Diary of the Besieged Resident in Paris — John Shaqi
Diary of the Besieged Resident in ParisLabouchere, Henry Du Pré
History
Diary of the Besieged Resident in Paris
Labouchere, Henry Du Pré
Franco-Prussian War, 1870-1871; Paris (France) -- History -- Siege, 1870-1871 -- Personal narratives
I got, about an hour ago, some way on the road to Charenton, when I was
turned back, and a couple of soldiers took possession of me, and did not
leave me until I was within the city gate. I could see no traces of any
Prussians or of any fighting. Two English correspondents got as far as
St. Denis this morning. After having been arrested half-a-dozen times
and then released, they were impressed, and obliged to carry stones to
make a barricade. They saw no Prussians. I hear that a general of
artillery was arrested last night by his men. There is a report, also,
that the Government mean to decimate the cowards who ran away yesterday,
_pour encourager les autres_. The guns of the Prussians which they have
posted on the heights they took yesterday it is said will carry as far
as the Arc de Triomphe.
There have been two deputations to the Hotel de Ville to interview the
Government with respect to the armistice. One consisted of about 100
officers of the National Guard, most of them from the Faubourgs of St.
Antoine and the Temple. They were of course accompanied by a large
crowd. Having been admitted into the Salle du Trone, they were received
by the Mayor of Paris and M. Jules Ferry. The reply of the latter is not
very clear. He certainly said that no shameful peace should be
concluded; but whether, as some assert, he assured the officers that no
portion of French soil should be ceded is not equally certain. Shortly
after this deputation had left, another arrived from the Republican
clubs. It is stated that M. Jules Ferry's answer was considered
satisfactory. The walls have been placarded with a proclamation of
Trochu to the armed force. He tells them that some regiments behaved
badly at Clamart; but the assertion that they had no cartridges is
false. He recommends all citizens to arrest soldiers who are drunk or
who propagate false news, and threatens them with the vigorous
application of the Articles of War. Another proclamation from Keratry
warns every one against treating soldiers or selling them liquor when
they already have had too much. I went to dine this evening in an
estaminet in the Faubourg St. Antoine. It was full of men of the
people, and from the tone of their observations I am certain that if M.
Jules Favre concludes an armistice involving any cession of territory,
there will be a rising at once. The cafes are closed now at 10 o'clock.
At about 11 I walked home. One would have supposed oneself in some dull
great provincial town at 3 in the morning. Everything was closed. No
one, except here and there a citizen on his way home, or a patrol of the
National Guard, was to be seen.
_September 21st._
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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