The weekly pioneer and Democrat. [volume] (Saint Paul, Minn. Territory) 1855-1865, 1858-10-21

ins, were all that remained for those who
came behind. Well, sir, when things were
ut their worst, and provender at the scarcest
Paul always had something for me in his
haversack. One day it would he bit OF
bread, on the morrow handful Of grain or
some edible roots. now and then slice ol
horse. beef--and how delicious that se med
grilled over our scanty, smoky fires There
was never enough to satisfy my hunger, but
there was always something g--enough to keep
soul and body together. Paul, as ] after
wards discovered, husbanded his stores, for
he well knew that il he gave me all at once,
| should have nothing, and then must have
tasted for days, and perhaps have fallen from
my horse from weakness. But think Of the
courage and affection OF the poor fellow,
himself half starved, TO carry food about him
day after day, and refrain from dcvouring
the share secretly set aside for me There
were not many in the army, even Of general :
fanS, ,csspatia u fsncn 1sssjtioh-to the dearest
friend they had, for extreme misery had in
duced terocious selfishness, which made us
more like hyenas than Christians.
should think the cold must have been
even worse to endure than hunger, said l,
screwing up my extremities, which the in
tercst of the doctors conversation had al.
most made me forget
Ii was, harder and more iatal-a, least a
greater number died OF il; although to say
the truth, frost and famine there working
hand in hand and with such unity Of action
that ii WINS often bard to say which was the
cause Of death. But il was shocking
sight Of morning to zee the poor fellows
lying dead round the bivouac fires. Unable
to resist fatigue and the drowsy influence Of
the cold, they yielded to slumber. and passed
from sleep into death. For there sleep was
death. /.
But how then, asked did any ever es.
cape from Russia, for NIL must have slept Al
times?
do not believe that any one who escaped
did sleep, at least not OF night, at the
bivouac. We used to rouse each other con
tinually, TO prevent our giving way, and
then get up and walk as briskly a. we could
to quicken the sluggish circulation. We
slept upon the march, in our saddles, and
strange as II may seem to you, even those on
foot slept when marching. They marched
in groups or clusters, and those in the cen
ter slept, propped and supported by their
companions, and moving their legs mcchan
cally. | do not say that il was u sound
deep sleep, but rather sort OF feverish
DOING. Such az II was, however, it was
better than nothing, and assuredy saved
some who would otherwise have sunk. OH.
ers, who would have given way to the wea-
riness upon the long monotonOus march
were kept from utter despair and sef-aban.
donment only, by the repeated harrassiDg
attacks Of the cossacks. The excitement Of
the skirmish warmed their blood gave them
a. il seemed fresh hold upon life. ln one of
those skirmishes or rather in sharp combat
dear friend, q captain in the same regi
ment, had his left arm carried of by can
non shot After the affair was over, came
suddenly upon him, where he lay moaning
by the roadside, his face ashy pale, his arm
still hanging by the sBews. His horse bad
either galloped away, or been taken by the
fugi,ives.
All, mon ami be cried when he saw me,
all is over-i can 90 no further. | shall
never see France again.
say that, like the majority Of those who
received severe wounds in that retreat, bis
moral courage was subdueJ, and had given
way To despair. was terribly shocked for
] felt how slight was his chance of escape
| ned hardly tell you there was very little
dressing OF wounds during the latter part of
the retreat /: most Of the surgeons were dead
the hospital wagons, with medicine and in
strumcnts, bad been left on the road trans
port for the sick was out Of question.
assumed A. cheerful cpunteDance A.
could.
Why, Preville. cried, this will ,ot DO ;
We must get you along somehow. Come !
courage my friend You shall sse France
again. 10 spite Of all.
All doctor, replisd he, in piteous tones,
il is no use. Here shall die All you can
do for me !. 10 blow my brains out, and save
me from the Co-sack lances.
BY this time had dismoun,ed and was
at biz side TIE intense cold had st0Tped
the bleeding Of his wound saw that
there was 20 lack Of vitality in him. and
that but for this mishap, few would have
got out Of the campaign in better plight.
Even Gov, bis dspondency was perhaps bis
greatest danger. ! reminded hin of bis
wi'- and child DE had been married little
more than year. and the news Of the birth
Of daughter had reached him % our for
ward march Of bis happy home, biz old
mo'her-d all the ties, 10 short that bound
him 10 life Whils, spakina, severed the
siDe~. that still retained hs shattered arm,
and bound !, up a. b.st might. lie s'ill
depAlred abd moabed, bat suffered M TO
10 a. ] wOuA lie ~as ike 40 infant ia
my haois-ths, Nan wbo, ia the hour u
battle, Wa a very lion fs courage. Bat
long sgFering, aud the sudden shock occur
irg. too, when ue seemed 90 the verge Of
u saie,y bad overcome hls for,i,nde. With
Paul. bAp got him upon NY hor-e. The
p,Or brute "a 10 ~ cAse ~ carry dogb.e