The Vermont transcript. [volume] (St. Albans, Vt.) 1864-1870, 1867-01-04

This was a bad beginning, so half
an hour after the gun had been with
drawn the Austrian Colonel ordered
and assault upon it.
As the troops entered the deGlo they
were received with rapid and accur-
ate fire so 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 dofile.
Three more assaults were repulsed
in this manner, and the enemy by sun
set 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 peculiari-
ty about it--every shot seemed to
come from the same place. For n
while this perplexed him, but AZ last
he came to the conclusion that there
were a number of loopholes close to-
gether in the tower, SO constructed rs
to command the rayine perfectly.
At sunset the last assault was made
and lepulsed, and at dark the Aus
TRAN commander sent second sum
mons TO the garrison.
This time the answer was favorable
The garrison offered to surrender at
sunrise the next morning If allowed to
march out with their arms and return
to the army unmolested. After some
hesitation the terms were accepted.
Meantime La Tour d'Auyergnc had
passed an anxious day in the tower.
He had opened the fight with an ar
mament of thirty loaded muskets, but
had not been able to discharge them
all. He had fred with surprising
rapidity, but with surprising accuracy,
for it was well known in the army
that he never threw away n 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 to complete its maneu-
vre. After that he knew the pass
would be OF no consequence to the
army.
When the denand for surrender
came to him after the last assault, he
consented to it upon the condition
named.
The next day, at sunrise, the Aus
TRAN troops lined the pass in two files
extending from the mouth to the tow
er, leaving a space between them for
the garrison to pass out.
The heavy door of the tower opened
slowly, and in few moments bron-
zed and Scared grenadier, literally
loaded down with muskets, came ont
and passed down the line of troops ~
He walked with much difficulty under
his very heavy load.
4 To the very great surprise OF the
+ Austrians, no one followed HIM from
I the tower.
In astonishment the Austrian Colo
mel rode up to him, and asked in
French why the garrison did not come
out Of the tower.
g am the garrison, said the soldier
/ proudly.
"What," exclaimed the Colonel
edo you mean to tell nue. that you
alone have held the tower against
me?'
Il lave had the honor was the
reply.
what possessed you to make sucl
an attemptf'
"The honor of my country was a
stake"
The Colonel gazed at him momen
with admiration. Then raising hi.
cap he said:
Grenadier, all ow me to salute you
You have proved yourself the braves
of the brave"
The officer caused all the arms
which La Tour d'Auvergne co1ld no
carry, to be collected aud sent then
with the grenadier into the Frencl
lines, together with a note relating
the whole affair.
When the knowledge of it came t.
the ears of Napoleon, he offered t.
promote La Tour d'Auyergne, but tn
latter declined to accept the promotion
saping that he preferred to remain
where he was.
J This Lraye soldier met his death il
an action at Aberhausen in june
: $500, and the simple and expressly
} scene at roll call in his regiment wa
: commenced and continued 10y the ex
press command of the Emperor him
: self.