Portage sentinel. [volume] (Ravenna, Ohio) 1845-1854, 1846-09-30
Marshal SOlM.

lhe Chamber OF Peers is arranged like
our two Houses of Congress. The Seats are
semi. circular, bending around common
center, where the President sits. The mcn-.
bers are all dressed up in diplomatic coats,
and present to an American disappearance
of an assembly of military officers. The
Seance had not commenced as took my
place, and the peers were slowly dropping
in one after another, and talking their respec-
tive seats. There was the Duke de Broglio,
Guizot and others, and last of all, in came
Old Marshal Soult. He looks like an old
warrior. with his dark features, clear eye
and stern expression. He is about the mid
die size, though stout, with bald spot on
the top of his head. His pantaloons were
very full, made SO, evidently to conceal his
bow legs. 1t was q useless expedient, how
ever, for the Marshal's extremities form a
perfect parenthesis which no:hing but petit
coats can ever conceal. AS he stood mo-
ment, and cast his eye over the Chamber, |
thought could detect in his cool, and quiet
glance, and self possessed bearing the stern
old warrior that had stood the shock Of
so many battle fields. Ashe limped along
to his seat my mind involuntarily ran over
some of the important events Of his history.
70 Born of humble parents, ente ring the al
my as private soldier, musket in hand, he
rose to be Marshal of the Empire, Duke oi
Dalmatia, and Peer Of France he early ex.
hibited his wonderful GOODNESS in the hour o.
danger. .- "" -a NJ "-' ..'--9
At the battle of Fleurus, Gen. Marcear
commanding the right wing under Lefebvre
was routed and forced to fall back. In his
agony he sent to Soult for tour battalions
that he might regain his lost position. ''
| Soult refused. d,".
"Give them to me- exclaimed the indig
nant and mortified Marceau, cor willblov
my brains out"
Soult coolly replied, that to do it woulc
endanger the whole division. Being ther
a mere aid-de-camp, and unknown, his. re
fusal astonished Marceau, who asked in {
rage:
"Who are you?" ie' VIA.
"Whoever am,' replied the impertura
BILE soldier, 4 am calm, which you are not
do not kill yourself but lead on your men t.
the charge, and you shall have the four bat
talons as soon as we can spare them"
His advice had scarcely been given, be
fore the enemy were upon them, and sid
by side, these two men ragged through the
battle like lions, after the battle was over
Marceau held his hand to soult, saying:-
"Colonel, forgive the past, you have th
t day given me lesson which shall neve
!, forget. You have, in fact, gained the bat
= tle." ..... l...,. ,..,. r.l.....if.., ........
This is fine illustration Of Soult's char
acter. Il '-i'1- S' '''' '.'.'
Cool, collected, and self.reliant, the tu
4 mul: of battle and the chaos of defeat neve
disturbed his perceptions or confused hi
Judgment. At Austerlitz, he did the sam
thing to Napoleon. AS Bonapart CAV
+ him the command of the center that day, h
e simply said: l2.wo1p aae ,..r.'.
It GAS for you, Soult, have only to say
i act as you always do" ~
!. In the heat and terror of the battle, a
: aid.do-camp burst in headlong gallop int
; the presence ofSoult bearing orders tha