New Orleans daily crescent. [volume] ([New Orleans, La.]) 1851-1866, 1860-04-23
Hapoteon,s Old Guard.

4 Map0tS0N7S 0f& Guard.
--a--4ss--44-.- 4.9a5s
| NapoIeon's g Old Guard y gained BY their many
desperate instances of bravery an immortality ID
| history; but their grand erowni1g was their dos
perate charge at Waterloo, which has few paFsI-
Iels in ancient and modern warfare. They fought
for their adored Emperor and TO retrieve the evil
fortunes of the day, they fell as though to do 40
would secure them immortal glory and eternal
stirring account Of that last fearful and fatal strn
gie that we have seen, Is from recently published
French work. 1t reads like war itseif-this - a.:
During the day the artillery of the Guard, under
Drouet, maintained its old renowns and the Guard
itself had frequently been used 10 restore the bat
tie in various parts Of the field, and always with
success. The English were fast becoming e.
hausted, and in an hour more would doubtless have
been forced into disastrous defeat, but for the
timely arrival Of Butcher. But when they saw
him, with 80 600 Prussfans approaching, theft
age revived, while Napoleon was 6lied with amaze
ment. a beaten enemy about to form junction
with the allies, while Grouchy who had been sent
to keep them in check, was nowhere to be seem
Alas! what great plans q single inefficient COM
In moment Napoleon saw that he could not sus-
tain the attack Of SO many fresh troops i once al
lowed to form junction with the allied force, aHd
he determined to stake his fate on one bold cast,
and endeavor to pierce the allied center with q
grand charge Of the Old Guard, and thus throw
himself between the two armies. For this pur-
pose the Imperial Guard was called up and divided
into two immense columns, which were to meet in
the British center That under Rele no sooner
entered the fire than II disappeared like mist The
other was placed under Ney, the brayest Of the
brave and the order to advance given. Napoleon
accompanied them part Of the way down the slope,
and hating fora few moments IN the hollow ad-
| dressed them fey words. He told them that the
valor, tried IN 80 many aelds e Vivi lEmpereur,
! answered him with shout that Was heard shove
the thunder Of the artillery. % q Sc 80
4 The whole continental struggle exhibited M
sublfmer spectacle than the last EFFORT Of Nauoess.
to save his sinking empire. The greatest military
skill and energy the world possessed had heens
tottering on the turbulent field, and The shadow
Of fugitive kings fitted through the smoke III tie
field of battle. Bonaparte's star trembling in the
zenith-now blazing out inits ancient spendor, n0W
paiing 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 inter
over fugitive army and the despiring ahriek rung
| out The Guard recois the Guard rec0iIs make
us for moment forget all the carnage IN sympathy
with his distress. sSa sl@g5F q
The Old Guard felt the presence Of the immense
responsibility, and resolved not 70 prove unworthy
| of the greatest trust committed to it. Nothing
could be more imposing than it's movements to ths
| assault. It had never recoiled before human
foe, and the allied forces heheld with awe its firm
and steady advance to the final charge. For mo-
ment the batteries stopped playing, and the firing
| ceased along the British lines. az, without the
beating of drum, or q bugle note 70 cheer their
steady courage, they moved in dead silence over
| the field. Their tread was like muff1ed thunder
while the dazzling helmets Of the cuirasseurs
flashed lang lines of light upon the dark and ter
| rible mass that swept in one strong wave along
The stern Drouet was then amidst his guns, and on
every brow was written the unalterable 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.
NsAolying squadrons and whole battalions disap-
pearing one after another in the destructive fire,
Affected not their courage. The ranks closed up
as before, and each, treading his fallen COM
rade, passed unhinchingly on.
The horse which Ney rode sank under him and
scarcely had he mounted another before it also
sank to the earth, and 30 another and another till
five in succession had been shot under him. Then
With his drawn sabre he marched sternIy Ct shs
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, q file Of soldiers who lay fiat on the ground,
behind ridge of earth suddenly rose and poured
yolley in their very face. Another and another
followed, till one broad sheet Of fame rolled on
their bosons, and in such q fierce and unexpected
flow that they staggered before II. Before the
Guard had time TO rally again, and advance, q
heavy column Of infantry fell on its left flank in
state, to swerye to the right. At that instant q
whole brigade of cavalry Numbered on the right
flank, and penetrated where cavalry had never
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 hal
boldly charged its left flank, but the cavalry
finished the disorder into which they had beef
momentarily thrown and broke the shaken rank
before they had time to reform, and the eagles b
that hitherto inyncibie Guard were pushed back
ward down the slope. 1t was then the army
seized with despair, shrieked out, '.The Guard re
coils Y THE Guard reeoils = and turned and
fed in wild dismay; To see the Guard in con
fusion was sight they had never before beheld
and it froze every heart with terror
For a long time they stood and let the cannon
balls pass through their ranks disdaining to turn
their backs on the foe Michel, at the head Of
those battalions, fought like lion. 10 every
command of the enemy to surrender, he replied
- The Guard dios-but never surrenders.n And as
VI | with his last breath bequeathed this glorious
motto to the Guard, he fell witness to its TRUTH
Death trayersed those eight battalions with such
rapid footsteps, that they soon dWindled away
to two, which turned in hopeless darings on the
overwhelming number that pressed their retiring
| footsteps. !
Last of all but single battalion, the debris Of
the column of granate at Marengo, was left
Into this Napoleon flung himself. Gambronne, its
ia brave commander, saw with terror the Emperor in
its frai keeping. He was not struggling for victory
q Approaching the Emperor, he cried out: Retire
u Do you not see that death has need Of you and
closing mournfnlly yet sternly round the expiring
eagles, those brave hearts babe Napoleon an eter-
u nal adieu and, finging themselves on the enemy
were soon piled with the dead at their feet.
O Many Of the officers were seen to destroy them
selves rather than suffer defeat. Thus greater
: in its own defeat than any other corps Of men il
!, stage, and the curtain dropped upon its strang,
career. 1t had fought its last battle. i9
:, --~~~-
! "a Safe Spree,
Under this heading the staid old Philadelphia In