The Ashland union. [volume] (Ashland, Ashland County, Ohio) 1854-1868, 1863-03-18
AN ARMY MOVING ON SKATES.

During the famous expedition OF 1oulB5
XIV, this sort of locomotion was used against
rious and darilg exploits recorded in history.
When the States sued for peace, the terms
afforded by the pride Of Louis were 30 mon
strous, that they the people tore open their,
sluices ard laid the country under waters-
The frost after time, however, rendered even
this unavailing; and at length General Lux
eubourg, one dark and freezing night, mount
ed12, 900 men on skates, and sent them ever
the lee from Utrecht to surprise the Hagues-si
The result is given as fellows, BY q writer
who takes his facts from French hi5tori3n:
s'When they left Utrecht it was clear frosty
weather, and the effect of the moon and stars
upon the even sheet of ice, over which b theys
swept like q breeze, was truly, magical. BY
degrees as tEey advanced the visible horizen
Of earth was ohscured by yapor, and they
could see nothing around above or beneath
them, but a circular expanse of ice bounded
at the geby thick grey clouds, and cancpied
by the starry curtain of the sky. The strange
groaning sound which ever and anon doomed
along the frozen wilderness, had at first some
thing inexpressedly terrific to the imagination,
and as 1t died Gtfully away in the distance,
the space surrounding them seemed extended
almost to infnity - :,
The sky was al length covered by the w. :
pors rising, as if from the edges of earth
veil of hazy white overspread the heavens
and obscured the stars, and a dim round spot
OF watery brightness was the only indications
of tho size of the moon, by which they could
now steer their course. A rapid thaw had
come on, their skates sunk deeper into the icS
at every sweep and at last the water gather
ing upon the surface, it was agitated by the
night wind that had now risen, assumed the
appearance of sea. The wind Increased );
the sky grew blacker and blacker; their foot
ing became more spongy and insecure, and
the Ice groaned and cracked beneath them
! they plunged almost to the knee. Every one
looked upon himself as lost; and the horrors
of fate hitherto untold in story, appearing
| to belong neither to the fortunes of the land
nor of tie sea, appalled, the boldest imagine
ton. ssafz5a - -
At length faint, twinkling light appeared
In the distance, sometimes seen and sometimes
lost in the varying atmosphere and thoy had
the satisfaction, such as it was, of at least
knowing the relative bearing Of the place on
which they were about to perish: The light
proceeded from strong fort in the enemys
\ hands, impregnable without cannon and what
| added bitterness to their misery, was the,
knowledge that beyond this fort was . piks<
which in all probability afforded path, how
ever narrow and muddy, by which they could
have returned to Utrecht. The fort, however,
was the gate to this avenue of safety, and
/ S'Su II euSy uao pOSSeSSeQ tno reg u1blto
i means of siege, If 1t was defended for single
l'day, they would either be swallowed up By
the water in the continuance of the thaW, or
perish miserably through cold and fatigus.-~
But anything was better than inaction.
The water creeping insidiously around thsm
was a deadiier enemy than stone walls or cam
non shot; and they determined at least 10
mako o rush upon the immovable masonry Of
the fort, and provoke the fire of its defenders.
/ 30 20 g. AZ, IA Il
may have beon the sight Of SO large body Of
men rushing in upon them, and as if from the
open sea, their numbers multiplied, and even
their individual forms distorted and magnifsd
4 in the mist, struck o panic terror into the
hearts Of the garrison, while this Eay have
increased by the shouts of courage or despair,
that came booming widely over the icy waste,
and minglingf like the voices Of demons with
the rising wind. But however this was, the
/ gates of the fort opened at their approach,
and the hapless and half frozen Adventures
rushed in without striking blow.