The Hancock Jeffersonian. [volume] (Findlay, Ohio) 1857-1870, 1862-04-18
6anfofk 9ef(trsonian.
RETREAT OF NEY.


lof Gorti,ude and heroism recorded
in the annals Of war, was perform.
cd BY Marshal Ney, in the retreat
/ from. Moscow. With division OF
five thousand men be was cut Off
from the French army. kutusof,
the Russian general. with eight
1 thousand men, including numerous
: cavalry, and with two hundred piec
ee Of artillery, had effectually block
aded up his passage.
.[ Ney with his little band OF half
( fanished soldiers, wsvering in their
Ian. lid march, with guns detective
aud dirty, and with but six pieces of
cannon, ruahed upon the hostile bat
teries, and maintained the unequal
' conflict, in vain bis endeavor to cut
bis way through the masses OF the
foe, until night dsrkened the field
Then ut midnight, with no thought
e even OF surrender, he ordered his
: s troops to turn upon their tracks, and
march back again into the wilds OF
Russia.
IS With amazment the troops heard
J. this command, which, without hesi
taiion, they obeyed. 1t was cold,
, gloomy winters night. The frozJn
ground was covered with snow, and
the blast pierced the worn out cloth
or ing OF the soldiers. For two OF
three hours they Travelled, in dark
ness, the savage waste till they came
Of to small river. Breaking the ice
i, to see what direction the current
I'd ran, Ney said. This sream must
d a. flow into the Dneiper. 1t shall be
II our guide"
al The feeble band, cold, weary and
s, hungry, struggled along until they
OF reached the Dneiper. Its broad
u. and rapid current was clogged with
er floating masses of ice, and 10 one
mt spot only, to which lame peasant
n conducted them, the Ice was sutfi
ciently firm for them to attempt {
n. passage. Aud even here it wa'
|. necessary to pass with the utmos
: caution. Ney, wrapped in HE cioal
n slept for an hour upon the snow
/! while his troops passed over in sin
gle flo. The ice bent and crack
led under their feet.
They then attempted to pass thu
wagons over, ladened with the sicl
and wounded. The trail sur(ac,
n broke, and several of tho wagon
y sank beneath the ice. A few fain
cries only were heard, as the suffer
ers disappeared in their cold an
icy sepulchre. BY crossing til
: Dneiper, Ncy. hoped, in a long dc
tour, again to reach the army. IT,
Russians followed the feeble ban
his in its retreat, keeping beyond mus
%, "a kct shot, but firing necessarily upo
their victims with artillery, froI
ev,ry available eminence.
Napoleon WAS at Orcha, waitin
a, in the most intense anxiety, 10 hea
ing tidings from Ney. Fur days ha
passed without even a rumor of h
=, late. The Whole army was lool
III ing back across the Dneiper, hopin
- to catch glimpse of his advancin
tier columns. or TO hear the report o! h
enl artillery. AT the close Of day I
solitude and watching, III ,lher vii
try night enveloped in it's glool
Wv, these rrtreating, woe stricken arm
" les Napoleon was partaking Of
and frugal supper with Gen. LeiebvI
when q shout Of joy WIS heard
the street, and the words "Marshi
Ney is SAFE" fell upon his ear. A
that moment Polish officer entere
witt The tidings that the M .rsh
was few leagues distant, on tn
o, banks of the river, barassed by pu
suing Cussacks, and in want
immediate assistance. Napoleo
!, sprang rom his chair, and seiz
the informant by both arms az
rn looking straight into bis eyes, Z.
~ claimed.
is that reslly true. Are y,
sure OF il! | have two hundred mi
lions OF gold in my vaults ut Il
,di. Tuil'eres | woull have give
.r, 1' tn, m all to save Marshal Ney.'
Instantly Eugens was dispatche
r with five thousand men for the re-
,ss, cue of the marshal, Eagerly Il
s sas soldiers left their bivonac fires f
their midnight march Forsx mile
or, a they toiled along through the sno
liar liar aud ever unknown path, often stol
her her ping to listen il they could he'
,e any sound Of their lost friends.
sd The river, which was their on
... guide, flowed drear and chill at the
lies lies side, encumbered with vast mass
OF floating ice. Gloomy forests
evergreens irowned along their pat
ard no sound but the tramp Of E
genes battalions disturbed the q
ence of the night.
Q. AT length Eugene ordered his a
- tillery to be discharged, as a sho
TO ca the attention Of his friends.
re Listenil g aDxiously, they heard
off in the distance, au apparent T
sponse, a feeble report Of musketr
The ma shal had not single pie
Of artillery left. Both p ,rties no,
ever understood the language
their guns, and hastened to me
each other. They were soon unite