n the Boulevards there are crowds who
question any soldier who is seen passing. "Tout va bien" is the only
answer which they get; but they seem to be under the impression that the
siege is already over, and that the Prussian lines have been forced.
Along the road inside the ramparts, and at the gates, there are dense
masses listening to the cannon, and on every mound from which a distant
view of the smoke can be obtained men, women, and children are
congregated. I have managed to get every day into the horse-shoe at the
mouth of which the fighting was going on, and yesterday afternoon, when
there was a semi-suspension of arms to bury the dead, I went with the
ambulances on the debateable land between the two armies. The whole
horse-shoe is full of artillery. The bombs and shells from the forts and
batteries pass over the French, and explode within the Prussian lines. A
little behind, every house is filled with wounded, who are taken, as
soon as their wounds are dressed, inside the town. One or two batteries
occasionally open fire, and occasionally those of the Prussians respond.
Trochu and Ducrot ride about, and, as far as I can see, the latter
commands, while the former makes speeches. Yesterday afternoon we had
slightly gained ground, beyond however an occasional discharge from our
forts and batteries, there was no fighting. Before our lines a very
large number of Prussian dead were lying. There were burying parties out
on both sides, but they were getting on very slowly with their work, and
were perpetually fired on. At 4 A.M. this morning the Prussians made a
rush at our lines from Champigny to Brie, and the Mobiles and line,
taken by surprise, hastily fell back. One or two regiments of Mobiles
were literally charged by squadrons of gendarmerie, to force them back.
Reinforcements came up, and by nine o'clock the positions had been
regained--the Prussians being unable to withstand the fire of our forts,
redoubts, and siege-guns. The battle then went on till about three
o'clock, when it died out. Towards Villiers, I should say we had gained
about three-quarters of a mile, and at Champigny we had lost about a
third of the village. At about five o'clock I got back to my hotel,
which is the headquarters of the Ambulance Internationale. Until eleven
o'clock wounded were being brought in. It is quite full now. About 460
French, and 30 Germans--almost all Saxons. Many died during the night.
In the room, next to mine, Franchet