Marshall County Republican. (Plymouth, Ind.) 1856-1878, 1859-03-17
THE REPUBLICAN.
Written for the Marshall Co. Republican,
I 8 I 2
RETREAT FROM MOSCOW
ny MAJOR JOHN F. LAxGESBAuGH, SEN.
CHAPTER v.

r- CHAPTER w. .sss.srt.f.H
"1his night wind has been rough. What fos
hovcrs about.' exclaimed Roscn, shaking himself
as he sprang up from his place by the nearly estn-
g',ished fre, 81 thought wc should feel cold with
no more FIRE than ihcsethrcc charrcd logs! HaIloo
Mjor. Get up. Have you no ears for the trump
ctcr7' Il opened m. eyes and looked at him as a
stranger. "why, don't you know me'' said Rose,
jestingly "You really look as il YOU had just Gall
en- into this world from one of the plancts." And
it is very nearly the fact replied, began to
recover irem the deep sleep into which the fatigu,
of the previous day IS march lad thrown "a
devil of night, Major. The damp fog pcnctratc'
to the very But horseback
perhaps, wc-may feel better, ..e,rtnF
As we'll as circumstances would permit, Roscr
and myself made our rough toilet, and repaired to
our horses, where most Of our comrades were al
ready preparing for the march. In short time nj
were again in retreat AT midnight We had lain
down to rest, being in constant apprehension o.
being pursued by the Russian army, the retreat
was made with tho greatest celebrity. As daylight
fully came, the fog began to dispcrsc Larusl
pointed with his sword to some hillocks, env eopcd
p,rtl, in the mist. "Thu is the Mojaisk, - he said
eve are now on our o,d road again. Since it wal
determined that should positively retreat by th.
road il had been better had turned into il direc
from Moscow. We have lost full eight DAYS, ant
might have been very Smolensko by th'
time "Arc you going to pass that crowdl" askct
Captain Roscn. NO." answered Larush ..w,
turn to the lcit here, through the rivulct, for yon
der everything will be stopped again. 1t is srcs
advantage to US that We ncc,l not 40 strictly follow
the orders the rest Of the army. Every ono
however, begins 10 look out for himself Sec yo,
how the artillery is ceng up the hill, Foadcr
Tho = arc almost fast in TIC deep mud, and We
their number of horses is doubled" Pa
'wc shall have frost think observed Role.
'thc air is clearing up "'rlat would not be SC
b,d,' said, sfor it is horrible work mlrcing i,
this soft mire.' "Spare your prayers for the win
ter; il will ovcrtake soon enough," replied
Larush. in serious voice, 'our march is trouble
some now, but still cndurable. In Russia the win
Ger rcm,ns not Standing the tI,rcshold,- 1T in
stantIy rcigIls in the plcntitudc of its power. Sc
don't waste yourbrcath misconcciving your object
81 think il viii como without our will or DESIRE
said Lcgrand, "thc north eastcrly wind blows upor
our back, which, however, is better than yesterday
whcn it blew the drixzling rain irto our faces.
scent something like snow in the air.
While thus conr rcrsing, we had reached the brcol
anil rode across it, where it was easily fordabc.-
On the other side We joined the artillery, which
forming tho head of the train, had gained consid
crable start
"Blcss mc.'' exclaimed Roscn, show sharp tn,
wind blowsr' -
With the experienced eve II soldier, L,rusl
looked attcntively the plain. Il offered bn
little variation, extending itself in all directions t.
an immcasurablc distance; nothing interrupted Tho
dead comfortcss grey OF the landscape, but the black
ranges Of pine wood forest at the uttcrmost edge o
the view. The sun had shone for little time, bu
soon the heavens began 10 be darkencl by clouds
s.veral columns of infantry had by degrees over
.,ken the cavalry. wa:ch could proceed but slowly
on account Of tho exhaustion of the horses vari
ous uniforms were mixed together in confusion
Discipline, with regard to regiments, could no Ion
ger be maintained; every one protected himself a
gainst wind and weather rs we'll as he could. B,
many il already found distressing to endure the
tolls Of the march,. While our attention direct
cd to this motley crowd We observed horsemah
among them who appeared TO be an offlcer of rank
Ii was the Polo, Count Rasinski.
"L,ru<h. l. it your he said, riding towards him
and giving him his hand. ~1Ifk
"It is indccd.' answered I.rush, heartily, who
h,d nude it his rule always to exhibit good spirits
when lis men could see and hear hin.
"You are easily satis6cd-wtIl me il has gone
somewhat harvlcr.'' said the Count. "Ons ofmy
c;es has been inaamed since the fire of Moscow
, ] suffer much from it, and thcse damp autunnal
nights have done their best to increase the evil'
tits matter Of but little molncnt, hopc-such
things cease Will, tie cause
Son ct mes. yes; like hunger for instance; if the
cause. however lasts too long, the cure will be too
latc- Such may easily be the ctsc with me- Still,
don't care fg," he continued, after few mo-
ments; zone sees ros much even with one cyc, in
this struggle for safety" ..l.sair S 81.
"fIow so.'' interrupted Lsr,ssh lf siaif
Did you not pass through the battle icld," ask
cd Rasinsk sf ;fof -nite.if
'.No, took bye road with my men, answered
Larush. ssf....e,,., ............
a"You lost nothing by that The whole is still a
hospital. Three thouswd wounded men arc living
there. and will probably remain shudder at the
bare thought Oft For these seven weeks tl,cv
have fingered in agony and wretchedncss. Thcv
half frozen TO death; the greatest part OF thcm
are living upon rotten straw, and in ny cases with
out blankets Scarcely their okl cloaks have been
left them Their wounds dressed With oakum.
atlousI, they are in state Of gangrcne evcnto the
very bones ~ e. - -
"Speak not 50 loud, = said Larush; pictures like
these discourage the men, -. i>arf - e.r.
Pictures unnecessary; they have seen the
miseries themselves. When VIC were marching
through, those who still we're capable of moving
strstched forth their bands, crying. stake US with
you--let us not perish herc.' The rumor that We
were rctrcating had been spread. They had some
comfort in hope bcforc-dcspair is now their por-
tion~ They lsmented and moaned aloud: some Of
them cursed heaven and earth. A dragoon-I re-
cognized him BY tho cloak both Of whose feet had
been smpatated, had crswisd vifh bis miscrsby
dressed stumps 70 Ire shreshhold Of she husn which
he lay, and with raised hands, as pale spectre Of