Litchfield enquirer., 1846-02-12
THE BATTLE FIELpoF MARENGo.
BIZ REV, -. T. HEADLET.


THE BATTLE FIELD OF MARENGO.
RX REV y t. HEADLET.
! have. been four days on the, way,ao
Milan, in7ofdef TO visit the battlefield Of
Mafengo (which is q half days journey
out of The way. I waS struck WIah the
care taken of the road over, the Appens
ines. II is not only smooth and in excel.
lent order, but men are stationed at Ger.
lain notwithstanding the summer months
to wet it once a day, as; we,d0 IN Beoads
way, to keepthe dust down. Ne Should
regard this at home an entire waste. of
labor. u Lsni''''~t -" '" s''']''7'' -'''
|, We did not arrive at MareHg6 In time
to visit the field that evening, s0ipasAed
on TO Allessandria, where we stopped oyer
Right. This is the strongest fortified in.
land place -haTo- seefl, Well manned
and proyisioneds it would ngN;aancssibae
to take, it. It is q, singular ei:ys aDd, s6is
oilers seem to form the majority of the
population: The peasantty that come il
at morning toaselL fruit. etcetera. are d
squalid locking race. ii .Tsw sdi a d3if
The field Of Marengo, is not like most
other modern battle, grounds oyerrun
with guides, who tell you some truth and
|ia good deal fable. IT is left undistarbed
and not q guide can be found, Few visit
1t, and found q written description had
in my picket Indispensable. This was
one Of those battles where BonaparteS es.
capped, as by . miracle. utter defeat. The
EAustrians were full 10000 strong. while
NapoieaH could muster but llttIe more
than one half that number Napoleon
formed, three lines one in, advance Of
Marengo at Padre Buona !; one at Maren-
go; and one behind this little hamlet.
which indeed consists of scarcely more
Eahan half dozen houses, The FIRST line
| was under Gardonne. the second under
Victor, and the third commanded; by Ma
poleon in person, It IS q broad plain with
nothing 10. intercept the charge OF caval-
Fry for miles, besides scattering trees and
huts; with the exception OF a marrow but
deep stream, with, a amiry hYttom, that
passes directly in. front Of Marengo.-,
Here Victor stood, The, Austrian heavy
infantry formed in the open field, and
Ecame down on Gardonne, tdrivingg him
back on Victor, posted on the other side
of the ravine. ~ The 1irGiteiTs OF both az.
mics were ranged on opposite sides of
this stream, and there, with the muzzles
of their pieces almos; touching, stood and
fired in:o, each others faces and bOsOels
for t,oo hours. II did not seem possible
as ! stood by that stream, 20 narrow i
almost leap across il, that two armies
could ssand FOR That length Of time, 80
close to each others and 2steadiiy FIRE ut
each other. They were but few rods
apart. and the cannon and musketry to.
i gether. swept down whole ranks Of living
men. At,length the indosniiable iVictoI
twas compelled to retire before such Q ,su,
\ pefior forceye dnd feil Back ION l.anhes
who Was adxaacing 20 meet hlns; {, TIE 4.
4 TWO w! .49NsfIols charge Of the Austrians drove
them back. while Genera Elsnitz, having
marched around, STACKED him ia hi
. right flank, and began 10 pour squadfoi
ate. squadron of his splendid cavalry Oh
4 the retreating columns, OF Lannes. Blu
the stern hero iinmed lately formed hi,
tro0ps"en echslonon, y and retired withou
confusion. But the retreat became gene
rai. and had the Austrian camwaRder
Meias, pushed the battle, here. nothing
A short of a miracle GcoGld' Rave saved DO
j paparte from Htter ruin Bat he though,
i the battle already wons and that 1t wa,
now only a pursuit. and retired to the
rear, weary and exhausted; and no won,
! den he was eighty.four years oE aye. =
But at that moment, Desaix appeared on
the field, bringing up the. reserve. nj De
saix rode up to B0napafte, and said.i -
think this must be put down as a battle
LOST, ~ think IL % q battie won" repliey
j Napoleon, " pash on, and Twill 60 Ily tn
line behind you." Riding along ,he or
my he had just stayed its rapid retreat
he said, Soldiers, we have retired far q
noagh+--letsus now adsaHce-you kno,
9 it is my custom to sleep on tflSI field1G
battle" At that moment, Dcsaix led O
fresh column Of 5000' greTadiers, but q
the, first FIRE he fell, shot through IN
!, heart "@Alas |! Il rs not permitted me {
weepsv said, Napoleon. ---aOn !''aijd ffe
did ON sweeping line after Iiiie till tn
whole army wars routed, and Tie BATH
became u slaughter. Ths Austrian cav
, airy fell back on. their, own infantry
trarnpiing them 10, death :; while 10,
French French horse charged like Gre over III
length reached the -Bormida, and wer,
precipitaied, down its steep bapksfiii Ia
stream was choked with the bodies %
men and horses rolled BY shousandsiais
its nurple food. ,,als, gae1 ssgggyoJ .llS
! Bondpartc's star was still IN the ascen
uutlt. br3. t4f, ,.i}i3 n4.isEA 9dI NJ $500
T.. How changed was the scene %, LlOols
ed upon j., The Herdsman was watching
herds on The quiet plain. and the careles
husbandman driving his plough ihrosiRI
the earth once ,heaped with the dead :.
The Bormida looked % If il had neyerre
ceived slain army on lis, bosom, Dor IL
bright waters been discoloFOd with III,
blood Of men. ~ 80. l,', -. ',.gstaf rad
/ to~a-',,r.-foa ----->A- "a lgs .5;JiEaGUJ
AN EvENTIDE IN LIFE. .,iaRi
| (frkn.~ g.. o~ o.,x.ssl- -. fsEsits.