The Cincinnati daily star. [volume] ([Cincinnati, Ohio]) 1875-1880, 1879-12-23

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. Disheartened by
this, they returned to the mouth of the
defle.
Three more assaults were repulsed in
this manner. and the enemy by sunset
had lost forty-fiye men, Of whom ten were
killed.
The firing from the tower had been
rapid and accurate but the Austrian
commander had noticed this popularity
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
loopholes close together in the tower, go
constructed as to command the ravine
perfectly. At sunset the last assault was
made and repulsed, and at dark the Aus
trian commander sent second sum-
mons to the garrison.
This time the answer was favorable.
The garrison offered to surrender at sun
rise the next morning if allowed to
march out with their arms and return to
the army unmolested. After some hesi-
tation the terms were accepted.
Meantime La Tour dAuyergne 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 rapidity but with surpris-
ing accuracy, for it was we'll known in
the army that he never threw away a
shot. He had determined to stand to his
post until he had accomplished his end,
which was to hold the place twenty-four
hours, in order to give the French army
time to complete its maneuver. After
that he knew the pass would be of no
consequence to the enemy. When the
demand for surrender came to him
after the last assault, he consented to it
upon the conditions named.
The next day at sunrise the Austrian
troops lined the pa in two files, extend
ing from the mouth to the tower, leaving
a space between them for the garrison to
pass out.
The heavy door of the tower opened
slowly, and in few minutes bronzed
and SCARED grenadier, loaded down with
muskets, came out and passed down the
line of troops. He walked with difficulty
under his heavy load.
To the surprise OF the Austrians no one
followed him from the tower.
In astonishment the Austrian colonel
rode up to him, and asked in French
why the garrison did not come out.
, 81 am the garrison, colonel" said the
soldier proudly.
"Whatl" exclaimed the colonel; edo
you mean to tell me that you alone held
that tower against me?'
81 have had that honor, colonel" was
the reply.
"What possessed you to make such an
attempt, grenadier?
''The honor of France WAS at stake"
The colonel gazed at him for mo-
ment with undisguised admiration.
Then raising his cap he said warmly:
Nfenadlef, salute you. lou nave
proved yourself the brayest Of the
brave"
The officer cansed all the arms which
La Tour d d'Auvergne could not carry to
be collected, and sent them all, with the
grenadier, into the French lines, together
with a note relating the whole atflir.
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
he preferred to remain where he was.
This brave soldier met his death in an
action at Aberhausen, in Bavaria, in
June, 1880, and the simple but express
i've scene at rolI,call in his regiment was
commenced and continued by the express
command of the Emperor himself.