AN EXTRAORDINARY CHALLENGE.

Evening Star, Issue 4113, 3 May 1876, Page 3

AN EXTRAORDINARY CHALLENGE.

Referring to the rumor that a French officer had forwarded a challenge to first captain of the Imperial Foot Guards at Potsdam, adding that thirty officers of the same regiment were invited to meet an equal number of French officers, the Paris correspondent of the ‘ Times ’ wrote ;—The challenger is not connected with the French army, to which he has not belonged for ten years. After quitting it he led, according to what is related, a very adventurous life, and rejoined during the war, being stationed at the outposts of a besieged fortress. His conduct in this position was regarded in such a way that when in the latter part of the war he presented himself to the Tours Government to solicit the command of a free corps, the Government, in spite of his reputation for bravery, did not deem it prudent to confide to him the advanced and independent post to which he aspired. Refusing to submit to the orders of a direct chief, he was then sent to one of the camps in formation, where he remained without taking an active part till the war concluded, whereupon, owing to the general dismissal of free corps, he returned to private life, no longer belonging in any way to the army. He next appeared in a famous military trial, where his evidence and his attitude during the war gave rise to observations which made at the time a lively impression. It was thought that his challenge must be attributed to a restlessness which, it seems, has animated him since he saw his conduct at the outposts during the war the subject of disagreeable constructions. However this may be, this isolated challenge is not in any way ornnected with the temper of the army.