The weekly pioneer and Democrat. [volume] (Saint Paul, Minn. Territory) 1855-1865, 1858-10-21

piled the Frenchman A ride on the rail.
road Is soon over, and good fire and brisk
walk is q quick and easy remedy. Mine is
different case. For forty years ! have
never known warm feet.
For forty years repeated, thinking l
had misunderstood him.
Yes, sir forty years since the winter of
1912, the winter Of the Russian campaign
You were in that terrible campaign.
inquired in tone of interest and curiosity.
My companion, previously taciturn, sudden.
! ly became communicative.
All through it, sir, he replied from the
| Niemen TO the kremlin, and back again.
II was my first campaign, and came near
being my last. was in Others afterwards !;
in Germany in 1913, when the combiRed
Germans and Russians drove us before them
for want of the brave fellows we had left in
Muscovy's snow in France in 1914, when
the Emperor made his gallant struggle
against Overwhelming forces aid fs1 the Closing
scene in Flanders; but not all those three
campaigns put together, nor as believe, all
that this century has witnessed, can match
the horrors OF that dreadful winter in
Russia.
He paused, and leaning back in his cor
ner assumed to revolve in his mind events
Of powerful interest long gone by. wait
ed while, in hopes be would resume the
subject. As he did not do so, asked him
TO what arm he belonged to when in Rus
sis.
was assistant surgeon in regiment of
hussars, he answered, and in my medical ca
pscity, had abundant opportunities to
make acquaintance with the horrors OF war.
On the 7th Of September, for instance, at
the Moskows--Heavens. what shambles
that was Ah it was fine to see such val
or on both sides-for the Russians fought
we'll galIanly, sir, or where would have
been the glory Of beating them' But
Ney! Ney. Oh, he was splendid that day.
His whole countenance CLEANED as he again
and again lead the bloody charge, exposing
himself as freely US any corporal in the
ranks. And Eugene, the Viceroy, with what
vigor he hurled his masses against that ter
rible red0ubt. When at last il was bis,
what sight was there. The ground was
not strewn with dead ii was heaped-piled
with them. They had been shot down by
whole ranks, and there they lay, PROSTATE in
line as they stood.
The surgeon paused. though Of By
rons beautiful lines beginning Even as
they tell, in files they lay" but said moth
ing, for | saw that my companion was now
fairly started, and needed no squirting
Monsieur, be presently resumed, all those
things have been brought strongly to my
mind by the letter you saw me just reading
II is an old friend, q captain in lSI2--a
general now--who went through the cam.
paign, and whom ! was so fortunate AS TO
save from grave in those Internal plains
where most Of our poor comrades perisbed
Twill tell you how it happened. We were
talking of the battle Of BOrodino Seventy
thousand men, it was said, were killed and
wounded in that murderous fight. We sur
geous, az you may well think, had our hands
full, and still could not suffice for q tithe
/ Of the sufferers. II was rough breaking
in for young hand, as was then. Such
irightful wounds as thee, Of every kind and
description-from shot and bullet, pike and
sabre. Well, sir. all the misery and suffer
ing then saw, oil that vast amount of hu-
man agony and bloodshed whose stream,
ascending to heaven, might well have
brought down Gods maledction on His
creatures, who could thus dcstry and deiace
each other, was nothing compared with the
! horrible misery we witnessed on our retreat
| have read everything that has appeared
| in France. concerning that campaign-Se
| CUR, Cebaume, and other writers. Their
narratives are shocking enough, bu. nothing
TO the reality. They would have sickened
their readers had they told all they saw II
anybody who went through the campaign
/ could rember and set down oil he witnessed,
/ be could make the most heart rending book
that ever yet was printed, and would be &C
cused OF gross exaggcrstion. Exaggera-
ton, indeed there was no need 10 heighten
! the horrors Of the winter ofl8l2. All that
/ frost and famine, lead and steel could inhict,
was then endured all the crimes that reck
less despair and ruthless cruelty could
prompt were then perpetraied.
And how. ! asked did you escape when
30 many, doubtless a. strong and courageous
and more Injured 10 hardship, uiserabIy per
ished,
Under Providence, owed my prc-erva.
tion 70 the TRUSTEES, and most faithful servant
ever master had. Paul had been several
years in the husars-xas an old soldier, 10
fact although still young man and al
time when all discipline and snbordiDation
were at an end when soldiers hoeded not
tbeir officers, officers avoided thei, general,
and servants and master. were al alike upon
a evel, Paul proved true a. s,eel. A. IL
cOld and the Cossaeks were not enough, hun.
ROY WAS zdde1 IN f,ar s,l.frrinya ,ha,s w..
no longer q eonmisariat or distribution Of
rAtions rations, forsooh dead bors va.
laIgy. have sen men fgbt for ii till
death, lean meat thouyh il sss, fOr The poor
brute we're a. starved a. their -i3er, Wba,
littie there ~as " eat 10 tbe villages we
passed throagh isil 10 the share Il the irs,
comers Empty larder'. ofen smoking ru-