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

cenden with an intrepid step, the stones
Pratzen, 1t was a magnificent sight, and
Napoleon watched with intense ANXIETY
the advance Of that splendid array. With
banners huttering in the morning sun
light, and drums and trumpets rendine
the air, the massive columns streamed nne
ward and onward. In moment the top
OF Pratzen was covered with smoke, from
whose bosom issued thunder and light
ming, as if a volcano was there hurting
It's hery fragments in the air. Covered
from sight, those two hosts .-mixed in
mortal combat--struggled for the maste-
ry, while the curtain of smoke that folded
them In, waved to and fro, and rent be-
fore the heavy artillery, and closed again,
and rolled in rapid circles round the hill,
telling to the armies below what wild
worG the stern Soult was making with the
foe, At length tie fire and smoke, which
Pratzen had bclched forth for two hours,
grew less-thc sulphurous cloud lifted in
midday sun, and 10 there waved the
French standards, while victorious shout
went pealing over the armies struggling
in the valley.
Soult, having pierced the cncmy's con-
tire, next descended like an avalanche on
their left wing. Bessieres was charging
like fire, below with the Imperial Guard,
and the whole field shook with the shock
OF cavalry and thunder of cannon, while
the entire valley was filled with rolling
smoke, in which were moving dark mass
es of infantry. There was Murat, with
his headlong valor, and Lannes, Davoust,
and Augercau, strewing the fields with
the dead. At length help being sent to
SouIt-the left of the enemy was borne
away, and the allied army routed. Flee
ing before the victorious Marshal, Bux-
howden bravcly attempted to cover the
retreat, and forming his men into close
column, strove gallantly to direct the re-
verscd tide of battle But pierced through
and troddcn under foot, seven thousand
fell before the victorious French, while
the remainder attempted to escape by
crossing frozen lake near by with the
artillery and cavalry. In Il moment the
white frozen surface was covered with
dark masses of infantry, amid which were
seen the carefully advancing squadrons of
cavalry. Pressed by the enormous
weight, the ice could scarcely sustain the
multitude, when Soult suddenly ordered
his cannon to play upon IT.. The iron
storm crushed through the yielding mass
the whole gave way, and with one ter
rifle yell, that rose over the tumult of bat
tie, moro than two thousand men sunk to
rise no more. Amid the swimming null
titudo, the frightened cavalry horses
plunged to and fro, while on the strug-
Cling mass the artillery continued to play
with deadly precision.
On the left, Bcrnadotte, Murat and
Lanncs, were equally successful, and the
bloody battle of Austerlitz was won.-I
Nearly thirty thousand bodies strewcd
the field, and when night again closed
over the scene, Napoleon, weakened only
by twelve thousand men, saw his mena-
ced throne firmly established. Soult was
the hero of the day, and after the battle
was over, Napoleon rode up to him and
said, in the presence of all his staff, " Mar
shall Soult, consider you the best tacti-
clan in my Empire"
Bonaparte never forgot the brilliant
conduct of his Marshal on this occasion,
and years afterwards, when he was told
that the latter was aiming at the throne
of Portugal, he made known to him that
he had heard tho reports, but added,
{" I remember nothing 6ut Austerlitz "'