Joseph Vantini

Joseph Vantini , known as Youssouf , born with the isle of Elba about the year 1807, general French.

It did not preserve any memory of its family, it only remembered to have seen Napoleon i in 1814. About this time, it was embarked for Florence where one sent it to make his studies; but the ship which carried it having been captured by a corsair, Youssouf, conduit with Tunis, échut divides some with the Bey. Placed in the Seraglio, it was not long in reconciling the affection of its Masters. He learned in little time Turkish, Arabic, Spanish, gained, by his address in all the military exercises, the friendship of the Bey.

But engaged in an intrigue with one of the girls of the Prince, and surprised one day, in one of its go, by a guard, it conceived the daring resolution at once to follow it in the gardens and to be demolished some; it threw the body in a deep swimming pool, by preserving only the head, and the following day, while the young princess maintained it the sharp terrors to which she was in prey, it led it, for any answer, in the close room, and showed him, in one of the cupboards, the head of the slave of which it had torn off the language. However this adventure being able to end up spreading, it did not think any more since to leave Tunis, and prepared its escape. During a few days, he pretended to be sick, obtained finally the permission to leave the seraglio, and misleading the vigilance of its guards, he could concert the means of escaping.

It was in May 1830, the Brick French the Adonis was with the anchor in the roads, a boat was to lead to it, but five Turks were stationed there to be opposed to its loading. Youssouf which had seen them by far, notices that they left their rifles in beam on a rock, it springs on this side, throws the weapons with the sea, gets rid of two of these men, puts the others in escape and gains the boat. the Adonis had order to rejoin the fleet which was to seize Algiers. Few days after Youssouf unloaded with Sidi-Ferruch with the army.

During the countryside, there remained attached to the general-in-chief, and was placed as interprets near the general police chief of police force. Several perilous missions of which he discharged with zeal and intelligence, close to the chiefs of the various tribes moved away, opened him finally the military career. It was named captain in the 1st regiment, of the Chasseurs of Africa the May 25th 1831, and soon after promoted with the functions of lieutenant of the Aga.

Indicated by the Duke of Rovigo to belong to the Forwarding of Bone, it helped of its courage Mr. of Armandy, captain of artillery, and it was with the etforts of these two officers that the army had to be able to occupy the citadel, without blow to almost férir. This action was worth in Youssouf the cross of the Légion of honor. It contributed later to preserve this conquest at the France.

For eight days, the handle of men to which the defense of the city had been entrusted, had been locked up in the Casbah: Youssouf, informed by one of its people whom the Turks had formed the plot to assassinate during the night, to massacre the French and to seize the fort, will find the captain of Armandy which ordered the garrison, makes known to him the imminence of the danger, and declares to him that he knows only one means of escaping from it. “ II is necessary, that I left with my Turks, he adds. - But they will kill to you, answers the French officer. - That imports to me, answers Youssouf; I will have time in-to nail the parts which are with the navy. I will succumb, I envisage it, but you will be saved, and the French flag will not cease die floating on Bone. ”

Hardly he pronounced these words which it leaves, followed by its Turks. The door of the kasbah is walled at once behind him; arrived at the bottom of the city, Youssouf stops, and addressing itself to its troop: “I know, says it, that there are among you traitors who solved to demolish) ego in the next night. I know them, that they strike in advance those which will not fear to carry the hand on their chief. Then turning to one of them: “You, you are number, he says him, and it extends it dead to its feet. ” - This act of resolution disconcerts entreated; they fall to its knees, and a fidelity swears to him to which they did not miss since.

Youssouf was still pointed out during the campaigns of 1832 and 1833, and was named, the April 7th 1833, major in the body of the regular Spahi S.

At the time of the forwarding of the marshal Clausel on Mascara, Youssouf arrived at Oran, after having crossed more than twenty miles of country, only accompanied by some riders; the marshal then entrusted the to him Beylick of Constantine. He was named officer of the Légion of honor the August 14th 1835. Its control distinguished in 1836 and 1837 was worth to him, the February 18th 1838, the rank of lieutenant-colonel, and it made, with the head of its body of Spahis, the campaigns of 1838 with 1841. It was named colonel of the indigenous cavalry of Africa the May 19th 1842, and was promoted with the rank of Brigadier after the Bataille of Isly. The Youssouf general continued to show himself glorieusement in the fight against Abd-el-Kader; the December 23rd 1845, it beat the emir with Tenda in a combat of cavalry. The March 13rd 1846, it reached it again, beat it, removed all its luggage to him and was about to remove it itself.

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