Staunton spectator. [volume] (Staunton, Va.) 1849-1896, 1895-11-13
THE LAST DRUMMER.


many French in the rear in spite Of tn
butchery at the bridges?"
"There are housands-straggler O.
every corps lying in the snow unarmed.
"You should have rallied them"
81 could not carry 10, 900 men in m,
holsters.
"True. But you should have sounded
the alarm
"The alarm-for dead menP'
There was moment of silence.
"You know that he will review tn,
Third tomorrow. Ney charged me tt
inform you. You will head the column.
The colonel uttered a formidable
laugh.
ga review of the Third corpsI"
? He turned toward the general, wht
appeared impassive, and his gayety a
once subsidized.
"You are jesting."
"Colonel Champeauxr'
"By the sword of Jehovah" criei
the colonel, "there is but one emperor
who can review those men !"
He lifted his arm in the darkness
with vague gesture toward heaven.
ga review" he went on, ''but i
will be battalion review. The Thirt
corps numbered 5000 infantrymen ani
2,400 cavalrymen at the opening of tht
campaign. 1t had 10000, all told, OF
quitting Moscow. Do you know how
many yet remain?''
He did not wait for the response.
''There remain 1870. l say nothing o.
the horses. They have been digested.
Colonel Champeaux-do you know
how many men myself have?''
"How many?"
"Seven-the remnant of fine regi
ment of grenadiers. 5"
The general shuddered, and his horse
made movement.
''How many wounded?'
"Six"
"Off1cers?''
"One and the sole effective. lam he. ,
And the colonel burst out laughing
1t seemed ''good one. ~
every WE'LL" said the general ''Thil
is the fourth. Tomorrow at 9 O'Clock
the Third corps must be assembled
You must find these survivors. -
The colonel interrupted violently:
'Look out for an army corps-in thi!
desert!''
'Bahr' said the general. "The EN-
peaux, the emperorl''
And he plunged into the darkness.
Champeaux, erect amidst the snow
reflected a moment, snapped his jaw
together and turned back toward the
plain.
q 1.-THE emperor
This luminous word he passed agai1
and again mechanically before his I'M
agination.
"The emperor If it's the emperor
All the same if it is he'-
The French army was encamped il
the midst Of an immense circle of wag
,ons and tethered horses-that is to say
in disorder. Bands of stragglers ani
wounded-the straying of the former
and the creeping pace Of the latter di
rected by chance-had assembled around
thousands Of fires, which they fed with
rotted planks, tops of caissons, saddle
pads and broken wheels. Everywhere
was shoreless sea of phantoms, with
here and there looming in the midst o1
it a miserable shelter.
From time to time the heavy, i'm
mense, indefnable breadth Of the storm
swept by, and again terrific detonatior
was heard-a caisson of shells explod
ing.
Champeaux, savage and irresolute
made his way through the group ol
shadows, cursed by those whose despond
ent reveries he disturbed.
"A review-an imperial review
Tomorrow These carrion have ne
longer any uniform How are corps anG
regiments to be recognized? Their only
raiment is wounds, saddle cloths, horse
blankets. Find the different battalions
if you CAMP
He grasped shoulder at hazard.
"What regiment"
The man was stretched out in sleep.
He opened one eye; then closed it heav
lily.
Champeaux drew his saber a little
way from its scabbard, entered the edge
of the fire, the flames licking his tai
boots, and turned toward the men
whose blackened hands and arms were
extended toward the Goals, dripping al
they thawed. They did not so much al
look at him, but Champeaux was al
ready roaring out the order of the EN-
peror. Immediately, when this name
was pronounced, few heads were lifted
the oldest-and 10 cavalrymen of tht
Third corps came and ranged themselves
behind the colonel.
''Have you your horses?"
The soldiers began to laugh softly il
the manner of young girls.
"Well, we will do without them, :"
Said the colonel. "Marchl |"
He went Oh. He and his men boldly
entered the fire circles. Champearx de-
livered the emperor's orders, which, in
propoftion as the difficulties increased,
he magnifed by dint of vociferation,
until it became a sort of proclamation
to the troops This reminder of Napo-
leon drew 80 men from the bivouae
fires, of whom eight were grenadiers.
"Fall in p said the colonel.
As he moved forward he stumbled
upon the recumbent forms of men i'm
bedded in the ice. Then all would bene
down and would loosen these stiffenee
forms, wrenching them from the groun'
as though they were SO many sticks O.
timber. They planted them upright
and Champeaux, with sort of conges
tive exultation, brawled out his chant
"Blockheads! It's for the emperor
These words straighteped them Up e