity and
arrogance were not redeemed by the devotion of the officers and the
enthusiasm of the soldiers.--The same spectacle is visible at Charleroy
where, through his absurd orders, Saint-Just does his best to compromise
the army, leaving that place with the belief that he is a great
man.[32114]--There is the same spectacle in Alsace, where Lacoste,
Baudot, Ruamps, Soubrany, Muhaud, Saint-Just and Lebas, through their
excessive rigor, do their best to break up the army and then boast of
it. The revolutionary Tribunal is installed at headquarters, soldiers
are urged to denounce their officers, the informer is promised money and
secrecy, he and the accused are not allowed to confront each other,
no investigation, no papers allowed, even to make exception to the
verdict--a simple examination without any notes, the accused arrested
at eight o'clock, condemned at nine o'clock, and shot at ten
o'clock.[32115]

Naturally, under such a system, no one wants to command; already, before
Saint Just's arrival, Meunier had consented to act as Major-General only
ad interim; "every hour of the day" he demanded his removal; unable
to secure this, he refused to issue any order. The representatives, to
procure his successor, are obliged to descend down to a depot captain,
Carlin, bold enough or stupid enough to allow himself to take
a commission under their lead, which was a commission fo