Nebraska advertiser., 1866-10-18
LA TOUR D'AUYERGNE.

and which was meant to commemorate
the heroism 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
answ er-it was that of La Tour D'Au-
vergne.
When it was called, the eldest sergent
present stepped pace forward and, ra-
sing his hand to his cap, said proudly:
died on the field of homer"
For fourteen years this custom was
continued, and only ceased when tbe re-
stored Bourbons, to please their foreign
masters, forbade everything that was cal
culated to preserve the spirit of the SOL
diers of France.
La Tour D'Auvergne was not unwor-
thy in life the honor thus paid him after
his death. He was educated for the ar
my, entered in 1857, and in 1871 served
under the Dpke de Crillon at the seige
of Port Mahon. He served always with
distinction, but constantly refused Offers
of promotion, saying he was only fit for
the command of a company of grenadlersj )
but finally, the various grenadier compa-
MES being united. he found himself IN
command of body of 5000 men, while
retaining only the rank of captain.
Hence he vas known as the First
Grenadler of France.
Butt is of one particular exploit Of bis
that we wish to write, mole than his ca
reer in general.
When he was forty years of age he
went on a visit to a friend, not far from
section of the country that was soon to
become the scene of campaign. While
there be was busy in acquainling him
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 was astonlshed
TO learn that the war had been rapidly
shifted to this quarter, and that a regi-
ment of AuStralns was pushing on to oc-
cupy narrow pass about ten miles from
where he was staying, and the posses
sion of which would give them an oppor-
tunily to prevent an important movement
of the French which was then on foot.
They hoped TO surprise this post, and
were moving SO rapidly upon 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. Il is sufficient to say that be de-
termined al once to act upon it.
He had no idea of being captured by
the enemy in their advance, aid he at
once set off for the pass. He knew that
The pass was defended by stout tower
and a garrison of thirty men, and he
hoped 10 be able 10 warn the men of their
danger.
He hastened on, and arriving there
found The tower in a perfect condition.
1t had just been vaca'ed by the garrison,
who had heard of the approach of the
Anstrains, and had been seized with
panic thereat andhad fed, leaving their
arms, consisting Of thirty excellent m US
kets.
La D'Auvergne gnashed his teeth
with rage as he discovered this. Search
ing in the building be found several box
es Of ammunition which the towards had
not destroyed. For a moment he was in
despair, but then with a grim smile be
began to fasten the main door and pile
against it such articles as be could find.
When he had done this he loaded all
the guns he could find, and placed Them,
together 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
which he had brought with him, and sat
down to wait. He had absolutely form
ed the heroic resolution to defend the
tower alone against The enemy.
There were 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 easily have
held it against division. and now one
man was about to attempt to hold il
against q regiment.
/: was dark when La Tour D'Auver-
gne reached the tower, and be had to
wait some time for the enemy. They
were longer in coming than he had ex-
pected, and for while he was tempted
to believe they had abandoned the expe-
dition.
About midnight however, his practiced
ear caught the tramp of feet. Every