Clearfield Republican. [volume] (Clearfield, Pa.) 1851-1937, 1861-06-12
Charge of Murat at Eylau.

II is at Eylau that Murat always appears
IN his most terrible aspect. This battle,
fought in mid.wintcr, in 1907, was the
most important and bloody one that had
then occurred. France and Russia had
never before opposed such strength to each
other, and complete victory on either
sidewoud have cttled the fate OF Rurope;
Bonaparte remained in possession of the
field and that was al, no victory was ever
so like a defeat.
The field OF Eylau was covered with
snow, and the little ponds that lay scat
tered over it were frozen sufficiently hard
10 bear the artillery. Seventy.one thous-
and men on one side, and eighty-tive thou.
sand on the other, arose from the frozen
field on which they had slept the night Of
February, without tent or covering, to
bRitle for continent, Aug,rea, on the
leh was utterly routed in the morning
Myancing through u snCw storm so thick
he could not see the euemy, the Russian
cannon moved down his ranks with their
destructive fire, while the Cossack savalry,
which were ordered to charge, came thun-
derng on, almost hitting the French in
antry with their long lances before they
we're visible through the storm.
Hemmed in and overthrown, the whole
division, composed of $1,000 men, with
The exception of 500, were captured or
slain. just then the snow storm clearing
up, revealed to Napoleon the peril TO
which he was brought, and he immediate,
u ordered grand charge by the Imperial
Guard and the whole cavalry. Nothing
was further from Bonaparte's wishes or
eYpectatior, than the bringing OF his re-
setce into the engagement st this early
asge of the battle, but there was no other
resource left him. ...... I'll ."...
Nurat sustained his high reputation on
this occasion, and proved himself, for the
hundredth time, worthy of the great con.
idence Napoleon placeddn him. Nothing
could be more imposing than the battle
field AT this moment. Bonaparte and the
Empire trembled IN the balance, while
Murat prepared to lead down bis cavalry
10 save them. Seventy squadrons, max"
Ing in all .l4,000 well mounted men, be
gan to move over the slope, with the Old
Guard marching sternly behind.
Bonaparte it is said, wus moie agltated
at this crisis than when, n moment before,
10 was SO near being captured by the kus
SLAMS But as he saw those seventy squad
rons come down on plunging rot, pres
sing hard after the white plume of Murat,
that s,rean,ed through the snow storm
far in front, a smile passed over his coun.
tenance. .HE ...0
The earth groaned and trembled as they
passed, aud The sabres above The bark and
mgry mass below looked like the foam o
sea wave as its crest breaks on the deep
The rattlins of their armor and the NUT
fed thunder of their tread droN ned al
the roar of the battle, as with firm, Sc
Mray, and swift, steady motion they bor'
dcwr with their terrible front on the foe
Tho shock of that immense host wa
like a falling mountain. and the from
line Of The Russian army iell like frost
work before il. Then commenced pro
tracted fobt of hand to hand. and swor,
osword q. an the cavalry action at Ech
mubi Tbe clasbinc of ste.l was like til
rinr of counties, hammers, and horse
and riders were blended in wild confusion
together the Russian reserve we're order
edun and ON these Murat fell with hi
serce borson,an crushing and tramplin
them down nv thousands But the obsti