Vermont watchman and State journal. [volume] (Montpelier, Vt.) 1836-1883, 1861-07-05
Central 3HtsrrIlanu.
THE CAPTURE OF WREN.

BY MISS PAHDoE.
The French army preparing, during
the campaign Of 1900, to meet the Austrian
forces under the Archduke Charles, in the
plains of Italy. and was traversing. with almost
incredible difficulty and perseverance, the stu
ponduous line of Alps which extends from St.
Bernard 70 Nice and ontenotte-eucounter
ing hour by hour, obstacles so formidable,
that neither the courage of the troops, the i'm
mcnse resources of the commissariat. nor the
military genius Of their leaders, were enabled
entirely 90 overcome them.
Nothing daunted, however by either suffer
ing or fatigue, they toilcd on, as il they already
ore.aw that the indomitable will Of their gem
eral-in-chicf was destined to make them mas
ter of Milan and Turin, to lead them to &C.
noa. and 60 dictate his own terms of peace to
his naughty rival on the battle fields Of Ma
rcngo
Within few leagues Of Milan, in a hollow
between two hills and on the left bank Of the
Doria Balther, they at length came upon the
town and fortress of lvree, which they scarcely
anticipated would venture to dispute their
passage even for an instant--its Qualifications
being almost nominal, and the nature of its
position rendering it impo, sible that its garri-
son could sustain regular siege.
They woro. however in error Courageous
wonderfully odroit, and fanaticallv patriotic,
the Inhabitants Of the town, and the troops in
the citadel, consisting only of four thousand
men, with twenty-five guns, held the place
three entire days against an army of thirty
thousand men, commanded by three of the
youngest but already three of the best genor-
all, In Europo-Bernadotte, Massena, and
Lanncs
Furious to find himself arrested on his
march before so insignificant an obstacle. Bon.
aparte-who had taken Alexandria in day,
and Cairo in an hour--and who was, morco.
ycr, anxious to possess himself of position
which would facilitate his operations on Milan,
issued an order for the division under Lannes
To IN. Ike an attack upon the town, and to com
pei surrender. A battalion of the twenty
second demi- brigade, led by General Cochet
first cscaldded the fortress. and carried it at
the point of the bayonet; when the French no
sooner found themselves in possession of the
fifteen field pieces which had defended the en-
trance, than they turned them upon the town,
and opened for their legions a perilous but I'M
obsuuctcd path, along which they boldly ad-
yanced shining the M1rsealaise. After three
hours Of o struggle as heroic as it was hope
les, driven from the citadel, decimated in the
streets of the town, shot down on all sides
when beyond the reach Of their enemies. or
were oyertaken in their fight, few of the
Austrian soldiers, and the mere handful of in
habitauts who had escaped the carnage, took
refuge in the house of the Austrian Adiutant
General, resolved to hold out so long as one
OF them should be left alive
In few moments the residence of the brave
veteran was transformed into an actual for
tress loop-hoes were perforated in the walls,
barricades were hastily erected. and every en-
ergy was eXerted to accomplish an effective
defence.
Cochet was the first to enter Ivree but he
was closely followed by Lannes, who sent an
officer and two bottalions of the twenty second
TO force the position Of the enemy. We re.
fgain from numing this officer, out of respect
TO bis iamily-several of whose members have
since the event we are about TO record filed
with honor TO themselves, an elevated rank
IN the Frech army let it suffice that Major
L., who was conspicuous in the republi-
can forces for his ierocity and headlong cour-
age, penetrated at the head of one of the
hatialions (by passing over the bodies Of the
forty gallant fellows by whom his entrance
was opposed into the house Of the Austrian
General. This dauntless man. after having
seen all bis little garrison fall and expire
around him. had armed himself with hat
chet, which he welded with superhuman en-
ergy against his advancing foes and as Ma
Jor L--appeared at the door of the room
where he had taken up his late post. he aimed
so furious a blow at his head with the formi.
dable weapon, TO which his hand had alread,
become accustomed, that had not the wary off
Ger adroitly struck it aside with his sword il
must have felled him to the earth 1t was hi.
closing effort, however in the next instant
he fell and the apartment was invaded by tn,
French soldiery.
Major L., who had never, during hi,
hlteeh years OF military Service, given quarter
to an enemy, was already advancing toward
the veteran to complete his work Of blood,
when young aud beautiful woman rushed
ont Of neighboring chamber, and, falling a,
his leet and clingng to his knees, pale, dis.
sheveled, writhing, and almost insane, shrik.
cd out IN voice Of terror and despair, from
when all the tenderness of the wife had dis.
appeared
mercy mercy DO not kill him! He is
my husband, and the father Of my child!"
The republican officer looked down upon
her without pity or emotion
What had he to do with the agonies ane
outeries of woman, In second, he haC
thrust her violently from him, and taken one
step forward, had fired his pistol at the head
OF the gray haired veteran.
"' u'sohArge OF the weapon was echoed by
cry "tung from the very soul of the I'M
happy wife
"George, my child, where are yous Your
mother calls you. Come"
At the well known voice. a lovolv how
scarcely three years Of age, who, as he saw his
father fall, had concealed himself pale and
trembling, beneath that fathers bed. an
preached bis mother, and having reached her
side, buried his face in the folds Of her dress
as if to shut out the frghtful scene around
him. Bat, frenzied by despair, she plucked
him from his new hiding place, and leading
him TO Major L.. said, in a tone as haze
and moionless as though it had proceede,
from lips Of stone
Coward your work is not yet done yor
have sill his son 90 murder"
Al lhis moment loud ordinations wer,
heard from without and French general
surrounded BY group Of officers, appeared
upon the threshold Of the ood- stained apart
mpnt
Major .---- turned pale as their ewes met