"The immense plunder taken by the troops," says the journal of an officer who held a command under Count Lally, "had introduced abundance amongst them.

Huge stores of strong liquors led to drunkenness and all the evils it generates.

The situation must have been seen to be believed.

The works, the guards in the trenches were all performed by drunken men.

The regiment of Lorraine alone was exempt from this plague, but the other corps surpassed one another.