Clearfield Republican. [volume] (Clearfield, Pa.) 1851-1937, 1861-09-11
y Charge of Macdonald at Wagram

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Assoon as Davoust appeared on the pla
Aoau OF Wagram and opened his artiler
Nn The exposed ranks Of the enemy. Ma
poleon ordered Marshal Macdonald, wit
sig5t battalions, to march straight on th
enemy's centre and pierce il. Thi
chSrge formed the crisis Of the battle ant
no sooner did the Arch-dule see tn
movements Of this terrible column o
eight battalions, composed OF sixteer
thopsand men, upon his centre, than ht
.knsV that the hour Of Europe's oestin,
6nd of his own army ha5 arrived. He
immediately doubled the lines at the
shreatened point, and brought up tn2 re-
serve cavalry, while two hundred cannon
where wheeled around the spot on which
such destinies hung, and opened a steady
fire on the approaching column. Mac
donald Immediately ordered hundred
cannon to answer the Austrian batteries.
thatswcpt every inch Of ground like 4
storm Of seet. The cannoniers mounted
their horses, and started on rapid uol
wi,h their hundred pieces, and approach
I'd 20 within half q cannon shot, and then
opened on the enemy's ranks. The col
ninn marched up to this battery, and with
h;nat its head, bclching forth fire like
some huge monster, steadily advanced
The Austrians fell Lack and closed on
each other, knowing that the final strug,
glc bad come. At this crisis of the bat
tl0nothing could exceed the sublmity
and terror Of the scene. The whole in
teFest Of the armies was concentrated here
where the incessant and rapid roll Of can
non told how desperate was the conflict.
SILL Macdonald slowly advanced, though
his numbers were diminishing, and the
fierce battery at his head was gradually
hccoming silent Enveloped in the fire
Of his antagonist the guns had one 10y one
trcn dismoanted, and at the distance OF
4 mile and a halffrom the spot where he
started on his awful mission, Macdonald
found himself without protecting bat
terry, aid the centre still unbroken. -
Marching over the rtck of his guns, and
pushing the naked head Of his column in
tothe devouring cross FIRE OF the Austrian
artillery, he continued TO advance. The
carnage then became terrible. At every
discharge, the head of that column dis
apreared as if sank into the earth, while
the outer rank, on either side melted
away like snow Oh .he rivers trink No
pen can describe the intense anxiety with
which Napoleon watched its progress. On
Just such a charge rested his empire at
Waterloo, and in its failure his doom was
Icaied. But all the lion in Macdonald's
nature was aroused. and he had fully re-
solved to executed the dread task given
hin, or fall on the field, Still he lowered
unhurt amid hls falling guard, and with
hit eyes liked steadily on the enemy'S
centre, moved sternly on. At the close
md fierce discharges of these cross batter
les on its mangled head, that column
would sometimes stop and stagger hack,
like strong ship when smitten 10y a
wave. The next moment the drums
gould heat their hurried charge, tie calm
steady voice of Macdonald ring back thro'
his exhausted ranks, nerving them to the
desperate valor that filed his own spirit.
Never before was such charge made,Nn
1 seemed OF every moment that the torn
md mar led mass must break and fly
( The Austrian cannon, gradually whee.-
ng around till th9y are stretched away in
parallel lines like Two walls of fire on each
,ide OF this band of heroes, and hurl an
ncessant tempest Of l2ad against their
losons. but the stern warriors close
n and ill up the frightCul gaps
made at every discharge, and still press
IorYard. Macdonald has communicated
his own settled purpose to conquer o: die,
% his devoted followers. There is no eX-
,itement-no enthusiasm such as Murat
vas wont to iuiuse into his men when
pouring on the foe his terrible cavalry
No cries of ''Nive L Emperor are heard
along the line; but in their place is an
lnalterable resolution that nothing but
can shake. The eyes of the
army and the world are on them, and
hey carry Nap )leon's fate as they CO.
But human strength has its limits, and
human effort the spot where it ceases for
,per. No man could have carried that
solumn TO where it stands but the IRON
aearted leader at its head. But now he
,alis and casts his eyes over his little sur
living band that stands all alone in the
uidst of the enemy. He looks back on
sis patti, and as far as the eye can reach,
10 sees the course of his heroes by the
lack swath of dead men that stretches
ike huge serpent over the plain. Out
,f the SjrteeH thousand men with whom he
started but fifteen h,mdred are left beside
lim. Ten o,t IF cpery eleven haze fallea, and
aerc at length the tiIed hero pauses, and
surveys with a stern and anxious eye his
ew remaining followers. The heart of
NAPOLEON stops beating at the sight, as
veil he may, for his throne is where Mac
lonald stands. He bears the Empire on
lis Single brave Eeart-he is Empire
Shall he turn at last and sound the re-
treat The fate of nations waver to and
fro. for like shock in the distance, Mac
donald is seen still TO pause, while the
cannon are piling the dead in heaps
around him. "WTH he turn and .fy| is
the Secret and agonizing question Napo-
leon puts to himself No! he is worthy
Of the mighty trust committed. The
Emperor stands or falls with him, but
shall stand while he stands
booking away TO where his Emperor
nta be sees the dark masses Of the Old
Y usrd in motion, and shining helmets of
~ brave cuirassiers sweeping to his re-
leL Forward" breaks from his iron
iPs The roll of drums and the pealing