Burlington weekly free press. [volume] (Burlington, Vt.) 1866-1928, 1912-11-14
DECORATING NINE. DE GRISE
CRntinere who Helped Troops Enter
Paris In 1871.

III bestuwing the medal of 1870 on Nine.
de Grsc tn, minister OF war has decor
ntod famous cantincrc, who took no
small part in the events Of the period
by opening the gates of Paris to the
troops of Versailles who were fighting
the Commune. Her husband was boot
maker. and. ~ she learned the trade
from him, she has since hia death con-
tinued his work. and has earned her
living with the awl and the last
She has told us how she came to he
cantinicrc. and mixed up with the stir
ring events Of the day They had a
hootshop in the Chaussce du Maine.
and tho sieg" OF Paris was drawing to
- close. All the abc-boded men Of the
iiih ACCOMPLISHMENT were being en-
rolled under the fag. and we're drilled
in the public squares Her husband en-
listed as volunteer and she was asked
to join the troops also as cantincrc
The major In command asked the men
In her presence, First company in line
OF march, do YOU want Nine de Grisc as
cantinere?" They all answered, yes. .
The same question was put to the second
company, and down to the last. and tho
same answer came from all
Nine de Grlse was given her uniform
and took up her duties .at once with
the 4Cth Battalion Of The Garde Nation
ale. She proceeded with the men to the
advanced posts. and the cold was in
tense The men had hard time during
that terrible winter in keeping alive in
the great frost. and she went from on"
tent TO another stirring UP the fires and
distributing hot coffee and soup. Re
menhcring those days. she said. "On.
has to live at such a time to realize
what a great work woman can do III
the midst of soldiers who are fighting &c
She was with her battalion at tho bat
ties and skirmishes of Bourgct. Bobigny
and barney. One night there were two
soldiers killed. and, as there was nobody
to bury them. their corpses were placed
on her cart and she took them to the
cemetery of st. Denis to bury them her
self. One of them she had known very
well. He was a shopkeeper. whose house
| had been set on fire He had escaped,
only to be shot during one of the first
encounters.
on Dec II she heard the last shot :
fired as she was coming along the Route
| de Flandres, and picked up z guns from
the lines of rhe enemy. The siege was
hardly over when the Commune broke
out. and her battalion was compelled
at the Marie of the 14th Arrondsse-
ment to swear fidelity to the Commune
| They did bui against their will and
werc determined on the first oppor-
| tun!ty to open way to the troops
from Versailles, This opportunity came
on the night OF May 81, when her bat.
talon was on guard at Passy. They
opened up communication with the 10th
Of the line. and in short time theso
troops entered Paris. They were taker
| prisoners for their own protection, anC
the men were sent to Brcst, while the
women were conveyed TO Clermont Ar
| order hld been sent to Clei1nont ex-
planning the situation Of Nine. de Gr!se
| and she was treated very kindly for foui
months until she was acquitted with tn.
men. by a court martial which sat only
| AS a formality.-Parri Correspondence
London Telegraph.