The Caledonian. [volume] (St. Johnsbury, Vt.) 1837-1867, 1847-12-25

'SOuii u ullCAuul Dul-
tie must he fought. They kept on, however,
until the vanguard fell into an ambuscade,
and sharp firing Of musketry awolle the
echoes ofthe Alps. The intrepid Armand saw
that crisis had indeed come. Before him
was well appointed French army,two thou
sand five hundred strong, and commanding II
narrow bridge. Hating his tired column,
he ordered them all TO kneel, and there, in
the still evening, he offered up prayer to the
God of battles, that he would save them from
the destruction that seemed inevitable.
Scarcely had the solemn prayer died awny
upon the evening air before the rafting of
arms was heard, and in one dense column,
the cXiles pressed straight for the bridge.
As they approached, the sentinels on the
farther side cried out, "Qui vive" to which
the Waldenses replied, "Friends, if they are
suffered to pass on" Instantly the shout,
"I<ill them! kill them!" rang through the
darkness, and then the order "fre! was
heard along the ranks. In IA moment, more
than two thousand muskets opened on the
bridge, and it rained leaden storm its whole
length and breadth. They expected, and
rightly, that under such well directed fire,
the little band ofeXiles would he annhilatcd;
and so they would have been but for the pru-
dence and foresight of their pastor and lead
er, Arnaud. Expecting such u reception, he
had given orders that his followers, the mo-
ment they heard the word "fre" from the en-
envy, should fall fiat on their faces. They o.
beyed him, and that fiery sleet went drifting
wildly over their heads. For quarter of
an hour did these heavy volloys continue, en-
veloping that bridge in flame; yet during the
whole time but one Waldensan was wound
ed. AT length, however, firing was heard
in the rear; the troops that had let them pass
on the mountain in the morning, had follow
ed after, on purpose to prevent their escape
from the snare that had been set for them.
Crushed between two powerful bodies of SOL
diers, with two thousand muskets blazing in
their faces, and narrow bridge before them,
the case ofthe wanderers seemed hopeless.
Seeing that the final hour had come, Arnaud
ordered his followers 10 rise and storm the
bridge. Then occurred one of those fearful
exhibitions sometimes witnessed on n battle
field. With one wild and thrilling shout,
that little band precipitated itself forward.
Through the devouring fire, over the rafting,
grooming bridge, up to the entertainments,
and up to the points of the bayonets, they
went in one resistlcss wave. Their deaienng
shouts drowned the roar Of musketry, and,
borne up by that lofty enthusiasm which has
made the hero in every nge, they forgot the
danger before them. On the solid ranks
they fell with such terror and suddenness,
that they had not time even to flee. The en-
ragged Waldenses seized them by the hair,
and trampled them under foot; and with their
heavy sabres clcaved them to the earth. The
| terrified French undertook to defend them
selves with their muskets, and as they inter
posed them between their bodies and the foe,
the Waldensian sabres struck fire on the bar
rels till the sparks flew in every direction
The Marquis ofLarry strove for while to
bear up against this overpowcrng onset, but
| 6u1ipr nll VNo lost hn nrini ont Ie II
sible have lost the battle and my honor?''
and then eXclaiming "Sauve qli peutI" turned
and fed. That army of two thousand five
| hundred men then became herd of iugitivcs
in the darkness, moved down at every step
by the sword of the Wadensan. The
slaughter was terrible, and the victory COM
plete all the baggage and stores were taken;
aud ut length, when the bright moon rose o.
yer the Alps, flooding the strange scene with
| light, Arnaud called his little band from the
pursuit. Having supplied themselves with
all the powder Gthey wished, they gathered
the rest together, and set fire to it. A sud
den blaze revealed every peak and crag and
the entire field of death, with the brightness
of noon day-followed by an explosion like
the bursting Oft hundred cannon, and which
was heard nearly thirty miles in the noun
tains. A deep silence succeeded this strange
uproar, and then Arnaud ordered all the
| trumpets 10 sound, when every man threw
his hat into The air, and shouted, "Thanks to
the Eternal of Armies, who hath given us
the victory over our enemies" That glori-
Gus shout was taken up and prolonged till
the fleeing toemen heard it in the far noun
tain gorges.
The entire loss of the Waldenses in the
bloody engagement did not reach thirty men
while the ground was numbered with the
dead bodies ofthe French. The latter had
refused to destroy the bridge, and thus eff
fectually arrest the progress ofthe exiles, be-
cause they wished to destroy them. But God
had given them the victory, and their shout
recalled to mind the ancient shout of Judah
in battle.
That night the tired Waldeuses slept upon
their arms on the bloody field they had won;
and when the morning sun arose, there lay
the wrecks of the fight Oh every side. Instho
midst of the tramplcd plain, they lifted their
morning prayer and voice ofrcnewed thanks
giving to Him who carried them in the hol-
low ofhs hand; and again took up the line
of march.-L'arIor .NGgGzine.
Dreadful Death from the Bite
ola RattIesnake.