Bradford reporter. [volume] (Towanda, Pa.) 1844-1884, 1861-08-01
The Last Charge Of Napoleon's Old
Guard


ed emperor, aod to retrieve the evil fortunes
of the dav they fell as though to do so
wonld secure them immortal glory aud eter-
nal bliss in the world Of spirits. The most
rraphic and stirring account Of that last fear
ful and fatal struggle that we have seen Is
from recently published French work. It
reads like war itSelf-this il it
During the day the artillery of the Guard,
under Drouet. maintained its old renown.
and the Guard itself had frequeEtly beer
used to restore the battle in various parts Of
the field, and always With success. The
English were fast becoming exhausted, aud
in an hour more would doubtless have been
forced into disastrous defeat but for the
timely arrival of B,ucher Bat when they
ssw lin. with so 600 Pru>siaus approaching.
their courage revived. while Napoleon Yves
filed with amazemeut. \ beaten enemy was
ahOut 10 form junction with the allies, while
Grouchv. who bad been seat 10 keep them
in check. was nowhere to be seen. Alas
what great plans an Inefficient commsuoeT
can oyrrshrQw
In q moment Napoleon saw that he could
not sustein the attack Of SO many fresh troops
if ouce allowed 10 form a junction with the
allied force. and he determined TO stake his
fate on one bold cas-, aud eGdeayor to pierce
the allied center WIKI g grand charge Of taa
O.d Guard. aud TINS throw himself between
the Two armies For this purpose the ImPe-
rial Guard was called upon ami divided into
two immense columns. wEiCl were 10 meet
in the British centre. Ih1. under R.lle nc
sooner entered the FIRE than ,, disappeared
Ike mist 1ac other was under Ney, the
bra7est Of the brave" and tie order TO ad-
vance given. Napoleon accompanied them
par. OF the war down the slope. aud haltiUE
for 4 few moments in the hollow, addressed
them faE words lie tod them that tie
battle rested with :hem. and that he relied
on their 5aor, tried iu 50 many fields, ' i7c
rEmpereur." they answered him with a sh0at
.ha: was heard above the thunder o. tie
artillery.
The whole continental struggle exhibited
no sublime- spectacle than the last effort Of
Napoleon 20 save his sinking empire. The
creates. military skill aud energy the world
possessed, had been taxed to the utmost dur
Ing the ds7 Tho-neS were tottering on the
tlgluIrn. field. aud the shadows of fugitive
ain-s fitted through the smoke OF the battle.
B0aaDarte's star trcmbed in the zenith row
blazing oJt in is ancient sg'eudor-EOB pal
.'r oo ",>
80 "',' '''I- -
20. y r'...-' -. 80. -
80 "".I '.' - - -
u "..I - N"- 1''- -. - 80
e. l1l.l s1 80 - -, -
''- 90 o., '''- :, - :,
o- -. y ~ 80, ~ - ~,
go y ~ 80 -. 49,,
~ ~: 60 ri, tho --s..-., ~ ~. i'm
49, -.s-Srs.I,.I,,r GA -ss,rvs5 rc- =
-, r-,r-r,l-, -r ,;., ,--.,tss- r., c,-,
,,,.,.s- :, i E,-S-,-, ,rrr9 bs mon f-nros
.r. -, :., r,-,.r~s-.. =, ,,a assarr. 7.
Ia - -s--..s3 t.r,-so Irr,sn f,a and
..,, al,ss4 f,-rss I.ssr4 ,ri.L sra il frr
So, 'ssrarcs i, -. e,sI eb~rzs F. :
-. .Ga L..,s---s 500 r'Isvf-, and
~. --f9.. re,ss5 .f3-.. rFa B-i-i.b lines g
vf.,gr. the bastfr- oF = drum or Jr,,s
Woo II, cher ,bai- stood. c,,-s,-s thew r,v.
Il in silence over the faIj Their t-ssi vas
ike ruf5-d thunder. while the dazzling bel
NETS of the cpfra>Sfers flashed l5r- f.gzs OF
light Uro9 the dark ard terrible mass that
sree0 In one s,-Cr- wave along. TIE stern
Dro1s, vas then amid his guns and on e7erv
brow was written the uualterabEe resolution
. 10 corouar. or die. The next moment the a.
ri.Isrv orened. and the head otthe gallant
column seemed TO sink into the earth. Rank
after rank went down. vs, tha7 neither Stop.
ped nor taltered. Diss5lvius sq1a6rous aad
whole battalion, disarUeariug one after an
other in the destructive IRE. affected no: their
courage. The ranks closed up as before. and
each treaiing over bis falling con-ale. pass
ed uuf.ucain.l7 on.
The horse rfs- Tzv-,.ra s7rE r-5a- hin,
ans s,.-,sfv haE ba r7----a1 sr,tre- baro-z