Anti-slavery bugle. [volume] (New-Lisbon, Ohio) 1845-1861, 1860-07-07
LAST CHARGE OF THE CID GUARD.

A new French work gives the following grand
pen picture of the last desperate charge of Napo.
old Guard at Waterloo:
During the day the artillery of the Guard, under
Drouet, maintained its old rencwn, and the Guard
itself had frequently been used to restore the battle
in various parts Of the field, and always with sue.
cess. The English were fast becoming exhausted,
and in an hour more would have been forced in a
disastrous defeat, but for the timely arrival of
Butcher. Blu: when they saw him with 80, 900
Prussians, approaching, their courage revived,
while Napoleon was filled With amazement. A
beaten enemy about to form a junction with the
allies, while Grouchy, who had been sent to keep
them in check, was nowhere to be seen! Alas !
what great plans a single inefficient commander
can overthrow
In a moment Napoleon saw that he could not
sustain the attack of SO many fresh troops, if once
allowed to form a junction with the allied forces;
and he determined to stake his fate on one bold
cast, and endeavored to pierce the allied centre
with a grand charge Of the Old Guard, and thus
throw bimsels between the two armies. For this
purpose the Imperial Guard was called up, and
divided into two immense columns, which we're to
meet in the British centre. That under Raille no
sooner entered the fire than 1t disappeared like
mist. The other was placed under Ney, the
bravest of the brave and order to advance given.
Napoleon accompanied them part of the way
down the slope, and hating a few moments in the
hollow, addressed them a few words. He told
them that the battle rested with them, that he re-
lied on their valor, tried in SO many fields. 'Vive
PEmpereur = answered him with q shout that was
heard above the thunder Of the artillery.
The whole continental struggle exhibited no
sublimer spectacle than the last effort OF Napoleon
to save his sinking empire. The greatest military
skill and energy the world ever possessed had
been taxed to the utmost during the day. Thrones
were lettering on the turbulent field, and the shad-
ows of fugitive kings fitted through the smoke oil
the field of battle. Bonaparte's star trembling
in the zenith-now blazing out in its ancient
splendor, now paling before his anxious eye. The
intense anxiety with which he watched the ad
vance of that column, and the terrible suspense he
endured when the smoke of the battle wrapped il
from his sight, and the utter despair of his grear
heart when the curtain lifted over a fugitive army
AMI the Departing shrek rang out The GuarC
r%ecoils ! the Guard recoils ? makes us for 9
moment forget all the carnage in sympathy witt
his distress.
The Old Guard felt the presence Of the immenst
responsibility, and resolved not to prove unwor
thy o! the great trust committed to it. Nothinp
could be more imposing than its movement to thu
assault. 1t had never recoiled before a human
foe, and the allied forces beheld with awe it's firm
and steady advance to the final charge. For &
moment the batteries stopped playing and tn,
firing ceased along the British line, as without tbt
beating of a drum or a bugle note to cheer ,heii
courage, they moved in dead silence over the field
Their tread was like mufaod thunder, while the
dazzling helmets of the cuirassiers flashed long
iines Of light upon the dark and terrible mass thai
swept 10 one strong wave along. The sterr
DrouOs was then amid his guns, and on evsrJ
brow was written the unalserabls resolution to