The evening telegraph. [volume] (Philadelphia [Pa.]) 1864-1918, 1864-11-04
The snmbre. Marengo. Cedsr CreeI..


Aswe read shoridan's brief and thrilling des-
patches, telling us how at Cedar creek he, or as
he modestly says, "the gallantry Of his officers
and men," wrung victory from defeat, We wore
reminded Of that great battle at tho Sambre, in
which Caesar, by bis personal presence, turned
back the conquering Norvians and overwhelmed
them with his legions, who had just been fleeing
IN ALARM and we also instnctively turned our
thoughts to the field of Marengo, where Napoleon
hurled Dessix on the lines Of the victorious Aus
trians, and gathered his beaten troops up in the
rear and led them on to complete victory, which
they had utterly despaired OF winning.
Caesar has, IN his "C0mmentariesD told us In
his mimitaole style of his great achievement.
The NcryiaDe, one Of the bravest of the Belgian
tribes, had concealed their forces in a thickct
on q hill between which and the Roman camp
the Sambre flowed. While bis soldiers were
Cntrcnchng, few Of his cayllry crossed the
stream. The Neryans broke from their cover,
charged across tue stream, and before his
troops could be formed, before even they
| could he warned of the danger, the enemy was
| upon them. The famous cavalry Of Treyes
! fed, panic-stricken, announcing that all was
! lost. The fOot-soldiers, without waiting each
| to find his legion, joined Whatever detachment
| he fell in with Bat all efforts seemed truitess.
| The 8th, 9th, llth, and 18th Lngions, even the
! renowned 10th Legion, tried in vain to stay the
foe, Caesar saw that the time for last trial had
come The enemy was pressing in front and on
the tanks. The best Centurions were killed. At
least one standard was gone. The Ncrvians had
almost reached the baggage. There was no
reserve. "Whercupo1," say the Commentaries,
Caesar snatChing a buckler from a soldier who
stood in the rear of the LEGION for he himself had
come without one and pressing to the front of the
battle, called the CentuTiOns by name, encouraged
the rest, and commanded the soldiers TO advance
their ensigns and widen their ranks, that they
might be the more az liberty to use their
swords. His arrival inspiring the men with
! H.v, LOLA
was ambitious of distinguishing himself In the
presence of bis General, and even in his great
est extremity rcdoublcd his efforts, the progress
Of The enemy was "a little checked" That was
the turning point. The legions charged again,
the fugitive cavalry returned 10 their work
even the servants became inspired with courage
and rushed 10 the attack, and the Nervians
were utterly overtbrown. The victory was
brilliant ever won by the great Roman
! leader. How exactly "Dlttdtis mutdndiS,"
having regard to the change of circum-
stances, do the words which we have
quoted from Caesar describe the work of the
| fiery Sheridan at Cedar. creek II would not
| have been an eXaggeraton for either COM
| mander to say, 81 won the vistory." But it
| should be remarked that Caesar was with his
| army when il was surprised, and is justly criti-
! czed for allowing himself to be caught unpre-
| pared, and that the opDOrune arrival Of Labienus
with two fresh legions during the fight, was ofthe
! greatest service TO him. Sheridan was not with
| his army when 1t was attacked. He would pro-
| baby not have been surprised. He had no REIN
! forccments at all, but won his splendid victory
with the very same troops which had been driven
miles hy the enemy, with heavy loss.
At Marengo, our readers remember, NGpoleons
first line, commanded by Victor and Gardame,
was broken, the left of the second line, com
manded by LanneS, was uncovered and forced
to retreat. Napoeon's left wing was, in fact,
completely put to flight, and his centre thrown
into disorder. His right wing alone held its
ground at all. DCsaX, who arrived on the field
just in time, met the fugti7es from Victor's
Division, saw Napoleon directing the retreat of
his left and centre, and cried out in anguish, 'Hhe
battle is lostl can 90 no more than secure your
retreat" But Napoleon with his quick eye, saw
! before him the auguTies of success, and ordered
| DesaiX to push forward on the right, telling
him that he himself would rally the dis
ordered troops on the centre and left to support
| him in the rear. DosaX galoped TO the front to
meet the fatal ball that laid him low. But his
| troops and Kellerman's dashed on. Kollermaa
| broke through the Austrian lines and captured
six battalions, with the Austrian commander-in-
| chief Zach. Napoleon galloped along his line
| calling on the soldiers to advance The men who
bad been fleeing TO the rear now FASTENED
against the foe, and bore down everything before
! them. So was seeming defeat turned into vic
tory. Just about the same number of troops
were engaged in this battle as fought at Ceda
creek on Wednesday. But Shendans persona
influence and success was in our judgment ever
more marked than that Of Napoleon on the famou
heli of Marengo.
We think that the historical scholar will recall
few If any battles in which commander has s
brilliantly and strikingly converted disaster int
success, as did our gallant and gifted Sheridan a
Cedar creek Louis XIV said, haughtly, 81 eta
c'est MOI, ;" 81 am the State" Sheridan Nigh
, have said on Wednesday night, without boosting
> L'a7nee, c'eSt moi, 81 am the army. ."-IrOCtden
' | Journal.