Wood County reporter. [volume] (Grand Rapids [i.e. Wisconsin Rapids], Wis.) 1857-1923, 1872-12-05

venture was all bu. secuted, it could not
be disproved in its facts, which are given
with the most minute details of dates,
names and places, 1t was settled that
Bard and Hutin were to take the flag and
oontrive to get into the cathedral under
pretense of seeing the sun rise from the
tower. If the sacristan made any resist.
ance he was 70 be flung over the parapet.
Then, having dragged down the white
flag, and set the tricolor floating from the
tower, Bard was TO hurry ON to lend his
aid to Dumas, who would be engaged at
the powder magazine. Such was the
dashing plan OF these three men
They started at dsybreak, and Dumas
made his way to the Fort st. Jean, where
a small pavilion, close to the gateway,
was used as the magazine. He dared not
attempt The gate, but, stealing around,
climbed up the wall cautiously, and took
a peep into the fort. He saw two SOL
diers busy hoeing in a little garden at the
corner. He let himself down again, look
ed over at the distant cathedral. He SAW
distinctly against the sky a dark outline
of some figures; then the white flag, after
being tossed about in an extraordinary
fashion that could not have been owing
to the wind, finally disappeared, and the
tricolor took its place. Now was the mo-
ment; his companions had done their part!
He slung his double barreled gun about
him, and began to climb the wall. When
he got to the top he saw the two soldiers
staring with wonder at the strange flag
on the cathedral; then, cooking both bar.
rels of his gun, he leaped down and stood
before them. One was named Captain
Mollard; the other Sergeant Ragou. He
advanced on them, presenting his piece,
and made them q courteous but hurried
speech, explaining who he was, and his
errand. He was Monsieur Alexander
Dumas, son of General Dumas, etc. He
came in the name of General Gerard to
demand the surrender of the powder, and
there was his order, signed by the Cen
eral, which he presented with IL hand,
holding his cooked gun in the other. The
pair were much taken back and knew not
what to do, when the Colonel, D'Orcourt,
who was in command, was seen approach.
ing. The matter was explained to him,
and after many courteous phrases a treaty
was arranged, by which the three officers
promised their neutrality, and engaged to
keep within doors. Thus the powder
magazine would seem to have been cap
tured by Dumas single-handed. 1t has
the air of q very brilliant achievement,
and the picture of the hero alone in the
fort, his finger OF the trigger Of his gun,
courteously but firmly controlling his
three opponents, is a most dramatic
scene. When writing the account of his
adventure, flcm which we take these par
ticulars, however, Dumas forgets that in
the Off 3ial report furnished to the Mont.
teUr twenty-three years before, he had
stated that three of his friends were wait
ing at the gate.
Thus successful, he opened the gate and
found his friend Bard. To him he hand
ed over the charge of the magazine, and
went away TO deal with the Commandant
of the fort, LINERS. lie found this officer
Just rising and discussing the news of the
sudden appearance of the flag on the
cathedral. Dumas laid down his gun at
the door, introduced himself, and made
his demand for an order to remove the
powder. The other declined to acknowl-
edge General Gerard's order, and said
that there was scarcely any powder in
the magazine. The Commandant seemed,
in fact, rather amused, and smiled scorn-
fully when Dumas answered that the
ilhltl at Nhc lldSaLibS NNtS us 'lioollNlp
Alexandra replying that he would go back
at once and bring proof under their hand
that the powder was there, made his bow,
and retired. He flew back, found that he
was right, and returned presently with
satisfactory proof that q large quantity
| of powder was in the magazine. But
when he reached the commandments office
he found that the party had been increas-
| al ,l,,r.ar ~, nl,,p,Nna n,l TINT / ayFnr,n
an officer Of gendarmes, and Bonvilliers,
Colonel of the Engineers, were there, in
full uniform, and armed. The Comman-
dant addressed him in a sort of bantering
tone, telling him that he had sent for
| these officers, who, with him, were in
command Of the town, in order that they
might have the pleasure of hearing N.
Dumas explain his mission. The young
man saw that b0ldness was his only re-
source, and coolly told him that he had
been engaged by Lafayette to bring the
powder to Paris, or to lose his life, and
that he insisted on the Commandant hand
ing over that powder to him. The officers
passed on Gerard's order from one to
the other with a sort Of smiling con-
tempt.
"And So" said the Commandant, in
the same tone, $50, single-handed, Mon.
sieur Dumas-l think you said that was
your name-you propose to force me to
do this. You see that we are four"
The young man saw that matters were
coming to a crisis, and took a prompt res,
o~lution. He stepped back, pulled his
double-barreled pistols from his pockets,
and presented them at the startled party.
"You are four" he said, gentlemen.
But we are five. If that order be not
| signed in five seconds, | give you my
word of honor / win blow your brains
out, beginning with the Commandments,
there!"
He owned he felt a little nervous, but
he was determined.
Take care" he went on; ~ mean what
! say. am going to count. One-two-
three"
AT this critical moment a side door was
flung open, and alady flung herself among
them in a paroXysm of alarm.
"Agreel agree!" she cried. "Oh, this
is another revolt of the negroes! Think
of my poor father and mother, whom thoy
murdered in St. Domingo!"
Alexandra owned that the lady's mis-
take was excusable, considering his own
natural tint (deepened by violent brown.
ing from the SUM, and the peculiar char.
acter of hair and voice. But we may won.
der at the insensibility TO ridicule which
could prompt him to set down such a Jest
at his own expense. The truth was, he
was SO filled with vanity, that all the
nicer senses became blunted, and he was
even unconscious of the roars of laughter
these foolish condolences produced. The
CoLNmandant could not resist the entrea-