The weekly Lancaster gazette. (Lancaster, Ohio) 1860-1863, 1861-10-10
Charge of Murat at Eylau.

NNTNN@Sl
in mid-winter, 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
en- either side would have settled the fate of
Europe; BonapaFts remained in possession of
the field, and that was all no victory was ever
so like defeat. 70 ~ - ~ = - -
The field of Eylau was covered with snow |
and the little ponds that lay scattered oyer III
were frozen sufficiently hard to bear the artl-
lery. Sevcnty-one thousand men on one side,
and eighty-hve thousand on the other, arose 7
from the frozen field on which they had slept !
the night Of February, without tent or cover
ing to battle for continent. Augurea, on the
left, was utterly routed in the morning. Ad- !
vancing through snow storm, so thick that he
couldnot see the enemy the Russian cannon 4
moved down his ranks with their destructive
fire, while the Cossack Cavalry which was
ordered to charge, came laundering on, almost /
hitting the French infantry withtheir long Ian;
ces, before they were visible through the
~ 'Iit'Ir IriHI'i.if .lIli tUF---. lGl7 lff-
storm. .t. . g.. o.
Hcmmed in and overthrown, the whole di-
vision, composed of 10000 men, with the ex-
ception of 1,500 were captured or slain. Just
then the snow storm clearing up nreyealed to.
Napoleon the peril to which he was brought,
and he Immediately ordered agrand charge by
the Imperial Guard and the whole Cavalry.
Nothing was further from Bonaparte's wishes
or expectation, than the bringing Of the reserve,
into the engagement at this early stage Of the.
battle, but there. was no other resource left
him. .a.uo-
Murat sustained his high reputation onIthis
occasion, and proved himself, fdrthe hundredth
time, worthy Of the great Confidence Napoleon
placed in him. Nothing could bemore impo-
sing than the battle field at this moment.
Bonaparte and the Empire trembled in the bal
ancc, while Murat prepared to lead down his
cavalry to save them. Seventy squadrops,
making in all 1900 we'll mounted men, be-
gan to move over the slope, with the old Guard
marching sternly behind. '- 'n 81
! Bonapartc, it is said, was more agtatcd at
this crisis than when moment before, he was
so near being captured by the Russians. But
as he saw those seventy squadrons come down
on plunging trot, pressing hard after the white
plume of Murat, that streaming through the
snow storm far in front, smile passed over
his countenance. tH '..1'I '' 3h' ii
The earth groaned and trcmblcd as they
passed. and the sabrcs above the dark and an.
cry mass before looked like the foam of a sea
wave as it crests on the deep. The rattling ol
their armor and the thunder of their tread
drowned all the roar of battle as with firm
array and swift steady motion they bore down
with their terrible front on the foe. stp 'tn
The shock of that immense host was like &
falling mountain, and the front line of the Rus
sian army went down like frost-work before 1t
They commenced protracted fight of hand tC
hand, and sword to sword, as in the cavalry
action at Echmuhi. The clashing of steel wa
like the ring of countless hammers, and horse
and riders were blended in wild confusion to
: gcther; the Russian reserve were ordered up
and on these Murat fell with his fierce horse
men, crushing and trampling them down b.
, thousands. But the obstinate Russians dis
dained to fly, and rallied again; so that it wa
! no longer cavalry charging on infantry, bl
broken hosts, that, gathering into knots, st
: disputed, with unparalleled bravery, the re
and rent field, m .H0 ,,.s- lu. ipo3f D.
1t was during this strange fight that Murc
! was seen to perform one of those dcspcrat
I deeds for which he was so renowned Excite
TO the highest pitch of passion by the obstacle
/. that opposed him, he seemed endowed wit
i. fold strength, and looked more like supc
r human being treading down helpless mortal
than an ordinary man. Amid the roar I
y, artillery, and rafting of musketry, ana lallin
Of sabre strokes like lightning about Him, Chi
lofty white plume never once went dow
a while ever and anonit was seen glarihg throug
il the smoke of battle, the star of hope to Napo
S con, and showing that his fright arm" was sti
uplifted and striking for victory. u mG
He ragged IKE unlooscd lion among thefoC
his eyes, .alwaysterrible in battle, burnedwiI
increased ldstrc whlb his clear and stead
voice, heard above tho turmoil of strife vi
/ worth more than thousand trumpcts to che
on his followers. AT ongth, seeing a knot
I Russian soldiers that for along time had ke
d up devouripg fire upon his men, he wheelr
u his horse md drove full gallon upon their le
= !, cllcd muskets. A few of his guards, that new
;. allowed that white plume to leave thoir sigl
4 charged after him. Without wanting to 'cou
" his foes, he seized bis bride in his teeth, AZ
d with his pistol in one hand aud his draw
D. sword, in the other burst in headlong fary upt
r. them, and scattered them as if a hurricane h,
= swept byug MurNt was thuuder-bolt on til
!, day, and the deeds that wore wrought by hi
will furnish themes for the poet and d
y painter 1you 2 aiHll' bg1lEn on ilf}s p7
~ nipb fi aL-I... ..I~pa~-LLanml7,5
The test Of Female Heroisrn.
I'll l., All, ,olor,,, Lour or our co,ntry,e dan I,