The Bolivar bulletin. [volume] (Bolivar, Hardeman County, Tenn.) 1865-1888, 1877-11-29
feet of the general, with single cry ior
60 yyauoraouoa fJs

] feet OF the general, with single cry iOI
/" vengeance ~
| The general raised her kindly and re-
/ spectfully, demanding at the same mo-
] ment an explanation o. the scene before
| him. There was put little need fol-
words; the objects upon which he gazed
/ bore to his mind the accusation of his
subordinate that disfgured corpse
| that female upon whose lineaments were
stamped horr0r and despair-that feeble
child, with his pallid cheeks and his
eyes streaming with tears, calling upon
his father, who answered not
The general perceived at once that
| there was no fact to be ascertained, no
excuse to be admitted. His eyes flashed
| fire, and, striking his glove forcibly upon
| the palm Of his left hand, he turned
abruptly and with lowering brow to the
assassin who stood before him speechle S
/ and trembling, and exclaimed:
Sir, you are a coward and a savage
What murder In cold blood an uDarmed
| -defenseiess-a a veteran-befOIe the
eyes of his wife, implOring mercy It is
the act of a fiend I ,"
But, general" muttered the Grim
inal, with hesitating voice, the voice of
one who feels he is lost.
" Be silent, sir" interrupted the gen.
eral " I listen to no excuses, admit of
no defense. You are unworthy to serve
the republic Give me your sword,
your epaulettes. From this moment you
are dismissed from the brigade you have
| disgrsoed, from the army upon which
you are a stain"
The major raised his head with fierce,
proud look.
" General" he said, but with voice
that betrayed his emotion, surrender
my sword, but demand a trial by my
comrades"
" You shall have it, cir, and within the
hour"
Then turning to the officers who had
accompanied him to the spot, and rev.
erentialIy barring his head before the
body of the victim, he said to them:
Unite with me, gentlemen, in rem
dering tribute of respect to unfortunate
OOur8ge-to a brave and fallen enemy"
The remainder of that dreadful day
was passed by Madame 81. in the bitter
ness of grief. After witnessing the
interment of her husband with military
hUnOrs, this unhappy woman, who had
lost in single moment, and under cir
cumstances of such peculiar horrors, all
that made life dear to her. except her
boy, sank into lethargy of sOrrOw-an
abandonment to wretchedness. While
she had a murdered husband to avenge,
helpless child to protect and save, she
had preserved her energies of mind and
body; but now, when the assassin had
undergone the shame of a public degre-
dation, and the prompt and terrible jus
tice of a military commission impended
over his head, the hapless widow could
think of nothing but her loss. For her
there seemed 10 be no longer cause of
hope or fear. She was, therefore, more
astOnished than alarmed when, early the
next morning, a French aid-de camp
waited upon her with request from the
eOmmander-in-chieft that she would repair
Immediately to his quarters at the Hotel
de Vile. Without a word of inquiry or
remOnstrance, she arose, took her child in
her arms, and followed the messenger to
the general.
Led to the council chamber at the mo-
ment of her arrival, Madame II. found
herself surrounded by all the glories of
the republican army; by those celebrated
men for whom such wODdrous destinies
were reserved; by whom crowns were to
be won and lost, and of whom in after
years, so many were to lose on battle
fields, amid the intrigue of cabinets, or
the corruptiOns of a court, the honor for
which they were painting, or the lives
they were now 70 ready TO peril in its
winning. They were Murat, Durec,
Lannes, Dessaix, Massena, Hoche and
Bernadotte; and in the midst of them
the general, who, with arms folded on
his breast and eyes fixed On the floor,
walked slowly to and fro, as if in deep
end painful meditation.
On the entrance of Madame H. he
stopped abruptly-motioned her ts be
seated, and then after gazing for a mo-
ment upon the face of her child, with q
gentle smile of interest and affection, re-
sumed his walk. Madame ii. began TO
feel alarm.
This unexpected summons, this strange
reception, the silence that prevailed
around her, all combined, first 10 sur
prise and then to terrify her. A vague
sensation Of anxiety and fear oppressed
her heart, and she coald not command
her nerves for the utUerance of a single
word that might call forth a sOlu tion of
her doubts.
All at once the roll of a drum, at a
little distance, startled her from her rev.
cries. It was quickly followed by a vol
ley of musketry, and the General, pans-
ing in his walk, placed his hand upon her
arm and lRd her 70 window, from which
she beheld in the square below the fear
full spectacle of a military execution just
accomplished.
"LoOk, madam" !" he said, in a calm yet
impressive tone, "the man whom you see
lying dead upon the ground was French
officer, whom his comrades in arms have
condemned to death for the assassination
of an Austrian, in a city taken by
assault"
He paused for moment; then glanc-
ing round upon the officers who STOOD
near them, he continued:
"You are at liberty to quit Ivrre this
morning. Gen. Dessaix, whom ] have
requested to be your escort, will answer
to the republic for your safety. Ferewell,
madam; report to the Prince Charles
what you have seen of the justice
maintained in the armies of the FIR, nch."
This general, at that time first consul,
was afteTward the Emperor Napoleon.
e.. II, 7. in COUFt-