The banner. [volume] (Abbeville, S.C.) 1844-1847, 1846-08-26
From Hradley's Napoleon e. his Marshals
THE LAST DAYS OF MARSHAL,
NFY

AT length dark object was seen to
emerge from the distant wood, and soon
an army of 10000 men dcployed in the
held OF Waterloo, and began to march
straight for the scenes Of conflict Blu
cher and his Prussians had come, but
no Grouchy, who had been left to keep
them in check, followed after. In mo-
ment Napoleon saw that he could not
sustain the attack of so many fresh
troops, If once allowed to form a iu1c-
ton with the allied forces. and so he de-
termlned to stake his fate on one bold
cast, and endeavor 10 pierce the allied
centre with grand charge of the Old
Guard-and thus throwing himself be-
tween the two armies, fight them sepa-
rately: For this purpose the Imperial
Guard was called up, which remained
inactive the whole day, and divided into
two immense columns, which were to
meet at the British centre That under
Rellle no sooner entered the fire than it
disappeared like mist. The other was
placed under Ney, the "braves, of the
brave" and the order to advance given.
Napoleon accompanied them part way
down the slope, addressed them in his
| merry, lmpetuous manner. He told them
that the battle rested with them. and
that he relied on their valor. " V5re
PEmpereur" answered him with a
shout that was heard all over the field
of battle.
He then left them to Ney, who orde-
red the charge. Bonaparte has been
blamed for not heading this charge him.
self; but he knew he could not carry
that guard so far or hold them so long
before the artillery, as Ney. The mo
raj power the latter carried with him,
from the reputation he had gained of be
ing the "bravest Of the brave" was
worth whole division. Whenever
column saw him at their head, thcv
knew that it was 10 be victory Or annihi-
lation. With the exception of McDo-
nald, | do not know a general in the
two armies who could hold his soldiers
so long in the very face of destruction as
he.
The whole continental struggle cx-
hibitcd no subimer spectacle than this
last effort of Napoleon to save his sink
ing empire. Europe had been put upon
the plains of Waterloo to be battlcd for.
The greatest military energy and skill
the world possessed had been tasked TO
the utmost during the day. Thrones
were tottering on the ensanguined field,
and the shadows of fugitive kings fitted
through the smoke of battle. Bona
parties star trembled in the zen,h-now
blazing out in its ancient splendor, now
suddenly palcing before his anxious eye
AT length, when the Prussians appeared
on the field, he resolved to stake Europe
on one bold throw. He committed him
self and France to Ney, and saw his
empire rest on single charge. The
intense anxiety with which he watched
the advance of that colemn, and terrible
suspense he suffered when the smoke of
battle wrapped it from sight, and the ut
ter despair of his great heart when the
curtain lifted over fugitive army,
and the despairing shrek rung on every
side, Ia gorde recule, la garde rccule,"
makes US for the moment forget all the
carnage in sympathy with his distress.
Ney felt the pressure of the immense
responsibility OH his brave heart, and re-
solved not to prove unworthy of the
great trust committed to his care. No.
thing could be more imposing than the
movement of that column to the assault.
That guard had never yet recoiled be-
fore human foe, and the allied forces
beheld with awe its firm and terrible ad.
vance to the final charge. For mo.
ment the batteries stopped playing, and
the firing ceased along the British lines.
as, without the beating of drum, or the
blast of bugle, to cheer their study
courage, they moved in dead silence
over the plain. The next moment the
artillery opened, and the head of that
gallant column seemed to sink into the
earth. Rank after rank went down.
yet they neither stopped nor faltered.
DiSSOlyinp snuadrons and ,,,holo b,,.,