ALEXANDRE NAPOLEON DUFFIE
Leaflet By GEORGES N. BLISS (Late Captain Company C. First
Rhode Island Cavalry)
Published by the Historical Society of Rhode Island Soldiers & Sailors - 1889/1890
DUFFIÉ & THE MONUMENT TO HIS MEMORY
go to page [ 1 ] [ 2 ] [ 3 ] [ 4 ] [ 5 ] [ 6 ] [ 7 ] - TRADUCTION FRANCAISE par Jean-Philippe Chereul
WARNING : This leaflet was published in 1890. It contains a number of false statement regarding the origins and the french life of "Nattie". The complete and true biography is still being written and will be on this site when available.
ALFRED NAPOLEON DUFFIÉ was born in the city of Paris, May
1, 1835. He was a pupil in the school of St. Barbe from his fifth to his tenth
year, and was then for seven years in the preparatory Military Academy at Versailles,
and in 1852 commenced the regular course of study in thc Military College of
St. Cyr, at Versailles, having in the autumn of 1851 been one of the two hundred
and twenty admitted out of the eleven thousand candidates examined. After two
years at St.Cyr he completed the course, passed the examinations, was commissioned
a Lieutenant in the French army, and at once sent into active service, first
to Algiers, and later in Senegal, in Africa, where he was wounded in action.
He went to the Crimea and was in action in the battles of Alma, Inkerman, Balaklava,
Chernaia, Gangel and Sebastapol, was several times wounded and was promoted
to the rank of First Lieutenant in the Fifth Hussar Regiment. At the close of
the Russian war, in 1856, he returned to France and served with his regiment
until the war with Austria again called him into action and a severe wound compelled
him to leave the field for the hospital, but not until he had borne his part
in the battles of Palestro, Magenta and Solferino.
During his service in Africa and Europe, Duffié received eight wounds and four
military decorations, the Cross of the Legion of Honor from his own country;
the Sardinian Cross from the Emperor of Sardinia, who decorated him with his
own hand as he lay wounded; the Turkish Cross from the Sultan and the English
Cross from Victoria.
An effort has been made to obtain from the widow and son of the General a more
full and satisfactory account of his life before he left Europe for America,
but while desirous to assist they had no information to add to the publications
already made in this State.
A recent letter from the son, Daniel P. Duffié, narrates the following incident:
During the Crimean War, at one time, the Russian and allied powers being very
near each other, a Russian officer (a celebrated swordsman) challenged the enemy
to a single combat. My father accepted the challenge and killed the Russian.
For his skill and bravery on this occasion and other brave services during his
two years service in the Crimean War, he received from the Sultan of Turkey
the Medjidié medal, and also an expression of thanks (in acknowledgment of his
services), beautifully written in gold and red letters on vellum and signed
by the Sultan.
When asked by my mother "if ho did not feel sorry to kill the Russian", he answered,
"Why, no ! I If I had not killed the devil, the devil would have killed me!"