The Vancouver independent. (Vancouver, W.T. [Wash.]) 1875-1910, 1877-12-13
The Act of q Fiend.


During the campaign OF 1900 the
French army, destined to meet the power
of Austria on the plains of Italy, before
it could render itself master of Turin and of
Milan, penetrate even to the walls of Genoa,
and declare the terms of peace on the bat
tlefield of Marengo, had yet to surmount
the vast Alpine barrier which extends
from the St. Bernard to Nice and Mon
tenotte, and to overcome series Of ire
mendous obstacles, presenting themselves
one after another in seemingly endless
succession, and task to the utmost, if not
defying, the courage of the troops and
the military genius and perseverance of
the leaders. These obstacles were not
merely the results of natural position
there were instances in which the resist
ance of the invaded was more obstinate
and more terrible than that of mountains,
precipices, or rivers. Protected by forti-
fications of little strength or difficulty,
and but very inefficiently aided by To-
cality which yielded but few means or
opportunities of vigorous defence, but
sustained by an indomitable courage,
great resource of invention, and an en-
thusiastic love of country, infinitely more
formidable even than their courage and
their skill, the inhabitants of the small
town and citadel of Ivree, with garrison
of four thousand Austrian soldiers and
twenty live pieces Of cannon, maintained
their post for three days against an army
of forty thousand Frenchmen, command
ed by the three youngest but already
most illustrieus generals in Europe
Massena, Lannes and Bernadotte.
Furious at seeing his march thus ar
rested before this insignificant little place,
he who had taken Alexandria in a day,
and Cairo in an hour, and impatient,
moreover, to assume his positions for the
investment of Milan, the commander in
chief, on the 25th Of May, 1900, ordered
the division of General Lannes to march
upon the village in all its force, and take
it by assault. After three hours of san
culinary combat, of fierce attack, and the
most heroic defense, handful of the de-
Tenders, driven from the citadel, retreat
ing step by STEP, and holly pursued by
the victorious Frenchmen, threw them
selves as last resort into the quarters of
Adiutant General H., with the resolution
there TO main tain themselves to the last
and sell their lives as dearly as they
might. In moment the house occu-
pied by this brave veteran was converted
into a fortress-barricade were thrown
up, loopholes for musketry cut in the
walls, and every disposition made that
time and means afforded for a last des-
perate resistance.
Lannes, who was the first to enter the
assaulted village, detached an officer in
command of two bsttalions TO drive the
insurgents from their position. The of
fcer, equally distinguished among his
fellow soldiers for his impetuous courage
and his terocity, soon forced his way, at
the head of one Of his battalions, into the
disputed mansion, trampling as he went
upon the dead bodies of the forty brave
fellows by whom it had been defended
Gen. H. the only survivor, after beholding
the slaughter of the garrison, had armed
himself with Ratchet, and with most
superhuman strength and desperation OPP
posed the entrance of the republicans
and when their leader presented himself,
sword in hand, 1T the door of the room TO
which he had retreated, as his last stand
of defence, the old general aimed at his
head furious blow, which would have
closed his career at once and forever, had
it not been skillfully parted by the sabre
of the Frenchman. 1t was the last etor,
of the wounded and weary veteran; he
fell, and in another moment the apart
ment was filled with republicans.
The Frenchman, who was never known
to yield quarter to vanquished enemy II
the fifteen years of his welded life
stepped forward to dispatch the faller
general, when a young and lovely woman
rushed from an adjoining room, threw
herself at his feet, and kneeliDg there
pale, distracted, the tears streaming from
her eyes, shrieked forth in voice Of
terror and despair;
"Spare him-O, spare him-do not
take his life--he is my husband-the ia
ther of my child"
The Freedman glanced for a moment
at the supplisnt with an eye in which
there az no trace of either anger or pity
and then, deliberately pushing her aside
be made step " advance, took cool
and steady aim with his pistol at the
wounded officer and sh' t him through
Al