The Cincinnati daily star. [volume] ([Cincinnati, Ohio]) 1875-1880, 1879-12-23
THE DAILY STAR
The First Grenadier Of France.

For many year there was touching
and beautiful custom to be witnessed In
a certain regiment of French grenadiers,
and which was meant to commemorate
the heroism of departed comrade.
When the companies presented for par
ade, and the roll was called, there was
one name to which its owner could not
answer--it was that of La Tour d Au.
vergne.
When it was called, the eldest sergeant
present stepped pace forward, and rais-
ing his hand to his cap, said proudly;
"Died on the field OF houor."
For fourteen years this custom was
continued, and only ceased when the re-
stored Bourbons, to please their foreign
masters forbade everything that was cal
culated to preserve the spirit of the SOL
diers of France.
La Tour d d'Auvergne was not unworthy
IN life the honor thus paid him after
death. He was educated for the army, EN-
tered it in 1867, and in 1881 served under
the Duke de Crilon at the siege of Port
Mahon. He served always with distinc-
ton, but constantly refused offers of pro
motion, saying that he was only fit for
the command Of company of grenadiers;
but finally, the various grenadier COM
panies being united, he found himself in
command of body of eight Thousand
men, while retaining only the rank of
captain. Hence he was known as the
First Grenadier of France. But it was of
one particular exploit of his of which we
wish to write, more than his career in
general.
When he was over forty years of age,
ae went on a visit to a friend, not far
from section Of the country that was
soon to become the scene of campaign.
While there he was busy with acquaint-
ing himself with the features of the
country, thinking it not unlikely that
this knowledge might be Of some use to
him some day, and while here the brave
grenadier was astonished to learn that
the war had rapidly shifted to this quar-
ter, that a regiment of Austrians was
pushing on to occupy a narrow pass
about ten miles from where he was stay
ing, and the possession of which would
give them an opportunity to prevent an
important movement of the French
which was then on foot They hoped to
surprise this post, and where moving
50 rapidly upon it that they were.
not more than two hours distant from
the place where he was staying, and
which they would have to pass in their
march. 1t matters not'how he heard the
news. 1t is sufficient to sly that he de-
termined at once to act upon it.
He had no idea of being caught by the
enemy in their advance, and he at once
set off for the pass. He knew that the
pass was defended by a stout tower, and
a garrison of thirty men, and he hoped
to be able to warn the men OF their dan
ger.
He hastened on, and arriving there,
found the tower in perfect condition. 1t
had just been vacated by the garrison,
who had heard of the approach of the
Austrans, and had been seized with Il
panic thereat, and had fled, leaving their
arms, consisting of thirty excellent mus
kets.
La Tour d d'Auvergne gnashed his teeth
yith rage as he discovered this. Search
ing in the building he found several
boxes of ammunition which the towards
had destroyed. For a moment he was in
despair, but then with grim smile he
began to fasten the main door, and pile
against it such articles as he could find.
When he had done this he loaded all the
guns he could find, and placed them,
together with good supply of ammu
milton, under the loopholcs that command
ed the road by which the enemy must
advance.
Then he ate heartily of the provisions
ne had brought with him, and sat down
to wait. He had absolutely formed the
heroic resolution to defend the tower
alone against the enemy.
There were some things in his favor in
such an undertaking. The pass was steep
and narrow, and the enemy's troops
could enter it only in double files, and in
doing this would be fully exposed to the
fire from the tower. The original garri-
son of thirty men could easily have held
it against division, and now one man
was to attempt to hold it against regi-
ment.
1t was dark when La Tour d'Auvergne
reached the tower, and he had to wait
for the enemy. They were longer in COM
ing than he had expected, and for a
while was tempted to believe that they
had abandoned the expedition.
About midnight, however, his prac-
ticed ear caught the tramp of feet. Ev-
cry moment the sound came nearer, and
and at last he heard them entering the
defile. Immediately he discharged a
couple of muskets into the darkness to
let them know that he knew of their
presence and intentions, and he heard
the quick, short commands of the Off
GERS, and, from the sounds, he supposed
that the troops were retiring from the
pass. Until the morning he was undis-
turbed. The Austrian commander, feel
ing assured that the garrison had been in
formed of his movements, and was pre-
pared to receive him, saw that he could
not surprise the post as he had hoped to
do, and deemed it prudent to wait until
daylight before making his attack.