Mississippi Democrat. (Carrollton, Miss.) 1844-18??, 1845-08-27
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MARSHAL MACDONALD.

we copy the following impressive and stirring
sketches Of perhaps the most heroic and daring
military achievements in modern history ETH
ENNE JACQUES JOSEPH ALEXANDRA MACDONALD
was the son of Scotchman, an adherent of
Charles Edward, who fed to France after the
battle of Culloden. He entered the military
service, and rose through all the grades to be "a
Field Marshal, and Duke of Tarentum, When
Napoleon was banished to Elba, he swore allie
glance to the Bourbons, and when his great
chief returned in triumph, unlike Ney, Murat,
and Sout, he kept sacred his OATH He was as
honest and brave a soldier Soldier by trade we
mean,) as followed the fortunes of the ambi-
tious, bloody Corsican.
MACDoNALD's PASSAGE OF THE SPLUGEN
When commanding the army in the Girl
sons, Macdonald was commanded by Ma
poleon to pass the Splugen with his forces
in order to form the left wing of mis- army
in Italy. This was in the campaign of lta-
ly, after Bonaparte's return from Egypt
Though no Drawer or holder man than
Macdonald ever lived, he felt that the ex-
ecution of the First ConsuPs command
was well nigh impossible, and sent Gene
raj Dumas to represent TO him the hope
lessness OF such an undertaking. Bona
parte heard him through, and then, with
his usual recklessness of difficulties, repli-
ed, 81 will make no change in my dispo-
stions. Return quickly, and tell Mac
donald that an army can always pass 10
every season where two men can place
their feet" Like an obedient officer, he
Immediately set about preparations for the
herculean task before him.
The pass over this mountain is very
different thing from the one which Macdo.
maid and his men traversed. There is
now carriage way across, cut in sixteen
zig-Zags along the breast of the mountain
But the road he was compelled to go was
mere bridle.path going through the gorge
of the Cdrdinel. To understand some of
the difficulties that beset him and his army,
imagine an awful defiIe leading up to the
height of sir thousand .fUc hundred feel
above the level of the sea, while the rag
ing of Alpine storm and the mighty sweep
of avalanches across it, add tenfold horror
to the wlntry scene. First comes the
deep dark defie called the Via Mala, made
by the Rhine, here mere rivulet, and
overhung by mountains often three thou
sand feet high. Along the precipices
that stoop over this mad torrent, the patti
is cut in solid rock, now hugging the noun
tain wall like a mere thread, and nov
shooting in single arch over the gorg,
that sinks three hundred feet below
Strangely silent snow peaks pierce thu
heavens in every direction, while from tn
slender bridges that spring from precipic'
10 precipice over the turbulent stream, thu
roar of the vexed waters can scarcely b.
heard. After leaving this de6le, the roa
passes through the valley of Schams, thei
winding up the pine-covered cliffs of l.
Raffla, strikes on to the bare face of tn
mountain, going sometimes at an angle o
forty-fve degrees, and finally reaches tn
naked summit, standing bleak and cold il
the wintry heavens. This was the Splu
gen pass Macdonald was commanded 4
lead his $4,000 men over in mldwinter.
On the goth of November he common
ced his preparations. A constant success
sion of snow storms had filled the eniir
path, so that single man on foot woul
MI nave tHOuSnt vi MAKING the attethpt
But when Macdonald had made up hi
mind to do thing, that was the end of a
lmposslblities. The cannon were dis
mounted, and placed on sleds, to which OK
en- were attached-the ammunition diviC
cd about on the backs of mules, while el
cry solder had to carry, besides his usut
arms, i've packets of cartridges and fiy
days provisions. The guides went in &C
vance, and stuck down long black poles /
indicate the course of the path beneath
while behind them came the workme
clearing away the snow. and behind ther
still, The mounted dragons with the mos
powerful horses of the army 10 beat dow
the way. The first company had advant
ed in this manner nearly half way to tn