Oxford Democrat. [volume] (Paris, Me.) 1833-1933, 1866-11-23
Nj = Gel |. AN Y.
LA TOUR D'AUvERGyE.

certain regiment % French rrvn.dier..
Which "a meant % CONFERENCE.-The thc hero.
Ism a q departed comradc
Mheu the companies assembled for par
sde. and thc roll was called. there ~as one
uano o. which its owner oosld not ans-er;
is AS that of Ia Tour a. Asvcrgnc.
wben q -as called. tbe oldest sergeant
present stepped for-ard. And raising hi.
hand 20 BIS cap. ard proudly.
'' Died on The feil Of honor
For fourteen years this custom was con-
iinued. and oniy erased -b,n the restored
Bourbons. 20 please d,eir foreign masters.
forbade everything that was calculated %
preserve the spirits Of The soldiers q
France.
Ia Tour a. Auvcrgne vas not un~or;hy
IN lie the honor thus pad him after his
death. He As educated ior the army. en-
tered IN 1907. ard in i7si served under the
Dake de Crilloa q, The siege q Port Ma
bon.
lie served alv1y. With distinction. bat
oonstsn;iy refused oilers q promotion. SAY
nc that BE- -as only 81 for the command Of
a company q grenadiers; bat 6nally The
varipus greuadisr companies beng uaitea
b. found himself in command q 4 body Of
500 mrn. -hiie ry,aining oniy the rank Of
captain Hence Be -as kno-n as tie First
Grrnalier % Fnnce.
Bat it j. Of ore particular exploit 81 his
that ~e vish 60 write. morc than OF has ca
rcer IN general
Nhen b. vas forty years Of age b. sent
. or a visit 70 a frieni not far from = section
q ihe country that -as soon % become the
scene q canpairn. While there Be sas
busy aclusinting himself 18th the feature,
Of the country. thiaking ii not unlikely that
his iuformaiion might De- q usc % hirn. and
While here The brave CrcuAdicr vas aston
i.he,l % learn that the var had been rapid
y shifted % this quarter. sn1 that regi-
meat q Ausirians wa' pushing CA % occa-
; py na-To~ pass. about ten miles from
-herc b. vas raying. and the possession
Of ~hich -ould give them an opportaniiy %
!. prevent ar important movement Of the
Frenoh -hieh ~as then on foot. They hop
81 CD surTrisc ihis post. and were MOVING
80 rapidly upon it that they we're rot more
. thsn two boar, distant from The place
~hcre he vas staying. and which thcv
uould have 20 pass in the march.
IL matters Mt ho- he heard thc news
Il j. sufirieri 10 say that be determined a,
oncc % at spon it. lie hal % ilca q
being eapfurr'i By The enemy iu their ad-
vance. AMI b. a. once sct oa fr 'be ra.s.
ile kne- thai the pass -as defended by a
stout tower. and a garrison q thirty men.
D and b. hoped 10 be able % warn che u,c. q
their danger.
lie hssfenel en-. and arriving ilere.
found The tower IN q perfect condition.. IL
bad jusi been vncaied by he garrison. vho
had heard Of d. approach % The Aas,r.ans.
snd bad been se.zed ~ith panic thercat
and bad aej. having their arms. consisting
Of thirty musksf..
T Ia Tour a. Aavcrrue rns.bed his teeth
vith rsre al be discovered This Searrhin~
in thc buiiding hc found several boxes a.
ammuuition which fhe co-ards bad not de-
strofcl. Fora moment b. vss in despair.
BOT den 18th fri.a smile BE- bc-an o. fas-
Ten thc main door. sad pie against ,t such
articles AL he COIL fnd
Wien hs bad done ths. he loaded az tLo
guns BE- eosh fol. snd placed them. to-
gether with cool supply o. tho amnuni-
ton. undef he loop DO 'es that commanded
~ rosd by -hich fhe enemy-must advance.
Thcn o. ate heartily q thc provision.
ihsi he had brosgh, 9Th him lIe bal ab-
soiatsiy formed thc heroic resolution 90 de-
fcnd The tower alone sga.nst the enemy.
There vere son. things in BIS favor ia
B such sn undertskia- The pass vss steep
ard narrow. ard ihe sncmys troops could
only enter in double flss. an .n doing this
-ouli Be folly eEposed 90 o. fire. from the
tovcr.
Ibc original garrison of thirty men coaid
: easily have held it against reriueut.
II vas dark shon IA Toar D. Aavereae
reached the tossr. at BEL hai to -aii some
tine for the enemy.
A5out nilnigh'. tovever. bis praciioei
ear caurht iis tramp oi ieet Every mo-
ment the s1uni cane nearer. and a. last d.
beard them catering ihe dcfie lmmedi-
steiy b. discharged q couple Of maskeis .a.
b thc dEfkncss to ict them know that Re
tns- oi ihcir Preseuoe sni infentions. and
. b. hoarl ths 1aick. short commsnis of ths
ofhoers. and. from ths ssunis. b. sapposcd
thsi he troops we're rstiung from The pass.
Untii he morning b. sas unlistarbcd.