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

In vain did the artillery hurl its storm of iron
into that living mass. Up TO the very
muzzles they pressed, and driving the ar
tilerymen from their pieces, pushed on
through the English lines. But just as the
victory seemed won, file Of soldiers, who had
laid fiat on the ground behind low ridge Of
earth, suddenly rose and poured volley into
;heir very faces. Another and another
followed, till one broad sheet of flame rolled
on their bosoms, and in such fierce and
unexpected flow that they staggered back be-
fore it. Before the Guard had time to rally
again and advance, heavy column of infant
ry fell on its left flank in close and deadly
volleys, causing it, in its unsettled state, to
swerve to the right. AT that instant whole
brigade of cavalry thundered on the right
flank, and penetrated where cavalry had nev-
er gone before.
That intrepid Guard could have borne up
against the unexpected fire from soldiers they
did not see, and would have rolled back the
infantry that had boldly charged its left flank;
but the cavalry finished the disorder into
which they had been momentarily thrown,
and broke the shaken ranks before they had
time to reform and the eagles Of that invinci-
BILE Guard were pushed backward down the
slope. 1t was then that the army, seized with
despair, shrieked out, "The Guard recoils!
The Guard recois!" and turned and fled in
wild dismay. To see the Guard in confusion
was sight they had never before beheld, and
it froze every heart with terror. Still those
veterans refused to fly; rallying from their
disorder, they formed into two immense
squares ofeight battalions and turned fiercely
on the enemy, and nobly strove to stem the
reversed tide of battle.
For long time they stood and let the can
ing to turn their backs on the foe. Michel
at the head of those battnlons, fought like a
lion. To every command of the enemy to
surrender, he replied, "The Guard dies, it nev-
er surrenders," and with his last breath be-
quea,hing this glorious motto to the Guard
he fell witness to its truth. Death travers-
ed those eight battallions with such a rapid
footstep that they dwindled away to two very
soon, which turned in hopeless daring on the
overwhelming numbers that pressed their re-
firing footsteps.
Last OF all but single battalion, the de-
bris of the "column of granite" at .Marengo,
was left. Into this Napoleon flung himself.
Cambronne, its brave commander, saw with
terror the Emperor in its frail keeping. He
was not struggling for victory, he was intent
only on showing how the Guards should die.
Approaching the Emperor, he cried out, "Re-
tire! Do you not see that death has no need
of you" and closing mournfully yet sternly
round their cxpring eagles. those brave
hearts bnde Napoleon an eternal adieu. and
flingng themselves on the enemy, were soon
piled with the dead at their feet.
Many ofthe officers were seen to destroy
themselves rather than survive defeat. Thus
greater in its own defeat than any other corps
of men in gaining victory, the Old Guard
passed from the stage and the curtain drop
ped upon its strange career. 1t had fought its
last battle.