Sophie Lapierre, Activist of the French Revolution and Celebrated Babouvist Singer
I am not infallible, so please feel free to correct me.
Militant Career
Sophie Lapierre was born on 29 October 1771. She was the niece of the Babouvist Joseph Monnard. She is described as a pretty woman with Venetian blond hair.
Having been settled in Myennes for three years, in the district of Cosne-sur-Loire, she was granted a certificate of civism on 12 Floréal, Year II, by the local commune, which emphasized her commitment to patriotic ideals. Another certificate of the same kind was later awarded to her while she was teaching there. She subsequently left the provinces for Paris, where she lived with her aunt Monnard and worked as an embroiderer( according to Robert Legrand, Babeuf et ses compagnons de route).
According to historian Claude Mazauric, she may have had political connections with Claire Lacombe. In his book Babeuf et la Conjuration pour l’Égalité, he describes Sophie Lapierre’s political involvement as follows: “the former activist among the revolutionary women of Claire Lacombe’s circle, Sophie Lapierre.”
Nevertheless, even if this claim regarding her ties with Claire Lacombe is accurate, it did not prevent her from singing songs in homage to Robespierre.
In Year IV, she was reportedly seen singing at the Café des Bains Chinois, a place where the Babouvists prepared their conspiracies and where subscriptions to the newspaper Le Tribun du Peuple were taken (according to Aulard).
She sings the song La complainte sur la mort de Robespierre: Ah! poor people, farewell to the golden age Expect only sorrow and misery It ended on the tenth of Thermidor The day Robespierre was sacrificed. When he was alive, he eased our sufferings, He had all our respect…
(Ah ! pauvre peuple, adieu le siècle d’or N’attends que peine et misère Il est passé dès le dix thermidor Jour qu’on immola Robespierre. Quand il vivait, il allégeait nos maux, Il avait toute notre estime…)
But she also sings Goujon’s hymn, la Caramagnole, and le Chant des Egaux.
Here are some lyrics from Goujon’s hymn: Rise, illustrious victims, Of the oppressors of humankind! … We lived for Equality, We will die for the fatherland…
(Levez-vous illustres victimes, Des oppresseurs du genre humain ! … Nous vivions pour l’Égalité, Nous périrons pour la patrie…)
The lyrics of la Caramagnole were: Frenchmen, let us all fly to Paris To embrace our good friends. Long live Liberty! Let us sing Equality!
(Français, volons tous à Paris Pour embrasser nos bons amis. Vive la Liberté ! Chantons l’Égalité !)
While some of the lyrics of le Chant des Egaux were: An infamous code has for too long Enslaved men to men.
Down with the reign of brigands! Let us finally know where we stand, Awaken to our voice, And emerge from the deep night, People, reclaim your rights, The sun shines for everyone.
(Un code infâme a trop longtemps Asservi les hommes aux hommes. Tombe le règne des brigands ! Sachons enfin où nous en sommes, Réveillez-vous à notre voix, Et sortez de la nuit profonde, Peuples, ressaisissez vos droits, Le soleil luit pour tout le monde).
Some unverified sources claim that she was Darthé’s mistress, but since I have not found any evidence or confirmation from historians so far, this information should be taken with caution.
Here is another excerpt from Robert Legrand’s text concerning her:
“The indictment tells us that at the Bains Chinois: ‘She was known as Sophie. She attended gatherings at Breton’s and at the tavern on Rue Denis with those who met at her uncle’s. She would bring food there. She knew the legionnaires who came to her uncle’s, and she ate with them. One day, Drouin, a legionnaire, slept in the said Sophie’s room, along with three other recruits. Whenever the enterprise was discussed, she would incite the members with the most violent and bloodthirsty remarks, and when any doubt was expressed about its success, she was affected to the point of feeling unwell.’
However, she claimed not to have had any knowledge of the plot” (National Archives, F7 4278, police note).
She would later be arrested and imprisoned.
During the Babouvist Repression But the worst was still to come with her. I have already discussed the repression at the Grenelle camp here: https://www.tumblr.com/nesiacha/761134322820448256/during-the-night-of-september-9-to-10-1796-the?source=share.
To summarize briefly, after Babeuf’s arrest, Babouvist conspirators tried to free their leaders. Here is a quick summary of what historian Jean-Marc Schiappa says in his book Gracchus Babeuf et les Égaux:
"On the night of September 9–10, 1796 (23–24 Fructidor, Year IV), the surviving Babouvists made their way to the Grenelle military camp. The group consisted of several hundred democrats. Carnot, informed by Colonel Malo, one of the camp’s commanders, preferred to wait and have as many democrats as possible arrested in the trap, even if it meant using it against all opponents. The insurgents, led by certain provocateurs such as Sandron Romainville—the same man who had had the Babouvists like Blondeau arrested—determined to free their leaders, were anticipated and charged by the cavalry. (...) The wounded from Grenelle fled into Paris, while a number drowned attempting to cross the Seine under cover of night. The repression was unimaginably savage. Paris was completely surrounded, and the Directory ordered house-to-house searches across all districts. Every wounded person they could find was arrested. Searches were conducted even in the Hôtel-Dieu wards, where the injured were apprehended. Three former deputies were arrested, though entirely unrelated to the affair, at least for the first two: Cusset, Huguet, and Javogues, who had been under surveillance since the popular uprisings of Year III.
According to the law, civilians could not be brought before military tribunals; yet it was indeed before a military commission that the accused appeared, which sentenced thirty-two democrats to death, including a number of Babouvists such as Bertrand from Lyon, Baby from Toulouse, or Joseph Monnard, Sophie Lapierre’s uncle, who would nevertheless be judged at Vendôme even posthumously. Among the wounded was Jean-Joseph Fyon, a military agent of the Conspiracy, who would be transferred to Vendôme. Some of the arrested militants had come from the provinces to join the plot, following the Jacobin tradition of August 10, 1792—such as Ollivier from Lorient, or others from Grenoble and Rouen. In 1792, thousands of fédérés had ensured victory; in 1796, the mere presence of a few isolated individuals sealed defeat: the Revolution was indeed over.
Immediately after the trials, the condemned lodged appeals in vain. They were executed on the spot. The Court of Cassation would later annul the judgments handed down by the military commission. Dozens of prisoners would be released, but it was impossible to bring the dead back to life, even by judicial decision"
Although Carnot save the life of Félix Le Peletier by warning him not to go, he still bears heavy responsibility for what happened. Nevertheless, Tissot and Buonarroti believe that Barras also shares some of the responsibility, and historian Jean-Marc Schiappa agrees.
Moreover, despite his significant powers, it seems difficult to believe that Carnot could have acted alone.
In any case, Sophie Lapierre had to face this loss as well as the judgment of her peers and of her aunt, the Widow Monnard. She became part of the group of ten Babouvists who refused to acknowledge the authority of the Vendôme Court (with Babeuf, Blondeau, Darthé, Moroy, Germain, Cochet, Marie-Adélaïde Lambert, Toulotte, and Cazin).
It appears she supported Babeuf's tactics, along with Blondeau and sometimes Germain, by acting out in prison to draw public attention to their incarceration. She suffered the consequences of this, as reported in a letter from 11 Nivôse (correspondence from Daude): "Blondeau, the perpetual voice of the troublemakers, tried to disregard the rules and laws by establishing himself with the women to share scandalous pleasures with a few other accused men, whom these women had invited to dinner in their hallways. We opposed this blatant violation. There were cries, disturbances, insults, threats, and even violence... Resolute to overcome all resistance, we called the gendarmerie and had Blondeau and the other guests escorted back to their rooms. Babeuf, moments later, struck the cook. We reported the incident to the municipal administration, which issued a decree sentencing Blondeau, Sophie Lapierre, Adélaïde Lambert, and Babeuf to three days in confinement in their rooms, while the others were sentenced to five days."
Apparently, she wanted to have dinner in prison with Babeuf, Blondeau, and Marie-Adélaïde Lambert, as well as other prisoners, but this was refused by the warden, who confined them for five days. In my opinion, they may have caused some disturbance in prison so that they could be punished for it.
"Indicted in Vendôme. She signed all the protests that the conspirators submitted to the court, and she also signed on behalf of her aunt, Citizen Monard.
During the interrogation, Sophie stated that she did not wish to answer, not recognizing the competence of the court. She persisted in her refusal. When asked if she had chosen a counsel, she replied that she had selected Citizen Toulotte. Since he was himself detained, Ballyer was appointed in his place as unofficial defender. As other defendants had done, she declared that she reserved her rights pending the judgment of the Court of Cassation and again denied having had any knowledge of the plot".(Robert Legrand Arch. Nat., F7 4278, police note. )
She remained silent, like Darthé, refusing to answer the tribunal’s questions throughout the trial, except when singing revolutionary songs such as l’Hymne de Goujon. These songs were even echoed by the audience attending the trial.
Nevertheless, she wrote to the president of the tribunal:
"If you had not opposed the writing of my declaration, I would have had no reproach to make against you, but you took advantage of my ignorance to substitute my signature. Yesterday, I declared that all your petty means could not intimidate me, that my soul is inaccessible to fear, that love for my country outweighs every other feeling in my heart, and that I reject the High Court and will reject it forever. This is what I intended to sign. Consequently, I protest against what I did yesterday, 3 Frimaire, Year V. It is fitting that the Republicans present here know that the High Court uses subterfuge to deceive the good faith of a woman who knows only frankness and republican loyalty." (Nat. Archives, W. 565, 4 Frimaire, Year V).
Despite these harsh trials, Robert Legrand says that she remained full of life throughout her imprisonment and trial. At the end of the Vendôme trial, she was acquitted, but like many of her co-accused, she faced significant financial difficulties. She was likely devastated by the executions of Gracchus Babeuf and Darthé, as well as by the deportation sentences handed down to Blondeau, Charles Germain, and others imprisoned in Cherbourg.
Together with her aunt, the widow Monard, she was among the detainees who requested compensation for the time spent in prison (some had been held for up to 13 months), a request initially refused by the Directory. They were eventually granted the compensation after the Coup of 18 Fructidor, Year V.
Interestingly, the widow Monard sent a note of encouragement to Blondeau, imprisoned in Cherbourg: “Republicans know how to suffer with courage; it is up to you to set the example.” I wonder if Sophie Lapierre also had a part in writing that note. In any case, sadly, she disappears from the political scene. We do not know what became of her or her date of death, even though she was one of the most famous women of that period.
P.S.: When police reports describe Sophie Lapierre as a woman with violent and bloodthirsty tendencies, it is important to remember that their aim was to falsely present her and the Babouvists as fanatics. Therefore, these sources are very unreliable.
Sources:
Claude Mazauric
Jean-Marc Schiappa
Robert Legrand, Babeuf et ses compagnons de route
On the fact that Carnot likely saved Félix Le Peletier’s life during the Babouvist conspiracy: Tumblr link
