Cooper's Clarksburg register. [volume] (Clarksburg, Va. [W. Va.]) 1851-1861, 1856-07-18
HERoIsM-:-AN INCIDENT IN Ma.
POLEON'S WAR WITH SPAIN.
ny NARY STEWART.

1t was in the spring of 1903. Napo-
leon was prosecuting his vigorous vic~
tories in Spain, and adding fresh laurels
10 his already overgrown laurel crown.
Murat was in Madrid at the head Of
his troops. 1t was we'll known that Rus
sla was at that period friend OF France
Baron StroaganoH, the Russian ambassa-
dor Of Spain, was therefore on excellent
terms with Murat, and was in the habit
Of listening to his schemes Of war with a
GOODNESS Of atten'iOn-Ihe natural result
of his neutral posiIion--which made him.
! on more than one occasion, an excellent
and valuable counsellor.
The following example of the success
of plan of his proposing. affords also a
case of rare youthful herOism as ever fell
to the lot Of Il historian 10 describe.
Observing, as they sat together one
evening, that Murat appeared pcrplexed,
he inquired the reason. a shadow pass
cd over the fine features Of Murat as he
| replied:
:" | am indeed pcrPlcxed. ana this time
the evil is beyond our reach"
" You are not sure Of that replied the
lively r 'ssian. taking his cigar Of his
mouth. tell me what is the matter"
The " Feathered King" as Murat
was cal!e.l in Italy, from his extreme love
of dress, moved uneasiIy in his round
backed arm chair.
" am indeed perplcx"d." replied he
q The fact is that | have important de-
Spatches to General JunoL, at Lisbon,
aud the difficulties which lie in the way
are, fear, inSurmountabIe. All the
! roals, great and small, and even the
woods. are filled with Spanish troops.
or what is worse, tnlrauding IN gueiilas.-
| see no possible means Of transmitting
papers, and yet my not doing SO may en-
sure consequences fatal TO France"
The Russian ambassador put his cigar
in his mouth again, and fell into Il fiji Of
musing. Murat gazed in silence upon
the ugly profile pictured on the wall by
the light Of a pair of tallOw candles
Suddenly he saw the wide mouth open.
~ have it have it the easiest thing
in Lhc world. Admiral Sinuvin, our adj
miraI, is in the port of Lisbon. Send me
one Of the bravcst Sharpcst-do you hear?
OF your polish lancers. He shall put
on n Russian uniform | will give him
dispatches for Sinavin ; you can give him
your instructions for the French General,
verbally, and will answer for it, all will
be right, even though he should be taken
prisoner twenty times between this and
Lisbon. The Spanish army are too anx
ious to preserve the Russian neutrality
to make messenger of mine source Of
disagreement with my country.
Murat, though somewhat doubtful.
liked the scheme. Selling pen and
ink. he wrote as follows to Bransinski, the
commander-in>chi OF the polish troops
who had joined the French army.
" Dispatches of moment are to be i'm
mediately forwarded to General JunoL at
Lisbon. Select for that purpose an intel
Iigent, courageous young man from your
troops, the best you have, and send him
to me. MURAT."
Two days after, youth presented
himself before Murat, for whom the Pc.
iish commander said he would answer
with his life. He was but eighteen years
old, and named Leckinski.
Murat was not a little astonished 10 end
the youth manifest the utmost eagerness
to undertake his expedition. one of no
common peril for, if- discovered by the
OPHAAtAIuS IhtC OC SCI OCdlu.
Ele listened with smile 10 all aulicipa>
tiOns OF danger and difficulty said with a
| bow
" If your imperial hi shness will give me
my orders. | pledge myself to execute
the mission. l am deeply grateful TO M
commander for having chosen me from
among my comrades. There was not one
who was not emulous of the distinction. -
Murat augured favorable Of the young
Poles courage and intelligence. He gave
him his verbal Instructions. Baron Stro-
aganoff supplied him with bundle of un
import messages to Admiral Sinavin.-
The young man was equipped in Rus
sian uniform and set out for Portugal on
horseback. .... -
During the first two days he pursued
his course without molestation but on
the morning of the third day he was sur.
rounded by party of Spanish troops who
dlsarmed him and conducted him before
the general in command of the military
force of the district. His name was Cas-
tanos.
Leckinski knew perfectly we'll that he
was lost if suspected of being an adherent
of the French. Consequently he imme-
diately resolved within himself not to ut
ter syllable of French, but to confine
himself entirely to the Russian and Ger
man, which languages he spoke with ia,
clllty. The angry imprecations of the
troops who conducted him to Cassanos
sufficiently convinced him of the fate that
awaited him if his real character became
known. The horrible death Of General