The Portland daily press., 1883-03-21
Acts of Courage.

A small flag had been seen at the side OF
rock standing near the flank of one Of the
French trenches before Sebastopol No one
knew how the flag had come there. 1t WIS
remarked that cannon-balls and shells had
fallen into the trench with fatal effect. as II
there had been an enfilading fire. A sudden
light broke upon the officer in command
The flag was a point to aim at from the ram
part, aud the rock sent the shot by ricochet
into the trench. He called for volunteer
to take away the flag. There was no reply.
In the French Army 1t is not enough 10 give
a word of command, which has to be ex-
planned before 1t is oneyed. The officer
went TO private soldier of the name of Vic
tor Pieault, and asked him to go. The man
answered that he would, If he knew why.
The case was then made clear to him. he
sprang out of the trench, and ran to the flag
under a shower of rife bullets. He pulled
it down. At the msment when 1t fell
whole battery discharghed grape-shot at him.
He threw himself on the ground. Both the
French and the Russians thought he was
killed. He suddenly jumped up, unhurt,
and ran to the trench with the flag In his
hand. He received non-eommissioned rank
and the Cross of the Legion of Honor. An
incident displaying the coolest courage was
next related / am sorry not to have noted
down the name of the young lieutenant al
luded to. A small detachment of infantry
under his command had been sent out OF
one of the French trenches TO attack Rus
sian rife-pit with the bayonet as soon as
the fire, directed upon it from the trench,
should have ceased. Shot and shell were
meanwhile discharged at the detachment
from the ramparts. Some of the men re-
marked to their young officer that by stay
ing there they would soon all be hit, while
they might reach tue cover OF the trench in
in time to return at the cessation OF firing
from it. The officer answered that they had
been ordered to stay, and that being under
fire was no reason for their running away.
At that moment shell fell at his feet, and
he thanked the Russians, touching bis cap
to them, for sending him light for his CT
gar, which he pulled from his pocket. He
bit off the end of it, lighted it from the fuse
of the shell, and held out his cigar case 10
the soldiers, asking them IL they would like
to smoke. The shell burst, and, strange TO
say, neither he brave youth nor any one OF
the detachment was hurt by il. The soldiers
were slammed iuto standing by so self-pos-
sessed and gallant an officer. gunner
was then praised for his courage and
strength. During an attack on one of the
French batteries he had remained alone to
defend it, all his comrades having been eth
er killed or wounded. He brandished one
of the levers Of his cannon like quarter
staff. striking down five Russians with 1t.
He received two bayonet thrusts IN his
shoulders, but still had vigor enough 10
wrest a rife from one of those who had
wounded him. He shot the one with 1t, and
knocked the other over with blow on the
head from the stock. Some Zouaves came
to his assistance and saved him by charging
the Russian line of attack. They carried
him in triumph to the Commanders Chief,
who was at breakfast. On hearing the re-
port given of the affair the great General
made the gunner sit down to share his meal.
When he was Withdrawing Cross OF the
Legion of honor was pinned on bis breast
by the General himself. The gunner offered
his humble thanks, and asked If he might
now go to have his wounds seen TO. In
tense was the astonishment OF the officers
present Among them was staff surgeon,
who was ordered to examine tue man at
once. The two wounds were pronounced
by him TO be very serious, but not mortal,
and the happy gunner was sent to the ambu-
ance.