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1/ #OTD 23 July 1870: Douanier Pierre MOUTY, 1er légion des douanes de l’Est became the 4th Frenchman (3rd by enemy action) to be KiA in the Franco-German War at Schreckling, Moselle (near Villing where the 1st PoW’s had been taken the previous day) ...
2/ Though he was, in fact, the 4th to die, the monument to douanier Pierre Mouty at Château-Rouge, Lorraine incorrectly claims him to be "the first victim of the war of 1870-71” (another monument to a different soldier also has the same claim – also wrong)...
3/ Mouty was an ex-soldier who, after 7 years, had continued his service with the douaniers, being part of the Schreckling brigade of the 1er légion des douanes de l’Est ...
4/ On 23 July Mouty was on duty with another doanier (Michel) at the Schreckling post when a patrol of Uhlans from Sarrelouis appeared. The, now fully armed, douaniers let them approach, but, after being told to lay down their arms, opened fire...
5/ The patrol fled but returned during the evening in larger numbers & reinforced by an infantry patrol.
Mouty was still at the post, but another douanier (Lejust - a young man who had only been sworn in at Metz 2 days earlier) had replaced Michel...
Mouty was still at the post, but another douanier (Lejust - a young man who had only been sworn in at Metz 2 days earlier) had replaced Michel...
6/ As soon as the Germans appeared, the douaniers opened fire, fatally shooting the Prussian officer who commanded the detachment (becoming the 1st German to be KiA?)...
7/ This time, however, the Uhlans pressed the attack & the 2 men were felled by carbine fire - following which the Uhlans dismounted & set out to finish off their victims with swords & rifle butts...
8/ Mouty refused to surrender, fought back & was killed (after suffering 19 bullet, bayonet & sword wounds), but Lejust, who had lost consciousness after receiving 3 bullet & several bayonet wounds, survived...
9/ Regaining consciousness after the departure of the Germans, Lejust managed to drag himself to Schreckling village, from where he was brought back to Bouzonville. He later went on to serve near Metz but was taken prisoner at Longwy in January 1871 and interned at Cologne...
