The River Falls journal. (River Falls, Pierce County, Wis.) 1857-1861, 1860-08-08

through the smoke OF the ne'd oi o''itf.
Bouaua,t:'s star trcmbied in the zenitl--
nov blazing out in its IN ,ie"t srlendor,
now pal,ug before his ANXIOUS yT: The
intense anxiety witt, which lie watched
the advance of that column, and III ter
riIe suspens he endured wien the smoke
of battle wrapped it from sight and tie
utter despair Of his great heart when the
curtain lifted over fugitive army, art
the ,lesnairiug shrek rung out. HE
Guard recoi.s, the Guard reeQlls ! makes
n, for moment forget all the carnage IN
sympathy viii, his distress.
The Old Gunrd t.ft the presence OF the
immense responsibility. aud resolved mol
!, n,ove unworthy of the greatest trust
committed to it. Nothing could be more
imposing than its movements 20 the as
s,,,t. Ithad never reeoiicd before hu-
non foe and the :llied forces beheld
will, awe its fam aud steady advance to
the final Charge. For moment the bat
ter.s stopped PLAYING and the firing cehs-
ed along the Britished lines, rs, without
the beating Of q drum, ora b"gIe note |"
cheer their sturdy courage, they moved
in dead silence over the field. Their tread
was like muffled thunder, while the daz-
z.ing helmets Of tho cuirassenrs flashed
leuo lines of light upon the dark anu tel
yb,e mass that swept III ono strong wave
along. The stern Drouct was then ami"
his o. MS, AMI on every bow was written
the unalteraLe resolution to Conquer OF
die. The next moment the artillery
opeaecl, and the head of that gallant col
n,nn seemed 10 sink into the earth. Rank
after rank went down, yet th'y neither
stnnned nor f.tered. Dssolying squad
rous and whole battaions disappearing
one after another in the Obstructive fire,
affected not their courage. Tho ranks
closed up as before, and each treadlng
oyer his fallen comrade, passed unfiincn-
ing on. ..
The horse which Ney rode sank under
him. and scarcely had he mounted anoth-
err before it also sank to the earth, and S"
another, till five ir succession had been
shot under him. Then with his drawn
satire lie marched sternly at the head OF
has column. In vain did the artillery
hurl its storm of iron upon that living
mass. Up to the very muzzle they press
ed, and driving the ar iliery men from
their places, pushed, on through tn Eng
ISL lines. just as the victory seemed
won, q file of soldiers who lag flat on the
ground, behind ridge of earth, sudden,
~ rose and poured ayolley in their ser,
face. Another aud another followed, TIL
one broad sheet of fame rolled on then
blossoms, and in such tiarco aud uneX
pected fl.w that they staggered before 1t.
Before the Guard had time to rally again
and advance, heavy column OF ID
fantry fell on its left flank III e.oae aud
deadly voleys, causing it, in its unsettled
state, to swerve to the right. AT that IN
slant whole brigade of cavalry thunder
ed on the right flank, and penetiat-
ed where cavalry had never gone be
fore.
The inte1ld guard could have borne NJ
against the unexpected fire from soldiers
they did not see. and would have rolled
back the infatry that had boldly charged!
lis left funk, Tut the cavalry finished the
disorder into which they had been mo
,nentaril, thrown, and broke the shaken
ranks te.ore they had time to reform,
aud the eagles to that hitherto invincible
Guard were pushed backward down the
S.une. II Was tfifh eilS 1'iutt Se'No' ~"
,lesrair. shreked out-.rhe Guard re-
coils and turned and fled in disinav.-
TO see tie guard in confusion was asieht
they had never before bekoll, anl it f-oze
every heart with terror.
For long time. they stood and let the
cannon balls pass through their ranks,
disdainng to turn their backs on the foe.
Michel, at the head Of these batta,ions,
fought like a lion. To every demand of
t! enemy to.urreuder. he replied, The
Guard dies. Int never surrenders.' And
rs With his lost breath he bequea he | Ibis
glorious motto to the Guard, he fell a
witness to its truth. Death traversed
these eight battall;ons with such rapid
foot steps bat they soon dmindlea and
died away to two, which turned in hope
less daring Oh the over whelming num-
Der that pressed their retiring foot
steps. qse E
Last of all but single battalion, the
debris Of the column Of gsenite,' at Mar
engo, was left. Into this Napoleon flung
himself. Cambrone, it, brave o,mnan.