The south-western. [volume] (Shreveport, La.) 1852-1870, 1858-10-27

gained, by their many desperate instances OF
bravery, an Immortality in history; but their
grand crowning was their desperate charge at
Waterloo, which has few parallels in ancient or
modern warfare. They fought for their adored
emperor, and to retrieve the evil fortunes of
the day, and they fell as though to do so would
secure them immortal glory and eternal bliss
in the world of spirits. The most graphic and
stirring account of that last fearful struggle,
that we have seen, is from, French work:
stDuring the day the artillery of the guard.
under Drouet, maintained its old renown, and
the guard itself had frequently been used to
restore the battle in various parts of the 6eld
and always with success. The English were
fast becoming exhausted, and in an hour more
would doubtless have been forced into disas-
trous defeat, but for the timely arrival of Blu
cher. But when they,saw him, with his thirty
thousand Prussians approaching, their courage
revived, while Napoleon was filled with amaze-
ment A beaten enemy about to form juno
ton with the allies, while Groucby who had
been sent to keep them 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 foIm 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 imperial guard was called
up and divided into two immense columns.
which were to meet in the British centre. These
under Reille 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 accompa
MED them part of the way down the slope, and
hating for a few minutes in hollow, addressed
them few words. He told them the battle
rested with them and that lie relied on their
valor, tried in so many fields. .Vive l'empe-
reur!' answered him with shout that was
heard above the thunder of artillery. -
"The whole continental struggle exhibited NO
sublimer spectacle than the last effort of Napo-
leon to save his sinking empire. The greatest
military skill and energy 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 thro'
the smoke of the battle. Bonaparte's star trem-
bledin the zenith-now blazing out in its ancient
splendor, now paling before his anxious eye.
The intense anxiety with which he watched the
advance of that column, and terrible suspense
he endured when the smoke of the battle wrapt
it from sight, and the utter despair Of his great
heart when the curtain lifted over fugitive
army, and the despairing shrek rung out, The
Guard recoils! The Guard recoIls! makes US
for moment forget all the carnage in sympathy
with his distress.
1.-The old guard felt the pressure of the i'm
mense responsibility, and resolved not 10 prove
unworthy to the great trust committed to it.
Nothing could be more imposing than its move
ment to the assault. 1t had never recoiled be-
fore human foe, the allied forces beheld with
awe its firm and steady advance to the final
charge. For moment the batteries stopped
playing, and the firing ceased along the British
lines, as, without the beating Of drum or d
bugle note to cheer their steady courage, they
moved in dead silence over the field. Their
tread was like muf1ed thunder, with the daz
! zling helmets of the curiassers flashed long
streams of light behind the dark and terrible
mass that swept in one strong wave along. The
stern Drouet was there, amid his guns, and on
| every brow was written the unalterable resolu
ton to conquer or die. The next moment the
artillery opened, and the head of that gallant
column seemed to sink into the earth. Rank
after rank went down, yet they neither stopped
nor faltered. Dissolving squadrons and whole
battalons disappearing one after another in the
destructive fire affected not their steady cour-
age The ranks closed up as before, and each
treading over his fallen comrades, pressed un-
fincbingly on.
| 1.-The horse which Ney rode fell under him.
and scarcely had he mounted another before it
| also sank to the earth, and so another and
another till five in succession had been shot
under him. Then, with drawn sabre, he
marched sternly at the head of his column. III
vain did the artillery hurl its storm of iron into
that living mass. Up to the very muzzle they
pressed, and driving the artillery from their
piece, pushed on through the English lines.
But Just as the victory seemed won, a file of
low ridge of earth, suddenly rouse and poured
yoey into their very face. Another and
another followed, till one broad sheet of flame
rolled on their bosoms, and in such a fierce
and unexpected flow that they staggered before
it. Before the guard had time to rally again
and advance, heavy column of infantry fell
on its left flank in close and deadly volleys,
causing it in its unsettled state. to swerve to
the right. At that tnstant whole brigade Of cav
airy thundered on the right flank, and penetr&-
ted where the cavalry had never 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 cavelry finished the disorder into which
they had been momentsri!y thrown, and broke
the shaken ranks before they had time to re-
form, and the eagles of that hitherto invinclblc
guard were pushed backward down the slope.
It was then the army, seized with despair,
shrieked out, THE Guard recoilsn The Guard
recoilsp and turned and fled in wild dismay.
To see the guard in confusion was sight they
had never beheld, and it froze every heart with
terror.
"For long time they stood and let the can
non balls plow through their ranks, ,disdaining to
turn their backs on the foe. Michel, at the
head of those battalions, fought like lion. TO
every demand Of the enemy to surrender, he
| replied, 'The Guard dies-but never surren-
| ders,' and with his last breath bequeathing
this glorious motto to the guard, he fell a wit
ness to its truth. Death traversed those eight
battalions with such rapid footsteps that they