Page:The American Cyclopædia (1879) Volume V.djvu/169

 COMMUNE DE PARIS 165 the city was brought together during the even- ing and night following, and at dawn of the next day (April 3) nearly 90,000 men, divided into three columns, took the field. The cen- tre column, under Bergeret, was to advance in the direction of Meudon, under cover of the southern forts in the possession of the com- mune ; while the left, under Eudes, was to ap- proach Versailles by way of Vaugirard, Mont- rouge, and Chatillon ; and the right, under Duval, pressing forward from the Rond-Point de Courbevoie, was to pass directly under the guns of Mont Valerien (which the communist leaders were led by rumors and appearances to believe evacuated), and advance upon Nanterre and Rueil. The advance of the three divisions was interrupted almost simultaneously in their three directions of march by the national troops. Bergeret's column was met by a di- vision of the regulars at Meudon, and driven back ; the left, under Eudes, encountered a corps of marines and sailors temporarily con- stituting a portion of the national army, and was compelled to retreat after a fierce con- flict. The column under Duval met with the most disastrous fate of all. As it passed directly before Mont Valerien, the comman- der of the fort, to keep up the delusion with regard to its evacuation, reserved his fire al- together until the column had continued its march so far as to bring the main body of the troops within the closest range. Then he be- gan a merciless cannonade, which nearly an- nihilated the whole centre of the division. That part which had passed on saw itself cut off, and the troops in the rear fled in a panic. Duval was taken prisoner and shot. Gustave Flourens, who was among the troops cut off, succeeded, amid the flight of his soldiers, in gaining a hiding place in a little house not far from Rueil. He was discovered, however, by gendarmes, and after a desperate resistance was struck down and killed by the blow of a sabre, the commune losing in him probably the most brilliant of its leaders. Immediately af- ter the defeat Gens. Eudes and Bergeret were superseded, and Oluseret was intrusted with the whole management of military affairs, un- der the title of "delegate for war." On the morning of the 4th he himself took command of the communist troops, and some attempts were made to retrieve the disasters of the day before, especially to regain the heights of Cha- tillon, which the insurgents had abandoned after their defeat; but they were unsuccess- ful. These reverses caused violent dissensions among the members of the commune. Assi, accused of having contributed to them, was ar- rested ; and later, Bergeret's place in the army was taken by a Pole, now first becoming prom- inent in the insurrection, Ladislas Dombrow- ski, who was also made commandant of Paris. Other changes were brought about among the insurgent leaders, and with them came some decrees and acts of the commune which seemed like the beginning of another reign of terror. Gen. Cluseret issued orders directing that every man from 17 to 40 must enter the service, and that those disobeying this command would be summarily dealt with. Requisitions were made upon churches and theological and public in- stitutions having property in the city. Several rich men were accused of disloyalty to the commune, and their possessions confiscated. The archbishop of Paris, Mgr. Darboy, and a number of other ecclesiastics and prominent persons, were arrested and held as hostages for communist prisoners in the hands of the national troops. A decree was issued where- in it was stated that the authorities at Ver- sailles had transgressed the rules of civilized warfare, having shot prisoners in their hands ; and that the commune would thereafter re- taliate for all such cases. A commission (jury d* accusation) to decide upon these matters, upon the fate of all prisoners of war, and upon the punishment of any persons convict- ed of treasonable connection with the Ver- saillists, was immediately instituted; and the decree established the further rule that three hostages, chosen by lot, should be put to death in retaliation for each prisoner executed by the enemy. Searches for concealed arms not given up to the communist troops were conducted all over the city ; men suspected of being refractaires (those disobeying the order compelling them to serve) were arrested wher- ever found ; and houses were everywhere en- tered, ostensibly in quest of them. Meanwhile the national authorities, who had up to the begin- ning of the month adopted an altogether defen- sive policy, while strengthening and organizing their own army, had at last begun the most determined offensive operations against the city on the morning of April 7. Marshal Mac- Mahon was in chief command of their forces ; Gen. Ladmirault commanded under him on the side toward Mont Val6rien, and Gen. Cissey at Chatillon. Early in the day the guns of Mont Valerien opened on the village of Neuilly and its bridges, which were regarded as a key to the defence of Paris on that side, and were held by the insurgents. Under cover of the cannonade the government divisions advanced and attacked the communist troops. A fierce conflict followed, in which the position was taken by the Versailles soldiers after a despe- rate defence ; but later in the day it was again lost, and the night of the 7th found it still held by the insurgents. The next day the fight was renewed, ending at last in the victory of the national army. Formidable batteries were erected on the ground thus gained, and the guns of these, with those of Mont ValSrien, were turned at once against the Maillot gate and the neighborhood of the Arc de Triomphe. The conflict continued until the short period of quiet on the 9th and 10th, without great successes for either party. On the llth the insurgents won a decided victory by repulsing a night attack of the national troops on the forts at the south of the city, and especially on