ippery side of the trench. The first, cursing like a fiend,
aimed a sabre-stroke at my poor comrade's head, but as he rose in his
stirrups to give force to the blow I buried my bayonet in his side,
while the other brought down his blade upon my shoulder with such
force, that, were it not for my epaulette, I believe that I had been
wellnigh cloven in two. Then he lunged, but as the point of his sabre
touched my breast, a bullet from above crashed through his skull. I
looked around, and saw one of our men, up to his knees in the clay. He
had heard the oaths of the hussars and the neighing of the horses, and
had come to the edge of the trench to see what was going on.

"Well, comrade," said he, laughing, "it was about time."

I had not strength to reply, but stood trembling like an aspen leaf.
He unfixed his bayonet, and stretched the muzzle of his piece to me to
help me out. Then I squeezed his hand, saying:

"You saved my life! What is your name?"

He told me that his name was Jean Pierre Vincent. I have often since
thought that I should be only too happy to render that man any service
in my power; but two days after, the second battle of Leipzig took
place; then the retreat from Hanau began, and I never saw him again.

Sergeant Pinto and Zebede came up a moment after. Zebede said:

"We have escaped once more, Joseph, and now we are the only Phalsbourg
men in the battalion. Klipfel was sabred by the hussars."

"Did you see him?" I cried.

"Yes; he received over twenty wounds, and kept calling to me for aid."
Then, after a moment's pause, he added, "O Joseph! it is terrible to
hear the companion of your childhood calling for help, and not be able
to give it! But they were too many. They surrounded him on all sides."

The thoughts of home rushed upon both our minds. I thought I could see
grandmother Klipfel when she would learn the news, and this made me
think too of Catharine.

From the time of the charge of the hussars until night, the battalion
remained in the same position, skirmishing with the Prussians. We kept
them from occupying the wood; but they prevented us from ascending to
the ridge. The next day we knew why. The hill commanded the entire
course of the Partha, and the fierce cannonade we heard came from
Dombrowski's division, which was attacking the Prussian left wing, in
order to aid General Marmont at Mockern, where twenty thousand French,
posted in a ravine, were holding eighty thou