The Ashland union. [volume] (Ashland, Ashland County, Ohio) 1854-1868, 1858-09-08

DEATH OF DURoc.
sY HEADLY.

death of his friend Duroc. As he made
q last effort to break the enemy's ranks
and rode again to the advanced posts to
direct the movement of his army, n oi
his escorts was struck dead at his side.
Thinning TO Duroc, be said, "Duroc, fate
is determined to have one of US to-day
Soon after, as-he was riding with his
suite in q rapid trot along the road, a
eanuon bali smote a tree beside him, and
CHANGING struck Gen. Kirgener dead, and
tore out the e~ntrails of Duroc. Napo-
leon was ahead at the time, and his
suite, four abreast, behind him. The
fcloud of dust their rapid movements
raised around them, prevented him from
knowing at first who was struck. But
when it was told him that Kirgener was
killed and Duroc wounded, he dismouut-
ed and gagged long and earnestly on the
battery from which the. shot had been
fred; then turned towards the cottage
into which the wounded marshal bad
been carried ore FstiC1 %
Duroc was grand marshal of the pal
ace and a bosom friend of the Emperor
OF a noble and generous character, of
mistaken Integrity and patriotism, and
firm as steel in the hour of danger, he
wss beloved by all who knew him :
There was a gentleness about him and
purity of feeling, the life of a camp
could never destroy. Napoleon loved
him-for through all changes of his tn
multuous life be had ever found his af
lection and truth the same-and 1t was
with an anxious heart and sad couDte
nance he entered the lowly cottage where
he lay. His eyes was filled with tears
as he asked if there was hope. When
told that there was none he advanced
to the bedside without saying a word
The dying marshal seized him by the
hand and said: "My whole life has been
Z consecrated to your service, and now my
only regret is. that I can no longer be
useful to you" "Duroc!" cried Napo-
leon, with q voice choked with grief,
''there is another iife-there you will
await me-. and we shall meet again."-
Eyes, SIRE" replied the faintiug suffer
er, ''but thirty years shall have first
passed away, and you have triumphed
over your enemies, and realized all the
hopes of our country. l have endeavor-
ed to be an honest man; I have nothing
with which to ~reproach myself" He
then added, with a faltering voice, 81
have o daughter; your majesty will be a
father to her" Napoleon graspe1 his
right hand, and sitting down by his bed
side, and leaning his head on his left
hand, remained with closed eyes a quar-
ter Of an hour in profound silence
Duroc first spoke. Seeing how deeply
Bonaparte was moved, he exclaimed,
"Ahi sire, leave me, this spectacle pains
you" The stricken Emperor rose and
leaning on the arms of his equery aud
Marshal Soult, left the apartment say
ing, in heart-broken tones as he went,
farewell, then, my friendl'
The hot pursuit be had directed a mo-
ment before was forgotten victory,
trophies, prisoners and all sunk into ut
ter worthlessness, and as at the battle of
Aspern, when LauDes was brought to
him mortally wounded, forgot even his
army, and the great interest at stake
He ordered his tent to be pitched near
ing, and entering it, passed the night all
alone in ineeDsolable grief. The Impe-
rial Guard formed their protecting
squares, as usual around hin, and the
fierce tumult of battle gave way to one
of the most touching scenes in history.
= Twilight was deepening over the field,
and the heavy tread of ranks going to
their biVouacs, the low rumb!ing of ar
tillery wagons in the distance, all sub
dued yet confused sounds of a mighty
host about sinking TO repose, rose on the
night air. imparting still greater solem-
nifty to the hour. Napoleon, with his
grey over coat wrapped about him his
resting on his hands, sat apart from all,
buried in the p~rofoundest melancholy
His most intimate friends dared not ap-
proach him, and his favorite officers
stood in groups at a distance, gazing
anxiousiy and sadly on that silent tent
But immense consequences we're hang
ing on the movement of the next norm
ing-a powerful enemy was near, with
their array yet unbroken and they at
length ventured to approach and ask for
orders. But the broken-hearted chief
tain only shook his head, exclaimipg,
Everything to morrowr' and still kept
his mournful attitude.
Oh, how overwhelming was the grief
that could master that stern heartp--
The magnificent spectacle of the day
that had passed, the glorious victory
that be had won, were remembered no
more and he saw only his dying friend
before him. No sobs escaped him, but
silent and motionless he sat, his paid
face buffea-in his hands, and his noble
heart wrung with agony. Darkness drew
her curtain over the scene, and the stars
came out one after another upon the
sky, and at length the moon rose above
the hills, bathing in her soft beams the
ing villages shed a lurid light through
the room, and all was sad, mournful, yet
sublime. There was a dark cottage
with the sentinels at the door, in which
Duroc lay dying, and there, too, was the
solitary TEN of Napoleon, aud within the
bowed form of the Emperor. Around it
at . distance, stood the squares of the
Old Guard. and nearer by, a silent troop
of chieftains and over all the moonlight.
Those brave soldiers, filed With grief to
see their beloved chief borne down with
such sorrow, stood for a long time silent
and fearful. At length, to break the
mournfnl silence, and to express the
sympathy they might not speak. the
bands struck up arequiem for the dying
marshal. The melancholy strains rose
and fell in prolonged echoes over the
field and swept in soft cadences on the
a Of the fainting warrior-but still
Napoleon moFednot. They then chang
ed the measure 10 q triumphant strain,
and tho thrilling ,trumpets breathed