soldiers were drawn up
outside. The sergeant called out one of the prisoners named Lefevre,
who wore a National Guard's uniform. The poor fellow stepped out
between the two lines of soldiers, and the door closed on him.
He was taken before the colonel, who was instructed to examine the
prisoners, and had the discretionary power of ordering them to
be shot on the spot, or of sending them to Versailles to appear
before the superior commission, by whom they were either set at
liberty or sentenced to transportation. Poor Lefevre was not heard
of again. We thought we heard a brisk volley of musketry in the
large courtyard, but we had been so accustomed to such noises that
it did not attract general attention. Later in the day another
prisoner was called out in the same manner, and he came back no
more; this time the noise of the discharge was distinct, and made
us alive to the imminence of our fate. On the third prisoner being
called out, he refused to go. Two soldiers had to take him by force.
He fought desperately for his life. The door was shut. We had not
long to wait; the discharge of musketry re-echoed in our cell, and
caused within it such a scene of despair as baffles description.

"Next day four men were taken out and executed, which reduced our
number to nine. By this time we had recovered from the shots and
heeded little what was going to take place, as every one of us
had bidden adieu to this world and made his peace with God.

"On May 31 our door was opened again. Twelve soldiers were drawn
up before it. We were all ordered out. We thought we were going to
be shot _en masse_, to make quicker work of us. To my amazement,
we saw a large column of about four hundred prisoners, four abreast,
between two lines of grenadiers. Evidently we were intended to
form the last contingent to it. The soldiers having been drawn
up in two long lines on both sides of the column, an officer drew
his sword, and standing up on a wine-hogshead, shouted: 'Soldiers,
load arms.' This being done, he added: 'Fire on any prisoner who
attempts to revolt or escape.'

"We then took the road to the Western Railroad, where we were put
into cattle vans and goods vans, with scarcely room to breathe,
and reached Versailles about six P. M. A detachment of soldiers
escorted us to Satory. The column marched in to the artillery depot,
and the gates were closed. I happened to be the right-hand man of
the four last prisoners in the column, so that I