Watertown republican. [volume] (Watertown, Wis.) 1860-1906, 1870-08-03
Leading Officers Of the French Army.
MARSHAL MACMAHON


4 Marshal MacMahon, who holds chic
command of the French army, has vel
earned the reputation of a brave and skill
flll soldier. His father was Lieutenant.
General in the armies of France, and had
hlm educated at the military school of st.
! Cyr. At the age of 10 he was a sub-Lieu-
! tenant IN the 4th Hussars. He exchanged
INTO regiment bound for Africa, where on
| the hill of Monzai, Gen ClanzeI rewarded
MIN with the Cross of the Legion of Honor
on aecourt,of the reckless daring he had
displayed An incident in the African cam
| palgn shows his intrepid character At the
| close of the successful battle of Tarchia
| Gen. Archard wished to send an order to Col
Rulhteres at Blldah, between and miles
OF to change the order of his march. This
commission he entrusted to MacMahon,
and offered him a squadron of mounted
| chasseurs as an escort. He declined their
protection and rode off alone. His Jour-
ney lay entirely through the enemy's coun-
try, which was rugged and irregular. About
800 yards from BIidah lay a ravine, broad,
deep, and PERCEPTIONS. MacMahon had
hidden close to the ravine, when suddenly
he beheld a most of Arabs in full pursuit of
nm from every side. One look told him
MS chances. There was no alternative
than to jump the treacherous abyss or be
outchered by his pursuers. He set his
horses head at the leap, put spur and whip
to 1t, and cleared the ravine at a bound
The pursuing Arabs, dismayed, ventured no
further, and only sent after the daring SOL
der shower of bullets as horse and rider
rolled over on the other side, with the Door
steed's leg broken. At the attack on Con-
stantine he received further promotion.
He continued connected with African
warfare and public affairs until the opening
OF the Russian war, when more favorable
opportunity to attain military fame present
ed itself On the 8th Of September the
perllous honor devoIved on him of carving
the Malakoh, which formed the kew Of the
detences of Sebastopol. The impetuous
ardor OF his troops proved irresistible.
They entered the works and maintained for
hours desperate conflict with the Rus
slams. Pellissier, the Commander-in-C Chief.
believed the fort was mined. He sent
MacMahon orders to retire. 81 will hold
my ground, " was the reply, dead or alive. "
Success crowned his bravery, and the tri-
color soon hoated above the fortress
After more brilliant services in Algeria, |
the Austrian war next called him to the
field. In one week from the commence
ment Of hostilities the French had driven
back the Austrians across the Ticino. turn
ed their flank and forced them to give
battle. with suddenness which the |
French had not anticipated, the Austrians
on the 4th Of june 1859, with force of |
15O, 600 men, attacked the advancing
French at the bridge of Magenta. The |
choicest French troops were there, and |
they met the attack with unbrolsen front |
and drove back the foe with loss. But the |
Austrlans, reinforced at every moment, |
seemed destined to be the victors, |
MacMahon with the force under his COM
mand had early in the day crossed the river
farther up to execute flank movement.
He heard the booming of the guns, and in
a moment realized the situation. Hastily
reversing his orders he advanced against
the enemy. The movement proved decis-
I've. The Austrians were utterly routed
and fled in disorder leaving 1000 prison
ers IN the hands of the victors, and &c, 900 |
soldiers killed and wounded on the field of |
battle. In 1861, MacMahon, now Duke of
attended the coronation of vii.
liam of Prussia, whom now he encounters
IN deadly warfare. In physical appear
ance Marshal MacMahon is rather below
the middle size with small but well-shaped |
face and head, and spare, lightsome figure.
He is now in his sixty-second year.
MARSHAL CANROBERT
Marshal Canrobert has been the compan-
lon-ln-arms of MacMahon on many hard
fought field. At the age of 26 he left