Orleans County monitor. [volume] (Barton, Vt.) 1872-1953, 1896-08-03

tain as picked up my shake. You
are safe now for the day.
/ knew the military superstition
which believes that the axiom mon
bis in idem" is as applicable to the
battlefield as to the courts of justice.
replaced my shake with sWagger.
"That's rude way to make one
raise ones hat" said as lightly as
could. And this wretched piece of
wit was, in the circumstances, re-
ceived as excellent.
II compliment you,n said the cap
tain. you will command a company
tonight, for I all not survive the
day. Every time have been wound
ed the officer below me has been
touched by some spent ball, and" he
added in a lower tone, tall the names
began with Pr
laughed skeptically. Most people
would have done the same, but most
would also have been struck, as | was
| by these prophetic words. But con-
script though I was, felt thatI could
trust my thoughts to no one, and that
it was my duty to seem always calm
and bold
At the end OF half an hour the Rus
sian fire had sensibly diminished. We
left our cover to advance on the re-
doubt.
Our regiments were composed of
three battalions. The second had to
lob he -,
others formed the storming party. 1
was in the third.
On issuing from behind the cover
we were received by several volleys,
which did but little harm. The whistl
ing of the balls amazed me. "But af-
ter all, I thought, "a battle is less
terrible than I expected"
We advanced at a smart run, our
musketeers in front.
Ali at once the Russian uttered
three hurrahs, three distinct hurrahs,
and then stood silent without firing.
81 don't like that silence,' said the
captain. ssIt BODIES no good.n
began to think our people were
too eager. could not help compar-
ing, mentally, their shouts and clam
or with the striking silence of the
enemy.
We quickly reached the foot of the
redoubt. The palisades were broken
and the earthworks shattered by our
balls. With a roar of 'sVive pempe
reur!" our soldiers rushed across the
ruins.
I raised my eyes. Never shall l
forget the sight which met my view.
The smoke had mostly lifted and re-
NAMED suspended like canopy 20
feet above the redoubt. Through a
blush mist could be perceived behind
the shattered parapet the Russian
grenadiers with rifles lifted, as mo-
tiOnless as statues / can see them
still-the left eve of every soldier
glazing at us, the right hidden by his
lifted gun. In an embrasure at few
feet distant man with fuse stood
by a cannon.
I shuddered. l believed that my
last hour had come.
Nov for the dance to open," cried
the captain. These were the last
words | heard him speak.
There came from the redou0ts a
roll of drums. saw the muzzles
lowered. I shut my eyes. heard
most appalling crash of sounds, to
which succeeded groans and cries.
Then I looked up, amazed to find my
81
more wrapped in smoke. was sur
rounded by the dead and wounded.
The captain was extended at my feet.
A ball had carried off his head, and |
was covered with his blood. OF all
the company only six men except
myself remained erect.
This carnage was succeeded by a
kind Of stupor. The next instant the
colonel, with his hat on his swords
point, had scaled the parapet with
the cry of 'sVive Pempereurl" The
survivors followed him. All that sue
ceeded is to me kind Of dream. We
rushed into the redoubt, | know not
how; we fought hand to hand in the
midst of smoke so thick that no man
could perceive his enemy. [ found
my sabre dripping blood, [ heard
shout of s'Victory!" ana in the clear
ing and smoke I saw the earthworks
piled with dead and dying. The can
mons were covered with a heap of
corpses. About 200 men in the French
uniform were standing without order
loading their muskets or wiping their
bayonets. Eleven Russian prisoners
were with them.
The colonel was lying, bathed in