Historical 47 



Marengo took place. Lame as he was, he could not keep 

 away from so grand a scene. He kept close to the banner, 

 which he had learnt to recognize among a hundred, and 

 never gave over barking until the evening closed upon the 

 combatants. The sun of Austerlitz found him with his 

 chasseurs. In the heat of the action he perceived the 

 ensign, who bore the colours of his regiment, surrounded 

 by a detachment of the enemy. He flew to his rescue, 

 barked with all his might, did all he could, but in vain. 

 The ensign fell covered with wounds, but not before, feeling 

 himself about to fall, he had wrapped his body in the folds 

 of the standard. Five or six Austrians still remained by 

 the ensign, to obtain possession of the colours he had so 

 nobly defended. Moustache, having thrown himself on 

 the colours, was on the point of being pierced by bayonets, 

 when a timely discharge of grapeshot swept the Austrians 

 into oblivion. The moment when Moustache perceived 

 that he was delivered from his assailants, he took the staff 

 of the French banner in his teeth, and strenuously endea- 

 voured to disengage it, but ineffectually. He succeeded 

 in tearing away the silk, and with this glorious trophy 

 returned to the camp, limping and bleeding. 



" One day, a chasseur, mistaking the dog, hit him a 

 chance blow with the flat side of his sabre. Moustache, 

 piqued to the heart, deserted from his regiment, attached 

 himself to some dragoons, and followed them into Spain. 

 On the nth March, 1811, he was killed by a cannon ball, 

 at the taking of Badajos. He was buried on the scene of 

 his last glories, collar, medal and all. A plain stone, with 

 the simple ' Ci git le brave Moustache,' was placed over 

 his grave ; but the Spaniards afterwards broke the stone, 

 and the bones of the poor animal were burnt by order of 

 the Inquisition." 



