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

Such is woman's heart When she loves.
it is with an intensity of devotion unknown
to the sterner SEX. No other passion can
equal, and ye! man, for his own vanity can
deliberately plan to gain such treasure,
less bauble--a. thing Of no consequence
'4 Fearing to attempt to Keep the village.
whose possession had already cost them so
dear, and deeming the position Of ,heaR1s
slams an inpsegnabte one, Nappleon abang
doned his advance on The richS Spnoxiuee d
ek alole 6liefs 5Fes knesvt1 70
be plenty, and commenced retreat, and
the victors of Bordino, were flying before
the enemy they had defeated.
by one of her fathers servants, whom she
had recognized among q band Of prisoners,
and for her sake, Marmont had released. -
From him she learned that her father was
still in the field accompanied by Count NJ,
the former lover and afiianced husband of
Paulowna, and the one mourned daughter
dead, the other loved one lost, for deeply
and passionalely had Count N. loved her,
who, but for duty to his country, he would
ere the time of which we speak, have called
by the tender name of wife. Both were in
high command-bolh were trusted ard hon
ored by their Emperor, and both had sworn
never to spare an invader of their country,
for to the account of Napoleon and his co,
horts they placed the supposed death OF
Paulowna. Besides this servant, she had
q guard for her protection.
During the retreat from Mala-Yarow-
slavelz, clouds Of Cossacks hung upon the
tanks OF the Grand Army, and all s,rag-
glers were cut off But few were taken
alive. The supplication for life was an.
swered by the stern cry, death to the an.
raders!n and the sword of the Cossack was
dyed with still deeper stain. Uncon-
scous that they were near the loved one,
the commander of the Cossacks, was the
faiher-lhe second in command the atli-
anced husband Of fPauowna.
The destination of the army was Smo-
lenski 1t was known to be we'll yrovis.
ioned, and it was looked upon as the spot
where safety and plenty would greet The
famished and half frozen army. But their
trials had but commenced! The air was
cold, and the troops from southern Europe,
could ill stand the blasts Of Russian fall
What then was their situation, when on the
9th of December, commenced that terrible
Russian winter sill known and rem ember-
ed there, as the coolest ever known! N o
sum says Scott, was visible and the dense
and murky fog which hung on the march
ingEcolumns, was changed into heavy fall
r,P 1,r hrnSd a,Io, ;oL 49,.
once chilled and blinded the sulders. Scarce
was that fatal snow storm, ended, ere a fierce
and stormy wind began to arse, and whir.
ed the snow from the earth as we'll as that
from the heavens into dizzy eddes around
the soldiers heads, and many perished in its
violence. The covered carriage in which
PauIowna sat- had to be abandoned. and
there in the midst Of misery and in ,ha,
dreadful storm, supported alone by the
faithful servant of her father, who might
easily have escaped, but would not leave
his mistress: and thus for hours she was
forced to travel, faint with hunger and ia,
tgue, until the towers Of Smolenski reach
ed her aching vision. The Brigade of her
husband then formed 4 portion of the ad-
vance guard, and for many days previous
she saw him not.
The towers of Smolenski, we said, ap.
peared to the soldiers, bui the city had shar-
ed the fale Of Moscow and every thing that
could be, was burned and miserable sheds
reared against the backened walls, were
the promised quarters which received the
frozen army. But few provisions remained,
and horse. flesh was shared alike by officers
and men-by male and female Here
Paulowna was again restored to her hus.
band, and though he seemed careless of her
caresses, and occasionally spoke To- her in
less endearing, nay even in rude terms, her
hear. forgaye him, and placed il
10 the account of lhe misery and the want
Re saw around him. Bad as were matters
at Smolenski, the order again TO march a,
he end of five days, was received with
horror, for in such climate, with scanty
stores and still more scany covering-their
oaggage ali abandoned and captured by the
enemy, death seemed inevitable. The
fierce Cossacks now surrounded them on
svery side, and death was the portion of al
who for moment broke line and wander.
The suferings Of the army, in its retreat
rom Smolenski, need not be told. The school
boy reads, and deems it fabulous and
he man Of maturer years deems it too
highly painted, for none could witness or
oartake of its horrors and live, yet it comes
% US authenticated in every form-living
witnesses still tell the frightiul tale of the
lnburied corpses of the many thousands
eft upon the line of march, starved or FRO
zen, attest the truth of history. So intense
was the cold, that even the birds dropped
ifeess from the trees; and horsemen, stop
ping for few moments on the side of the
road, were found frozen, both horse and RI
der erect, their staring eyes fixed in death.
Crazed with cold and hunger, thousands
who had faced death on hundred blnody
fields, wandered off in the forest to die Ell
ther bv cold or by the sword Of the Cossack,
their dreadful and maniac shrieks and
laughter adding to the gloom and despair
which beset the remains of the gallant ar
nv, which in the pride of its strength, but
a few months before had penetrated Russia,
bearing down all obstacles. until it reached
and conquered Moscow. All discipline SEEM
ed lost, and even Ney, the man OF IRON
heart and nerve, trudged on foot, armed as
common soldier, scarcely able to rally his
troops to defend themselves against the
bands of marauding Cossacks, which, ever
Vn J