The Ashland union. [volume] (Ashland, Ashland County, Ohio) 1854-1868, 1858-08-04
The Old Guard felt the pressure of

committed to its care. Nothing can
more imposing than its move to the as
sault It had never recoiled before
human foe, and the allied forces behel
with awe its firm and steady advance t
the final charge. For moment tn
batteries stopped playing and the firin,
ceased along the British lines, as with
out the boating of a drum or a buglt
note to cheer their steady courage they
moved in dead silence over the field
Their tread was like muffled thunder
while the dazzling helmets of the cui
rasssiers flashed long streams of light
behind the dark and terrible mass that
swept in one strong wave along. The
stern Drouet was there aiming his guns,
and on every brow was written the unal-
| terable resolution to conquer or die
The next moment the artillery opened,
and the head of the column seemed to
sink into the earth. Rank after rank
went down, yet they neither stopped
nor faltered. Dissolved squadrons and
whole battalions disappearing one after
another in the destructive fire, effected
not their steady courage. The rauks
closed up before, and each treading over
his fallen comrade pressed unhinchingly
on.
The horse which Ney rode fell under
him and scarcely had he mounted aDoth-
er before it also sank to the earth, and
so another and another, until five in sue
cession had been shot under him. Then,
with drawn sabre he marched sternly at
the head of his column. In vain did
the artillery hail its storm of iron into
the living mass Up to the very muzzle
they pressed, and driving the artillery
men from their places pushed through
the English lines. But just as the VIC
tory seemed won. a file of soldiers who
had laid fat on the ground behind low
idge of earth, rose suddenly and poured
a volley into their very faces. Another
and another followed, till one broad |
sheet of fame rolled on their bosoms
and iu such fierce and unexpected flow,
that they staggerd back before it. Be-
fore the Guard had time TO rally and ad-
rance, a heavy column Of infantry fell
IN its left flank in close and deadly vol
eys, causing it in its unsettled state to,
werve.to the right. At that instant
Whole brigade of cavalry thundcred on
he right flank, and penetrated where
avalry had never gone before.
The intrepid Guard could have borne
Up against the unexpected fire from SOL
iers they did not see, and would also
ave rolled back the infantry that had
oldly charged its left flank; but the
avalrJ finished the disorder into which
hey had been momentarily thrown, and
roke the ranks before they had time to
eform, and the Eagles of that invinci-
lie Guard were pushed backward down
ne slope. It was then that the army,
eized with despair, shouted out, "The
tuard recoils !" and turned and fed in
lid dismay. To see the Guard in con
lsion was a sight they had never before 8
eheld, aud 1t froze every heart with ter
Dr.. Still those veterans refused to fy;
allying from their disorder they formed I
ito two immense squares of eight bat
lllions, and turned fercely on the ene-
" and nobly strove to stem the reverse
de of battle. For time they stood
nd let the cannon balls plow through =,
heir ranks, disdaining to turn their
ack on foe. Michel at the head of r
,ese battallions fought like lion. To
very command of the enemy to surren 4
er, he replied "The Guard dies, it
ever surrenders," and with his last v
reath bequeathing this glorious motto f
} the Guard, he fell witness to its Q
nth. Death traversed those eight bat d
.llions with such rapid footsteps they
'on dwindled away to two, which turn d
in hopeless daring on the overwhelm- b
g numbers that preceded their retir- y
g footsteps. Last of all, but a single
lttallion, the debris of the ''column of C
'anite," at Marengo, was left. Into
is Napoleon flung himself. Cambron- t.
}, its brave commander, saw with ter t.
r the Emperor in its frail keeping. He
as not struggling for victory, he was in s.
Mt only on showing how the Guard n
ould die. Approaching the Emperor ii
cried out; "Retire Do you not 81
e that death has no need of you |" and p
osing mournfully, yet sternly around e.
cir expiring eagles, those brave hearts
lde Nepoleon an eternal farewell, and d
nging themselves upon the enemy,
ere soon piled with the dead at their
ct.
Many of the officers were seen to
stroy themselves rather than survive
feat. Thus greater in its own defeat
an any other corps of men in gaining b
victory, the Old Guard passed from
e stage, and the curtain dropped upon 81
strange career. 1t had fought its
st battle. N