erate men, ready for any fight, and that half this
number were ex-convicts. The Government had nominally large forces
at its command, but it was doubtful how far its troops could be
relied on.

On June 22, 1848, at nightfall the struggle began. By morning half
Paris was covered with barricades. It was very hard to collect
troops, but Cavaignac was a tried soldier. He divided his little
force into four parts. It was not till the evening of the 23d that
hostilities commenced, and at the same time General Cavaignac was
named by the Assembly dictator. This inspired confidence. Cavaignac
was well supported, and acted with the greatest energy. The
street-fighting was fiercer than any Paris had ever seen, and no
real success was gained by Cavaignac till the evening of the 24th,
after twenty-four hours of hard fighting. That success was the
storming of the church of Sainte Genevieve (called also the Pantheon)
and the destruction of its walls. But still the fight went on.
Many generals were wounded. Cavaignac used his cannon freely, and
even his bombs. It was night on June 26 before the troops could
be pronounced victorious, and then they had not stormed the most
formidable of the barricades,--that of the Rue du Faubourg
Saint-Antoine. Says Sir Archibald Alison,--

"But ere the attack on this barricade commenced, a sublime instance
of Christian heroism and devotion occurred, which shines forth
like a heavenly glory in the midst of these terrible scenes of
carnage. Monseigneur Affre, archbishop of Paris, horror-stricken
with the slaughter which for three days had been going on, resolved
to attempt a reconciliation between the contending parties, or
perish in the attempt. Having obtained leave from General Cavaignac
to repair to the headquarters of the insurgents, he set out, dressed
in his pontifical robes, having the cross in his hand, attended
by his two chaplains, also in full canonicals, and three intrepid
members of the Assembly. Deeply affected by this courageous act,
which they knew was almost certain death, the people, as he walked
through the streets, fell on their knees and besought him to desist;
but he persisted, saying, 'It is my duty; a good shepherd giveth
his life for the sheep.' At seven in the evening he arrived at the
Place de la Bastille, where the fire of musketry was extremely warm
on both sides. It ceased on either side at the august spectacle,
and the archbishop, bearing the cross aloft, advanced with h