Sunbury American. [volume] (Sunbury, Pa.) 1848-1879, 1850-04-20
Gistorifol.
THE BATTLE OF MOUNT TABOR.


in reading the spirited description which
follows from Headley's "Sacred Noun
tains !"
Forty years ago, a form was seen stand
ing on Mount Tabor with which the world
has since become familiar. II was bright
spring morning, and as he sat on his steed
in the clear sunlight, his eye rested on a
scene in the vale below, which was sub
lime and appalling enough to quicken the
pulsations OF the calmest heart.-That form
was Napoleon Bonaparte, and the scene be-
fore him the fierce and terrible "BATTLE OF
MoUNT TABOR" From Nazareth, where
the Saviour once trod, Kleber had marched
with fifteen thousand French soldiers forth
into the plain when 10, at the foot of Mount
Tabor he saw the whole Turkish army
drawn up in order of battle. Fifteen thou
sand infantry and twelve thousand spen-
did cavalry moved down on this band of
three thousand French. Kleber had scarcely
time TO throw his handful OF men into
squares, with the cannon at the angles be-
fore these twelve thousand horses, making
the earth smoke and thunder as they came,
burst in headlong gallop upon them
But round those steady squares rolled
fierce devouring fire, emptying the saddles
Of those wild horsemen with frghtfnl ra-
pldity, and Strewing the earth with the bo-
dies of riders and steeds together. Again
and again did these splendid squadrons
wheel, reform and charge with deafening
shouts, while their uplifted and flashing
cimetars CLEANED like a forest OF steel
through the smoke Of battle, but that same
wasting fire received them till those squares
seemed bound by girdle of flame, so rapid
and constant were the discharges. Before
their certain and deadly aim, as they stood
fighting for existence, the charging squad
rons fell so fast that a rampant of dead bo-
dies was soon formed around them. Be-
hind this embankment of dead men and
horses, this band of warriors stood and
fought for six dreadful hours, and was still
steadily thinning the ranks of the enemy,
when Napoleon debouchcd with single
division on Mount Tabor, and turned his eye
on the vale below. What scene met his
gaze. The whole plain was filled with
marching columns and squadrons OF wildly
galIoping steeds while the thunder of can
non and fierce rattle Of musketry, amid
which now and then was heard the blast Of
thousands of trumpets, and strains of mar
tial music filled all the air. The smoke
of battle was rolling furiously over the
hosts, and all was confusion and chaos in
his sight. Amid the twenty-seven thou
sand Turks that crowded the plain and en-
veloped their enemy like cloud, and amid
the incessant discharge of artillery and
musketry, Napoleon could not tell where
his own brave troops were struggling, only
by the steady, simultaneous volleys which
showed how discipline was contending
with the wild va!or of overpowerng num-
bers. The constant flashes from behind
that rampant OF dead bodies were like spots
of flame on the tumultuous and chaotic
field. Napoleon descended from Mount
| Tabor with his little band, while a single
/ twelve FOUNDER fred from the heights, told
the weared keber that he was rushing to
! the rescue. Then for the first time he took
the offensive, and poured his enthusiastic
/ followers, on the fallen foe, carrying death
and terror over the field. Thrown into
confusion and tramplcd under foot, that
mighty army rolled turbulently back to-
wards the Jordan, where Murat was an
xiously waiting to mingle in the fight
Dashing with his cavalry among the diSor-
dered ranks, he sabred them down without
mercy, and ra, ID like a lion amid the prey.
This chvalric and romantic warrior de-
clared that the remembrance Of the scenes
that once transpired on Mount Tabor, and
on these thrice consecrated spots came to
him in the hottest of the fight and nerved
him with tenfold courage.
As the sun went down over the plains
of Palestine, and twilight shed its dim ray
over the rent and trodden and dead covered
field, a sulphurous cloud hung around the
summit of Mount Tabor. The smoke of
battle had settled there where once the
cloud of glory rested, while groans and
shrieks and cries rent the air. Nazareth,
Jordan and Mount Tabor what spots for a
battlefield
Roll back twenty centuries and again
view that hill. The day is bright and
beautiful as then, and the same rich orien-
tai landscape is smiling in the same sum-
There is Nazareth with its busy population
the same Nazareth from which Kleber
marched his army; and there Is Jordan
rolling its bright waters along-the same
Jordan along whose banks charged the gilt
terng squadrons of Murat's cavalry and
there is Mount Tabor--the came ON which
Bonaparte stood with his cannon and the
same beautiful plain where rolled the smoke
of mortal combat. But how different is
the scene that is passing there. The Son
of God stands on that height and casts his
eye over the quiet valley through which
Jordan winds lis silver current Three
friends are beside him; they have walked
together up the toilsome way, and now the
four stand, mere specs on the distant sum-
nit. Far away to the northwest shine:
the blue Mediterranean-all around is the
great plain of Esdralon and Galilee-east
ward, the lake of Tiberias dots the land.
scape while Mount Carmel lifts its nakec
summit in the distance. But the glorious
landscape at their feet is forgotten in I
sublimer scene that is passing before them
| Tho con of Marv-tha corpantar of Na1a