New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1908-09-06

Drawings by Joseph Clement Coll

previously likewise be included III this list OF
rovai herones of modern times. She IS the only
woman Knight of the Russian Order OF SAINT George,
which like the English Victoria Cross and the Con
gressional Medal of the United States is conferred
only in recognition of exceptional teatS OF military
and naval heroism. She received this distinction
from Emperor Alexander ii for the courage she dis
PLAYED in the defense of Gaeta.
The siege of that last remaining stronghold OF the
Bourbons in the Kingdom of the Two Slc1l1eS re-
mains on record as of the most brilliant exam
pies of stubborn resistance against Overwhelming
odds in the military history of the nineteenth cen
fury SO great was the admiration excited by the
defense that when at length 1t became Impossible TO
hold the place any longer the garrison were ahoWed
to march out with all the hOnorS OF rWlt ColoiS
dying and bands PLAYING and without Surrendef1hS
either arms or standards, or being deprived OF tree
dom =.
for this defense 1t was she who induced her nus
band to make last stand tor his throne III tht
fortress of Gaeta instead OF joining Ihe "tuo"SN
Queen and other members OF the rel81lllS liiillE'
as we'll as most of the leading statesmen ana Prl1-
ci1al dignitaries of the army and navy III ther
flight after the caPtuatlon OF Naples TO 'Iarlpaiul
and King Victor Emmanuel 1t was she TOO VINO
prevented King Francis from accedng until 1urther
resistance had become impossible either 10 tle le
peated requests surrender or to the o11erS Oh
on board the English and French Wa1SnlPS M WI
held themselves in readiness to receive HIM Nheh
the roval residence in the fortress was DESTROYED by
the FIRE of the enemy to give idea OF the intensity
of the fire. | may mention that on January 22 1911
no less than eleven thousand proect1ies were hued
against the doomed fortress from sea ana l4lu( he
rOVal couple took up their quarters III the
The Queen divided her time between nursing ana
caring for the wounded, and encouraging the Oh
ficers and soldiers the ramparts.
AS an illustration of her 1ndomtabe courage ana
presence of mind, | may repeat the abSolutelN
authentic story of how day during the siege a
she'll burst in the very where she, the hlng
and the members of their staff were seated at dinner
There was a rush for doors and windows ne only
one entirely unmoved the Queen. Walking up
TO the chirnnevpiece. she looked at herself with
a certain amount of Coquetry IN what had beeh
arHS
literally sprinlled with white dust from the Sha'-
tered plaster and stucco walls, exclaimed, Dear
mel | never dreamt how well powder becomes my
hair | must really let the soldiers see me III TINS
guise. ,t co+,
When the King and Queen ultimately lett Gteta
after siege of ninety days, more than tWo-thlrds Oh
the garrison had succumbed to typhus. the hIe Oh
the enemy. and the explosion of everyone OF the
MAGAZINES: and it in recognition OF the gaaltly
of the defense and the heroism OF the Queen that
by the direction of the late Victor Emmanuel the
Italian flag was not hoisted over the fortress pT the
vitors until the vessel carrying the Queen ana hS
TO Civitavecchia en- route to Rome had passed out
of sight. - O,,,r
1t is quite in keeping with the character OF Queen
Marie that when Alexander III. of Russia announced
his intention of comforting upon her his Order Oh