[33] Who bears witness to the bravery of the National Guard? Superior officers themselves. See in the _Enquete sur le 18 Mars_, the depositions of General Leflo, Vice-Admiral Pothuan, Colonel Lambert, and Trochu, speaking from the tribune: "If I did not fear to appear intrusive, I could show that up to the close of the day the inexperienced National Guards took and retook with the energy of old troops, under terrific fire, the heights that had been abandoned. It was necessary to hold them at any price in order to effect the retreat of the troops engaged in the centre. I had told them so, and they sacrificed themselves without hesitation." [34] Vinoy's corps, which took Montretout, had five regiments and one battalion of infantry, nineteen battalions of mobiles, five regiments of National Guards. That of General Bellemare, which took Buzenval, had five regiments of line, seventeen battalions of mobiles, eight regiments of National Guards. [35] "We shall give the National Guard a little peppering (_ecrabouiller un peu la garde nationale_) since they wish it," said a colonel of infantry, much annoyed at this affair. _Enquete sur le 4 Septembre_, Colonel Chaper, vol. ii. p. 281. [36] He told them by way of consolation that "from the evening of the 4th September he had declared that it would be madness to attempt sustaining a siege by the Prussian army."--_Enquete sur le 4 Septembre_, Corbon, vol. iv. p. 889. [37] He has pronounced these words of perfect Jesuitism: "To yield to hunger is to die, not to capitulate."--_Jules Simon, Souvenirs du 4 Septembre_, p. 299. [38] Deposition of General Soumairs, _Enquete sur le 4 Septembre_, vol. ii. p. 215. [39] What disgrace! 175,000 men pretending that they had been sold by a single one! In the Seven Years' War, in Westphalia, at Minden, when General Morangies prepared to capitulate, 1500 men, roused by a corporal, refused to surrender, forced their way, and rejoined the army of the Count of Clermont. [40] _Enquete sur le 4 Septembre_, Arnaud de l'Ariege, vol. ii. p. 320-321. [41] "I return from Versailles. I have come to terms with M. de Bismarck, and it has been agreed upon between us as a matter of honour the firing should cease."--Order sent by Jules Favre on the 27th, seven o'clock evening. Vinoy, _L'Armistice et la Commune_, p. 67. [42] The decree sacrificed fifteen and spared twenty-four. [43] _A. Arnaud_, _Avrial_, _Beslay_, _Blanqui_, _Demay_, _Dereure_, Dupas, E. Dupont, _J. Durand_, _E. Duval_, _Eudes_, Flotte, _Frankel_, _Gambon_, _Goupil_, Granger, Humbert, Jaclard, Jarnigon, Lacambre, Lacord, _Langevin_, _Lefrancais_, Leverdays, _Longuet_, Macdonnell, _Malon_, _Meillet_, Minet, _Oudet_, _Pindy_, _F. Pyat_, _Ranvier_, Rey, Rouillier, _Serraillier_, _Theisz_, Tolain, _Tridon_, _Vaillant_, _Valles_, _Varlin_. The names of those who were elected members of the Commune are in italics.