The Rhode-Island Republican. [volume] (Newport, R.I.) 1809-1841, 1829-11-26

4 Il
| dying on the road side, covered the eause.
, way with their bodies Pits, rudely dug,
| and scarcely moulded over, received the
corpses which daily became more offensive
from the heat; and the same cod, at the
verge Of the forest, covered "the horse &
| his rider.
When such evidence Of dstruction was
apparent at q distance from the field, what
u display Of devastation the narrow theatre
of yesterdays conflict must have presented
Fancy may conceive it but description
must necessarily be scanty and imperfect
| On the small surface of two square miles
il was ascertaincd that $1,000 men and
horses were lying The luxurious crop OF
ripe grain which had covered the field Of
battle was reduced to litter,and beaten in
to the earth: and the surface trodden down
by the cavalry, and lurrowed deeply by
| cannon wheels, was strewn with many q
relic Of the fight. Helmets and cuirasscs
shattered FIRE arms and broken swords; all
the variety of military ornaments; lancer
caps and Highland bonnets, Uniforms oi
every color, plume and pennon, musical in
| strnments, the apparatus ofartllery drums,
bugles; bat, good God! why dwell on the
narrowing picture of"a ioughlen field -
-ench and every ruinous display bore a
mute testimony to the misery Of such bat
| tie.
Gould the melancholy appearance of a
iied Of death DO heightened 70 would bc
BY Witnessing the lCsca.caC5 vi "a. living
amidst ''s dcsCiat.un for tho objects Of
/ their love Mother. and wives and ch.l-
dreH for days were occupied in that mourn.
| iuI duty, end lie confusion o. 'Ic cOTpCcs,
friend and foe intermlngicd a7 hey were
often rendered the attempt at recognizing
individuals difficult, and N some d. Sc lm-
possible.
! In many places tho dead ilV four deep
upon each other, marking the spOt scmc
/ British squire bad occupied. when exposed
I for hours 10 the nurtcrcus fire Of. French
battery Outside, lancer and iiras,icr
| were gCRltercd thCkly ON the earth. Mad
, y attempting TO force thc serricd layoncts
Of the British, lhcv had fallen in tho boot
! less essay, by the muskCtry Of the inner
J ilcs Fl.'hCr on you traced the spot
where tuo Cay1lTy Of France and ENGLAND
had encountered. Lha5seur and husear
we're iutcrmugled; and the heavy Nor
man horse Of the lmPcrol Guard were in.
ltersFCrscd with Che grey chargers which
had carried A,byu'a Cniyaly Here the
Highlander and tIrai,Cur lay, side by side.
together; and thC heavy dragoon, with
green Erlus" badge upon his hclmctWas
grnpplod 30 death with The Polish lancer.
On The summit Of tho ridge, where the
ground lay numbered with dead, and tr0d-
den lct'ock deep in mud and gore, by the
frequent rash Of rival cavalry, the thick
3ircun coEpscs OF the Imperial Guard
pointed out The spot where tho last effort
Of Napoleon had been defeated. liore, in
column, that favored corps, on whom his
inst chance rested hnd been anninjlatCd.
Tho advance and repulso OF thc guard was
Tacesbie by mass OF fallen FrcncLmcn
'n the hollow below, the last struggle Of
fIoncG had been yajnlY uadC .-Tlc OLD
guard, ,whonthe middle bdi.alon3 had been
forced back, attempted 10 meet the British
and afford time for their dlsorganized com.
panions TO rally. Here lhc British left.
which had convcrgcd upon the French cen
ire, had come uP; and here the bayonet
had closed the contest,
il was at the first LIGHT Of morning that
q solitary party were employed In The place
we have described, examining tho dead,
who there lay thicklv. There were no
plundcrers; one, wrapped io d cloak. direct
ed the reteaIchos OF the r-s,. who seemed
acting undor the Strangers control and
'roU heir dToss appeared to he Belgian
peasants S.ddouly the muAIcd person
altered wild cry, aud rushing over pile
of corpses, hurried II n ep0 where Il sold
icr was seated beside fal,'l officer Zee
bic ns las owe strength was, he nld exert.
ed u 10 protect tho wouudsd mnn.-I his
muske, we. plaoed beside him for daiCrcc.
and his own gyhtsripgs seemed forgotten "a
his solicit tide Tor ,he person ne was wlicfr
ing. The noise occasioned by The hIsty
approach Of the mufllcd stranger reused
the wounded officer he foebly raised his
head, "it Is horself!" he fSintly muttered,.
and next momon, sunk 10 ,he alms of Lucy
Davidson !!