Bradford reporter. [volume] (Towanda, Pa.) 1844-1884, 1861-11-28
JENA AND AUERSTADT.
BY JOHN s. C. ABBOTT.


Saxony with an army of 200, 600 men, under
the command of Frederic William, the Prus-
sian king Alexander of Russia, with an equal
army, was pressing down through the
wilds of Poland, to unite in the march upon
Paris England co-operated with her invinci-
BILE fleet, and with profuse expenditures
from her inexbaustble treasury.
The Emperor was greatly annoyed by this
unpro7oked attack, which thwarted all his
plans for developing the industrial resources of
France. He shut himself up for forty eight
hours to arrange the details Of the campaign,
and Immediately dictated two hundred letters,
all of which still remain the monument Of his
energy and sagacity. Iu six days the whole
imperial guard was transported from Paris to
the Rhine. They travelled by post sixty miles
day. On the oath of September Napoleon,
at midnight, entered his carriage at the Tuile
ries, to join the army. His parting words to
the Senate were
"In SO just war; which we have not pro
voked by any act, By any pretence, the true
cause Of which it would be impossible to assign
and where We only take arms to defend our
selves, we defend entirely upon 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 bis army, by
series of skilful maUpuvres he threw his
whole force into the rear of the PFussians, cut.
ting them off from their supplies, and from all
possibility of retreat Being thus sure of vic
tory, he wrote as follows to the King af Prus.
sia -
"SIRB, MY BRoTHER-I am in the heart of
Saxony. My strength is such that your fore
es cannot balance the victory. But why shed
so much blood why make our subjects slay
each other ? do not prize victory purchased
by the lives OF so many of my children. If |
were just commencing my military career, aud
if had any reason to fear the chances of war,
this language would be wholly misplaced. Sire,
your majesty will be vanquished. At present
you are uniDjured, and may treat with me in
manner, conformable with your rank. Before
month is passed, you will treat in different
position | am aware that in thus writing |
may irrtate that sensbility which naturally
belongs to every sovereign. But circumstan-
ces demand that | should use no concealment
imp.ore your majesty to view, In this letter,
nothing but the desire have to spare the ef-
fusion of human blood. Sire, my brother,
pray God that He may have you in His wor-
thy and holy keeping"
To this letter no reply was returned In
two days from this time the advance guard of
the French met the Prussians, strongly en-.
trenched upon the plains Of Jena and Auerst-
adt 1t was the evening of the 18th of Octo-
Der. The sun was just sinking with unusual
brilliancy behind the western bills when the
proud array Of the Prussans, more than ou9
hundred thousand strong, appeared in sight |
Three hundred pieces of artillery were concen-
trated in batteries, and a squadron of eighteen
thousand cavalry, splendidly caparisoned and
with FURNISHED armor were drawn up upon the
plain
Napoleon Immediately took possession of the
Landgrafcnberg, a steep, craggy hill, which
the Prussians had supposed Inaccessible 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, illuminGd the scene with almost an un- |
earthly glow.
Couriers were dispatched to hasten on the |
battalions Of tie French army. To encourage
the men, Napoleon, with his own hands. labor |
ed through the night in blasting the rocks and |
clearing the way that he might plant battery |
upon the brow of the Landgrafenberg. AS |
brigade after brigade arrived, they took the !
positions assigned them by their experienced !
ehieftain. Soult and Ney were ordered to |
march all night to distant point, to cut off !
the retreat of the foe Towards morning Ma !
poleon threw himself upon tue ground on the !
bleak hill side, TO share for 81 hour the frigid !
bivouac of the soldiers.
At four O'Clock he was again on horseback |
A dense fog covered the plain, shrouding 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 un-
broken, the order was given topierce the Prus- |
sian lines 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, trampled beneath |
the hoofs of charging squadrons, rose above |
the thunder of the battle. About | O'Clock, |
p. NJ, the PruSsian General sent the following
frantic dispatch to bis reserve
Lose not moment in advancing your vet |
unbroken troops. Arrange your columns so
that through their openings there may pass the
still unbroken bands of the battle. Be ready
to receive the charges of the enemy's cavalry, |
which, in the most furious manner. rides on
oVerwhelms and sabres the !fugitves, and has
driven into one confused mass the infantry, ar
tilery and cavalry"
The Prussian reserve, twenty thousand
strong, with unoroken front now entered the
field, and for moment seemed to arrest the
tide of victory. Napoleon stood at the head
OF the Imperial Guard, which he had hsli in
reserve as honr after hour he had watched and |
guided the terrible fight. A young soldier, i'm
patient of this delay, at last, in the excess of
his excitement, shouted, Forward Forwardp |
Napoleon turned sternly to him aud said