New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1894-10-14
A BRILLIANT GENERAL.
THE LIFE OF DE GALLlFFET.
TYPICAL, FRENCIIMAN-A PALACE STORY
THE CLEVER MARQUISE.

THE CLEVER MARoUIsE.
c,raipbt as a dart lthesome and elegant as
l., tho DAYS when be was wont to lead the impe-
iol cotillons at the Tuileries' MS snort
,,ed snow-whitc hair Offering piquant con-
ost N the coa-back moustache that only part
T.. oonceals the slightly sardonic curl of his lips,
I'D with stee-gray eyes that seem 10 pierce
"'rh, ,brough the person at whom he looks,
.,ob Is the Marquis &c Galliffet. Prince de
,,,r,ioues recognized ali over Europe and in
r,,cr,ar at the War Departments of Berlin
ard Vienna as the foremost cavalry general now
u,,,rg He is on the point of being retired on
~. score of age, although far more physically
o,a mentally fit than many an officer forty
,.oars his junior. The grand review which lie
.or,roa nded the other day at Chateaudun was
,ho last great military function In which !ie will
avon .akc part 1t is therefore only fitting that
10 should have selected his order of the day at
,bc close OF that magnificent pageant as the
r,ost appropriate means of conveying his adleus
N the army. His retirement can only I've re-
carded as a great loss TO the latter, from every
nont Of view and II certainly does seem that
the officer who. after having his stomach lald
omen by the bursting Of a shell on the battlefield
If Puebla had the superb grit to rise to his feet
and stagger TO the rear literally carrying, as
s.ated in the order of the day. his entrais In
his kepl" and then TO serve his country with I'M
impaired vigor and activity for thirty %cars
,o,cor should have been Judged by some differ
ont standard Of efficiency than that which APP
niles to the ordinary and average officer Of the
French Army. which loses in him the most
picturesque and decorative figure since the days
Of Joachim Murat.
GalUfet however. differs from the First Napo-
Icons brother-in-law in that whereas the latter,
even after he became King of Naples, was never
able TO rid himself of innumerable defects of
manner ard breeding. attributable TO his having
been a hostler in his early days. the soldier
MARQUIS on the contrary is a grand-seigneur in
every sense OF the word. In each Of his innu-
merable escapades and adventures he has al
vavs managed TO steer clear of anything In the
shape Of vulgarty or in the least way affecting
the code of honor Of the "gentilhomme. There
are many stories in existence as TO the origin Of
the De Galliffet family. and Rochefort even goes
so far as to insist that the founder of the house
was galley slave while others declare that
the name of De Galliffet was first borne by
Jewish pedler They all unite. however. in assert
ing that this ancestor lived at least some 5oo
wears ago and here is no doubt as TO The De
Galliffets having been great personages at the
court of Versailles in the days of Queen Marie
antoinette while after the Restora ton the father
and the grandfather Of the Marquis were
colonels IF the Kings bodyguard and people
occupying a very conspicuous position in the
foremost ranks Of the French aristocracy. The
MARQUIS himself entered the army when mere
boy. being barely seventeen years Of age when
he enlisted a private in the lst Hussars'
Barely twelve months later he distinguished
himself by killing in duel the fencing-mas'er
Of his CORDS This did not interfere with his
advancement: for find MIN four years later
wearing the epaulettes of lieutenant having
won his way up through the different grades of
non-commissioned officer. At the same time he
had succeeded in making a name for himself as
one Of the gayest and most brilliant members
of the Partisan Jeunesse doree, the companion
and chum of that Due de Grammont-Cade-
rousse whose name evokes memories Of the
haIcyon days Of Partisan. gsyety.
Rochefort charges the General with having
deserted when his regiment was ordered to the
Crmea, and published official documents in or
der 10 substantiate this accusation. He omts,
however to explain the circumstances, namely.
that the MARQUIS was engaged at the time in
one of his intrigues win the fair sex which had
led 10 his concealing himself in a chateau in the
neighborhOod of AK. Fortunately one OF MS
felow-officers was abe TO recall him to sense
Of duty before the warrant issued for his arrest
could be executed, and we find him following his
corps out to the Crimea, where he 50 greatly
distinguished himself b. innumerable feats OF
ganantry and courage that he was decorated on
the field Of battle with the Legion Of Honor and
promoted from the rank Of sub-lieutenant TO that
OF major And If this were not sufficient TO DIS
prove the charge of cowardice brought against
him by his fellow Marquis, Henri de Rochefort-
Lucay, l might recall the well-known story OF
his having one dark night passed alone right
through the Russian lines for the purpose OF pay
ing visit to the beautiful lady who had followed
him from AK to the scene of the war On MS
return home he received the appointment Of aide
de-camp TO the Emperor, ahd from that time
forth played a leading part II all the festivities
organized by Empress Eugene, which rendered
the Tuileries at the time the most brilliant
court in Europe.
1t would require not columns, but pages. TO
relate the stories Of De Galliffets adventures
during this period of his career, one Of the best
known being, perhaps, his memorable feat or
winning a wager by eaping his horse over the
parapet Of the Pont de Jena into the Seine while
riding arrayed in full uniform alongside Of the
Emperor's carriage. OF course this led TO his ar
rest but at the same time Napoleon, who de-
lighted In feats OF this kind, presented him
with beautiful ruby-studded cigarette case as
token Of his regard De Galifet was con-
stantly under arrest at this period for breaches
OF discipline in the shape OF duels, Opponents
and escapades Of every imaginable kind; but his
punishments were never very severe and were
generally terminated by the Empress insisting
that no matter whether he undergoing
punishment not. he should be permitted to
attend her celebrated Monday evening parties,
one else being able to lead the cotillon with so
much spirit or 10 put so much life into the games
les petlts jeux des lundis de lImperatrce. Only
did the Empress become angry with him.
and that was when, with the full knowledge and
consent OF the Empero~ he made her the victim
Of what she was pleased to consider a very dis