Clearfield Republican. [volume] (Clearfield, Pa.) 1851-1937, 1873-08-20
MacMahon's Leap for Life.

in 1881 MacMahon, then young
lieutenant serving with the French
army in Algeria, under the command
of Marshal Bugeaud, was stationed
with small company of men at an
outlying settlement, forty miles from
headquarters. Tho Arabs, then Bit
torly hostile 10 tho colonists, bosieged
tho small fort, slaughtered all tho set
tiers thoy could catch, intercepted all
supplies, and brought the little garri-
son to tho very verge OF starvation,
Capitulation was not to be thought of,
for that meant immediate slaughter.
Help from the Marshal was not 10 be
thought Of, for he was quito unaware
of their danger in fact all hope seem
cd lost, when MacMabon volunteered
to be the bearer Of dispatches an
nouncing their predioamcnt The
commander thought the venture por-
fectly useless, as tho intervening coun-
try was absolutely alive with infuri-
atod Arabs, but being aware that help
must como in that manner, il it came
at all, he reluctantly consented to
what he considered at the time was
tho desperate sacrifice of valuable
life.
MacMahon, perfectly overjoyod at
gaining consent to his enterprise, spent
the short time intervening before his
start in looking carefully to the equip
ments of his horse and 10 his own ac-
coutrements, and in the first hour of
darkness he set out, brisk, bithe and
debonndire, as ever gay young soldier
on parade, with bright eyes gazing on
his splendor. The willy Arabs, seldom
caught unaware, soon noted his dc.
parturc, and followed hard and fast in
his rear; but seeing that his course lay
toward broad and deep ravinc, some
five miles from the post, they spread
out widely, hoping to outflank him
when ho should be compelled to turn
at tho brink, and 30, securing him
alive, learn from him under torture all
tho particulars concerning tho French
forces which they wanted to obtain.
MacMahon, who had in the first mile
or two easily distanced them, under
stood their plan thoroughly, and was
prepared to meet it. He looked back
and saw in the moonlight the constant,
ly increasing crowd ofwhite-clad war
riors spreading out in a wide semi
circle behind him. He knew we'll
how they would exult in the thought
that they would wiring from his tor
tured franc all the secrets they want
cd to know, and he quickly slackened
q little the headlong speed of his horse,
in order to reserve his strength for the
effort he had determined upon, that
should-he hoped save life and liber-
ty. The Arabs, thinking that his
herso was already failing, removed
their efforts TO overiake and surround
him, and by the timo he had reached
within fow hundred yards of the
brink, their shout Of triumph was
clearly audible. But Arabs, as well
rs other men, sometimes count their
chickens before they are hatched, and
80 it proved they had done in this case
They had headed him 10 the brink of
the dreadful chasm, and followed hard
behind, certain of an easy capture,
when all of sudden, obedient to the
masters resolute hand upon the rein,
the horse broke into a swift gallop,
and with touch from the spur, a flick
from the glove and an encouraging
word from the well-known voice, tho
gallant steed and gallant rider cleared
the yawning gulf, and landed safe on
the other side, and were out of sight
Of the enraged Arabs before they
could get the slightest chance of TAX
ing even deliberate aim. In two
hours moro MacMahon stood before
his astoundod chief, and two hours af-
ter that, refusing rest and relief, he
accompanied the aid he had risked his
life to procure on its way TO his be-
loaguered comrades.