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By a singular revolution of fortune, the same General Bisson, who had been taken prisoner at Innspruck at the outbreak of the insurrection, and with whom Major Teimer had made his triumphal entry into Innspruck, was now governor of Mantua, and president of the court-martial which tried the commander-in-chief of the Tyrolese.
These they carried, but were once more expelled from the Little Redan, Marolle and De Pontevès falling dead at the head of their brigades, and Mellinet, Bisson, and Bourbaki being wounded. The French still held the curtain, and Bosquet now ordered up the two field-batteries then standing behind the Victoria redoubt.
He sent one of them to General Bisson to invite him to an interview to be held on the public square of the village of Wiltau. General Bisson accepted the invitation, and repaired with his staff and some Bavarian officers to the designated place. Major Teimer and his companions were already there. Teimer received the general and his distinguished companions with a proud, condescending nod.
"I cannot sign it, I cannot!" cried Bisson, despairingly. "Sign it," cried his officers, thronging round the table. "You must refuse no longer, for the lives of all our soldiers are at stake." "But my honor and good name are likewise at stake," groaned Bisson, "and if I sign the capitulation, I shall lose both forever."
Another staff-officer stepped up, took the pen, and also wrote his name, "Varin." "Now, general," he said, presenting the pen to Bisson. The general took the pen, cast a last despairing glance toward heaven and then toward his soldiers, bent over the paper to sign it. The pen dropped from his hand, and he had to lean against the table in order not to sink to the ground.
"The peasants, I believe, intend to prevent us from crossing the river," said General Bisson, with a contemptuous shrug. "They have taken position in front of the bridge of Laditch, and so closely that I can see nothing of it," replied Lieutenant-Colonel von Wreden.
"Now, gentlemen," he faltered out, "give orders to the troops to lay down their arms on the spot now occupied by them." The officers hastened away, and General Bisson started to leave likewise, when Teimer quickly laid his hand on his arm and detained him. "General," he said, "pray issue still another order." "What order, sir?"
The bulwarks of their mountains protect them." "We shall drive them from these bulwarks." said General Bisson, haughtily. "But I believe the rabble will not even wait for this, but take to their heels as soon as they see the head of my column. Therefore, join my regiments, lieutenant-colonel, and let us march fearlessly through the gap of Brixen."
There were instances, too, among these people, of extreme old age; one in particular which from confirmatory evidence, particularly the declarations of descendants, seemed quite authentic. This was a woman called Catherine Bisson the daughter of Baptiste Bisson and an Indian woman called Iskwao who was born on New Year's Day, 1793, at Lesser Slave Lake, and had spent all her life there since.
One day the Emperor, meeting him at Berlin, said to him, "Well, Bisson, do you still drink much?" "Moderately, Sire; not more than twenty-five bottles." This was, in fact, a great improvement, for he had more than once reached the number of forty without being made tipsy. Moreover, with General Bisson it was not a vice, but an imperious need.
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