Fremont journal. [volume] (Fremont, Sandusky County [Ohio]) 1853-1866, 1866-12-28
Mis1ellaneuns Selettiuns
THE GRENADIER OF FRANCE.


certain regiment of French grenadiers, and
which meant to commemorate the hero
ism of departed comrade.
When the companies assembled for pa
rade and the roll was called, there was
one name to which its owner could not
answer-it was that of La Tour d Auver-
gne.
When it was called the, eldest SER
geant stepped forward, and raising his
hand to his cap, said proudly:
'Ded on the field of honor"
For fourteen years this custom was con-
tinued, and only ceased when the restored
Bourbons, to please their foreign masters,
forbade everything that was calculated to
preserve the spirits Of the soldiers Of
France.
La Tourd Auvergne was not unworthy
in life the honor thus paid him after his
death. He was educated for the army,
entered in 1867, and 1881 served under
the Duke de Crillon at the siege of Port
Mahon. He served always with distinct
ion, but constantly ssrefused promotion,
saying that he was only fit for the COM
mand of company of grenadiers; but
finally, the various grenadier companies
being united, he found himself in com.
mand of company of eight thousand
men, while retaining only the rank Of
Captain.
Hence be was known as the first Grena.
der 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 section of the country that was
soon to become the scene of campaign.
While there, he was busy in acquainting
himself with the features Of sthe country,
thinking it not unlikely that this knowl-
edge might be of use to him, and while
here the brave grenadier was astonished
to learn that the war had been rapidly
shifted to this quarter, and that regi-
ment of Austrians was pushing on to oc.
cupy narrow pass about ten miles from
where he was staying, and the possession
which would give them an opportunity oi
preventing an important movement of the
French which was then on foot. They
hoped to surprise this post, and were NOV
ing so rapidly upon it that they were moi
more than two hours distant from the place
where he was staying, and which they
would have to pass in their march. Ii
matters not how he heard the news. 1t i:
sufficient that he determined at once to
act upon it.
He had no idea of being captured by
the enemy in advance, and he at once sci
off for the pass. He knew that the pass
was defended by stout tower, and a gar
rison of thirty men, and he hoped to be
able to warn the men Of their danger
He hastened on, and arriving there
found the tower in a perfect condition. II
had just been vacated by the garrison,
who had heard of the Ausrians and been
seized by panic threat and had fled,
leaving their arms, consisting of thirty ex-
| cellent muskets.
La Tour d Auvergne gnashed his teeth
with rage as he discovered this. Search.
ing in the building he found several boxes
of ammunition which the towards had moi
destroyed For a moment he was in de-
spair, but then with grim smile he began
to fasten the main door, and pile against il
such articles as he could find.
When he had done this, he loaded all
the guns he could find, and placed theu1,
together with a good supply of ammunition,
under the loop holes that commanded the
road by which the enemy must advance
Then he ate heartily of the provisions he
had brought with him, and sat down tc
wait. He had absolutely formed the he.
roic resolution to defend the tower alone
against the enemy.
There was some things in his favor fol
such an undertaking. The pass was steeE
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 easily have held il
against division, and now one man was
about to hold it against regiment.
1t was dark when La Tour d Auvergue
reached the tower and he had to wait
some time for the enemy. They were
longer in coming than he expected, and
for a while he was tempted 10 believe that
they had abandoned expedition.
About midnight however his practiced
ear caught the tramp of feet. Every mo-
ment the sound came nearer, and at last
! he heard them entering the defile. I'M
mediately he discharged couple of mus
kets into the darkness, to let them know
that he knew of their presence and inten
tions, and he heard the quick, short com