- bat, of which the issue cannot be doubtful, and of the
progress of which we will give exact accounts.
"A. Thiers."
The interest of the fighting was once more transferred
to the left bank of the Seine. The Versailles batteries
had heretofore replied but feebly to the continued provocations
of the southern forts, and had remained on the
defensive, or fired only to cover the movement of their
troops. On the 26th, however, they commenced the
offensive, and by a converged fire upon Issy reduced it
to silence. The cannonade was kept up from seven batteries—one
at Chatillon, three in the woods beyond the
railway, and three others around the Palace of Meudon.
The insurgents attempted in vain to reply from the station
of Clamart, from the Molineaux, and from several of
the bastions; the shells continued to rain down on the
parapets of the fort, and each explosion could be seen to
raise up clouds of dust and smoke. The gunboats on the
Seine, however, rendered efficient aid to the insurgents.
Six of these vessels were at anchor beneath the arches of
the railway viaduct, which almost completely sheltered
them from the Versailles artillery. A seventh, the Liberty,
smaller than the rest, of a light draught of water,
and carrying an enormous cannon, advanced in the direction
of Bas-Meudon, discharged its gun, and then
retired beneath the viaduct to reload.
The regular forces, during the day, pushed forward their outposts on this side of Bagneux, and below Chatillon to Clamart. On all points were engineers at work, advancing step by step, piercing holes for musketry in the houses and walls, digging trenches, and constructing redoubts. All the previous attacks against the forts were evidently intended only to mask the works of approach. The troops were repairing their batteries, and had now leisure
