The Alleghanian. [volume] (Ebensburg, Pa.) 1859-1865, 1861-10-17

of nearly two hundred thousand men, en-
camped in the forests Of the Vistula, and
yet provided with every comfort. Alex
ander, with hardy troops accustomed to
these frigid realms, prepared to attack
Napoleon by surprise, in his winter quar-
ters. But Napoleon was rarely caught
mapping. Keeping himself constantly
informed Of every movement of the enemy
he met them in their stealthy march, and
overwhelmed them in their entirely un-
looked for assault. The whole French
line was urged impetuously forward, and
a series of battles ensued, amidst the drifts
and storms Of winter, such as the annals
of war had never before recorded. In
every forest, mountain gorge and by the
banks of every swollen stream the retreat
ing Russians planted their batteries.
But the French, with impetuosity which
nothing could retard, still pressed on, in
an incessant storm of battle. The snow,
crimsoned with blood, drifted over the
dead. Mutilated forms, frozen to the ice,
drifted down the stream to unknown bur-
ials. The scene at night was wonderfully
sublime. The country was densely wood
ed. No tents were used. The soldiers
hastily constructed with logs and boughs
protection from the wind, and with huge
camp fires blazing at their feet, slept
soundly. These lurid fires cleaned over
wide leagues of frozen hill and valley, IL
lumining the landscape with an almost
supernatural radiance
Napoleon had now driven his assailants
two hundred and forty miles north from
the banks of the Vistula At length the
Russians concentrated their forces, and
made stand for decisive battle, on the
plains of Eylau. 1t was the 7th of Feb
ruary, 1907 The pursued and the pur-
suers were within cannon shot of each
other. The night was dark with threat
ening clouds, and intensely cold, as the
Russians took their positions on the brow
of gentle swell of land, extending three
miles, and overlooking and commanding
bleak, unsheltered plain, from which the
French would be compelled to make their
assault. Upon the ridge Alexander spread
out his lines of defence, and planted his
of five hundred guns. AS the
soldiers threw themselves upon the icy
ground for their bivouac, the rising storm
commenced its dirge, and sifted down up
on them the winding sheet of snow.
Through the drifts and the gloom of
this storm Napoleon also led his troops
upon the field, and, with characteristic
skill, took position for the decisive battle
which the morning was to usher in. Two
hundred and fifty pieces of heavy artillery
we're planted to rain destruction upon the
lines of the foe. Eighty thousand Rus
slams occupied the ridge Sixty thousand
Erenchmen were spread over the plain
below. Throughout the night there was
the murmur of voices and the confusion
Of military movements as horsemen and
footmen selected positions for the battle.
The sentinels of the two armies exchanged
friendly greetings, and could almost touch
each other with their muskets. In these
sad hours the spirit Of humanity til
lmphed over the ferocity of war, and the
soldiers of the two armies, feeling no
personal hostility, as they walked their
1reary rounds, cheered each other with
the interchange OF food and wine.
The morning had not yet dawned when
the cannonade commenced. Seven hun
dred pieces of artillery, workedby the
most expert gunners, moved down the
opposing hosts upon the hill and the
plain Column after column Melted away
before the merciless discharges. At the
same time smothering binding storm of
snow swept the field. The smoke of tie
battle, blending with the storm, enveloped
the combatant in the gloom of almost
night. Beneath this sui
phurous canopy, where the fash of the
guns could scarcely be perceived, squad
rons ofhorsemen and footmeI were hurled
against each other.
Thus for eighteen hours the battle ragged
one hundred and forty thousand men fl
ring into each others bosoms. In the
midst of the conflict the emperor was
that church, which occupied
a position deemed of essential Importance,
had been taken by the enemy. Spurring
his horse into the midst OF a column of
his troops, he said ave must have that
church back again at every hazard. =
uice en,pereur the column made u resist
less charge, through storm of bullets,
upon the foe The emperor espied in the
ranks an old grenadier, with bloodstained
blackened with gunpowder; and
his left arm just torn off by shell, while
drops of blood were fast falling fIom the
ghastly wound.
ssStay, stay" cried the emperor, "and
go to the ambulance and get your wound
dressed"
81 will" said the soldier, $50 soon as
wee shall have taken the church, and
rushing on with his comrades, he disap-