Staunton spectator, and general advertiser. [volume] (Staunton, Va.) 183?-1849, 1846-08-27
Nj | sc E l. l. A N Y.
TEE BATTLE OF wAaRArm.
AND THE CHARGE OF MCDONALD.
BY j. L. HEADLEY.

Inns formed the crisis of the battle and no soon
er did the Archduke see the movement OF this ter
rlbe column of eight battalions composed of sixteen
Thousand men, upon his centre, than he knew that
inc hour OF Europe's destiny, and his own arny
had come. lie Immediately doubled the lines at
The threatened point, and brought up the reserved
cavalry, while two hundred cannon were wheeled
around the spot which such destinies hunr
and opened steady fire on the ADVANCING column
macdonald Immediately ordered a hundred cannon
10 precedc him, and answer the Austrian batteries
winch swept every inch of ground like storm of
sleet. The cannGniers mounted their horses. and
starting on rapid trJt with their hundred pieces
approachcd 10 within 4 half cannon shot and then
opened on the enemy ranks-Thc column march
ed up to this battery, and with it, at its head belch-
ing iorth IRE like some huge monster, steadily adj
vanced. The Austrians fell back and closed in nm
each other, knowing that the final STRUGGLE had
come. AT this crisis of the battle, nothing could
exceed the sublimty and terror Of the scene. The
",ioie interest OF the army was concentrated here
where the incessant and rapid roll of cannon told
how desperate was the conflict. Still Macdonald
slowly advanced, though his numbers were dmin-
lshlng, and the fierce battery at his head was Grad
uaily becoming silent developed in the fire of its
antagonist, the guns had one by one been dismount
eo' ana NJ the distance OF mile and half from the
Spot where he started on his awful mission Mac
donald found himself without a protecting battery
ana the centre still unbroken.-MarchinG over the
wreck OF his guns, and pushing the naked head of
MS column INTO the open field, and into the tlevour
ing cross fire of the Austrian artillery he continued
to advance. The carnage then became terrible. AT
every discharge, the head OF that column disappcar
ed as II IL sank INTO the earth. while the outer ranks
on either side melted away like snowwreaths on
the rivers Drink. No pen can describe the intense
anxiety with which Napoleon watched its PROGRESS
On just such charge rested his empire at Water
loo, and in its failure his doom was sealed But all
the lion IN Alacdonald's nature was reused and he
mad fuiiy resolved to execute the task given him or
lall on the field. Still he lowered unhurt amid his
falling guard and with his eye fixed steadily on the
enemy's centre, moved steadily on At the close
and fierce discharges of these cross batteries on lis
mangled head, that column would sometimes stop
and stagger hack, like strong ship when smitten
| by wave. The next moment the drums would
beat their hurried charge and the calm steady voice
OF Macdonald ring back through his exhausted
ranks nervlng them to the desperate valor that fill
ed his own spirit. Never before was such CHARGE
made, and 1t seemed at every moment that tho torn
and mangled mass must break and ny
The Austrian cannon are gradually wheeled a
round till thoy stre'nh in parallel limos like two
walls of fire each side of this band Of heroes and
hurled an lncessant tempest of lead against their
bOsoms. But the stern warriors close in and fill up
the frightiu gaps made at every discharge. and
still press forward. Macdonald has communicated
his own settled purpose TO conquer or die to his de-
voted fJllOwGrs.-'TheTe is no excitemcnt--no en-
tbusasm such as Murat was wont to inGuse into his
men when pouring on the foe his terrible cavalry.
No cries Of Vjrc empere,U,' are heard along the
lines but in their place is unalterabe resolution
that nothing but annihlton can shake The ewes
Of the army and the world arc on them and they
carry NapOeons fate as they 90. But human
strength has its limits, and human effort the spot
where it ceases forever. No living man could have
carried that column to where il stands but the IRON
| hearted leader at IFS head. But now he halts and
casts his eye over his surviving band that stands
all alone in The midst of the enemy. He looks back
on his path and Ear as the eye can reach he secs
the Of his heroes by the black swarth of dead
that stretches like huge serpent over the plain
Out OF the sixteen thousand men ,ciM ,clich he
started, only fifteen hundred are left beside him
| Ten ont IF e0eTy ctcren haze fallen, and here at
length the tired hero pauses, and surveys with n
stern and anxious eye his few remaining followers
The heart Of Napoleon stops beating at the SIGHT.
and well it may, for his throne is where Macdonald
stands. lie bears the Empire on his single brave
/ hcart-hc is the EMPIRE. Shall he turn at last.
and sound the retreat ?Thc fate Of nations wavcrs
TO and fro, for, Ike speck in the distance. Mac
donald is seen sill to pause, while the cannon arc
pilng the dead in heaps around him TpjUhe t,pu
and Gy| is the secret and agonizng question Ma
Po!con puts TO himself No he is worthy of the