New-York daily tribune. [volume] (New-York [N.Y.]) 1842-1866, 1855-08-14

ssrs were sbou, starting, the surgeon informed
the commanding general that the officer who
was to have led the first detachment was danger
ously i'll. The second officer was Immediately
ordered 10 Ill bis place. He prepared hastily
TO do so, and placed himself at the head OF the
troop; but his horse, usually very gentle and
traciable, all at once began to rear and kick with
such violence that the soldier was thrown to the
ground He leg was broken in the fall, and Tristan
was ordered 10 lead the soldiers. He started OF
boldly, but could not repress slight feeling OF IN
easpes when be considered the events OF the evening
OTIS very strange" thought be; did that little,
"siDy Manuehta foresee this, wonder Perhaps her
prediction win come true, after al. But he lighted
cigar and cred out loudly Here, fer the field, my
"brave lads God help Us all, and my saber for
myself"
His company was composed of two hundred men.
1t happened that the post which they we're to oc-
cupy was situated about two thousand steps in al
vance OF the French camp Oh the other side OF
reedy marsh. They had no advanced gusrd-the
order for every man 10 keep his saber drawn and
bis gun cooked until daylight, which would render
such precautions unnecessary. All was quiet, how
ever, uutil about two o'clock in the morning, when,
al of sudden, with loud cries of - Allah Allah -
body OF Arabs charged upen the troop with great
fury. The shock was violent, and in instant
almost the little band was put to fight. Surrounded
on all sides by an enemy four times their superior in
Numbers their horses were killed under them, and
hightful carnage ensued. st. Romoeuf received five
ssber.wounds His horse fell MORALLY wounded, and
az he fell, the captains leg was caught between the
animal and the ground. In this painful situation he
was compelled 10 remain, for he unable to extri-
cate himself. While be thus lay, prisoner and yet
not captive the battle ragged fuIOusly around hun.
By the cries and flashing of weapons he perceived
that the French defended Themselves with bravery.
Despair made them fight desperately. But in VAN
The Arabs outnumberng them as they did, soon over
powered them and in about quarter OF an hour the
gallant troop hussars was completely disabled After
gathering together the horses which had escaped injury,
the assaants proceeded to plumber the bodies OF the
French soldiers and then to cut off their heads which
they threw into bags brought along for that purpose
Tristans situation became frightful Good Hea-
"yeps he cried " the Maltese predicted this but too
truly He could hear the savages encouraging each
other TO hasten the bloody job before the main body
should come to the assistance Of the soldiers They
said that thew were to find two hundred heads This
convinced Tristan that they must have been well IN
formed of the movements of the army, but whence
they derived the knowledge he could not imagine.
Inst then tLe wounded horse in his agony gave
copyulsve start, and IT. Romoeufs leg was released
from lis pail full situation. In instant he acquired
new courage and determined to try to gain the shell
ter of the marsh where the reeds would conceal him
from the enemy. Sinking to his knees in the mud,
he was only able TO take few steps before he sank to
the ground sint and exhausted through loss of blood
He heard them cry out that an infdel was escaping,
giving orders TO search the march, and through very
weakness he swooned away. He lay for some hours
in state of Inconsistencies and when he recovered
il was broad daylight Nearly an hour elapsed be-
fore be was able to drag himself from the marsh and
when he gained the scene of carnage he found himself
the sole survivor of the bloody tragedy As he was
sadly walking along the battlefield now covered with
the headless corpses of the men who but few hours
before had been so full of courage and hope, he was
suddenly grasped by the from behind, and turn
ips his head quickly he beheld tall ksbyl OF Her
culean might who had returned to the place IN hopes
to gain some more booty. Tristan addressed him IN
the Arab tongue and besought him to spare his NE.
He offered the savage his money, his watch aud uni
form, but in vain.
"They are already mine, and your head too" su-
swered the nexorable mouDtaineer and he raised his
saber to slay the unamed defenseless officer, who
him as those only can struggle who know that life de-
ponds on their exertions. fearful contest ensued
between thee two men, the armed and powerful,
the other weak and exhausted from wounds and loss
of blood The Ksbyl at length succeeded in over
powering his antagonist, and, exclaming Now then,
"die," was again about to plunge his saber in his
body These words would have been the last Tristan
was destined to hear, but at that moment he per-
~ han acf 1aO
from the folds of the Arabs sash. II the work of
but an instant to grasp the weapon and, with sud-
den blow. he thrust it to the ht in his enemys heart
The Kabyl tottered like tree cut away at the root,
and fell heavily TO the ground Tristan was saved
The unequal combat being thus fortunately termi-
mated, st. Romoeuf gathered together all his remain
ing strength and at length able to reach the adj
yanced posts of the army. The sentry took him for
ghost, his appearance was frightfu. He was taken
to the hospital where he remained six weeks before
he was able to return to his post in the camp. On
his recovery the Maltese sent him his barrel OF Ali
cant; and he was informed of many OF her predic-
tons which strangely enough had nearly all been
verified.
Not long after these occurrences two deserters from
the epenys camp offered their services TO the French
They were inhabitants of Tunis whence they had fed
TO escape nshment for some crime they had COM
plitted. These men, soon as they saw Manuelits
recognized her, and declared her to be a spy. They
asserted that she was in the habit OF frequentng the
French camp and learning the intentions of the
officers, and then impsrting the intelligence to the
Emir The general could not believe the charge
brought against the pretty Maltese, who had fire.
quently been of great service to him; but the de-
serters persisted in their accusation. To prove the
truth of what We say" cried one, ." she always