New Orleans daily crescent. [volume] ([New Orleans, La.]) 1851-1866, 1857-11-02
Larrey, the soldier-surgeon.

Ad1ACy, LAS SOASlST-1uISSCu
If there is any man of whom the Pyrenees may be
proud to have given birth, i is he who was pro-
his empire Endowed with noble heart, vast intel
ligence and vivid imagination, Larrey was indeed
worthy of the friendship given to him by the greatest
man of modern times. His name, too, holds an
equally distinguished position at the present day. not
only among of science, but amongst all who are
benefactors of humanity. " If ever the army raises
column of gratitude, said Napoleon, it owes one to
Baron Larrey.' This debt has been paid. The Gov
eminent, the army, all France, has Joined in the
national labor Of love- and the truthful bronze now
recalls to US the venerated traits of him whom we
may justly term the Father Of French military sur
gerry for from Ambrose Pare Of whose ilustrious
memories but an incomplete fragment has been trans
mtted to us-up to the first revolution, medicine
was in its infancy. In the first days of the Republic
everything had to be done. 1t was necessary to
was capable Of this immense undertaking. Formerly,
our wounded soldiers carried to distance from
the field Of battle to receive the surgeons first atten
tions and many, too many alas! died before they
traversed the route to the ambulances.
Larrey, seeing the insuficiency and danger Of this
system, at once ordered that the wounded soldier
should be cared for even under the fire OF the enemy,
and that the military surgeons should share with
their comrades the dangers Of war. From this ose
his system of ambulance carriages, containing every
necessary provision for acting on the spot. From
this time, too, the French army surgeon, who had
before been considered a sort of accessory to the
army, gained defnitivey his place of honor on the
field OF battle. Larrey formed one of that phalanx
of Swans who accompanied Bonaparte to Egypt; he
was the friend and rival Of Baron de Genettes, who
immortalized himself by his heroic conduct among
the plague stricken at Jal. In this rough and abori
GUS 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 distribute the star
of the Legion Of Honor, he told Larrey that he in
tended to name him commander of the order. But,
although surgeonin-chief, he would not receive
alone this distinction 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 representa-
tyes 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 of heart he always remained pure and
Independent among the courtiers who only echoed
the opinions of their master. 1t was not obstnacy,
but free spirit and truthful disposition. Let US
see what he did at Esng, when the French army
was surrounded, and want began to be felt, even in
the ambulances. He told them to kill his horses
and upon his responsibility to sacrifice great mum.
Der of those Of the superior officers to make bouion
for his sick and wounded.
The indignant generals, of course, demanded re-
paration against Larrey, and the Emperor summoned
the surgeon to his presence What have you to say
to this accusaton?" said he. Sire" replied Lar
rey the sick were my children under these circum.
stances, but did my duty. Besides, of what do these
gentlemen a cGmPan They have s horse zach left
do? He could not be angry; he pardoned the man
for his iutrepidty and honesty. When the harassed
and manned relics of the Grand Army were crossing
the bridge Of the Berena not stayed to 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-handsar are stretched out, is passed
from to arm, with all the care affection can sug
| gest that was Larrey.
After the battles of Lutzen and BautZen, a number
| of soldiers were wounded in the hand by illcon-
structed weapons. At the same time, treason was
suspected in the camp, and the gloomy mind Of Ma
poleon saw in this fresh proof OF it, He summoned
his generals to council Of war; they confirmed his
suspicious and furious with jealous rage, he ordered
Larey to draw up a report upon the matter. Larey
presented it, and the Emperor paced the tent in great
agitation, digging up the turf with the end of his
cane.
"These men are gnilty," he said
"They are not, SIR" replied the intrepid surgeon
the accusation of treachery is calumny for which
| you will have to account to history
Begone!' said the Emperor, :" will make you
| know my pleasure.h
Larrey, calm in the security of a good conscience,
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;, "alasl why am 1
not always surrounded with men like you? ?"
| Bonaparte spoke truly; if he had only been adj
vised by Of such energy and greatness of heart
in the days of his mslortunes 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 killed under him he 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 OF the enemys surgeons, an old pupil at
Vienna recognised his old teacher, and FASTENED to
| apprise Butcher.
ia ifA and ,ar5o Of brpo rtnl
him to the French frontier They could scarcely do
| less for such man.
After the restoration he retired into the shade shut
ont from the Court Surgeonin-chief of the HOSPITAL
of Guard, he had neither distinctions honors he
was neither Peer of France nor Grand Gross of the
Legion of Honor; he had almost forgotten the road
to the Tuilleries of the Bourbons.
One day, guard presented himself to him, with a
| letter OF recommendation.
"What do you wish ~ said Larrey.
would like to be corporal, Monsieur lie Baron.r
"Alas !" replied the surgeon of the Emperor
have made generals in my time, but to-day don't
know if have interest enough to make corporal"
| In $780, 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 found Of
applause to the gallant veteran.
He was an old man, still active and energetic how
ever, and he felt that but few years separated him
from the tomb, when the Irresistible desire seized
upon him to revisit Africa, the of his earliest
abors. The Government yielded to his request, and
he set out His journey across the African provinces
was one continuous ovation, an immense triumph !;
and his son, savant, worthy of the great name he
bears, witnessed how his illustrous father was yene
rated by the French army.
| The presentment entertained by everybody, as to
the result of climate and campife upon Larrey soon
realized itself, and, his return to France he fell
victim to the illness incurred by his devotion. His
| rry, tN Dncio WAL SOD
of July refused the tomb of the Invaldes to the cap
ure of Saint Helena but the city of Paris spontane-
ously awarded place therein to the citizen who had
so well deserved of his country crowd of soldiers
savans and people, mingled in one mournful process
sion, followed Larry to his last resting place. His
numerous works, conceived as it were, under the fire
| of the enemy, collected from nature and enriched
with ideas the most rare are mines Of information of
which France may be proud. Friend of the En-
peror, philosopher, man of excessive energy noble
character, true heart; masculine and imposing in
appearance, even among the greatest men Of the EN-
pire, Larrey is worthy of immortality.-[Winter
Sketches in the South OF France and the Pyrenees.