Knoxville journal. [volume] (Knoxville, Iowa) 1874-1986, 1875-10-28


| mands of the officers, and from the sounds
| he supposed the troops were retiring from.
the pass. Until the morning he was un-
disturbed. The Austrian commander,
feeling sure that the garrison had been in
| formed of his movements and was pre-
pared 10 receive him, saw that he could
not surprise the post, as he had hoped to
do, and deemed il prudent to wait until
daylight before making the attack.
At sunrise he summoned the garrison to
surrender. A grenadier answered the
Say to your commander" he said
in reply to the messenger, that the garri-
son will defend this pos. to The last ex-
tremity."
The officers who had borne the flag of
truce retired, and in about ten minutes a
piece Of artillery was brought into the pass,
and opened on the tower. But TO effect
this the piece had to be placed directly
In front of the tower, and in easy musket
range of it. They had scarcely got the gun
in position when rapid fire was opened
on it from the tower, and continued with
such marked effect that the piece was
withdrawn after the second discharge with
loss Of five men.
This was bad beginning, so, half an
hour after the gun was Withdrawn, the
Austrian Colonel ordered an assault. As
the troops entered the defile they were
received with rapid and accurate fire, so
that when they had passed over half
the distance they had to traverse they
had lost fifteen men. Dishesrtened by
this they returned to the mouth of the
defile.
Three more assaults were repulsed in
this manner, and the enemy by sunset had
lost forty-five men, OF whom ten were
killed.
The firing from the tower had been
rapid and accurate, but the Austrian com
mander had noticed this peculiarly about
it-every shot seemed to come from the
same place. For while this perplexed
him. but at last he came to the conclusion
that there were number of loop-holes
close together in the tower so constructed
as to command the ravine perfectly.
At sunset the last assault was made and
repulsed, and at dark the Austrian com
mander sent summons to the garrison.
This time the answer was favorable. The
garrison offered to surrender at sunrise the
next morning if allowed to march out
with their arms and returned to the army
unmolested After some hesitation the
terms were accepted.
Meanwhile La Tour d'Auvergne had
passed an anxious day in the tower. He
had opened the fight with an armament OF
thirty loaded muskets, but had not been
able to discharge them all. He had fired
with amazing rapidity and with surprising
accuracy, for it was well known in the
army that he never threw away shot. He
had determined TO stand at his post until
he had accomplished his end, which was
TO hold the place twenty -four hours in or.
der to give the French army time TO COM
plete the maneuver. After that he knew
the pass would be of no consequence to
the enemy. When the demand for sur
render came to him after the last assault
he consented to ii upon the condition
have named.
The next day, at sunrise, the Austrian
troops lined the pass In two files, extend.
ing from the mouth to the tower, leaving
place between them for the garrison 10
pass out.
The heavy door of the tower opened
slowly, and in few minutes bronZed
and SCARED grenadier, literally loaded
down with muskets, came out and passed
down the lines of troops. lie walked
with difficulty under his heavy load. bu
there was proud and satisfied look or
his face. ...
To the surprise of the Austrians no one
followed him from the tower. In aston
ishment the Austrian Colonel rode up u
him and asked in French why the garrison
did not come.
~ am the garrison, Colonel" said The
soldier proudly.
"Whatg exclaimed the Colonel, ado
you mean to tell me that you alone have
held that tower against me?"
Il have had that honor. Colonel" was
the reply.
"What possessed you to make such ar
attempt, grenadier?'
1.-The honor Of France was at stake. ,
The Colonel gazed at him for amomen'
with undisguised admiration. Then, rails
ing his cap, he said, warmly:
Grenadier, / salute you. You have
proved yourself to-day the bravest Of the
brave"
The officer caused all the arms which
La Tour d'Auvergne could not carry to bt
collected, and sent them all with the
grenadier into the French lines, together
with note relating the whole affair
When the knowledge of it came to the
ears OF Napoleon he offered to promote
La Tour d'Auvergne; but the latter de
clined TO accept the promotion, saying that
he preferred to remain where he was.
The brave soldier met his death in an
action at Ouerhausen, in Bavaria, in June
1900, and the simple but expressive scene
at roll-call in his regiment was com.
menced and continued by, the express
command of the Emperor himself.