The Kimball graphic. (Kimball, Brule County, Dakota [S.D.]) 1883-1905, 1893-10-21
FRANCES GRIzzLED HERO
Peaceful Ending of the Man Who
stormed the MaIakoff.
Nhile the Great Marshal Was Dying Par.s
Was Entertaining the Officers OF the
czar..His Reply to Mar.
shaI Pellissier.

Stlal felilSS'Grs
PARIS, Oct. 19.-paris, apparently
orgetful of the "grizzled" hero of the
Eranco-Prussinn war, is carrying the
'isitng Russian officers around in tri-
llnph. 1t is curious coincidence that
:he hero of the storming of the Mua
sotf should die on the day that the gay
e'rench capital was entertaining the
aaval captains of the czar as distin-
5uishcd guests and allies.
But Paris has not forgotten the
great marshal and France remembers
:oday, with tear dimmed eyes, the man
battle field. Like General Grant, his
political career, though honest, brought
bitter criticism and hid for time from
The people the hero in the politician.
In his stormy youth he knew the hor-
rors of the siege, the glorious intoxi-
cation of the battle won and the shame
| Of his banner trailing in the aust while
a torgctful aLl "a tickle nation heapcd
Ireproaches. His end was q peaceful
.alm, his faults forgotten and only
bIS WI ttes itiiittilptLtA.
To the newspaper reader of today Mar
| shul MacMalou is liitic more than a
aamc. Since his retirement from the
presidency January 30, 1870, occasional
bulletins concerning his health and some
very infreGuent aud unnu,horitativc
statements regarding his unpublished
memoirs have barely sutiiced to keep him
| N the public mind.
Descended from the famous Irish king
Brian Boru, who conquered the Danes ut
| lS!onturf. his long line of ancestors were
| noted for their military achievements.
| The names of the MacMnhous frequently
| occur in the French military annals, shur-
| ng in the disasters as we'll as the giories
! which attended the French arms. AT Wa
terloo one of them behaved with great gal
/ nntry. The battle was lost, but it
was necessary to make n desperate effort
to cover the retreat OF the shattered
army. Charge, keep charging, boys
said MncMahon to the Third cunussiers
"Marshni,n said the colonel, I'VE nre so
sut mp it is certain death to charge; you
know it. Embrace ME, my friend"
was MacMahon's only reply, and then
| the two gallant soldiers led forward the
regiment which made those three terrible
charges that nrc recorded among the
great deeds of the French army. Only
100 men of its number remained and of
| these I'LL bnt eight were wounded.
| Born Mt Sully, July l3, lsUS, Marie Ed
monde Patrice Maurice de MucMahon,
ifterward due de Magenta, a marshal OF
/ France, aud Tor nearly six years presi-
ldent OF the French republic, had himself
seen some stirring times in the history of
lhe country lie served 30 long
aud so we'll. He received his
military education at st Cyr, and ut the
age OF 10 was sub-itutenant OF the Fourth
/ Hussars. lie soon saw active service.
| Proceeding with The Twentieth regiment
~ fpt,n hts ON q IN ltrSrinN n.
| an in 1880 lad won the cross of the Ic-
| yion of Honor, which he received from
| General Clauztl on the field of battle. He
was slightly wounded at th" attack on
| Cons nstantinople in 1896, and after u succcs-
| sion OF military adyancsments he was
made, in 1879 commander of the Legion
Of Honor, and promoted to the governor
4 ship Of the provinces of Oran and Con-
stautine.
When the Crimean war came on Mac
| Mahon, who, with military loyalty, had
| served with equal zeal the various gov-
arnents Of France now promptly obeyea
| the cmperor's summons to duty in Ens-
sa He was commander OF a division Of
Bosquct's corps, and i'll the grand
attack upon s;ebnstopol ON September 3,
Is2t, led the assaurt upon the MaiakoT
| 1t was one Of the most desperate struggles
| key to the whele Russian position, and
was defended with nli the power that
could be Brought TO bear upon it, Mac.
4 Mahon cut his way into the fort. however.
tamd slubholniy held his ground against
overwhelming odds. Mnishat Icllissier,
thinking hc and hls men wonid be ami
hi!atcd, ordered him to retire from what
he deemed. nh untenab.e position. But
4 with superb courage MacMaf.bn ais
otcyed, sending hack his immortal reply,
4 II am here. and herejsl shall stay" lie
did stay, and the Rl,sSians presently re.
| tod Iaf, h.,s [
taken That deed gave him the grand
cross of the Legion OF Honor.
Service in Algeria followed, and he was
made commander in chief of all tho
French forces in that land, but Ma
polcon soon recalled him for more i'm
portant work in the war with Austria, ir
northern Italy. His great achievement
there WAS on the Ticlno, near the bridge
Of Magenta. After Il week of victorious
progress tho French were uneypectedl,
attacked by superior force of Aus
trians. They held their gronnd FOR sew
cral hours, and then began 10 yield. Bu
at the critical moment MacMahon. wht
had been detailed for other duty, thre "
his plans and Instructions TO the win,
and rushed into the battle with his troop:
, with impetuons force, il. Il few moment.
took 1000 AustrianS prisoners, and pm
the whole army 10 rout. In recognition
of this splendid achievement the emperor
on the very field of battle. made him du!l,
of Magenta and niarshal OF France.
AT the coronation of William III o
j. Prussia in 1861. Marshal MacMnhon wa
the representative of the French EN-
pcror. In 1854 he went back to Algerii
, as governor general. Six years later IL
was third time recalled by Napoleon t
lead an army i'll n great war, this time il
u war of defeat and disaster. He wa
made commander of the army of the south
} and with characteristic energy presSe.
n fk,, o,,l y,
miserable military administration Of TIL
, empire hopelesslv handicapped him nn
after IL crushing defeat at Woerth NHpo
con ordered him TO go to the relief of Ba
zaine at Metz, which errnnd he prompt
undertook. He thus entered upon cam
paign which ended at Sedan Al the be
! ginning of that battle he was serious
wounded by shell, and for some tim
, was unable to take part i'll the war. Bu
hc recovered in season to conduct tn
operations ut Paris against the commune
and rendered invaluable services in es
tablshing the republic under the pres
dency of Theirs.
The soldier thenceforward sTvs:d IL,
republic faithfully. as he lad served en-
peror and king before it In May, Isl
after u period OF agitation, the monarchi;
party in the French parliament force
President Thicrs 10 resign, and immcd
atcly elected MacMahon to succeed hin
MacMahon's administration WAS an hoI
est but stormy one. He made no secrt
of his sympathy with the monarch;
party and of his detestation Of radicalisi,
In turn he was made the ooject Of prrsis
cnt and relentless attacks by tie rcpu'
lican groups under the magnetic lea,
crship OF Gambetta There W,
IL serious struggle in May, 1877, when tt
president, against the will of the chan
her, dismissed the cabinet of NJ. Iuit
Simon and appointed new one under II
"A Il. a.. H.. tut
hon triumphed, but only for a time, IN
early in 1879 he was in turn driven tor
sign thTpresidency aud was succeeded
Jules Greyy.
Since then the veteran soldier had live
in retirement with his family. He ii
shed his memoirs III May, lss3, but 10
badc their publication until after Il
leat}, aud little is known even yet;
! their contents.
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