The morning star and Catholic messenger. [volume] (New Orleans [La.]) 1868-1881, 1875-10-17
NUMBER 81
"Ah You prefer promotion"

| you pEoIer prOmOtlO1.'
'"Sire, they say that things are not going
wei In spain since your majesty left there.
send mo thither; give me a company, and
viii win death or the cross."
VERY WELL"
received the company I sought not how
ever, in French but in an italian regiment.
l was ordered to Arragon in November, 1910,
and made part of the army commanded by
suohet. MY colonel, San Polo received me
warmly.
"You will find more than one of your couu-
trymen in my regiment said he land you
had better have them give an account of your
men. warn you that they are very devils.
ion must be vigilant and firm just but infiex-
bic 1t not, you will fiud yourself exposed to
strange surprises aud be put TO the necessity
of furnishing you"
The colonel was false prophet. Those
Italians are terrible soldiers. Raeh, useful
prinCi pally for an assault or coup dc main neyer
hinching under fire, but, once out of it, quar-
reisome, intractable and given to pillaging;
ours, confess, more than once seemed to sack
and destroy for the mere pleasure of doing so.
L can yet see the comical though moving scene
which took peace in Burgess whore my battal-
ion, in 1S0S, boiled their pots with all the man
dolines and guitars they could find in the city,
who hastened to bring them coal and wood.
But the soup, seasoned with Jokes and bursts
Of laughter, seemed to them the better for it.
Before return to my story, few words on
the situation of the army of Arragon.
General suchet had taken one after another
the towns Of Mequinenza on the southern
confines of the province Of Hueaca Laredo, in
Lower Catalonia, to the northwest Of Mequine-
MA and TOrtosa, south of Lerida, at the ex-
treuity of the province of Torragona. He
thus commanded part Of the rivers Ebro the
Segre, and the Cinca and, moreover, the cap
ture of those cities had enabled him to collee:
complete park OF seige artillery at Tortosa.
Unfortunately, the commandant Of Fguera hRv-
ing allowed himself to be surprised in Upper
Catalonia our forces there were compelled to
fall back toward Gironia, and the Spanish
General CRmuOverna. hpatan hafnra
by paraguay d'Hilliers, had Profted by
mishaP, not only to rally his troops, bat also
to annoy our magazines and communications.
Therefore, although he had received orders
from the Emperor, on the 10th Of March to in
vest Tarragona, whose capture, completing
our occupation Of the priucipaiity of Catalo-
mia, would have opened the road TO Valeptia
to us, General Suchet did not yet dare attempt
an enterprise of such Importance. The task
of keeping the two districts of Mora and Aleu-
niz in subjection-the first in Lower Catafo-
mia, to the north of TortOsa, ard the sccond in
Arragon to the north west of MequineuZA, and
in the province of Ternel--paralyzcd his for
ccs. His artillery, too, bad been retarded In
short, instead of ar effective force of over forty
Thousand men. which the junction of the army
of ArraGon with that of Catalonia should have
formed, he had not more thunthirty battaiions
at his service.
You are not q soldier, aud you do not under
stand how even the lowest officer racks his
head over the probabilities OF some approach
ing ex pedition, and with what feveIish imp1.
thence the men IN Ire ranks await Inc al2nAI
of departure. Headquarters were established
at Laredo and magazines already were placed
at Reus, MoDblanch, and Alcobar, to the north
and west of TarragonS but it was reported
that an English aeet under Admiral Adams
was preparing to reprovision the last named
city, and TO interrupt our Communications by
transporting to onr rear the troops of Campoy-
erde and Sarsheld by the mouths OF the Ebro.
Our park of seige artillery remained motion
less at Tortosa, and as yet Suchet had not be-
gun to move.
was at Mora, where my battalion was to
remain, IL the jokers about camp were to be-
lieved absurd rumor, for wherever q
vigorous blow was to be struck the Italians
never failed to come in for their share. bad
formed close friendship with Lieutenant Pol
idoTo, q reckless individual, bnt one Of the
best bearted fellows in the service. He was
from Milan, and bad commenced life as choir
boy. A rererSndissine, almost unknown to
time to time fifty scudi by way Of pocket
money. The day he received this little remit
lance was q gala-day for the whole battalion.
Vino flowed through the camp Not 3 man
q aOW, bat he had had his fun, and drank many
times to the health Of MOusignor CaPellini, as
he called his friend.
His father was unknown 20 him. aud often
would he cTy, t%irlinS his shake on his sword,
when asked why he did not assume the pater-
nal coRnomen:
"Wby should recognize an old follow who
shows 80 little pride in having . grenNdier Of
my height for son -
The gayety of Polidoro, tho friendship of his
comrades for him, the attachment of bis men,
whose enthusiasm was excited by bis bravery
and liberality, inspired me, at last with the
most unlimited confidence in him and we'll
satisfied with never having to iuhict the
slightest punishment, thanks 70 the excellent
reports he always brought me Of the oompany,
/ placed matters Of nero discipline entirely IN
his hands.
Suddenly, one Rne morning, at roll-Call, not
one of my men, with the exception Of the
Sous-LientenRnt Broeard-A Ffenchmeu AXE
myaelf-appeared on the parade ground. He,
sad and crest fallen, informed me that our
company had filed away during the night
tnuard Bateh. To the north Of Cagssrras, on the