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"THE COLTON PAPERS." 



No. 2. THE REVOLUTION OF JULY. 



I MUST now transfer my readers to the Place de Greve, on the 

 eastern side of which stands that venerable building, the Hotel de 

 Ville, or Town House. This place, so celebrated in history as the 

 scene of many terrific combats during the former revolution, was 

 again destined to become an Aceldama ; for in no part of Paris was 

 the combat carried on with more determined resolution, amounting 

 to desperation, than on this fated spot. The possession of the Hotel 

 de Ville seemed to be a point of honour for which both parties 

 eagerly struggled, and three several times during this eventful day 

 of the 28th did it yield to the attacks of the citizens, although de- 

 fended by a numerous force of gendarmes and Garde Royale, aided 

 by six pieces of artillery, the first discharge of which, loaded with 

 grape and cannister, took place upon a dense mass of the populace, 

 who crowded the square almost to the cannon's mouth. The effect 

 was terrific; heaps of slaughtered citizens on every side told with 

 what fatal accuracy each gun had been directed. This severe 

 check, instantly followed by vigorous and well-sustained volleys of 

 musketry from the troops, for a moment produced hesitation, and 

 signs of irresolution became visible on the side of the populace. It 

 was at this decisive crisis that a young man, whose name, which 

 merited immortality, unhappily perished with him, waving the tri- 

 coloured standard, which he had carried all the morning, cried out 

 to his associates, who had already begun to retire in some confusion, 

 ' ' My friends ! my friends ! it is necessary we should learn how to 

 die !" With these words, worthy of Leonidas, he again rushed for- 

 ward to the attack several paces in advance of his companions, and 

 fell, pierced with a hundred bullets. This glorious lesson of self- 

 devotion was not lost upon the gallant band to whom it was ad- 

 dressed ; but the artillery again performed its deadly work, and the 

 citizen soldiers were at length obliged to retire to the shelter of the 

 surrounding streets, from the ends of which however they kept up 

 so constant and well-directed a fire upon the artillery-men and other 

 troops, that victory again became doubtful. The soldiery were now 

 in possession of the Hotel de Ville, but the fire they had for some 

 time kept up from the windows began gradually to decline, the 

 people having thrown themselves into the houses opposite, from the 

 roofs and windows of which they could partly command that edifice, 

 and every shot was returned with murderous interest. In the mean 

 time a galling discharge was kept up from the opposite side of the 

 Seine, particularly from the further end of the suspension bridge. 



