Vermont phÅ“nix. [volume] (Brattleboro, Vt.) 1834-1955, 1846-09-03
From Headcy's Nap leon and HI. Marsha
The Last DAYS Of Marshal Ncy.


march straight for the scene of conflict Bneher
and his Prnssians had come, but no Groucby, who
had been Jeff 10 hold them ia cheek. followed after
In moment Napoleon tia; he could not sus-
tain the attack Of so many fresh troops. If once al
lowed TO form junction with the allied forces. aud
50 he determined to stake his fate the bold cast,
and endenor to pierce the allied center with a
grand charge Of the Old Guard aud thus throwing
himself between the two armies, fight them separ.
atey. For this purpose the Imperial Guard we're
called up which had remained inactive during the
whole day, and divided into two immense columns,
which were to meet at the British center. That
under Belle entered the tire than II dsap
peared like mist The other was placed under Ney
the "bravest Of the brave" aud the order to ad-
vance given. Napoleon accompanied them part
way down the slope, aud hating loE moment in a
hollow, addressed them ia his fiery, impriuons
ner. He told them the battle rested With them,
aud that he relied their valur. Vise = En-
pcrcur :" answered him with shout that was heard
all over the field Of battle.
lie then left them to Ney WHO ordered the
charge Bonaparie has been blamed for not head.
ing this charge himself; but he knew he could not
carry that guard so FAR or hold them so long before
the artillery. as Ney The moral power the latter
carried with him. from the reputation he had gam
ed Of being the "hrNest of the brave" was worth
whole division. Whenever a column saw him at
their head. they knew that il to be victory or
humiliation. With the exception OF Macdonald. !
do not know general in the two armies who
could hold his soldiers so long in the very face Of
destruction as he.
The whole Continental struggle exhibited no
submer spectacle than this last effort OF Napoeon
10 save his sinking empire. Europe had been put
upon the plains Of w ateroo be batiled for. The
greatest military energy and skill the world posses
sed had been tasked to the utmost during the day.
Thrones were tottering on the ensauguined field,
the shadows Of fugitive kings (litted through the
smoke Of baltle. Bonaparies star irembed IN the
zeniih-now blazing out in its ancient spendor,
now suddenly paleng before his anxious eye At
length, when the Prussians appeared on the field,
he resolved To stake Europe on the bold throw
lie committed himself and bis charge TO Ney. and
his empire rest on single charge The in
tense anxiety with which he watched the advance
ofihal column. aud the terrible suspense he suffer-
ed when the smoke Of battle wrapped If from sight.
and the utter despair of his great heart when the
curtain lifted over fugitive army, and the despair
ing shrek rung every side, ia gards recHke, "
"id grade recuie" makes MS for the moment forget
all the carnage in sympathy with his distress.
Ney felt the pressure Of The immense RESPONSE
biliiy on his brave heart and resolved not to prove
unworthy of the great trust committed TO his care
Nothing could be more imposing than the move
nient Of that column to the assault. That guard
had never recoiled before a human foe, and the
allied forces beheld with awe its firm and terrible
advance to the final charge, For moment The
batteries stopped playing, aud the hring ceased
along the British lines, as without the beating oil
drum, or the blast Of bugle, TO cheer their
steady courage, they moved in dead silence over
the plain The next momen, the artillery opened
aud the head OF that gallant column seemed 10 SINK
into the earth. Rauk after rank went down, yet
they neither stopped nor faliered. D'ssolylng
squadrons aud whole battalions disappearing al
once, effected not their steady courage The ranks
closed up as before, and each ireading over HI.
fallen conrode, pressed firmly oil. The horse
which Ney rode fell under him, and he had scar
I cely mounted another before il also sunk 10 the
earth. Again and again did that unainching mar
feel his steed sink down. ill fire had been shot un
der him. Then, with his uniform ridded viii
bullets and his face singed aud blackened witt
! powder, lie marched OH foot with drawn snber a
the head Of his men, In vain did the artillery hur
It's storm Of fire and lead into that living mass
/ Up to the very muzzles they pressed, and driving
I the ariillerymcn from their own pieces, pushing OF
! through the English lines. But al iha, moment
! file Of soldiers " no had lain fat the ground, be
I hind a low ridge OF EARTH suddenly rose and pouret
yolley in their very faces Another and anolhe
followed till one broad sheet offlame rolled ihei
bosoms and in such fierce and unexpected flow
! that human courage could not Withstand u. Thcl
reeled shook staggered back, then turned and hur
that forced him on he would have stood alone, ant
fallen on his footsteps As il was, dsdaning I,
| 6y though the whole army was flying, he lorme'
! his men into two immense squares. and endeayore'
! TO stem the terrific current aud would have done 81
had il not been for the thirty thousand fresh Prus
slams that pressed on his exhausted ranks. For
long time these squares stood aud let the artiller
| pillow through them But the fate of Napoleon wa
writ, aud though Ney doubtless did what no oihe
man in the army could have done, the decree coul'
not be reversed The star that bad blazed 50
brightly over the world went down IN blood, AM
the "brayest of the brave" had fought his last bat
4 tie. IL was worthy Of his great name. and th
charge of the Old Guard at Waterloo, with him a
their head, will be pointed TO by remolest genera
4 tons with shudder.
4 We now come TO the expiation Of his treason
by public execution The allies, after they as
sembled in Paris, demanded some victims to ap
Z pease their anger. Many were selected but bette
counsel prevailed, and they were saved, Ney wa
appointment example he had routed their arme
too frequently and TOO neatly wresied their crown
fromthema at Waterloo, TO be forgiven. IL was IN
tended at FIRST TO Try him by martial law, bu: III
Marshsls of France refused to sit Ia judgment
so brave, generous aud heroic warrior. BY roy
al ordinance, the Chamber Of Peers was then d
rected TO Try him. Scornng 10 take advantage 0
any iechnicales Of law, he was speedily ioun
guilty and condemned TO death, by a majority OF
hundred and 6ly-two. Seventeen only were inun
! 70 vote il his favor. That he was guilty OF trei
in the charge, is evident, hut not to that extet
I which demanded his death. No man bad don
more for France than he or loved her honor an
:. glory with higher affection; aud his ignominior
!, deaIh IS lasting disgrace TO the French naton'-
Justice was tie e4cuse not the ground Of his COZ
demlalon. To have carried out the principle o
Il kusa do