The Jeffersonian Democrat. [volume] (Chardon, Ohio) 1854-1865, 1861-09-06
Charge Of Murat at Eylau.
BY J. 7. HEADLZY.

by J. T. uEADLZY. ..
II Is at Eylau that Murat always appears
in his most torriblo aspect. This battle,
fought in mid winter, in 1906, was tho most
important and bloody ono that bad then
occurred. France and Russia had mover
opposed such strength to each other, and a
complete victory on either side would havo
sottlod tho fate of Europe; Donaparto ro-
maioed in possession of tho field, and that
was oil; no victory was over so like dofoat.
The fold Of Eylau was covered with snow,
and tho little ponds that lay scattered over
it woro frozon sufficiently hard to bear the
artillery. SoVouty. thousand mon on
one sido, and oighty-fvo thousand on the
othor, arose from tho frozen fold on which
they had slopt tho night OF February, with
out tent or covering, to battle for CONT.
| nent. Angeroau, on tho loft, was utterly
routed carly in tho morning. Advancing
! through a snow storm so thick ho could not
500 the enomy, tho Russian cannon moved
down his ranks with their destructive fro,
whilo the Cossack cavalry, which woro Or
dored to charge, came thundoting on, almost
hitting tho Fronch infantry with their
long ancos before they woro visible through
tho storm. . .... ..
|
division, composed of l6, 600 mon, with tho
exception OF 500, wero captured or slain.
| just then tho snow storm clearing up ro-
vcaled to Napoleon tho pcril to which no
was brought, and ho Immediately ordered n
grand charge by tho Imperial Guard and
tho whole cavalry. Nothing was furthor
from BOnapartos wishes or expectation,
than tho bringing of his reserve into tho
engagement at this early stage of tho baltic,
but ihero was no other resource loft him.
Mura: sustained his high reputation on
this occasion, and proved himsolf, for tho
hundredth time. worthy of the great conf.
douce Napoleon placed in him. Nothing
could be more imposing than tho battle field
at this moment. Bonaparte and tho EN-
pire trcmblod in the balance, whilo Murat
prepared to lead down his cavalry to save
them. Seventy squadrons, making in all
ii 900 weli-mountod mon, began to move
over tho slope, with tho Old Guard march
ing STORMY behind.
Bonaparte, il is said, was moro agitatej
at this crisis than, whom, a oment before
he was so uear being captured by the Rus
slams. But as ho saw those seventy squad
rons como down on pluuging trot, pressing
hard after tho white plume of Murst, tha
stroamed through the snow storm far ir
front, smilo passed. over his couutenance
Tho Garth groaned and trombled as tho,
, passed, and the sabros, above tho dark anc
/. angry mass below. locked like the foam of
! soa- wave as it crcsts on tho deep. Th
| ratting of their amor, and tho mufflo,
, thunder Of their troad, drowned all tho roa
of battle, as with firm, set array, and swift
. steady motion, thoy bore down with terribi
, front on tho foe. ...
Tho shock CT that immense host was lik
{, falling mountain, and the front line of tb
Russian army went down like frost.wOrl
before It. Then commenced a proiracte,
fight of hand to hand, and sword to sword
rs in tho cavalry action at Eckmuhl. TIL,
clashing of steoI was like the raging o
countless hammers, and horses and rider
/, were blended in wild confusion together
the Russian reserve wero ordered up, ant
on those Murat foil with his fierco horsomen
crushing and trampling them down by thou
+, sands. But tho obstinate Russians dis
dainod to fly, aud rallied again and again, 81
j that il was no longer cavalry charging OF
I infantry, but s1uadrons of horse galopin
d through broken hosts that. gathering int
d knots, still disputed. with unparallole
: bravery, the rod and ront fold.
;. 1t was during this strange fight that Mura
= Was seon TO perform one of those desporai
: deeds for which he was so renowned. x,
cit6d to tho highost pitch OF passion by tn
= . obstacles that opposed him, no seemed OF
y dowed with tenfod strength, and locke
. moro like a superAumun boing troadin
down helpless mortais, than all ordinar
u man. Amid tho roar of artillery and ra
tling of musketry and falling of sabre-strok'
like lightning about him, that lofty viii
- plumo mover once won't down, whilo eve
~ and anon il was seon gIsring through tn
smoke of battle tho star of bopo in Nap,
- loon, and showing that his fright arm" WI
stilI uplif,od and striking for victory. II
ragged like an unloosed lion amid tho foo
and his ewes, always terrible in batti
:, burned with increased lusre, while his clea
70 70 and steady voice, hoard above tho turmo
of strife, waa worth moro than tboJsan
trumpets to cheer on his followers. A
" length, seeing q knot of Russian soldier
!, u that for long timo had kept up a devou
- ing fire on his men, no wheeled his hors
= and drove in full galop upon their lovele
muskots. A few of his guards, that nevt
~ allowed that whito plume TO leave their Sigh
r charged after him. Without waiting
~ count his foes, he seized his bridlo in h
., tooth, snd with his pistol in one hand an
VI his drawn sword in tho othor, burst in hoat
long fury upon them, and scattered thcl
~ ! as hurricane had swept by. Murat was
y thundorbolt on that day, and tho docds th'
- wero wrought by him will furnish them'
10 for tho poet and the painter.