passed the night in
preparing a proclamation to be issued in the name of the Austrians, and
in further explaining and settling the treaty between the French army
and that of the emperor. But Dumourez was doomed to be disappointed. He
still imagined that his regular troops were faithful to his person,
and on the morrow he resolved to throw himself among them. His
army, however, was now no more. Instigated by some emissaries from
Valenciennes, who told them that Dumouriez was either killed or drowned,
the artillery had risen upon their officers in the night, and
had marched, with all their guns, baggage, and ammunition, for
Valenciennes, whither they were soon followed by the troops of the line.
When, therefore, Dumouriez returned in the morning to Saint Arnaud,
his army was no more; and he with the Duke of Chartres, the Duke of
Montpensier, Colonel Thouvenot, and the rest of his numerous staff',
joined the Austrians. They were followed by the entire regiment of
Berchingy, 1,500 strong, and some fragments of some French regiments,
and the sons of Orleans. The rest of his army joined the camp at Famars,
under Dampierre, who was now invested with the chief command. On the
following day, Dumouriez issued a proclamation, which contained a
recapitulation of his services to the French republic, and an animated
picture of the outrages of the Jacobins and of the mischiefs to be
apprehended from a continuation of anarchy in France; concluding with
an exhortation to the French to restore the constitution of 1791, and
a declaration on oath that he bore arms only for that purpose. This
proclamation was accompanied by a manifesto on the part of Saxe Cobourg,
now commander-in-chief of the armies of Austria, announcing that the
allied powers were no longer to be considered as principals, but
merely as auxiliaries of France; that they had no other object than to
co-operate with the general in giving to France her constitutional king,
and the constitution she formed for herself. These proceedings were
no sooner known at Paris than the convention declared its sittings
permanent, denounced Dumouriez as a traitor, and fixed a price on his
head; banished all the Bourbons, and established that "committee of
public safety," which was destined to complete the crimes and destroy
the chief authors of the revolution.

This defection of Dumouriez gave great advantage to the Jacobins. They
exclaimed that he was leagued with the Girondists, and that