Lynchburg Virginian. [volume] (Lynchburg [Va.]) 1829-185?, 1852-01-01
TPROPRIETORS.

depended. Suult carried out has instruc-
tons with admirablevigor and Intelligence,
and the consequence was n total route of
the allied army. In the war cf 1906.
Soult's corps again played a very conspic-
uous part. 1t was one of those most hoty
engaged at the great battle OF Jena, and
in conjunction with that Of Ncy, IL after
wards took Magdcbuag, and assisted in
sweeping the whole country. taking prison
ers at every step. 10 the great battle Of
Eylau, February Sth. 1907 the services
Of Soult were especially conspicuous. He
held the Cemetery with one Of his divi-
sions, and resisted all the attacks of the ene-
my. AT the battle Of Friedland, we do
not read that he was placed in situation
so conspicuous, as those which he occu-
pied at AusterliIz, Jena, and Eylau. So
high was the opinion which Napoleon had
conceived Of his sbilitics, however, that he
appointed him to the command of one of
the corps destined to invade Spain in 1905.
Soult leaving Napoleon at Vittora. pushed
forward to take possession of his Corps
He found it already, in presence of large
Spanish army. commanded by the Condc
dc Belvidera, young Spanish noblcman
OF great presumption, but, as the event
proved, of very little courage or skill
Soult ordered the attack so Immediately,
that he had not time to mount his war horse,
and actually rode the post horse on which
he had travelled. into the battle The
Spaniards were routed in few minutes.
and fled to nll points Of the compass, throw
ing away their arms as they fed. Bcvi-
dera himself, did not look behind him, un.
til he was seventy miles from the field of
battle, when recovering his breath, he
wrote to the Cortz that he had been at
tackled by four times his number, and that
he had retired in good order, to that point
AT that moment, there was not Spanish
soldier within forty miles Of himl In con.
sequence of this battle, the important cities
Of Bargos, and Santander, fell into the
hands Of Soult.
When Napoleon advanced upon Ma
drid, Soult was left in the North, and soon
apprised the Emperor that the English,
under Sir John Moore, had entered Spain
from Portugal, and were threatening to
overwhelm him with superior numbers
Napoleon having first ordered Soult to
draw hun into the interior, as ar as posi-
Bile. advanced by prodigious marches, to
cut off his retreat. Moore, however, ap-
prised Of his danger, began Immediately to
retreat and Napoleon, forming junction
with the corps Of Marshal Soult, pursued
him. Called home, while still on the pur-
suit, the Emperor left the forces in the
command of the Marshal, and set out for
Paris. The retreat of Sir John Moore was
most disastrous one, but Soult has been
blamed for not attacking him before he
reached Corunna. Had Moore, it has
been said, been ever victorious, the very
fact Of his fighting a severe battle, and in
cumbering himself with wounded men, one
hundred miles from his shipping, would
have led to his destruction, for it would
have retarded his march until the arrival
OF the rciniorcements on the advance to
Join Soult, had rendered him irresislible-
1t would also have given time to Marshal
Ney. who was on the march for Corunna
by another road, time to get there with
forces larger than those of either Soult or
Moore, before the latter could possibly
have reachedit. In the battle of Corunna,
Soult was repulsed, but by no means bca-
ten--and was ready to Resume the attack
the next day. After the embarkation of
the British army, Soult acted with mag
nanimity which does him great honor
Deeply affected by the fate of Sir John
Moore, he caused monument to be erect
ed to his memory. Capt. Napier. the bro
ther Of the Military Historian, was SEVERE
| y wounded in the battle of Corunna, and
fell into the hands the French. Soult,
learning his condition, had him removed to
his own quarters, and caused his own sur
gcon to attend him. Understanding that
the prisoners mother was In great distress
| about him, he wrote her a letter Of conso-
lation with his own hand and when Mar
shal Ney took his place shortly after. he
recommended him to his care. The latter,
as soon as young Napier was able to bear
the voyage, furnished him with money,
and sent him home on parol.
Immediately after the battle Of Corun-
ma, Soult was placed in command in Por-
tugal. where he at first gained some ad-
vantngcs. but was afterwards compelled
to retreat with loss. In June, 1909, was
fought the battle of Taavera, by the
| French under the command of Victor,
Jourdan, and King Joseph. against the
English and Spanlards. The English
claimed the victory, but were prevented
from enjoying the fruits Of il, by the ad-
vance of Ney and Soult, who had united
their forces, and threatened to fall ON their
danks. In November (l9th) 1909. Soult
defeated Spanish army of $4,000 men at
Ocana, with the loss on his side Of only a
few hundred. The French took, on tac
occasion, two hundred guns. 10000 pris-
oners, and lit has been said) 1000 ghi.
tars! About this time he was appointed
Major General Of all the French armies
in Spain. Hi, position brought him fre-
quently in contact with King Joseph, who
was indolent, luxurious, and far more Of a
sovereign than a soldier. Soult by his
unyielding frmness always carried the
day, and received the appreciation Of the
Emperor. The jealousy Of Joseph, at
one time, ran SO high that he accused
Soult, in letter to Napoleon, Of having
formed design to seize the crown Of
Spain. Napoleon treated the matter
lightly. saying that he would answer for
Soult as for himself
In 1901, Soult undertook the conquest
Of Andausia. He forced the passages
of the Sierra Morend, took possession of
Seville. made Cardoya, Grenada and Nal.
ago submit, and conquered, in fact, the
whole South of Spain, with the exception
of Cadiz, which he was obliged to aban-
don. after long siege.-Soult was recalled
to Burgos, in the North, in 1912, by thc
disastrous defeat Of Marsmont at Sala-
manca.
In 1919, during the tremendous war in
Gcrmany Snnlf was sent for hu the En-