St. Mary's beacon. [volume] (Leonard Town, Md.) 1845-1863, 1858-10-28
Hapolson's Old Guard.

desperate instances Of bravery, an immortality
IN history, but their grand crOwlling feat was
their desperate charge at Waterloo, which has
few parallels in ancient or modern warfare
They fought for their adoresi Emperor, and to
retrieve the evil fortunes Of the tlay-thcy fell
a. though to do SO would secure them immor-
tai glory and eternal bliss In the world Of spir-
its. The most graphic and stirring account of
that last fearful struggle that we have seen, is
from recently published French work. It
reads like war itself This is it:
"During the day the artillery of the Guard,
under Drouet, maintained its own renown, and
the Guard itself had frequently been used to
restore the battle in various parts of the field,
and always with success. The English were
fast becnming 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 thir-
ty thousand Prussians approaching, their cour-
age revived, while Napoleon was filed with
amaZement. a beaten enemy about 10 form
a junction with the allies. while Grouchy, who
had been sent to keep them in check, was
nowhere to be seen. Aiasl what great plans
a single inefficient commander can over
thOw.
ain moment Napoleon saw that he could
not sustain the attack of 50 many fresh troops
If once allowed tO form Il junction With the al
lied forces. and he determined; to stake his fate
on one bOld cast, and endeavor 10 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 inn
mensc columns, which were to meet in the Brit
ish centre. These, under Reile no sooner en-
terrell the IRE than il disappeared like mist
The other was placed under Eey, "the bravest
of the brave" and the order to advaace given.
Napoleon accompanied them part of the way
down the slope, and haultinS for n few min
utes in hollow, addressed them a few words.
He told them the battle rested with them, and
that he relied on their valor, tried in So many
fickls. "Vive rEmpereurw was answered with
shout that was heard above the thunder of
the artillery.
The whole continental struggle exhibited
no sublimer spectacle than the last efforts OF
Napolr1n 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 tOttcring on the tur-
bulcnt field, and the shadows Of fugitive kings
fitted through the smoke of the battle Bon
aparte's star trcmblcd in the zenith-now
blazing out in its ancient splcn,,or, now palng
before his anxious eye. The intense anxiety
with which he watched the advance of that
! column, anil terrible suspense he endured when
the smoke of the battle wrapt il from sight,
and the utter despair of his great heart when
the curtain lifted sover a fugitive army, and
the despairing shrek Iuns out The Guard
recoils!-the Guard recoils!' makes us for a
moment forget all the carnage in sympathy
with his distress.
"The Old Guard felt the pressure Of the i'm
mense responsibility, and resolved not tn prove
unworthy Of the great trust committed to it,
Nothing could be more IMPOSING than its
movement to the assault. 1t had never re-
cUiled before human fOe, an,l the allied forces
beheld with awe its firm and steady advance
to the final charge. For a moment the bat
terics stopped playing and the firing ceased
along the British liHes, rs without the beating
Of drum or bugle note tO cheer their steady
courage, they moved in dead silence over the
field. Their tread was like muffled thunder.
with the dazzling helmets Of the curiassers
flashed long streams of light behind the dark
and terrible mass that swept in one strnig
wave along. The stern Drouet was there amid
hls guns, and on every brow was written the
unalterabie resolution to conquer or die. The
next moment the artillery opened, the head
.! that gallant column seemed to sink iutO the
earth. Rank after rank went down, vet neith-
er stopped nor faltcre,l. DiSsOlving sauadrons
and the whole battalinns disappearing one af-
ter another in destructive fire affected not their
steady courage The ranks closed up as be-
fOre, and each treadiug over his fallen comrade
pressed uniiinchingly on.
''The horse which Ney rode fell under him.
and scarcely had he mounted another before il
also sank tO the earth, and 30 smother and an
other I'LL Eve in succession hal been shot under
him. Then, with drawn sabre, he marched
sternly at tlIe head of his cOlumn. in vain cid
the artillery hurl It's storm Of iron into that
living mass. Up to the mnzzle they pressed.
and driving the artillery men from their pieces.
pushed on through the English line. But Just
as the victory seemed won. file of soldiers
who laid fat on the ground belsirI'l low ridge
OF earth, suddenly rose and poured velley
mtD their very face Another and another
fOlkwed. till one broad sheet of fame rolle4. on
tlIeir bOSoms. and i'm xarh fierce, and unexpuct.
Wl il"w that they staggered beftIrs it. before
the Guard had time to rally again and all !
vance. heavy cnlunn Of infantry fell on its
flank in close and deadly volleys. causing it, in
les unsettled >tate. tO swcrve D. tho right At
that instant whole brigade Of cavalry thun-
slrrcd on the right flank ahd penetrated where /
tlse cavalry had never gone bsfOre. ,..
THAT intrepid GuaF,l eHlld hare borLe an |
against IAs unexpected IRE from soldiers they
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