The evening telegraph. [volume] (Philadelphia [Pa.]) 1864-1918, 1871-04-12

from any military point Of view. They had
q large proportion of the 4000O National
Guards intrusted with arms by the Germans
to maintain order as a basis for an army. These
have been increased to 100000 in numbers,
but weakened by accessions only of undisci-
plined rabble and by the appointment to COM
mand of unskilled soldiers. This hastily COL
lected mob was marched against Versailles on
April 2 Sunday having been chosen as the
occasion possibly through contempt of re-
lipion) and its right wing encamped
west of Fort Mont du Valerien, though
il was held by O garrison of Govern
ment troops. No previous effors to
reduce this work or to seduce the garrison
from its duty were undertaken; the insurgent
commander appears to have thought that the
Government troops would refuse to fire upon
their brethren. Their error was disclosed
early the next morning when the fort opened
fire upon the insurgent camps and dispersed
the right wing in short time and with little
less. Finding themselves between two fires,
they made their way, as best they could, be-
hind the fort again, and nearer Paris. Their
left column had meantime encountered oppo-
sition south Of the city, and they soon found
themselves restricted to the forts which they
had previously occupied. The Government
right wing occupied the positions held by the
Germans on the Heights of Sceaux, and from
there they have neither advanced nor been
driven.
The left wing of the Government army
followed up the success of April 3, and ad-
vpnced from Fort Mont du Valerien towards
the Seine, near the bridge of Neuily. The
advance of this part of the line was accom-
panied by several affairs of no moment, and
by vigorous bombardment of the southern
folts by the right wing as a feint. But on
April CThursday last) the left wing having
got into position, carried the Neuilly bridge,
and passed the Seine. The insurgents left
fled to the walls and erected barricades at the
Porte Maillot, the entrance by the Neuilly
road to the city. The right wing
of the Government troops ad-
vanced into the Bois de Boulogne, its
advance occupying Sablonville, suburb ad-
iacent to the walls and near the Maillot gate
The barricades of the latter have been demo-
lished, and breach in the adjacent walls has
been effected by the fire of Mont du Yaleren;
and it is here doubtless that the assault is to
be made. The feet has reached Paris and
is anchored just below the Neuilly Bridge, to
take part in the bombardment of the Porte
Maillot barricades. No operations on the
south, other than severe cannonading have
taken place, the forts there proving a bar
rier to any advance of the Government
troops, and the insurgents foolishly keeping
on the defensive there as on their right.
The passage of the walls effected at this
point-and the assault under the protecting
fire of the fort and the batteries will doubt
less prove successful-the issue is not doubt
full, but at the same time it is not reached.
That the insurgents will fight in their barri.
cades is far more probable than that they will
fight in the open field; and from the first
barri cade at the Arc de Trionphe, which the
rebels hold, to the Tuileries and the Hotel dc
Vile itself, they will resist-feebly and with
spasmodic energy, it is true, but with bloody
and deplorable result. If not despair, pride
itself will nerve them to resistance, and the
vain, stupid fellows will go down to ruin in
spired by the belief that the world looks ad
miringly on at heroes, when it really sneer
ingly contemplates only madmen.