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

From memoir of tins invincble soldier, by
Rev. j T. Headey, in the American Review,
we copy the following impressive and stirring
sketches OF perhaps the most heroic and daring
military achievements in modern history Eth
ESNE JACQUES JOSEPH ALExANDR MACDONALD
was the son Of Scotobman, 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 u
Field Marshal, and Duke of Tarentum, When
Napoleon was banished to Elba, be swore ale
glance to the Bourbons, and when his great
chief returned in triumph, unlike Ney, Murat,
and Soult, he kept sacred his oath. lie was as
honest and brave soldier Soldier by trade we
mcan,) as followed the fortunes OF the ambi-
tous, bloody Corsican.
MAoDoNALD's PASSAGE OF THE sPLUGEN
When commanding the army in the Gri-
sons, Macdonald was commanded by Ma
poeon 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-
", after Bonaparte's return from Egypt
Though no drawer or holder man than
Macdonald ever lived, he felt that the ex-
ecuion of the First Consul's command
was well nigh impossible, and sent Gene
raj Dumas to represent 10 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-
sltions. Return quickly, and tell Mac.
donald that an army can always pass in
every season where two men can place
their feet" Like an obedient officer, he
Immediately set about preparations for the
hercuean 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 10 go was
mere bridle.p path going through the gorge
of the Cdrdinel. To understand some of
the difficulties that beset him and his army,
imagine an awful defile leading up to the
height OF sic thousand .fpc hundred feet
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 wintry scene. First comes the
deep dark defile called the Via Mala, made
by the Rhine, here a mere rivulet, and
oyerhung by mountains often three thou.
sand feet high. Along the precipiccs
that stoop over this mad torrent, the path
is cut in solid rock, now huggng the noun.
tain wall like mere thread, and now
shooting in single arch over the gorge
that sinks three hundred feet below
Strangely silent snow peaks pierce the
heavens in every direction, while from the
slender bridges that spring from precipice
10 precipice over the turbulent stream, the
roar Of the vexed waters can scarcely be
heard. Alter leaving this defle, the road
passes through the valley of Schams, then
winding up the pine-covered cliffs of La
kaifla, strikes on to the bare face Of the
mountain, going sometimes at an angle of
forly-fiye degrees, and finally reaches the
naked summit, standing bleak and cold in
the wintry heavens. This was the Splu-
S~N Pooo 4dtuOuuiu NdS COiilIudnueu W
lead his $4,000 men over in mldwinter.
On the 10Th Of November he common
ced his preparations. A constant success
SION Of snow storms had filled the entire
path, SO that single man on foot would
not have thought Of making the attempt.
but when Macdonald had made up his
mind to do thing, that was the end Of all
impossibilities. The cannon were dis.
mounted, and placed on sleds, to which OK
en we're aitached---ihe ammunition divid-
ca about on the backs Of mules, while cy-
ery soldier had to curry, besides his usual
arms, i've packets of cartridges and five
Jays provisions. The guides vent il ad.
vance, and stuck down long black poles to
indicate the course Of the path beneath,
while behind them came the workmen
soaring away the snow. and behind Them
suH' The mounted dragoons with the most
powerful hofseso Of the army 10 beat down
Me way. The first company had advanc-
" III this manner nearly half way p the