The Emporia news. [volume] (Emporia, Kan.) 1859-1881, 1862-08-23
MARSHAL NEY,s RETREAT.
BIZ j. 8. G. ABBoT9.

titude and heroism recorded in the annals
of war, was performed by Marshal Ney, in
the retreat from Moscow. With division
of Eve thousand men he was cut OFF from
the remainder of the French army. Kutu-
soft, the Russian general, with eighty thou
sand men, including numerous cavalry, and
with two hundred pieces of artillery, had
effectually blocked up his passage.
Ney, with his little band of half-famished
soldiers, .wavering in their languid march.
with guns detective and dirty, and with but
six pieces Of cannon, rushed upon the hos
tile batteries, and maintained she unequal
conflict in the vain endeavor to cut his way
through the masses of the field, until night
darkened the field. Then, at midnight,
with no thought, even, of surrender he or
dered his troops to turn upon their track,
and march back again into the wilds of
Russia. 1879 81 b. 500" --@
With amazement the troops heard this
command, which, without hesitations they
obeyed. 1t was cold, gloomy winters
night. The frozen ground was covered with
snow, and the blast pierced the worn out
clothing Of the soldiers. For two or three
hours they traversed in darkness the saw
age waste, till they came to small river.
Breaking the ice, to see in what direction
the current ran, Ney said:
"This stream must Cow iHto the Dneiper.
It shall be our guide" ~
The feeble band, cold, hungry and wea-
ry, struggled along until they reached the
Dneiper. Its broad and rapid current was
clogged with floating masses of ice, and In
one spot only, to which peasant conducted
them, was the ice sufficiently firm for them
to attempt passage. And even here il was
necessary to pass with the utmost caution.
Ney, wrapped in his cloak, slept for an hour
upon the snow, while his troops passed over
in single file. The ice bent and cracked
under their feet. - .@i -t
They then attempted to pass the wagons
over, laden with the sick and wounded. The
frail surface broke, and several Of the wag-
ons sank beneath the ice. A few faint cries
only were heard, as the sufferers disappear
ed in their cold and icy sepulchre. By cross
ing the Dneiper, Ney hoped. in a long de-.
tour, again to reach the army.
The Russians followed the feeble band in
its retreat, keeping beyond musket shot. but
firing necessarily upon their victims with
artillery, from every available eminence.
Napoleon was at Orcha, waiting in the
most intense anxiety to hear. tidings from
Ney. Four days had passed without even
a rumor of his fate. The whole army was
looking back across the Dneiper, hoping to
catch glimpse of his advancing columns,
or to hear the report of his artillery. At the
close of a day of solicitude and watching,
another wintry night enveloped in its gloom
these retreating. woe stricken armies. Ma
poleoh was partaking of frugal supper
with Gen. Lefebvre, when shout of Joy
was heard in the street, and the words,
Marshal Ney is safe,'' fell upon his ear.
At that moment Polish officer entered
with the tidings that the Marshal was few
leagues distant, on the banks of the river,
harassed by pursuing Cossacks, and in
want of immediate assistance. Napoleon
sprang from his chair, seized the informant
by both arms, and gazing into his eyes,
exclaimed:
els that really true? Are you sure of
it? have two hundred millions in gold in
my vaults at the Tuilsries. would have
given them all to save Marshal Ney.''
Instantly Eugene was dispatched with
FIVE thousand men for the rescue of the
Marshal. Eagerly the soldiers left their
bivouac fires for the midnight march. For
six miles they toiled along through the snow
and over an unknown path, often stopping
to listen if they could hear any sound of
their lost friends. The river, which was
their only guide, flowed drear and chill at
their side, encountered with vast masses of
floating ice. Gloomy forests of eyergreens
frowned along their path, and no sound but
the tramp of Eugene's battalion disturbed
the silence of the night.
At length Eugene ordered his artillery to
be discharged, as shout to call the atten-
ton of his friends. Listening anxiously,
they heard far off in the distance, in appar-
ent response, feeble report of musketry.
The Marshal had not single piece of ar
tillery left. Both parties, however. under
stood the language of their guns. and they
FASTENED TO meet each other. They were
soon united. Officers and soldiers alike
threw themselves into each others arms,
and many of these war-worn veterans Wept
for JOY.
The reunited bands, forgetful of past
perils and the still greater ones they were
yet to encounter, returned rejoicingly to Or
cha. As Marshal Ney, with soldierly SIM
plicity and unostentation, gave a recital of
the dangers and difficulties he had sur
mounted, and the hardships he had endur-
ed, Napoleon grasped his hand, and immor
talized him with the title of the "brayess
of the brave" Again Napoleon said, in
reference to this same achievement. in
words which will never die -" Better is
an army of deer commanded by lion,
than an army of lions commanded By al
deer"
During this retreat, an unnatural mother,
who was one Of the camp followers, weary
of nursing her crying child. threw it into
the snow to perish. Ney CHANGED TO wit
ness the inhuman deed, and. lifting up the
child aoothad II tandorlv and rest0red II To