The miners' express. (Dubuque, Iowa) 1849-1854, 1850-07-03
NAPOLEON AND THE CAPTAIN.

ed, we must make this the subject of another
rticle. &5s "
NAPOLEON AND THE CAPTAIN.
! A French veteran, with one arm, was seated
before the door Of the next cottage one pleasant
evening in July He was surrounded by sever
al village lads, who, with one voice, entreated
him to commence his promised story. The old
man took his pipe from his mouth, wiped his
lips with the back of his remaining hand, and
began thus
ain my time, boys, Frenchmen would have
scorned to fight with Frenchmen in the streets,
as they do now No, no; when zoe fought, it
was FOR the honor of France, and against her
foreign enemies. Well, my story begins on the
9th Of November, 1912; short time after the
battle of Wanna. We were beating retreat,
not before the Russians, for they kept respect
able distance from our environments, but before
the biting cold Of their detestable country, more
terrible to us than Russians, Austrians and Ba-
varians put together. For the last few days,
our officers had been telling us that we were ap-
preaching Smolensko where we should be GER
tain of finding food fire, brandy, and shoes; but,
in the mean time, we were pershing in the cold,
and perpetually harrassed by bands of Cossack
riders.
eve had marched for six hours, without pau
sing to draw breath, for we knew that repose
was certain death. A bitter wind hurled snow
flakes against our faces, and now and then we
stumbled over the frozen corpses of our COM
rades. No singing or talking then! Even the
grumblers ceased to complain, and that was
bad sign. l walked behind my captain; he was
a short man, strongly built, rugged and severe,
but true as his own sword blade. We called
him Captain Positive; for, once he said thing,
so it was-no appeal--he never changed his
mind. He had been wounded at Wanna, and
his usually red face was now qnite pale; while
the pieces Of an old white handkerchief, which
he had wrapped round his legs, were soaked
with blood. l saw him first move slowly, then
stagger like drunken man, and at last he fell
down like block.
"yhorbleau' captain said 1, bending over
him you can't lie there"
"You see that can, because d." replied
he, pointing to his limbs.
sCaptain," said 1, "you must not die thus!''
and raising him in my arms, managed to place
walk; but in vain; he fell once more dragging
me with him.
"John,' said he, I" It's all over. Just leave
me here, and join your column as soon as you
can. One word before you go: at Voreppe,
near Grenoble, lives good woman, eighty two
years old, my-my mother. Go to see her, en-
brace her, and tell her that-that-tel her
whatever you like, but give her this purse and
my cross. That's ALL
els that all, captain?"
81 said so. Good bye, and make haste
Boys, don't know how it was, but l felt
two tears freezing on my cheeks.
s'No captain, cried /, 81 won't leave you: Ell
Their you shall come with me, or shall stay
with you"
81 forbid you staying
"Captain, you might just as we'll forbid wo-
man talking"
elf escape, Ill punish you severely"
"You may place me under arrest then, but
just now, you must let me do as please
"You'r an insolent fellow''
Very likely, captain; but you must come with
"He bit his lips with anger but said no more.
| raised him, and placed his body across my
shoulders like sack. You may easily imagine
| that while bearing such burden, | could not
move as quickly as my comrades. Indeed, |
soon lost sight Of their columns, and could per-
ceive nothing but the white silent plain around
me. moved on, and presently there appeared
band of Cossacks galloping towards me, their
lances in rest, and shouting their fendlsh war
cry.
"The captain was by this time in state of to-
tai unconciousness, and resolved, cost what it
might, not to abandon him; l laid him on the
ground, covered him with snow, and then crept
under a heap of my dead comrades, leaving how
ever my eyes at liberty. Soon the Cossacks
reached US, and began striking with their lances
rifiht and left, while their horses trampled their
bodies. Presently one of these rude beasts
placed his hoof on my left arm and crushed it in
pieces. Boys | did not say word; did not
move, save to thrust my right hand into my
mouth, to keep down the cry of torture; and in
few minutes the Cossacks dispersed.
When the last of them had ridden off, crept
out and managed to disinter the captain He
showed few signs of life; nevertheless contri-
we'd with one hand to drag him towards rock,
which afforded a sort of shelter, and then lay
down next him, wrapping my capote around us.
Night was closing in, and the snow continued
to fall. The last Of the rear guard had long dis
appeared and the only sounds that broke the ST.
lence were the whistleing of distant bullets, and
the nearer bowling of the wolves, which were
devouring the dead bodies. God knows what
things were passing through my mind in that
night, which felt assured would be my last on
earth. But remembered the prayer my moth
er had taught me long ago, when ] was child
by her side; and kneeling down, | said it fer
vently.
7"Boys, it did me good, and always remember
that sincere earnest prayer will do you good too
felt wonderfully calm when resumed nv
place next the captain. But time passen on
and was becoming quite numbed, when par
ty OF French officers approaching. Before had
time to address them, the foremost, low sized
man, dressed in fur pelisse-stepped towards
me, saying: =. ~ .-.'.
"What are you doing here? Why did you
stay behind your regiment?
For two good reasons said I, pointing first
to the captain, and then to my bleeding arm
"The man speaks the truth, SIR said one of
his followers. 81 saw him marching behind his
column, carrying this officer on his back
"The Emperor-for, boys, it was he-gave
me one of those looks which only himself OF an
Alpine eagle could give, and said, ''Tis we'll
You have done very we'll" Then opening his
pelisse, he took the cross which decorated his
inside green scat, and gave it to me. That mo-
ment ! was no longer cold or hungry, and felt
no more pain in my arm than if that ill-natured
beast had never touched it. d.
5aDavoust,' added the Emperor, addressing
the gentleman who had spoken, sscause this man
and his captain to be placed in one Of the anu
milton wagons. Adieu! And waving his hand
towards me, passed on" 1s .a@ -s-
Here the veteran paused, and resumed his
pipe. "But tell US about the cross and what be-
came Of Captain Positive cried several impor
tunate voices sa .rlra r., -,s,r'. , p
"The captain still lives, and is now retired
general. But the best of it was, that as soon as
he recovered, he placed me under arrest for fif.