Portage sentinel. [volume] (Ravenna, Ohio) 1845-1854, 1849-11-19

iag through the villages which had escaped
the sacrifice which the Russians had offer
ed up, the torch was applied to whole rang
es of buildings, and while the flames were
cracking, and giving brief warmth to the
troops, huadreds of poor wretches, driven to
despair, would rush forward, and plunging
into the roaring ames, would end tleir
misery by thezs efribls Of all deaths b,
fire At night the dead bodies were all col
5lected and piled up around the living, to.
keep off The bitter .sald md 81 kssp, f.for yet
a few hears, the vital current from. freezing.
No generation has yet passed that has not
seen privaten and want, yet never has
tongue told, or pen recorded scenes Of mise
ry and want and wretchedness SO great, as
witnessed during this retreat. And yet
through such seenes did the gentle Paulow-
ma pass and live. OF her husband she saw
but little-his duty, she supposed, kept him
from her, and for his sake she pressed on
ward : for his sake she bore up amid the
misery around her, for she still believed lie
loved her, as she felt that she deserved to
be loved. Her faithful servant was still at
her side. He was but Russian serf, and
rude almost as a northern blast, yet still he
possessed the heart of man. Injured to
life of hunger and cold and toll, he stood it
better than others, and when .the failing
limbs of Palawna refused her longer sup
port, in rude sledse. found by the way
side, where it had been abandoned for the
want of horses to draw it, he placed his
loved mistress, and with scanty covering,
which he stripped from the frozen bodies Of
tire fallen, he covered her, and lile's feeble
current conrsed on. and with his own feeble
strength, he hauled the sIedse and its pre-
cious ireish until the remnant of the once
gallant army, rett of It's strength, its num-
bers, and in miserable condition, reached
the Beresina.
The rapid river, filled with floating ice,
lay before, One Russian army closely press
ed their rear, and another in front, while
the Cossacks, acting as a guerrilla band,
and nobly mounted, audaciously penetrated
the very camp, and striking a blow, were
gone again, almost with the quickness of
the lightnng's flash. No bridges were there
upon which to cross, but in the face of the
difficulties which beset him on every side,
Napoleon determined to hazard their con-
struction. Making a demonstration at a
place where he did not intend to cross, Ma
poleon deceived the enemy. Fierce as was
the storm, and bitter as was the cold, the
sappers plunged into the roaring torrent and
waist deep in its freezing water commence
ed aying the foundation OF the hEst b,idge,,
During ths " hf56lle Il . j |1l ,l1i
,workmen toiled, for lie lssion Of tIis
bridges opened their ona Chance OF safety,
and desperate indeed Wa 8 that chance, for
all knew that the caI5noHof the Russians,
from their position ia a n1omeafs could de-
stroy them. One single web directe can
non shot could haves sent those frail fabrics
into the Beresina but that cannon shot was
not given. A sudden panic seemed to seize
the Russian forces ON the opposite side Of
the river, and daylight saw them in full re-
treat, at time-when fate had placed their
enemy in their hands. Mounted on two Of
the strongest horses, couple of officers
dashed into the river, and breasting the float
ing ice and swollen river, by incredible exer-
tion reached the opposite bank. Others fol-
lowed, though many were lost, yet by ten
O. clock four hundred men stood on the op-
posite bank, and with their aid, the first
bridge was completed. The division of Mar
tial Oud now passed in safety over the frall
fabric and stood upon the opposite bank
ready to defend it The second bridge, for
the artillery, was completed by four O'Clock
in the afternoon, AID to the brave Victor
was assigned the task of keeping back, with
his six thousand veterans, the entire Rus
sian force in the rear. To the division OF
Marshal Victor, Marmont, with the shatter-
ed remnant OF his brigade, now reduced to
less than a full company was attached.
During the afternoon and night many Of
the carp followers, passed the bridge, which
exhibited one continued press within Its mar
row limits, and many OF the weak were pre-
cipitated into the river below, by the coll-
slant giving way of the timbers The eve
n:ns OF of the 25th of December, was cold
beyond anything that had vet been endured,
and it seemed to increasein bitterness as that
fearful night advanced To secure m;,-
.nent's warmth the village was firets, and to
fhe flames rushed that half frozen throng
The sight of the fire drove all else from their
and the bridge for time was de-
serted,
But to return to Paulowna. BY the care
Of her faithful attendant she had been con-
reyed to a rude hui in the little village, and
here, amid the fearful scenes around her,
she slept, while her devoted servant kept
watch. He had that day discovered in
,ledge, the owners Of which had shared the
ate of thousands of others, and been frozen
% death, small quantity of provisions, and
Daulowna ere she sank upon her rude Couch
1ad partake Of it. Amid the roar and bus
le without, she slept on-the sleep of inno-
;enoe and of peace was upon her, and she
lreamed of her husband and Of the days OF
Ia appiness yet ia store for her. The flames
If the villqge drove on, and soon the rude
nut was in danger, and with difficulty she
vas rescued by the servant, and daylight
ound her near the smoking ruins. A form
wrapped in military cloak appeared, and
seeing accosted her. Raising her head she
saw her husband before her. With wild
,rv. she threw herself into his arms. For
, moment he held her-but as her sweet
'ace-still beautiful amid all the misery she
had undergone, was raised and met his gaze,
Ne dashed her from him with muttered
curse.
sMarmont, have you forgotten me?"
aNo," he replied sternly. Il know you,
,rt bon.d never To zee Won again. Back to