The Kalida venture. [volume] (Kalida, Ohio) 1841-1865, 1847-05-28
/. KAL1DA, PUTNAM oUNTY, ONO, FRIDAY, MAY as ls4z

4
gene carried it on the ground Of superior
rank, and at the head Of four thousand men
plunged into the deep snow, and marched
six miles without getting any tidings of the
fugitive, He then ordered a halt and direc.
ted some cannon to be fred. Their thun-
der rolled away through the gloom, and when
silence again fell on the ilimitable snow
fields, there came the dull report of muskel-
ry on the air. Ney had no cannon with
which to answer those Of Eugene, and his
reply was like his army, weak and anguish
ing. Eugene, however heard it, and march
ing swiftly up, saw The black column Of the
brave mashal moving overthe snow. Rush
ing up he clasped him in his arms, and wepl
like child on his neck. Nsy strained him
to his manly bosom. and thenr began sternly
TO upbraid Dayoust for thus endangeing
the French army. The soldiers also threw
the uselvos into each others arms and with
enthusiastic exclamations, and with Joy re-
traced their steps to Orcha. Arrived there,
the provisions, and fire and beds were cheer,
fully shared, and ,bs tired armies,
after recounting TO each their tolls ard dan
gers, lay down to sleep in each their tolls and
dangers, lay down to sleep in each others
embrace. Still Ney could not forgive Da-
voust and VIXEN the latter attempted 10 make
soma explanation Of his conduct. he only
replied in stern voice, "Monsieur lie Mare
chal, have no reproaches to make TO you:
God is our witness, and your Judge"
Whnr. rto LnorJ IS bic arr;v,l hn
exclaimed, 81 have three hundred millions
in my Golfers in the Tuileries, and / would
willingly have given them SO save Marshal
Ney" Well he might, and half his empire
withit, for without him he would have been
a throneless Emperor. The meeting of Bo-
nnparte and this brave man shows the pro-
found impression the conduct of the latter
had made on MIN. As his eye fell on the
worn, yet still proud, unconquerable veteran,
he exclaimed, "What man, what solderm
But words failed to expess his admiration,
and he clasped the stern warrior to his bosom
and embraced him with all tho rapture one
hero embraces another. ..t.... a.. d. s.-..-.
But Ney's exhausting efforts were not yet
over; Bonaparts dared not relieve him from
the important and dangerous post he had FL
led with such hoRer, and another rear guard
was put under his command. At the awful
passage the Beresina he again stood be-
tween the army and destruction, and while
Victor on one side of the river, he on
the other side--after Oudinot's wound
kept back with mere handful Of men the
Russian thousands. From this time on his
duty became still more painful. AT every
step he came upon corpses-the whole coun-
try was covered with hllocks formed by the
snow drifting over fallen soldiers, while the
piercing cold, and gnawing hunger and ia
tigue, thinned his ranks with frightful rapid
ity. Even when the enemy kept at dis
tauce, the work Of mortality went on; and all
along the edges of the column, men were
seen staggering from the line Of march, and
with groan, pitching into the snow drifts.
Others unable TO proceed, would sit down,
and resting their clenchsd hands, gaze with
look of unuttsrable despair on their tir.
ing comrades. Others still would drop on
their knees, and with tears of real blood
streaming from their inaamed eyes, rest a
moment in that pleading attitude, and then
fall on their hands, while the most pitiful
sobs and means would escape their breasts.
Smuggling still for life they remained a short
time in this position, and then their heads
would begin to sway backwards and forwards
and the next moment they lay stretched
stark and stiff amid the snow, while the blind.
ing storm rapidly wove their winding sheet.
When the weather cleared upit was SO cold
the very air seemed frozen, and the birds
dropped dead from the tiess, and then the
benumbed and stffsned column would 60
staggering over the frosty fields in dead ST.
lence--the cracking of the snow crust and
flakes of ice under their feet the only sounds
that disturbed the solitude that surrounded
them. All night the poor creatures would
sit in circles all doubled up to retain the
warmth oftheir bodies, and in the morning
were still seen, in that attitude frezen stiff,
and left thus by their retreating companions.
The b;vouacs could be traced through the
wilderness by the circles of dead that marked
their locality. Some became delirious, and
roamed about, bowling and gnashing their
teeth, or making the clear cold air ring with
their demoniacal laughter. These, when a
Ere was built, would cast themselves into the
flames, and perish in horrible convulsions.-
Piteous means and prayers, and cries, arose
on every side, as the frozen, bleeding column
dragged its weary length over the icy plains;
and hunger and madness, and pain filled ev-
cry heart. At the head of such an army,
and in the midst of such difficulties was Ney
compelled TO struggle, and with such soldiers
was he compelled to fight. But undaunted
by the dangers that surrounded him-unsub-
dued by the despair that rested on evsry