But for some time the two parties stood face to face, seeking to cajole or intimidate one another.

As the autumn afternoon waned, shots were fired from some houses near the church of St.Roch, where the malcontents had their headquarters.[33] At once the streets became the scene of a furious fight; furious but unequal; for Buonaparte's cannon tore away the heads of the malcontent columns.

In vain did the royalists pour in their volleys from behind barricades, or from the neighbouring houses: finally they retreated on the barricaded church, or fled down the Rue St.Honore.Meanwhile their bands from across the river, 5,000 strong, were filing across the bridges, and menaced the Tuileries from that side, until here also they melted away before the grapeshot and musketry poured into their front and flank.

By six o'clock the conflict was over.

The fight presents few, if any, incidents which are authentic.