called himself an American, but he had had many aliases,
and it is not known in what country he was born. At one time he
had been a captain in the Chasseurs d'Afrique, but was convicted
of dishonesty in the purchase of horses, and dismissed from the
army. Then he came to the United States, and entered the service
of the Union, by which he became a naturalized citizen. He got
into trouble, however, over a flock of sheep which mysteriously
disappeared while he had charge of them. Next he enlisted in the
Papal Zouaves. After the Commune he escaped from Paris, and the
Fenians chose him for their general. In their service he came very
near capturing Chester Castle. The Fenians, however, soon accused
him of being a traitor. Again he escaped, fearing a secret dagger,
and was thought to have found refuge in a religious community.
Subsequently he served the Turks; and lastly, during the presidency
of M. Grevy, at a time of great dissatisfaction in France, he was
elected a deputy from one of the Southern cities.

By April 7, Cluseret had, as some one expresses it, "swallowed up
the Commune." He became for three weeks absolute dictator; after
which time he found himself in prison at Mazas, occupying the very
cell to which he had sent Bergeret.

Cluseret was a soldier of experience; but Bergeret had been a
bookseller's assistant, and his highest military rank had been
that of a sergeant in the National Guard. He could not ride on
horseback, and he drove out from Paris to the fight in which Flourens
was killed.

The official title of Cluseret and others, who were heads of the
War Office during the Commune, was War Delegate, the committee
refusing to recognize the usual title of Minister of War.

Probably the best general the Commune had was a Pole named Dombrowski,
an adventurer who came into France with Garibaldi. He was not only
a good strategist, but a dare-devil for intrepidity. Some said he
had fought for Polish liberty, others, that he had fought against
it; at any rate, he was an advanced Anarchist, though in military
matters he was a strict disciplinarian, and kept his men of all
nations in better order than any other commander.

When, after the first attack of the Communist forces on those of
the Versailles Government, the guns of Fort Valerien opened on
Paris, the second bombardment began. It was far more destructive
than that of the Prussians, the guns from the forts being so much
nearer to the centre of the city.