Omaha daily bee., 1898-08-14
BY Louis Tracy.

from the northern army to attack Montmedy,
thus providing security on the right flank
of the Invaders. Vansittart had foreseen
such a ~move-hence his order TO mobilize
at Sedan,
But lie Breton Judged rightly that time
was more important than risk and he was
above all things anxious to get to work be-
fore any inkling OF his approach could be
obtained by the Germans.
He instructed his brigadiers to give to
every man the opportunity of quitting the
expedition before 1t was too late and to
lay particular stress upon the sad necessity
there was to abandon all who were 80 Sc
verely wounded as to be unable to ride.
out Of 5000 troopers only one man, a
private of the Eighteenth chasseurs in the
Third brigade, stood out FROM the ranks
when his brigadier invited those who had
aught to say to declare themselves.
He was a native of Tarascon. a burly and
muscular man, who had hitherto been re-
garded by his comrades as OF a
flre-eater.
His seeming detection was greeted with a
roar OF Indignation by the Eighteenth.
"Hola. Tartarin." yelled one. Thou
seest a lion, them"
This is no picnic for a capShooter! cried
another, and the laugh at these illusions to
his immortal birthplace converted the COM
mon wrath into scorn.
Pierre Laronde turned forcely on the
%scoffers.
81 fought with the emperor in the desert
and rode with him to meet the PRESIDENT
he vehemently cried. Those whU are be-
lowing did neither, 1 should think"
The credentials were excellent; they pro-
cured silence.
well, what of it?' said the officer good
humoredly. He saw that 1t WIS no recreant
who approached him.
81 ask the honor of a word with the gen.
eral."
Hum, tits contrary to discipline, but this
Is no time for ceremony. COME with me-"
When the pair stood before Id Breton
Laronde was in no wise abashed.
General" he said, 81 see a way Of doing
you some service
"Out with it, and quickly"
"VVhen ! listened to the orders / said to
myself: Pierre, it is we'll thought of, but
perhaps the general, in attending to many
things, may have forgotten one. The Ger
mans are well served by field telegraph, and
they must be prevented at the outset from
making dispositions to stop our advance by
too great force?' Such was my reflection,
general"
1.-THE reflection is good, soldier. Hast a
plan?"
but yes. I and nine chosen comrades,
two Of whom can speak German and work
a telegraph instrument, will, il you approve,
general, try to get through the enemy's
pickets at dusk, find the line to Damvilliers,
the headquarters of General Kreuznach, cut
it, connect up again. and tell him that a
reconnaissance in force is in progress along
the right bank of the Mouse from Mont
medy."
"Ha, Kreuznach will think we travel
south rather than west?'
$50, general
THY name, soldier?"
pierre Laronde.'
"Do this, Laronde, and when you next
meet me you receive your epaulets. l like
3 officers who can think"
The man flushed with pleasure. He
t needed no higher incentive.
AT Q o'clock that night a message from
the German commander at Longuyon in
D forming the headquarters staff that all was
quiet on the flank was suddenly interrupted.
The operator In Longuyon, finding his
t instrument useless, reported the fact to his
chief, who had also just received the un-
pleasant intelligence that two ~sentries had
!, apparently been surprised and killed.
t A cavalry cadet came gallloping up. "Col'
I onel, a strong body OF the enemy's horse
= is advancing down the hill toward the
bridge"
+ To give color to this statement a sput'
tering Of rife fire broke out and momentarly
n grew in volume.
In fifteen minutes Longuyon was cleared
Of uhlans and Bavarians, three bridges wer'
S destroyed, two railroad viaducts blown W
S and a working party was busy planting
batch of dynamite cartridges with detonatini
c fuses in a long tunnel that pierced thu
hills leading to the frontier.
O To the Germans confusion and chao
seemed to reign unchecked.
Those who kept their senses and We're II
touch with the fighting could not fall I
d notice that q vast body Of horse, needles
10 of the conflict, poured headlong through tn
le village In the direction of Diedenhofen.
Meanwhile the defenders OF the post wer'
d actively hunted in every direction.
A troop train, with several officers an
N half a battalion of Hanoverians ON board
dashed off toward Spincourt, the neares
point by rail to Damvilliers. and the mai
~ line OF German communication, but !
plunged into a ravine at a point wher
Pierre Ladronde and his little band ha
OF thoughtfully removed a rail.
be BY midnight an entire division had bee
lie put in motion by General Kreuznach an
y, was fastening northward with the utmoa
At speed, as not a word OF reply could IN
l. staff get to the singular and startling mes
Id sage from Longuyon, which came to han
IN at $40 p, IN.
They encountered stragglers from th
,y threatened flank, who announced that
- French column-a division, an army corr
of 100, 900 men-had occupied Longuyon an
4 was in full pursuit. Thereupon the con
: mander of the relief thought It his dut
to halt until daylight. He did SO, marche
cautiously TO LOnguyon and found only II
evidences OF the preceding nights disaste
At 10 O'Clock a duh explosion. followe
81 by a violent earth tremor, meant that tv
= months hard work would scarce suffice
81 make the railway tunnel serviceable agai
/" and Pierre Laronde and his conrad
a.. thought II high time to catch some ride
less horses and ride fast after the ma
body.
lie Breton's method OF advance was a,
mirable. Whenever a bridge had to be d
\ stroyed or a section OF the parallel railw,
~ dismantled, u small party halted and begI
their preparations, while the remainder
. the force pressed on through tho darknes
When all had passed the dynamite i
its work and the wreckers rode off to b
come the rear guard in their turn.