Shepherdstown register. [volume] (Shepherdstown, Va. [W. Va.]) 1849-1955, 1896-08-06
The "Last Cartridges. -


Who has seen print of the famous
picture. The Last Cartridges, by Al
phonse de Neuville2 The original is
in the gallery of one of New York $ cIt-
liens. Well, in that picture the
wounded Major leaning against the old
chest and watching through the win
dow the effect of the Turco's last shot
is Lambert, the hero Of Bazeilles.
The story of that picture is brief
enough and yet it has never been
printed in any American paper It's
as follows
On Sept. l, 1870, the German ar
tillery was laundering around Sedan.
The French army was shattered. The
cavalry had made that last and des-
perate charge which brought from the
lips of old King William the exclama-
ton so often quoted in French papers
.'oh les Jrares gems r. At Bazeilles
where the French infantry in scattered
groups continued to fight furously and
hopelessly, disputing every inch OF
ground with the enemy, the German
losses were severe. On the northern
outskirts of the town small number
of French marines, barricaded In a
house known as La Maison Bourgerle
kept up "A prolonged resistance, actu-
ally holding in check almost an army
corpse. This handful Of heroes was
composed of Lambert and his men.
The Fifteenth Bavaran Regiment
invested the house, firing at the WIN
dows, without attempting to take the
place by storm Major Lambert and
Capts Ortus and Aubert directed the
fire. They transformedall the openings
Of the house into loopholes, from which
they poured a deadly fire into the
ranks of the Bavarians, who were
obliged to fall back repeatedly. Re-
endorsements after re-eniorcements ar
rived, but repulse followed repulse.
The marines kept up perfect hail Of
bullets. against which it seemed I'M
possible to advance. The Bavarlans
were moved down mercilessly. But
the besieged, too, had hard time Of
it. The bullets tore into shreds the
mattresses with which they had barri-
caded the windows, and the woodwork
was shattered into splinters. But.
from the two rooms Of the first story
Of the building the Frenchman hand
led their chassepots with deadly effect.
Lambert, with pale cheeks and flashing
eyes, constantly shouted in a hoarse
voice, "Stick toit boys Stick to 1t =
Capts. Ortus and Aubert, each with
chassepot in his hand, blazed away
with the rest. The odor Of powder
was almost sitting but the French
men coolly continued to use up their
last cartridges The little troop was
gradually becoming smaller and
smaller. The wounded and dead lay in
heaps upon the floors. The Bayarians'
General out Of patience with the extra
ordinary resistance Of that handful Of
Frenchmen, ordered an attack by the
artillery. A shell fell upon the roof
tearing big hole in it and also in the
ceiling just above the heads Of Lam
bert and his men. But, fortunately
for them it burst above and, strange
enough, did comparatively little dam
age. A few men were wounded by
the flying pieces Of timber. But the
smoke with which It filed the place
was sufocating and almost binding
Stick to it, boys2" shouted Lambert
And they stuck to it. At last the am
munition was becomihg exhausted.
The cartridge boxes Of the dead and
wounded were picked up and their
supply eagerly grabbed. But it did
not last long. Each one was fred,
the last by Capt. Aubert.
Then Lambert opened the door and
with a white handkerchief in his hand
imped out in front Of the enemy.
! The Bayarian soldiers were furious