ent passed between the Representatives without
doing them any harm. Schoelcher alone had his coat pierced in two
places, and in his opinion this was awkwardness instead of intention.
One of the soldiers who faced him wished to push him away from the
captain, and touched him with his bayonet. The point encountered the
book of the addresses of the Representatives, which Schoelcher had in
his pocket, and only pierced his clothing.
A soldier said to De Flotte, "Citizen, we do not wish to hurt you."
Nevertheless a soldier came up to Bruckner and pointed his gun at him.
"Well," said Bruckner, "fire."
The soldier, touched, lowered his arm, and shook Bruckner's hand.
It was singular that, notwithstanding the order given by the officers,
the two companies successively came up to the Representatives, charged
with the bayonet, and turned aside. Instructions may order, but instinct
prevails; instructions may be crime, but instinct is honor. Major P----
said afterwards, "They had told us that we should have to deal with
brigands, we had to deal with heroes."
Meanwhile those on the barricade were growing uneasy, and seeing their
colleagues surrounded, and wishing to succor them, they fired a musket
shot. This unfortunate shot killed a soldier between De Flotte and
Schoelcher.
The officer who commanded the second attacking squad passed close to
Schoelcher as the poor soldier fell. Schoelcher pointed out the fallen
man to the officer, and said to him, "Lieutenant, look!"
The officer answered by a gesture of despair,--
"What would you have us do?"
The two companies replied to the shot by a general volley, and rushed to
the assault of the barricade, leaving behind them the seven
Representatives astounded at being still alive.
The barricade replied by a volley, but it could not hold out. It was
carried.
Baudin was killed.
He had remained standing in his position on the omnibus. Three balls
reached him. One struck him in the right eye and penetrated into the
brain. He fell. He never regained consciousness. Half-an-hour afterwards
he was dead. His body was taken to the Ste. Marguerite Hospital.
Bourzat, who was close to Baudin, with Aubry (du Nord), had his coat
pierced by a ball.
We must again remark a curious incident,--the soldiers made no prisoner
on this barricade. Those who defended it dispersed through the streets
of the Faubourg, or took refuge in the neighboring houses. Representative
Maigne, pushe
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