The Cecil Whig. [volume] (Elkton, Md.) 1841-current, 1860-07-21

as before, and each trcading over his falling
conradc, passed unllnchnely on.
The horse that Ney rode sank under him,
and scarcely had he mounted another, before
1t aSo sunk to the earth. and SO another and
another, ill five in succession had been shot
under him. Then with his drawn sa bre 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 arti-
lcrynen from their places, pushed on through
the English lines. But, just as the victory
seen cd won. a Tile Of soldiers who lay fiat on
the ground behind ridge Of earth, suddenly
,oSe and poured volley in their very face
Another and another followed. till one broad
sheet Of flame rolled on their boso,ns, and in
such fierce and unexpected fl>w that they
staggered before it. Before the Guard had
tine TO rally again and advance, heavy
column o? infantry fell on its left flank in
close and deadly vollcys, causing it. in its
unsettled state, to swervc to the right. At
that instant whole brigade Of cavalry lhun
dcrcd on the right flank, and penetrated
where cavalry had never gone before.
The intrepid Guard could have horne up
against the unexpected fire from soldiers they
dld not see, aud would have rolled back I'd the
infantry that had boldly charged their left
Hank, but the cavalry finished the disorder
INTO which they had been nomenarily thrown.
aud broke tn. shaken tanks before they had
tune to reform, and the Gag les Of that hitherto
invlnclblc Guard were pushed backward over
the slope. 1t was then the army, seized
with despair, Shrieked out, THE Guard
recolls! !" " The Guard recoili !" and turned
and fled in wild lisnay. To see the Guard
IN confusion was sight they had never
before hrhcld, and it foZc every heart with
terror.
For long time they stood and let the
cannon balls pass through their ranks, dis
dninlng to turn their backs on their foe
Michel, at the head Of those hattalions,
fought like a lion. TO every command of the
enemy to Surrender, he replies, :. The Guard
dies but never surreudcrs.' And as with
his last breath bcqncathng this glorious
motto 10 the Guard, he fell a wi;ntss to the
truth. Death tta'erscd those cgh, baltalion>
with such rapid footsteps, that they soon
cwlndrd away 10 two, which turned its
hopeless daring on the Overwhelming number
that pressed their retiring footsteps.
Last OF all but single battalion, the
debris of" the column Ofgrani'e "al Marengo,
was left. Into this Napoleon flung hmself.-
CambIenne, its brave commander, saw with
terror the Emperor il its frai keeping. He
was not struggling for victory, he was intent
on showing how the Guard die. APPROACH
ing the Emperor. he cried out: Retire =
DO you not ste that death has no need of you?"
and closing mourniuly. yet stcrnly, round
the expiring eagles, those brave hearts babe
NapoleoE an eternal adieu, and tlnsing them
selves on ,he enemy, were soon piled with the
dead at their feet.
Many OF the officers we're seen TO destroy
themselves rather than suffer defeat. Thus
greater even in its own defeat than any other
corps OF men IN gaining victory, the Old
Guard passed from the stage, and the curtain
dropped upon its Strange career. 1t had
fought its last battle.