The Parisians hear the sound of the Prussian guns.711

Thus it will be seen that, on the 28th, the Prussian Army succeeded in cutting off the line of retreat of the French troops by the Soissons high road, compelling the greater portion of them to seek, along cross roads, the line of the Marne, by Meaux and L'Agny. It had, since it crossed the Oise, created great disorder and confusion in the French ranks, captured sixteen pieces of cannon, and made, altogether, four thousand prisoners. The Prussians now occupied both the high roads leading from Senlis and Soissons, and had their Advanced Posts (those of the Fourth Corps d'Armée) within five miles of Paris.

The sound of their cannon was already heard in the capital, where the greatest consternation prevailed amongst the citizens; whose fears had been previously excited by the most exaggerated reports brought in by fugitives from the retreating Army. The fortified works that had been thrown up on the north side, appeared sufficient to check the progress of the Allied Armies, and to secure Paris from a coup de main; but time was essential for the organisation of the defence, for the recovery of the exhausted remains of the Army of the North expected to arrive on the morrow, and for the collection of every available defensive means. It was only by the assumption of a sufficiently respectable. if not an imposing, attitude, that they could hope to succeed in negotiating for the preservation of the capital and the establishment of their own prescribed form of governinent-perhaps, by some extraordinary effort, to disconcert the plans of their Enemies, and obtain a triumph under the walls of Paris.

Actuated by these considerations, the Provisional Government was desirous of inducing the victorious Commanders of the Allied Armies to enter into negotiations. Another Commission was appointed, the members of which

712

were

A passport for Napoleon is refused.

June 28.

Messrs ANDRÉOSSY, VALENCE, BOISSY D'ANGLAS, FLANGERGUES, and LA BENARDIÈRE. They were directed to proceed to the Head Quarters of the Allied Field Marshals, again to solicit a Suspension of Hostilities and to negotiate an Armistice.

During these proceedings in Paris, a renewed application had been received by Prince BLÜCHER, on the 27th, and by the Duke of WELLINGTON on the 28th, from the first named Commissioners, for a Suspension of Hostilities; as also a request that a passport and assurances of safety might be accorded to NAPOLEON and his family, to enable them to pass to the United States of America: the Provisional Government having previously succeeded, through the medium of representations made to the ex-Emperor by some of his friends, in persuading the latter to consent to this step.

Prince BLÜCHER declined taking any notice of the application, conceiving his former verbal reply quite sufficient. The Duke of WELLINGTON referred the Commissioners to his note of the 26th on the proposed Suspension of Hostilities; and stated that, with regard to the passport for NAPOLEON, he had no authority from his Government, or from the Allies, to give any answer to such demand.

The Anglo-Allied Army advanced this day from Nesle, so as to bring its Right in rear of St Just, and its Left in rear of La Taulle, where the high road from Compiegne joins the high road from Roye to Paris.

The Second Corps, under Lord HILL, as also the British and Hanoverian Cavalry, marched by Montdidier to Petit Crevecœur.

The First Corps, under Sir JOHN BYNG, marched upon Couchy.

Bivouacs on the evening of the 28th of June. 713

The Reserve, under Sir JAMES KEMPT, marched upon Roye.

The following were the positions of the respective Armies on the evening of the 28th:

The Fourth Prussian Corps d'Armée, which was the nearest to Paris, was posted at Marly la Ville; having Detachments pushed forward close to Le Bourget and Stains.

The First Prussian Corps d'Armée stood in rear of Nanteuil; having its Advanced Guard at Le Plessis, Belleville, and Dammartin. The Third Corps d'Armée was at Crespy and in its vicinity. Prince BLUCHER's Head Quarters were at Senlis.

The Anglo-Allied Army had its Right behind St Just and its Left behind La Taulle.

Its Reserve was at Roye.

The Advanced Guard (VIVIAN'S Hussar Brigade) was at Antheuil. The Second and Fourth Divisions, the Nassau troops, and the Hanoverian Cavalry, were encamped at Petit Crevecœur, on the road to St Just.

The British Cavalry was encamped near La Taulle and Ressons.

The First and Third Divisions, and the Dutch-Belgian troops, were encamped near Couchy.

The Fifth and Sixth Divisions, the Brunswick troops, and Reserve Artillery, were encamped near Roye.

The Duke of WELLINGTON's Head Quarters were at Orvillé.

The remains of the First and Second French Corps d'Armée, after forming a junction at Gonesse, where the high roads from Nanteuil and Senlis unite, reached the suburbs of Paris. The Imperial Guard and the Sixth Corps, immediately under GROUCHY, were in full retreat from Meaux by Claie and Vincennes. The Third and Fourth Corps, under VANDAMME, having crossed the Marne at Meaux, were retreating by Lagny and Vincennes.

BLÜCHER having issued Orders, during the night of the 28th, for the continuation of the advance upon Paris; the Advanced Guard of the Fourth Prussian Corps d'Armée moved, on the morning of the 29th, from Gonesse to Le

714 The Prussians arrive in front of St Denis. June 29.

Bourget, which place it found abandoned by the Enemy; who, however, was strongly posted at St Denis, towards which point therefore, some Battalions were pushed forward in observation. The Enemy having been driven out of Stains, this Post was occupied by two Fusilier Battalions and a Regiment of Cavalry, under Lieutenant Colonel SCHILL, for the purpose of securing the Right Flank of the Corps. La Cour Neuve, between St Denis and Le Bourget, was also occupied. The main body of the Corps broke up from Marly la Ville at seven o'clock in the morning; and on reaching Le Bourget, bivouacked in its vicinity.

The Advanced Guard of the First Prussian Corps d'Armée pushed on, at daybreak, from Dammartin to Blanc Mesnil; whence, immediately on its arrival, it sent Detachments beyond the Wood of Bondy, to reconnoitre the Enemy's preparations of defence. The main body of this Corps took up a position, having its Right resting on Blanc Mesnil, and its Left on Aulnay. It sent out Infantry Detachments towards Livry, and along the Ourcq Canal, towards Bondy and Pantin; and Cavalry parties towards Grande Drancey and Baubigny. ZIETEN also occupied Nonneville with the 7th Regiment of Infantry; and the 6th Uhlans furnished Outposts at the Ourcq Canal, communicating with those of the Fourth Corps.

The Third Prussian Corps d'Armée marched from Crespy as far as Dammartin, in the vicinity of which it was bivouacked.

The Reserve Cavalry was sent forward as far as Tremblay, in direct support of the First Corps d'Armée.

The First and Second French Corps d'Armée had reached the suburbs of Paris on the Gonesse road, during the night; and held possession of Le Bourget until the morning of the

The French Army reaches the suburbs of Paris. 715

29th. The Imperial Guard and the Sixth Corps, as also the reinforcements that had arrived from the interior, were, during the forenoon of the 29th, on the high road by Claie and Pantin, under the command of GROUCHY; and were directed to occupy several defensive points on that side. The Third and Fourth Corps d'Armée, under VANDAMME, reached Paris at noon on the 29th, by the Lagny road: they passed through the capital, and occupied the Heights of Montrouge on the south side.

The Anglo-Allied Army arrived, on the 29th, at different points on the road between Gournay and Pont St Maxence.

The Advanced Guard, consisting of VIVIAN'S Light Cavalry Brigade, supported by that of ARENTSSCHILDT, crossed the Oise at Pont St Maxence, and reached Senlis.

The British Cavalry moved from La Taulle to Pont St Maxence.

The Second Corps, under Lord HILL, moved from Petit Crevecœur to Clermont.

The First Corps, under Sir JOHN BYNG, moved from its camp near Couchy, by Estrée St Denis, along the high road to St Martin Longeau.

The Reserve, under Sir JAMES KEMPT, moved from its camp near Roye, to Gournay, on the road to Pont St Maxence.

The following were the positions of the respective Armies on the evening of the 29th:

The First Prussian Corps d'Armée had its Advanced Guard and Reserve Cavalry at Aulnay and Savegny; with Detachments of the latter at Serran, Livry, Bondy, and Baubigny. The Fusilier Battalion of the 7th Regiment stood at Nonneville. The 6th Uhlans and the 1st Silesian Hussars, with two Horse Batteries, were posted along the