The Burlington weekly hawk-eye. [volume] (Burlington [Iowa]) 1860-1876, 1864-11-05
The SambFe, N1arengO. Cedar
r@a Creek. l4ts0ga

AS we leaO S0erluAnSS Or;e1 and thrill.
ing dispatches. telling US how be, or as be
GERS and men, > wrune victory from defeat,
we were reminded Of that great battle at
the Sambre, in which Cesar, by his per-
sonal presence, turned back the. conquer
ing NerYians and overwhelmed them
with his legions, who had just been fleeing
in alarm; and we also instinctively turn
ed our thoughts to the field Of Marengo,
where Napoleon hurled Desaix on the lines
Of the victorious Austrians and gathered
his beaten troops up in the rear and led
them on to complete victory which they
had utterly despaired Of winning. hf a.
Cesar has, In his Commentaries, told us
in his inimitable style, of his great aceieve-
mert. The Nefvians, one ofthe bravest Of
the Belgian tribes, had concealed their
forces In thicket on a hin, between which
and the Roman camp and the Sambre
flowed. While his soldiers were en,rench-
ing, q few OF his cavalry crossed the stream.
The Nervians broke from their cover.
charged across the stream, and before his
troops could be forned-before even they
could be warned OF the danger, the enemy
was upon them. The famous cavalry Of
Treves tied, panic-stricken, announcing
that all was lost. The foot-soldiery, with
whatever detachment they fell In WITH
But all efforts seemed fruitless. The 18th.
9th, llth, 18th, legions. even the renowned
10th legion, tried il vain to stay the foe.-
Cesar saw that the time for last trial had
come. The enemy was pressing in front
and on the TANKS. The best centuYious
were killed. At least one standard had
gone. The Nervians had almost reached
the baggage. There was no reserve
"Wherenpon," says the Commentaries.
'CHsar snatched q buckler from 4 soldier
who stood IN the rear OF the legion, for he
himself had came without OneS and pres.
iig'to the front OF the battle, called the
centurions by name, encouraged the rest,
and commanded the soldiers to advance
the ensigus and widen their rrnks, that
they might be the more at liberty 70 use
their swords. His arrival inspiring the
men with hope and reviving their courage,
as every one was ambitious OF distinguish
ing himselfin the presence Of his General.
and even ia hts greatest extremity redoub.
led his efforts, the progress Of the enemy
was little checked" That was the turn
ing point. The legions charged again, the
fugitive cavalry returned to their work,
even the servants became inspired with
courage and rushed to the attack, and the
Nervians we're utterly overthrown. The
victory wss justly considered as one Of the
most brilliant ever won by the great Ro.
man leader. How exactly, "n,msatis mu-
tdndis,' having regard TO the change Of
circumstances, do the words We have
quoted from Caesar describe thes work Of
the fiery Sheridan on Wednesday last. 1t
would not have been an extravagatiOn for
either commander to say, 81 won the vic
tory" But it should he remarked that
Cesar was with his army when it was
surprised, and justly criticized for allowing
himseifto be caught unprepared, and that
the Opportune arrival Of Labienus, with
two fresh legions, during the fight, was Of
the greatest service to him. Sheridan was
He would probably not have been surpri-
sed. He had no re-enforcements at all,
but won his splendid victory with the very
same troops which had been driven miles
by the enemy with heavy loss. Ha
At Marengo, our readers will renember,
Napoleon's first line, commaQ0eds by Vic
tor and Gardanne, was broken, the left OF
the second line, commanded by LAnnes,
was uncovered and forced to- retreat. Ma
poleon's left wing was in tact completely
put 70 flight and his center tthrown into,
disorder. Desaix, who arrived on the bat
tie field Justin time, met thefugitives from
VictOr's division, saw Napoleon directing
the retreat ct his left aud center, and cried
out in anguish, '"The battle is lost! / can
do no more than secure your retreas!'-d
But Napoleon, with his quick eye, saw be-
fore him the auguries OF success, and or
dered Desaix to push forward on the right;
telling him that he himself would rally the
troops on the center and left to
support him in the rear. Desaix galloped
to the front to meet the fatal ball that laid
him low. But his troops and Keller
mann's dashed on. Kellermann broke
through the Austrirn lines and captured
six battaliOne, with the Austrian C0mman-
der Chief Zach. Napoleon galloped
along In his line calling on the soldiers to
advance. The men who had been fleeing
to the rear now hastened against tine foe,
and bore down everything before them.
So was seeming defeat turned into victory.
Just about the same number of troops was
engaged III this battle ~ fought at Cedar
Creek on Wednesday. But Sheridan's
personal influences and success was, in our
even. more marked than that
Of Napoleon on the famous field Of Mar
eng0. arnas aEa q @ esi@s naf -t.rs
We think that the historical scholar
will recall few, if any battles, in which =
has 20 brilliantly and striking
" converted disaster into success. IA did
our gallant and gifted Sheridan ut Cedar
Creek. Louis XIV said, hauchtily.
"rctdt. c'est mos, ,"ssI am the6fate.P Sher-
idan might have said on Wednesday night,
without Boosting, "rarnsce, c'est MOI Il
am the army Providence JoWs7tal.
& III ~ 3s4 7F ID
OBSERVATION-DISCLOSURES MRN SHOT,
Some three weeks since party of guerril-
las, commanded by the notorious woman
named Sue Mundy, came within one mile
OF this city and then went back up the
BardstOWn turnpike. rObbing every one