The Caledonian. [volume] (St. Johnsbury, Vt.) 1837-1867, 1860-04-20
The Fatal Rife.

4
cease over the whole earth. 1t is to be fear
ed, however, that the day is distay. Wien
this desired consummation will take place
ARMS" is still the poets theme and the
statesman's reliance, and the Armstrong
gun" and the Enfield rifle" are regarded as
the great arbiters of national disputes. We
find the following in an English paper recei-
we'd last mail:
MIR. Mkerdy, gentleman speaking to a
volunteer meeting on Saturday at Lesmaha-
gov. told the following anecdo,e:
MANY years ago, when travelling on the
Continent, had as servant an old Prussian
soldier, who related to me the following re-
markabe circumstance.
"In 1913 or 1914 he belonged to corps
of one thousand men Of all arms, operating
as guard on the right bank of the Rhine
while the French were in possession of the
country on the left Of the river. The sea-
son was early in autumn. when the weather
was delightful, and the harves, just gathered
in
"One afternoon the corps bivouacked near
the river for the advantage of water, and the
place was considered perfectly safe from at
tack. as the oppsite bank was vast plain of
corn stubble, without single fence as far as
the eye could reach all advancing army.
therefore, could be more easily seen. The
river was untorGable, and about two hun
dred yards broad. The troops, therefore,
considered themselves perfectly secure from
attack, and set about preparing their supper,
and making themselves comfortable for the
night, when shot was heard from the oppo-
site bank, and cry from the bivouac that
man was wounded. Every soldier started in
stan,ly to his legs, and looked across the
river, but no one could see even the vestige
Of an enemy, which greatly surprised all, as
there was TO covert. and the yellow stubble
was especially we'll adapted to show the least
object for considerable distance from the
river.
while the whole corps were thus gazing,
puff Of smoke was seen to rise about fifty
wards from the brink Of the stream, followed
by the report of rifle, and another soldier
dropped wounded. In moment, without
the command of an officer, about one hun
dred men rushed TO the edge of the wafer,
and commenced firing at the spot whence the
shots came. although nothing but the stubble
was seen.
"Soon after there was another report fol-
lowed by the fall Of another man, which so
exasperated the whole force that nearly eve
ry soldier set about firing at the spot from
which the putfs of smoke were seen to arise
BY this time all were convinced the mischief
was done by single rfeman. More shots
followed, and more men fell $50 that the Off
Ger in command had serious thoughts of mo-
wing the encampment; but the feelings of
shame that SO strong force as sixteen hun
dred men should be driven off by one SOL
dier caused him to hesitate until eighteen
shots had been fired by the riAeman. and sew
enteen men were killed and wounded, when,
to the great satisfaction Of all, man was
seen to spring from the stubble, lucky
shot having killed him but this did not take
place until many thousand had been fired a,
him.
"Here is an evidence of the power of the
rifle. The man had laid down iE slight
hollow, SO small that it was not p,rceptihle
across the river, and there brought down
seventeen men, while they lay in almost per
feet safety. He nearly routed the little ar
N.Y."