The Caledonian. [volume] (St. Johnsbury, Vt.) 1837-1867, 1850-06-08
Miscellaneous.
Visit TO Marengo--Battle Field
of Napoleon.

eefufuagd the attention nf travellers aud HIS
lorlnns. The battle which gave Immortality
10 the field Of Nnrengo, occurred bn the liill
day Of June, 1900, The French on that day
we're commanded by ljounpnrlci the Auslri-
ans by Mrlns. The force 0f the French may
b. estimated hl about 10000 men, the reserve
Of Dcrnix upon iia arrival might make the
who'll amount 100000, The Auslrans nl-
mcked with nearly 10000 combnlanls.
BonApartc's right rested on the village Of
MWengo, his lefl Oh the small village Of Cas-,
r' Cnriolo These villages ARE about half aI
Lonf's walk from egch other. Tho AusIrianH
crossed tie Bnrmidn. river IN lhe tearia M
early hour aud having made dclour around
Cuaicl CrriuIo, attacked hHreuFo with Frrut
fury nt seven o'clock IN. lhe morning. Ma
rengo wns brayely dolcnded by the French,
but, after hnying been taken nnd retnkcn scy.
cfnl tiner, remained ~ the hunds of the Aus
irinna The French troops were driven out
IN disorder and compelled 10 ihll bnck upon
tho second line, commanded hy I.hnHo-. This
was about q, A. NJ, A. the struggle coutiu-
Usd the aspect of afihifs grew wnrAe. The
French gave way IN every direction, and Ht
length wera obliged 10 change their entire
order of battle. and 10 retreat with cousid-
etalde precipitation upon the litllo village Of
- julinnn. A. about 1 o'clock Dc-nlN nr.
u,cd nt S. Juluro with the reserve, md rc,
y,rd the confidence of the Frrnch.
II ia recorded lhnt when that distinguished
officer surveyed the vast plain Of MnrengO,
covered with flying troops, and Bonhpnrlc IN
f1ll rrtrrut hr thuuFht tlmt NIL must br iust,
and undressing the first consul said 10 him (;
"Thc battle II lost, suppose ] cnn do no
mnrc Than secure your retreat" "By no
means" answered Bunnpnric, "thc Castle II,
trust, gained; the disordcrcd troops which
you see nrc ny cenitn nud lrh, whom ! viii
uy ia your rcnr. Push furwhrd YOUR col.
utnun The moral iuhDonca of Napoleon
upon the field of hAtlc is we'll known. II has
been snid That when he appeared among his
holdieIs his prcrpnce wa- equal 10 q reinforce
ncni of ten thousand nen Never was ihat
influence more potential than upon the drld
Of Mareugo. "Soldcrsm exclaimed he, NJ
his war horse bore him swiftly along their re-
covered rnnks, "you hive retired inr enough.
You know II IL my custom Ia sleep upon the
field Of battle" The soldiers responded with
shouts Of enthusiasm, nnd Immediately ad.
,auced To the charge. The attack thHti hollow
ri bore down MI opposition. The Auslrions
we're defeated with great loss, and driven be-
You'd the banks of the Bormida. PRISONERS,
cannon onh standards were taken. and before
sunset, the victor dictated terms " peace
!sam guariera, upon ihc ii=d nf hattie.
~
uapNr'c was no longer requisite ia It1iS. Tie
accordingly returned to Pnri-. where ho was
received with all The acclRmnliong duo 10 n
great conqueror The pnSsngc of the Alps aud
the important victory which secured Italy to
the French Republic, had nll been accom-
iiiebod lea OatnPaign ofioss thNntwo mouths.
Contemporary with this great achievement
the name Of Nlnrengo hccamc magical in
France. The largest vessel of the Republic
4 AID.
taud," the Commissioner of War, proposed
sIill farther to commemorate the event 10y the /
construction Of grand city upon the plain !
WolL to bc eah0d the "Ciiy Of Victory The /
Wlequent wars OF Napoleon, md tho ming
uudc o( his other undertakings, postponed |
aud frustrated tho execution Of the design. /
But an examination of tho plnini is sufficient
To show that, had the enterprise hecn carried .
OUT the proposed city would have been class
ed among the. most beautiful and remarkable
~ EuraPer-- I,t tl4e -peat-l AHtteet., ttf-
ter hs coronation ms Emperor ofthc French |
laid n specihl visit to the field orMarcngo.
The people of the adjacent district will
never forget that memorable visit. II IL
treasured among the historical rccollcciions
Of the place. Arrangements for his reception
had for some time been in preparations; thlr-
lylour ha,tnlions aud seven squndrons were
IN readiness on the field to greet HIM, and
pursuant to appointment, TO initiate the ma i
nuuyres of the battle which had given such
a ustrQ to his name On the morning of the
9th Of May, 1905, the Emperor appeared II
wiT1 The fmpfOsE AZ lis stto in mUsr UTuE-
nfcont chariot drawn hy eight horses and
10y all the pomp of the empire
Many Of the veterans who had hcen engng
nd IN The action were present The hero aud
his consort, ,amid shouts Of triumph, ascend
al Tho f,fnna nd hal ~ nd ia I
'Dlncucc behold an effective representation
,fho bot'lo. When the feigucd combat was
over crosses of honor were distributed n
among the most distinguished soldiers, as Z
they appeared and de6ed before him.
Napoleon always felt peculiar nItarhuent
for the field OF Marengo. II wns there That
his pretensons to the conHuship were eslah- ,
lshcd, md il wns there that his destiny ms n Q
Consul md Emperor began it's course, His /
rroclnmntions and addresses to his troops n |
bound with graphic illusions to that memoir I
'bo field. ~ his preparatory dispositions .
lor the great battle Of "Friedland" ne ex. I
claimed, "Soldiers This is the nnniversn- !
~ Of Marengo, the battle could not have fall |
m on more propitious day Even the rel
cs and habilmenis or MarenRo were pre- !
ous in his estimation. At the Marengo re- q
'lcw in 1905 he appeared upon the field in +,
he sGme. uniform in which he gained the C
'auo. In crossing the Alps, Napoleon wore \
MS usual simple dress, gray surIout and a
hrec cornered hat. That surtout he partc- =
iarly cherished aud WAS accustomed to wear q
I when upon the eve Of commencing his h
most distinguished battles. On the field Of
Hnre0go itsefrhe wore blue cloak. That 4
'oak accomplished him in his exile to St. fioi- n
ma aud served az pail which covered his Q
Nnerh bier. IL was afierward conveyed to q
Europe aud consigned to his son, ths Duke n
lie Reichstadt, IN fuflmont OF tlle dying will y