Southport telegraph. [volume] (Southport, W.T. [i.e. Kenosha, Wis.]) 1840-1850, 1845-08-19

HuHufcu lHouSand OayonCis SiitiSIeu IN Ills
] light. Ii was glorious spectacle; those
: two mighty armies standing in the early
g sunlight amid The green fields, while the
! air fairly sparkled with the flashing steel
that rose like forest over their heads
Nothing could exceed the surprise of the
: Aus,r!ans, when they saw the French lie
gions across The river, and ready for bat
lie. Tia. bright scene was to see the fate
!, of Europe settled for The next four years,
:. and that glorious summers sun, as II roll
ed over The heavens, was 10 look dowa on
. one of the most terrific battles the world
ever saw.
We do not design 10 describe the move
ments Of the TWO armies, nor the varied
success during the day. Bonapaiie at The
outset had his columns cenverged 10 9
point-Testing at one end on, the Daube,
and radaiing of into the field like the
spokes ola wheel. The Aus'nans, On the
contrary, stoodina vast sea-ciicle, IS # a
bout 10 enc ose and swallow up their enemy.
! Macdonald's division was aRong tie fist
brought into The engagement, and hgaVoly
held its ground during lie day. Wtea
Night closed the scene ofsiffe, the Aurtri-
ans had Gaiued on The French. They new
efiheless sounded aretIeai, while the ex-
hausted army ofNapoleon lay down on the
lield of blood, 10 sleep. EHy ii. the morn
ing, the Austrians taking advantage Of their
success the day befogtt, commenced the at
ack. and the thunder Of their guns At day
light brought Napoleon into his saddle
The field was &again alive with charging
squadruns, and covered with the smoke OF
battle. From daylight iili nearly noon had
The conflict ragged without moments cessa-
lion.
Every where excep, against the Austyi-
ans left the French were defeated. From
The steep!es Of Vienna, the multitude gazed
Ga the progress of the doubtful fight, till
they heard the cheers of their countryinen
above the roar of the battle, diving the fly
ing enemy before them, when they shouted
in Joy, and believed the victory gained =
but Napoleon galloped, and restoring order
IN the disordcred lines, ordered Davonsi 10
make circuit aud ascending the plateau
of Wagraui, carry Neusiedel. While wait
lag the result of this movement, on the sac.
cess (Which depended all his future opera
tons, the French lines ander Napoieon's
immediate charge were eSposcd to a most
terrific i q fiom the eueay's artillery, which
tore them INTO fragments. Unable to adj
vance, and 100 distant to return the fire, theg
were compelled to to stand as Idle specta
tons and soc the cannon shea plough through
them. Whole ba;ral!ionss driven frantic
Il by.this Inaction in the midst Of such dead
q " fire. broke and fed. Bategesy thing de-
Ipended on the infantry holding freely Their
position till the effect Of Dayoust's assault
was seen. Yet nothing but Napoeon's he
rolc bravery kept them steady. Mounted
on his milk with charger, Enphrates, given
him by the king of Persia, lie slowly rode
backward and forward before the lines, while
the cannon balls whisled aud lattled like
hail-stones about him---casIng ever and
anon anxious looks towards the spot where
Ddvoust was expected TO appear with his
fifty thousand brave followers. For whole
hour he thus rode in front of his men, and
though they expected every moment to see
him shattered by u cannon ball, he moved
: unscathcd amid the storm. Al length Da-
youst was seen charging like fire over the
plateau of Wagram, and finally appear with
his cannon on the further side of Neutsie-
del. In moment the plateau was cover
: eIed with smoke as he opened his cannon
on the exposed ranks of the enemy. A
) smile lighted up Nspo' cons countcnaace,
and the brow that had been knit like iroI
during the terrific strife Of the two houls be.
fore, as word was constantly brought him o
: his successive losses, and The steady progress
Of the Northumberland up, and he order
= ed Macdonald with eight battallions, &c
> march straight on the enemy's centre, anc
s. pierce il. This formed this crisis Of thc
t blule, and no sooner did the Atchduke SCI
The movement of the terrible column o
8 eight baitalions, composed OF sixteen thou
sand men, upon his centre, than he knew
X that the hour Of Europe's destiny and h
! own army had come. He iinmediaiel,
Z doubled the lines al the threatned point,ant
:, brought up the reserve cavalry, while two
u hundred cannon were wheeled around tht
e spot on which such destines hung. and o
II pened terrific fire on the approaching col
Al umn. Macdonald Immediately ordered ;
- hundred cannon 10 psecede him, and an
u swer the Austrian batteries,iha swept ever,
/ inch Of ground like storm of sIeet Th'
y cannoniers mounted their horses and start
ing on a rapid tFot with their hundred pieces
> approached to within half cannon shot, ant
: opened a destructive ERE ON the enemy
J ranks. With this battery at its head, belch
o ing forth fire Ike some huge monster, tht
J. | mighty columa steadily advanced. Tht
y Aaslrians fell back and closed in on earl
d other, knowngtthat the inal Struggle has
q come. At this crisis Of the battle, nothing
u could exceed he subiimity and terror Q
II the secne.s The whole interest of the ar
mics was concentrated here where the in
e cessant and rapid roll of cannon told hos
/ desperate was The conflict. Still Macdon
81 i'd slowly advanced. though his number
wee diminishing, and The fierce battery a
/ is head was gradually becoming silent :
e developed in The awful fire offs antagonist
the guns had one by one been d smoupted
: and at the stance oil mile and haffFon
I the spot where had siared on his awful ms
n sion. Maedonaid found himself without pro
L teciina bittery, and the centre sill usibfo
p ken. Marching oser the wreck Of his can
J non, and pushing the naked head Of ais col
una INTO tie open field and into the De
" vouring cross-6Fc Of the Aaslrian artillery
n he began to advance. The desiruciio
rs ll,en became awful. At ey1y d.schaFg
Is the head of that column disappeared. as if
TX 81 ousar