Page:The Rise and Fall on the Paris Commune in 1871.djvu/174

 *cations with the right bank. They commenced by bombarding the village for an hour with extraordinary violence from Bécon, Courbevoie, and Neuilly. A strong force occupied the railway station, and a regiment was massed near the bridge, but the insurgents on their sides brought up two mitrailleuses and two iron-clad locomotive batteries, and discharged three volleys at the station, driving out the enemy. An attack by the soldiers of the line against the bridge also failed under the fire of the guns brought up by the insurgents.

In the meantime a shell fell into a powder magazine of the insurgents near the Porte d'Asnières, and blew up a large building occupied by a number of families of working people, and which crumbled to the ground like a house of cards. A large number of men immediately commenced to clear the ruins, and between twenty-five and thirty men, women, and children were got out, many dangerously injured. While this work was going on, the Versailles batteries suspended their fire.

The forts of Vanves, Issy, and Montrouge on the southern side exchanged frequent cannon-shots with the Versailles batteries of Chatillon and Brimborion, whilst the redoubt of Montretout and the battery at Meudon also sent occasional shells on Issy and the lower part of Clamart; but nothing of much importance was done in that direction. Everything, however, presaged a general attack, and the insurgents had received orders to hold themselves ready to march at a moment's notice.

The following official despatches were received from Dombrowski during the day:

"20th, half-past twelve in the day.

"During the night the enemy did not attempt anything against us, and we were merely cannonaded by the batteries at Courbevoie and Valérien. Our troops are fortify