The miners' express. (Dubuque, Iowa) 1849-1854, 1849-12-19

know it-you had nine leagues to ride, and you
| set off at eight o'ccck-look at your watch, sir
| What o'clock is it now p
The officer was quite disconnected, and he
stood motoncss.
Tell me what o'clock it is, sir, if you please
Half past twelve, sire. The roads were in a
terrible state. In some places the snow obstruct-
| ed my passage-'
Poor excuse, sir Retire and await nv Or
ders,' and as the officer closed the door, he add
| ed this cool, lesury gentleman wants stmu-
lating the reprimand | have given him will
| make him spur his horse another time. Let me
see-my answer must be ready in two hours
hcncc-I have no time to lose
The dispatches which the Emperor had lust
| received were from General Lasalle, who was
cncampcd in the village of Deepen. He inform
ed the Emperor that column of the enemy,
amounting, it was presumed, to between fifteen
and sixteen thousand men, having been liable
| to work a passage through the snow, had got
separated from the main body of the Prussian
army This intelligence of the utmost i'm
portancc. The Empcrors answer was, an or
der to General Lasallc to attack, with his divi-
sion, the column commanded by General Les
tocq, and thereby prevent the junction which
the latter cndravoring to effect with the
| Russian army. At the same time, he directed
two regiments of dragons, who had been posted
as scouts, at half league from Deepen, to Join
Lasalle's division, and to fall simultaneously on
the column, which was attacked in front by the
| troops of General Lasalle.
'Hc sent for the orderly officer whom he had
rebukcd Il few minutes previously. Set off i'm
mediatcly, sir, said he tho sc dispatches must
be delivered with the utmost speed. General
Lasalle must receive my orders by three 0 clock
you understand me, sir :;
Sire replied the young officer, in most res
! olutc tone, by half past two the General shall
have the orders of which have the honor to be
the bearer
Very well, sir; mount your horsc-and stay
added he, calling the officer back stcll Cen
eral Lasalle that it Will be agreeable to me that
you should be the person selected to announce
to me the success of these movements
| This orderly officer was the son Of senator.
| The Emperor was perfectly aware of this fact
but he was always more strict and severe to-
wards young men who left the military colleges
with the rank of officer, than towards those who
gained their epaulctts by facing fire and sword.
| 1t is but Just to acknowledge that the latter
rarely needed rcprimand, and when they did
the Emperor admonshcd them with parental
gcntlcncsS. Thus he created in all ranks of the
army men who would have sacrificed their lives
rather than incur his displeasurc. 1t is remark
able, too, that men who performed prodigies of
valor, and covered themselves with glory, never
looked for any reward. 1t seemed that the lives
of all belonged to one alone, and that to perish
in the cause of that one was merely the per-
formancc of sacred duty. The heroic phass
French character
AT the time to which was lust now refer
ring, continued the Duke, whenever we fought
the victory own The intrepid l4asalle,
with less than three thousand men, repulscd the
cncmy's column. General Lcstocq, closely and
vigorously pursued, owed his safety to the swift
ness of his horse Three thousand Prussans
persisted in the conflict; two thousand five hun
drcd prisoners, and sixteen pieces of artillery
were the trophies of this partial engagement.
| Its consequences were of vast importance, for
| the Russian army was cut off from some Of it's
| communications, and awaited in vain the prom
Used reinforcemcns.
Con learning this news, the Emperor was
quite transported with joy, and he several times
cxclaimcd-' Brave General Lasalc admirable
troops | am now sure Of gaining the battle
which am going to fight at Eylau This is a
good augury we will now march forward to
Eylau, gcntlcmcn!
'On the day of the battle, the weather was
dreadful. The snow, which fell thickly III fine
flakes, froZe as it reached the surface of the
earth. Our clothes being covered with this sort
of hoar FROST were stiff and heavy The horses
could not keep their footing. The sanguinary
conflict had been maintained since morning, and
when night set in, all was yet undecided The
Emperor, in state of the utmost anxiety and
Impotence, galopcd up and down the field of
battle, Drawing the grape shot which was show
cring in every direction. He was always to be
seen on those points threatened with the great
est danger, well knowing that his presence
would alone work miracles. Meanwhile, the
ccasing of the fire on some point indicated that
the enemy was falling back. At eight o'clock,
Napoleon was informed that the important posi-
ton of the church, which had been obstinately
disputed taken and retaken several times in the
course of the day, had again been carried by the
enemy. Our troops, whose numbers were inf
nitcly inferior to those of the Russians, retired
fighting to the church-yard At the moment
when the orderly arrived with this intelligence,
the Emperor had dismounted, and was person
ally directing formidable battery pointed on
| the left wing of the Russian army. He instant
ly leaped on his horse, galloped off with the ra-
pidity of lightning, and throwing himself into
the midst of the battallions, which were begin
ming to give way, WHAT he exclaimed, "a
handful Of Russians repulse the Grand Army .
Hear me, my brave fellows; let not Russian
escape from the church Forward with the ar
| tillery We must have the church, my lads f! we
must have it,
This address was answered give lEmpe-
all rushed onward, ralying in good order.
! A few PAGES from us we espied an old grcn-
adler. His face was blackened by gunpowder,
and the blood streaming down his clothes.
His left arm had been carried away by bomb
shell. The man was hurryng to fall into the
ranks Stay, stay, my good fellow said the
Emperor go and get your wound dresscd-go
to the ambuluncc.' Il will replied the grena-
der, when we have taken the church, and we
Immediately lost sight Of him. perceived the
tears glstening in the Emperors eyes, and he
turned aside to conceal them.
At ten o'clock that night the church was
ours. The Emperor, who was thoroughly ex-
hausted, tottered with fatigue as he sat on his
horse. He ordered the firing to cease and the
army reposed, surrounded by the enemy's biv-
ouacks Our headquarters were established
on the plateau, behind Eylau, in the midst Of
the infantry Of the guard
'All is going on admirably said the Emperor
to me- as he entered his tent. 'Thosc men have
fought brayely!' Without undressing, he threw
himself on his bed, and in a few moments was
sound asleep.
| AT four in the morning the Emperor was
~ n y ~