The interior journal. [volume] (Stanford, Ky.) 1872-1881, 1873-05-23

word, cough, few falling pieces Of
plaster would have betrayed them. On
ly one consolation was theirs, and that
was, when Il came 10 the test, 10 fight
without mercy 10 the very last cartridge
and on the narrow stairway Of the tow
er IN sell their lives dearly. But Hoff
did not forget them. He Immediately
called for reinforcemens from the near
est village. There were sent him lieu
tenant and thirty men, all francs tieurs,
who placed themselves under his orders.
Thus reinforced, the little band set out
on their march by the same road. but
had to wait until night for operations.
Night having arrived, Hoff was the first
10 dash forward upon the picket Sur
prised a second time, the Prussians fled
almost without even n show Of fight.
Our men charged on down the Grande-
Rue, reached the church, when contra
ry To all expectation, the two men came
out, with pale, emaciated features, and
with barely strength TO hold their guns.
For forty eight hours they had remained
In that tower. exposed to every wind,
chilled by the piercing cold, clinging TO
the wall, daring neither TO move or
speak, with no nourishment but q bis
cult They staggered like drunken msn.
They attempted 10 eat but could not.
The trial had been too painful. They
were sent to the ambulance, from which
neither one ever rose again.
At this time Neuilly was ours. Re
nouncing offensive operations, the cne-
my had fortified themselves farther be-
yond in the vast buildings of the VIE
Eward, a celebrated Lunatic Asylum,
where afterwards General Blaise was
killed, and where they placed electric
lights every night to prevent surprise.
They also maintained an advance post
on this side Of Neuilly. This was sta
toned at the cemetery situated in a vast
plain overlooking the plateau of Avron,
and completely detached from every 9th
er position.
While Hof was examining with his
glass these Saxon ehdsseurs, the thought
occurred 10 him, that he could at night
slip around in the rear Of this post by
creeping along in the bitches. and with
a little boldness and strategy he could
take them completely by surprise. So
when it was night, our men, as usual,
creeping along on all fours, directed their
course towards the cemetery. To ap-
prOach the gate was not to be thought Of,
for that was barricaded, but the best
method was to 60 around the wall and
gain the breach used by the enemy for
an entrauce-way. In this immense plain,
all bare as it was, it was impossible to
move without being seen. They moved
on, however, and were just turning the
wall, when loud, WhO goes heref was
heard. BE qsieti SaroR O6ioeri replied
HOf. in German. The sergeant dashed
forward Immediately, his men following.
A terrific hand to hand combat took
place there in the midst Of the tombs.
In moment almost, a score Of Saxons
fell all with their throats cut, while the
remainder of the post fed panic stricken.
What must have been the anger Of
the Germans, u well as terror, in the
presence Of such foe as Hofl A sim
pie testimony to this fact will enable one
to judge of lbs intensity. TO the right
Of Vile EVrurd, on the roadside, stands
a little low house, with three holes in
the wall, and above than this inscription;
IL am compelled to die very young for
the King of Prussia. Albert LOftardt,
Saxon" There il is in that beautiful
Gothic writing. with its long slantling
letters, examples Of which are to be
found every where, alasl defacing the
walls of our houses and marking the
route Of the enemy from the Rhine to
Mayenne. The name, Albert Loftardt,
was repeated two or three times. Poor
Saxon ehasssW. during your long waking
hours Of picket duty on French soil, the
success Of your native Germany and the
glory of old King William, msttered
little 10 You, since ii could not guSran-
tee any security to you while in such
proximity to Sergeant HOh
About this time HOf suddenly disap-
peared. tobody being able to tell what
had becotne OF him. His disappearance
was the sause Of many strange suppOsi-
tions in Paris. For several days prepa- |
rations bad been making for a grand sOr-
tie tOwirds the Marne, and the Sergeant
being ordered back 10 his corpse, he
fought bn the left in the two days battle
at Cha ahpigny, and while fighting in the
ranks vas captured. AstOnished that
he shd dlld ever permit himself to be Ia
ken pl lsOnsr and asking him about Il, he
replied That iA surprising 10 me TOO.
Zoundl ! was very much astonished
myself for | had heretofore made up my |