The New era. [volume] (Martinsburg, W. Va.) 1865-1871, 1866-09-27
FIRST GRENADIER OF FRANCE,

For many year there was touch
ing and beautiful custom to be witnessed
in a certain regiment of French grena-
oilers, and which meant to commence
rate the heroism of a departed comrade.
When the companies assembled for
parade, and the roll was called, there
was one name to which its owner could
not answer-it was that of La Tour
d'Auvergne.
When it was called, the oldest SER
geant present stepped a pace forward,
and raising his hand to his cap said
proudly:
"Died on the field of honor.''
For fourteen years this custom was
continued, and only ceased when the
restored Bourbons, to please their for
eign masters, forbade everything that
was calculated to preserve the spirits of
the soldiers of France
La Tour d Auvergne was not unwOr-
thy in life the honor thus paid him at
ter his death. He was educated for the
army, entered in 1857, and in 1881 serv
ed under the Duke dc Crillon at the
seige of Port Manon. He served al
ways with distinction; but constantly re-
fused offers of promotion, saying that
he was only fit for the command OF a
company of grenadiers; but finally, the
various grenadier companies being uni
ted, he found himself in command of 4
body of eight thousand men, while re-
tanning only the rank of Captain.
Hence he was known as the First Gren-
adler of France.
But it is of one particular exploit of
his that we wish to write, more than
his career in general.
When he was forty years of age he
went on a visit to friend, not far from
assertion of the country that was soon to
become the scene of a campaign. While
self with the features of the country,
thinking it not unlikely that this knowl
edge might be of use to him, and while
here the brave grenadier wasastonished
to learn that the war had been rapidly
shifted to that quarter, and that regi-
ment of Austrians was pushing on to
occupy a narrow pass about ten miles
from where he was staying, and the pos
session of which would give them an
opportunity to prevent an important
movement of the French which was
then ON foot. They hoped to surprise
this post, and were moving so rapidly
on it that they were not more than two
hours distant from the place where he
was staying, and which they would have
to pass in their march. 1t matters not
how he heard the news. 1t is sufficient
to say that he determined to act upon
it.
He had no idea of being captured by
the enemy in their advance, and he at
once set off for the pass. He knew that
the pass was defended by stout tower,
and garrison of thirty men, and he
| hoped to be able to warn the men Of
| their danger.
He fastened on, and arriving there,
found the tower in perfect condition.
1t had Just been vacated by the garrison,
who had heard of the approach of the
Austrians, and had been seized with a
panic thereat, and had fled, leaving their
arnlS, consisting of thirty excellent
mu2 kets.
ISleSTour d'Auvergne CRASHED his
teefl&Sith rage as he discovered this.
SeakG&ing in the building, he found sew
eral bikes of ammunition which the cow
ards had not destroyed. For q moment
he was iA1despair, but then with grim
smile he began to fasten the main door,
and pile against it such articles as he
could find.
When he had done this he loaded all
the guns he could find, and placed them
together with good supply of amuni-
ton, under the loop holes that comman-
ded the road by which the enemy must
advance.
Then he ate heartily of the provision
he had brought with him, and sat down
to wait. He had absolutely formed the
heroic resolution to defend the tower
alone against the enemy.
There was some things in his favor in
such an undertaking. The pass was
steep and narrow, and the enemy's
troops could enter it only in double
files, and in doing this would be fully
exposed to the fire from the tower. The
original garrison OF thirty men could ca
silly have held it against a division, and
now one man was about to holdit against
a regiment.
1t was dark when La Tour d Auvergne
reached the tower, and he had to wait
some time for the enemy. They were
longer in coming than he expected, and
for il while he was tempted to believe
they had abandoned the expedition.
About mdns~ht however, his prac-
ticel ear caught the tramp OF feet. Ev-
ery moment the sound came nearer, and