Notwithstanding its bastioned enclosure and great out-
work which was still existing in 1870, exactly as Vauban
had planned it, the town of La Roche-Pont could not have
held out forty-eight hours before the German artillery. A
few batteries to the north, on the plateau, and on the west
and east on the sides of the hills placed at nearly two miles
distant would have overwhelmed the place with projectiles
without a possibility of replying ; for in September 1870 the
small arsenal of La Roche-Pont contained only six cast iron
guns, and four bronze pieces with smooth bore, two thousand
pounds of powder and two or three hundred solid balls.
It was not attacked, though bodies of the enemy showed
themselves not far from its walls.
Its garrison consisted then of a guard of the engineers
and a brigade of gendarmes.
The inhabitants of La Roche-Pont are, however, patriotic,
and mention with pride the numerous sieges they have
experienced.
They had organized their national guard as early as
August, including an artillery corps. It is true they had
not been able to supply these National Guards with more
than a hundred flint guns which were lying in the citadel,
and about thirty muzzle-loading guns. These brave people
were not less determined to defend themselves, and began



CONCLUSION. 355

to cast bullets and make cartridges. They had not thtf
pain of seeing the Germans there.
In 1 871, a French captain of engineers, having been in
General Bourbaki's army, had entered Switzerland with the
dibris of the corps.
