Montgomery County sentinel. [volume] (Rockville, Md.) 1855-1974, 1861-12-13

az Oueii lee1, eiept sounuly. lueSe lurlu
flames CLEANED over wide Leagues of fro
zen hill and valley, Illuminating the
landscape with almost supernatural ra-
dance.
Napoleon had now driven his assail-
ants two hundred and forty miles north
from the banks of the Vistula. At
length the Russians concentrated their
forces, and made stand, for a decisive
battle, on the plains Of Eylau. 1t was
the 7th of February, 1907. The pur-
sued and the pursuers were within can
non shot of each other. The night was
dark with threatening clouds, and in
tensely cold, as the Russians took their
positions on the brow of gentle swell
of land, extending for three miles, and
overlooking and commanding bleak,
unsheltered plain, from which the French
would be compelled to make their as
sault. Upon this ridge Alexander spread
out his lines of defence, and planted his
batteries of five hundred guns. AS the
soldiers threw themselves upon the icy
ground, for their bouviac, the rising
storm commenced its dirgc, and sifted
down upon them the winding sheet of
snow.
Through the drifts and gloom of this
storm, Napoleon also led his troops upon
the field, and, with characteristic skill,
took position for the decisive battle which
the morning was TO usher in. Two hun
dred and fifty pieces of heavy artillery
we're planted to rain destruction upon the
dense ranks of the foe. Eighty thou
sand Russians occupied the ridge. Sixty
thousand Frenchmen were spread over
the plain below. Throughout the night
there was the murmur of voices and the
confusion Of military movements as horse
men and footmen selected positions for
the battle. The sentinels of the two ar
mics exchanged kindly greetings, and
could almost touch each other with their
muskets. In these sad hours the spirit
of humanity triumphed over the feroci.
ty of war, and the soldiers of the two
armies, feeling no personal hostility, as
they walked their dreary rounds, cheer
ed each other with the interchange of
food and wine.
The morning had not yet dawned when
the cannonade commenced. Seven hun
dred pieces of artillery, worked by the
most expert gunners, moved down the
opposing hosts upon the hill and the
plain. Column after column melted
away before the merciless discharges
At the time a smothering, binding storm
of snow swept the field The smoke of
the battle, blending with the storm, en-
veloped the combatants in the gloom of
almost impenetrable night. Beneath this
sulphurous canopy, where the flash of the
guns could scarcely be perceived, squa-
drons Of horsemen and footmen we're
hurled against each other
Thus for eighteen hours the battle ra-
ged, one hundred and forty thousand
men firing into each others bosoms. In
the midst of the conflict the emperor was
informed that church, which occupied
a position Of essential importance, had
been taken by the enemy. SpuriDg his
horse into the midst Of a column of his
troops, he said: 1--WE must have that
church back again at all hazards" With
shout of vice penpereur, the column
made rcsistless charge, through storm
of bullets upon the foe. The emperor
espied in the ranks an old grenadicr,
with 5loodstaned clothes, blackencd with
gunpowder, and his left arm just torn off
by shell, while drops Of blood were
fast falling from the CHASTITY wound.
Stay, stay" cried The emperor, "and
go to the ambulance and get your wound
dressed"
II will" said the soldier, $50 soon
as VIC shall have taken the church" and
rushing on with his comrades, he disap-
peared amidst the smoke and the tumult
of the battle.
The twilight of the stormy day gradu-
ally gave place to the gloom Of night.
The storm of battle still ragged with un-
diminished fury. Thirty thousand Rus
slams were already stretched upon the
frozen ground. Ten thousand French
men, the dying and the dead were also
strcwed upon the plain. Ten thousand
horses bad also been struck by the balls.