The western Democrat. [volume] (Charlotte, N.C.) 1852-1870, 1859-04-12
NAPOLEON'S OLD GUARDS.
The Final Charge at Wdterloo.

NapoleOns Old Guard gained by their many
instances of desperate bravery an immortality in
history; but their grand crowning act was their
desperate charge at Waterloo, which has few paral-
lels in ancient or modern warfare They fought
for their adored Emperor and to retrieve the
evil fortunes Of the day, and they felt as though
to do so would secure them immortal glory and
eternal bliss in the world Of spirits.
The most graphic and stirring accounts of that
last fearful and fatal struggle that have is
from a recently published French work. It reads
like War itself:
"During the day the artillery of the Guard un-
der Drouet maintained its old renown, and the
guard had frequently been useful itself to restore
the battle in various parts Of the field, and always
with success. The English were fast becoming
exhausted and in an hour would doubtless have
been forced into disastrous defeat, but for the
timely aid of Butcher. But when they saw him
with his 10000 Prussians approaching courage re-
vived, while Napoleon was filled with amazement.
A beaten enemy about to form a junction with
the Allies, while Grouchy, who had been absent
to keep them in check where to be seen.
Alas what plans a single inefficient command can
overthrow.
In a moment Napoleon saw that he could not
sustain the attack Of SO many fresh troops if
allowed to form junction with the allied forces,
and he determined to stake his fate on one bold
cast and endeavored to pierce the allied centre
with one bold charge of the old Guard, and thus
to throw himself between the two armies. For
this purpose the Imperial Guard was called up and
divided into immense columns, which were to meet
the British centre. Those under Reile
entered the fire than it disappeared like mist.
The other was given to Ney, and the order g ven
to advance. Napoleon accompanied them part of
the way down the slope and halting for few
moments in hollow, addressed them in few
II, Al lo++l toG how,
and that he relied on their valor, tried in so many
fields 'Viver Empereurv answered him. with
shout that was heard above the thunder of artillery
The whole continental struggle exhibited no
sublimer spectacle than the last effort of Napoleon
to save his sinking empire. The greatest military
skill and energy the world ever possessed had been
taxed to the utmost during the day The intense
anxiety with which he watched the advance of that
column the terrible suspense he endured when
the smoke of battle wrapped it from sight, and
the utter despair of his great heart when the cur
tain lifted over fugitive army, and the despair
ing shrek rang out, "The guard recoils The
guard recos make us for a moment forget all the
carnage.in sympathy for his distress.
The Old Guard felt the pressure of the immense
responsibility, and resolved not to prove unworthy
of the great trust committed to it. Nothing could
be more imposing than its movement to the assault.
1t had never recoiled before human foe, and the
allied forces beheld with awe its firm, steady ad-
vance to the final charge For moment the bat
terics stopped playing and the firing ceased along
the British lines as without the beating of drum
or buge note to cheer their steady courage, they
moved in dead silence over the field. Their tread
was like muffled thunder, while the dazzling hel-
NETS of the cuirassiers flashed long streams of
light behind the dark and terrible body that swept
in one strong mass along. The stern Drouet was
there amid his guns and on every brow was written
the unalterable resolution to conquer or to die
The next moment the artillery and the head Of
that gallant column seemed to sink in the earth
Rank after rank went down, yet they neither stop
red nor filtered Dissolving squadrons and whole
battalions disappearing after another in the des
tructive fire affected not their steady courage
The ranks closed up as before and each treadng
over his comrade pressed unainchingly on.
The horse which Ney rode fell under him, and
scarcely had he mounted another before it also
sank to the earth and so another and another until
five in succession had been shot under him. Then
with his drawn sabre he marched sternly at the
head of his column. In vain did the artillery hur
its storm of iron into the living mass Up to the
very muzzle they pressed, and driving the very
artillery men from their pieces, pushed on through
the English lines But just as the victory seemed
won, file of soldiers who had lain fat the
ground, behind low rid dge of earth, suddenly rose
and poured VOlley into their very faces. Another
and another followed until one broad sheet of fame
rolled on their bosons, and in such fierce and
unexpected blow that they staggered before it
Before the Guard bad time to rally and advance, a
heavy column of infantry fell on its left flank, in
close and deadly voeys causing it, in its unsettled
state, to swerve to the ight At that instant
whole brigade of cavalry thundered the right
flank, and penetrated where cavalry had never
gone before
The intrepid Douret could have borne up under
the unex pected fire from soldiers whom they did
not see and would have rolled back the infantry
that had charged its left flank, but the cavalry
finished the disorder in which they had been
thrown, and broke the shaken ranks
before they had time to reform and the eagles OF
that hitherto invincible Guard were pushed back
ward down the slope. 1t was then the army
seized with despair shrieked out: ''The Guard
recoils The Guard recoils ~ turned and fed in
dismav To see the Guard in confusion
they had never seen before, and it froze
every heart with terror Still those veterans refus-
to fly; rallying from their disorder they formed
two immense squares of eight battalons. and turn
ed fercely on the enemy and ably strove to stem
the adverse tide of battle. For long time they
stood ard let the cannon ball plough through their
ranks disdaining to turn their backs to the foe.
Michel at the head of those batallions, fought like
a lon To every command Of the enemy to sur
render he replied. The Guard dies-it never
surrenders = and with his last breath bequeathlng
this glorious motto to the Guard, he fell witness
TO its truth Death traversed these eight battal-
lions with such rigid footsteps, that they soon