Port Tobacco times, and Charles County advertiser. (Port Tobacco, Md.) 1845-1898, 1861-12-05

itual wants Of the sick and the dying This
chaplain was bound to watch over all under
his care, and to report to the emperor the
: slightest irregularity or negligence towards
J the sick.
Winter brooded drearily over the bleak
northern plains as the month of January
passed slowly away. Europe contemplated
with wonder the aspect Of French army
of nearly two hundred thousand men, en-
camped in the forests of the Vistula. and
yet provided with every comfort Alexan-
der, with hardy troops accustomed to these
frlgld realms prepared to attack Napoleon,
by surprise, in his winter quarters. But
Napoleon was rarely caught mapping
Keeping himself constantly informed of
every movement of the enemy, he met them
in their stealthy march, and overwhelmed
them IN the entirely unlocked for assault
The whole French line was urged impetu-
ously forward, and a series of battles ensu-
ed, amidst the drifts and storms of winter,
such as the annals of war had never before
recorded. In every forest, mountain gorge,
and by the bank of every swollen stream,
the retreating Russians planted their bate
ries
But the French, with impetuosity which
nothing could retard still Ir ,ssed on, in an
lncessant storm of battle. The snow, Grim
soned with blood, drifted over the dead
Mutilated forms, frozen to the ice, drifted
down the streams to unknown burials. The
scene at night was wonderfully sublime
The country was densely wooded No
tents were used. The soldiers hastily con-
structed from logs and boughs protection
from the wind, and with huge camp fires
blazing at their feet, slept soundly These
lurid flames CLEANED over wide leagues of
frozen hill and valley, illumining the land
scape with almost supernatural radiance
Napoleon had now driven his assailants
two hundred and forty miles north from the
banks of the Vistula. At length the Rus
SLAMS concentrated their forces, and made a
stand, for decisive battle. on the plains of
Eylau. 1t was the 7th of February, 1907
The pursued and the pursuers were within
cannon shot of each other. The night was
dark with threatening SlaqRffrpdSfionson Rfsir positions On
the brow Of gentle swell of land. extend
ing for three miles, and overlooking and
commanding a bleak. unsheltered plain,
from which the French would be compelled
to make their assault. Upon this ridge 81
isaaiefas IDS ont bis lines q defence;
guns. AS the soldiers threw tkemssivess
upon the icy ground, for their biveuac, the
rising storm commenced its dirge, and sift-
ed down upon them the winding sheet Of
snow.
Through the drifts and the gloom of this
storm Napoleon also led his troops upon the
field, and, with characteristic skill, took po-
: sition for the decisive battle which the morn
ing was to usher in. Two hundred and fifty
pieces of heavy artillery were planted to
rain destruction upon the dense ranks OF
the foe. Eighty thousand Russians occu-
pied the ridge. Sixty thousand French
men were spread over the plain below
Throughout the night there was the mur-
mur of voices and the confusion of military
movements as horsemen and footmen select
ed positions for the battle. The sentinels
of the two armies exchanged kindly greet
ings. and could almost touch each other
with their muskets. In these sad hours the
spirit of humanity triumped over the fero-
city of war, and the soldiers of the two ar
mics, feeling no personal hostility, as they
walked their dreary rounds, cheered each
other with the interchange of food and
wine.
The morning had not yet dswnci 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 merci-
less discharges. At the same time smoth-
ering, binding storm of snow swept the
field The smoke of the bottle, blending
with the storm, enveloped the combatants
in the gloom of almost impenetrable night.
Beneath this sulpurous canopy, where the
the fash of the guns could scarcely be per-
ceived, squadrons of horsemen and footmen
we're hurled against each other.
Thus for eighteen hours the battle ragged
5 one hundred and forty thousand men firing
, into each others bosoms. In the midst o.
| the conflict the emperor was informed tina
| a church, which occupied position deemed
of essential Importance, had been taken by
the enemy. Squirting his horse into tht
midst of a coulmn of his troops, he said
, owe must have that church back again a
every hazard" With shout of vire rena
pereur the column made resistless charge
| through storm of bullets upon the foe
, The emperor espied in the ranks an ole
, grenadier, with bloodstained clothes, black
ened with gunpowder, and his left arm JUS
torn off by shell, while drops of blooc
were fast falling frem the CHASTITY wound.
; 'stay, stay" cried the emperor, 'and
f 60 to the ambulance and get your wound
dressed"
Il WILL" said the soldier, $50 soon as
!, we shall have taken the church," and rush
ing on with his comrades, he disappeared a.
midst the smoke and the tumult of the bat
tie.
The twilight of the stormy day gradual
ly gave place to the gloom of nj ght The
storm of battle still ragged with undimiuish-
ed fury. Thirty thousand Russians were
already stretched upon the frozen ground