The Lambertville press. [volume] (Lambertville, N.J.) 1858-1???, 1859-12-21
Sltaistellanpp.
A TRUE STORY.
BY BAYARD TAYLOR.

/ -~Ns~b HbO udNC fidNNCti WV
unobserved and unknown to ALL excep
the immediate vicinity. Int for its con
nection with the battle which fiftv wears
and one day before. annihilated tn,
power of Prussia. An account of i
however, was published in most of the
German newspapers and this circum
lance the sequel of the story which
am about to relate was brought on
At the time the celebration took place
| was residing in Gotha, not more thar
fifty miles from the spot, and received
the story almost in the very words O.
the chief actor in it. I am sorry that
his name and that of tie village have
escaped my memory. All other par.
ticulars made too deep an impression
upon nae to be easily forgotten
We must first 90 back to the 14th
of October, 1906. On that dav the
windy uplands northeast of Jena wit
messed the brief but terrible combat,
which resulted in the triumphant entry
of the French army into Berlin eleven
days afterward-dhring which time
Prussia had lost 60, 900 men, IS stand
ards, and 500 cannon. A portion of
the French army was encamped on the
battlefield, or quartered in the village
around. The poor inhabitants over
whelmed by this Sudden avalanche of
war npon their quiet fields-where for
a hundred years or more. they had
reaped their harvest in peace-sub-
mitted in hopeless apathy while their
houses and ba rms were plundered by
the lawless soldiery. The battle was
over, but there was no lull in the blast
of ruin. Through the clouds of can
non smoke which settled into the bo-
som of the deep valleys as the raw Oc-
tober evening came on, were heard in
all directions shriekS of fear, wells of
rage or triumph, and cries of pain or
lamentation
Davoust-the Butcher of Ham
burgh," as the Germans called him
took up his quarters for the night in
one of the most convenient and COM
Portable houses which could be found
in the neighborhood of the scene of
slaughter. Here he rapidlv issued orr
ders for the disposition of the forces
under his command, gave directions
for the morrow, and received reports
from his adjutants He had taken his
cloak, and was about retiring to an in
ner chamber for repose, when an off,
Ger entered. Pardon me General, 4"
he said, "but there is a case which re-
quires attention The German canniUe
must be Taught to respect us. Ten
soldiers of Company--of the Fourth
Infantry, who quartered themselves in
the village of Waldorf Get MS say)
have been driven away by the people,
and two or three of them are severely
injured -
Davoust's cold eve glittered, and
his moustache curled like the lip of a
mastiff, as he turned, halted moment
at the door of the bed room. Send
a lieutenant and twenty men to the
village, pick out ten of the vagabonds
and shoot them down !" was the brief
order "Where is Waldorf?" he adj
ded, turning to one of those useful
creatures who are always willing to act
as guides and interpreters for the enc
my in their own land.
There is a village called Upper Wal
dorf which lies near the head of a
small valley to the left; Middle Wal
dorf is on the other side of the hill
and Lower Waldorf about half an
hours distance beyond
The marshal, not caring to annoy
himself by more minute inquiries, went
to bed. If ten men were shot, that
was sufficient.
The next morning at sunrise, Lieu
tenant Lamotte with twenty mer
marched over the trampled hills to seeE
Waldorf. 1t was disagreeable bust
ness, and the sooner it was over thu
better. On reaching "a ridge which
overlooked the intersection of two O
three valleys, more than one village
was visible through the cold fog now
beginning to rise. "Qui est Waldorf?'
inquired the officer of the man whom
he had impressed by the way. "Das,
answered the man, "GSh ober Waldorf,
pointing to village on the left. e,
duontp' And in fifteen minutes NOR
the Frenchman marched into the liUtl
hamlet.
Hating in an open space between
the church and the two principal beer
houses, the officer summoned the in
habitants together The whole villa Q
was already awake, for few had slep
during the night. Their ears wer
still stunned by the thunders of yes
terday, and visions of burning an
pillage still danced before their eyes
At the command of the lieutenant, th
soldiers seized all the male inhabitantt
and forcibly placed them in line befor
him. The women and children waite
near ia terrible anxiety for no one IN