Cincinnati daily press. [volume] (Cincinnati [Ohio]) 1860-1862, 1860-05-02
The Last Charge orNapoieOn's Old Guard


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The Last Charge ofNapoleon's Old Guard.
Napoleon's "0ld Guard" gained by their
many desperate instances of bravery, an i'm
mortality in history; but their grand CROWN
ing was their desperate charge at Waterloo,
which hasfew parallels in ancient and modern
warfare. They fought for their adored En-
peror, and to retrieve the evil fortunes of the
day, they fell as though to do so would secure
them immortal glory and eternal bliss in the
world of spirits. The most graphic and stir
ring account of that last fearful and fatal
struggle, that we have seen, is from re-
Gently published French work. 1t reads like
war itself-this is il:
Durinp the day the artillery Of the Guard,
under DTouet maintained its old renown, and
the Guard itself had frequently been used to
restore the battle in various parts OF the field,
and always with success. The English were
fast becoming exhausted, and in an hour
moro would doubtless have been forced into
disastrous defeat, but for the timely arrival of
Blucher. But when they saw him, with
30 600 Prussians approaching, their courage
revived, while Napoleon was filled with
amazement. A beaten enemy about to form
aiunction with the allies while Grouchy
who had been sent to keep them in check,
was now here to be seenl Alasl what great
plans single inefficient commander can
overthrow.
In a moment Napoleon saw that he could
not sustain the attack ofso many fresh troops
il 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 center with grand charge of the
Old Guard, and thus throw himself between
the two armies. For this purpose the I'm
perial Guard was called up and divided into
two immense columns, which were to meet
in the British center. That under Reille no
sooner entered the fire than 1t disappeared
like mist. The other was placed under Ney,
"the bravest of the brave, and the order to
advance given. Napoleon accompanied them
part of the way down the slope, and halting
for few moments in the hollow addressed
them a few words. He told them that the
battle rested with them, and that he relied
on their valor, tried in so many fields
"Vivi pEmpereur," answered him with a
shout that was heard above the thunder ofthe
artillery.
The whole continental struggle exhibited
no sublimer spectacle than the last effort of
Napoleon to save his sinking empire. The
greatest military skill andl energy the world
possessed had been taxed to the utmost during
the day. Thrones were tottering on the
turbulent field, and the shadows Of fugitive
kings fitted through the smoke of the field
of battle. Bonaparte's star trembling in the
2enith-now blazing out in its ancient splen-
dor, now paling before his anxious eye. The
intense anxiety with which he watched the
advance of that column, and terrible suspense
he endured when the smoke of the battle
wrapped it from sight, and the utter despair
of his great heart when the curtain lifted
over fugitive army, and the despiring shrek
rung out wrhe Guard recoilsl the Guard re-
coils" make us for moment forget all the
carnage in sympathy with his distress.
The Old Guard felt the presence of the i'm
mense responsibility, and resolved not to
prove unworthy of the greatest trust COM
mitted to it. Nothing could be more i'm
posing than its movements to the assault. 1t
had never recoiled before human foe and
the allied forces beheld with awe its firm and
steady advance to the final charge. For a
moment the batteries stopped playing and
the firing ceased along the British lines, as,
without the beating of drum, or bugle
note to cheer their steady courage, they
moved in dead silence over the field. Their
tread was like mufled thunder, while the
dazzling helmets of the cuirasseurs flashed
long lines of light upon the dark and terrible
mass that swept in one strong wave along.
The stern Drouet was then amid his guns,
and on every brow was written the unaltera-
BILE resolution to conquer or die. The next
moment the artillery opened, and the head of
that gallant column seemed to sink into the
earth. Rank after rank went down, yet
they neither stopped nor faltered. Dissolving
squadrons and whole batalions disappearing
one after another in the destructive fire, af-
fected not their, courage. The ranks closed
UP as before, and each tire ding over his fallen
comrade, passed unfit g-on.=-
The horse which Ney re sank under him
and scarcely had he mounted mother before
it also sank to the earth, and SO another and
another till five in succession had been shot
nnder him. Then with his drawn sabre he
marched sternly at the head of his column.
In vain did the artillery hurl its storm of
iron upon that living mass. Up TO the very
muzzle they pressed, and driving the artillery
men from their places, pushed on through
the English lines. But just as the victory
seemed won, file of soldiers who lay fiat on
the ground, behind ridge of earth, suddenly
rose and poured volley in their very face.
Another and another followed, till one broad
sheet of flame rolled on their. bosoms, and in
such fierce and unexpected flow that they
staggered before it, Before the Guard had
time to rally again and advance, a heavy
column Of infantry fell on its left flank in
close and deadly volleys, causing it, in its
unsettled state, to swerve to the right. At
that instant a whole brigade of cavalry thun-
dered on the right flank, and penetrated
where cavalry had never gone before
The intrepid guard could have borne up
against the unexpected fire from soldiers
they did not see, and would have rolled back
the infantry that had boldly charged its left
flank, but the cavalry finished the disorder
into which they had been momentarily
thrown and broke the shaken ranks before
they had time to reform, and the eagles OF
that hitherto invincible Guard were pushed
backward down the slope. II was then the
army, seized with despair, shrieked out
"The Guard recoilsl' 'Sfhe Guard recoilsl'i
and turned and fed in wild dismay. To see
the Guard in confusion was sight they had
never before beheld, and it froze every heart
with terror.
For long time they stood and let the can
non balls pass through their ranks disdainine
TO turn their backs on the foe. Michel, al
the head of those battalions, fought like q
lion. To every command of the enemy to
surrender, he replied, "The Guard dies-but
never surrenders" And as with his last
breath bequeathed this glorious motto 70 the
Guard, he fell witness to its truth. Death
traversed those eight battalions with such
rapid footsteps, that they soon dwindled
away to two, which turned in hopeless darinRs
on the overwhelming number that pressed
their retiring footsteps.
Last of all but single battalion, the debris
of Hthe column of granite" at Marengo, was
left. Into this Napoleon flung himself Cam
brenne, it's brave commander, saw with ter
ror the Emperor, in its frail keeping. He wal
moi stru0QlinQ for victory, he was intent on