The southern aegis, and Harford County intelligencer. (Bel Air, Md.) 1862-1864, 1862-12-06

continent in blood to check the pre-
gress of Republican ideas, and Napoleon's
empire and the dynasty which he had es-
tablished, were at an end.
Such were the mighty results depend
ing upon the Russian campaign of 1912.
The reader is familiar with the march of
the Grand Army to Moscow. The Rus
slams, unable to resist the progress of Ma
poleon's invincible legions, adopted new
mode of defensive warfare. They fell back
from stronghold to stronghold, and from
city to city; but they left behind them but
smoking ruins and devastated fields. The
torch was merciessly applied to every
thing that would burn. The whole coun-
try was ravaged on the line of the retreat,
and nothing met the eye but desolation and
wide spread ruin on every side. 1t was
through a country, thus desolated and
stript of every article of food and every
means Of shelter, that Napoleon led his
famishing army to Moscow. The sight of
that renowned city broke upon the weary
and exhausted army like vision of hea-
ven. Here, it was expected, were COM
Portable quarters and abundant supplies.
The brave but toll worn and suffering SOL
diers, embraced each other in transports
of joy; while tears filled the eyes of the
great chieftain as he rode along the lines
amid the enthusiastic shouts of 'vive Ma
poleon Upon approaching the city, the
army, to their utter amazement and. con-
sternation, found it silent and deserted.
Slowly they filed through the gates of the
city. A few beggars and released con-
victs were seen in the deserted Streets
The inhabitants had fed. Every article
of subsistence had been carried off or de-
stroyed. "A heavy gloom pervaded the ar
my. The soldiers wandered listlessly
through the gorgeous palaces and dwell
lings. As night approached boding
sense of some impending and terrible Ca
lamity oppressed the mind of the Empe.
ror. At midnight the sleeping army was
startled by the cry of Fire p that rose
from every part of the city. Moscow had
been fired by the Russians at a hundred
different points. Vast magazines of pow
der and other explosive and combustible
materials had been so disposed as to rem
der the destruction inevitable. The army
barely escaped from the confagration, and
fled from the doomed city in wild alright
and disorder.
Napoleon's situation was perilous in
the extreme. He was more than 1000
miles from his Capital and in the heart Of
the enemy's country. His army was we'll
nigh without supplies or the means of
subsistence. The horses were dying of
starvation. The country had been swept
Of everything that he required. Clouds
of fierce and warlike Cossacks lowered
around ready to fall upon flank or rear.
Vast armies were collected before and be-
hind him to dispute his passage in any d.
rection that he might take. His own ar
my was reduced by the hardship and suf-
ferings of the campaign to the mere skele-
ton of its former self. Added to all this,
the Russian winter was setting in, against
the rigors of which the French army, house
less and but poorly clad, was wholly. de-
fenceless. Napoleon was dismayed by
the prospect before him. He thought
only of his brave army and how to save it..
To advance was impossible. To retreat
seemed the suggestion of despair.
In the midst of these tremendous EN-.
barrassments, Napoleon saw one means Of
safety. He could emancipate the slaves
of Russia. They were pouring into his
camp by tens of thousands. They had
risen all along the line of mis- march, and
besought him to protect them from the cru
city and oppression of their masters
There were forty or fifty millions of them
and they were aohite. The Russians fear
ed their slaves and adopted every means
in their power to prevent instruction
among them. Hazlitt, in his life of Ma
poleon says:
zone great fear of the Russians was,
that their slaves would rise up and throw
off their bondage; and it was therefore an
object to prevent their having any COM
munication with the French. They made
use of most improbable and disgusting fa-
bles to excite their terror and hatred, and
of their ignorance and degradation. 1t
was their dread that the doctrines of the
Revolution might loosen their grasp on
the wretehed serfs who composed the pop
ulation Of the country, that first made
them send their barbarous hordes against
the French territory, the consequence of
which now came back to themselves, to
their infinite horror and surprise, In the
shape of an invasion which might produce
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