The Camden weekly journal. [volume] (Camden, South-Carolina) 1853-1861, 1860-10-09
The Old Guard.

III Ills unc CoT Tps Vi NapOlcoH HIS 8itilCu aiiliOSl
immortality; but their grand crowning act was
their desperate charge at Waterloo, which has
few parallels in ancient or modern warfare
They fought for their adorcd Emperor and to
retrieve the evil fortunes of the day they fell,
as though to do so would secure them imrnor-
tai glory and eternal bliss in the world of
spirits.-Thc most graphic and stirring account
OF that last fearful and fatal struggle, that we
have seen, is from recently published French
work, this is it:
During the day, the Artillery Of the Guard,
under Dronct maintained its old rcnown, and
the Guard itself had frequently been used to
restore the battle i'll 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 disas.
truus defeat, but for the timely arrival of
Blucl,er. But when they saw him, with 80
600 Prussians approaching, their courage re-
vivcd, while Napoleon was filled with amaze
mcnt. IL beaten enemy was about to form
Junction with the allies, Groucly, who, had been
sent to keep them in check, was nowhere to he
seen. Alas! what great plans a single ncfi-
cicnt commander can overthrow.
In moment Napoleon saw that he could
not sustain the attack Of so many fresh troops,
if once allowed TO form junction with the
allied force, and he determined 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 arulics.--For this purpose the Imperial
Guard was called up and divided into immense
columns, which were to meet in the British
centre. That under Rcillc no sooner entered
the fire than it disappeared like mist. The
other was placed under Ney, "thc bravest of
the brave" and the order to advance given.
Napoleon accompanied them part O. the way
down the slope, and halting for few moments
i'll the hollow, addressed them few words.
Lie told them that the battle rested with them,
aud that he relied on their valor, tried in SC,
many fields "Vive rEmpcror," answered him
with shout that was heard above the lhsnder
of the artillery.
The whole continental struggle exhibited no
sublimer spectacle than the las: effort of
Napoleon to save his sinking. empire. The
greatest military skill and c1crgy the world
possessed, had been taxed IS the utmost during
that day.-1hrones werc/tottcring on the tur-
bulcnt field, and the shadows Of fugitive kings
fitted through the sJGokc Of the battle, Bona
parties star tr':nbledin the zenith; now blazing
anyious ava H. r sn"o' NV" p ,tt .,;aI =. ;ai
he watched ,4ho odranc,. of that co,nnr nnd
the terrikin susnrnsn h, endnr.I whom tbo
smoke sf tho b,tfi,. w,.,nnrd il from s;gLt and
the utter despair Of hi, arpat heart wien the
curtain hIteu over tGpitiye army. and the
8ssna riuo sbri.k rurg ont aILc Guards
,srecoII tHe Guard, rcc1;iw make us for q
moment. torret all the carnare in svmpathv
with his distress
TLa Giif$d.Ssia f., .l,o nrasonoo of.lo -,
,nd ris nat t r,,o,s
IF tae 5rTsstest trnst -
i Not;na. ,nnlS n,
noynn,e,ts r. ta hi nsres IA
,.o;,sJ bStora. -
eie9d wilfi awe its nrlii, steady advance to tll
iral charge. For a moment the batteries
stopped playing and the firing ceased along the
British lines, as, without the beating Of dram
or bngle note to cheer their steady courage,
they moved in silence over the field. Their
tread WAS like mrfled thunder, while the
lines ol light upon The dark and terrible mass
that SWGf!s III ono Strong wave a.OuG.
The stern Drouet was then amid his gums,
and on every brow WAS written the unal,crab.c
resolution to couquur or die. The next mo-
mcnt the aryilicrv opened, and the head of that
pal.anL coiIlin seemed to sink into the Garth.
Rank after rA;,k weit down. vet thev neither
stooped nor lal,crcd. Dis, solving s1uadrons
and wLo.e La,ta:ions disappcarips one after
.nuth.r IN the destructive fire. affected not
their COURAGE. The ranks closed IN as before
and each treadius over his fallen comrade,
nasseL uua;ucl,iuoIy ON.
Tie horse that Ney rode sank under him,
and scarcely had he mounted another before
it asv sank to the earth, and 50 another and
another Till five in succession had been shot
under hm.-Then, with drawn sabre, he
marched sternlv at the head of his column.
In vain did the artillery hur its storm of iron
upon that living mass. Up to thcycrv muzzlc
tlcy pressed, and driving tic artillcrrmen from
tbcr paccs pushed OH through the Engish
lines But, lust as the victory seemed won, Il
file of soldiers who Law fiat ON the ground be-
hind Iilpc Of earth, suddenly rose and poured
yoIlcy in their very face-anothcr and
another followed. till one broad sheet of flame
rolled on their bosoms. and in such fierce
and unrynrc;cJ t1ow that ,hrv starrered before
- i 90, 60 H. ;