Bibliography
"The Jacobins." Revolution. Ed. Russ Collins. 2007. Thinkquest. 26 Apr. 2009 .

Kreis, Steven. "The Orgins of the French Revolution." The History Guide. 2000. 23 Apr. 2009 .

Moore, Richard. "French Revolution." Napoleonic Guide. 2006. .

Smitha, Frank E. "The French Revolution." MacroHistory and World Report. 22 Apr. 2009. 2002 .

Jacques Pétain was executed on January 18, 1793. He was sentenced to death after he was convicted of desertion and rebellion. He was executed along with about 50 others, charged with committing similar crimes. He was captured the day before by a man in the Royal French Guard, when he was caught in the streets talking to another about his dissatisfaction with Robespierre, and how he wished a new King would take the thrown. Many were convicted of similar crimes, even though there is no substantial proof of fair trials behind the arrests and executions. A final letter written by him was found a few days later written to his father:
Dear Father,
I am very worried. I do not think I will make it out alive from the terrors that are happening on our street as we speak. I have heard of so many that have been killed for not completely agreeing with Robespierre and his men. I think I will soon be caught because I often cannot help but show my disrespect for them. I hope you understand that father, and I wish you the best if anything happens to me. Please tell mother I love her and I miss her.
Sincerely
Jacques Petain

I have barely left my house in over 9 months. I fear for my life almost everyday. Since I have left the Royal French Guard I have not been able to publicly walk the street, for I would be killed. Many of my old comrades, who used to work for me, would now betray me if they saw me, because I refuse to change my loyalties to that of a man named Robespierre. He says he wants to make the conditions better for all men, and has become the new leader of France by force but I cannot be faithful to someone who killed our King. Since I refused to join them I am now considered to be somewhat of a traitor, as I still stay true to what I believed is right, and that the King should not have been executed. I would probably be killed if I were seen. I have seen it happen so many times to many people, though they are often people of authority and public name, that openly appose Robespierre. These last few months have also not just had senseless killing, but burnings, and a war has been started with what seems to be every neighbouring country we have. It has been very hard on many people, because even if now we can afford the bread, because of the new fixed price, we cannot go out and get it. I also do not approve of the way these people have been treating the Church. I hold great honour in my faith, and to see these people close the churches, and kill many people involved with it is devastating. I cannot fulfill my duties as a devout Christian if I cannot go to mass every Sunday. I wish this great terror to be over, even if this Robespierre is to stay in power. I wish that he would simply restore our country to how it was before and stop the senseless killing. I hope to one day live in a France where I feel free to go out on the streets and resume a position under a newly reinstated King. The most important job I will ever have is to serve the King I have and serve him well!

I have grave news that affects me very deeply. Our King Louis XIV and his wife have been executed. I wish that this did not have to be the case, and some other form of action could have been taken. Even if some people feel that King Louis XIV leadership had not been without flaws in the past few years, they did not have to make a public showing their dissatisfaction. It is a disgrace to me and everyone else because the King is our leader, who we unconditionally follow, and his public beheading is a public show of disloyalty to all we hold sacred. Other news that is greatly upsetting to me is my recent displacement from my job. My prediction that all things to do with the church are being scrutinized has come true, and my position discontinued. I could have stayed a French Guard, but I refused to take part in any rebellious acts against the King. Many of the men that I worked with for a long time are now running the streets in the daily riots that seem to be going on since the Kings death. I hope they do not get any worse, since right now they mostly talk of burning buildings to the ground, instead of actually doing it. I very much hope that we will get some stable leadership after this. I do not think I can stand to see anymore of my town destroyed, and I would hate to see anything else happen to anyone else in the Kings family. I have also heard rumours of an impending war with other countries such as Britain, who many people who voice their opinions publicly think should know better than to disagree with the way our country is run. Well, with the way things are going I would almost consider fighting on the British side! I could, of course, never do that to my parents, and I hope it never comes to a war, as I do not think we could stand it in this divided state. I wish our country could just return to the way it used to be, and none of this ever had to occur.

Apparently, there has been a new Constitution made, which newly calls our state of governing a Constitutional Monarchy. My father says it is a good idea, but I am not so sure. He said that it gives more power to the people and gives the King less authority. I do not approve, because many of the people my parents and I know would not do good for anyone else if they were given more power. It is best to stick to our old ways with just one man, our King, in power and then there will be less power struggles, because everyone knows who is in charge. This is the most effective form of leadership at my position, me being the leader of my group of men, with no second in command. I have to follow my superior’s orders, who receive their orders from the King, no matter what they are, and my men must follow mine. I have a suspicion that I will soon not have my position anymore though. In the new constitution there has been a new condition set forth that no one in the church receives special privileges, and all church land has been handed over to the state. I fear that these conditions will soon apply to going to church, and anything related to the Roman Catholic faith, which means my position will no longer exist. I hope this is not the case, but it may very well come true in the next few years. I am sure that some kind of power struggle will also follow this new Constitution. Though it is still called a kind of monarchy, the King no longer has ultimate power, and soon someone else will want to siege just that little bit of power, and then more and more power. The people who say they want equal power for all really just want more power for themselves, and wish they had as much power as the King. I, for one, will not try to get any kind of higher position than what I have now. I am very satisfied with my job, and am still very faithful to the King. I hope that my predictions for a power struggle are wrong, this whole situation disappears and the King will get back all of his previous power.

For many days, rumours of an uprising of the people and a march for change had been circulating. It started in the early morning when I had just begun my guard duties at the Cathedral Notre Dame. My men and I heard, as well as saw, a large group of men, and some women, marching down the street. I did not know where they were headed, but I pitied whoever got in their way because I knew their fate would not be good. All morning people marched, many called for me and my men to join them, but we refused, and were ready to defend the Church if any were brave enough to try to get by us. In the late morning less and less people walked by, but I could hear angry shouting in the distance. Early in the afternoon, I saw smoke coming from the distance, in the general direction of the Bastilles. I worried for the guards down there, even though I never thought they would be defeated, the crowd was very angry and I hoped no harm would befall any of the soldiers working over there. As the afternoon continued the shouting continued to get louder and louder, and I saw smoke coming from the same area. A soldier came running to ask us for assistance in defending the Bastille, where I had suspected the mob had attacked, and I considered sending some of my men to help .I could not spare any men though, because so many (seven of the usual 12 in my command) were already missing. Many did not show up because of the rumours of an attack planned by many of the villagers. I now regret that I did not sent any of my men to help, if they could have made a difference at all, as the horrible sight I saw that evening is burned into my mind forever. I saw a man that I had admired and looked up to for as long as I can remember, and a friend of my father’s, head cut off right in front of me. The honourable man and general De Launay was humiliated and killed on the street in front of me. He was a man that had stayed true to our honourable King Louis XIV for his whole life, and this is how he is repaid. Even though I would have liked to tear the heads off the men who did this to my friend, I had more pressing matters to worry about. The crowd of people returning from the Bastilles was angry and rowdy and was set on destruction. I did the best I could to protect the Church, but a lot of damage was sustained, mostly because I was short so many men. I am glad that the mob did not attach harder, or I might have lost my life. My group of men and myself spent most of the night and next morning cleaning up the mess that had been left by the mob. I disapprove of the actions of these people very much. They killed many great men and destroyed many great valuable objects on their way. I hope that these people never try anything of this nature ever again, settle down, be content with their lives, and begin to treat their monarchy with the respect they deserve.

-Jacques Petain, Guard in the Royal French Army

I am proud to represent France in the Royal French Guard. I have recently been promoted to the head of a small group of men who guard the Cathédrale Notre Dame. My family is very proud of me, as this is a very high honour to receive at the young age of 18. My mother butchered one of the pigs we keep in the yard, and we made a special dinner to celebrate my new position. We shared the news of my promotion with as many as would listen, but the news was not received with much enthusiasm. This seems to be the case with anything that is related to the great King Louis XIV, or the Roman Catholic Faith.I have noticed recently that less and less people seem to be pleased with the actions of the King, and are vocally expressing their dissatisfaction with this country. At my post, I have begun to hear discontent with the way this county is being run. I often hear others call rudely to me as well as my superiors, vulgar words describing the King, his wife, and many people of a higher standing than they will ever be. It appears that they wish to rise above their social standings and in doing so make comments that are totally above their station. I cannot deny that it does not anger me that people who have not worked nearly as hard as I enjoy privileges that are well beyond my own, however, this is not in my right to say. Sometimes I do imagine rising above what I have now, though I am honoured to have it, and becoming a wealthy man with privileges I do not have now. However I remain loyal to the King, and believe that my wishes and those of my fellow people will eventually be met. The people on the streets say they are preaching ideas of progress and have new enlightened ideas, stating that they want the monarch to have a responsibility to them, but what they do not seem to realize is that the most important duty they will ever have in life is to serve their King loyally and well. The difficult economic times we have been experiencing recently, with the shortage of bread and heavy taxes has been hard on everyone, my family included, but we will eventually get past it with the help of our King, and grow into a more prosperous and strong nation.

-Jacques Pétain, Guard in the Royal French Army