The Hancock Jeffersonian. [volume] (Findlay, Ohio) 1857-1870, 1864-07-15
The viI,sge Garrison.

ish troops, then overrunninp the Pal
atinate, found II necessary to posses.
himselfof little walled village called
Ogersheim, that lay in his way. On
the first intelligence of his approach,
all the inhabitants fed to Mannheim;
ard when Gonsalvo drew near and
Summoned the place to surrender;
there remained within the walls only
a poor shepherd and his wife, the lat
ter OF whom, having that very morn.
ing brought little infant into this
world Of misery, was unable TO leave
her bed, and her husband, of course,
remained With her. s.l. -aseff.-
] The anxiety and distress of the
poor man may lie more easily imagin-
ed than described. Fortunately, how
ever, he possessed both courage and
shrewdness, and on the spur of the
moment, hethought himself Of
scheme to give his wife and baby n
chance to escape, Which, after embra.
cling them both, he hastened to put
into execution. t.|."|I
The inhabitants, having run of In
tremendous hurry, had left almost all
their property at his disposal; so he
had no difficulty in finding what was
requisite for his purpose, namely, n
complete chan-c of dress. Having
first accoutrcd his lower man In milf.
'lary guisc, he tossed away his shep.
herds hat, which he replaced with a
huge helmet, "a world too wide:" he
buckled a long sword to his side,
threw goodly cloak over shoulder,
stuck two enormous pistols in his belt
and putting on boots so thick in the
soles and high in the heels that they
lifted him high above the ground, he
fastened to them pair of those pro.
digous jingling spurs which were the
fashion of the times. Thus accoutrcd.
he forthwith bctook himself TO the
walls. and leaning with pompous
air on his sword, he listened coolly
to the herald who advanced to sum.
mon the village TO surrender.
"Friend," said our hero, as soon ns
the herald had concluded his speech,
tell your commander that though
have not made up my mind to sur
render at all, may possibly be in
duced to do so, provided he agrees to
the three following conditions: First,
the garrison must be allowed to march
out with military honors. Second,
the lives and property Of the inhah-
itants must be protected. Third,
they must he left to enjoy the free ex.
ercise of the Protestant religion"
The herald Immediately replied,
that such preposterous conditions
could not for moment be listened
to; aiding, that the garrison was
known to be weak, and concluded BY
again demanding'the instant surrend.
er of the place.
my good friend" answered tho
shepherd, "do not be too rash. lad.
wise You to inform your general from
me, that nothing but my desire to
avoid bloodshed could make me think
Of surrendering on any terms what
ever; and please to add, that il ho
does not choose to agree to those al.
ready stated, he will gain possession
Of the town only Mt the point Of the
sword; for ! assure YOU on the word
Of an honest man and a christian, and
On the honor of a gentleman, that the
garrison ha9 lately received q rein.
'orcemcnt he little dreams Of
So saying, the shepherd lighted his
,ipe and puticd away with an air OF
lie most consummate nonchalencc.
Confoundcd by his appearance OF
and security, the herald tho't
t prudent to return and state TO Con.
'alvo the demands which dad been
nado. The Spanish general, deceiv-
ID by this show of resistance and be-
ng unwilling to waste either men or
ime in reducing this paltry town, re-
solved to agree to the conditions Off
,rcd, and followed by his troops APP
preached the gates. This lenient de-
termination waa announced by the
lerald to the shepherd who only
to say in reply, Il find
your commander man OF some sense.
lie then left the walls; let down the
draw bridge, deliberately opened the
-N''Si thc
10 pour into the town. Surprised ut
seeing no one in the streets but
strange. looking fellow, whose earica-
.ure ofa military coctumc hung upon
lin like patchwork, Gonsalvo began
20 suspect treachery, and seizing the
demanded to know where
the garrison was.
"if Your highncss will How me,
will show YOU" answered the rustic.
"Keep by my stirrup, then," ex-
claimed Gonsalyo; ''and on the least
symptom that you mean to betray me.
| shall send a bullet through yon."
"Agrced," said our friend. FOL.
low me Spaniard for / assure you,
On the word Of IN honest man and
Christian. as well as on the honor OF
! gentleman, that the garrison will
Dtfcr YOU no injury"
He then placed himself by Gonsal.
'o's stirrup, and, followed by the
troops, passed through several silent
md deserted streets till at length,
turning into narrow lane, he stop
ped before mean looking house.
and having prevailed on Gonsalvo to
enter, he led him into n small room,
where lay his wife with her boy be-
side her.