Wilmington journal. [volume] (Wilmington, N.C.) 1844-1895, 1853-03-04
Charge at EtIan.
By o. T. HEADIEY.

BE asP prss the most important and bloody one that
lSV occurred. France and Russia had never
h w. opposed such strength to each other, and
ROliI victory on either side would have settled
c0"ggto of Europe Bonaparte remained in posses
toS IF the field, and that was al-no victory was
|r so like defeat
NgStbo field of Eylau covered with snow and the
~ nonds that lay scattered over it were frozen
psseienty hard to bear the artillery Seventy-fve
slaons9nd men one SIDE and eighty-ive thousand
"O sIe other arose from the frozen field on which
I had slept on the night of the 9TH of February,
u:Iout tent or covering, to battle for continent.
morpau. on the left, as descibed in the preceding |
'Ioomc was utterly routed early in the morning
ironcinr through IL storm so thick he could |
- spe the enemy. the Russian cannon moved down |
=; ranks with their destructive fire. while the Co.'S
VIZ cavalry. which were ordered to charge came
srd,ring on almost hitting the French infantry
9TH their long ances before they were visible thro' |
,los storm. Hetnmed in and overthrOwn. the whole |
;riSon composed of 5000 men. with the exception
ri 500, captured slain. Just then the |
snow storm cleared up, revealed to Napoleon the
,oriI to which he was brought and he immed ately
5rIered grand charge bv the Imperial Guard and
lbe whole cavalry. Nothing farther from b.
bararte's wishes expectations than the bringing
Il bis reserve into the engagement at this early stage
sfthe batte-but there was no other resource left
bim Murat sustained his high reputation on this
ccasiOn, and proved himself for the hundrcdth time
rortby of the great confidence Napoleon placed in
fsl at this moment. Bonaparte and the Empire
rembIed in the balance, while Murat prepared to
cap down his cavalry to save them. Seventy squad
rus, making in all $4,000 we'll mounted men, began
Umove over he slope, with the Old Guard moving
sen!y behind Bonaparte, it is said, more agi-
tated at this crisis than when, a moment before, he
was near being captured b. the Russians. But
as he saw those seventy squadrons come down on a
pluagrg trot, pressing hard after the white plume
Murat, that streamed through the snow storm far
front n smile OlSSau his
The earth grcaned and trembIed as thew passed,
and the thousands OF glttering helmets and flushing
sabrcs above the dark and angry mass below looked
like the foam of wave as it crests on the deep
The rattling of their armor and the muffed thunder
fheir tread drowned all the roar of battle as with
firm set array and swift, steady motion, they bore
down with their terrible front the foe. The shock
othat immense host was like falling mountain,
and the front line OF the Russian army went down
ike frost work before it. Then commenced pro-
raccd fight of hand to hand and sword to sword as
in cavalry action at Eckmuhl. The crashing of steel
was like the ringing Of countless hammers and hor-
gs and riders were blended in wild confusion to-
rsther The Russian reserve were ordered up, and
On these Murat fell with his fierce hOrsemen, crush
ng and trampling them down by the thousands
Bot the obstinate Russians disdaned to fly, and raj
lied again and again, so that it no longer caval-
~ charging infantry, but squadrons of horse gal
opng through broken host, that gathering into
knots still disputed with unparalleled bravery the
red and rent field.
1t was during this strange fight that Murat was
seen to perform one of those desperate deeds for
which he renowned Excited to the highest
hitch of passion by the obstacles which opposed him.
heSeemed endowed with tenfold strength. and look
ed more like a superhuman being treadng down
HELPLESS mOrtals, than an ordinary man. Amid the
roar of artillery and rattle of musketry and falling
strokes like lightning about him, that lofty
white plume never once went down, while and
anon II was seen gancing through the smoke of
hattie the of hone TO NanOeOn and SHOWING
that his " right arm was still upfted and striking
for victory. He ragged like an unlo1sed lion amid
eloe and his eye always terrible in battle, burn
ed with increased lusrc. while his clear and steady
voice, heard above the tumult of the strife, was
worth more than n thousand trumpets to cheer on
his followers. At length, seeing Il knot Of Russian
soldiers that for long time, had kept up devour
ing fire on his men, lie wheeled his horse and drove
in fall galIop upon their levelled muskets. few
Of his guard, that never allowed that white plume
O leave their sight, charged after. Without wait
ing to count his foes, he seized the bride in his
teeth and with pistol in one hand and his drawd
sword in the other, burst in headong fury upon
them and scattered them as if a hurricane had
@eptby
Though the cavalry were at length compelled tc
retire, the Russians had received cheek that alone
saved the day. Previously, without bringing up
their reserve they were advancing over the field
but now they glad to cease the combat and
wait for further reinforcements under Lestocq, be
fore they rene wed the battle have spoken of the
progress of the fight during the day in another
place. Prodigjes of valor were performed on al
sides, and men slain by tens Of thousands. till night
mPngth closed the awful scene. and the Russians
began to retire from the field.
Such the battle Of Eylau, fought in the
midst of piercing snow storm NIurat was
hunderbolt on that day, and the deeds that were
wrought by him will ever furnish themes for the
Qoet and the painter. But let the enthusiast &c
OHthe scene on the morning after the battle if he
would find cure for his love Of glory. Fifty-twC
thousand men lay piled across each other in thi
aort space of six miles; while the snow, giving
back the stain of blood, made the field look like
great slaughter house. The frosts of wintry
morning we're all UNDECIDED in the burning fever OF
CHASTITY wounds, and the air was loaded with cries
for help, and groans and blasphemies and cursings
nix thousand horses lay amid the slain, stiff
and cold in death, others rendering the scene still
more appalling in their vast winding sheet of snow
toemen had fallen across each other they fought
and lay like brothers clasped in the last embrace
While dlSmembered limbs and dIsembOwelled cOrpses
were scattered thick autumn leaves over the field
Every form of wound, and every modification of wo
were here visible. No modern war had hitherto ex-
lIl0Ited such carnage, and where Murat's cavalry
3ad charged there the slain lay thckest Two
uayS after the battle 5000 wounded Russians lay on
Tue frozen field, where they had dragged out the
weary nights and days in pain. The dead were still
INJURED and lay amid wrecks of cannons, and mu
E Eton wagons, and bullets and howitzers-whole
nneS mad sunk where they stood, while epauletes
auu neglected sabres, and muskets without owners
1''eStreWed on every side, and thrown into Still
o moFe terrible relief by the white ground of snow
IeF which they lay. Said Napoleon, in his bulletin
s S9e after describing the dreadful appearance the
~ ssu Presented. The spectacle is sufficient to in
rre princes with the love of peace and horror O
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