The daily dispatch. [volume] (Richmond [Va.]) 1850-1884, 1866-12-31

post. as he had hoped to do, and deemed It
prudent to wait till daylight before making
his attack.
At sunrise he summoned the garrison
to Surrender. A grenadier answered the
summons.
"Say to your commander" ne said, in
reply to the messenger, that this garri-
son will defend this pass to the last eS-
trcmity."
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 elect
this the piece had to be placed directly In
front of the tower, and within easy musket
range of it. They had scarcely got the
gun into position when a rapid fire was
opened on it from the tower, and con-
tinued with such marked effect that the
piece was Withdrawn after the second dis
charge, with loss of five men.
This was bad beginning, so half an hour
after the gun was withdrawn the Austrian
colonel ordered an assault.
As the troops entered the denle they
were received with rapid and accurate
fire, 50 that when they had passed over half
the distance they had to traverse, they had
lost fifteen men. Disheartened by this,
they returned to the mouth of the detile.
Three more assaults were repulsed IN
this 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 peculiarly about it
every shot seemed to come from the same
place. For while this perplexed him,
but at last he came to the conclusion that
there was a number Of loop-hOles close to-
gether in the tower, so constructed as TO
command the ravine perfectly.
At sunset the last assault was made and
repulscd. and at dark the Austrian COM
mander sent a second summons to the gar
rison.
This time the answer was favorable. The
garrison offered a surrender at sunrise the
next morning, if allowed to march out with
their arms and return to the army unnIo-
Tested. After some hesitation, the terms
were accepted.
Meantime La Tour d'Auvergne had
passed an anxious day in the tower. lie
nHu OUpIpu the UgIL Win all Ill Va
thirty loaded muskets, but had not been
able 70 discharge them all. He had fired
with surprising rapidity, but with surprls-
ing accuracy, for it was well known IN the
army that lie had never thrown away shot.
He had determined to stand TO his post
until he had accomplished his end, which
was to hold the place twenty four hours, in
order to allow the French army time to
complete its manmuvrc. After that he
knew the pass would be Of no consequence
TO the enemy.
When the demand for a surrender came
to him after the last assault, he consented
to it upon the conditions named.
The next day at sunrise the Austrian
troops lined the pass in two files, extending
from the mouth to the tower, leaving a
space between them for the garrison to
pass out.
The heavy door of the tower opened
slowly, and in a few minutes bronzed
and SCARED grenadier, literally loaded
down with muSkets, came out and passed
down the line of troops. He walked with
difficulty under his heavy load.
To the surprise of the Austrians, no one
followed him from the tower.
In asionishmcnt the Austrian colonel
rode mp to him, and asked, in French, why
the garrison did not come out.
Il am the garrison, colonel" said the
soldier proudly.
"Wnat." exclaimed the colonel, edo
YOU mean to tell me that you alone have
held that tower against me"
81 have had that honor, colonel, was
the reply.
"What possessed you to make such an
attempt, grenadier"
"The honor of France was at stake"
The colonel gazed at him for moment
with uudisguiSed admiration. Then raising
bis cap, ne said, warmly:
Grenadicr, | salute you. 1ou have
proved yourself the braycst of the brave"
The officer caused all the arms which La
Tour d'Auyergne could not carry to be
collected, and sent them all, with the gre
nader, into the French lines, together with
n note relating the whole affair.
When the knowledge of it came to the
ears of Napoleon, he offered to promote
La Tour d'Auyergne, but the latter de-
clued to accept the promotion, saying that
he preferred to remain where he was.
| This brave soldier met his death in an
action at Aberhausen in June, 1900, and
the simple and expressive scene at roll
call in his regiment was commenced and
continued by the express command Of the
Emup ror himself.