The daily crescent. [volume] ([New Orleans, La.]) 1848-1851, 1851-12-18

where yours ends" One day he threw back the
curtains of an alcove, to show me the portrait Of
his father 1t is the only picture in the room (the
walls being concealed by purple tapestry and, with
" You see," said he, "what nobly formed man
he was" then added musingly, "he
mulatto Of shade darker than myself"
General Dumas was the son of the Marquis de
la Pailletere, French Governor of St. Domingo,
and one of his female slaves The boy was sent to
France for his education. When the Revolution
Of 1879 commenced, he espoused its cause with all
the ardor of an enthusiast, and enlisted as soldier
in the army of the North. His courage, int-lli-
gence, activity, strength and finely propor,ioned
frame, gave him the affectiona.e nickname of
Apollo. Several actions of desperate bravery
covered him with eclat, and gained him grade after
grade in the army. His giant force, the influence
his ardent nature exercised over his fellows in the
army, his real military talent, aided him to rise.
Before he left the army Of Dumouriez, he Lad
Colonies commission in his pocket. Later, the
division with which he marched was surprised, in
the mountains of the Tyrol, by superior force of
the enemy; the rout would have been complete,
if Dumas had not disdained to fly, and defended,
alone and single-handsd, the bridge Of Bri1en
against the enemy. He kept them at bay long
enough to permit his comrades to gain position
where they could defend themselves and then
escaped, amid shower of balls. After this heroic
exploit, he was called the Horatius Coolies Of the
Tyrol.
Promoted to the rank of General of Division, he
was sent, in 1898, to Egypt, under Napoleon. The
same chivary of character distinguished him in
his elevated position, and his social disposition,
military ability and fine conversational powers
endeared him to all his brother generals and Off
GERS except Napoleon. He was at Cairo when the
terrible instruction of the natives took place. At
the moment of the alarm, Dumas was fast asleep
He had not time to dress himself, but sezing his
sabre plunged into the thickest of the fight. 1t was
not long before he had carved his way to the head
nF hIS lie nf.Ivy haI h.,.,
shreds in the melee, and bis appearance excited
the merrimen of the soldiers, but he continued TO
cleave down the Egyptian dogs and cheer on his
| soldiers. The Egyptians were repuised in their
turn, and took refuge in a mosque. Dumas ordered
the charge and led 1t. lie seemed the very genius
of destruction as he dashed in among the enemy,
shouting his cry of encouragement to his followers
aud hewing down man at every blow Of bis mus
| cular arm. No quarter was asked given i'm.
mense heaps Of dead covered the pavement Of the
mosque and the Instruction was quenched in the
blood OF the last insurgent
Between such man and Napoleon there could
be no hearty friendship. Dumas, who was the soul
OF honor and frankness, could not sympathize with
| the calculating, ambitious Corsican. Nor could he
understand the sonorous bulletins sent by Napo-
| leon to Europe. He indignant at the very
| magnificent account the future Emperor gave Of
| the Battle Of the Pyramids The "forty centuries
look down on you from the tops OF these pyramids
provoked his sarcasm. He thought bombast out Of
place, when he General OF cavalry, had not SIM
gle horse under his command, and had himself TO
| fight on foot, armed with double bsrreed gun
1t was about this time that open quarrel took
place between them. Dumas, veritable Hotspur
was with difficulty prevented from killing Napo-
leon, with blow OF his sword. Napoleon never
forgave him, and showed his rancor, some years
after, in having picture painted of the suppress
sion OF the Cairo instruction, in which he gave
Dumas only the second place.
After the Egyptian expedition, Dumas went t
Italy and was poisoned, shortly after, by an ennis
sary of Ferdinand of Naples His vigorous consti
tuition enabled him to partially his health
but he was never after fit for active service. Hi
health was shattered that he died few year
later, in 1906. What the father was the son is.