Year: 1866

that he knew of their presence and IN
tentions, and he heard the quick, short
commands of the officers. and, firm the
sounds be supposed that the troops were
retiring from the pass. Until the morn
ing he was undisturbed. The Austrian
commander, feeling assured that the gar
rison had peen informed of his move
ments, and was prepared to receive him,
saw that be could not surprise the post as
he had hoped to and deemed itprudent to
wait until daylight before making his at
tack.


At sunrise he summoned the garrison
to surrender. A grenAdier answered
the summons.


"Say to your commonder," he said, in
reply to the messenger, "lhat this garris'
son will defend this post TO the last ex-
tremity."


The officer who had borne the flag OF
truce retired, and in about ten minutes
piece of artillery was brought into the
pass and opened on the tower. The piece
had to be placed directly in front of the
tower, and within easy musket range of
1t. They had scarcely got the gun in po-
sition when rapid fire was opened on
it from the tower, and continued with
such marked effect that the piece was
withdrawn after The second discharge,
with loss of five men.


This was bad beginning, so half an
hour after the gun was witldr the
Austrian Colonel ordered an assault.


As the troops entered the defle they
were received with rapid and accurate
fire, so tha. when they had passed over
half the distance they had 10 traverse,
they lost fifteen men. Disheartened by
this they returned to the mouth of the
defle.


Three more assaults were repulsed in
this manner, and the enemy By sunset
had lost forly-fve men, of whom ten
were killed.


The fire from the tower had been
rapid and accurate, but the Austrian
commander had noticed this peculiarly
about it; every shot seemed to come
from the same place. For while this
seemed to perplex him, but at last be
came TO the conclusion that there were
a number of loop holes close together in
the tower, so constructed as to command
the ravine perfectly.


At sunset the last assault was made and
repulsed, and at dark the Austrian COM
mander sent a second summons to the
garrison.


This time the answer was favorable.
The garrison offered TO surrender at
sunrise the next morning, if allowed to
march out with their arms and return to
the army unmolested. After some hes
itation the terms were accepted.


Meanwhile, La Tour D'Avergne had
passed an anxious day in the tower. He
had opened the fight with an armament
of thirty muskets, but had not been able
TO discharge them all. He had fired
with remarkable rapidly, but with sur
prising accuracy, for it was we'll known
in the army that he never threw away a
shot. He had determined TO stand TO bis
post until he had accomplished his end,
which was to hold the place twenty-four
hours, in order to allow The French army
time to complete its manuser. After
that, he knew the pass would be of no
consequence to the enemy.


When the demand for surrender came
to him after the last assault, he consented
to it upon the conditions named.


The next day at sunrise the Austrian
troops lined the pass in two files exlen.
ding from the mouth Of the tower,
leaving space between them for the
garrison to pass out.


The heavy door of the tower opened !
slowly. and in a few minutes brOnzed
and scared grenadier, literally loaded
down with muskets. came out and passed
down the line of troops. He walked
with difficulty under his heavy load.


To the surprise of the Austrians, no
one followed him from the tower.


In astonishment the Austrian Colonel
rode up to him, and asked him in French
why the garrison did not come out.


Il am the garrison, Colonel" said the
soldier, proudly.


"What," exclaimed the Colonel; edo
you mean to tell me that you alone have
held the tower against me 90


Il have that honor, Colonel" was the
reply.


What possessed you to make such an
attempt, grenadier 2"


"The honor of France was at stake"


The Colonel gazed Of him for nc