The Ottawa free trader. [volume] (Ottawa, Ill.) 1843-1916, 1846-04-03

been piled on a diminutive man, OF
an Indifferent rider like Bonaparte,
it would have appeared ridiculous
but on the splendid charger and the
still more majestic figure and bear
ing of Murat, it seemed all in place
and keeping.
The dazzling exterior always
made him a mark for the enemv's
bullets in battle, and it is a wonder
that so conspicuous an object was
never shot down. Perhaps there
was never a greater contrast be-
tween two men, than Murat and Ma
leon, when they rode along the lines
previous to the battle. The square
iign,c, plain three cornered hat,
leather breeches, brown surtout.
and careless suit Of Napoleon, were
the direct counterpart of the
magnificent display and imposing
attitude Of his chivalric brother-in-
law. To see Murat decked out in
his extraragant costume at review
might create smile, but whoever
once saw that gaily caparsoned
steed with its commanding rider, in
the front rank of battle, plunging
"like thunderbolt through the bro
ken ranks, or watched the progress
of that towering plume, as floating
high over the tens of thousands that
struggled behind ia constant
mark to the cannon-balls that whis-
tied like hail-stones around the
yer felt like smiling again at Murat.
Especially would he forget those
gllded trappings when he saw him
returning from a charge, with his
diamond hilted sword dripping with
blood, his gay uniform riddled with
balls and blackened with powder,
while his strong war horse was
streaked with foam and blood and
reeking with sweat. The white
plume was the banner to the host
ne led, and while it continued fut-
tering over the field of the slain,
hope was never relinquished. Ma
ny time has Napoleon seen it
glancing like a beam of light to the
charge, and watched its progress
like the star Of his destiny, as it
struggled for a while in the hottest
of the fight, and then smiled with
JOY as he beheld it burst through the
thick rank Of infantry, scattering
them from the path like chaf before
the wind"
We said, the three great distin-
gushing traits Of Murat were high
chivalric courage, great skill as a
general, and wonderful GOODNESS in
the hours ofdanger. Napoleon once
said, that in battle he was paobabIv
the bravest man in the world. There
was something more than mere sue
cess to him in battle. He invested
it with a sort Of glory in itself
threw an air of romance about it all.
and fought frequently, we believe,
IN an imaginary world. The de-
vice on his sword, so like the knights
of old-his very costume copied
from those warriors who lived inmorc
chivaIric days, and his heroic manner
and bearing, as he led his troops in
to battle, proved him to be wholly
unlike all other generals of that
time. In his person, at least he re-
stored the days of knighthood. He
himself unconsciously lets out this
popularity, in speaking of the battle
on Mount Tabor, with the Turks.
On the top of this hill, KELLER, with
the 5000 found himself hemmcd in
by 10000 turks. Fifteen thousand
cavalry first came laundering down
on this band of 5000, arranged in
the form of a square. For six hours
they maintained that unequal combat
when Napoleon arrived with succor
on a neighboring hill. AS he look
ed down on Mount Tabor, hc,could
see nothing but countless multi
tudc covering the summit of the hill,
and swaying and tossing amid the
smoke that curtaincd them in. II
was only by steady volleys and sim,
Infamous flashes of musketry, thai
he distinguish where his own BRAY,
soldiers maintained their ground.
The shot of a solitary twelve.
bounder, which he fired towards tn,
mountain, first announced to his ex.
hausted countrymen that relief wa,
at hand. The ranks then for tn,
first time, ceased acting on the de.
fensive, and extending themselves
charged bayonets. 1t was agains
such terrible odds Murat loved t.
fight, and in this engagement h,
outdid himself. Once he was near
ly alone in the centre of large DO
dy of Turkish cavalry. All aroun,
nothing was visible but mass o
turbaned heads and flashing seine,
tars, except in the centre, was see
a single white plume tossing like
1,,.,. A