The native American., 1838-04-07
From Blackaooods Magasiae.l
ALISON'S HISTORY OF THE FRENCH
REVOLUTION.
(Concluded from our last.

early hour Of the day Augerean's column Of l0,-
900 men was enveloped by the Russian masses,
and, with the exception Of 1900, totally destroy
ed Napoleon himself was in the most imminent
hazard Of being taken prisoner. He had slept at
-Eylau on the night before, and was now in the
churchyard, where the crash of the enemy's balls
on the steeple showed how nearly danger was APP
preaching. "Presently one of the Russian d.
visions, following rapidly after the fugitives, en-
tered Eylau by the western street, and charged,
with loud hurrahs, to the foot of the mount where
Imperial Guard and his personal escort of hun
dred men. Had regiment Of horse been at hand
to support the attack, Napoleon must have been
made prisoner; for though the last reserve, con
sisting Of six battalions Of the old guard, were
at short distance, he might have been enveloped
before they could get up to his rescue. The
fate of Europe then hung by thread, but in that
terrible moment the Emperor's presence of mind
did not forsake him; he instantly ordered his little
body-guard, hardly more than company, to
form line, in order to check the enemy's advance,
and despatched orders to the old guard to attack
the column on one flank, while brigade Of Mu-
rats horse charged it on the other. The Rus
slams, disordered by success ndignorantof the in
estimable prize which was almost within their
grasp, were arrested by the firm countenance Of
the little band Of heroes who formed Napoleon's
last resource; and before they could reform their
ranks for regular conflict, the enemy were upon
them on either flank, and almost the whole divi-
sion was cut to pieces on the spot J"
This dreadful slaughter continued throughout
the day, the Russians and the French alternately
repulsing each other, both sides fighting with the
most desperate intrepidity, and every charge leav-
ing the ground covered with carnage. Towards
evening the Prussians under Lestocq advanced
against the division of Frant. The French were
driven before them. Marshal Dayoust in vain at
tempted to Withstand the torrent. "Here," he
cried, sis the place where the brave should find
a glorious death; the towards will perish in the
deserts of Siberia Still the French were driv-
en- on, with the loss of 5000 men, and the whole
Russian line were pressing on to victory, when
the rapid night of the north fell, and the battle
was at an end.
This was the first heavy blow which Napoleon
had vet received in European war. He had once
before been on the point Of ruin, but it was in Sy-
ria. and British officer had the honor Of making
the conqueror Of Italy recol. 1t is now unques-
tionable that at Eylau he was defeated. At ten
at night he gave orders for his artillery and bag
rage to deiIe to the rear, and the advanced post
to retreat. He was on the point of being dis
graced in the eyes Of Europe, when he was saved
from that disgrace by the indecision of the Rus
sian general council Of war was held by the
Russian leaders on horseback, to decide on their
future course. Count Osterman TOlstoy, the
second in command, with Generals Knoring and
Lestocq, urged strongly that retreat was not to be
thought Of; that Napoleon was beaten i'll a pitched
battle; that whichever army gained ground, would
be reputed the VICTOR and that the true policy was
to throw their whole force upon him without de-
Law. But Benningsen, unluckily, satisfied with
his triumph, past the vigor Of youth, unacquaint-
ed with the enormous losses OF the French army,
and exhausted by thirty-six hours on horseback,
directed the march on Koningsberg.
We have already spoken Of Mr.. Alison as ex-
hibting admirable ability in description; that abb
ity which, instinctvely .seizing on all the master
features Of great scene, throws life into all its
details, and, without wasting word, brings the
whole picture vast terrible, and tragic as it is, be-
fore the eve. This was the merit of Tacitus and
Thucydides, and we know few passages in either
more impressive than the brief sketch of the catas-
trophe of Eyiau.
J. Such was the terrible battle Of Eylau, fought
in the depth Of winter, amidst ice and snow, un-
der circumstances Of unexampled horror; the most
bloody and obstinately that had yet oc-
Cured during the war; and in which, if Napoleon
did not sustain positive defeat, he underwent a
disaster which had wellnigh proved his ruin.
The loss on both sides was immense, and never,
in modern times, had field of battle been strew-
ed with such multitude of slain. On the side
Of the Russians twenty-five thousand had fallen,
Of whom above seven thousand were already no
more: on that Of the French, upwards Of thirty
thousand were killed or wounded, and nearly ten
thousand had left their colors, under pretence OF
attending to the wounded, and did not make their
appearance for several days afterwards. The
,tbar trophies of victory were nearly equally ba-
,anced. the Russians had to boast of the unusual
spectacle Of twelve eagles taken from their anita.
gonists; while they had made spoil Of sixteen Of
the Russian guns, and fourteen standards; Hard
" anv prisoners were made on either side during
the action; but six thousand Of the wounded, most
of them in hopeless state, were left on the field
of battle, and fell into the hands Of the French.
"Never was spectacle SO dreadful as 'he nelo
Of battle presented on the following morning.
Above fifty thousand men lay in the space OF two
leagues, welterng in blood. The wounds were,
for the most part, Of the severest kind, from the
extraordinary quantity Of cannon balls which had