The very day after the fight, news arrived which induced a sudden
change of position. Upon the Sixteenth of September the Baden
troops occupied Mulhouse, having entered Colmar on the preceding
day. It was evident that the railway was so strongly guarded,
between Strasburg and Nancy, that it was hopeless to expect to be
able to interrupt it, seriously, with so small a force as that at
Major Tempe's command; still less possible was it to render any
assistance, whatever, to the doomed city of Strasburg. After taking
counsel, therefore, with his officers, Major Tempe decided to march
more to the south; so as to assist to oppose the passage of the
enemy west from Colmar, or Mulhouse, through the passes of the
Vosges.
The alarm was, however, but temporary for, having made requisitions
as usual, the Prussians retired; and the corps returned to their
old quarters. There another ten days passed; spent not in ease, but
in constant marchings and counter-marchings. Whenever news arrived
that any parties of Uhlans were approaching the mountains, with the
object of making requisitions, the corps were instantly set in
motion. Sometimes severe skirmishes were the result. Sometimes the
news turned out to be untrue and, after a long day's march, and a
night spent watching, the men had nothing to do but to march back
again.
Upon the 28th came the news of the surrender of Strasburg, upon the
preceding day, after one of the most heroic defenses in history.
There was now no doubt that the Germans would, ere long, advance
seriously. By this time, the total of the French forces among the
Vosges mountains was considerable. Scarce a day passed without the
arrival of a corps of franc tireurs and--had all these corps been
animated with a spirit such as that evinced by the franc tireurs of
Dijon; and had they acted in unity, with discipline and
intelligence--they might have rendered immense services to France.
Unfortunately, this was very far from being the case. Very many of
the men had entered the ranks only to avoid being called upon to go
out with the Mobiles--or mobilized national guard. Others had only
entered from the impulse of the moment. Very many were altogether
unwilling to submit to any steady discipline while, in a great
number of cases, the corps were completely paralyzed from the utter
incapacity of their officers. Owing to these various causes, the
corps of franc tireurs distinguished themselves, in a great number
of cases, only by the extreme ingenuity and foresight which they
displayed in keeping at a prudent distance from the enemy. Some,
too, earned a bad name not only for themselves, but for the whole
body of franc tireurs, by their conduct towards the villagers;
helping themselves freely to what they required, and making
themselves almost as much dreaded by the peasantry as even the
Germans, themselves.
At the same time the villagers had, in very many cases, only
themselves to blame for the rough measures adopted by the franc
tireurs; for often, instead of doing all in their power for the men
who had taken up arms in the cause of France, the villagers looked
upon them only as strangers, out of whom the richest possible
harvest was to be obtained; and charged the most exorbitant prices
for all articles of necessity supplied to them. In fact, they
sometimes did not hesitate to say that they would not provide them,
at any price, with the provisions required; as these would be
wanted to satisfy the requisition of the Germans, upon their
arrival.
Perhaps in the whole world there is no class of people so
completely engrossed by the thought of gain as are the French
bourgeois, and rustic population. Every change of Government, every
political alteration, every law passed, is regarded by them simply,
and solely, from the view of how it will affect their own pockets.
Thus, instead of driving away their flocks and herds, at the
approach of the invaders; the people remained quietly in their
houses, and shamelessly trafficked with the invaders. This apathy,
faint heartedness, and want of patriotism, upon the part of the
inhabitants of the small towns and villages, caused innumerable
difficulties to the franc tireurs; and Major Tempe was sometimes
obliged to take the law into his own hands, when the villagers
absolutely refused to sell provisions, or to give quarters to his
men.
In these cases he summoned the priest, the schoolmaster, and two
other head men of the place, and formed a committee with them and
his own officers. These fixed a fair price upon the articles
required, and Major Tempe then sent round a notice to the effect
that, if these articles were furnished in two hours, they would be
paid for at the agreed rates; but that if not furnished, he should
quarter his men upon the inhabitants, in accordance with the size
of their houses, and should remain there at least a week--a threat
that never failed in producing the required effect.
It was but seldom, however, that the major encountered any
difficulties of this sort. The corps was, for the most part,
composed of men with some money. They had now, too, sold the sheep
and cattle which they had captured at Blamont; finding the
inconvenience of sending for them, whenever meat was required. The
proceeds of these, and of the horses captured at the same time, had
given them a good sum in their regimental chest; and they were,
therefore, able and willing to pay a fair price for such articles
as they required. Besides this, the report of the actions of
Blamont and Still had now widely circulated and--as a general
thing--the people were glad to do all in their power, for a corps
composed of men who really meant work, and had given good proofs of
their courage and energy.
By this time, the boys had received several letters from home; and
it may be readily imagined the pleasure these letters afforded
them. Major Tempe's official report of the doings of his corps had
been published in the Dijon papers and, from these, had been copied
far and wide through France; and the people of Dijon were not a
little proud of their corps. The names of the two Barclays had
appeared, in the report, as specially distinguishing themselves;
and their father had written, saying how pleased and gratified he
was at their conduct. Mrs. Barclay and Milly had also written; but
their expressions of pleasure were mingled with many hopes that the
boys would not expose themselves, unnecessarily.
The band had dwindled much, in the month since they left Dijon.
Upwards of thirty had been killed, or disabled, in the fights of
Blamont and Still. Half as many more had been killed or wounded in
smaller skirmishes; and ten or twelve had gone home, or into
hospital, completely knocked up with the hard work and exposure.
Only about sixty men, therefore, remained.
Schlestadt and Neu Brisach were now invested by the Germans and,
after waiting for a few days, to ascertain the course that they
were likely to take, Major Tempe determined (as General Cambriels
was forming an army, down by Besancon) to defend the upper passes
of the Vosges and--as it was rumored that a second German army was
likely to advance south, from Nancy--that he would recross the
Vosges, and aid in the defense against this second army of
invaders.
Three days' fatiguing marches brought them to Epinal; where the
boys, in accordance with their promise, went straight to the house
of the gentleman who had so hospitably served them, at their last
visit. Their friends were delighted to see them, and expressed
great regret that one of the party was missing. The boys were,
however, able to say that their last letter from Dijon had given
good accounts of Philippe Duburg, who was now considered out of
danger. There was, however, no hope of his being able to rejoin
them; as the surgeon considered it probable that his leg would be a
very long time, before it would be sufficiently healed to allow him
to use it.
Their host had read the account in the papers of the doings of the
franc tireurs; and his wife laughingly made a further apology to
the Barclays, and their cousin, for her remark at their first visit
about boys.
"My girls have talked about nothing else but your doings, ever
since we had the news of your attack upon the Uhlans, near
Blamont," she said. "One would think, from the interest they take
in the corps, that the whole future of France depended upon the
franc tireurs of Dijon."
The young Barclays laughed, and Percy muttered something under his
breath; while Louis Duburg replied, seriously, that he hoped the
franc tireurs of Dijon would always do their best to deserve the
kind thoughts of mademoiselles--at which piece of politeness Percy
muttered, "Bosh!"
Epinal had, as yet, escaped; but it was feared that, ere long, the
enemy would advance. The town looked deserted, for all the young
men had left with the Mobiles--or mobilized national guard--and all
men under forty were drilling, in readiness to march at a moment's
notice. No serious movement of the enemy, south of Luneville, was
as yet signalized.
After two days' rest, the corps again marched north; their
destination being kept a profound secret, even from the men. So
anxious, apparently, was Major Tempe that, this time, their object
should not be foiled by treachery; that after the first day's march
he left the main road and, having secured the services of a
peasant, as a guide, he made two long days' marches through
forests, and over mountains--avoiding even small villages. Four led
horses accompanied the march; one laden with the gun cotton, and
the other three carrying provisions, so that they might be
independent of the local supply. Each night they bivouacked in the
forests but, as the weather was now fine--although the nights were
cold--this was no hardship, whatever.
Upon the morning of the fourth day from their leaving Epinal, Major
Tempe told his men that he had learned, at Epinal, that the line
was no longer so closely guarded as before--the Germans being
confident, now, of the impotence of the French to harm them--and
that they were now in the forest of Moudan, within three miles of
the railway between Luneville and Rechicourt, on the line to
Strasburg. His intention was to reconnoiter that day and--if
success should be found possible--to attempt, at daybreak next
morning, to blow up the railway bridge over the Vesouze.
The news was received with great satisfaction, as the corps were
burning to distinguish themselves; and in no way could they do such
service as to cut the line of communication--although, as the
Germans were no longer dependent upon a single line, the advantage
would not be of so signal a nature as it would have been, could
they have cut it at the time when they first made the attempt. The
Barclays were naturally selected to reconnoiter and, as their
change of clothes had been always--by Major Tempe's orders--carried
on the baggage horse, they had no difficulty upon that score.
Their expedition was uneventful. At the village nearest to the
bridge, they went in and bought some cheese and other articles
and--after gaining all the information they were able, without
exciting attention--they made their way, through broken ground, to
a point near enough to the bridge to enable them to reconnoiter it,
undiscovered.
A sentry was posted at each end. At a cottage hard by were ten
others, while there were twenty in the village they had just left.
There were also sentries down the line; but these were far enough
apart to render it certain that they could not muster in time to
interfere, seriously, with the enterprise. With this information,
they returned to the forest.
A council of war was held; and it was decided that the news was
satisfactory, and that the attack should take place at daybreak.
Each man was instructed in the work he would have to perform.
Lieutenant Houdin, with thirty men, was to surprise the German
party in the village. The rest--having made a detour to avoid the
village--were to be in readiness to attack the posts near the
bridge, immediately a gun was fired in the village. The attack was
to be made at daybreak. From the bridge, to the nearest point where
the forest was thick enough to afford a safe shelter, was a
distance of about two miles.
As soon as it became dark, the camp fires were allowed to bum low;
and shortly afterwards the whole corps, with the exception of the
sentries, were sound asleep. At four o'clock they were roused, and
marched silently off in the appointed direction. By five o'clock
each party was at its post and, for half an hour, they lay in
expectancy. The Barclays were with Major Tempe's party, near the
bridge. Louis Duburg, and Tim, were with the party at the village.
The attack upon the village was to take place at half-past five;
and never did moments appear so slow, to the boys, as those which
passed as they awaited the signal. At last the silence was broken
by the sharp crack of a rifle, followed by three or four others.
"There goes the Prussian sentry, and there is our reply," Major
Tempe said. "Now, lads, forward!"
As he spoke, the sentry on the bridge fired his rifle; immediately,
this was repeated by the next sentry on the line, and the signal
was taken up by each sentry, until the sound died in the distance.
As it had done so, the franc tireurs had made a rush forwards. They
were met by a straggling discharge from the Germans as, half
asleep, they hurried out from the guard room. This was answered by
the fire of the franc tireurs, who surrounded them. Five fell; and
the others, surprised and panic stricken, threw down their arms.
They were instantly secured, and the bridge was at once seized.
The firing still continued in the village; but in another five
minutes it ceased and, shortly afterwards, Louis Duburg ran up with
the tidings that the village was taken. The Germans, surprised in
their beds, had offered but a slight resistance. Four were killed,
and sixteen taken prisoners; one franc tireur, only, was slightly
wounded.
"Take two men with you," Major Tempe said, "and escort those five
prisoners to the village. Give them over to Lieutenant Houdin; and
tell him to send them, with the prisoners he has taken, under
charge of six men to the forest. Let their hands be tied behind
their backs, for we cannot spare a larger escort. Tell him to be
sure that the escort are loaded, and have fixed bayonets. Directly
he has sent off the prisoners let him join me here, with the rest
of his force."
Lieutenant Ribouville now set to work to inspect the bridge; and
ordered the men--who were provided with the necessary implements--to
set to, and dig a hole down to the crown of the principal arch. It
was harder work than they had expected. The roadway was solid, the
ballast pressed down very tightly, and the crown of the arch covered,
to a considerable depth, with concrete. Only a few men could work at
once and, after a half-hour's desperate labor, the hole was nothing
like far enough advanced to ensure the total destruction of the
bridge, upon the charge being fired. In the meantime the Prussian
sentries were arriving from up and down the line and, although not
in sufficient force to attack, had opened fire from a distance.
"Don't you think that will do, Ribouville?" Major Tempe asked.
"No, sir," the other replied. "It might blow a hole through the top
of the arch, but I hardly think that it would do so. Its force
would be spent upwards."
At this moment Ralph--who had done his spell of work, and had been
down to the stream, to get a drink of water--came running up.
"If you please, Lieutenant Ribouville, there is a hole right
through the pier, just above the water's edge. It seems to have
been left to let any water that gets into the pier, from above,
make its escape. I should think that would do to hold the charge."
"The very thing," Lieutenant Ribouville said, delightedly. "What a
fool I was, not to have looked to see if such a hole existed!
"Stop work, men, and carry the barrels down to the edge of the
water."
The stream was not above waist deep; and the engineer officer
immediately waded into it, and examined the hole. He at once
pronounced it to be admirably suited to the purpose. It did not--as
Ralph had supposed--go straight through; but there were two holes,
one upon each side of the pier, nearly at the same level, and each
extending into the center of the pier. The holes were about four
inches square.
The barrels of gun cotton were now hastily opened on the bank, and
men waded out with the contents. Lieutenant Ribouville upon one
side, and Ralph upon the other, took the cotton and thrust it, with
long sticks, into the ends of the hole. In five minutes the
contents of the two barrels were safely lodged, the fuse inserted,
and the operation of tamping--or ramming--in dry sand, earth, and
stones commenced.
"Make haste!" Major Tempe shouted. "Their numbers are increasing
fast. There are some fifteen or twenty, on either side."
A brisk fire of rifles was now going on. The day had fairly broken;
and the franc tireurs, sheltered behind the parapet of the bridge,
on the bank of the river, were exchanging a lively fire with the
enemy. Three-quarters of an hour had passed since the first shot
was fired.
Suddenly a distant boom was heard, followed in a few seconds by a
slight whizzing noise, which grew rapidly into a loud scream and,
in another moment, there was an explosion close to the bridge. The
men all left off their work, for an instant.
"And what may that be, Mister Percy? A more unpleasant sound I
niver heard, since I was a baby."
"I quite agree with you, Tim, as to its unpleasantness. It is a
shell. The artillery are coming up from Luneville. The fire of the
sentries would take the alarm, in a couple of minutes; give them
another fifteen to get ready, and half an hour to get within range.
"Here comes another."
"Are you ready, Ribouville?" the commandant shouted. "They have
cavalry, as well as artillery. We must be off, or we shall get
caught in a trap."
"I am ready," was the answer.
"Barclay, strike a match, and put it to the end of your fuse, till
it begins to fizz.
"Have you lit it?"
"Yes, sir," Ralph said, a moment later.
"So have I," the lieutenant said. "They will burn about three
minutes.
"Now for a run!"
In a couple of minutes the franc tireurs were retreating, at the
double; and they had not gone a hundred yards when they heard the
sound of two tremendous explosions, following closely one upon
another. Looking back, they saw the pier had fallen in fragments;
and that the bridge lay, a heap of ruins, in the stream.
"Hurrah, lads!" shouted the commandant. "You have done your work
well. Those who get out of this with a whole skin may well be proud
of their day's work.
"Don't mind the shells," he continued, as two more of the missiles
burst, in quick succession, within a short distance of them. "They
make an ugly noise; but they won't hurt us, at this distance."
The German artillerymen had apparently arrived at the same
conclusion, for they now ceased to fire; and the retreating corps
were only exposed to an occasional shot from the infantry, who had
followed them from the bridge.
"The artillery and cavalry will be up, before we reach the wood,"
Percy said to his brother, as they trotted along, side by side.
"They may come up," Ralph said, "but they can do us no harm, on the
broken ground; and will catch a Tartar, if they don't mind."
The ground was indeed unfavorable for cavalry, and artillery. It
was broken up with the spurs of the hill. Here and there great
masses of rock cropped out of the ground, while patches of forest
extended over a considerable portion of the ground. In one of
these, standing upon rising and broken ground, Major Tempe halted
his men; and opened so heavy a fire upon the enemy's cavalry, when
the column appeared, that they were at once halted; and although,
when the artillery arrived, a few shells were fired into the wood,
the franc tireurs had already retired, and gained the forest
without further molestation. Upon calling the roll, it was
discovered that six men, only, were missing. These had fallen--either
killed or wounded--from the fire of the enemy's infantry, during the
time that the operation at the bridge were being carried out.
There was great rejoicing at the success of their enterprise, the
effect of which would certainly be to block the traffic along that
line, for at least a week. Their satisfaction was, however,
somewhat damped by the sight of several dense columns of smoke in
the plain; showing that the Germans had, as usual, wreaked their
vengeance upon the innocent villagers. The feeling of disgust was
changed to fury when some of the peasants--who had fled into the
woods, upon the destruction of their abodes--reported that the
Germans, having found that three of the franc tireurs were only
wounded, had dragged them along to the entrance to the village; and
had hung them there upon some trees, by the roadside. Had it not
been for Major Tempe's assurance, that their comrades should be
avenged, the franc tireurs would at once have killed their
prisoners.
In the evening the men were formed up, the prisoners ranged in
line, and twelve were taken by lot; and these, with the officer
taken with them--when night fell--were bound and marched off, under
a guard of thirty men. Neither of the boys formed part of the
escort, which was an immense relief to them for, although they were
as indignant as the rest, at the murder of their wounded comrades
by the Germans; and quite agreed in the justice of reprisal, still,
they were greatly relieved when they found that they would not have
to be present at the execution.
Two hours later Major Tempe returned, with the escort. The officer,
and eleven of his men, had been hung on trees by the roadside, at a
distance of half a mile, only, from the village; the twelfth man
had been released, as bearer of a note from Major Tempe to the
German commanding officer saying that, as a reprisal for the murder
of the three wounded franc tireurs, he had hung twelve Germans; and
that, in future, he would always hang four prisoners for every one
of his men who might be murdered, contrary to the rules of war.
This act of retributive justice performed, the corps retreated to
join the army of the Vosges, under General Cambriels. The news of
the destruction of the bridge across the Vesouze had preceded them;
and when, after three days' heavy marching, they reached the
village which formed the headquarters of the general, they were
received with loud cheers by the crowds of Mobiles who thronged its
little streets. It was out of the question to find quarters; and
the major therefore ordered the men to bivouac in the open, while
he reported himself to General Cambriels.
The commandant of the franc tireurs was personally known to General
Cambriels, having at one time served for some years under his
command; and he was most warmly received by the veteran, one of the
bravest and most popular of the French generals. As general of the
district, he had received all Major Tempe's reports; and was
therefore acquainted with the actions of the corps.
"Ah, major!" he said, after the first greetings, "if I had only a
few thousand men, animated with the spirit and courage of your
fellows, the Germans would never get through the Vosges. As it is I
shall, of course, do my best; but what can one do with an army of
plow boys, led by officers who know nothing of their duty, against
troops like the Germans?
"As for my franc tireurs, they are in many cases worse than
useless. They have no discipline, whatever. They embroil me with
the peasantry. They are always complaining. The whole of them,
together, have not done as much real service as your small band.
They shoot down Uhlans, when they catch them in very small parties;
but have no notion, whatever, of real fighting.
"However, I cannot thank you too warmly. Your name will appear in
the Gazette, tomorrow, as colonel; and I must ask you to extend the
sphere of your duties. We want officers, terribly; and I will
brigade four or five of these corps of franc tireurs under your
orders, so as to make up a force of a thousand men. You will have
full authority over them, to enforce any discipline you may choose.
I want you to make a body to act as an advanced guard of
skirmishers to my army of Mobiles. I have a few line troops, but I
want them as a nucleus for the force.
"What do you say?"
"Personally, general, I should greatly prefer remaining with my own
little corps, upon every man of whom I can rely. At the same time,
I should not wish for a moment to oppose my own likings, or
dislikings, to the general good of the service. Many of these corps
of franc tireurs are composed of excellent materials and, if well
led and disciplined, would do anything. I can only say I will do my
best."
"Thank you, Tempe. Is there anything else I can do for you?"
"I should like to see a step given to the three officers serving
under me," the major said. "They have all served in the regular
army, and all have equally well done their duty."
"It shall be done; and two of them shall be posted to other corps,
while one takes the command of your own," the general said. "Do you
wish commissions for any of the men?"
Major Tempe named three of the men, and then added:
"The two members of the corps who have most distinguished
themselves I have not mentioned, general, because they are too
young to place over the heads of the others; at the same time,
their services certainly deserve recognition. I mentioned them, in
the dispatches I sent to you, as having done immense service by
going down, in disguise, into the midst of the Germans. In fact, at
Saverne they saved the corps from destruction. They are two young
English lads, named Barclay."
"I remember distinctly," General Cambriels said. "They speak French
fluently, I suppose, as well as German?"
"Both languages like natives," the major answered.
"And can they ride?"
"Yes, admirably," Major Tempe said. "I knew them before the war,
and they are excellent horsemen."
"Then they are the very fellows for me," General Cambriels said. "I
will give them commissions in the provisional army, at once; and
put them upon my own staff. They would be of great value to me.
"You will spare them, I hope?"
"I shall be extremely sorry to do so, general; but for their own
sakes, and for the good of the service, I will of course do so."
"Thanks, colonel. I shall put the franc tireurs of Dijon in general
orders, tomorrow, as having performed good service to the country;
and please to thank them, in my name, for their services."
"Thank you very much, general. It will give me more pleasure than
even the step that you have been kind enough to give to myself."
"Good evening, colonel. We must have a long chat together, one of
these days.
"The chief of my staff will give you the names of the corps to be
placed under your orders. The matter was settled this morning, and
I have picked out the best of those here. Orders have been sent for
them to assemble at Raoul--a village, a mile from here--in the
morning; with a notification that they are placed under your
command.
"Goodbye."