Rutland weekly herald. [volume] (Rutland, Vt.) 1859-1877, 1871-07-06
Horrors Of paris.

Horrors OIL F8r1ss
An English medical student, who from
motives Of humanity, joined as physician
one of the battalions of the Paris National
Guards, and served during the rise and
fall of the Commune, gives in the London
Daily Neaos interesting details OF the
scenes prior to the overthrow OF the Paris
revolutionists. His position gave him
peculiar facilities for observing and mar
rating dramatic incidents which other
wise would have remained long untold.
He says:
saw many proofs of the logged ad'
herence of these people to the cause they
had espoused. A fellow of about forty
years of age was brought to me with
bullet through his lungs. He had not
above half an hour to live, and, having
been bandaged in somewhat careless
manner by the barber, he was put into
corner of the room on the dirty floor.
proceeded with my work, when suddenly
heard a loud cry behind me. 1t came
from the wounded man, who was trying
to raise himself on his hands and knees
7 ran to ask him what he wanted, and
after some struggles, he said, Citizen,
am a soldier of the Universal Repuollc
and have fought in '4S, and am now dying
in III. Tell my friends that l died cry
ing out 'Vive la Commune" A few more
struggles and he was dead.
A young fellow, Pole on Dombriskif
staff. received bullet in the abdomen
and was brought in breathing his last
He was. however attended to, and his
brother sent for. When he arrived-s
tall. handsome fellow-I took him to see
his Younger brother, who received him
saving, 81 shall join my regiment in hall
an hour tell Dombroski I want little
rest. and that it is not from cowardice
am here" The elder man looked at him
for one minute in manner L cannot de-
scribe. took his hand, wrung it in great
agony, and saying, eyes, come then left
the room. heard his spurs clanking on
the floor of the hall, and, before his last
footsteps died away, his brother was dead
A body of men like these Guards, If only
properly commanded, might have done
wonders. Dombrowski came to see me
in the evening, and was delighted to find
that our men fought SO well. DE was
a yerv pleasant fellow, and talked with
GREAT deal of sense. He deplored the
want of discipline and management, but
honed that the Commune would be finally
victorious. a..
Thus we continued day after day until
the final struggle. Then the confusion
was totally INDISPENSABLE. We had hear
of the disaster of Issy--the men were
demoralized. Not knowing what to do
and finding myself the only officer fol
whom the men had any respect, L gaV'
orders to retreat on Paris to the last bar
ricade, and telegraphed to Dombrowsk
for reinforcements, as our battalion wal
now reduced to little more than sever
hundred and twenty men. We received
orders to retreat into Paris, which We
did, and took up our positions at TIT
Porte de Passy, doomed in few days t.
be the gate by which the Versailles troops
were to enter. There 1 saw for the frs
time the troops called Volunteers of the
Republic. They were splendid fellows
full of pluck, thoroughly convinced thai
the Republic was the only thing worth
living for, and resolved to fight for il
like demons. There were two regiment,
Of them, and they numbered about 1000
men. Ont of these, five hundred only
survived the battle, and they were tsker
prisoners and were shot in the Champ d.
Mars.
The Versailles troops were let into Parii
by the remnants of the Sixty-fourty bat
talon This know to be fact. The
traitors Immediately constituted them
selves prisoners, and were shot for theil
pains in the Chaussee de la Muette.
had on the previous evening gone to PariI
to give orders at the attendance fol
bands, lint, etc., and had slept at my
hotel in the heart of the city. car
scarcely describe my surprise when told
| by the concierge, with a terrified look
not to go out, but to hide in the cellars
for the troops were in Paris, and would
be probably in our quarter in an hour
from that time.
1 quickly took my decision. I knew al
once that to think of joining my comrades
was madness, as they were entirely sur
rounded by the troops, and were probably
long ago shot. therefore sailed forth,
armed with my commission. as safe.
guard against the press.gang for making
barricades, and forced my way with the
best possible speed to the Hotel de Vile.
Horrible confusion still prevailed, and
was not even asked by the drunken sen.
tries what my business was. mounted
the grand staircase to the first floor, Tbs
place was crammed. Nc one knew, where
the offices were, When ] entered. a De.
putty, whom 1t is rrudent not to name,
was telling ais hearers with great elo.
queGce that the time had come for the last
struggle of the GLORIOUS Commune"
The speech was listened to with great
attention. When he had finished Deles.
CLUE was sent for. He told them in a
few short sentences that the cause was ut
terly lost unless the Versailles troops re.
fused to march, and that the only thing
the Commune had to do was to show by
example that the men who had urged
them to fight and die were not the last to
die themselves when the time had come
for them to do so. "For me-" he said, 81
feel that my last political struggle against
Monarchy and Imperialism has come to
an end. I shall die myself 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 edu.
cation. we have failed to establish now"
He finished his speech amid dead silence,
and then the officers of the Nationals, who
had demands to lay before the Commune,
were admitted. When the whole affair
had been concluded they heard me. /
explained as briefly as possible my object,
and was received very kindly by Qeles-
CLUE, who gave me a commission to the
Ninety sixth battalion, then in the Boule.
ward Malesherbes.