Page:The Rise and Fall on the Paris Commune in 1871.djvu/139

 *pied by National Guards. To the south of Paris the Versailles troops had opened a murderous fire from the plateau of Chatillon, which had remained entirely silent for two days. They had profited by the leisure allowed them by the forts of Vanves and Issy to place naval guns in the works established by the Prussians. The first battery unmasked was on the right of the Moulin, and fired on what remained of the barracks of Vanves. The insurgents were obliged to retire to the casemates. Later in the day the fusillade commenced from the advanced posts, and the mitrailleuses were heard resounding in the woods of Clamart. The action extended to Montrouge and Bagneux and the left, whence the insurgents were seen retreating. They soon halted, however, Cluseret having sent large reinforcements to their aid. There seemed to be a mutual lull on both sides, but soon after dark there suddenly broke out a furious discharge of musketry, cannon, and mitrailleuses, such as had not been heard even during the siege by the Prussians. For nearly two hours the peals succeeded each other at intervals of only a few seconds; and as the clouds were dark and low, the sky was lit up each moment with flashes of light like summer lightning. A serious attack had been made by the Versailles troops on the insurgent outposts before Issy. Some battalions were surprised, and were obliged to retreat precipitately behind the forts. In the meantime a severe contest ensued between the outposts of both parties. After a desperate struggle in the village of Issy, all the approaches to which were barricaded or pierced for musketry, the insurgents fell back under cover of the forts, which kept up a strong fire to protect their retreat. The mitrailleuses, with which the barricades were armed, also opened fire on two strong columns of troops which were marching on Issy.

A despatch from the Commander Dombrowski, received