At daybreak of the 2nd of July, Blücher put the whole Prussian Army in motion towards the south side of Paris, where he purposed taking possession of the advantageous position comprising the Heights of Meudon and Chatillon, and their immediate vicinity. Thielemann's Advanced Guard (the Ninth Brigade) immediately proceeded to occupy Versailles. The Corps itself halted two hours at Rocquencourt to wait for the arrival of Zieten's Corps. As the latter Corps advanced, it threw out a Detachment to its left, consisting of the 1st Battalion of the 1st West Prussian Regiment, two pieces of Horse Artillery, and a Squadron of Cavalry, under Captain Krensky: who was directed to proceed by Malmaison towards St Cloud, communicating with Major Colomb, who had already been detached, with the force before mentioned as being under his command, towards the Bridge of Neuilly; and to keep a look out to the left of the direct road to Paris. On Zieten's Advanced Guard reaching Ville d'Avray, whence it drove off a French Picquet, information was obtained that the Enemy was restoring the Bridge of St Cloud, which he had previously destroyed; and that he occupied the Bois de Boulogne in considerable force. The Third Brigade was therefore ordered to proceed by its left towards St Cloud, and to oppose any movement which might be attempted against that Flank.
It was three o'clock in the afternoon when Zieten's First Brigade, under Steinmetz, reached Sèvres. Here the French were strongly posted, occupying the place itself, the Heights of Bellevue; and having their Light Troops well disposed amongst the adjacent gardens and vineyards. The First Prussian Brigade was followed in support by the Second and Fourth Brigades; and, notwithstanding the very gallant defence that was made, these troops succeeded in forcing the French to abandon their stronghold, and fall back upon Moulineau. Here the French made another stand; but were again defeated by Steinmetz, who had closely pursued them. Whilst the First Brigade was thus gaining ground; the Second, together with the Reserve Artillery, advanced towards the Heights of Meudon. The Reserve Cavalry of the Corps followed the First Brigade, in support. The Fourth Brigade occupied Sèvres. Major General Jagow, who had been detached to the left with the Third Brigade, having ascertained that the Enemy was not likely to undertake any movement from the Bois de Boulogne, and that Captain Krensky's Detachment was on the look out in that direction, proceeded to rejoin the Corps; and on reaching Sèvres, towards evening, he was directed by Zieten to take up a position with his Brigade to the right, on the Heights of Meudon.
In the evening, the French, after having reformed, and collected their defeated force at Issy, made an attempt to regain possession of Moulineau; but the attack failed, and they were driven back upon Issy. Here they were reinforced: fifteen Battalions were posted in and about Issy, supported by numerous guns and Cavalry: their Light Infantry occupying the vineyards in front of the Village. About half past ten o'clock in the night, however, the Prussians, who kept a sharp look out, heard these troops marching off; and perceived that their departure was conducted in rather a disorderly manner. Instant advantage was taken of this circumstance, and a part of the First and Second Prussian Brigades attacked the French; who fled back upon the suburb of Vaugirard in such confusion that Paris might have been entered at this moment, if more force had been at hand.
During the night, Zieten posted his Corps in the following manner:—His Right upon the Height of Clamord, his Centre upon that of Meudon, and his Left in Moulineau; Sèvres still occupied; the Advanced Guard in Issy, in the rear of which Village was the Reserve Cavalry in support.
Whilst Zieten's Corps had been thus successfully effecting its movement against the south side of the capital; Thielemann's, which formed the Right Column, proceeded towards Plessis Piquet, and pushed forward its Advanced Guard to the Heights of Chatillon, which it reached late in the evening. Bülow's Corps, acting as a Reserve, occupied Versailles and its vicinity during the night.
During the whole of this day, the troops of the Anglo-Allied Army continued in position in front of the fortified lines on the north side of Paris. The Duke having established a Bridge at Argenteuil, Detachments were sent across the Seine: and these, having secured the Villages of Asnières, Courbevoie, and Suresnes on the left bank of the Seine, opened a communication with the Prussians.
The Allied Commanders had thus succeeded in shutting up the French forces within their lines. Wellington was perfectly prepared to attack the north side of Paris, if circumstances should render such a step necessary; or if a favourable opportunity should present itself: whilst Blücher, having secured a strong position in front of the south side, which was mostly open and defenceless, was equally ready to storm the capital with his collected force. The effect of this well conceived and successfully executed plan of operation was to divide the Enemy's attention between two opposite points of the town. Should he attempt to assail the one Army with his principal force, he would immediately find himself attacked by the other Army; without possessing the means wherewith to carry on the contest with both simultaneously. On the other hand, should a general and formidable assault be made by those Armies, on the opposite points, at the same time; the necessary division of his forces, in arranging his plan of defence, would render his situation still more desperate.
The Provisional Government, fully alive to this state of things, and duly aware of the approach of the Bavarian, Russian, and Austrian Armies, clearly saw the inutility of further resistance to the Allies, and instructed the Commissioners to wait upon the Duke of Wellington, and report to his Grace the fact of Napoleon having quitted Paris on the 29th to embark for the United States, and to press the point of a Suspension of Hostilities.
To this representation the Duke replied that the great obstacle to the Armistice having thus been removed, there remained only the question as to the terms; which he thought should be the halting of the Anglo-Allied and Prussian Armies in their present positions, the withdrawal of the French Army from Paris across the Loire, and the placing of the capital in the keeping of the National Guards until the King should order otherwise. He offered, if they agreed to these terms, to endeavour to prevail on Prince Blücher to halt his troops, and send an Officer to settle the details; but, at the same time, he told them distinctly that he would not consent to suspend hostilities so long as a French soldier remained in Paris.