New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1892-04-10

great lieutcnants. lie was a soldier of moderate
abilities. He never won an important battle.
though he contributed greatly to the victory
of Wagram that Napoleon gave him his baton
on the field. For several years, and in fact al
most throughout the most splendid successes OF
the Napoleonic era, he under a cloud, the
Emperor probably not relishing the extreme frank.
ness with which the Marshal always gave his
opinions. 1t was not until the Imperial star was
declining that he learned to appreciate the sturdy
independence and loyalty Of the blunt soldier,
and so the latter never shared in the honors and
emoluments which were lavished so profusely upon
many of the other Marshals. In his autobi-
ography, which was written for his children and
without any view to publication, Macdonald con-
fines himself generally to his personal expert.
ences and leaves to history the tracing of cam
paigns and the explanation of state politics and
grand military operations. NJ. Camille Rousset
prefaces the recollcctons with synopsis of their
substance which may be convenient for readers
who have not time TO digest the contents OF the
two bulky but highly interesting volumes.
The Marshals father had been a stanch adj
herent Of Prince Charles Edward, the Pretender.
and after the disaster of Culloden renamed with
the royal fugitive and served him as guide.
When Flora Macdonald took the Prince to Skye,
one of the attendants was Vail Macachaim--that
being the real name of MacdOnalds father. lie
escaped TO France with the Prince, and there
adopted the clan name of Macdonald, of which
the Macachaims were a sept. Through the inter
est Of the Prince he obtained a commission in
one of the Scotch regiments then in the French
service, and after that, Macdonald says. - the
Prince never gave him another thought. After
the peace of 1853 the foreign regiments were
disbanded and the Marshal's father went on half
pay with a scanty pension. Naturally, finding
himself equally without means or prospects, he
now married a girl without fortune. He passed
the remainder of his life at Sancerrc, where there
was a small Scotch colony, good wine, and cheap
living and where our hero was born. lie was
at first intended for the priesthood, Dut MS
preference was for the army, and some OF MS
fathers friends procured him commission aS
lieutenant in Maillebos's regiment, which was
at that time being raised for the Dutch. short
time later he obtained cadetship IN Dllloh
Irish regiment When the revolutionary wars
broke out General Bcurnonville, who perceived
his merit, secured the rank of captain Tor MN
and made him his aide-decamp Later Dumouflez
was so pleased with him that he invited nm 10
join his staff.
He won his leutenant.colonelcy at Nalmy, and
was also on the field of Jemappcs. After the
detection of Dumouriez-whch the Marshal goes
the truculent Government. which demanded We
tins for every reverse-thc young soldier was
for some time regarded with suspicion, ana more
than once narrowly escaped deprivation ana az
rest which. in those days, preluded the gulIotihe
with almost absolute certainty. 1t was III lac'
MANNED 10 have him brought before the KcNoIu-
tionary Tribunal at Arras, and his friend Geherai
Sonham advised him 10 cross the 1rontel' He
refused. and spoke of help from previous Oon-
sioner who had publicly expressed confidence III
him some time before
Hep replied Sonham. L called upon HIM
to speak UP for you, but he was silent never
mind answered Macdonald, maybe he was H.
1;,idated by his superiors l should like 10 try
him DO So said Sonham, and then come
hack 70 me- Macdonald went in search OF MS
friend. and on finding him, said:
look here you know that am In dlsgrace'
AID have come to beg your help
"'Indeed replied the other. DO you WISH
me to speak quite openly to you? tell you' you
are not Republican, and neither can NOT Will
mix myself up with you
but I have not changed, so far as know,
since we met on the frontier, and on that occasion
YOU assured me publicly
al remember what you mean, but times are
changed and he turned on his heel" Such were
the chances of friendship during the Revolution.
Macdonald. however, escaped this and other perils
Under Pichegru lie took an active part IN the
conouest of Belgium and Holland, and here also
he first made the acquaintance of Moreau. In
1894. being in quarters near Mincguen, he re-
ceived his brevet OF General of Division. lie was
inst Internationally. In 1896 ne met General
Aueereau, who at the time fresh from me VIC
tories of the 18th FructidOr, and Castlg-
lone. The Marshal says: :" The soldiers cTowPed
round the new Commander-in-Chef HIS dress
was startling; he was covered with gold en-
broidery even down 10 his short boots, thus con-
,Iasting strongly with our simple uniforms. lie
related his Italian campaigns, spoke OF the bravery
OF the troops but without even mentioning the
leader of that army. That is, NapoleonJ lie
said that the soldiers were well treated there, and
that there was not man among them, bad char
acter as he might he, who had not ten gold pieces
in his pocket and gold watch This was a hint
to our fellows On one occasion the theatrical
manager came to offer him choice of plays. He
insisted on something very revolutionary, and
chose if remember rightly, either Brutus' or the
Death of Caesar both by Voltare General
Lefebvre who had held the command temporarily,
was his principal lieutenant. 1rigry, com
mandant of Cologne had offered his carriage, in
the hope, probably, that the Commander-in-Chief
would give a seat in it to his wife This idea,
however, never seemed to occur to the latter, 90
Trigny very respectfully suggested it, Lefcbvre
seated beside General Augereau, put his head out
of the window, and inquired: What did you say?
Trigny repeated his proposition. Go TO blazes'
replied Lefebvre; we did not come here to take
your wife out driving"
Arriving at the theatre, Lcfebvrc, who had not
the remotest acquaintance with literature, APP
plauded heartily with his clumsy hands, believing
that the play had been written that very morn
ing in honor of the occasion. lie kept nudging
Inc with his elbow, and asking: Tell me, where
is the chap who wrote this? Is he present."
Such were some Of the amenities Of revolutionary
militarism. In 1898 Macdonald was ordered to
Italy, where lie served under General Champion
net, very incoupc,ent officer, who brought dis