Page:The Rise and Fall on the Paris Commune in 1871.djvu/311



Porte St. Cloud—Communication of M. Ducatel—Entrance of the troops into Paris—Fourth Army Corps—Army of Reserve—General Ladmirault at the gates of Passy and Auteuil—Entrance of General de Cissy—Arrest of Assi—Entrance of the troops long unknown in the city—Plan of attack—March of the different corps—Occupation of the Park Monceaux—Confusion at the Hotel de Ville—Erection of barricades—Violent proclamations—Melancholy appearance of the city—Deputations to the Hotel de Ville—Orders given by Delescluze—Evacuation of the Palais de l'Industrie and Ministry of the Interior—Fighting in the Faubourg St. Honoré—At the Rue d'Anjou—In the Boulevard Haussman—Investment of Montmartre—Left bank of the Seine—Barricades constructed—Manifestation in favor of the Government.

On Sunday the 21st of May, the troops between the gates of St Cloud and Auteuil were actively engaged at the works of approach, endeavoring to render a breach practicable for an assault. The fire from the ramparts had been gradually decreasing, and finally ceased entirely. The commandant, Trèves, who was overseeing the work in the trenches at St. Cloud, determined to reconnoitre to discover the cause of this silence. He advanced to the drawbridge, the chain of which had been broken a few days before by a cannon-ball, when a civilian appeared at the bastion on the left, and raised a white flag, making violent gesticulations, and shouting something which, owing to the cannonade of Montretout and Breteuil, it was difficult to understand, but which seemed to be "Come, there is nobody." Commandant Trèves immediately jumped into the trench, and, followed by Sergeant Constant of the 3d battalion, 91st regiment, ran toward the bastion, crossed