Sunbury American. [volume] (Sunbury, Pa.) 1848-1879, 1849-05-12

ulately ordered hundred cannon 10 precede
him, and answer the Austrian batteries, that
swept every inch of the ground like storm
Of sleet. The cannoniers mounted their horses
and starting on rapid trot with their hund-
red pieces, approached TO within half can
non shot, and then opened on the enemy's
ranks. The column marched up to this bat.
tery, and with it, at its head, belching forth
fire like some huge monster, steadily ad.
vanced. The Austrians fell back, and closed
in on each other, knowing that the final strug.
gle had come. At this crisis Of the battle,
nothing could exceed the sublimity and ter
ror of the scene. The whole interest Of the
armies was concentrated here, where the
incessant and rapid roll Of cannon told how
desperate was the conflict. Still Macdonald
slowly advanced, though his numbers were
diminishing, and the fierce battery at his
head was gradually becoming, silent En-
veloped in the fire of its antagonist, the guns
had one by one been dsEounted, and al
the distance of mile and half from the spot
where he started OH his awful mission, Mac
donald found himself without a protecting
battery, and the centre still unbroken. March
ing over the wreck of his guns, and pushing
the naked head of his column into the open
field, and into the devouring cross fire Of the
Austrian artillery, he continued TO advance.
The carnage then became terrible. At every
discharge, the head of that column disappear
ed, as if il sank into the earth, while the
outer ranks, on either side, melted away like
snow wreaths on the rivers brink. No pen
can describe the intense anxiety with which
NAPOLEON watched its progress. On just such
charge rested his empire at Waterloo, and
in lis failure his doom was sealed. But all
the lion in Macdonald's nature was reused,
and he had fully resolved to execute. the
dread task given him or fall on the field Still
he lowered unhur, amid this falling guard,
and with his eye fixed steadily on the ene-
my's centre, moved sternly on. Al close and
fierce discharges of these cross batteries on
! its mangled head, that column would some
times stop and stagger back, like strong
ship when smilten by a wave. The next
moment the drums would beat their hurried
charge, and the calm, steady voice of Mac
donald ring back through his exhausted ranks
nerving them to the desperate valour tina,
filed his own spirit, Never before was such
charge made, and j, seemed at every mo-
ment tha, the torn and mangled mass must
break and ny. .... I......
The Austrian cannon are gradually wheei-
ed around till they stretch away in parable!
| lines like two walls of fire on each side OF
this band of heroes, and hurl an incessent
tempest of lead against their bosoms. But
the stern warriors close in and fill up the
frightful gaps made at every discharge, and
still press forward, Macdonald has commu-
nicated his own settled purpose 10 conquer
or die, TO his devoted followers. There is
no excitement-no enthusiasm such as Mura,
was wont TO nfuse into his men when pour.
ing on the foe his terrible cavalry. No cries
of "pive lEmpereur," are heard along the
lines; but in their place is an unalterable
resolution that noihing but annihilation can
shake. The eyes of the army and the world
are on them, and they carry Napoleon's fate
as they 90. But human strength has lis limits,
and human effort the spot where it ceases
forever. No living man could have carried
that column 10 where It stands but the iron.
hearted leader at lis head. But now he halls
and casts his eye over his little surviving
band that stands all alone in the midst of the
enemy. He looks back on his path, and as
far as the eye can reach he sees the course
Of his heroes by the black swain OF dead men
that stretches like huge serpent over the
plain. Out of the sirteen thousand men uith
,chich he started, but fifteen hundred are left
beside him, Ten out Of every elersn hare fal-
len, and here at length the tired hero pauses,
and surveys with stern and anxious eye his
few remaining followers. The heart of Ma
poleon stops beating at the sight, and well
it'may, for his throne is where Macdonald
stands. He bears the Empire on his single
brave heart-he is the EMPIRE. Shall he
turn at last, and sound the retreat? The fate
of nations wavers to and fro, far, like speck
in the distance, Macdonald is seen still 10
| pause, while the cannon are piling the dead
in heaps around him. "IYillh he turn and fy?n
is the secret and agonising question Napoleon
puts to himself. The Empire stands or falls
with him, but shall stand while he stands.
Looking away to where his Emperor sits, he
sees the dark masses of the Old Guard in
motion, and the shining helmets of the brave
cuiressiers sweeping 10 his relief Forward"
breaks from his iron lips. The roll of drums
and the pealing oftrumpets answer the vol
ley that smites that exhausted column, and
the next moment it is seen piercing the Aus
lrian centre. The dayis won--,he Empire
saved--and the whole Austrian army is in
full retreat. ,s
Such was the battle Of Wagram, and such
the charge of Macdonald know OF nothing
equal 10 it, except Ney's charge at Water
loo, and that was not equal, because it failed,
On riding over the victorious field, Bona.
parte came where Macdonald stood amid his