Page:The Rise and Fall on the Paris Commune in 1871.djvu/185



The armistice—Unhappy condition of the inhabitants of Neuilly—Sitting of the Commune—Official circular from Versailles—Cannonade of Fort Issy—Reconnaissance on the Boulevard Bineau—Meeting of Freemasons at the Chatelet—English journals—Les Moulineaux captured by the troops—Attack on Neuilly—Reported cruelty of a Versailles captain—Speech of M. Thiers in the Assembly—Combats on the Boulevard du Chateau—Proclamations of General Cluseret—Meeting of Freemasons—Speeches at the Hotel de Ville—Procession to the ramparts—Deputation to Versailles—Evacuation of Fort Issy—Re-occupied by the insurgents—Versailles Circular—Deposition of Cluseret—His arrest—Rossel appointed to the War Department—His history—Issy summoned to surrender—Rossel's reply—Committee of Public Safety—Letter of Rossel—Capture of the Chateau of Issy—Heroic defence of the fort—Cannonade of Fort Vanves—Redoubt of Moulin—Jaquet taken—Fighting at Neuilly—Deputation of the Republican League—Decree of the Committee of Public Safety—Military appointments—Brilliant successes of the troops—The Mont-de-Piété.

On the morning of the 25th April the suspension of arms took place, in order to permit the inhabitants of Neuilly to leave their houses where they had been hidden in the cellars for weeks. At nine in the morning, a number of vehicles accompanied by some members of the League of the Republican Union, arrived from the Palace of Industry to assist the population in removing their goods. A large number of Paris people took advantage of this opportunity to try and visit the scene of destruction. The armistice nominally commenced at nine; but for several minutes by Paris time shots continued to fall in the vicinity of Porte Maillot, greatly to the indignation of the committee appointed by the Commune to receive the refugees, who thought time should have been given them to reach the gate by nine o'clock.