The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1871-04-18

tached on the way TO Plesss- Picquet, on the ImDe
rial road between Sceaux and Versailles. On the
| plateau OF Chatillon battery Of field pieces was
established 2-pounders-and the first thing that
salutcd the eyes Of the defenders OF Meudon
| AS THE DAYLIGHT CAME
was an array OF offensive battle that only needed
their own spirit to have given 1t a terrible success
These defenders, as have said, were few-one regf.
ment OF gendarmes-but magnificent soldiers. For
four hours they made head against the whole hos
tile force and thus gave time for supports and artl
| lery to come up. Well posted In Meudon, they de.
lvered fire on the advancing lines OF insurgents and
as early as six A. ii. this fire was very warm, and
am sure 1t was also very effective, for never saw
soldiers handle their arms In cooler style. 1t was
| reported that the Colonel OF this regiment was
killed, but 1t was, believe an error He foil Ger.
tany. and that perhaps gave rise to the report He
only fell, however, because his horse fell Ills horse
| was hit fair IN the forehead d. This was
IN THE HEAT OF THE EARLY FIGHT,
| and before the supports came up. Unless he was
hit later than that lie lives to receive the reward OF
as good days service as soldier gave to his
! country. But 1t must be remembered that these
men in Meudon were unsupported to the right and
| left ana the very courage with which they were
| holding their post in the faith that supports would
come up seemed each moment to be sealing the GER
| tAin death OF every man; Tor the insurgents were
pushing In TO the right and lefr and threatened each
| moment to completely surround them. Two COM
panies that were sent to the rear for ammunition
| every man had expended Q hundred rounds-when
they came up again had difficulty to cut their way
| IN. But the supports did finally come up, and the
National Guards lost the opportunity to murder all
| these gallant fellows. Many were hit, however. At
swept around 70 the left Of Meudoa. UNDER cover Of
little hills that slope down to the Seine, mad seized
Meudon. so that 1t was nearly surrounded; were de-
Mvering IRE on the gendarmes from their pieces on
men on line OF battle whose right rested on Issy
| and left on the battery at Chattllon.
But the arrival of plenty of good troops soon
spoiled their array Tor though they had fought reso
was nas nrs
lost the time that might have enabled them to lie.
stroy that force and push into Versailles
THE REBELS REPULSED.
General FarOn led the force that advanced to re-
neye the gendarmes, and at ten A. NJ. opened fire
with artillery on the battery at Cnaton and on the
columns OF National Guards, wherever they were
visible. The warm and well sustained fire OF the
pieces the plateau Of Ohatlon and drove to cover
| every semblance OF National Guard. Large num-
| bers OF the panlcstricKen wretches took cover in
the wood. Two regiments OF the line and some
huzzars supported the gentarmes IN dislodging the
insurgents, who had established themselves in the
chateau, where they made use Of all the devices
C0ntrived by the Prusslans to defend the position
were driven out, and slaughtered in their escape.
AT THE CLOSE OF THE DAY
crouchng in the Shelter Of Forts fssy and Vanyres
and the redOubJ ut Chatillon. and the artillery on
the Terrace at Meudon was Smelling these points
ON THE LEFT OF VERSAILLES
the enemy moved far smaller force; but the opera
| ton was not without Importance. The column
moved from Neuily by Courbevoie, which hal oeen
taken the day BEFORE and evacuated, and thence By
| the Rond Point deS Bergeres toward Rueu and
Bouglval. On the way it was at certain points ex-
posed to the fire q yaerlen and from tins fire the
however to Ruell and Malmaison. where 1t encoun-
the cavalry Of General Gae Holding
s!ss.' spD'!sn{o sas'' dlossssa
where 1t opened a fire on Gailet's rear and COM
| PEELED him to retire. IL then pushed to Bougiva
the Russians to make head agains. soriie iroG
Paris, ana now proved OF to the French for the
same purpose. Amusing the National Guards
OF this position General Vlnoy directed column
toward Pas IN % ona Of ne All t n
put discovering that they could make no impress
fe they turned their faces toward PARIS and when
they then ascertained that there troops ahead
Completely dispersed in the neghSonooa Of
| Ruei-every man seeking his safety by individual
THE KILLING OF GusrAvE FLoURENs.
on tins SIDE is especially worthy OF mention. This
e ng 81 o as ONE Of Inc ar9
| gendarmes, who split his skull with the blow OF q
sabre. This happened In the village Of Chaton,
p NJ. Flourens perhaps, unaware OF the preclpitate
retreat from Rueil, was still at Chaton, In little au
berge when the gendarmes came In and he fired at
them in the street from the window. they immedl-
ateiy went In, mounted to the room from which the
ceved BAH in the shoulder from M Fiourens re-
voIyer whereupon the other cut him down. BIS
aidede-camp, Pisani an Italian, was with him and
| received wound IN the thigh.
| M. Theirs Answer to the Letter of M. Ron.
her-The Latter's Temporary Incarceration
Was Necessity-Thc Account Of NJ.
Rouher S:igmntizcd False-The Present
Government Of Franco Will Exile No
L nafl Tn
| trigucs.
During the sitting OF the National Assembly. on
March 81, NJ. Theirs made the following speech with
regard to the arrest Of NJ Rouher upon whose letter
and the Bonapartist intrlgues in general he COM
mented very severely
M. THEIRS said-I have now the following remarks
| TO make TO the Chamber-AS o rule tile members OF
government wait until they are asked for explana
lions upon facts that are susceptible Of controversy
In anticipating Interpretation / am actuated by o
sentiment which all OF you, l hope, VIII approve.
The best way OF answering slanderous imputations
foreign Journals and also few French papers have
| reproduced letters emanatlng from persons who
Complained Of the usage received at the hands Of
the government ! shall expose to you the facts
Wth which You win
excitement in this Assembly. But there is a re-
pIoacha Which ,Sn. we VIII not allow 70 be imputed to
| exie fd'apotr ete des proSctpteurs). have
been exiled but shall exile no one fJ'dt etc pro:
| sc'lt. Je ne prosGDdt pas. God forbid that
| should want to insult personages who have filled
positions OF power but possess them no longer. God
forbid that should gratuilously throw disgrace
| government whlcn has ceased 10 exist; but God
forbid also that should allow imputatlons against
me OF arbitrary acts which distant to my heart,
and which during my whole life repudlated. A cele-
brated parsonage. the honorable NJ Rouher has writ
ten letter to certain Journals which Ihave the right
TO consider as Insulting to At any rate 1t gives
an account which IS wholly false. | shall prove 1t
| by facts. AT moment when such grave events arc
taking place IN France several personage5 who have
under the last rule occupied positions more or less
| important have by accdent-l grant it-(noise and
protests.) Letm take the liberty, gentlemen not TO
say any more about II than want to say tMovement)
| Pardon me- shall be frank and tell you that can
not tell you any more, because simply know mo-
thing more about It, What can state Is that at this
| very time OF our troubles several personages who
| were so nearly related to the empire are found
tarrying on our fronters In the time Of agltatton5
people become suspicious and even unjust, but