Martinsburg herald. [volume] (Martinsburg, W. Va.) 1881-1920, 1885-12-05

1t was on the 18th of January, 1871
The Sixteenth corps. under the lead
ership of Admiral Jaureguiberry, was
slowly retreating upon Laval. The
whole day had been passed in skirmish-
ing. and it was not until 10 o'clock at
night that the troops arrived at their
cantonment. established at Saint-Jean-
survive and in the neighboring vii
lagos
The cold was intense. A thick snow
covered the soil.
The admiral had received orders from
Gen Chanzy to hold the position all
the following day, and at day reak on
the 18th the guns were already in posi-
ton and the men all at their posts.
Later in the morning the admiral in
spected the various positions, and en-
couraged the soldiers with those ardent
words which he alone, perhaps, knew
how to use. Moreover, the mere sight
of his calm, austere face is enough to
inspire conference.-the men know his
energy and his admirable GOODNESS.
About 10 o'clock the admiral, fol-
lowed by his staff, took his way TO the
presbytery of Saint-Jean-sur-Erve,
where a frugal breakfast had been pre-
pared for them by two old sailors.
The repast was a silent one-every-
cody felt weighing upon him the
gravity of events 10 come-eyen the
parish priest, a little frightened by this
Eruption upon his peaceful life, neve
uttered a word. Nevertheless it occur
red to him to order an omelette to be
prepared; but at the very moment that
he was bringing it in, a long whistling
in the yard of the p~resbytery, blew a
window to atoms, and flung a storm Of
dust and wreck into the dining room.
The priest let fall the omelette, and
joined his hands.
so horse gentlemen" exclaimed the
admiral, with his habitual calm.
While he was in the act of rising, and
the officers were buckling on their
sword-lelts, a second shell fell near the
spot where the first had exploded.
Monsieur PAmiral, cried the priest,
fairly beside himself; this is frightful,
You must not expose your life like
that"
Monsieur lie Cure" replied the ad-
miral, without moving a muscle, sit is
written in the ~ninety-irst Psalm of
David: "a thousand shall fall at thy
side, and ten thousand at thy right
hand; but it shall not come nigh thee. ~
Instinctively the officers uncovered
their heads while the priest stammered
out:
"Ah! Monsieur rAmiral-it is very
beautiful to have such a faith as yours!''
AS they left the court of the Presby-
terry, to the accompaniment of a ire
mendous fusilade, which broke out on
all sides simultaneously, the natural
French spirit of merriment once more
obtained the upper hand.
THE admiral did not treat us very
kindly in those remarks of his" OBJ
served one of the officers.
Another twisted his mustache
thoughtfully. 1t was Col. Beraud, an
old trooper and retired staff officer,
who had re-entered the service at the
beginning of the war. He approached
an officer belonging to the Protestant
faith, who was one of his personal
friends:
species of Huguenot," he said, in
his big, kindly voice, ''tell me over
again what the admiral said that time =
The Protestant officer repeated the
words of the psalm;
"A thousand shall fall at thy side,
and ten thousand at thy right hand. "
Good" growled the old colonel; 81
know what I'm going to do; I'll keep to
the left"