The national era. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1847-1860, 1857-10-22
LARREY, THE soLDIER-sURGRoN.

was pronounced by Napoleon to be the most
honest man in his empire. Endowed with a
noble heart, vast intelligence, and vivid ina
ginstion, Larrey was, indeed worthy of the
friendship given to him by the greatest man of
modern times. His name, too holds an equal.
ly distinguished position at the present day, not
only among men of science, but amongst all
who are benefactors of humanity If ever
the army raises a column of gratitude" said
Napoleon, sit owes one TO Baron Larrey."
This debt has been paid. The Government,
the army, all France, has joined in the national
labor of love, and the truthful bronze now re-
cslls to US the venerated traits of him whom we
may Justly term the father of French military
surgery; for, from Ambrose Pare-of whose
illustrious memories but an incomplete frag-
ment has been transmitted to us-up to the
first revoution-medcine was in its infancy
In the first days of the Republic, everything had
to be done. 1t was necessary to create, to or
ganize, and the genius of Larrey alone was ca
pable of this immense undertaking. Formerly,
our wounded soldiers were carried to dis.
lance from the field of battle, to receive the sur
geon's first attentions; and many, too many,
alas died before they traversed the route to
the ambulances. Larrsy, seeing the INSULT
cheney and danger of this system at once Or
dered that the wounded soldier should be cared
|
4 the military surgeons should share with their
comrades the dangers of war. From this
arose his system of ambulance carriages, con.
tanning every necessary provision for acting on
the spot. From this time, too, the French ar
mysurgeon, who had before been considered a
sort of accessory to the army, gained defni-
lively his place of honor on the field of battle.
Larrey formed one of that phalanx of sauaaS
who accompanied Bonaparte to Egypt; he was
the friend and rival of Baron de Genettes, who
immortalzed himself by his heroic conduct
among the plaguestricken at Jaffa. In this
rough and laborious campaign he rendered
such services to the French army, that this
page alone in his life would have served to
hand his name down to posterity. Later, in all
the capitals of Europe, his voice was heard
among scientific men, and philosophers of all
nations came to listen to his instructions
Even Kings honored him with their friendship
After the coronation of the Emperor, when
that great captain wished personally to distrib-
ute the star of the Legion of Honor, he told
Larrey that he intended to name him COM
mander of the order. But, although a surgeon
in-chief he would not receive alone this distinc
ton and he told the Emperor that he would
not accept the honor, without Baron Percy,
another eminent surgeon, were accorded the
same favor. Napoleon yielded, and the two
representatives of French medical science were
| thus named, at the same time, commanders of
the Legion of Honor. This fact pictures the
character of the man. Above all else man
of heart, he always remained pure and indie.
pendent among the courtiers who only echoed
the opinions of their master. 1t was not obsti-
macy, but free spirit and O truthful DISPOSE
ton. Let us see what he did at Esing, when
the French army was surrounded, and want
began to be felt, even In the ambuances. He
| told them to kill his own horses, and, upon his
responsibility, to sacrifice great number of
| those of the superior officers, to make bOuiiLOn
for his sick and wounded. The indignant gen.
erals, of course, demanded reparation against
Larrey, and the Emperor summoned the sur
geon to his presence. What have you to say
to this accusation ?" said he. "Sire," replied
Larrey, "the sick were my children; 1 owe to
you an account of their lives under these cir
cumstances, | but did my duty. Besides, Of
what do these gentlemen complain? They have
horse each left, while have killed all mine"
What could Napoleon do2 He could not be
| angry; he pardoned the man for his intrepidity
| and honesty. When the harassed and manned
relics of the Grand Army were crossing the
| bridge of the Beresina, not one stayed to save
his general his friend, his father, not even to
preserve his flag. Suddenly, on the middle of
the bridge buzzing whisper ran through the
crowd-a name is pronounced, hands are
stretched out, man is passed from arm to
arm, with all the care affection can suggest :;
| that was Larrey.
After the battles of Luzen and Bautzen, a
| number Of soldiers were wounded in the hand
by RECONSTRUCTED weapons At the same time,
treason was suspected in the camp, and the
| gloomy mind of Napoleon saw in this fresh
proof of it. He summoned his generals to q
council of war they confirmed his suspicious,
aud, furious with jealous rage, he ordered Lar
rey to draw up a report upon the matter. Lar
rey presented it, and the Emperor paced the
tent in great agitation, digging up the turf with
the end of his cane.
"These men are guilty" he said.
"They are not, sir" replied the intrepid sur
geon I" the accusation of treschery is a calum-
ny for which you will have to account to his
tory"
"BegoneI" said the Emperor, {" l will make
| you know my pleasure"
Larrey, calm in the security of a good con-
science, retired, satisfied that he had done his
best to save the lives of the innocent. A few
hours passed, and at last Napoleon summoned
him.
"Thank you, Larrey," said he; "aas why
am | not always surrounded with men like
your"
Bonaparte spoke truly; if he had only been
| advised by men of such energy and greatness
of heart, in the days of his misfortunes he might
never have fallen.
We must return to Larrey at Waterloo, where
| he had gone to assist at the obsequies of the
Empire. His horse was killed under him: be
was wounded in two places; he was crushed on
the ground among the flying crowd; they had
made him prisoner, and the Prussians were on
the point of shooting him, when one of the en-
my's surgeons, an old pupil at Vienna, recog-
Missed his old teacher, and FASTENED to apprize
| Butcher.
| His life was saved, and guard of honor es.
corted him to the French frontier. They could
scarcely do less for such man.
After the Restoration, he retired into the shade.
shut out from the Court. Surgeou-in. chief of
the Hospital of Guard he had neither distinc.
tons nor honors; he was neither Peer of
France nor Grand Cross of the Legion of Hon.
or; he had almost forgotten the road to the
Tuileries of the Bourbons.
One day, guard presented himself to him,
with letter of recommendation.
! What do you wish ? " said Larrev.
u would like to be corporal, Monsieur lie
| Baron" -
"Alasl" replied the surgeon of the Empe.
ror, . have made generals in my time, but to-
day don't know if have interest enough to
make corporal"
In 1880, the Hospital of the Guard was on
the point of being attacked by the mob the
authorities were unable to check them, when
Larrey appeared, and said:
| my friends we have only sick people here ::
every good Frenchman ought to respect this
asylum"
The crowd instantly retreated, with a round
| OF applause to the gallant veteran