River Falls journal. [volume] (River Falls, Pierce County, Wis.) 1872-2019, 1899-04-13

nrSt 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 ! was at
the military school, where he had en-
tered me. just then l came in with my
drum on my shoulder belt, happy TO
be alive in spite of the misery of the
time, and whistling like blackbird.
Nv father fixed his eyes on me.
Tell me, my son, if you have not al
ready learned something of the art of
warp
felt very proud and answered:
81 believe so, my father"
In fact, knew there was no one who
could teach me how to better handle a
drum.
Let me see how you can beat your
drum" said my father. VERY well.
Now beat for charge"
| beat my drum so furiously that I'M
der the inspiring call l felt that
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
killed many of our men, and, besides, a
hundred men, at least, are wounded
The drummer of our company has two
l.
another. In this hour everyone ought
to be willing to do his whole duty-wilt
thou take his place."
My heart filed my throat and choked
my answer. | do not know that
was from pleasure, but it 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 / became a soldier.
For one month all went smoothly.
This did not prevent me, however,
from bringing down with my fathers
gun brigand Prussian who showed
his head at the corner of the woods. |
had a steadier aim than the old soldiers
even, and the man l drew on was a
dead man.
One morning at day break the cap
tain. who had collected his men on the
parade ground near the old gate of
Saint Claude, called to my father, who
was drilling his men:
"Sergt Bigorne," he said, ''the enc
my 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 reinforce the troops
at Luneville, 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
so be it," answered my father; 1--WE
viii go"
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 I'M
til evening. so firmly that not one of
us heard the order for retreat and
when night fell we were encircled by
the enemy. with no hope of escape. All
the same, these civic guards. shopkeep-
ers as they were. did not know when
they were beaten. and when com
rade 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 balls. My father had
received a saber wound in the shoulder.
but | could see him still bearing aloft
the flag above the smoke of the battle.
Our fire slackened; our ammunition
had. given out; the end had come. The
word strangles me when l think of
tive were forced to surrender
Two hours later they imprisoned us
in a farmhouse that the fires of war
had spared. A Prussian field marshal,
followed by his chief of staff. dismount-
ed for a look at his prisoners.
His men showed in their eyes the
pleasure our capture gave them; but
their white uniforms, blackened with
powder and the marks of our saber
thrusts, showed the evil we had done
them.
The field marshal ordered the wound
ed to be attended to, and, stepping in
front of my father. demanded the flag.
NV father. whose hands we saw were
empty, declared he did not know where
it was The field marshal turned to
the officer of the post and said;
Very well, if he does not remember
by tomorrow morning, shoot him."
When they had relieved us of our
arms and placed us under guard. my
father. who watched the sentinel from
the corner of his eye. told Us that he
had hidden the flag; that, seeing the
day was going against us, he had torn
it from its standard, wrenched the
eagle from its perch, flung ii into
ditch, while he had concealed the
precious silk. riddled with balls, IN
der his coat.
Ny father was simple man. the de-
scendant of peasants. a son of the soil;
but in speaking 10 us of these things
the man seemed to expand and become
exalted with the words he uttered.
He told us this fragment of silk was
sacred. that the wind that swelled its
folds was the breath of the nation,
and that il moved in the midst of US on
the march as the image of our country.
Then he thrust il into my bosom,
uot wishing il TO be found on him when
he should be shot next day. | felt
suddenly that ! had become man.
In the evening the Prussians sent
A dag OF truce asking a suspension of
hsstilitIes that each might bury its
lead. and asked one Of our number
10 act as guide to our lines An old
com-ade. who knew the country well,
offered to conduct the officer when