Sunbury American and Shamokin journal. [volume] (Sunbury, Northumberland Co., Pa.) 1840-1848, 1846-07-18
French Chemorr Of Peers.
MARSHAL soULT.

40 Houses Of Congress The seats are semi.
lrcular. bending around common centre,
ehcre the President ate. The members are
Nil dressed up n diplomatic coa's, and presents
10 an American the appearance Of an assembly
"f military officers. The STANCE Ind not com
menced ss took my place, and the Peers were
slowly dropping in one after another, and 10.
king their respective seats. There was The
Duke De Brcglie. Guizol and others. and last OF
al. IN came old Marshal Soult. He looka ike
an old warrior, with his dark features, clear
eve ond etern expression. He IL nhcut the
middle sise, though s,ont, with a bald spot on
the top Of his head. Tlis PANTHEON. were vcry
u'l made 80 evidently to conceal his bow legs
It was n useless expedent. however, for the
Marshal's lower cxtremi,ies form perfect pa
ten,bess, which nothing but pe,icoats ever
conceal. IA he stood moment and c,st his
cves over the Chamber, I thought could detcc,
IN his cool, q1iet glance and seIfpossesscd
bearing, the atern old warrior that had stood
the shock of 50 n.uny battle fields AS he lin.
ned along to his seat my mind involun'arily run
over come Of the important events of his hitto.
~.
Born Of humble parents, entering the army
"a private soldier, muskct in hand, he rose 10
oe Marsha, of the Empire, Duke Of Dalma,ia,
and Peer of France, lie early exhibited his
wonderful coo,ness in the hour of danger
At the battle of Fleurus. General Marceau,
commanding the right wing under Lefebvre,
was routed and forced To fall back. In his ago.
ny he sent to SouIt for tour battious, that he
might renew his lost position.
Suult refused.
Give them to me ! exclaimed the indignant
aud mortified Morceau, 'or will blow my brains
nu..'
Soult cody replied that, to DO it would en-.
tanger the whole division. Being then mere
od.de. camp. and unknown, bis refusaI astonish.
ed Marceau, who asked in rage
who are you =
Whoever am replied the impsr,uraablr
soldier, i am calm. which you arc not, do not
kill yourself, but lead on your men to the charge,
and you shall have the four bsttalions as soon as
we can spare them
His advice had scarcely been given before
the enemy were upon them, and side BY side
these two men ragged through the batde like Ii.
ots. after the battle was over, Marceau held
on, his hand TO Soult, saying
Colonel, forgive the past; you have this day
gwen me Lesson which shall never forget
You have in fact gaiRed the battle
This is fair illustration of Soult's character.
,'ool, collected and self reliant the tumult Of
battle and the chaos Of defeat never disturbed
his perceptions or confused his judgment. At
Austerlitz, he did the same thing to Napoleon.
As Bonap parte gave him the command OF the
centre that day, he simply said
AS for you Souf, have only 10 say, &C, as
you always do
In the heot and terror of battle. an aid.de.
camp burst in headlong gallop in the presence
of Soult, bearing orders that he should immedi
n'ely carry the height of Pra,zen
i w,ll obey the Emperor's orders ss soon as
rsn, replied the cheitain; but this 10 not pro-
per time
Bonaparte was in perfect fury at this an
.~er, and sent another aid.de.csmp with per.
emptory orders. but before lie could deliver
hem the proper time had arrived, and the aw.
fll column OF Soult was in motion. and in the
uex, moment his head was enveloped in the
smoke of cannon, and in a few minutes nf(cr,
'nrn and nanged appeared upon the crest of the
Ill, where il struggled two hours for victory
and won it. Sout had delayed his charge be.
cause the enemy were extending their lines,
and thus weakening their centre. Bona par,e
Jaw al once the reason of his delay, and struck
w,,h admiration az his behaviour. soon after rode
~ TO h!m, and IN the presence Of the whole
= 81. txcamcd--
Marshal. account you the ablest tsctician
In The empire
!: aas Snul's cannon that thnndered over the
grave Of Sir John Moore, Who fell at Corunna,
al. N" noble hearted Marshal inscribed me.
moril' To his brave opponent on the spot. lie
was in the carnape o, Ws,erloo. and there on
tia, de field raw the stur Of Bonspar,e sc,
forever
As he slowly lmped to his seat | could moi
bat gaze upon him with feelings Of the deepest
interest. On what wild scenes that dark eye
had looked, md in what fierce fights that now
nged form had moved The memories of such
man must be terrible: and what fearful scenes
lie between him and his youth ! A word, an al
lnsion to the victorious Bonnparte-.the Standard
taken from the enemy and now dropping owe
Il A. N