The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1871-04-22
VERSAILLES.

Particulars Of the Movement Against Chatjl-
lon-The Rebel Leader DuvaI KiIled-Gene.
raj Henry Captured and Shot-rhc Conflict
MT Issy, Vanvres, Neudon aud Clamart.
VERSAILLES, April s, 1871.
1t was not all finished ON Friday last for as
wrote you, the insurgents still held at Chatlllon
strong redoubt, constructed as part OF the defence
against the Prussians. This had to be taken TO give
q symmetrical close to operations in that quarter.
Nearly every one thought, as Noahs neghbor did
the day the deuge began, that ut wouldn't be much
OF shower;r for it was not counted that the men
In the position would hold with any tenacity and
indeed they did not yet the stormng stirred up the
elements and the day was only less important IN Its
transactions than the Sd, for the forts Issy and
| vanvres came into the engagement with energy.
At nightla the practice OF the artillery was still
SHARP, eAa cenas0i v,nay aannaed IN have n
prenension that the enemy might pass completely
around his right and approach Versailles from the
south. for all promenaders were excluded from the
park, the guards were doubled and the woods OF
Meudon and Satory were flied with pioKeis down
to the little stream La Beure,
TILE MOVEMENT AGAINST CHATLLoN.
Operations against the redoubt at Cha,illon began
shortly after I'VE A. NJ. The men chosen for the
assault-the division Of General Pielle-had blvou-
acked on the spot. Two batteries OF twelves were
ready to open on the fort and draw the nre but at
tue llSt moueIb IL WAS JuuBtu eApeulent 10 90
the job with the infantry alone. The line broke
cover at not more than three hundred yards from
the rampant and stormed the position almost with
out loss. Indeed, the men In the place simply did
not know how to defend 1t and had no 0f1lcers to
show them, so that the glorincation Of toe troops
for their achievement Is hardly In place II they
had carried the position with nve hundred good SOL
dlers In it they might put Its name on their ooors.
THE FAILURE OF THE INSURGENTS.
There was a soldier who had the right idea, for
when somebody wondered why the artillery did not
give IRE before the assault he said, cit was not
worth while to make two bites OF cherry" using
French idom to that effect With the fort taken,
however and at close quarters, there was some
thing that Montmartre understood, and one OF the
regiments made an ugly struggle with the seventy
fourth OF the line This was soon over. Fifteen
one Of the military magnates OF the instruction,
General Henry. At one moment, some days ago,
this man was Commander. Chlel OF the nsurgent
National Guard, but he has since been subordinated
to sort OF military Cerberus, composed Of Eudes
gotten. lie CLAIMED when taken TO be only In com.
iuand OF '1egion composed Of six battallons, and
to be under the orders Of Duval. He had dlvested
| himself Of his uniform and ali evidence OF rank,
and wore soldiers overcoat and capote.
IN THE DIRECTION OF PARIS.
IL was beautiful day. The sun was shining
| brightly and all nature seemed rejoicing at the
coming Of spring.. In the direction Of Paris the
sian helmet TO the left the frowning fortress OF
yaserien, gloomy and silent, as though epenting It's
work Q, destruction, and light blue smoke hanging
10 Imagine be Was Ia the midst OF the balniy,
tie sss1 tasDdsr * ne cannon and the shrieks Of
TIE rushing shels y was splendid spectacle,
q lie s.c 1eatl fte msay poor fellow, what q
esor1oaE r5ts u would have been The circular
Vs5S4s Es n y sg I'M s als s was va ia Of
| Nauonsls, WIZ were exchanging shots with the
yersalles irog2s u i1e houses about Moulin de
| be Heard for few moments then the crushing re-
port OF the mitrailiease, and here and there over
the plain the sharp, whipike whiz OF Chassepot.
From the opposite heights the guns Of the contend
ing forts belched forth flame and smoke bowling at
each other Ike wild beasts, and overhead the
screaming l an9 il.srso or THE SHELLS,
sometimes passing over you with sharp, quick,
roaring along the sky like clap OF thunder and
bursting high In the air ike meteor. Now and
then you would hear shout borne upon the air, or
tne soit, meiodlous singing OF distant church bell
ash yany raising lis voice In Remembrance against
sns seaaiu valley. About two O'Clock he rsdoubt
OF Moulin dc Pierre ana the fort OF meudon opened
lre on dssy whose guns soon sllencsd those Of the
had
TAKEN NY POSITION
In a deserted house you Ind hem everywhere)
about iorty rods west from the Fort OF yanvres and
three or four times the distance from the depot OF
| q Easy. The house was occupied by small body OF
| OF soldiers, and from the windows Of the second
| story the whole plain from Meudon 10 Chatillon
could he seen with at least hall dozen villages the
woods and roads 10 the very top OF tue heights be-
yond Shells were falling In and about fort vanvres,
| but as they were evidently not firing upon US we
paid no attention TO them and amused ourselves by
rcmarking the progress OF the nyng shells and OBJ
serving their eject when exploding. We must nave
| been observed at last, however, for two or three
mitraleuse discharges that went whlstling over our
heads gave us warning to not show ourselves too
4 much.
| ABOUT THREE IN THE AFTERNOON
4 a team OF runaway horses came dashng down the
road froI2 behind vanyres with splendid carriage.