Portage sentinel. [volume] (Ravenna, Ohio) 1845-1854, 1847-02-17
The Battle of DirnStein.
BY J. It. HEADLEY.

After the capitulation of Ulm, Napole-
on continued his progress alcng the Dan
ube, waiting the moment to strike NOR
tai blow at the enemy. The Austrians
hearing Of the surrender of Mack, began
to retreat towards Vienna, pressed by the
victorious French. Napoleon was moving
down the right flank Of the Danube, while
Mertier, at the head of2O, 900 men, was to
keep nearly parallel on the left shore.
Murat, with the advance guard, was press
ing with his accustomed audacity towards
Vienna. In the mean time, the Russian
allies, finding they could not save the cap
itol, crossed over the Danube to the left
shore, to escape the pursuit of Napoleon,
and effect q junction with reinforcements
that were coming up. Mortier was aware
of this, and pressed eagerly forward to in
tercept their March towards Moravia.
Asyo pass from Dirnstein to Stein, the
only road lies by the Danube, and between
it and u range Of rocky hills, forming a
deep and narrow defle. Mortier was at
the place, fastening the march of his col
umns, and eager to advance, pushed for
ward with only the single division of Gaz.
an, leaving orders for the army to follow
close in the rear. Passing through the de.
file, he approached Stein at daybreak, and
found the rear guard Of the Russian army
posted on the heights in front of the town
sustained by powerful batteries, which
swept the road along which he was
marching. Notwithstanding the inferiori
ty of numbers, and the murderous fire he
should be forced to encounter, he resolved
Immediately to attack the enemy's position
AS the broad daylight of Novembe
morning spread over the Danube, he open
Fl ed his fire on them and rushed to the as
sault. In a short time the action becam,
despe rate, and the grenadiers on both side
could almost touch each other in the clos
encounter. The Russian troops cam
pouring back to sustain the rearguard, Will
the French advanced with rapid step alonl
!, the road to aid their companions. Wit
} headlong courage on one side, and stead,
firmness on the other, the struggle grey
} hotter every moment. Neither would yielG
3 and Mortier stood hour after hour amid tn
. wasting storm; till at length he began t
grow anxious for the issue, and at eeve
e O'Clock to hurry up his troops, gallope
! back to Dirnstein. Squirting furously 3
S long the defle, he came up to Dupont's d
j, vision--a little beyond the farther entranc
+ and urged him to redouble his speec
|, Then putting spurs to his horse, he agai
# hastened back to the scene of strife. Bl
il what was his astonishment on emergin
= from the defle to behold a Russian arm
s. issuing from the hills, and marching straigf
IS for its entrance-Doctorof with his who
" division, had made circuitous march dl
ring the combat; and cutting off Mortier
/. retreat was about to take possession Of tt
n de6e. As the Marshal left the main rot
A to escape being taken prisoner himself al
ID wound along the hill sides, and saw Il
) dense masses pouring silently into the ma
st row pass, his heart for moment stopp,
a beating; for. his own doom and that Of h
,e brave troops, seemed to be sealed. Crus
,e ed between two armies, there was no ho]
1T for him unless Dupont came TO his relic
u The morning that had dawned 50 brilliar
le ly upon him had suddenly become as bla,
a as midnight, but there was but one cour
Vs. left for him, unless he intended to sure
er der, and that was to march back, and e
o, deavor to cut his way through the deflo
I'll his army.
is. Behold the single division, pressed
cd front by the whole Russian army, and {
ne off in rear, slowly retiring towards that
I'd lent gorge, battling back the host Il
he pressed after him, and sent their destrl
to tive storm Of grape shot through his to
lit ranks. Mortier formed his men into q S