The Shasta courier., 1866-12-01
SHASTA COURIER.
FIRST GRENADIER OF FFRANCE.

uedutilul custom 10 he witnessed In a certain
regiment of French grenadiers, and which
meant to commemorate the heroism of
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 'Auvergne.
When it was called the oldest sergeant
present stepped pace forward, and raising
his hand to his cap, said, proudly:
Died on the field of honor
| For IA years this custom was continued,
and only ceased when the restored Bourbous
to please their foreign masters, forbade every.
thing that was calculated to preserve the
spirit of the soldiers of France
La Tour 'Auvergne was not unworthy in
life the honor thus paid him after his DEATH
lie was educated for the army, entered in
1907, and in 1871 served under the Duke de
Crillon at the siege of Port Mahon. He
| served always with distinction, but constantly
refused offers of promotion, saying that be
was only fit for the command of company
OF grenaders but finally, the various gren.
adler companies being united, he found him.
self in command of a body of eight thousand
men, while retaining only the rank of Cap.
tain.
Hence he was known as the first grenadier
of France
But it is of one particular exploit we wish
to write, more than his career in general
When he was 40 years of age he went on
visit to friend, not far from a 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
the country, thinking that this knowledge
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 a regiment of Austrians
were pushing-on to occupy narrow pass
about ten miles from where he was staying,
and the possession of which would give them
an opportunity to prevent an important
French movement which was then on foot
1t matters not how he heard the news. 1t
is sufficient to say that he determined at once
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 garri
son was defended by stout tower, and
garrison of 80 men, and he hoped to se able
to warn the men of their danger
He hastened on, and arriving there. found
the tower in perfect condition. 1t had just
been vacated by the garrison. who having
heard of the approach of the Austrians, had
been seized with panic thereat and had
fled, leaving their arms, consisting of thirty
excellent muskets.
La Tour 'Auvergne gnashed his teeth
with rage as he discovered this. Searching
the building, he found several boxes of am
munltion, which the towards had not destroy
ed. For moment he was in despair, 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, togeth-
er with 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 to wait.
He had absolutely formed the heroic resolu
tion to defend the tower alone acan,t the |
enemy. They were longer in coming than
he had expected, and for time he was
tempted to believe they had abandoned the |
expedition.
There were some things in his favor in |
such an undertaking. The pass was steep
and narrow, and the enemy's troops could
only enter it 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 it against a |
division, and now one man was about to hold |
1t against regiment.
About midnight his practiced ear caught I
the tramp of feet. Every moment the sound |
came nearer; and at last he heard them
entering the defe. Immediately he dis
charged couple of muskets into the dark
ness to let them know that he knew of their
presence and intentions. and he heard the |
ppI Sho dc Of ha IF
from the sound, he supposed that the troops !
were retiring from the pass. Until the NOR
ming he was undisturbed The Austrian
feeling assured the garrison had
been informed of his movements, and was |
prepared to receive him, saw that he could |
not surprise the post as he had hoped to do.
and deemed it prudent to wait until daylight
before making his attack.
At sunrise he summoned the garrison to
surrender. A grenadier answered the sum-
mons.
Say to your commander, he said, in re-
ply to the messenger, this garrison will de- |
fend the pass to the last extremity
The officer who had borne the flag of truce |
retired and in about ten minutes piece of
artillery was brought into the pass and |
opened on the tower. But to effect this.
the piece had to be placed directly in front
of the tower and within easy musket range
of it, They had hardly got the gun in posi-
ton. when rapid fire was opened on it
from the tower, and continued with such |
a arke,, effect that the piece was Withdrawn
after the second discharge, with loss of five
men. 70
This was bad eginning, so half an hour
after the gun was withdrawn the Austrian
Colonel ordered an assault.
As the troops entered the detile they were
received with rapid and accurate nre, so
tbat when they had passed over half the dis
tance they had to traverse, they had lost
fifteen men. Disheartened by this. they re-
turned to the mouth of the defile.
Three more assaults were repused IN tins
manner. and the enemy by sunset had lost
forty FIVE men. of whom ten were Killed. :,
The firing from the tower had been rapid
and accurate. but the Austrian commander
had noticed this popularity about it-esery
shot seemed to come from the same place.