Paris under the Commune Part 44

During the day of the 28th of Kay Marshal MacMahon caused the following proclamation to be posted in the streets of Paris:--

"Inhabitants of Paris,--

The army of France is come to save you. Paris is relieved. The last positions of the insurgents were taken by our soldiers at four o'clock.

Today the struggle is at an end; order, labour, and security are springing up again.

Paris, Quartier General, the 28th May, 1871.

(Signed) "MACMAHON, Due de Magenta, Marshal of France, Commander-in-Chief."

On the 28th of May the war of the Communists was at an end, but the fort of Vincennes was still occupied by three hundred National Guards, with eighteen of their superior officers and fifteen of the high functionaries of the Commune; They made an appeal to the commander of the Prussian forces in front of the fort, in the hope of obtaining pa.s.sports for Switzerland. General Vinoy, hearing of this, took at once the most energetic measures, and at six o'clock on the 29th of May the last defenders of Vincennes surrendered at discretion.

XVI

The amount of the extraordinary expenses of the Versailles was, at the rate of three millions of francs a day, 216 millions from the 18th March to the 28th May. The list of artillery implements removed from the a.r.s.enals of Douai, Lyon, Besancon, Toulon, and Cherbourg, and forwarded to Versailles from the 18th March to the 21st May, comprise--

80 cannons of 0.16m (6 in. 299/1000 diameter) from the War a.r.s.enal 60 " " " from the Marine a.r.s.enal 10 " of 0.22m (8 in. 661/1000 diameter) Marine.

110 Rifled long 24-pounders.

30 Rifled short 24-pounders.

80 Rifled siege 12-pounders.

3 Mortars of 0.32m (12 in. 598/1000 diameter).

15 Mortars of 0.27m (10 in. 629/1000 diameter).

15 Mortars of 0.22m (8 in. 661/1000 diameter).

40 Mortars of 0.15m (5 in. 905/1000 diameter).

--- Total 393 artillery siege pieces.

Ammunition received at Versailles--

Sh.e.l.ls of 0.16m (marine). . . . 73,000 " 0.22m " . . . . . 10,000 " 0.24m (rifled). . . . 140,000 " for 12-pounder (rifled) 80,000 Bombs of 0.32m . . . . . . . . 1,000 " 0.27m . . . . . . . . 7,000 " 0.22m . . . . . . . . 7,000 " 0.15m . . . . . . . . 30,000 ------- Total 348,000

The stock of gunpowder amounted to 400 tons.

Up to the 21st of May, the artillery received 20 tons a day, and on that day 50 tons were forwarded to the besieging army.

Up to the 21st of May, the field ordnance consisted of--

36 batteries of 4-pounders.

18 " 12-pounders.

4 " 7-pounders (breech-loaders).

12 " of mitrailleuses.

Total 70 batteries, 63 of which were provided with horses (7 being in store).

The ammunition service consisted of--

80 tumbrels (calibre 12), each containing 54 charges.

30 " (calibre 7), " 90 "

120 " (calibre 4) " 120 "

55 " of mitrailleuses " 243 "

5000 cases of ammunition (for calibre 12), containing 49,000 charges.

600 " (for calibre 4), " 12,000 "

2000 " (for calibre 7), " 20,000 "

1000 " for mitrailleuses " 30,000 "

16 millions of Cha.s.sepot cartridges, and 2 millions of Remington cartridges.

On the evening of the 23rd of May the army of Versailles expended--

26,000 discharges (calibre 0.16m), marine guns.

2000 " " 0.22m), "

60,000 " " 0.24m), rifled guns.

30,000 " " 0.12m), rifled siege guns.

12,000 " (calibre of 7), used as a siege gun.

150 bombs of 0.32m 360 " 0.27m 2500 " 0.22m 5500 " 0.16m ------- Total 138,800 discharges of siege guns and mortars.--"_Guerre des Communeux_," p. 321.

The great feature of the second siege of Paris was the prudence exercised in manoeuvring the men so as to protect them from needless exposure, practical experience in German encounters having taught the line a severe lesson. From the report of Marshal MacMahon we learn that the lost amounted to 83 officers killed, and 430 wounded; 794 soldiers killed, and 6,024 wounded, and 183 missing in all.

XVII.

LIST OF PUBLIC BUILDINGS, MONUMENTS, CHURCHES, AND HOUSES,

DAMAGED OR DESTROYED BY THE COMMUNISTS OF PARIS,

MAY 24-29, 1871.

Fire commenced in the houses marked thus (*).

Palais des Tuileries (Emperor's Paris residence). _Burnt_.

Musee du Louvre. _Library totally destroyed_.

Palais Royal (Prince Napoleon's Paris residence). _Burnt_.

Palais de la Legion d'Honneur (records all gone). _Burnt_.

Conseil d'Etat. _Burnt_.

Corps Legislatif. _Damaged_.

Cour des Comptes (Exchequer). _Burnt_.

Ministere d'Etat (Minister of State). _Fired, but saved_.

Ministere des Finances (Treasury). _Burnt_.

Hotel de Ville. (Town Hall of Paris). _Burnt_.

Palais de Justice (Law courts). _Burnt_.

Prefecture de Police. _Burnt_.

The Conciergerie (House of Detention). _Partly burnt_.