fought. The 27th, 74th and 76th battalions lost one-third of their effective force.
On the events of the day the official journal of the Commune published the following reports:
"After a sanguinary engagement we have retaken our
position. Our troops, the left wing in advance, seized on
a store of the enemy's provisions, consisting of sixty-nine
casks of hams, cheese and bacon. The combat continues
furiously; the enemy's artillery at Courbevoie covers us
with projectiles and grape; but in spite of the vivacity of
his fire, our right wing is at this moment executing a
movement with a view to surrounding the troops of the
line who have advanced too far. I require five battalions
of fresh men, two thousand at least, because my adversaries
are in considerable force.
"Dombrowski."
April 19th, morning.—We were attacked at daybreak by strong columns of the line; and our men, deceived by friendly signals made by the soldiers, were surprised; but I have promptly re-established order.
"Dombrowski."
The Archbishop of Paris having written a letter from
his prison to M. Thiers on the subject of pretended cruelties
to the Communist prisoners, the chief of the executive
power replied through the Paris journals, indignantly
denying the charge. He said that the hospitals at Versailles
contained a large number of insurgents who are
attended to with the greatest kindness; that the sixteen
hundred prisoners who had been sent to Belle-Isle or
elsewhere were treated with far greater consideration than
any of the soldiers would have been if taken by the Communists;
and concluded by reiterating his offers of pardon
to any of the insurgents who should lay down their
arms, and by promising assistance to the necessitous until
