The Ashland union. [volume] (Ashland, Ashland County, Ohio) 1854-1868, 1859-04-27


brave brother companions, the attention of Da-
voust was arrested by the voice of soldier who,
covered with blood, and endeavoring to extri-
cate himself from heap of carnage, that sur
rounded him, feebly exclaimed, Heavens !
have my friends left me here to die without
succorW
1t was Koblinski Davoust Immediately r. /.
cognized him. and learing from his horse, gent
ly raised him in his arms, cheered his droop-
ing spirits and dispatched a messenger for the
surgeon general On his arrival with his as
| sistants, he examined the wounds, and, glance
| with the marshal, told more eloquentiy than
words could convey, how slight were the hopes
entertained for the recoveryof the unfortunate
Pole. r +.
"It is soldiers fate," said Davoust, with
emotion Gentlemen, exert your skill to the
utmost" @
The effect of the bullet had been such as to
make amputaton necessary, which the brave
Pole bore with fortitude, the prince remaining
by his side during the operation. The wound
being dressed, he embraced the sufferer, and
81 oke in tones of hope and encouragement /;
and having recommended him to the care of a
few whom he could confde in, mounted his
horse to join the Emperor, who waited with
impatience.
! After attending a council of war, composed
of the principal generals of the army, and hav
| ing received instructions as to the future line
of march, Davoust retired to his quarters. AL
ready the two first divisions of the two first
corps were in movement, when an officer, whom
he had sent to enquire after the state of Ko-
blenski, returned and Informed him that he
still survived, and with proper care, might re-
| cover. The marshal was overjoyed at the in
telligencc, but he was perplexed as to the best
means of conveying him to Smolensk, the wa
gons being in the rear, and already filled to ex-
cess. A sudden thought started to his mind
and placing himself in front of the forty eighth
regiment as they defled, he addressed a COM
pany of old grenadiers of the first battalion:
"Grenadicrs," said he, "my aide-de-camp
| Colonel Koblenski yesterday severely
wounded while showing you an example of
courage and obedience Heis Pole. Would
you wish to leave him to the Russians ?"
"No, mol Long live the Pole!" cried the
soldiers
"Vivc rEmpereur !'' cried they who had
not fully comprcheuded the words of the mar
shall.
"Listan, then" said Davoust 'Are there
amongst this company, which have selected,
| four men whe:are willing to undertake the re-
sponsible task which l shall impose? p
| AT this Invitation "a .grenadier stepping from
the ranks, exelaimed, briskly, "HereF' He
was Immediately followed by a dozen others:
all the company did the same.
| L
/ first spoken. demanded his name.
"Joseph Trieaud." -.-.-.
"SNelI, 'Trigand, it is to you that confde
my aide-de-camp Thou and thy comrades
shall be answerable for him. Soldiers, guard
him rs you would your colorsp p'
"Yes. yes! Vive FEmperer! We are re-
sponsible!'' cried all the grenadiers.
A litter was immediately constructed, on
which the Pole was laid and carried to the cen
!
its march.
In the mean time, the retreat of the main
body of the army, commenced at first in good
order, soon presented, from the intensity of the
cold, frightful aspect of disorganization, sell
fshness and misery. The company of grena-
diers slowly pursued their course, and were
soon isolated amidst the immense plains cover
ed with the wrecks of the army. Sometimes
in square, with the litter of ;Koblenski, in
the centre, they repulsed with the bayonet the
dragons of Miloradowitch, or returned the
unexr ected attacks of Platow with a whitening q
fre--eFer acting on the defensive, but always
calm, silent, and steady. By these means their
numbers had gradually diminshed and when,
on the Both of October they reached the vi
azma, out of the entire COM pany of grenadiers.
not noye than thirty survived. Still these
brave men, abandoned and left to themselves,
preserved amidst the general discomfort, that
moral force which conquers even events. 1t
was their honor and not their lives that they
sought to defend. It was sufficient for them
that one of the most illustrious marshals of the
| Emperor had said to them, ITO your honor and
bravery confde my aide e-camp; you are to
restore him to me-" These words had acted as
a talisman, which had not lost its force under
the pressure of misery, privation and even
death.
After three weeks of continual hardship,
the few men who remained of the heroic and
devoted company secuted with disdain, and
looked upon affront the repeated prayers
and solicitations of the Pole, who, seeing him
self the cause of SO many sacrifices and suffer
ings, had besought them to save themselves by
at once putting an end to his misery.
'Thou art but coward" said he to Tri
gaud, ''who will not dare to do what ask-to
shoot me through the head"
"Colonel,' said Trigaud with stoical indiffer-
ence, tyou may charge me with such, if you
please, but laugh at it. Dead or alive, we
shall carry you to Smolensk. 1t is the order o.
the marshal, and he ever requires that his or
ders should be ebeyel."
"If you had buried me yesterday in the
snow, when attacked by the Cossacks, should
ere to-day have suffered no more"
THE Cossacks would have dis: :ntersd anc
have burned you alive" replied Trig aud, who
during the previous night had made his OWL
body protection to the wounded man. sThess
eaters of candles would rejoice to have your
skin; but they must take mine frst-iti is ready
for them. Oh the savages "
"You are but coward" repeated the Pole
in a feverish transport, which shook the litter
on which he lay.
''Be calm, be calm, my colonel; you know
that the carbincs of the marshal have ere nov
taught the necessity of obedience Why ther
do you wrong us by speaking these disagreea
bic things? However, it is all equal to me,
shall not reply to you"
He who had spoken thus nearly perished
with all his companons, in she passage of the
) Voss, while endeavoring to protect the sacred
, deposit conided to them The waters of tht
: torrent were, within twenty four hours changed
! into sharp and bristling masses of ice; owing
to that circumstance, but few of the grena
, diers reached the opposite bank Some day: