Watertown republican. [volume] (Watertown, Wis.) 1860-1906, 1861-11-15

frigbtful gaps made at every discharge and
still press forward.
Mcdonald had communicated his own
settled purpose to conquer or die, to his
devoted followers. There was no excite
no enthusiasm. such as Murat was
wont to infuse into IS men, when pouring
on the foe his terrible cavalry. No cries
Of .sViye Z Empereur" are heard along
the line, but in their place is an unaltera-
Bile resolution that nothing but aanihila-
ticn can shake. The eyes of the army
and of the world are upon them, and they
carry Napoleon's lato as they 60. But
human strength has its limits, and human
efforts the spot where it ceases forever
No man could have carriad that column to
where it'stauds but the iron-hearted leader
at it's head But now he halts aud casts
his eyes over his little surviving band that
stands alone in the midst Of the enemy
He looks back on his rath and as far as
the eye can reach he sees the course Of
his heroes by the black swath of dead men
that stretches ike huge serpent owe, the
plain Out Of sixteen thousand men, with
whom he started, but Fifteen hundred are
left beside him. Ten out of every eleven
are killed, and here at length the tired he
70 pauses aud surveys with stern and
anxious eye, his few remaining followers
The heart Of Napoleon stops beating at
tue sight, and we'll he may, for his throne
is where Mcdonald stands. He bears the
Empire on his single brave heart-he IS
the empire. Shall he turn at last and
sound the retreat? The fates Of Nations
wave to and fro, for like a rock in tie dis
tance, Mcdonald is still seen to pause,
while the cannon are piljng the dead in
heaps around him. ''Will he turn and
fly" is the secret and agonzing question
Napoleon puts to himself No He is
worthy Of the trust confdtd to him The
Emperor stands or falls with him, but
shall stand while he stands
Looking away to where his Emperor
sits; he sees the dark masses of the Old
Guard in motion, and the shining helmets
Of the brave curiassiers sweeping to bis re-
lief. Forward - breaks from lis iron
lips. The roll of drums and the pealing
Of trumpets answers the volley that suites
that exhausted column and the next mo-
nient it is seen piercing the Austrian CEN
tre. The day Is won-the empire is saved
and the whole Austrian army is in full re-
treat
Such was the battle Of Wagram, and
such the charge of Mcdonald l know of
nothing equal to it, except Ney's charge
at Waterloo, and that was not equal be-
cause it failed
On riding over the field Bonapartc came
to where Mcdonald stood and his troops
As his eye fell on the calm and collected
hero, be stopped, and holding out his hand
said sShake hands, Mcdonald more
hatred between US we must henceforth
be friends, and as pledge Of sincerity,
will send you your Marshals staff which
you have 50 gloriousiy earned. " The
frankness and kindness of Napoleon effect
ed what all his neglect and GOODNESS had
failed to do-subdued him. Graspiog bis
hand, and with voice Iull of emotion.
which the widest uproar of battle could
never agitate, be replied ''Ah, sire, with
US it is hencefoath for life aud death !"
N7ble man Kindness could overcome
him in a moment 1t is no wonder that
Bonapartc felt, at last, that he had not
known McDonald's 5 true worth = 4J6ott