The Olneyville times. (Olneyville [Providence, R.I.]) 1887-1917, 1913-07-25
A HEROIC DEFENSE
Story OF "The Last Cartridges"
and She French Marines.
THE BATTLE AT BAzEILLES.
Comma ndan nj Lsmbert's Simple Report
of the Desperate Conflict With the
Bavarians That Was Irnmortalizsd In
De Nouviile's Famous Painting.

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Bavarians That Was IrnmortalIzsd In
De NouvifIe's Famous Painting.
A famous French battle painting
called THE Last Cartridges" the work
Of Alphonse dc Melville, represents the
desperate defense OF an old house al
BazeIlles by hanSful OF French ma
rines against great odds. Doubt bav-
ing been cast upon the authenticity Of
this episode the French government
has published the official report made
by Commandant Lambert, who com
manded the detachment at Bazeilles-
The report IL simply plain, urrvar-
nished recital Of the events q thrill
ing and heroic series OF engagements
I'm which undaunted bravery and reck-
less courage were truly displayed and
which would furnish abundant mnte-
rial for a dranatist IN need OF text
for stirring play This IL the brief
story ns IL was recounted by the brave
commandant:
Lambert had been wounded by hall
In the log and was unable 20 walk more
than few steps. With few officers
and n detachment OF his soldiers, cut
off from tho main body of the French
army, he took refuge In an isolated
house at the highest point In Bdzeiles
and defended IL against the Germans
Firing from the windows and any
other openings that they could find,
the soldiers inflicted heavy loss upon
the enemy. who swarmed through the
streets OF the town. They believed
that they would soon be resGied 10y
their own troops.
They sti1 heard the sound of their
mitraiIleuses and the detonations "
she French chnssepots, which they
could distinguish perfectly well from
the sounds Of the guns Of tho Bavs-
rians about them.
G'hey did not lennw that these sounds
came from n French force Ms hopeless
IL walled Ia as they themselves were
and that the main body Of their coun-
trymen had deserted them.
AZ one time, seeing a chance for
their escape. Lambert tried TO send his
comrades away while he and n few
soldiers were TO remain and fan into
the hands Of the enemy burt they re-
fused Go go. Meantime projectiles OF
all sorts were raining into the old
house. Bullets perforated the doors
and windows until but little remained
OF them. The building was entirely
surrounded by the Fifteenth Bavarian
regiment
A bombshell crashed through the
roof, bearing down with II several
men. Others were cut down by VaVa-
rian bullets. But the fight went on for
n long time. and the Frenchmen were
able 20 keep their assaIlants Mt bay.
At last. however, the ammunition
gave out AS the last cartridges were
fred the men. having heard the Bava-
rians' demand that no quarter be given
those Frenchmen because OF the heavy
losses they had inflicted. proposed TO
Issue from the building with charged
bayonets and sell their lives dearly in
n hand 20 hand conflict.
But their commander. the wounded
Lambert, waited until the last car
fridge was fired; then he limpcd
through the door and confronted the
swarming Bavarinns alone. He de
clared that If they killed him II would
be time for his soldiers 10 die. and II
was possible that he, their commander
could make some terms for them.
As soon as he limped out and stood
with folded arms dozen bayonets
were nc his breast He would have
been killed In another instant If the
Bnvarian captain had not. at the risk
OF his own life. precipitated himself
upon the French officer and beaten
back his own men. Tnfuriated by the
frightful loss which the defenders had
inflicted upon their own regiment, they
would have put the whole detachment
TO death.
The Bavarian captain prevailed, and
the FrenChmen were made prisoners
OF war. The Bavarian officer congrat-
ulated the French commander warmly
upon the desperate and heroic stand
they had made