Ellsworth American. [volume] (Ellsworth, Me.) 1855-current, 1867-02-22
The First Gren adler Of France

For many a year there WAS a touching
and beautiful custom to be witnessed in II
certain regiment of Frencl, grenadiers,
which was ment to commemorate the hero
ism of a departed comradc.
When the companies assembled for par
ade and the roll was called, there was enc
name to which its owner could not answer
it was that of La Tourd' Auvegne.
When it WAS called, the oldest sergeant
present stepped a pace foreward, and rails
ing his hand to his cap. said proudly:
"Died on the field of honor"
For fourteen years this custom was con
tinued and only ceased when the restored
Bonrbons. to please their foreign mastcrs.
forbade everything that was calculated to
preserve the spirit of the soldiers ol
France.
La Tourd' Auvcrgne was not unworthy
in life that honor thus paid him after his
death. lie was educated for tie army. en-
tered in 1867, and in 1881 served under
the Duke dc Crllon at the seige of Port
Mahon. He served always with distinct
ion, but constantly refused offers of pro
motion, saying that he was only fit for the
command of company of grenadiers; but
finally. the various grciader companies be
ng united. he found himself in command
OF body of eight thousand men, while re-
tanning ouly the rank of captain.
Hence lie was known as the first grena-
dierof France.
But it is OF one particular exploit of his
that we wish to write, more than his career
IN general.
When lie was forty years of age he went
on a visit to friend, not far from IL section
Ofthe country that was soon To become the
scene of campaign. While there, he was
busy in acquainting himself with the coun-
try, thinking it not unlikely that this know
ledge might be of use to him. and while
here the brave rrenadier was astoniShcd to
learn that the war had suddenly shifted to
| that quarter, and that regiment Of Aus
trians was pushing on to occupy a narrow
pass ahont ten miles from where he was
staying, and tile possession of which would
give them an opportunity to prevent an
important movement OF the French which
was then on foot. They hoped to snprise
this post, and were moving so rapidly upon
it that they were not more than two hours
distant from the place whore he was stay
ing, and which they would have to pass i'll
their march. 1t matters not how he heard
the news. 1t is sufficient TO say that Ii,
determined at once to act upon it.
He had no idea of being captured by the
enemy in their advance, aud he at once set
off for the pass. He knew that the pass
was defended by stone tower and garrison
w,rn tio mon of tha;r 5nnaer
Ue h,stened on' md ,rri ng thora G,unl
tbe tower in n ncrfrc, conditinn. II had
inst bn.n yncntrd by the garrison who had
IIn,,J of ,ho ,unroach ,f tho Au,tr;,us
and had bccn sriyed with n manic therpo,
and 0nI lcayinr the;r ARM. fcnns;stiug Of
thirty avc.]lnut musl,ets
r., TnnrJ, Arvnrrn r,os,o5 b;s ,oo,,
viii, rarn 49, Lc 1,Scovo7rcJ th;s Soar,.h,
inr ~ in t5e hniI1iu~ he fonnJ several hoyn.
nf ,,nmrn;tio,, winch th,. co,v,r1s had mot
JestrovcJ For - momc,t no was in do.
Sn,;r Inf thrn w; i, rr;,n smil. hn bes,,
tn r,,,n, th,. ,n,in ,ioo. ana riln ar,;nsi !,
snnh art;,.lnS ay ha onnid i;nJ
Whan hn L,i Jonn tbis Iva Io,Je1 all
tbo er,,u, ho conlJ t;,J ,nJ ,J,coJ ,hom ,n.
n,.tI''.r win = rool sunnI, Of ammunition
nn,1ar ,ho lnon LoJo,, ,,,t on,,n,arIoJ H..
rooa bv which ,ha enemy mnst advance.
| 'rbcn bn oot heartily of the nrovisions
| la l,,1 l,ro,,rL. ,,;tL j,;,, ,nI ,,t down .,
,r,;t IIn ho,1 ,I.ni,t.l, fnr,,ra th. h.ro.
~. ra,.Ir,ion to 1nr.nI ,L, ,ouor .,lnno
arain.t ,hn anomv
7Tbnre werc so,nr thinns IN his favor IN
.rch an n,,ler,,l,;n~ ,Ihr mass ,,,s stccn
an1 norro,r a,1 ,hoo o.nan,,.,r trnons canl:,
antar If only in JrulJ, ala and n DOM
th;s vnnlJ he ful,v cynosr1 to The fire fron
H., tnu.nr trLn .,;,;,,.l -, ,r.;...,,, az az,
mn, cnnlJ oo.;iy h,yn h.II il orn;n.t ,
Nyisinu and nov nn. man wa, .,hnut tn
h,Id il on,;nst ror;mnnt
~, n u,s s'Iar,, vhan In Tour d,Anvcrrno
ro,,l,aI ,I,o to,y.,r o,I hn hnJ IN ro;t sn,,,o
tnc ] far thc nnrmv' Thrv wcrc lancet, in
nar,,, tLau he nynoct.1 orI for Hi;ln
he ,yn. trmntrJ tn hrlinycthnv hn1 ah.,r
InnoI the aynnd,t;nu
Ahnn. midnirht hnwovcr Ills nr,c,ieod
ear can ht the iramn Of feet. Elrry ma,
,nnnt ,hn sound c,n,n paarnr ,nI a, I,,,
Ln hsnrJ thcm ,nt.rinn rho I.fla INN.
Jntcly he discharged y counle nf mnsk.ts
;nto ,i,o Jo,lf,.s. 70 lat thon Lrou.,h,t l.,
lney If thn;r nrnsnnce, and ba L"ari ,ho o
uuiek. short enmmnn,ls of the officers. o,,I
,ron, thr souuas he s,nnn.nd III. ,ron,'.
wer,. rrt;reing rron IN. mass Tnt;i H.,
mornin, he wos uudisturhrd Ti.aAnS,r;an
commnHJrr fccliur assured ,he ,r1rr,sn,,
had becu uniformed of his movements and
was prepared to rccejyehim. saw ,hnt ho
Icould not surprise the uost ~ he had Ln,n1
to do. and deemed it prudeut to wait tili