Anti-slavery bugle. [volume] (New-Lisbon, Ohio) 1845-1861, 1860-07-07
AN TI-SLAVERY BUGLE.

conquer or die. Tho next moment the artillery
opened, and the bead Of that gallant column SEEM
ed to sink into the earth. Rank after raDl went
down; yet they neither stopped nor faltered. Dis
solving squadrons and whole battalions disappear
ing one after another in the destructive fire, afec-
ted not their courage. The ranks closed up as be-
fore, and each treading over his fallen comrades,
passed unfinchinsly on.
The horse which Ney rode sank under him, and
scarcely had he mounted another before il also
sank to the earth, and so another and another,
till Eve in succession had been shot under him.
Then with his drawn sabre he marched sternly
ct the head of his column. In vain did the artil-
lery hurl its storm of iron upon that living mass.
Up to tho very muSzle they pressed, and driving
the artillerymen from their pieces, pushed on
through the English line. But, just as the victory
seemed won, a file of soldiers who lay fiat on the
ground, behind a ridge Os earth, suddenly rose
and poured q volley in their very faces, Another
and another followed, till one broad sheet of fame
rolled on their bosons, and in such a fierce and
unexpected flow that they staggered before it. Be-
fore the Guard had time to rally again and ad-
vance, a heavy column of infantry fell ON its left
flank in close and deadly volley, causing il, in its
unsettled state, to swerve to the right. At that
instant a whole brigade of cavalry thundored on
the right flank, and penetrated where cavalry had
never gone before.
The intrepid Guard could have borne up
against the unexpected fire from solries they did
not see, and would have rolled back the infantry
that had boldly charged their left flank; but the
cavalry finished the disorder into which they had
Ionn nnareontor;f, l.Ar- n~g b,ol.h 49, rIo4or
ranks before they had time to reform, and the
eagles Of the hitherto invincible Guard were push
ed backwar down the slope. 1t was then thu
army, seized with despair, shrieked out: 'Tht
Guard recoils ! the Guard recoils = and turned
and fed in wild dismay. To see the Guard il
confusion was q sight they had never before be
held, and 1T froze every heart with terror.
For a long time they stood and let the cannon
balls pass through their ranks, disdaining to turr
their backs on the foe. Michel, at the head o
those battalions, fought like a lion. To ever.
command Of the enemy to surrender, he replied
The Guard dies-but never surrenders = And
with his last breath bequeathing this gloriou
motto to the Guard, he fell a witness to its truth
Death traversed those eight battalions with sue
rapid footsteps that they soon dwindled away t
two, which turned in hopeless daring on the ovel
whelming numbers that pressed on their r%e!irin
footsteps.
Last Of all but a single battalion, the debris G
the column of granite at Marengo, was left. Int
this Napoleon flung himself. Cambreuil, its BRAY
commander, saw with terror the Emperor in Il
frail keeping. lie was not struggling now 70
victory; he was intent only on showing how tn
Guard could die. Approaching the Emperor, h
cried out Retire! Do you not see that deaf
has no need of you p and, closing mournfully bu
sternly round the expiring eagles, those brav
hearts babe Napoleon an eternal adieu, and, fins
ling themselves on the enemy, were soon pile
with the dead at their feet.
Many of the officers were seen to destroy then
selves rather than suffer defeat. Thus, create
even in its own defeat than any other corps
men in gaining q victory, the Old Guard passe
from the stage, and the curtain dropped upon i
strange career. 1t had fought its last battle.