The Hartford republican., 1913-12-05
A HEROIC DEFENSE
SfGfy Of "The Last Cartridges"
and the French Marines.
THE BATTLE At BAZEIllES
-Esszn.s ndan tsmbert's Simple Report
Of the Desperate Conflict With the
aavsrians That Was Immortalized In
De Aeu,iIIe's Famous Painting.


De aeuyiIie's Famous Painting.
A samous French battie painting
.cz,ik.3 The Last Cartridges" the work
a ,ltphosse de Neuviile. represents the
aesfsrate dcfeuse OF an old house at
BazeiIies by handful Of French nia.
riar, against great odds. Doubt hav-
5.S as.en cast upon the authenticity OF
sAis episode. the French government
has published the official report made
~ Comma adant> Lambert. who com
4.snssIed the detachment at Bazeilles.
IT. rel,ort is simply a plain. unyar'
1istss1 recital Of the events Of Il thrill.
ing snd heroic series of engagements
II which uadaunted bravery and reck'
sess courage were truly displayed and
EAs1 would furnish abundant mate
rial Eor d dcs matist in need of text
fss > stirriag play. This is the brief
-s1sFy as il was recounted by the brave
-,1MAaapdaBt:
Lambert bad been wounded by ball
in she ,eg and was unable TO walk more
fhas few steps. With a few officers
mo- = tacament of his soldiers. cut
81 Gsom the main body of the French
zsKy. he took refuge in an isolated
As<sse at the highest point in Bazeilles
snA defended it against the Germans.
Ri~ius from the windows and any
"zfheS openings that they could find.
ste soldiers inflicted heavy loss upon
tae s0eny. who swarmed through the
s<rsefs ef the town. They believed
Dhek ss~n troops.
Teg still beard the sound Of their
asAesfsLeuses and the detonations Of
she french chassepots, which they
,sssuGd distinguish perfectly we'll from
o. sounds Of the guns Of the Bava-
arfzna about them.
rey did not know that these sounds
ra0e from a French force as hopeless
b walled il as they themselves we're
I5yAsen had deserted them.
~ one time. seeing a chance for
yshesr escape. Lambert tried to send his
,enarales away while he and a few
Hz29icrs were to remain and fall into
m hands Of the enemy. but they re-
fnsnd TO so. Meantime projectiles OF
sn sorts were raining into the old
Ssssse. Bullets perforated the doors
sxaA windows until but little remained
ss them. Tie building was entirely
ssyvrrnded 10y the Fifteenth Bavarian
e<nssBt.
a ssombsbeIi crashed through the
renf. aearine down with ii several
nsna. Others were cut down by Vava-
rts1 s,uilets. But the fight went on for
q tsslz time. and the Frenchmen were
zbke 80 keep their assailants at bay
IA sast. however. the ammunition
GAVE Ont. As the last cartridges were
iss,. the men. having heard the Bava-
Eise<' demand that no quarter be given
ii~se Ercnchmen because Of the heavy
lenS-s they had inflicted. proposed to |
isssse from the building with charged
bsso1fets and sell their lives dearly In
a hand 10 hsnd conflict.
Buf their commander. the wounded
Lsinhert. waited until the last car
rIfds.s was fred then he limpeG
1Atss8gh the door and confronted the
sHsrniing f.avarians alone lie de-
siaSSi that If they killed him II would f!
Ia time for his soldiers TO die ana II
psis possible that he. their commander |
s5suH make some terms for them.
An soon as he lhmped out aud stood |
usIh folded arms dozen bayOnets |
Hese AT his breast. He would have |
2 beeS killed m another Instant II the
Bavafian captain had not. at the risk |
- ais own Me. precipitated himself
,paA the French officer and beaten
lAs<;k his own @ea. Infuriated by the
tssskxfnl loss which the defenders had
isnbssed upon their own regiment. they
yssusd have put the whole detachment
q 10 death.
The Bavariaa captain prevailed. and
-ste FreAchmea were made prisoners
- syar. The Bavarian officer cOngrat-
akss<d the Freuch commander warmly
prps the desperate and heroic stand
Z tfey had made.