The Kenosha telegraph. [volume] (Kenosha, Wis.) 1860-1888, 1862-02-06

YOUR DIVISION at Oh duell"' Aou VIII
have on your hands fifteen or eighteen
thonsand Austrians. Meet them and
ntthem 10 pieces 1t will be so many
enemies less on the day of the decisive
battle we are to expect with the ems
tire army of Melas."
The prediction was true. Lannes
and Murat encountered 1000 Of the
foe at Montcbello, strongly posted with
batteries which swept the plain. The
French soldiers, inspired by the al
most miraculous power, with which Ma
poleon infused his own spirit into his
troops, appeared to pay no regard to
or shell. Though but eight thousand
lin number they rushed upon the en-
,trenched foe. Sat the first discharge
of the hostile batteries" sad Lannes,
II could hear the bones crash in my
division Ike glass in hail storm.
For nine hours the carnage contn
ued. Just as the Austrians were rout-
ed, and were flying before their vic
tors, Napoleon appeared on the field.
Lannes had been the hero OF this
bloody day. As he stood amidst
mounds Of the dead, blackened with
smoke, and with his. uniform soiIed
and tattered with the terrible strife,
Napoleon grasped his hand with
smile of gratitude, and conferred upon
him the title of the Duke of Montebel-
Ilo.
Four days after this Napoleon, with
but twenty thousand men, encountered
Melas with 10000 troops upon the
plain of Marengo. The Austrian force
included 1000 cavalry and 200 pieces
of artillery. The French General De,
saix, with 5000 men, was nearly thirty
miles from the field. Fortunately when
reclining in his tent, he heard the first
crash of the battle, as 1t came BOOM
ing over the field like distant thunder
His troops were instantly on the march
and they pressed forward with all pos
lsible speed to the aid of their comrads.
All the day long Napoleon held his
ground against foe Outnumbering
him two to one. 1t was now O'Clock
in the afternoon. The contending
hosts were within pistol~shot of each
other. and in many cases blending in
the fierce5t fight. On parts Of the field
the France, exhausted and overpower-
ed, were retiring in confusion, pursued
and cut down by the cavalry OF the
foe Napoleon, by his personal SUI
premacy,still held few squads togeth
er slowly, reluctantly, but in good or
der retiring, while the victorious Aus
TRANS closely followed them, plough
ing their ranks with two hundred pie
ces of artillery Melas doubted not
that he had gained the day, and dis
patched couriers throughout Europe
to announce his victory.
Just then the solid columns of De-
saix appeared, impetuously entering
the plain Desaix cast an anxious
glance over the confusion around him,
and upon the broken. bleeding and re-
treating battallions Of the French, and
squirting his horse, galloped to the
point where Napoleon stood involved
in the smoke and the dust of the cons
fict.
Il see, said Desaix, "that the bat
tie is lost can do no more for you,
l suppose, than to cover your retreat. y
''By no meat s." Napoleon replied,
"The battle | trusts gaine,.. Charge
with your column. The disordered
troops will rally in your rear"
Des ak, at the head of his division,
, made an impetuous charge upon the
: front of the advancing toe. At the
, same time KelIerman received an order
: to charge the foe in flank with his cav.
- airy. The charge was like one of mag
II ic. In an instant the whole aspect
II of the field was transformed. Those
-. on the retreat were promptly rallied
u by the voice OF Napoleon as he rode
: along their broken ranks.
"My friends" said he GIVE have re
treated far enough 1t is now our turr
n to advance. Recollect that am il
" the habit Of sleeping on the field o
|, battle"
q The French now raised shouts O
II victory which rose above the thun
l, ders of the cannonade. A panic, anc
;; a well-founded one, now perYaded the
I'll ranks Of the Austrlans. In the wild
est confusion they broke and fled. They
II were pursued, cut down, and trampleC
{ beneath the iron noOfs of Kellerman'.
! Dragons. When the sun went doWr
: behind the distant A ps, after witness
t ing twelve hours of this trichtful car
; mage, more than twenty thousand hui
: man beings were streWn upon the plain
i weteIing in blood.
IS The rout of Melas was so entire thai
u escape was hopeless, and he was al
: the mercy Of his victor. Napoleon
rode over the field, and gazed sadly
upon the aspect Of misery spread eve
l. rywhere around him. As some am
5 balances passed him laden with the
mu;iated forms Of the wounded, he
}, stopped, and uncovered his head, say
( ing:
: I'VE cannot but regret not being
> wounded like these unhappy men, thai
d we might share their Sutferings."
Under the influence Ell such feelings
P he took pen, upon that CORY field, and
y wrote as follows to the Emperor OF
Austria
"SIRE 1t is on the field of battle
amid the sufferings of multitude of
wounded, and surrounded by fifteen
J thousand 90 pses, that | beseech your
u majesty to listen to the voice OF hu-
; mainly, and not to suffer two nations
to cut each others Threats for interests
G not their own. 1t is my part to press
thiS upon your majesty, being upon
the very theatre of war. Your mai
eSty's heart can not feel it as keenly as
does mine"
The letter was long and eloquent,
; but unavailing. England and Austria
still continued the strife until the
French armies, within sight OF the
stee: les Of Vienna, compelled peace.
D RACES AND REIIGIoNs.-The whole