The Bedford gazette. [volume] (Bedford, Pa.) 1805-current, 1869-12-16
Jh& 8edfura Gazette
CAPTAIN OBSTINATE.


tie. on the 9TH of November, 1872,
short time after the battle of Wiazma.
We beat retreat, not before the Rus
SLAMS, for they were at respectable
distance from our camp, bat before the
sharp and bitter cold of theil detesta-
bic county-a cold more terrible to us
than the Russians, Austrians and Ba-
varians all put together.
During the preceding days our Off
GERS had told Us thatwe were approach
ing Smolensko, where we should get
food, fire, brandy and shoes; but IN the
meantime we were perishing in the
glaciers and continually harassed by
the Cossacks. We had marched six
hours without stopping to take breath,
for we knew that rep0se was certain
death. An icy wind blew the drifting
snow in our faces, and from time to
time we stumbled over the frozen
corpse of a comrade. We neither
spoke nor sang even complaints were
no longer heard and that was bad
sign. | marched by the side of my
captain-short, strongly built, rough
and severe, but brave and true as the
blade of his sword we called him
''Captain Obstinate" for when he once
said thing, it was fixed; he never
changed his opinions. He had been
wounded at Wiazma, and his usual
Cbn fIxy no
while a ragged white handkerchief, all
stained with blood, was bound round
his head, and added to the palor of his
countenance. All at once l saw him
stagger on his legs like drunken
man, then fall like a block to the
ground.
"Good heavens captain" | said,
bending over him, ''you cannotremain
here"
"You see that | can since | do it."
replied he, showing his legs.
Captain" said /. "you mn8t not
give way :" and lifting him in my
arms, l tried to put him on his feet.
He leaned on me and attempted 10
walk, but in vain; he fell again drag
ging me with him.
"John," said he "all is over. Leave
me here, and rejoin your company as
/ quickly as possible. One word before
you go! At Veroppe, near Grenoble,
lives good woman, eighty-two years
of age, my-my mother. Go and see
her, embrace her for me, and tell her
/ that-that-tell her what you will, but
give her this purse and my cross. 1t
is all l have! now go!'
"Is that all, captain ?''
''That is all, God bless you! Make
haste Adieuw
/ My friends, l do not know how it
was, but 1 felt two tears roll down my
/ cheeks.
mo, captain l cried, ~ will not
leave you; either you come with me,
or ] will remain with yon."
81 forbid you to remain"
"You may put me under arrest,
then, if you like, but at present you
must let me do as l please"
''You are an insolent fellow"
every good, captain, but you must
come with me-"
He bit his lips with rage, but said no
more. lifted him and carried him
upon my shoulder like a sack. You
can easily imagine that with such
burden, could not keep pace with
my comrades. In fact, | soon lost
sight of their columns, and could see
nothing around me but the white and
silent plain. / still walked on, when
presently appeared troop CT Cossacks
| gallOping towards me, with furious
gesticulations and wild cries.
The captain was by this time COM
pletely insensible; and | resolved,
whatever it might cost me, not to a.
/ bandon him. | laid down on the
ground, and covered him with snow.
Then / crept beneath heap Of dead
bodies; leaving, however my eyes at
liberty. Presently the Cossacks came
up, and began to strike with their
lances right and left, while their horses
trampled us under their feet. One of
these heavy beasts set his foot upon
nv arm and crushed it. My friends,
did not speak, ! did not stir; ] bit
my mouth 10 stifie the cry of torture
which nearly escaped from me, and in
a few minutes the COssacks had dis
persed.
When the last of them had disap-
peared l quilted my refuge, and pro-
ceeded to disinter the captain. To my
ioy he gave some signs of life. ! con-
trived to carry him with my one arm
toward rock which offered sort of
shelter, and then laid myself by his
side, wrapping my cloak round us
| both.
The night closed in, and the snow
continued to fall. The rear guard had
long since disappeared, and the only
sound that broke the stiffness of the
night was the whistle of the bullet or
| the bowling Of the wolves feasting on
the corpses that lie stretched around.
Heaven knows what thoughts passed
through my soul during that dreadful
night, which l felt sure, would be my
last upon earth. But / remembered
the prayer which my mother had
taught me long before, when | was a
child at her knees; and bending low, +,
| repeared it with fervor.
That did NE good, and | felt aston
ishingly calmed when | returned to
my PLACE by the captain. Yet the
LII f,lIon Ia Ia: O