LATOUR D’AUVERGNE. 111 
d’ Auvergne is invested with it by an official act; and 
from that moment, without quitting his Grenadier epau- 
lettes, he became, in the eyes of the soldiers, the equal 
if not the superior of all the dignitaries in the army. 
The First Grenadier of France was killed by a lance 
the 27th of June, 1800, at the battle of Neubourg. The | 
army, the whole of France, wept bitterly over this loss. 
As for Carnot, his deep grief inspired him with an idea 
that the ancients, otherwise so idolatrous of military 
glory, might envy us. By an order emanating from 
Carnot, when the 46th demi-brigade was mustered, the 
name of Latour d’Auvergne was always called out as 
the first on the roll. The grenadier placed at the head 
of the first rank then advanced two steps, and answered 
in a tone to be heard all along the line—Dved on the field 
of honour. 
The brief, expressive, solemn homage that a regiment 
thus daily paid to him who had rendered himself illustri- 
ous in its ranks by courage, knowledge, and patriotism, 
must, I think, continue that excitement which produces 
heroes. I assert, at all events, that the noble words of 
Carnot, repeated in the chamber, in the guard-room, un- 
der the tent, in the bivouac, had thoroughly preserved the 
remembrance of Latour d’Auvergne in the memory of 
our soldiers. “ Where are those long files of grenadiers 
going ?” exclaimed the aide-de-camp of Marshal Oudinot, 
when, in the beginning of Vendémaire, year XIV. (Octo- 
ber, 1805), the avant garde of the great army passed 
through Neubourg. “ Why are they swerving from the 
route laid down for them?” ‘Their silent and grave 
march awakened curiosity ; they are followed, they are 
observed. ‘The grenadiers were going, Gentlemen, near 
Oberhausen, thoughtfully to pass their sabres over the 
