Page:The Rise and Fall on the Paris Commune in 1871.djvu/162

 By noon the whole of Asnières had been evacuated by the insurgents, leaving 150 killed and 50 prisoners in the hands of the regular troops, who contented themselves with strengthening their positions in the vicinity of Gennevilliers. The insurgents stopped in their retreat before arriving at the ramparts, and the officers reformed their companies as well as they could. During the afternoon they advanced again to the river, and a fire was kept up between them and the troops until evening. During the day the Chateau of Bécon, a most important position, was carried by the young Colonel Davoust, at the head of the 36th regiment. This officer is a grandson of the celebrated Marshal of the first Napoleon of the same name. M. Thiers made the action the subject of the following despatch to the Sub-Prefects:

"April 17th, 7.20

"Our troops to day executed a brilliant feat of arms in the direction of Courbevoie. The division of General Montaudon captured the Chateau of Bécon after a sharp cannonade. The young Colonel Davoust, Duc d'Auerstaedt, rushed forward at the head of his regiment and carried the place. Our engineers immediately commenced an epaulement with sacks of earth, in order to establish a battery. The position of Asnières thus attacked will no longer be able to disturb our tête de pont at Neuilly; we have no other object, and still persist in avoiding small actions, until the decisive engagement which shall restore the authority of the law. The event of to-day, executed under a cross fire from Asnières and the ramparts, is nevertheless a remarkable act of skill and energy.

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The victorious troops did not at once follow up their successes; and the insurgents, rallied by Dombrowski, endeavored by repeated charges to recover lost ground,