ich they were
endeavoring to regain possession. Our captain led a party to this
place, and in a tall house that overlooked the barricade he stationed
three of us. There, lying flat on our faces on a billiard-table, we
exchanged many shots with the enemy. A number of National Guards
came up and surrendered to us as prisoners. As soon as one presented
himself with the butt of his musket in the air, we made him come
under the window, where two of us stood ready to fire in case of
treachery, while the third took him to the lieutenant. In the course
of the night I was slightly wounded in the ear. A surgeon pinned
it up with two black pins.

"It was now May 23,--an ever-memorable day. We were pushing on
into Paris, and were to attack Montmartre; but first we had to make
sure of the houses in our rear. Then began that terrible fighting in
the streets, when every man fights hand to hand, when one must jump,
revolver in hand, into dark cellars, or rush up narrow staircases
with an enemy who knows the ground, lying in wait. Two or three
shots, well aimed, come from one house, and each brings down a
comrade. Exasperated, we break in the door and rush through the
chambers. The crime must be punished, the murderers are still on
the spot; but there are ten men in the house. Each swears that
he is innocent. Then each soldier has to take upon himself the
office of a judge. He looks to see if the gun of each man has been
discharged recently, if the blouse and the citizen's trousers have
not been hastily drawn over a uniform. Death and life are in his
hands; no one will ever call him to account for his decision. Women
and children fall at his feet imploring pity; through all the house
resound sobs, groans, and the reports of rifles. At the corner of
every street lie the bodies of men shot, or stand prisoners about
to be executed.

"I was thankful when the moment came to attack the heights of
Montmartre, and to engage in open warfare. General Pradie, our
brigadier-general, marched at our head, greatly exposed, because
of the gold lace on his uniform. An insurgent, whom we had taken
prisoner, suddenly sprang from his guards, seized the general's
horse, and presented at him a revolver that he had hidden in his
belt. The general, furious, cried, 'Shoot him! shoot him!' But we
dared not, they were too close together. Suddenly the man sprang
back, gained the street, and though twenty of us fired in haste
at once, every ball missed him. Lea