He Became Napoleon’S Genius Son [EN]: Chapter 46

(45) Robespierre Grants Limited Full Authority

It’s often said that good news travels slowly, while bad news spreads like wildfire.

“Citizen Representatives, I have distributed Marc Antoine Jullien’s report to all members,” Saint-Just, Robespierre’s trusted advisor, announced.

Marc Antoine Jullien…

The ‘Overseer’ dispatched by the National Convention to the Vendée was, in reality, Representative Carrier.

However, the National Convention—or more accurately, the Committee of Public Safety, the most powerful committee among the Convention’s many bodies—distrusted Carrier.

Therefore, Jullien served as a surveillance commissioner, sent by the Committee of Public Safety to keep an eye on Carrier.

But no one anticipated the report he delivered: a report detailing [massacre].

Danton frowned as he read the report.

“What is this! Mass drownings? No matter how rebellious they are, who authorized such a barbaric method of execution?”

Mass drownings.

A horrifying tragedy unfolding across the Vendée.

It was true that the revolutionary government had adopted a harsh stance to suppress the rebellion.

In Paris, exiled nobles were being sentenced to death in absentia [in their absence], and those suspected of collaborating with foreign powers were being imprisoned and tried.

Throughout southern France, the government had met civil war with war, culminating in the siege of Toulon.

Therefore, everyone expected the rebels to be imprisoned, executed after a trial, or killed in battle.

The directives issued to the Vendée were clear from the outset.

Eliminate all bandits—meaning, rebels.

However, this was understood to mean killing them in combat, sentencing them to death through legal proceedings, or tacitly accepting deaths from disease within the prisons.

Mass drownings were an atrocity unimaginable in Paris.

At that moment, Marat, who had returned to the Committee of Public Safety after a prolonged absence, scratched his skin and sneered.

“Carrier has been doing this for some time. I find it hardly surprising.”

Danton protested, dumbfounded.

“Marat, this is not a matter to be taken lightly! Even if they are rebels, they are entitled to a trial! Drowning? Is that a legally sanctioned method of execution?”

“You must remember that it is a war zone. In the current situation, where the border could be threatened at any moment, a swift response to the rebellion is paramount.”

“No, does that mean we can simply kill people without verifying whether they are rebels or innocent civilians!”

Danton looked around at the members of the Committee of Public Safety, his voice rising.

“Have you forgotten! They are also voters. Are there no members of the National Convention from the Vendée?”

Of course, there were none within the Committee of Public Safety.

From the beginning, the Vendée was a region with strong royalist sympathies, and the surrounding area was a stronghold of the Girondins [a moderate faction during the French Revolution], the revolution’s moderate faction.

Consequently, there were no Vendée representatives among the Jacobins, especially the Montagnards [the radical faction], who were the hardliners.

Most of them hailed from the northeast, from regions like Normandy, Champagne, and Île-de-France.

Robespierre was from Arras, north of Paris, Danton from Champagne in the northeast, and Marat, strangely enough, from Switzerland.

As a result, no one truly grasped the gravity of the situation in the Vendée.

In truth, Danton felt similarly detached.

However, mass drowning was a step too far.

Aside from the moral implications, it would be difficult to manage the fallout if this became public knowledge in Paris and throughout France.

Danton, with his keen instincts, recognized this danger.

On the other hand, Marat scoffed.

“So, should we simply release the rebels? What if our soldiers die as a result? Aren’t the soldiers voters too?”

All the members of the Committee of Public Safety coughed and averted their gazes.

What Marat said reflected the sentiments of the majority within the Committee of Public Safety.

Even in this brutal era of revolution, they were representatives elected by the people.

Therefore, they would never explicitly order a massacre.

However, even if civilians were executed somewhat harshly on the spot, it wasn’t a situation they felt compelled to stop.

In any case, France was under attack from all sides.

If they adhered strictly to legal procedures, the rebels might overthrow Paris at any moment.

Even now, public sentiment in Paris was deteriorating daily due to soaring prices.

Prices doubled every day.

If this year’s harvest was deemed a failure by the end of the year, another riot was inevitable.

In this situation, ending the rebellion as quickly as possible was paramount.

Danton could say nothing further.

Just then…

“What if the rebellion is not ending, but rather fueling it?”

Auguste Robespierre, the youngest member of the Committee of Public Safety, finally spoke.

Robespierre’s younger brother, who had remained silent until now.

***

Auguste, whose real name was Augustin, was often seen as merely an appendage to his brother.

However, this man, affectionately called Auguste, was the one who discovered Napoleon.

What if Auguste had not recognized Napoleon’s potential in Toulon?

No matter how talented Napoleon was, he might never have had the opportunity to demonstrate it.

Of course, revolutionary France remained at war.

Someone else might have discovered Napoleon, even if it wasn’t Auguste.

But it was undeniable that Napoleon’s key connection was Auguste, and remained so.

For example, Eugène, Napoleon’s aide, sent secret letters to Auguste.

Auguste clenched the document he had recently obtained and stated forcefully.

“Carrier is utterly failing to suppress the Vendée rebellion.”

Danton’s eyes widened.

“What do you mean, Citizen Auguste Robespierre?”

Marat, on the other hand, frowned.

This situation highlighted the delicate balance within the Committee of Public Safety.

Currently, the Committee of Public Safety, the highest authority of the National Convention and the true power brokers of France, was divided into three factions.

Marat’s faction, Danton’s faction, and Robespierre’s faction.

However, Representative Carrier and Commander Rossignol were both recommended by Marat.

This was the real reason why Marat displayed such a biased perspective regarding Jullien’s surveillance report.

Similarly, Danton’s delight at Auguste’s remarks stemmed from the same political calculations.

Even the drowning of thousands of people was being exploited for political gain.

That was perhaps the tragedy of revolutionary politics.

After gritting his teeth for a moment, Auguste composed himself and continued.

“According to my informants, rumors are spreading that the Vendée rebels have allied with England. It’s almost certainly true.”

“Ha! Those traitors, as expected! Selling out the country!”

“The problem is that Carrier is doing nothing to stop it. There are even rumors circulating within the Vendée headquarters that Carrier is colluding with England and is deliberately turning a blind eye.”

At that moment, Marat flew into a rage and jumped to his feet.

“That’s utter nonsense! Carrier is a patriot!”

“He’s also a protégé of the Duke of Orléans, isn’t he, Marat?”

“Good heavens, aren’t there many people with such connections? Besides, since the Duke of Orléans fled, he has also voted in favor of the death resolution!”

Marat’s eyes flashed.

Due to his long years spent in hiding, Marat suffered from a debilitating skin disease.

It frequently affected his health, a weakness that often hampered his effectiveness.

But at this moment, the combination of his diseased skin and fierce eyes exuded a terrifying charisma.

For a moment, all the members of the Committee of Public Safety were intimidated.

However, Auguste gritted his teeth, clutched the report, and shouted.

“If that’s not the case, there’s no other explanation for why Carrier lost La Rochelle!”

La Rochelle, a historic port city in western France, had fallen into the hands of the rebels?

All the members of the Committee of Public Safety were shocked by this news, which they were hearing for the first time.

Sieyès, who had been involved since the beginning of the revolution, Cambacérès, a legal expert and gourmet, and Desmoulins, a friend of Robespierre, exclaimed in disbelief.

“La Rochelle has been taken? What are you saying!”

“Good heavens, we were relieved that they were stopped at Nantes, and now it’s La Rochelle? If that port is breached, the British Navy can supply them directly!”

“This is a grave situation! What on earth was Carrier doing!”

Auguste, emboldened, unfolded the report.

“Here, there is a report from Major François Marceau, who also participated in the Battle of Toulon. I will read it to you. The Vendée battlefield has lost La Rochelle due to incompetent commanders and dispatched representatives!”

This was the report that Louis Tournay, the delivery man of Eugène’s postal special squadron, had risked his life to deliver.

So why had Marceau written it instead of Eugène?

There were several reasons, but the primary one was that Eugène was already a person of interest to the authorities.

He had been marked by the Montagnards for his role in saving the Queen.

Therefore, they used the name of Marceau, who was relatively unknown.

Indeed, Marat, who didn’t recognize the name Marceau, frowned and demanded.

“I don’t know who this Marceau is, but has he contributed as much as Rossignol?”

“Two highly respected individuals have vouched for Marceau’s ability.”

“Who are they!”

Swallowing hard, Auguste replied.

“Brigadier General Hoche, the hero of the Dunkirk defense, and Brigadier General Bonaparte, the hero of the Toulon recapture.”

Hoche and Bonaparte.

The current revolutionary government was producing a large number of war heroes and promoting them rapidly.

Among them were many cases of individuals being promoted due to their connections to representatives, like Cartaux or Rossignol.

However, the heroes who defended Dunkirk, the northernmost fortress on the French border, and Toulon, the southernmost port, were different.

By now, at least the entire French military and defense officials knew their names.

The same was true for the members of the Committee of Public Safety.

The chairman raised his hand at the moment when Marat hesitated.

It was Maximilien de Robespierre, the chairman of the Committee of Public Safety.

“Stop.”

Auguste immediately fell silent.

He was, after all, his brother’s assistant.

Because even now, when Maximilien Robespierre spoke, Auguste withdrew his challenge.

But Auguste wasn’t the only one who had fallen silent.

Marat and Danton also closed their mouths and watched Robespierre.

It was a moment that clearly demonstrated who held the true power.

“Let’s reach a conclusion.”

Robespierre, the chairman of the Committee of Public Safety and the most powerful figure in the revolutionary government, began to speak.

***

What mattered most in the revolutionary era was not the truth.

The result, and only the result, dictated everything.

Even if a judgment was made based on the truth, if the outcome was unfavorable, everything would be overturned.

For example, Eugène, who was behind Marceau, was a prime example of this.

Eugène had used lies during the Queen’s trial, but he had survived because the result was positive.

After all, he had recaptured Toulon.

‘That cheeky brat, he’s plotting something again behind the scenes.’

Robespierre glared at Auguste, frowning slightly without making it obvious.

Marat might not know, but Robespierre did.

François Marceau, former deputy manager of the Boarneh Bank.

He was a person of interest, but he had gone to war with Eugène and emerged unscathed.

The result of that war was the recapture of Toulon and the return of the Mediterranean Fleet.

It was such a remarkable achievement, and Paris was so preoccupied, that these people of interest were ultimately overlooked.

Along with the Queen’s family, who remained under constant surveillance.

But Marceau had sent this report to his brother Auguste.

[Financial Prodigy] Eugène was definitely involved.

Ordinarily, exposing this conspiracy, ousting Eugène, and protecting Carrier would be the just course of action.

But would the result truly lead to the suppression of the Vendée rebellion?

The news of the fall of La Rochelle…

It was a critical piece of information that made Robespierre unable to optimistically predict the outcome.

It was unpleasant to be manipulated by Eugène, but the result was what mattered most.

Robespierre addressed the assembly.

“Well, first of all, it is difficult to ascertain the truth of these rumors at this time. Therefore, I will not demand accountability for the alleged murder of citizens.”

“That is a wise judgment, Monsieur Robespierre!”

“However, the fact that La Rochelle has fallen is a serious matter. Marat.”

Marat had no answer to that.

La Rochelle itself was not a particularly important city.

It was a small city, less than one-tenth the size of Bordeaux or Nantes.

However, the problem was that it was a port city facing the sea.

A port that could provide a direct link to England.

It created a situation where England could directly intervene in the Vendée region, just as they had in Toulon.

Robespierre’s eyes flashed coldly as he surveyed the members.

“Even if we leave Carrier in his position, someone must take responsibility, correct? Let us replace the commander. Who would be a suitable successor?”

All the members of the Committee of Public Safety exchanged glances.

Marat’s direct representative, Carrier, would be spared.

But Rossignol would have to take the fall.

At that moment, Rossignol was chosen as the scapegoat.

Auguste hurriedly stepped forward.

“Major Marceau, who sent the report, has recommended someone.”

“Who is it, Monsieur Auguste Robespierre?”

“It is Major General Jean-Baptiste Kléber. He has experience on the Rhine battlefield.”

The members exchanged glances again.

Kléber, a name none of them recognized.

In short, he was not affiliated with any of their factions.

Even Robespierre had never heard of him.

Furthermore, if he had fought on the Rhine battlefield, he would possess considerable war experience.

Robespierre, observing the expressions of the members with cold eyes, nodded.

“Very well. However, I will demand accountability for this replacement. Three months.”

“Yes? Brother, no, Representative Robespierre. That’s…”

“He will suppress the Vendée within that timeframe. He must bring at least the head of the supreme commander of the rebels. In return, I will grant him full authority. To the new commander.”

If the result was not achieved, Auguste and the new commander would bear full responsibility.

Auguste nodded nervously.

Robespierre, watching the scene unfold, rose from his seat.

“Let us conclude the meeting. Tomorrow, we will receive a report on the Rhine region, and we need to discuss the reconstruction of the Navy.”

This took place in the Fleur Mansion, adjacent to the old palace, the Tuileries Palace.

The location where the Committee of Public Safety, the most powerful group in Paris, convened.

There, a decision was made that would alter the fate of the Vendée.

A commander replacement, the granting of full authority, but with the stipulation that results must be achieved within three months.

But no one present knew that history was being reshaped once again by the decision of the supreme ruler, Maximilien de Robespierre.