Cleveland morning leader. [volume] (Cleveland [Ohio]) 1854-1865, 1860-06-26
THE BEARDLEss DRUAnIER-BOY.


In the year 1912, in the ninth regiment c
the line, (which formed part of the grea
army that Napoleon lost in Russia) ther
was little drummer-boy named Bilboquet
Of course, that was not the name his God
fathers and Godmothers had given him il
his baptism, but it was the one by whicl
he was known throughout the regiment
The soldiers, and especially the grown-ul
drummers, and above all, the terrible drum
major, were in the habit of teasing little Bill
bOquet, as boy never had been teased before
/ The drum-majOr used even to beat him acrOs
the shoulders with the heavy cane, which
these military beadles are in the habit o
I swinging and twisting at the head of the
/ regiment. At FIRST little Bilboquet used tC
I cry, but then his comrades only laughed al
/ him, and the terrible drum-majOr beat him
all the more. Netlittle BilbOquet never did
anything wrOng-nOt in one sense, that is
to say, for in another he never did anything
right. lie was neither lazy, nor untidy,
nor greedy, nor mean, nor revengeful, though
he certainly did owe grudge to the drum
major, which he was resolved one day or
other to pay; but he always had his drum
slung little too much on one side, or got
out Of step in marching, or stood in the
wrong place when the company was drawn
up in line, or committed some mistake,
which was natural enough on the part of the
boy who had left his top and his marbles, to
join the greatest general of the age, but
which was looked upon by the drum-majOr
and other rigid disciplinarians, as quite un-
pardOnable.
The ninth of the line, with Bilboquet at
its head-the drummers always march in
front-was on the banks of the Dwina, and
on the high road to Moscow, when the gen
eral commanding the brigade of which this
regiment formed part was ordered by the
Emperor, to occupy a position on the other
side Of an enormous ravine.
The ravine was defended by battery OF
six guns. These guns were of large calibre,
and were well served by the Russians
care those anything like the pop-g uns you
used to play with at school, young Bilbo-
quet2" asked the magnificent, but slightly bru-
tai drum-m9jor as he twisted his long nous
tache between his finger and thnmb.
The little drummer bit his lips, for he felt
that the tall Oppressor doubted his courage
but he did not utter word.
ado you hear how the ground shakes ?''
continued the giant. "Ahl it's lucky your
head is not so high as mine, and it's luckier
still that the CosSaeks have very excellent
habit of firing into the air
But the Cossacks 1.-THE French call all Rus
sian soldiers Cossacks,) lowered the muzzles
of their pieces, and then the drum-majOr and
his little pupil, saw whole files of soldiers
knocked down like kittles-with this differ
euce, that il would be impossible ever 10 Hako
them stand up again.
An aid ds-eaHlP now galloped up to the
colonel of the ninth, who was in front Of the
regiment, close to where Bilboquet and the
drum major were standing.
'sTake the battery with two hundred men, ="
were the concise orders.
ayes it's easy enough to say "take the
battery with two hundred men, muttered
an old sergeant, ''but | should like to see
twenty OF them get there
"The Emperor is waiting added the aid
de-eamp, observing that the soldiers were not
over-pleased with the work they had before
them.
The captain of Bilbsquets company was
to lead the assault with two hundred volti-
guers.
"If the Emperor is looking at us, we must
uE AulCht ollu AlAD OlA EEatlLf eA9 III A@.D1
his bayonet to his fre-lock.
The captain noticed considerable hesitation
in the ranks Twice he had ordered the
drum-major TO take couple Of drummers,
90 to the front and beat the charge. The
drum-major was evidently in no hurry. He
was leaning on his long cane and shook his
head from side to side as he examined the
drummers, without the slightest appearance
Of enthusiasm.
In the meanwhile, Blboquet set astride on
his little drum whistling n marshal air be-
tween his teeth, and beating tattoo with his
fingers on the parchment
At length the captain lowered his brow,
and in voice Of thunder, roared out the or
der for the third time The gigantic drum
major nevertheless seemed inclined to spend
a few minutes more in the selection Of his
drummers, when suddenly, young BilbOquet
sprang up, fastened his drum to his side seiz-
ed his drum-sticks eOnvulsively, and passing
close to his tyrant, looked at him from head
to foot, and exclaimed with an air Of tri-
umph-
'Now, who's afraid of the pOp-guns?"
The drum-major was about to strike him,
but Bilboquet was at the head Of the two
companies, beating the charge in furi-
GUS style. The soldiers advanced. BilbOquet
hurried on, and the men rushed after him to-
wards the terrible battery.
The commander Ofthe fort had seen the
aide-de-camp gallop mp to the ninth regiment
and had understood that his battery was to
be silenced by an assaulting column. But as
the old sergeant had remarked it was neces-
sary first of all to reach it. The Russians
determined to reserve their fire; and when
the French had marched over about half
the ground that separated them from the
guns, they were received with a general dis
charge. which seemed to blew the attacking
party to pieces. Still young BilbOquet ran
ahead, hammering away at his drum, as if
in mOckery of the Russian artillery. With
wonderful rapidity, the gunners reloaded, and
again plunged up the ranks Of the advancing
vOltigeurs. BilbOquet was not touched, but
on looking round, he saw that scarcely a
quarter Of the two companies were following
him. The rest were lying dead or wounded
on the plain. Bilboquet's drum sounded like
twenty. If his drum had been the enemy,
he could not have attaked it with greater
violence. The critical moment had now been
passed. Itwould be impossible for the Rus
SLAMS TO fire on their assailants third time,
for in half a minute they would be in the
battery, engaged in hand TO hand fght with
the artillery men. Another rush, and after
receiving vOlley Of musketry, which scarcely
took effect the voltigeurs, with BilbOquet
still at their head, leaped into the battery,
and in few seconds bad dispersed their oppo-
nents and captured the terrible guns.
During the attack, the Emperor stood on a
hillock watching its progress. He shuddered,
as each volley Of artillery swept down his
men, and when at length he saw less than
half company enter the battery, he lowered
/ his glass, exclaiming-" Brave fellOwsp
/ Immediately afterwards, Napoleon gave
some orders to an aide-de-camp, who, there
upon, set off at a gallop towards the battery,
and instantly returned at the same pace.
How many got I'M p inquired the Emperor.
Forty-one, Sire," replied the sid-de-
camp.
/ /" FOrty-one crosses tomorrow morning, "
said the Emperor, turning towards the gen
1 eraI rf the hripada 10 which fheg ninth ba