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

!
grenadiers, and which was meant to
commemorate the hcroism of de-
parted comrade
When the companies assembled for
parade, and the roll was called, there
was one name to whom its owner
could not answer-it was that of
LTour d'Auvergne
When it was called the eldest SER
geant present stepped pace forward,
and then raising his hand to his cap,
said proudly:
Died on the field of honor"
For fourteen years this custom was
continued, and only ceased when the
restored Bourbons, to please their
foreign masters, forbade everything
that was calculated to preserve the
spirits of the soldiers of France.
La Tour dAuvergne was not I'M
worthy in life the honor thus paid him
after his death He was educated for
tho army, entered in 1861, and in 1881
served under the Duke de Crillon at
Tie siege OF Port Mahon He served
always with distinction, but constantly
refused offers of promotion, saying
that he was only fl for the command
of company ofgrenadiers; but finally
the various grenadier companies being
united, he found himself in command
Of a body Of eight thousand men,
while retaining only the rank Of cap
tain
Hence he was known rs the first
greuadier OF France.
But it is Of one particular exploit of
Ia shat we wish to write, more than
his career in general
When he was forty years Of age, he
went on a visit to "a friend not far from
a section of the country that soon was
to become the scene of campaign. -
While there he was busy in acquaint-
ing himself with the features Of the
country, thinking it not unlikely that
this knowledge might be Of use TO him,
aud while here the brave gronadier
was astonishod to learn that the war
had been rapidly shifted to this quar-
ter, and that a regiment of Austrians
was pushing on to occupy narrow
pass about ten miles from where he
was staying, and the possession OF
which would give them an opportunity
TO prevent an important movement OF
the French which was then on foot.
They hoped TO surprise this post, and
wero moving so rapidly upon it that
they were not more than two hours
distant from the place where he was
staying, aud where they would have to
pass in their march. 1t matters not
how he heard the news 1t is suffici.
ent to say that he determined at once
to act upon it.
He had no idea OF being captured by
tho enemy in their advance, and he at
once set OFF for the pass He knew
that the pass was defended by n heavy
tower, aud "a garrison of thirty men
and he hoped to be able to warn the
men Of their near danger
He FASTENED on, and arriving there
found the tower in perfect condition
Il had just been vacated by the gar
rison who had heard of ,he approach
of the Austrians, and had been seized
with a panic thereat, and had fled
leaving their arms, consisting of thirty
excellent muskots.
La Tour d'Auyergno CRASHED his
teeth with rage as he discovered this
Searching the building lie found sever
al boxes of ammunition under the lool
holes that commanded the road by
which the enemy must advance.
Then he a.e heartily of the proyis
ions he had brought with him, and sa
down to wait He had absolutel,
formed the resolution to defend i
alone against the enemy.
There were some things in his favo
/ in such an undertaking. The pas
was steep and narrow, and the enemy
troops could enter it only in doubl
files, and in doing this would be full.
Q exposed to the fire from the tower. r
4 The original garrison of thirty mel
6 could have easily held it against dl
vision, and now only one man wa
about to hold it against regiment.
1t was dark when La Tour d Auver
q gne reached the tower, and he had t
2 wait some time for the enemy. The
p were longer coming than he expected
and for while he was disposed to be
. lieye they had abandoned the exped
Il ton.
i About midnight, however, his pract
/ iced ear caught the tramp of feet
q Every moment the sound came neare
and at last he heard them entering tn
i defile. Immediately he discharged
= couple of muskets into the darkness
II let them know that he knew of the
T. presence and intentions, and he hear
the quick, short commands of the oil
GERS, aud, from the sounds he suppose
Q the troops were passing from the pas
,, Until the morning he was undisturbe'
y The Austrian commander, feeling a
= sured that the garrison had been IL
! formed of his movements and was pr
:. pared to receive him, saw that b
J. could not surprise the post as he ha
II proposed to do, and deemed it prudel
Of to wait till daylight before making Il
y. attack
/ At sunrise he summoned the garl
son to surrender. A grenadier an
is wered the summons.
"Say to your commander" he sal
in reply to the messenger, chat tn
garrison will defend this pass to Il
last extremity"
lp uLo oaioar ,vbo bol norma the II,