Year: 1866

"A Tale of the French Retreat from Moscow


On the oath of October, 1912, the first


corps of the French army having received


an order to evacuate Moscow, arrived al


Maloijaroslavetz in time to share in the


glorious engagement in which Prince Eu.


gene at the head of the 4th corps, proved


victorious over the concentrated forces o1


the enemy. The battle was obstinate and


bloody; and the little town was vigorous.
ly and gallantly contested on both sides
and was several times taken and retaker
before the close of the day, when the


French ultimately secured its possession.
r Colonel Kobolinski, one of the aides-de.
camp OF Marshal Davoust, while gallop-
ing along the line to deliver an order, was
struck by3a cannon shot, fell from his
horse and was supposed to have been kill
ed; but as the Marshal was riding slowly
over the field, man covered with blood
suddenly raised himself upon his elbow
in the midst of heap Of dead, and faint.
ly exclaimed:


"Whati comrades, will You leave me to
perish without helpp - g. -


1t was Colonel Kobolinski, who it was
generally believed, should he escape with
life, must have fallen into the hands of the
enemy. A litter was hastily constructed
by the men of the escort, and the sufferer
was soon under the hands of surgeon.
His wound was, however, of SO frightful
a nature that when it had been carefully
examined, the surgeon exchanged with
Davoust a glance which betrayed that he
had no hopes Of saving his patient New
ertheless, by desire of the Marshall with
whom the gallant young Pole was an es-
pecial favorite, it was resolved that his
wounded leg should be amputated at the
hip; but the agony Of the operation prov
ed so intense that Kobolinski, having, as a
last farewell, conyulsively pressed the
hand of the General, once more became
unconscious. sfe" A


On the following day an order arrived
for Dayoust Immediately to quit the Kali
ionga road, and to fall back upon that of
Wilma, from which point retreat was to be
effected !; and the troops were already in
the act of commencing their march, when
an officer, whom the Marshall had sent to
inquire into the state of his aid-de-camp,
returned with the information that, con-
trary to all the expections of the surgeon,
he still lived. Davoust resolved that the
unfortunate man should not be abandoned
in his last hours to the vengeance of the
Russians, was still unable to devise any
means of transport which would secure
his safety. The hospital wagons had been
left in the rear; allthe baggage was burnt;
what was to be done' Suddenly a thought
struck him; and halting company of
grenadiers who were at that moment de-
filing before him, he said impressively:


''Soldiers! my aide-de-campe, Colonel
Kobolinski, has had his thigh shattered
by ball. He is as you all know Pole !:
and he must not be allowed to fall into the
hands of the bitterest enemies of his coun-
try. He has served France well and
bravely; and it is but fitting that French
men should show how they can repay the
debt. Isconfide him to the care of your
company. 1t will be service of danger;
as thus burthened, you will be unable to
keep upsyith your comrades Oh "a forced
march; but know that you will do your
duty when tell you to guard him a sa-
credly as you would guard your colors."


A murmur of assent ran along the line.
The grenadiers fell back in order that the
troops by whom they had hitherto been
followed might advance; and then having
laid Kobolinski as commodiously as they
were enabled to do upon his litter they
placed him in the center of the company,
and followed the retrograde movement of
the army. With the tenderness of wo-
men rather than the roughness of war
beaten veterans, they bore the wounded
man along, occasionally stopping to change
his bearers, or to deprive themselves of
some portion of their clothing to protect
him still more from the pierbing cold.


Meanwhile the sufferer-grateful for the
care of his jealous companions, exulting
in the unhoped for kindness of his beloved
by whom manned and help
less as he was, he had been SO generously
cared for and grateful to Providence on
thus fnding-himself surrounded by famil-
lar and friendly faces-appeared, despite
the anguish produced by the motion of
the litter to awaken to renewed hope; and
at intervals he expressed his conviction
that the skill Of the French surgeon would |
not only cure his wound, but even enable
him once more to take the field.


81 am young, comrades" he said cheer
fully; "and youth has a strong hold on
ife. Who knows! | may yet have
glorious career before mel cannot sure
y die when my task is but just commenc-
3D." !


"True, Monsieur, true" was on one of
hese occasions the sympathizing reply;
sour Marshal cannot spare you yet. Only
ct us carry you safe to wilma, and all
viii soon be right with you again. Why
lere is Jaques Dufour, who has more scars
n his body than he has teeth in his head
nd vet if he chances to have sick COM