Springfield globe-republic. (Springfield, Ohio) 1884-1887, 1886-11-18

turning from church, LatOur ship sailed
boldly into the harbOr to the great aston
ishment Of all and the CONSERVATION Of
many I.atOur immediatly waited on
Governor Winthrop and told his errand
Next day the magistrates were called to
gether and the matter discussed. The
result Of their deliberations, after long
search of the Old Testament for preced
ents was To refuse latOUr active aid, but
To give him permission TO hire such
shipS and men in Boston As he required
to enable him To reach his fort in safety.
This. however. was enough, and LatOur
hired in Boston four armed vessels and
IA men. besides purchasing a large
quantity of supplies. With this aug
menteh force he returned to st. John,
drove ChaTmisSay away, and chased him
to Port ROYAL, where he attacked him
and captured "A considerable amount OF
property The New Englanders returned
to Boston in triumph, and Charnissay
went back to France TO organize another
attack ON I.atour.
Up to this time Lady I.atour had stood
by her husbands side as his chief adviser
and companion, but now the time came
when she had to act alone. As LatOur
did not dare to appear in France, it be-
came necessary for her to go there to OBJ
tain further assistance against their
resOlutC enemy. She accordingly sex
sail for Rochelle, her old home, but had
scarcely arrived there when Charnssay
heard Of her presence in France and pro
cured a warrant for her arrest. But she
had timely notice Of her danger, and es-
capped to England, and there was able 10
obtain all the munitions Of war and sup,
plies she needed. Frcighting ship with
them. she set sail from London in March,
1914, for Fort LatOur. In the same ship
embarked a man little loved by the men
of Massachusetts bay, Roger Williams
the founder Of the Providence plantation.
Unfortunately. the master of the ship,
instead of proceeding on his voyage with
due diligence loitcred on the way &c
trade and did not reach Cape Sable until
! September. Charnissay, in the mean
| time, had reached Acadia and was cruiS
ing in the Bay Of Fundy To intercept his
enemy Latour, half distracted at the
! dciav in his lady's return, had been &c
Boston seeking further help, only To find
! that source Of assistance closed against
! him by the threats Of CharnisSay. The
| latter, maintaining "A close watch in the
| Bay Of Fundy, boarded Lady l.atour's
| >hiD. hut she and her party were con
| cca led in the hold, and the master pre-
| tended that he WAS bound direct to Bos
| ton 80 CharniSSay had 10 let the vcsse
| 20. and his prey escaped; but it was nC
| longer possible to reach Fort l.atOUr, and
| 10 Boston the vessel went. There Lady
| I.atour brought an action on the charter
| party for deviation and delay, and re
! covered a verdict of 60 coo Then hiring
| three armed ships in Boston 10 convey
| her home she AT length reached Fort La
| tour, after having been absent for more
! than a year.
| Difficulties and dangers were now
! gathering around the doomed fortress
! CharuiSsay had command of the sea, anC
was able to cut off his supplies. Ther
| Latour leaving his brave wife in com
| mand of the fort, went to Boston early il
! the winter and sent a small vessel ladeI
! with nruyiSiOnS to -. John. CharniSSaV
| however, captured it, and I.atOur found
| himself unable TO return 10 his fort. -
! the brave lady was left 70 face her OwT
| and her husbands enemies alone. II
was here that the great energy and the
! hcroiSn of her character were brought
| into play. Although bothered with the
! care Of n child that was hardly more than
! an infant she showed herself in the full
! est sense capable of command. Her vigi
| lance never rested. and she inspired heI
! men with her own courage. But tn,
| number after wedding out traitors ant
! descrters. was less than leo, and they
were badly supplied with provisions and
| munitions of war. In February. immedi
| qtely after the capture of l.atour's pro
| vision ship, CharuiSSay attacked the fort
| lie expected an easy conquest. but found
| himself sadly mistaken. From one o,
| the hastiOnS Lady L.atOur directed the
| fire on his ships. and with such effect that
| one of them had 10 be tOwed away in 6
| sinking condition, her decks covered witt
| dead and diving. II took CharniSsuy
! nearly two months Ia repair the damage
| done his vessel in that brief contest with
| Fort LatOur. In April he again returned
with larger force, and this time at
| tackled the fort from the land side. FO.
| three days and as many nights the assault
| proceeded, but Lady Lat0ur conducted
! the defense with suCh skill and courage
| that the beSiegerS made no progress and
! CharnisSay was OBLIGED 10 draw off his
! forces with loss. With calm ewes that
| looked upon danger without fear, the
! heroine was ever foremost in the fight
| nerving the timid by her example and en-
| cnuraging the bold. This siege. like the
| former ones would have failed but fol
| the fOulest treachery. Charnissay found
| means to bribe a Swiss sentry who
| guarded one of the bastions, and in the
! dim light of Easter Sunday morning
| when the garrison were at prayers, this
traitor suffered the enemy 10 approach
| They had already scaled the walls before
the alarm was given. Lady LatOur in
this extremity showed the same cool dar.
! ing as when fighting behind the battle
| L ents She placed herself at the head OF
! her little band. and made SO desperate 8
defense that every foot that Charnissay
won in the fort was paved with dead
! men. Ii was only when further resist
ancc was unavaiiing, and for the purpose
| OF saving the lives Of her devoted men
that she consented 10 accept the tel sls
! offered by Charnissay and surrender.
These terms. however, were shamefullJ
violated. Cnarnlssay was so much en-
ragged at he havoc that had been made in
| his ranks that he resolved to wreak his
! vengeance on the garrison. He caused
| all the men in the fort to be hanged eX-
| cept one man. to whom he gave his life
/ bll Nbutillibl llldl It btNdillt lIlt cNttu-
toner OF his comrades i'll arms. Lady
| LatOur would have shared the same fate
| but for the fear that the court OF France
would resent such an outrage. But he
! compelled her tn be present at the exc
! cutiun Of her soldiers. with rope around
| her neck, like a reprieved criminal.
| Three weeks later She too had passed
| from earth, but whether she died of a
| broken hart, or of i'll treatment, or of
! poison II ere is no record. But il may
! safely b2 said that no braver OF truer
heart e. er beat in human breast than
that WI iCh was stilled by her death.
II is not often that the truth of history
can be made 10 square with poetic jus
tice. but in this instance something like
that took place. Charnissay was drowned
five years after Lady LatOur's death, and
LatOur obtained a reversal of all the de-
crees against him and the restoration of
all the hOnors he had lost through his