Evening star., 1928-06-03
"The Last Cartridges. "

4 FAMOUS French battle painting
I \ THE Last Cartridges" the work
OF Alphonse de Beuville, represents the
desperate defense Of an old house at
Bazeilles by a handful Of French ma
rines against great odds Doubt having
been cast upon the authenticity OF the
episode. the French government pub
Iished the official report made by Com
mandant Lambert. who commanded the
detachment at Bazeilles.
II is a plain and straightforward re-
port. without dwelling upon thrilling
details LAMBERT had been wounded
by ball in the leg and was unable to
walk more than few steps. With a
few officers ard a detachment of his
soldiers. cut of from the main body
OF the French army, he took refuge in
an isolated house at the highest point
in Bazcilles and defended it against
the Germans Firing from the win
dows and anv other openings that they
could find. the soldiers inflicted heavy
loss upon the enemy. who swarmed
through the streets Of the town. They
still heard the sound Of their mira
illeuses and the detonations of the
French chaSsep0ts, which they could
distinguish perfectly well from the
sounds OF the guns of the BavarianS
around them. They did not know that
these sounds came from a French force
as hopeleSsly walled in as they them
selves were, and that the main body Of
their countrvmen had deserted them
At one time. seeing a chance for their
escape. Lambert tried 70 send his COM
rades away. while he and a few SOL
fiers were to remain and fall into the
hands Of the enemy: but they refused
TO go. Meantime, projectiles Of all sorts
were raining into the old house Bul-
let's perforated the doors and windows
until but little remained Of them. The
building was entirely surrounded by
the 18th Bavsrian Regiment.
A bombShell crashed through the
roof bearing down with IL several men.
Others were cut down bv Bavarian bull
lets. But the fight went on for a long
time and the Freuchmen were able 20
keen their aSSailants at bay.
AT last, however the ammunition
gave out. AS the last cartridges were
being fired the men, having heard that
the Bavartans demanded that no quar-
ter should be given those Frenchmen
because of the heavy losses thev had In
flicted nroposed to issue from the build
ing with charred bavonets and sell their
lives dearly in a hand-to-hand con-
fiict.
But their commander, the wounded
Lambert, waited until the last cartridge
was fired. Then he limped through the
door and confronted the Swarming Ba-
varianS alone. He declared that n
they killed him II would be time for
his soldiers To die and IL was noSSiblA
that he. their commander, could make
some terms for them.
AS soon as he limped oat and stood
with folded arms, a dozen hayonets
were at his breast. He would have been
killed In another instant n the IA
varian cantain had not. at the risk OF
his own life, nrecipitated himself upon
the French officer and beaten hack his
own men, Infuriated BY the frishtfll
less that the defenders had inflicted
uuon their own regiment. they would
have put the whole detachment 20
death
The Bavarian eantain prevailed and
the Frenchmen were made prisoners or
war The Bavarian captain congratu-
lated the French commander warmly
unon the desnerate and heroic stand
thew had made, one OF the outstanding
feafs Of the Franco -Prissian War OF
1s7i.