Daily Ohio statesman. [volume] (Columbus, Ohio) 1855-1870, 1861-05-23
SIX DOLLARS PEE YEAR,
Invariably In Advance

iloccasion, and proved himself, for the hundredtb
time, worthy Of the great confidence Napoleon
placed IN him. Nothing could be more impos-
ing tnan tne battle field at this moment. Bo-
nsparte ana the Empire trembled In the balance
4 While Murat prepared to lead down his cavalry
70 save them. Seventy squadrons. making Il,
al IA O00well mounted men, began 10 move over
the slope, with the Old Guard marching sternIv
behind.
Bonaparte, IL Is said, was more aeitsted a.
this crisis than when, o moment before, he was
70 near being captured by the Russians. Bot
ts shesaw those seventy squadrons come down on
Pinnging trot, pressing hard after the white
plume OF Murat, that streamed through the
snow storm far In front, smile passed over bis
Iconntenance,
The earth grosned and trembled as they pass
ca, and the sabres, above the dark and angry
mass below, looked like the foam of q sea-wavo
az IL crests on the deep. The rattling of their
armor, and the mufiled thunder of their tread,
drowned all the roar of battle, as with firm, set
array, and swift, steady motion, they bore down
with terrible front on the foe.
The shock Of that immense host was like a
falling mountain, and the front line of the Rus
sian army went down like frost-work before It,
Then commented protracted fight of hand to
nand, and sword to sword, as in the cavalry &C.
tion at Eckmuhl. The clashng of steel was
ike the ringing Of countless hammers, and
horses and riders were blended 10 wild confusion
together; the Russian reserve were ordered up,
and on these Murat fell with his fierce horse
men, crushing and trampling them down by
thousands. But the obstinate Russians dis.
dained to ay, and rallied again, 60 that II was
no longer cavalry charging on infantry, but
squadrons Of horse galloping through broken
hosts that, gathering into knots, still disputed,
with unparalleled bravery, the red and rent
field.
IL was during this strange fight that Murat
was seen TO perform one of those desperate deeds
for which he was so renowned. Excited to the
highest pitch of passion by the obstacles that
opposed him, he seemed endowed with tenfold
strength, and looked more like superhuman
being treading down helpless mortals, than an
ordinary man. Amid the roar Of artillery, and
rattling Of musketry, and falling Of sabre strokes
like lightning around him, that lofty white
plume never once went down, while ever and
anon 1t was seen -glaring through the smoke Of
battle, the star of hope to Napoleon, and show
ing that his fright arm" was still upliited and
striking for victory.
He ragged like an unloosed lion amid the foe |;
and his eyes, always terrible In battle, burned
with increased lustre, while bis clear and steady
voice, heard above the turmoil of strife, was
worth more tnan q thousand trumpets to cheer
on his followers. At length, seeing q knot of
Russian soldiers that for long time had kept
up devouring fire on his men, he wheeled his
horse and drove in full gallop upon their levelled
muskets. few OF his guards, that never al
lowed that white plume to leave their sight,
charged after him. Without waiting to count
his foes, he seized his bride in his teeth, and
with his pistol in one hand and his drawn sword
in the other, BURST in headlong fury upon them,
and scattered them as il hurricane had swept
by Murat was a thunderbolt on that day, and
the deeds that were wrought by him will furnish
themes for the poet and painter.