Page:The Rise and Fall on the Paris Commune in 1871.djvu/130



":—The fears of certain persons are exaggerated. I am aware that our brave National Guard requires a new organization; but the situation of our beloved Paris is excellent; our forts are provided with ammunition, and valiantly resist the insensate and criminal attacks of the men I am ashamed to call the French of Versailles. As for Neuilly, the great aim of our adversaries, I have fortified it formidably, and I defy any army to take it. I have placed there a firm and intelligent man, Citizen Bourgoin; he maintains there with a firm hand the flag of the Commune, and no one will come and tear it from him. Therefore, dear citizens, let us organize our battalions in the calm and vigilant security of our strength, and leave to time—a few days only—the task of showing to our enemies their weakness and our force.

""

It will be seen, however, that Bergeret was laboring under a most erroneous idea of the strength of the position.

The village of Courbevoie had been confided to four battalions, numbering about 2,500 men, whilst two others occupied the houses in the Avenue of Neuilly. The National Guards were stationed on the demi-lune, at the head of the avenue, with their arms piled, when suddenly a detachment of regular troops appeared, and Valérien commenced to throw grape-shot into the place, which was precipitately evacuated by the insurgents.

The holders of the village were without cannon, and had no serious defensive works, and, as usual, at the moment of combat, were without orders and without a chief. The companies soon rallied in the adjoining avenue and fell back slowly, sheltering themselves as well as they could behind the trees, and firing on the Versailles forces as the latter arrived on the plateau. When these last had