Republican vindicator. [volume] (Staunton, Va.) 1849-1857, 1849-04-02
THE BATTLE OF HOHENLINDEN !;
A THRILLING NARRATIVE.
BY J. T. aEADLEY.


The Iser and the Inn, as they flow from thu
Alps, towards the Danube, move nearly in parable
lines, and nearly forty miles apart. As they ap
Iroach the River the space between them be-
comes one elevated plain, covered chiefly with
sombre. dark pine lorest-crossrd by two roads
only-whlle the mere country paths, that wine
through 1T here and there, give no space to march
ing columns. Moreau had advanced across this
forest TO the Inn, where on the first of December
he was attacked, and forced to retrace his steps
andtake up his position ON the farther side, at the
village of Hohenlinden. Here, where one of the
great roads debouched from the woods, he placed
Ney and Grouchy.
The Austrians, in four massive columns, plum
ged into the gloomy wilderness, designing to meet
in the open plain of Hohenlinden, the central col
nmn marching along the high road, while those
Oh either side made their way through amid the
trees, as they best could. 1t was stormy De-
cember morning, when these seventy thousand
men We're swallowed from sight in the dark de-
files of Hohennden. The day before it had rain
ed heavily, and the roads were impassa ble-but
now furious snow storm darkened the heavens
and covered the ground with one white unbroken
surface. The by paths were blotted out, and the
signing piales overhead dropped with their SNOWY
burdens above the ranks, or shook them down on
the heads of the soldiers, as the artillery wheels
smote against their trunks. 1t was a strange
spectacle, those long dark columns out of sight Of
each other, stretching through the dreary forest BY
themselves-while the falling snow sitting over
the ranks, made tie unmarked way still more
solitary. The soft aud yielding mass broke the
tread of the advancing hosts, While the artillery
ammunition and baggage wagons, gave forth a
muff1ed sound, that seemed prophetic of some
mournful catastrophe. The centre column alone
had hundred cannon in its train, while behind
them We're five hundred wagons-the whole clused
up by the slowly moving cavalry.
Thus maSching, it came al about 9 O'Clock upor
Hohenlnden, and attempted to debouch into the
plain, when Grouchy fell apon it with such fury
that it was forced back into the woods. In mo
ment the old forest was alive with echoes and its
gloomy recesses Illuminated with the blaze of ar
tlllery. Grouchy, Granjeau, and Ney, put forth
incredible efforts TO keep this immense force from
deploying into the open field. The two forme
Struggled with the energy of desperation to hole
their ground-and although the soldiers could no
see the enemy's lines, the storm was so thick
yet they aimeda the flashes that issued from tho
woods, and thus the two armies fought The
trees We're cut in two, like reeds, by the artillery
| and tell with crash upon the Austrian columns
While the fresh falling snow turned red with flow
ing blood. In the meantime, Rchenpanse, wht
had beer sent by circuitous route with single
division to attack the enemy's rear, had accom-
plished his mission. Though his division hae
been cut in two and irfetrevably separated by tn,
Austrian left wing, the brave general continued II
advance, and with only three hundred men tel
boldly on forty thousand Austrians. As soon a
MORGAN heard the sound of his cannon, through
the forest, and the alarm it spread through tn
enemy's ranks, he ordered Ney and Grouchy t.
charge first on the enemy's CENTRE Checked
| then oyerthrown, that broken column was role,
back N disorder and utterly routed. Campbell
the poet, stood in tower and gazed on this ter
rible scene, and in the midst of the fight composed
in part that stirring ode which is known as far a
the English language is spoken
The depths of the forest swallowed the strue
Cling hosts from sight but still there issued forl
from its bosom thoughts and yells mingled wit
the thunder of tcannon, and all the confused nois
of battle. The Austrians were utterly routed
and the frightened cavalry went plunging throue
the crowd Of fugitives into the woods-the arti
lerymen cut their traces and leaving their horse
galloped away-and that magnificent colum
as if rent by some violent explosion, was hurle
in shattered fragments ON every side.-For mile
the white ground was sprinkled with dead bodies
and when the battle left the forest, and the Din
trees again stood calm and silent in the wintr
night, piercing cries and groans issued out of tn
gloom in every drection-suflerer answered su
terer as he lay and Writhed On the cold snow
Twenty thousand men We're scattered there ami
the trees, while broken carriages and wagons an
deserted guns, spread perfect wreck around.