Lincoln County leader. [volume] (Toledo, Lincoln County, Or.) 1893-1987, 1899-04-21
r WAS just IS years old. It was in

the January of 1871. The French
town in which lived was besieged
by the Prussians. For two months the
enemy had held our little garrison
blockaded like fox in its hole. 1t was
q terrible winter. 1t showed inces-
sanity. Cold and hunger were harder
to contend with than the enemy him
self, and the fever thinned our ranks
faster than his bullets.
In order to warm our blood from time
to time we made little sorties; but it
was labor In vain, for we were inclosed
in circle of fire. Those who fell suf-
fered no more, and those who survived
continued to deceive themselves with
the hope of escape. In our home there
remained but my mother and me. My
father was sergeant and color-bearer in
one of the companies which the citi-
zens had formed from the first moment
of the invasion.
One morning he came home, having
fought through the entire night, and,
embracing my mother, inquired for me.
My mother replied that l was at the
military school, where he had entered
me. Just then 1 came in with my drum
on my back and my drumsticks thrust
through my shoulder belt, happy to be
alive in spite Of the misery of the time,
and whistling like a blackbird. My
father fixed his eyes on me.
"Tell me, my son, If you have not al
ready learned something Of the art of
warp
Il felt very proud, and answered.:
II believe so, my father"
In fact, knew there was no one who
could teach me how to better handle
drum.
LET me see how you can beat your
drum," said my father. Every well.
Now beat for charge"
l beat my drum so furiously that
under the inspiring call felt that l
could lead an assault on the bells of
the cathedral tower.
"Well done" said my father; "that is
first-rate."
Then he said nothing more until my
mother had gone to her chamber when
he drew me closer to him, and said,
gently:
Listen, my son; the enemy has kill
ed many Of our men, and besides, 100
men, at least, are wounded. The drum
mer of our company has two bullets in
his breast. We must have another. In
this hour every one ought to be willing
TO do his whole duty-wllt thou take his
placer?
My heart filed my throat and choked
my answer. l do not know that this
was from pleasure, but 1t certainly was
not from fear.
The day passed That night, while
my mother slept, my father, with his
gun on his shoulder, and l with my
drum on my back, set out for the camp.
Thus l became soldier.
For one month all went smoothly.
This did not prevent me, however, from
bringing down with my fathers gun a
brigand Prusslan who showed his head
at the corner of the woods. | had
steadier aim than the old soldiers even,
and the man | drew on was dead
man.
One morning at daybreak the cap
tain, who had collected his men on the
parade ground near the old gate of st.
Claude, called to my father, who was
drilling his men.
'Sergt Blgorne," he said, "the enemy
presses us each day more closely; If
this continues, In eight days he will be
within our walls. This must not be.
Tonight the commandant has ordered
sortie In order to re-enrorce the troops
at Lunevllle, who hold the country In
the enemy's rear. Your division Is to
be the advance guard, sergeant. 1t is
the question to pass the enemy or die
In the attempt"
80 be it," answered the father; 1--WE
will 60"
And we went. This was a dreadful
day. The enemy had been informed,
and received us with volley Of grape
shot. However, we held out firmly
until evening, so firmly that not one of
us heard the order for retreat, and
when night fell we were enclrcled by
the enemy, with no hope of escape.
All the same, these civic guards, shop
keepers as they were, did not know
when they were beaten, and when n
comrade fell they simply fought for
two.
OF our own section only two were
left. counted for nothing, being so
slender that think must have passed
between their bullets. My father had
received saber wound in the shoulder,
but | could see him still bearing aloft
the flag above the smoke of the battle.
Our fire slackened; the ammunition
had given out; the end had come The