Reports of the taking of the Bastille by one of its defenders
The following report was written by Louis de Flue - the commander of the Swiss soldiers sent by Louis XVI
to provide extra defense for the Bastille. The soldiers stationed at the fortress did not see themselves as
resisting the Revolution so much as keeping watch on a rather insignificant outpost that had nothing at all
to do with the major events transpiring in Versailles. Only in retrospect could he be seen as opposing the
Revolution since in the uncertain moments of 14 July, some people—especially royal officers—believed
that the event transpiring was little more than meaningless violence:
Having received orders from the baron de Bezenval, I left on July 7 at 2 in the morning with a
detachment of 32 men. We crossed Paris without difficulty and arrived at the Bastille where I entered with
my troops. During my next few days there, the Governor de Launay showed me around the place, the spots
he thought the strongest and those the weakest. He showed me all the precautions that he had taken. He
complained of the small size of his garrison and of the impossibility of guarding the place if attacked. I told
him his fears were unfounded, that the place was well fortified and that the garrison was sufficient if each
would do his duty to defend it.
The 12th of July we learned in the Bastille that there was the possibility of an attack on the
gunpowder in the Arsenal. Consequently, that night a detachment transported the powder to the Bastille
where it was placed in the wells, poorly covered. That same night the governor ordered the troops to
remain inside the chateau, not wanting to have to defend the exterior in case of an attack.
During the day of the 13th, from the high towers of the Bastille, various fires were seen burning
around the city, and we feared something similar near us, which would endanger the powder in the Bastille.
We learned the same day from some of the citizenry of the neighborhood that they were alarmed to see
canons trained on the city and we learned at the same time that the National Guard was being mobilized to
defend the city. Hearing this news, the Governor ordered the fortress be sealed off.
About three o'clock in the afternoon, a troop of armed citizens mixed with some soldiers came to
attack from the Arsenal. They entered without difficulty into the courtyard. They cut the chains holding the
drawbridge, and it fell open; this operation was easily carried out because the Governor had ordered his
troops not to fire before having warned the advancers to leave, which we could not do while they were still
at such a distance [from the fortress]. Nevertheless, the besiegers fired first on the high towers.
After having easily dropped the bridge, they easily knocked down the door with axes and entered
into the courtyard, where the governor went to meet them. He asked them what they wanted and the
general cry went up to "Lower the bridges!" The governor responded he could not and withdrew, ordering
his troops to take up defensive positions. The sieging forces brought their cannons to the gates. I stationed
my men to the left of the gate.
I waited for the moment when the governor [was] to execute his threat and I was very surprised to
see him send four veterans to the gates to open them and to lower the bridges. The crowd entered right
away and disarmed us in an instant. In the castle, archives were thrown from the windows and everything
was pillaged. The soldiers, including myself, who had left our packs in the castle had their personal effects
taken. However, at that moment, this was not the mistreatment which worried us; we were menaced with
being massacred in all manner possible. Finally, the furor calmed a bit and I along with part of my troupe
was conducted to the City Hall.
During the trip, the streets and the houses, even the roofs, were full of crowds who insulted me and
cursed me. I was continually subject to swords, bayonets, and pistols pressed against my body. I did not
know how I was going to die but I was sure I was at my final moment. Those without arms threw stones at
me, and women grimaced their teeth at me and menaced me with their fists. Already two of my soldiers had
been assassinated behind me by the furious people.
I arrived finally to general cries that I should be hung and at several hundred paces from the City
Hall, when a head on a pike was brought before me to consider and I was told that it was de Launay.
Crossing the place de Greve, I was passed before the body of M. de Lorme [guardian of City Hall] who was
on the ground in a bath of his own blood.
I was brought inside the City Hall and presented to a committee seated there. I was accused of
being one of those who had put up resistance at the Bastille and that I was also the cause of blood being
spilled…I justified myself better than I thought possible, saying that I had been under orders. Not seeing
any other means of saving myself and what remained of my troops, I declared my willingness to serve the
City and the Nation. This appeared to them convincing; there was applause and a general cry of "bravo!"
which I hoped would grant me a pardon. Instantly, I was brought wine and we had to drink to the health of
the City and the Nation.
Source: "Rélation de la prise de la Bastille le 14 juillet 1789 par un de ses défenseurs," in Révue
Retrospective, vol. 4 (Paris: M. J. Taschereau, 1834)