The Belmont chronicle, and farmers, mechanics and manufacturers advocate. [volume] (St. Clairsville, Ohio) 1848-1855, 1853-02-25
MISCELLANE E GUS.

THE GOLD GUARD" AT WATERLOO.
The following description of the last charge
by the Old French Guard at Waterloo, is de-
rived from French work entitled "Hstore
de la Garde Imperiale, relue par M. Emile
Marco de Saint Hillare," and is interesting at
the present moment.
During the day, the artillery Of the Guand
under Drouet, maintained its old renown: and
the Guard itself had frequently been used to
restore the battle in various parts of the field,
and always with success. The English were
fast becoming exhausted, and in an hour more
would doubtless have been forced into a
disastrous defeat, but for the timely arrival OF
Blucher. But when they saw him with his
thirty thousand Prussians approaching, their
courage revived, while Nopoleon was filled
with amazement. A beaten enemy was
about to form junction with the allies, while
Grouchy, who had been sent to keep him in
check, was nowhere to be seen. Alas! what
great plans single inefficient commander
can overthrow.
In moment Napoleon saw that he could not
sustain the attack of so many fresh troops, if
once allowed to form junction with the
allied forces, and he determined to stake his
fate on one bold cast, and endeavor to pierce
the allied centre with grand charge of the
! Old Guard, and thus throw himself between
the two armies. For this purpose the Imp
rial Guard was called up g. divided into i'm
mense columns, which were to meet in the
British centre. Those under Reile no
sooner entered the fire than it disappeared like
mist The other was placed under Ney, 'the
bravest of the brave and the order to advance
given. Napoleon accompanied them part Of
the way down the slope, and halting for n
moment in hollow, addressed them a few
words. He told them the battle rested with
them, and that he relied on their valor, tried
| in SO many fields-"Vive Emperor"
answered him with shout that was heard
above the thunder of artillery.
The whole continental struggle exhibits no
sublimer spectacle than this last effort of
Napoleon to save his sinking Empire. The
greatest military energy and skill the world
possessed had been taxed to the utmost during
the day. Thrones were tottering on the
turbulent field, and the shadows Of fugitive
kings fitted through the smoke Of battle.
Bonapartes star trembied in the zenith
now blazing out in its ancient splendor,
how suddenly paling before his anxious eye.
The intense anxiety with which he watched
advance of that column, and the terrible
suspense he suffered when the smoke of battle
wrapped it from sight, and the utter depair of
his great heart when the curtain li(ed over a
fugitive army, and the despairing shrek rang
out, "The Guard recols!' "The Guard
recoih!" make us for moment forget all the
carnage, in sympathy with his distress.
The Old Guard felt the pressure of the
immense responsibility, and resolved not to
prove unworthy of the great trust committed
to its care. Nothing could be more imposing
than its movement to the assault. 1t had
never recoiled before human foe, and the
allied forces beheld with awe its firm ant
steady advance to the final charge. For {
moment the batteries stopped playing, ant
the firing ceased along the British lines, as
without the beating Of drum, or a buglt
note TO cheer their steady courage, they
moved in dead silence over the field. Theil
tread was like muffled thunder, while the
dazzling helmets of the cuirassiors flashed
long streams of light behind the dark and
terrible mass that swept in one strong wave
along. The stern Drouet was there annie
his guns, and on every brow was written thu
unalterable resolution to conquer or die. The
next moment the artillery opened, and tn,
head of that gallent column seemed to sinl
in the earth. Rank after rank went down
vet they neither stopped nor faltered Dssolv
ing sauadrons and whole battalions disappear
ING one after another in the destructive fir
affected not their steady courage. The rank
closed up as before, and each treading ove
his fallen comrade pressed unfinchingl
on.
The horse which Ney rode fell under hin
and scarcely had he mounted another befor
il also sank to the earth, and SO another an
another, till five in succession had been sho
under him. Then, with his drawn sabre, h
marched sternly at the head of his column