232 THE COLTON PAPERS. 



these skirmishers, though clad as masons, or carpenters, from the 

 skill and activity they displayed, had not on that day for the first 

 time cultivated an acquaintance with a musket; many seemed to 

 recall to mind the days when they had assisted in spreading terror 

 through Europe, and snuffed the sulphurous air with every mark of 

 recollection and satisfaction. The firing continued long after dark, 

 gradually slackening. The troops bivouacked on the spots they 

 occupied, in many places stained with the blood of their comrades. 

 No kind hand administered to their wants : where were their royalist 

 friends, who had spurred them on to the massacre of their fellow- 

 citizens? They forced them into the struggle, and then abandoned 

 them : many were without food for twenty-four hours. To this 

 there was one exception, the 55th regiment of the line, which had 

 the whole day shown the most laudable reluctance to fire at all, and 

 when they were compelled, the elevation of their muskets was such 

 as to render the discharge innocuous. They bivouacked that night 

 on the Place Vendome, where they received the most generous hos- 

 pitality from Mr. Roberts, of the London Dispensary, whose as- 

 sistants, with himself and servants, were employed the whole night 

 in supplying the wants of both officers and men with wine and other 

 refreshments. The amiable Bishop Luscombe was equally conspi- 

 cuous in these acts of Christian kindness. When darkness had com- 

 pletely thrown her veil over all, the tired citizens withdrew from the 

 varied scenes of action, some to gain by repose strength for the 

 deciding conflict of the ensuing day, but many to cast balls, sharpen 

 weapons, or add otherwise to the means of resistance ; and many, it 

 is to be feared, to shed the bitter tear of regret for the brother or 

 parent, whom that day had for ever snatched from their eyes. These 

 tears added to their determination to take a deep and bitter revenge 

 on the morrow. Their grief nerved them for the next day's fight ; 

 and vengeance, added to patriotism, made the most timid a hero. 



In casting a retrospective glance over the hurried scene that has 

 passed so rapidly before my eyes, it is quite evident that, on this de- 

 cisive day, namely, the 28th, the government had put forth the whole 

 of their strength. Paris had been declared in a state of siege, 

 and Marshal Marmont, Duke of Ragusa, who had been invested 

 with the absolute command of the armed force, had himself on this 

 day headed the troops in the Place des Victoires, where he passed 

 some time giving instructions to his officers, and afterwards per- 

 sonally led on the attack in the Rue Montmartre ; from whence he 

 made a precipitate retreat, in consequence of the noble resistance of 

 the citizens at the corner of jthe Rue Joquelet. Fresh regiments 

 had been marched into Paris during the night of the 26th, and the 

 whole of the gendarmerie had been put in motion. A strong 

 muster had been made of all that was efficient of the Swiss Guards 

 and the Garde Royale, both horse and foot; they had been strength- 

 ened and supported by" cannon, and even bombardment had been 

 resorted to on more than one occasion. The adherents of the court 

 could not but admit that the whole of this formidable force, if not 

 defeated, had at least been checked, and driven in at all points, by 

 the population of the city. These disciplined warriors had even 



