Lower Sandusky freeman. (Lower Sandusky [i.e. Fremont, Ohio]) 1849-1849, 1849-03-17
THE BATTLE OF HoHENLINDEN.
BY J. T. HEADLEY.

The Icer and the Inn, as they flow from the
| Alps towards the Danube, move nearly in parallel
lines, and nearly forty miles apart. AS they ap-
proach the river, the space becomes one elevated
plain, covered chiefly with sombre, dark forest
crossed by two roads only-while the mere coun-
try paths that wind through it. here and there, give
no space to marching columns. Moreau had ad-
vanced across the forest to the Inn, where on the
lst of December, he was attacked and forced to
retrace his steps and take up his position on the
farther side of 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 plunged
into the gloomy wilderness, designed to meet in
the open plain of Hohenlinden, the central column
marching along the high road while those on either
side made their way through, amid the trees, as
they best could.
1t was a stormy December morning, when these
seventy thousand men were swallowed from sight
in the dark defiles of Hohenlinden The day be-
fore it had rained heavily, and the roads were al
most impossible; 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 pines overhead droop-
ed 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 strange spectacle those long dark columns,
dreary forest by themselves; while the falling
sitting over the ranks, made the unmarked way
still more solitary. The soft and yielding mass
broke the tread of the advancing host while the
artillery and ammunition and baggage wagons gave
forth a muff1ed sound, that seemed prophetic of
some mournful catastrophe. The entire column
alone had hundred cannon in its train, while be-
hind them were five hundred wagons-the whole
closed up by the slowly moving cavalry.
n no1a1
Hohenlnden, and attempted to debouch into the
plain; when Grouchy fell upon it with such fury
that it was forced back into the woods. In a mo-
ment the old forest was alive with echoes, and its
gloomy recesses illuminated with the blaze Of ar
tillery. Grouchy, Grandeau and Ney, put forth in
credible efforts to keep this immense force from de-
ploying into the open field The two former strug-
gled with the energy of desperation to hold their
ground; and although the soldiers could not see
the enemy's lines, the storm thick, yet they
aimed at the flashes that issued from the woods,
and thus the two armies fought The pine trees
were cut into like reeds by the artillery and fell
with a crash upon the Austrian columns, while the
fresh fallen snow turned red with flowing blood
In the meantime, Richenpanse, who had been sent
by circutous route with single division to at |
tack the enemy's rear, had accomplished his mis-
sion. Though his division had been cut in two
and irretrievably separated by the Austrian left
wing, the brave general continued to advance and
with three hundred men fell boldly on forty thou
sand Austrians. As soon as Moreau heard the |
sound of his cannon through the forest, and the |
alarm it spread amid the enemy's ranks, he order
ed Ney and Grouchy to charge full the Aust
rian centre Checked, then overthrown, that bro
ken column was rolled back in disorder and utterly
routed. Campbell, the poet stood in tower and
gazed on this terrible scene and in the midst of
the fight composed in part that string ode which
is known as far the English language is spoken.
The depths of the forest swallowed the strug-
Cling hosts from sight, but still there issued forth
from its bosom shouts and yells mingled with the
thunder of cannon and the confused noise of bat
tle The Austrians were utterly routed, and the
frightened cavalry went plungng through the
crowd of fugitives into the woods-the artillery
men cut their traces, and leaving their guns be-
hind mounted their horses and galoped away
and that magnificent column, as if sent by some
violent explosion, huled in shattered fragments
on every side.
For miles the white ground was sprinkled with
dead bodies, and when the battle left the forest,
and the pine tree stood calm and silent in the win
try night piercing cries and groans issued out of
the gloom in every observation-disclosures answering
sufferer as he lay and writhed on the cold snow.
Twenty thousand men scattered there amid
the trees, while broken carriages and wagons and
deserted guns, spread perfect wreck around.
WHO SALTED THE SEA?