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

IL IS NJ fNlau lIlNl hutHJ dlNHyS lSdtS
ID his most terrible aspect. This battle,
Fought in mid-wintCr, in 1907, was the
most important and bloody one that had
thcn occurred. France and Russia had
never before opposed such strength to each
other, and a complete victory on either
side would have settled the fate of Rurope
Bonaparte remained in possession Of the
field, and that was ali no victory was ever
50 like defeat.
The field of Eylau was covered with
snow, and the little ponds that lay scat
tered over il were frozen sufficiently hard
10 bear the artillery. Scventy.onc thous-
and men on one side, and eighty.fye thou.
Sand on the other, arose from the fSzen
field on which they had slept the night of
February, without tent or covering, to
battle for a continent. Augurea. on the
lett, was utterly routed i'll the morning
advancing through snCw storm so thick
he could not see the cuemy, the Russian
cauncn moved down his ranks with their
destructive fire, while the CoSsack savalry,
which were ordered to charge, came thun-
dcriug on, almost hitting the French in
fantry with their long ,auces before they
rorc visible through the storm.
Iicmmed in and oycrthrown, The whole
dysion, composed of $1,000 men, Nith
thc exception Of 800, were captured or
slain. Just then the snow storm clearing
up, revealed TO Napoleon the peril TO
which he was brought, and he immediate,
N ordered grand charge by the Imperial
Guard and the whole cavalry. Nothing
mas further from Bonapartes wishes or
,b,,, tho iri uin,y of his ~
serve into the engagement at this early
e. &c Of the battle, but there was no other
resource left him.
Murat sustained his high reputation on
this occasion, and prove'i himself, for the
hundredth time, worthy Of the great con.
fdcnce Napoleon placed in him. Nothing
could be more imposlng than the battle
field at this moment. Bona1arte and the
Empire trembled IN the balance, while
Nurat prepared TO lead down his cavalry
70 save them. Seventy aquadrons, mako
ing in all $4,000 well mounted men, be
gan to move over the slope, with the Old
Guard marching sternly behind.
Bonaparte, il is SAID, YVES moie agitated
nj this crisis than when, q moment before.
he was so near being captured by the hus
Slams. But as he saw those seventy squad
rons come down on a plunging trot, pres
sing hard after the white plume Of Murat,
that streamed through the snow storm
iar in front, smile passed over his coun'
tenance.
The earth groaned and tremhled as they
passed, aud the sabres above the bark anC
angry mass below looked like the foam o
a sea wave as its crest breaks on the deep
The rattling Of their armor and the muf.
fed thunder OF their tread droN ned al
the roar of the battle, as with firm, Sc
array, and swift, steady motion they Dor
dowr with their terrible front on the foe
The shock of that immense host wa
like falling mountain, and the iron
Inc OF the Russian army fell like frost
work before il. Then commenced pro
tractcd fight of hand TO hand, and swor
to sword, as IN the cavalry action at Ecli
muhi. The clashing of steol vas like tn
ring of countless hammers, and horse
and riders were blended in wild confusion
tocether; the Russian reserve were order
ed up, and on these Murat fell with hi
fierce horsemen, crushing and tramplin
them down by thousands. But the obstl
nate Russians disdained TO fly, and rallie
again and again, so that il was no longe
cavalry charging on infantry, but squad
rons OF horse Salloping through broke
hosts that, gathering into knots, still dis
puted, with unparalleled bravery, the re
and rent field.
1t was during this fight that Murat wa
seen TO perform ono Of those daring deed
for which he was so renowned. Excite
TO the highest pitch Of passion by the oh
stacles that opposed him, he seemed en-
dowed with ten fold strength, and locke
more like superhuman being treadin
down helpless mortals, than an ordinal
man. Amid the roar of artillery, an
rattling of musketry, and falling OF sabi
strokes like lightning about him, tn
lofty white plume never once went DOW
while ever and anon it was seen glarir
through the smoke OF battle, the star
hope to Napoleon, and showing that n
right arm was still uplifted, and stTikir
for victory.
He ragged like an unloosed lion amor
the foe and his eyes, always terrible
battle. burned with increased lustr
while his clear and steady voice, heal