Eagle River review. [volume] (Eagle River, Wis.) 1890-1927, 1897-09-09
Forward, March We had gone

Uut d low pdCCS uCA d tO1lCy VI grape
struck us on the flank, and cut down
about fifteen men in our company.
Then our officers, who were awaiting
the command to charge, ordered us to
crouch down in the cover, like sharp
shooters, while they remained stand
ing, and I. assure you that our cap
tain was not the least erect. We kept
up fire on the fort that we were to
carry. Suddenly felt hand on my
shoulder, and turning I saw La Soft,
who was looking at me with one corner
of his mouth drawn up in peculiar
manner, as he loaded his gun.
''Do you see the captain p said he,
nodding his head in his direction.
Yes; what of it?'' [ answered,
glancing at the officer, who was stand
ing not twenty steps from us.
well, he made mistake talking
to me as he die last night.
Then, with q rapid movement, he
put his gun to his shoulder, fred, and
[ saw the captain bend backward,
beat the air with his hands, drop his
sword, and fall heavily to the ground.
"Assassin!" / cried, Selling the
sergeant's arm.
Striking me a violent blow on the
chest, he knocked me several feet
from him.
Fool! Prove that it was I that
shot him.
[ rose, furious; but all the sharp.
shooters rose at the same time. Our
colonel, bareheaded, on his steaming
horse was there, pointing with his
saber to the Austrian fort, and shout
ing at the top of his voice:
Forward, Zouaves! Charge with
the bayonet'
That was all I could do, wasn't it?
Charge with the others! All, that
charge has passed into history, that
charge of the Zouaves at Melegnano!
Have you ever seen the full sea beat
against rocky wall? Well, this
was just the same. Each COM
pany beat up against the fort
like the sea against the rock.
Three times the battery was covered
with blue jackets and white trousers,
and three times we saw it reappear
with its formidable embrasures, un-
shaken as the rock after the beating
of the waves
The fourth company, ours, must
surely take the fort. In twenty
bounds [ reached the redoubt; help
ing myself with the barrel of my gun,
I clambered up the steep side; but I
had just time to see yellow mus
tache, blue cap, and the mrlzzle of
carbine, which almost touched me.
Then I felt such blow in my left
shoulder that I thought my arm was
torn out. [ dropped my gun; every
thing swan before my eyes; I fell on
my side near a caisson-wheel and
tainted away.
When [ came to my senses only a
distant sound of musketry was to be
heard. The Zouaves were standing
around in a semi-circle, brandishing
their guns, and shouting: ''Long
live the Emperor
An old general, followed by his
staff, came up at gallop. He checked
his horse, took off his helmet, waved
it joyously, and cried: Bravo !!
Zouaves You are the bravest of the
braver
was sitting on the ground, near
the caisson-wheel supporting my
broken arm with my right hand,
thinking of La Soif's frightful crime.
All at once I saw him leave the ranks
and approach the general. Yes, it
was La Soft, the captains murderer.
In the engagement he had lost his
fez, and his head was exposed, show
ing the track made by bullet which
had just grazed his skull, and the
blood was running down over his
forehead and cheek. In one hand he
carried his gun; with the other he
presented an Austrian flag, riddled
with shot and stained with blood,
flag which he had captured. The
general looked at him with admiration.
':Look there, Bricourt,' said he to
his orderly, ''what menu
Then La Soft said:
ssYou are right, general. These
are the First Zouaves. There are
enough left to fight once more. /"
ct am glad of that replied the
general, land you snail De decorated
for your bravery" Still repeating,
sswhat men! what menu he adj
dressed a remark to his aide which |
did not understand you know | am
not learned-but which ] remember.
ssHeroes for Plutarch, hey, Bri-
court?''
At this moment the pain from my
wound overcame me; l tainted, and
saw and heard nothing more.
You know the rest. l have often
told you how they cut off my arm,
and how passed two months in the
hospital, deiirious with fever most OF
the time. In my rational hours [
asked myself what ought to do about
La Soft. Expose him? That was
clearly my duty, but how could I
,,ro1vo his crima2 Then I said to nv