LATOUR d'AUVERGNE. Ill 



d'Auvergne is invested witli 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 4Gth demi-brigade was mustered, the 

 name of Latour d'Auvergne was always called out as 

 the first on tlie 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 — Died 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 Vendemaire, 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 



