Martinsburg gazette. [volume] (Martinsburg, Va. [W. Va.]) 1833-1855, 1852-02-17

OF tue fyramids, ~ taken from harper
NesS Monthly Magaziae. by John s. @.
Abbott
After march Of seven days over the des-
ert. during which time they had many bloody
skirm:shcs With the cueEy the army approach
cd Cairo.
Mourad Bey had there assembled The grea-
ter rart Of bis Mamelakee, nearly tea thous-
aud in number, for q decisive battle These
proud aud powerful horsemen were supported
by twenty thousand foot soldiers, strongly
of the Nile Napoleon was on the Western
shore On the morning Of the list Of July,
Napoleon. conscious that he was near the
city. set his army in motion before the break
of day. Just as the sun wars rising in those
eloudcss skies the soldiers behind the lofty
uiinarets Of the city upon thcir left, gilded By
its rays, and upon the right, upon the borders
Of the desert. the gigantic pyramids rising
ike mountains upon ali apparently honadless
plain. Tie whole army iastinctiyely halsed
and gazed awe stricken upon these mont
ments Of antiquity. The face Of Napoleon
bcamed with enthusiasm "Solliefs. Le
exclaimed, as lie rode along the ranks; ''from
those submits forty centuries contemplate
your actions" The ardor Of The soldiers was
aroused to the highest pitch Animated BY
the clangor of martial bands and the CLEAN
Of Haunting banners, they advanced With i'm
petuous steps to meet their foes. The whole
plain before them at the base cf the pyra-
mids were flled with armed men. The gilt
tering weapons Of ten thousand horsemep. il
the utmost spiendor of barbaric chiyalry,
brilliant with plumes aud arms OF FURNISHED
steel and gold, presented an array inconcei-
vably imposing. Undismaycd the French
troops, nsrshalcd in FIVE invincible squares
pressed on There was apparently no alter
native. Napoleon must march upon thosc
intrenchments, behind Which twenty four
thousand uen were stationed With powerful
artillery and musketry to sweep us ranks,
aud a formidable body Of ten thousand horse
mcn, on feet and powerful Arabian stecds
awaiting the onset, ard ready to seize upon
the slightest Indications oe confusion to plunge
with tie fury which fntalism can inspire, up
on bis bleeding and mangcd sqnafes. 1t
must have been with Napoleon moment Of
intense anxiety. But as be sat Upon his
horse, ia the centre Of one Of the squares
and carefully examined. with his telescope.
the disposition vf the enemy. 10 one could
discern the slightest trace Of uneasiness. -
His gaze was leng aud iatcnse. Tie keen
ness Ct lis scrutiny detected that tie guns Of
the were not mounted upon carriages, and
that they could not Therefore te turned from
the direction in which they wer placed No
other officer, though manJ Of them had equal.
IL good glasses, made this important discov-
cry He Immediately, by a lateral movement
guided lis army to the rigbt, towards the
pyramids. that his square might be out Of the
range Of the guns, and that he might attack
the enemy in flank. The moment Mourad
Bcy perceived this evolution, lie OWNED its
Object and with great military sagacity re-
solved Instantly to charge.
J "You shall new see US, said the proud
Bey, ''cut up those dogs. like gouIds."
1t wac, indeed fearful spectacle. Ten
thousand horsemen, magni;iecntly dressed,
with the aeetest steeds III the world. urging
their horses with bloody spurs, to the most
impetuous and furious onset rending the
heavens with their cries, and causing the We
ny earth to tremble beneath the thunder OF
iron feet, came down upon the adamantine
host. Nothing was ever seen 10 war more
furious than this charge. Ten thousand
horsemen is an enormous mass. Those lon
gest insured to danger felt that it was an
awful moment. 1t seemed impossible TO re-
sst snch living avalanche. The most pro-
found silence reigned through the ranks iu.
terrupted only by the word Of command
Tho nerves Of excitement being reused to
the utmost tension, every order vas execu-
ted with most marvellous rapidity and preci-
sion. The soldiers held their breuth, and
with bristling bayonets stood, shoulder TO
shoulder, to receive the shock.
The moment the Mamolukes arrived with
ing guashot, the artillery, at the angles, plow-
ed their ranks, aud piatocns Of muskctry,
yolley after volley, in a perfectly uninterrup-
ted flow. swept into their faces pitiless tenn
pest of destruction. Horses and riders,
struck by the balls, rolled over each other.
by hundreds, in the sand, ard were tramplcd
and crushed by the iron hoo:s Of the thous-
anas of frantic steeds, enyeloped 10 dust and
smoke. composing the vast ana impctuous
column. But tie squares stood IS firm as
The pyramids at whose base they fought
Not one was broken; not enc wavorea. The
daring Mar,elukes, in the frenzy Of their
rage and disappointment, threw away their
lives With The most utter reckiessness They
wheeled their horses round aud reincd them
back upon the ranks that they might kick
their way into those terrible iortresses ofliy-
ing men Rendered furious by their inabili-
ty to break the ranks, they hurled their
pistols ard carbines AZ che headscf tie French
The wounded crawled along the ground. and
with their scimitars. cut at the legs Of their
indonitable foes. They displayed superhu-
man bravery, the only virtue which the Man
elukcs possessed.
by an incessaut and merciless FIRE from
Napolcou's well trained battalons continual
ly thinned their ranks, and at last the NAM
elukcs, in the widest disorder, broke and
fed Tho infantry, in the Untouched camp,
witnessing the utter discontinue Of the noun
tod troops, whom they had considered irwin
chile, and seeing such incessant and volcanic
sheets Of fame bursting from the impenetra-
BILE squares, caught the panic, and joined the
flight. Napoleon now, ia his turn. charged
n. 4 - Il.