The Stourbridge Observer, Cradley Heath, Halesowen & District Chronicle.
Stourbridge, West Midlands, England, 1871-06-17 00:00:00

PERSONAL EXPERIENCES UNDER THE

COMMUNE.
The following interesting letter has been sent to the
Niles by an English Medical Student, who WAS
in Paris in the terrible days of the Commune
• "

Findirg myself in Paris, a medical student, without friends,
and cut off [remelt communication with England, and being
unable, moreover, to pursue my studies, I decldid, from
motives of humanity, to offer myself as a dcctor to the Com-
mn. ; there being at that time in Paris very few persons
who were able to fill such an office. I received from the
Minister of War, the Citoyen none, a commission to a
marcbleg battalion of National Guards, and with them I
served during the rise and fall of the Commune. The men
In ini battalion were for the greater part workmen and small
shopkeepera. Most of the other battalions were made up of
the same class.
The Cmlimune at first bad few friends, tut the general
feethig being of discontent with the rulers they bad
disowned, the new party, with their brilliant promises.
soon gained ground In public opinion. no that 133 • very
short LIVID, by alai of threats and promisee, an army of
shunt 150,1,00 men was formed and equipped. Toe idea
of the better &nag of people In Paris was that, for a
body 111 w the Commune to succeed, It wall necessary to have
an army of prwitred men. The feeling of the Guards was that
they were ready to die for the ltepublic, which they believed
could be saved only by the ascendancy of the Commune. The
disadvantages under which all the kelt'us were fought by
thom man ,ere truly marvellous. At Neuilly, where I went
with my battalion composed of 1,500 men, they were armed
oniy with the tabatiers and the old fu-sil ii piston. Very few
of the regiments were armed with the ChassepOt rifle. Then,
Man, others Wan obliged to go for long periods without food,
iwing to the mismsuakement of their cinoers, who were
plectad by universal suffrage. sun who had ser.-nit Pee
}ear. 1.1 privates In the regular army might be elected
CatitaLno, f even sometimes commanders of regiments.
have known peraoatlly many r nicer' who did not knew how
to write their own 6.414; anr!, consequently, were obliged
sometime' to get help in drawing no; desnatches and reports
from a private, when the other oiecers iere bond to be ea
igmorsiat as the commander; a very common oocarrence.
Disciplina, oonrse, from the commencement of the Whole
wu totally oat of the question. The men swore at
their officers, and every one Po, a orders without the Glut test
deference either to rank or V4.en we left Paris for
the tint time for Neuilly on the night of the iird May
(Wedneeuloh after the efforts of the /33•8131111•03111 to make
puce had entirely failed, the gates were closed upon
us, and the cannons of the Commons were turned
upon their own men, to prevent any attempt at
escape. lied any part ti the battalion, from cowardice

or other motive, made an effort to run away. tt would have
inevitably been shot down from the ramparta by order of
Dombrowski. When we arrived to relieve the ll,Gth bat-
talion, our own men were drunk, with hut few exception..
()Ulcers and men were Intermingled, some shaking hands,
some fighting. some swearing, some giving orders. In fact.
such a Babel I never expect to witness again. establiabed
my ambulance to an old chateau which was perfectly riddled
with belle; and, hlving nothiiiii hut a little lint, envie water,
my cane of leetromente, and a few band.. I immediately
entered on my functions. the men were for the meet pert
ititnalciited when brought in and put open the dirty her,
which Bonn became quite muddy with blood and dust. I had
anent 800 men In my charge, and niy assistant we. an old
barber inborn I hini prevailed mem to Iv...oilman) me hi my
professional capezilv. . •• •

i ease many proofs of the dogged adherence of these people
to the cause they had espoused. A fellow f about 40 years
of pee was brought to me with a bullet through his hulas ila
haii not above half all hour to live, and having been ha:mimed
In a somewhat careless manner by the barber, he was put into
a wner of the room 1.1 the dirty fl or 1 proceeded with
my work, whey I sud,!enly heard a loud cry behind Me it
came from the woundtd man, who was trying to raise him-
self on his hands and knee.. I ran to ask him what he
wanted, and, after some struggles, he said--.. Citizen, I am a
soldier of the l'ulvermal Republic, and have fought in '4.3,
and now am dying in '7l. Tell my friends that I died crying
out ' Vire Is C mmuune !'" A few morn struggle., and he
NMI deal. Another, a yiding fellow, a Pule, on Donbrowskre
.t,dy, reeds,' a halint iu the abdomen, and was brought In
about au hom after. flu was pretty nearly dead from leas of
blood, and was breathing Mislaid. Ile was, however, attended
to, and Ills brotlmr sout for, who was In the same regiment as
himself. When he arrived—a tall, handsome fellow— I took
him to see his younger brother, who re,eived 11110, salter,
" I shall rejoin my regiment In half an hour: tell Dom-
browski that 1 want a little rest, and that it Is not from
cowardice lam here." The elder man looked at him for one
minute lea manner I cannot describe, took his hand, wrung
it 111 great agony. and insylne, .• Ve., come then," loft the
room. I heard his spurs clanking on the door of the hall,
and before his last footstep. died away, his poor brother was
dead. A body of men like three Guards, If only properly
commanded, might have done wonders Dombrowski MMe
to see me in the treeing, and was delighted to find that our
men fought so well. Ile was • ye, y pleasant fellow, and
talked with a great deal of sense. Ile deplored the want of
discipline and management, but hoped that the Commune
would be finally victorious.

Thus we cotitinued day after day until the final struggle.
Then the confusion was totally hitimerlhable. We bad heard
of the dieuter at I.s7,—the men were demoralised. Not
knowing what to do, mei finding myself the only cinder for
Whom the men had any teepee', I gave orders to retreat on
Parts to the last barricade, and telegraphed to Dombrowski
for reieforcements, as our battalion was now reduced to little
more than 720 men. We received orders to retreat Into
Perla which se accordingly did, and took up our podtions
at the Porte de Pmsy, doomed to • few days to be the gate
by which the Versatile, troope were to enter. There I now
for the fitet time the troops called Volunteers of the Re-
public They were splendid fellows, full of pluck,
thoroughly convinced that the Republic wan the only
Borg worth liviim for, and resolved to fight for It
Ilk, demons. Thou were two regiments of them, and they
numbered about 0,002 men. Out of all them men, 600 only
eurvived the battle, and they were taken prisoners and were
shot in the Champs de Me,. The Verlaines troops were let
Into Pert, by the remnants of the filth battalion. TM. I
know to te a fact The traitors immediately constituted
themeelvee prisoners mid were shot for their pairs in the
Chattiest° de la Muette. I had on the prevtons evening gone
to Paris to stye orders at the intendant:o for bands, lint, he,
and had slept at my hotel In the heart of the city. I can
scarcely describe my eurprim when told by the concierge,
with • terrified look, not logo out, Out to hide lathe cellars
—for the troops were in Paris, and would be probably In our
quarter, in an tour from that time. I quickly took my
declaion. I knew at once that to this kof joining my con,
radon was madness, as they were entirely surrounded by
the troops, and were probably long ago shot. I therefore
Sallied forth, armed with soy commjesion, as a safeguard
wand the presegang for making barricades, and forced my
way with the best possible speed to the lintel de Ville. Hor-
rible confusion still pre.valled, anti I wee not even asked by
the drunken sentries what my busbies. was. I mounted the
grand staircase to the nest floor The place was crammed.
No cue knew where the offices were, When I entered, a
Deputy, whom it is prudent not to name, was telling his
hearers with great eloquence that the time had come for the
last stroke/le of the "glorious Commune." The .peech was
ll.tened to with great attention. When he had fiblihed I ie-
leecluee was gentler. He told them lass few ellen sentences
that the cause was utterly lost unless the Verseilles troops re-
fused to march, and that the only thing that the Commune had
to do was to show by example that the men who had urged
them to fight a.d die were not the hut to die tivonselves
when the time had come for them to do .o. "For me," he
said,-" I feel that my tut political struggle against Monarchy
and Imperialism has come to an end. I shall die remelt I
know, but, gentlemen, I feel convinced that for every drop
of mine and of the Commune's blood five men will one day
spring forward to avenge us and to establish In future years
that which, owing to our backward education, we have failed
to establish now. Ile finished hi. speech amid dead silence,
and than the officers of the National., who had demanda to
lay before the Commune, were admitted. When the whole
ill air had been concluded they heard me. I explained as
briefly as possible my object, and was noticed very
kindly by Deleschise, who gave me a commbillon to the ilith
battalion, then In the Boulevard Malesherbee. I at onee
hurried oft Wile° near the Madeleine the halls began
',Matting round my head in • most uncomfortable manner,
and my hat received • bullet which pasted right through it.
However, by dint of tametlmes getting behind lampposts,
and sometimes crawling on my hands and knees, I managed
to arrive at my post, where • number of poor fellows were
already In waiting for me. I forgot to state that my seals-
taut, the barber, was shot, poor hollow, while helping the
wounded at the barricade in the Rue du Boa.

After passtng a most mtherable nigt,t with nothing to eat,
I retired with the battalion whlch had kat many men, and
returned to the Ildtel do Ville with two English stndenta In
physiology whom I had met in Paris. We were received with
open arms by the members of the Commune, and Immediately
had a c omission gtven us to establish an anibulantre-1 a.
doctor in chief with two aldee—et the Northern hallway
Station, whither we at once proceeded.

The writer in another letter, after deecribinit how the
barricades were contrived, goes on to narrate the scenes
he witneefred :
he next morning I proceeded once more to the Hotel de
Ville, which this time presented, if possible, a still worse
IIIIMCSI•8•100 the,, before. 11•11 more 4i•Oping on the 11,0?. raid
• horrible smeil of stale tobacco and strong French inanely
pervaded the place. There was no sentinel before the door,
and I found myself master of the ceremonies In the Depart-
ment of Finance., good, and Clothing. I went to the council
chamber, and found but three members, who told me I had
better see Minch e,. I went to see him accordingly Hewes
sitting in a b.rge room, with his head on his hand, gazing into
vacancy. Ile seemed not to undentand what I said, and only
replied, "My e ear child, dot, you will ; take what you want."
Considering that he had been horribly pestered by all the
drunken oflicen and men, I sat down at is table and wrote a
formal demand for fond for a body of men who bad been at
La Chapelle for two days with nothing but a biscuit apiece
and some braudy. However, no one attended to my order;
one referred me to soother, and this tither to some one else,
until I was obliged login. op all hopes of getting anything
to ext. The men at the Hotel de Vide seemed utterly reck-
less of what happened to them, awl were prepared to do, as
I heard then, all nay, anything rather than Ile taken by the
regular.. The large space In front of the 1161.1 de Willows.
Oiled with Galling guns and with National Guards, with
anything but a contented look upon their countenances.
come back to the point at which I concluded my last
letter When I arrived at the Northern station with my two
assisiants I found the men in confusion, and forthe most part
intoxicated. There were already a few wounded, and I imme-
diately rot to work to establish my ambulance. The batta-
lion I found wee from Belleville, and consequently they were
very good fighting men, though horrible blackguards and
drunkarre. The commander especially stir icted my
attention. I funud upon inquiry that he was a rag
picker, and had commanded a barricade In 18, lie woo
seined with a Chanepot, and was fighting at the barri-
cade at the Rue Dunkerque with great gusto. Ile
had much pluck, and seemed quite plena,' to be
where he was. He cams to let me feel his Run, and assured
me—for it was red hot—that he had fired ago cartridges In
about One hours. At about ten o'clock at night we were
left to our own devices by the Guards, who were obliged to
run and leave unto look after their wounded. We were ad-
mirably St colleted by all the rail. ay article's and porters, who
went to fetch the reminded from the streets, and brought them
to be attended to. The situation was not au enviable one. The
rooms, or rather warehouses, bad glass roofs, and the bullets
came whistling about our eon, killing some of the wounded
and re-wounding other. After a night paned in great
fear of never seeing day again, we were roused ;for we
had gone to sleep from sheer fatigue) by the entrance of the
troops, who came liridg Into the place, as if they wild eel to
provoke a reply from the Nationals, who they thought were
concealed shout the station. After being taken prisoners we
were ordered to be shot by the lieutenant of the xi-ith bat
Wien of the Regulars- hut fortunately a doctor whom I
happened to know well, Interceded for us, and we were per-
mitted to stop for further examination, by the grand pre,M.
That examination we, of course, did not wait for, and made
our escape, at the rink of our lives, from the station.
• •

e managed, by going by hack ways, to get as far as the i
Place du Chateau d'F. in near the barricade Voltaire; and
after a .host parley with the Nationale Installed ourselves
In a house elope by, and began licking after material. to
establish an ambulance. These of course were rare, lint we
managed to get a few old shirts and some old gowns for
bandage.. Then commenced perhaps the most horrible of
all the fights I had yet seen in the streets. Just as the
Nationals were retreating, a battalion of women came up the
street at • trot, nod with cries of "Viva la Commune," began
firing. They wore armed with the Snider rifle, and tired &dealt.-
ably. Many pretty looking young girls were there destined no
doubt fowler better things than killing men. They fought like
devils, far bettor than the men, and I had the pain of seeing 62
shot down even when they had been surrounded by the troops
and disarmed. I saw about 00 men shot at the same place as
the women, at the same time. A touching littie incident
met my view, which completely unmanned me. While Paris
was bleeing In the night, the cannon roaring, and the
muskets reeling, pocc woman was crouching Inside • cart
and crying bitterly. I offered her artless of wine and a piece
of breed She refused* saying," For the short time I have to
Use I shall not needle" The Mows were then on the other side
of the barricades, having taken the (e'reente du Prince
Eugene, Chateau d'Eau, and at midnight the Mire ceased.
Suddenly I noted six shot. In rapid secceesion, and by their
sound knew them to be revolver report.. A great, uproar on
the other side of the barricade followed, and looking, at •
great risk, out of the window, I saw the poor Woman I have
just described shout to be seized by four troopers, who were
divesting her rapidly of her outer garment. Impelled by I
know not what, I left the home, and crept over the barricade,
and crouched down by the lamp post on the other ride. I
heard the harsh voice of the commanding officer in-
terrogating the woman, saying, Vote are brave—you
have killed two of my men." The woman laughed
derisively, and responded In a hardened manner, '' hlsy the
Curse of the Almighty always relit upon my soul ter not
killing more. I had two sons at Issy, who were both killed,
and two at Nuilly who armed the same fate. My husband
died at this barricade, and now do with me whet you wile^
I heard no more, but crept away, but not too soon to hear the
word "Fire," and then I knew that all wits over. We
deserted the barricade that night, and went down to the
met at the raubomg du Temple, near Belleville. There
I saw the most speeding eight of all. In the morning
at about twelve, marching to tne centre of the road,
though many people were exhorting him to keep on
the right hand side near the houses, poor old
Deletcluze, with his arts ewleging in a dejected manner by
lii. side, come slowly along. I followed as quickly as possible
with ono of my It ,glish frienda, lor we were yet together, and
arrived at the corner of the street in tint, to Pee lie poor old
fellow m yunt the barrierule, and, without arms In hie hentle,
hie head uncovered, and his vest open, receive about flee
bullets In his breast, neck, and head, My friend fainted As
soon tte he had recovered we hastened by the side of
the Bastille Into the nue de Itivoll, and regained
once more the Grand Boulevard. The shops were
shut, but &treed}, peynty of people were promenading in
the street. ; and More who had vociferated "Vice is Com.
mune " loeder than all others were now engaged in courting
the officers of the line, anti raving out "Vine la Troupe "at
the top of their voices We turned once more to the hue de
and there, while the Hetet de Ville was still hero-
ine, we slaw another tragedy—the deaths of Longuet and
' Vallee. Valle' had been taken at a barricade, with his friend
Longuet, and was shot lint. tont mutant wit!' shooting hint
before the face of the other they stabbed him with their
bayonets till scarcely • trace of !amenity remained. Then,
turtling to Longuot, the commander asked him If he would
gyve ineeh informatien as should lead to the apprehension of
his colleagues. Longue' answered by tearing open his vest,
and cryleg to his troops, •• Fire Cot one more horror,
A soldier of the Commune had been wounded dangerously,
and was dying behind a barricade in the Rue Duukereoe.
When the Versailles soldiery had taken the barricade, an
esecer, I think • lieutenant, finished off the poor wretch by
beating out hi. nrains with the heels of hie boots. Two days
after, Paris had resumed easily its crolinary aspect, and no
visitor could have imagined. If the dreadful traces of the fire
had not exieted, that Such horrors had been witnessed-