Page:The Rise and Fall on the Paris Commune in 1871.djvu/117

From Wikisource
Jump to navigation Jump to search
This page needs to be proofread.
CHAPTER V.

Proclamation of the Marquis de Gallifet—Threat of the Communists—Imprisonment of Assi—Grade of General abolished—Dombrowski appointed Commandant of Paris—Attack on Chatillon—Death of General Duval—Decree rendering military service obligatory for all men between the ages of nineteen and forty—Pretexts adopted for escape from the city—Rochefort instigates the demolition of M. Thiers' house—Letter of Garibaldi—Decree relative to prisoners—Cluseret's report—Note of Paschal Grousset to the Foreign Representatives—Bergeret's Letter—Capture of Courbevoie by the Versailles troops—The bridge of Neuilly taken—Shells fall at the Arc de Triomphe—Persecution of the Clergy—Imprisonment of the Archbishop of Paris—Conflict of the Commune and Central Committee—Bergeret incarcerated—Despatch of Dombrowski—The fight at Courbevoie—Attack on the insurgent outposts at Issy—Account given by General Cluseret—The Committee of Conciliation.


The shooting of Dr. Pasquier and some soldiers who fell into the hands of the insurgents caused the Marquis de Gallifet to issue the following proclamation in the village of Châtou:


"War has been declared by the bands of Paris. Yesterday, the day before, and to-day, they have assassinated my soldiers.

"It is a war without truce or pity that I declare against these murderers. I have had to make an example this morning; may it be a salutary one! I do not desire to be again reduced to such an extremity.

"Do not forget that the country, the law, and right are at Versailles and in the Assembly, and not with the grotesque body at Paris which calls itself the Commune.

"Gallifet,
"General of Brigade."