Western sentinel. [volume] (Winston [i.e. Winston-Salem], N.C.) 1856-1886, 1858-10-01
Napoleon's Old Guard.

many desperate instances of bravery, an
immortality in history but their grand
crowning was their desperate charge at
cient 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 immor-
tai glory and eternal bliss in the world of.
spirits. The most graphic and stirringgtecs- :
count Of that last fearful and fatal struggle
that we have seen, is from recently pub
lished French work. It reads like war
itself-this is it:
During the day the artillery Of the
Guard, under Drouet, maintained its
old renown, and the Guard itself had fre-
quently been used to restore the battle in
various parts Of the field, and always with
success. The English were fast becoming
exhausted, and in an hour more would
doubtless have been forced into a disas-
trous defeat, but for the timely arrival of
Blucher. But when they saw him with
thirty thousand Prussians approaching
their courage revived, while Napoleon was
filled with amaZement. A beaten enemy
about to form a junction with the allies,
while Grouchy, who had been sent to keep
them in check, was nowhere to be seen.-
Alas what great plans single inefficient
commander can overthrow
'SIn moment Napoleon saw that he
could not sustain the attacks of SO many
fresh troops if once allowed to form a
junction with the allied forces, and he de-
termined 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
immense columns, which were to meet in
the British centre Those under Reille no
sooner entered the fire than it disappeared
like mist. The other was placed under
Ney, sthe bravest of the brave, and the
order to advance given. Napoleon accom-
panied them part Of the way down the
slope, and halting for few minutes, III a
hollow, addressed them few words. lie
told them the battle rested with them, and
that he relied on their valor, tried in SO
many fields sYiye PEmpereurp answer
I ed him with a Shout that was heard above'
the thunder of artillery.
''The whole continental struggle exhibit
ed no subimer spectacle than the last eff
fort of Napoleon to save his sinking En-
pire. The greatest military skill and en-
ergy the world possessed had been taxed
to the utmost during the day. Thrones
were tottering on the turbulent field, and
! theshadows offug gitive kings fitted through
the smoke Of the battle. Bonaparte's star
trembIed in 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 col
umn, 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 a fugi-
tive army, and the departing shrek rung
out, The Guard recoils!' The Guard re-
coils ? makes us for a moment forget all
the carnage in sympathy with his dis
tress.
''The Old Guard felt the pressure of the
immense responsibility, and resolved not
toprove unworthy to the great trust com
mitted to it. Nothing could be more inn
I posing than its movement to the ASSAULT
1t had never recoiled before a human foe,
and the allied forces beheld with awe its
firm and steady advance to the final charge.
For moment the batteries stopped play
ing, and the firing ceased along the Bri-
tish lines, as, without the beating of drum
or bugle note to cheer their steady cour-
age, they moved in dread silence over the
field Their tread was like muff1led thun-
der, while the dazzling helmets of the Gu
riassiers flashed long streams of light be
hind the dark and terrible mass that swept
in one strong wave along. The stern Drou-
ct was there, amid his guns, and on every
brow was written an unalterable resolution
to conquer or die. The next moment the
artillery opened, and the head of that gal
liant column seemed to sink into the earth.
Rank after rank went down, yet they nei-
ther stopped nor faltered. Dissolving
! squadrons and whole battalions disappear
ing one after another in the destructive
fire affected not their steady courage. The
ranks closed up as before, and each tread
ing over his fallen comrade, pressed un-
finchingly on.
sThe horse which Ney rode fell under
him, and scarcely had he mounted another
before it also sank to the earth, and so an
other and another till five had been shot
under him. Then, with drawn sabre, he
marched sternly at the head of his column.
In vain did the artillery harl its storm OF
iron into that living mass. Up to the ve-
ry muzzle they pressed, and driving the
artillery freni their pieces, pushed on
through the English lines. Butjnst as the
victory seemed won. file of soldiers who
laid fiat on the ground, behind a low ridge
of earth, suddenly rose and poured a vol
! ley into their very face. Another and an
other followed, till one broad sheet of flame
rolled on their bosoms, andin such fierce
and unexpected flow that they staggered
before it. Before the Guard had time te
rally again and advance, heavy column