Marshall County Republican. (Plymouth, Ind.) 1856-1878, 1859-06-16
Ill Co. Republican,
Written for the Marshall Co. Republican,
L 3 i =
OR, THE
RETREAT FROM MOSCOW.
BY MAJOR JOHN F. LAxGESBAUcH, SEN.
CHAPTER XVIII.


flag of trncer' said the Russian.
"You should have waited at proper distance, till
you knew if it please us to receive you," replied
| Larush. alt is against all usages of war to ap-
proach enemy's army as you have DONE
"Take me to your commander" said the officer;
che will listen to my we'll intended offers. Tie
bravest must yield to necessity. You have no al
tentative but capitulation."
| "We shall see about that answered Larush,
we'll assured beforehand of the Marshal's decision.
.'IIcre comes commander, Marshal Ney. That
name may suffice to convince you that you will
waste your words upon the present OCCASION"
The Marshal came. Colonel Larush rode to
meet him. an reported what had passed.
you have done your duty officer and man
of honor" replied Ney;" al would take shame to
myself did hesitate to confirm your words" And
he rode forward and inquired the Russians pleas
ure
! "Marsllal Kutusow sends me, began the officer,
sHe would not offend so renowned warrior and
! general by asking him to lay down his if any
alternative remained open. Upon the surrounding
heights stands eighty thousand men, and one hun
dred pieces of cannon. you doubt my words you
are at liberty to send an officer, whom will conduct
through ranks that he may count our strength"
Il hope to get near enough to your army to count
them myself rcp.i.d Ncy, with flashing eye
/ ..Tcu Prince Kutusow that Marshal Ncy has never
yet surrendered, and the worlds history shall never
record his having done so. Yohdcr is the gaol
which duty and honor assign me; will break a
road tIrough''your ranks, though your forests be-
como armies"
"They ,ciH do so,' replied the Russian. The
words had scarce Ieftis lips when the thunder of
tlcry echoed from the heights in front and on the
left flank, and an iron hail crashed and ratified up
on the cv surface of the plain.
, "'gi,s is neachery.'' cried the Marshal. sterny
as he looked and beheld the hills crowned on all
sides will, leveled guns and dark masses of troops
ssThcre is no parleying under fire. You are my
; prisoncr."
The officer, confoundcd at being thus sacrificed
by the imprudcnce or recklcssncss of his friends
, gave up his sword; uttcring imprccations upon
Kutusow and the Russian army.
take him to the rear." commanded the Mar
shall. General Ricard forward. Attack the enc
my with the bayonet. You shall have the honor
Of opening the road.''
The general, at the head of fifteen hundred men
pressed resolutey forward. This little band wa,
almost lost sight on the immense space that ia,
before them; it seemed nothing short Of midnes:
to undertake to advance againstssss compact mass
ca OF the enemy, which, ike threatning thunder
clouds, came rolling up blacker and dcnscr over the
hills. Bat the Marshal had ordered it, and the
soldiers placed in him unlimited confdesec.
They rushed, therefore. unhcsi;atingly down tn,
steep lecvty into the ravine-thencc to storm tho
opposite heights. The Marshal, in the meantime
flies through the ranks arranging them for the
fct Rasnski galloped up to Colonel Larush, and
brought him the order to with his regiment
now reduced to eighty combatants, the left wing
from the attack oil the Cossacks. The artillery
showed front against the cnemy, aud with its sis
sraall pieces undertook to defend itself against the
overwhelming batteries of the Russians
Thc enemy's first vocy was followed by 81
lencc like that proceeding an outburst of thunder
Soon on the snow covered plain crowds OF men and
horses sprang up far and wide, though. like tho
soldiers Of nus they started out of the ground
, We took our posit'oa few hundred steps to the
sheltered us from the fire Of the cncmy's artillery
but from whence we still had view the whole
t battle ground. Putting hmselfat the head of hi
: men, General Ricart forced his way through tn,
ravine, and proceeded at quick time, and with charg
ed bsyoncts, to storm the Russian batteries on th'
hei ghts of itowa. stream of fire encircled tn,
S horizoa; far as the eye could reach, columns o
smoke CURED up from the hills as if the earth ha'
burst into hundred volcanoes dcafening crasl
. rent The ar--soid ground shook visiby, and q
slower of cannon balls and round shot came whz
zins tlrou III the air, like storm of gigantic hail
: They ratified and tore anon, the ice cakes am
now which covered the field, making them wr
: AMI scatter in a thousand glittering fragments.
One glance at Ric rd's brive fellows was enough
to break the heart for in that single moment one
h,l: ofthcm were dashed to the ground. The still
closed ranks were thnned out in such mannc
that the survivors stood like the trees of well fell
ed forest. Their leader, however, had not fallen
: his voice called together those that spared
and again they rushed up the heights vomiting fortl
C fire and death. second discharge from the bat
tercs, like a raging surge of the sea, again swep
through their ranks. Only few are left standing
and that few. finding it impossible to conquer, rts
back for safety to the ranks oftheir comrades Blu
: Marshal Ncy, at the head Of the main body, is al
. ready in full march on the enemy. In eompac
phaanx. like waving wall, this body of heroes--th
'bravcst ofthe brave" at their head filed with sor
row for the destruction of their brothers. and resolv
ed to sacrifice the last drop Of their hearts blood 70
: revcngc-advance upon the murderous batteries
The enemy also catches the spirit ofthis formidable
attack Their front line, at least three times supc
: ror in numbers-n excellent condition, and com
posed ofstrong, able bodied men, not at all exhaust
ed by hardslp-march against the venturous assail
ants, in proud anticipation of outfanking and dcs
troyins them all. The moment had now arrived 70
the Dragons to act Larush with his small trool
6 rushed through the hollow, up the hill to the left
and threw himself on the enemy's right flank. A
similar movement was made against the left, by
few hundred Illyrian light sci
zcs the enemy at seeing this. The daring conf
dence of the sssaants weakens his reliance on him
self; he halts-he wavers. Then Ncy dashes upor
the osclatng lines with his exasperatcd soldiers
throws them into disorder breaks them, and chase
them before him mountain torrent overflowin,
its banks. Trirmphantly he rushes forward on the