duty at Saint-Cyr; and when the terrible
war of 1870 broke out, and all the cadets were drafted into the
army as officers, he was made major of a regiment, which was at
Mezieres, on the Belgian frontier, when MacMahon and the emperor
surrendered at Sedan. Boulanger and his command escaped with Vinoy's
troops from the disaster, and got back to Paris, where he kept
his men in better order during the siege than any other officer.
They took part in the sortie made to join Chanzy's Army of the
Loire, in November, 1870, and in a skirmish with the Prussians
he was again badly wounded. When the Prussian army entered Paris
on March 5, 1871, Boulanger and the regiment under his command
had the unpleasant duty of guarding the streets along their line
of march to insure them a safe passage.

In 1874 when thirty-seven years of age, Boulanger was a colonel,
with the breast of his uniform covered with decorations; but he had
taken no part whatever in politics, and was not known to have any
political views, save that he called himself a fervent Republican,
and personally resented any aristocratic assumptions on the part
of inferior officers.

In 1881 he was sent by the French Government to the United States,
in company with the descendants of Lafayette and Rochambeau, to
attend the Yorktown celebration. Amongst all the French delegation
Boulanger was distinguished by his handsome person and agreeable
manners, while his knowledge of English made him everywhere popular.
He was already married to his cousin, Mademoiselle Renouard, and
had two little daughters, Helene and Marcelle.

When the Minister of War gave Boulanger his appointment on the
mission to Yorktown, he cautioned him that he must not shock the
quiet tastes of American republicans by wearing too brilliant uniforms.
Fortunately Colonel Boulanger did not accept the hint, and on all
public occasions during his visit to this country he attracted the
admiration of reporters and spectators as the handsomest man in
the French group, wearing the most showy uniform, with the greatest
number of glittering decorations. He was tall, with handsome auburn
beard and hair, and very regular features. Even in caricatures
the artist has been obliged to represent him as very handsome.

After his return to France, Boulanger was sent to Tunis,--a State
recently annexed by the French, who were jealous of the power acquired
by Great Britain on the southern shores of the Mediterranean by her
p