The star of the north. [volume] (Bloomsburg, Pa.) 1849-1866, 1861-12-04
JENA AND AUERSTADT.
BY JOHN s. C. ABBOTT.

600 men under his command of Frederic
William, the Prussan king. Alexander of
Russia, with an equal army: was pressing
down through the wilds of Poland, to unite
in The march upon F,ris. England coop.
eraled with pIoiuse expenditures from her
/ inexhaustibe treasury.
The Emperor was greatly annoyed by
this unprovoked attack, which thwaried all
his plans for developing The industrial re-
sources of France. He shat himself up for
lorty-eieht hours 10 arrange the details of
The campaign. ard Immediately dictated
1.-TWO hundred letters, all of which still re-
main the monument of his energy and sa-
gacity. In six days the whole imperial
guard was transported from Paris 10 the
Rhine. They travelled By post sixty miles
q day, On The 2tth ofSeplember Napoleon,
al midnight, entered his carriage at the
Tuiieries, to join the army. His parting
words 10 the Senate were
''In so jnst a war, which we have not
provoked by an act. by any preience, the
true cause OF which il would be impossible
TO assigneaud where we only take arms to
the support of the laws, and upon that of
the people, whom circumstances call upon
TO give fresh proofs of their devotion and
courage"
Placing himself at the head of his army,
! by series of skilfnl manGuvres he threw
his whole force into the rear OF the Pruss-
ans. cutting them off from their supplies,
and from all possibility of retreat. Being
thus sure of victory; he wrote as follows 10
the King of Prussia
SIZE, MY BRoTHER-I am in the heart OF
Saxony. My strength is such that your for
ces cannot balance the victory. But why
shed so much blood why make our sub
jecis slay each other ! do not prize VIC
tory purchased by The lives of so many of
my children. If | were just commencing
my military career and if had any reason
| TO fear the chances of war, this language
would be wholly misplaced. Sire, your
majesty will be vanqdished At present
your are uninjured. and may treat with me
in manner, comfortable with your re nk.
| Before month is passed. you will treat in
different position. ] am aware that in
thus writing may irritate that sensibility
which naturally belongs 10 every sovereign.
But circumstances demand that | should
use no conceaIment. implore your ma
! jesiy TO view, in this letter, nothing bat the
desire have to spare The effusion of human
blood. Sire, my brother, | pray God that
He may have you in His worthy and holy
keeping"
To this letter no reply was retnrned. In
two days from this time the advance guard
of the French met the Prussians, strongly
euirenched upon the plains OF Jena and Au-
erstadt. II was the evening OF the 18th of
October. The sun was Just sinking with
unusual brlliancy behind the western hills,
when lhe proad array of the Prussian-, more
than one hundred thousand strong, appear
ed in sight Three hundred pieces Of ar
tilery were concentrated in batteries, and
squadron of eighleen Thousand cavalry,
sPendidly caparisoned and with Furnished
armor we're drawn mp upon the plain.
Napoleon Immediately took possession of
the LandgTafenberg steep craggy hill,
which the Prussians had supposed inacces-
sibe TO artillery, and from whose summit
the long lines of the Prussians, extending
/ many leagues, could be clearly discerned.
AS The gloom of night settled down, the
blaze of the Prussian camp fires, extending
over a space Of eighteen miles, illuminated
/ the scene with almost an unearthly glow.
Couriers were dispatched 10 hasten on the
/ L.. g To
age the men, Napoleon, with his own hands
( labored through the night in blasting the
rocks and clearing the way that he might
plant battery upon the brow of The Land
gyafenberg. AS brigade after brigade ar
rived, they took the positions assigned them
by their experienced chieitain. SouIt and
Ney were ordered 10 march all night TO
distant point, 10 cut off the retreat of the
foe. Towards morning Napoleon threw
hImseif upon the ground on the bleak hill
side, 10 share for an hour the frigid bivouac
of the soldiers.
Al four O'Clock he was again on horse
back. A dense fog covered the plain,
shrondiBg the sleeping host. Under cover
| OF this darkness Napoleon ranged his
troops in battle array Enthusiastic shouts
greeted HIM as he rode along the lines =
AT o'clock, the fog still nnoroken, the or
der was given TO pierce the Prussian ines
in every direction. For eight hours the
battle ragged with fury never before or since
surpassed. The ground was covered with
dead the shrieks of the wounded, tram
pied beneath the hoofs of charging squad
rons, rose above the thunder OF the battle
About O'Clock, P. NJ, the Prnssian Gener.
al sent :he following frantic dispatch to his
reserve: