Cooper's Clarksburg register. [volume] (Clarksburg, Va. [W. Va.]) 1851-1861, 1852-08-11
BATTLE OF AUsTERLIrx.

l0Uo) that Napoleon, on riding over the
country around Austcrlitz, determined to
make it the battlefield on which he would
overthrow the combined armies of Aus
tria and Russia, Rapidly concentrating
his forces here, he on the last night Of
November, found himself at the head of
nearly eighty thousand men. His army
was drawn up in plain, with the right
resting on Lake Mtenitz, and the left six
miles distant on hill, which was covered
with artillery. Two little streams flowed
past the army into the lake, bOrdered
with marshes to protect it, while on a
high slope was pitched the Emperors
tent, overlooking the whole scene Oppo-
site the French army was waving line
of heights, the highest of which, Mount
Pratzcn, a few miles distant, formed the
centre of the allied forces, numbering
nicty thousand men, commanded by the
Empcrors of Russia and Austria in per-
son. Under Soult was placed the finest
corps in the army, for the weight of the
battle was designed TO rest on him, and
the heights of lratzcn, forming the cne-
my's centre, was to be his field of COM
bat,
Napoleon had been on horseback all
day long, and after dark was riding along
the lines previous to his departure to his
tent, when the news of his approach
spread like lightning through the whole
army. Suddenly the soldiers seized the
bundles of straw that had been supplied
them for their beds, and lighting them at
one end lifted them on poles over their
heads, making an illumination as splend
id as it was unexpected. All along through
the valley these blazing torches lighted
The path of the astonishcd Napoleon-the
first 0nnircrS0roy Of his coronation. Sud-
denly the enthusiastic shout of Vive l.
Emperor, burst around him. The cry
was caught by the next and the next bat
TALON as he advanced, and prolonged by
those he had left, till the shout of that
immense host filed all the valley, and
rose like the roar of the sea over the
heights, miles away-falling with an
ominous sound on the camp of the enemy,
1t was scene that battles description
Those myriad torches swinging to and
fro in the darkncss-a broad mass of
flame losing itself in the Gistance-and
dcafcning accents after Napoleon, formed
together far more imposing ceremony
than his coronation in tho Capitol.
NCNI ulOInlun1 uG IOuG y ClOCkI NupO-
leon was on his horse beside his tent
The moon had just gone down-the stars
shonc pale and tremulous in the sky. and
all was silent and tranquil around him.
Not a sound broke from the immense host
that slumbcrcd below, over which the
motionless fog lay like white covering
or it might be shroud in anticipation of
the thousands that ere night would there
lie stark and stiff in their last sleep. But
amid this deep hush his quick ear caught
low continuous sound beyond the
heights Of Partzen, like the heavy tread
ofmarching columns and rumblng artil
lery.carrtages oyer the ground, The
deep murmur passed steadily from right
to left, showing that the allies were gath
ering their forces against his right wing.
At length the sun rose slowly above the
horizon, tinging with gold the heights of
Pratzen, on which were seen moving
dense masses of infantry, aud pouring its
glorious light over the sea of mist that
slept in the valleys below. 1t was the
" Sun Of AustcrIit=." The hour, the
sccno-tho immense results at stake, and
the sudden bursting of that blazing fire.
ball on his vision, made profound i'm
preston on Napoleon, which he never for
got.
The allies, intent on outRanking the
French, weakening their centre by draw
ing off the troops to the left. The Mar
shals who stood around the Emperor saw
fhe fault of the enemy, and eagerly ask
ed to take advantage of it. But he turn
ing TO Soult, whose troops were massed
IN inc bottom of the valley near the
heights, covered by tho fog, asked him
how long it would take to reach tho sum-
init of Pratzcn. " Less than twenty min.
utes," replied the Marshal. Wait a
little them" said Napoleon, "whon the
enemy is making false movement, it is
necessary to be careful not to interrupt
him. 1t was now eight o'clock in the
morning, and soon after he gave the i'm
patiently expected signal, and Murat,
Lannes, Bernadotte, and Soult, who had
stood around him, parted like lightning
from his side, and sweptin headlong
gallop to their respectiye corps. Napo-
leon rode towards the centre, and as he
passed through the troops, said, "Sol-
dlers the enemy has imprudently expo
sed himself to your strokes. Finish tie
campaigns 6y a clap Of thunder !" "HiVe =
Emperor" answered him in one long, and
oprotraeted shout. asa d -
In the meantime, Soult emerged, with
his strong lbattalions. from the covering
mist, and clothed in the rich sunlight, as