The Catholic bulletin. [volume] (St. Paul, Minn.) 1911-1995, 1918-06-01
WHEN THE MAID OF ORLEANS
SAVED FRANCE-A REMARkA-
BILE MAIDEN-VIOLENT DEATH
AT HANDS OF HYPocRITES.

|
glory of Joan of Arc that one is be-
wildered in making choice of them for
short article. Her sex makes a Won
der of her martial mission and her
youth another She was not yet TWEEN
ty when her virginia. body was given
to the flames. Her perfect singleness
of purpose was another wonder. For
this was | born-to drive the English
out of France" said the girl Joan to
her uncle when she prevailed on him
to take her from her home in Vaucou-
leurs so that she might there get es-
cort from the governor to the Dauphin
of France And human respect, the
advice of the cautious, the shameless
taunts of the enemy, danger Of death
itself could not make her deviate a
hairs breadth from her mission. Not
till the English were driven out of
France did the humble, lonely girl beg
to be allowed to go home.
The fearlessness of the warrior
maid who yet wept when the enemy
went unshrived to their death; the
swift and complete success of her mis-
sion are still other sides of the bril-
lance of her glory.
We shall not choose amongst these
but take only the point Of time and
review two notable Mays in the Bless
ed Maids short life.
Joan of Arc day, May 8, celebrates
the raising of the siege of Orleans.
From the life OF Blessed Joan, writ
ten by E. A. Ford, we take this chap
ter recounting the last day of the
siege.
"The Stroke of God"
"The stroke of God," the English
Duke of Bedford called the demolition
of the English fortresses that guarded
the bridge over the river into Orleans
on that brave Saturday evening, May
8, when the news of it was brought
him few days later to Paris, where
he was ensconced securely, as he
thought, for all time.
''All things prospercd for you till
the time of the siege of Orleans" he
wrote to the young king of England.
But those. four days work around
and outside the walls of Orleans de-
cided the fate of the English in
France. They had to go and as the
sequel proved they did not stand on
the order Of their going, but went
quickly.
There was quite dramatic finale to
the siege of Orleans not often found,
if ever, in books of battles and sieges.
The four days fighting had been on
the east side and in front of the city.
The fortresses of st. Loup, ST. Jean
lie Blanc, the Augustins, the Tourelles,
formed the English stronghold on two
main sides of the city. On the west
on the way to Blois and Tours and
| Chinon, outside the Regnart Gate were
encamped in greater number but not
so fortified, the main English army un
der Lord Talbot.
They could not get to the aid of the
Tourelles even if they had had time tC
collect their thoughts and get them
selves together for such reinforce
ment. The descent of Joan of Arc
and the army on the bridge fortresses
had been swift and too overwhelming
in it's result.
The French returned by the bridge
that Saturday night and after the
fervent thanksgivings in the churches
and the inevitable Shouting and eXul
tation over the victory, they hat
dropped from sheer exhaustion into {
few hours of as deep and peaceful
sleep as few Frenchmen had knowI
in that neighborhood for nearly year
Not many hours of sleep though, fol
at the first streak of dawn the watch
ers on the towers after feasting thei
eyes On the still smoking .remains 0
the English forts across the river, turn
ing their eyes westward where th'
enemy's camp whitened the plain, say
unusual signs of activity for SO earl.
an hour. The English had left thei
tents and were drawn up in line o
battle. Quickly the Maid and th
French captains and garrison and tire'
! soldiers were up and marshaled. Gu
of the Regnant Gate Joan led then
and soon they were in shape for work
facing the English troops and betweel
them and the city walls.
Thus the two armies stood a brie
space. Both apparently ready, neithe
anxious to begin.
For once Joan was not calling
.Forward, French hearts," She sui
!: veyed the field quietly for a few mt
ments and then saying, This is SUI
day morning gave orders for tabl
to be brought, and temporary alta
erected right there on the field, bt
tween the two armies.
/ Her confessor then offered up til
Holy Sacrifice and Immediately afte
him another priest did SO, both armie
attending as reverently as circun
stances permitted. When the secon
Mass was finished. Joan, who had di
!. mounted and knelt near the alta
/ asked those near her how were th
English facing.
: Their backs are towards US. The
! are facing Meung, was the answe
5 '4They are going. In Gods name v
! willie them go. We shall catch the
) another time, she said. a detac