The star. (Reynoldsville, Pa.) 1892-1946, 1896-08-12
LAST CARTRIDGES.
STORY OF THE INCIDENT DEPICTED
IN A CELEBRATED PAINTING.
Tho Magnificent Bravery of n Handful Of
French Marines Soldiers Whose Brav-
cry Was Recognized by Their Conquer
nrn.

cry was hecoKnixcu Dy IhcH ConQuer-
0r~.
Who has not seen print Of the fa-
nous picture, 1.-THE Last Cartridges "
by Alphonsc de Neuville2 The original
Is in the gallery of one of New York's
citizens Well, i'm that picture the
wounded major leaning against the old
chest and watching through the win
dow the effect of tho Turco's last shot
is Lambert, the hero of Bazeillcs
The story Of that picture is brief
enough, and yet IL has never been printed
in full in any American paper II is as
follows:
On Sept 1, 1870, the German artil-
lery was laundering around Sedan. Tho
French army was shattered. Its cavalry
had made that last and desperate charge
which brought from the lips of old King
William the exclamation SO often quoted
in French papers, "Oh, les braves
gensl" AT Bazeilles, where the French
infantry in scattered groups continued
TO fight furiously and hopelessly, dis
putting every inch Of ground with the
enemy, the German losses were severe.
On the northern outskirts Of the town u
small number Of French marines, barri-
caded in house known as La Mason
Bourgerie, kept up n prolonged resist
ance, actually holding in check almost
an army corps. This handful of heroes
was composed Of Lambert and his men.
The Fifteenth Bavarian regiment in
vested the house, firing at the windows,
without attempting to take the place by
storm. Major Lambert and Captains
Ortus and Aubert directed the fire
They transformed all the openings of
the house into loopholes, from which
they poured u deadly fire into the ranks
Of the Bavarians, who were Obliged to
fall back repeatedly. e-enforcements
after re-enforcements arrived, bat re-
pulse followed rcpulse. The marines
kept up perfect hail Of bullets, against
which ii seemed impossible to advance.
The Bavarians were moved down
mercilessly. But the besieged, too, had
hard time of it. The bullets tore into
shreds tho mattresses with which they
had barricaded the windows, and the
But from the two rooms of the first story
Of the building the Frenchmcn handled
their chassepots with deadly effect.
Lambert, with pale checks and flashing
eyes, constantly shouted in hoarse
voice: "Stick to it, boysl Stick TO itp'
Captains Ortus and Aubert, each with
chassepot in his hand, blazed away
with the rest. The odor Of powder was
almost sitting, but the Frcnchmen
coolly continued to uso up their last
cartridges. The little troop was gradu-
ally becoming smaller and smaller. The
wounded and the dead lay in heaps npon
the floors. The Bavarian general, out
Of patience with the extraordinary re-
sistance 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 Lambert and his
men. But, fortunately for them, it
burst above, and, strange enough, did
comparatively little damage A few
men were wounded by the flying pieces
of timber. But the smoke with which
it filed the place was suffocating and
almost binding. "Stick to it, boysr'
shouted Lambert And they stuck to it.
AT last the ammunition was becoming
exhausted. Tho cartridge boxes of the
dead and wounded We're picked up and
their supply eagerly grabbed But it
did not last long. Each one was fired,
the last by Captain Aubert.
Then Lambert opened the door and
with white handkerchief in his hand
limped out i'm front of the enemy. The
Bavarian soldiers were furious at their
losses. A crowd of them at the sight of
the Frenchman made dash at him
with their bayonets, but just then brave
Captain Lessignold of the Fifteenth
Bavarian infantry dashed forward, cov-
cred the Frenchman with his body and
sword in hand drove back the men who
were about to butcher him.
So Lambert and all that remained of
his men became prisoners Of war. They
numbered about 40, all more or less
wounded. That evening Major Lambert
and Captains Ortus and Aubert were
brought before the crown prince Of
Prussia, afterward Emperor Frederick
I'LL They offered him their swords.
Keep your swords, gentlemen, said
the crown prince. "We don't disarm
brave soldiers like you"
On the LIST of September, 1895, Gen
eral Lambert made a pilgrimage to the
crypt where lie the remains Of his COM
panions of that memorable day. Then
he went to see the Maison Bourgerie.
That establishment is transformed into
q national museum-that is to say, it
is covered and sheltered by another
building, and the original house stands
inside, just as it was when Lambert left
It.
But there is one unfortunate mistake
in De Neuville's picture There was no
Turco in Lambert's band, and the man
who fred the last cartridge was Cap
tain Aubert The captain must have
. smiled when he saw the strange portrait
which the famous artist made Of him.
General Lambert is now in the re-
serve forces. having passed the legal
limit for general in the regular army.
Some years ago the badauds of Paris