Alexandria gazette. [volume] (Alexandria, D.C.) 1834-1974, 1880-06-04
a Dis0bedient Soldier

a Dis0bedient Soldier
Now, lGds there's the battery remember
the Emperor himself is watching you. and carry
| it 10 true French STYLE The moment you GET
into 1t, make yourself fast against attack; aud
mind that auy man who c2mes cut to pick up
hc wounded. even though myself should be
auoog them, shall be tried for dscbedence as
5000 es the battles over"
SO spoke CDl. Lssalle to his French grenadiers
Jlst before the hoa' charge that decided the bat
tle OF seram. Theo he waved his sword aod
shouted "E4avant"
Forward swept the grenadiers like torrent,
With the shout "hich the Aus!raius opposed to
chem already koew TO their cost Through the
binding smoke and peItog shot they rushed
heaolong co. with mouths parch"d faces hura-
ing and teeth set like wise. Ever aud anoc o
red Il .Sh rent the Uurky cloud around them,
and The caunoa shot came tearing through their
ranks, moving them doWn like grass Eu. not
| man cchad, TOR the ssue thought was in
every mlod. that they we're fighting under the
eye of the Little Corporal" IS they sff con.
ateig called ths terrible Napoleon.
SuddsnIy the suok' parted aud right 10 front
Ut n IN appeared the dark muzz'es of the cau.
200, enc he Waiie uniforms Of tho Austrian So.
| dlcrs. Ode last shout. which rose high above
all the roar ct tho battle. the hayone's went
ghtteriog over the bIeestWork Ike the spray Of
| breaking wave, sud th" bsttle WIS Won.
wv here's the colone?' cried voic,, SUI
denly.
There was no answer The handful Of men
! that remained ct the doomed band looked
| 'aolnSly at each other, but no ooe spoke.
Strict di>cpIoar!au as he was, seldom passing
| day wlthuuJ puoiahipg some one, the CID
| colonel had, nevertheless, won meu's hearts
c1npIete!y By his reckless courage u battle :;
| and every man 10 the regiment would gladly
| have rlsk ked his life to save that of "the old
grogler,' as they called him
But If ne wtr! not with them, wAtre was he2
"a SIDE the battery the whole ground was
secured lato d ina jets OF dust by storm of
| bullets from the fight that was still raging on
| the LETT: 10 suon c:cs fire it seemed as if
| no!hiDg living ud escape, aud if be had fallen
| there, there Was but little hope for hin.
II see him" said tail grcnadiar. "H.'s
ying out yCuder, aud alive TOO, for | saw him
wave his baud just now. III have him here 10
| 67" minutes, or b. lett there boslde him"
but you mustn't d!sobey orders Dubois"
said gouog c.pisiu (oow tho oldest surviving
otlcer, so terrible had been the bav0c) hoplog
by this means to stop the reckless uan from
rushlag upon rtsln death. "Remember what
the cu0nel told Y0u-tha. even If he w.re left
| among the wtulded, DO Uoe must 90 out to
pick hi u up"
| Il cnn't help that" answered the soldi.r,
lsyog dORn his uusket aud tigbteung the
s.raps Of bis cross bells.
| Captain, report Private Dabois FIR insub,
ordin Hlon and breach of discipline, I'm goipg
0us to bring in the colonel.
And be s'erpcd forth uofachiDgly into the
deadly space yond.
Thsy SAW him approach tie spot whcre the
colonel lay; they SAW him I'd over the fallen
mao, shielding him rom he shot with his owu
body Then be Was sren TO st.Rger suddenly,
| as 1t from blew; but the ncxt moment he had
The colonel 10 his arms aad was struggling ck
| over the shot toIO GROUND, through the dyiog
ADD the dead. Twice be stopped short as ii un
ablA to 90 further; bu' ou he came again, and
he he'd just laid nls officer gaotly down inside
the battery, When, with his comrades shout Of
welcome still ringing in his ears he fell raintug
10 the earth, covered with blood.
b. The mex m2rDins Col l.,sale had recov.
cred sufficiently to amsze the whole regiment by
pu Ilug uuder arrest the man who had saved
nls life; bu; the moment it was dooc the colonel
mounted bis horse aud rode off 10 headquarters
at tnll gsllop. 10 about an hour he vas seen
comup back again, side by side with short,
sqlare butt mac 10 a gray coat aDd cooked hat,
At sight OF whom the soldiers burst toto des Zen
log cheers for be was none other than the En-.
pcror N.pOl 90.
81 me see this f,Ilow," said Nspoleop,
5tcrgl! and two sranadiers led Pierre DUBOIS
out, so weak from bis ecu IDS be could hardly
and.
so. fellow, thou hast dared to dis .bsy or
ders. ha p cried the emperor, 10 his harshest
tones
I have, slro. And if it were to oe done
again. Id do it,"
"Aod what it We were to shoot you for in
subordinatiou p
My life is you maj sy's, now as always )"
aJsEered the grepsdier, boldly. Aud if |
aus; choose betWeen myself and leaving my
colonel to die, the regm ot can better spare a
COMMON fellow ike NE than brave ofic.r like
him "
A sudden spasn shook the old cjloue's iron
face as he listened, sud even n :poleon's stern
sr,y eyes softened al few men had ever seen
them soften before.
"rhou'rt wong there said he, for |
Wouli not give coum0n fellow of thy sort
for 20 coonc!s were every one of them as good
ss 10Y old Lasale, here. Take this. Sergeant
Dubois" "-aud he fastened bis owo cross Of
the Laaijn of Honor to Pisrre's breast. II
warrant me tbou'ls be colonel thysef one d
these dsys.
Aud sure enough, 6va years later Pierre
Dubois wa not otv = i1ne but general
Harper's Toung Ptnpie
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