The Meeker herald., 1898-10-29
"1Hs PRETTY Sergeant"
Deeds of ysIor Performed BY French
Heroine.

heroine.
The story Of Virginia GhesqIiere, the
French heroine, who was decorated
with the Order of the Legion If Honor
for distinguished bravery DUNG one
OF the campaigns of the Fretch army
in Spain, is graphically told by Emile
Cere in his history of MADAME Sans
Gene ct Les Femmes Soldats"
In the coIscription of 1906 young
man by the name ofGhesquiere was en-
listed among the forced recruits of the
department of the Haut-Rhin. The
beardless conscript was frail and deli
cate. utterly unable to bear the iatigues
and kardships of war. Realizing the
physical ilcapacity of her twin brother,
whom she very closely rescmb,ed, the
brave and unseifish sister, Virginia, de-
cided to take his place in the ranks.
With the courage Of high and noble
motive, Virginia Ghesquiere begged her
parents to allow her to do for France
what her brothers i'll health rendered
it impossible for him to do, and so ear
nestiy did the young patriot plead that
she won their consent.
intrepid girl presented herself at the
department on the following day, and
was assigned to the Twenty-seventh
regiment by the unsuspectiIg officer
whose duty it was to enroll the re-
cruitS.
For six years the brave young woman
preserved her disguise, and during this
period was several times rewarded for
gallant conduct. At Wagram the
pretty sergeant" as the modest, ef'
feminate-looking young soldier was
generally called, had the honor OF saw
ing the life OF the colonel OF the regi'
ment, who had fallen into the Danube
and would have perished but for heI
efforts.
On the I'd Of May, 1908, after the bat
tie OF Lisbon, the pretty sergeant
performed deed of valor that won fol
her the decoration of the Legion Of
Honor.
The girl soldier, who was now ser
geant of company of ritiemen, per.
ceived at short distance from the field
of battle the figure of the colonel of the
regiment lying under the body of hi:
dead horse. Turning to two comrades
she said 1.-The body of n colonel is
flag that belongs to the regiment anc
the Twenty-seventh will retake it,"
AS she smoke she advanced toward
the PROSTATE officer, followed by two
soldiers. Her comrades, both veal
from loss OF blood, were unable TO reach
the goal, so that the burden Of the afiail
fell upon her slender shoulders.
On reaching the spot she found i
impossible to lift the heavy body OF the
fallen officer. tug and struggle as sht
might! She was now, moreover, bese
by two struggling English soldiers
Seized by sort of frenzy at this COW
ardly interruption of a merciful deed
the little sergeant fred at one of her as
sailants, wounding him in the shoulder
and then dist; bed the other by vigor
GUS blows from her gunstock.
Both Britons surrendered, and as
sisted her in placing the officer, VIII
still brcathed, upon horse which hal
strayed near. Compelling the English
men to allow themselves to be attached
to the horses tail, the pretty sergeant
made triumphal entry into camp
and was soon after made q chevalie
| of the legion.
One of the most singular circum
stances of this curious history is tina
| after the wars were over the womal
who had won renown on the battle fell
and public recognition from the EN-
| pire chose to return to her native prov
! ince, and resumed there the old, simple
F.. tranquil domestic life Of her childhood
Virginia Ghesquiere died in 1855, bu
her memory will always live among tn
| inhabitants of Delemont, who from on
| generation to another will tell thei
| children's children the story of the girl
| soldier who served France SO heroicall,
| for her brothers sake.-Youth's Com
panion.