The Placer herald., 1865-01-07
Napoleon's Old Guard.

The Moniteur publishes the following:
"The Minister of the Interior has just re-
quested the Prefecture of the Department Of
the Nord, on the subject Of a narrative Of
the battle of Waterloo, published lately in
different journals, to proceed with some sol,
emni,y to \ historical Investigation in pres
ence of one of the few surviving wtnesses Of
one of the most glorious incidents OF thai
day. We publish the proces verbo! Of the
inquiry:
"L1LLE, June. Is.
1--WE, the Project Of the Nord, 10. A r..
cent article Of the Esprit Public, inserted in
several other journals, relating that Antoine
Joseph Deeau, deputy-mayor OF the commune
of Vicq, ACCOMPLISHMENT of Valenciennes,
formerly soldier in the Imperial Guard,
had preserved perfect remembrance Of the
memorable incidents in which he took part
at the battle Of Waterloo, and Of the words
attributed to Cambronne, and of his Excel
lency the Minister of the Interior, having
charged us, by the letter of the 9th Of June, !,
to investigate the question, we summoned
before us the said Deleau, born at Vicq the
2nd of April, 1902. His military recollec-
,ion appeared to be Of the greatest precision,
and bearing the impress Of equal calm aud
infdelity. We requested DeIeau to proceed
with us to the Cabinet of bis Excellency
Marshal de M'Mahon, Duke de Magenta, at
his headquarters at Lille, where were present
General Maissia,, commander of the 81 Mil.
itary Division, and Colonel Borel, first aids
de-camp to the Marshal. DeIeau expressed
himself in the following terms:
"I was at Waterloo in the square Of the
Guard, and, in consequence of my tall statue,
in the first rank l belonged to the Young
Guard, being only 23 years Of age, but, as Is
we'll known, the Young Guard had been then
called upon to fill up the ranks of the old.
The English artillery was sweeping US down
and we we're replying at each discharge by
volleys of musketry, less and less we'll sua.
tained. Between two discharges the Eng.
ish General cried out to us, 'Grenadiers,
surrender General Cambronne replied Il
heard him perfectly we'll, as we'll as my com.
rades,) The Guard dies and does not surren.
der' 'Fire!' was the answer of the English
General. We closed up the square, snd re-
piled with our muskets. 'Grenadiers, sur.
render! You shall be treated as the first
soldiers in the world repeated the English
General. The Guard dies and does not sur>
render again replied Cambronne, and all.
along the line the officers aud soldiers re.
peated with him, the Guard dies and does.
not surrender! | remember perfectly we'll
having said it like the rest. We received
fresh voley, and replied by our own. Sur,
render, Grenadiers-sur cries in u,
mass the English, who surrounded US on all
Sides Cambroune replied to this last sum.
mons by movement Of anger, accompanied
by words which did not hear; at that mo.
ment ball carried away my bearskin bat,
knocking me on heap Of dead. thua
declare to have heard repeated twice by Cam.
bronze the words The Guard dies, and does
not surrender!' and not to have heard him
say anything else"
This detailed narrative Of recollections on
the subject Of an historical fact OF such i'm,
portance, and the honorable character of the
witnesses have consequently determined Us
to draw up the present process verbal, which
the said Antoine Joseph Deleau has signed
with us.
Al. Deleau, Grenader Of the Old Guard,
I'd Regment).
MMabon, Duke de Magenta, Marshal Of.
France, commanding the End Corps d'Armee.
Ad. Maissiat, General of Division, com.
manding the Third Military Division.
Vallon, Prefect of the Nord.
Borel, Colonel Of the Staff Aid-de,camp."