Prescott journal. [volume] (Prescott, Wis.) 1861-1871, 1865-06-10

-OOut0 Lue eve Va l1AOf'hCSf AA~'S -SN~
seen the thin and shattered remains OF
this countless host, which few months
afterwards, were alone destined TO re-
cam the shore of the Niemen, the change
would have appeared too dreadful for
any human powers of destruction TO
have accomplished. The passage of
troops continued necessarily during the
oath and 25th, and the cavalry under
Murat, passing Davoust's corps, took
the lead IN the advance. The Viceroy
and Jerome, ut the head of their respec-
tive armies, crossed some days after
wards ut Pilony and Grodno, the for
mer at the head of seventy, the latter OF
sixty-five thousand men.
THE REVIEW OF THE DEMoRALIZED.
On March 18th, 1914, Napoleon re-
viewed at Rheims, before the abdication
OF EIba, the remains of the battered
army of Russia. The men were in rags,
and haggard. Many of them
were conscripts, to whom the fierce lust
of conquest developed by Napoleon had
no charms. They did not cheer, and
felt no thrill at the best of the salvos of
their cannon. They numbered forty
five thousand. at this time France was
ruined by long protracted war; waged
in the interest of a brilliant despot.
THE REVIEW BEFORE ELLA.
In 1914, May 90, occurred the great
review of the allies in Paris, at Neuilly
and the Bots de Boulogne. Seventy
thousand men, with eighty-two guns,
were exhibited. The Emperor Alex
andria, the Emperor of Austria, and
the King of Prussia were present, rs
Well as the historian Allison, who after
wards described it. Among the Scared
veterans passed by were the celebrated
Russian regiments, Preobazinsky, ST.
and Bonnet dor, all of (which
had been CRASHED on the bloody field
of HUM.
THE ALLIED ARMIES IN PARTS.
On September 10, 1916, the allied
armies held a grand review in Paris,
subsequent to the final overthrow of
Napoleon. The British review num-
bered sixty thousand men in red coats,
and was held on the great plain of st,
Denis, close by the solemn cathedral
tomb of the kings of France.
The Russian review was held on the
plains of Vertu, near Chalons, Septem-
Der 10. One hundred and sixty thousand
men, twenty-eight thousand of whom
were cavalry, with five hundred and
forty canEons, were displayed.
The Marquis of Londonderry, of the
British Royal Hussars, thus describes
this review:
"The number of forces collected was
so considerable that it was not easy TO
bring them into space sufficiently small
for the parade movements of review, but
it was t length effected, and they mus
tered, when We saw them, 2S, 600 cavalry,
132, 900 infantry, and $40 pieces of can
non. This was made known from field
returns, which were given to the sover-
eigns who were present. The day was
exceeding sultry, but tolerably clear, and
the spot where the headquarters first
to have a sort of bird's-eye
view of the whole, was small hill In the
centre of large plain, near the village
of Vertu, short distance from Chalons.
4 flagstaff had been placed on the top
of the hill, having an ensign ready TO
be hoisted on the arrival of the sove-
reigns at the spot. We were on horse
back about seven o'clock, and at 8, the
King OF Prussia, attended by the COM
of the allied armies,
the ambassadors of nearly all the powers
of Europe, and many of their prime
with several of the French
and an immense staff of aides
de-camp, &c, &c, began to ascend the
height. -Ir, ......,..s..
''On the arrival of the sovereigns at
the spot fixed upon for them, the ensign
was unfurled, and the salvo of guns an
nounced their presence; and the whole
Russian army, then assembled, was seen
draw up in three lines, extending as
far as tn eye could reach. The sun
glittered ON their arms, and on the
drawn sabres of the cavalry. to a dis
lance that seemed almost imaginary.
The eye had scarcely time to compre-
bend 50 vast a spectacle, when a single
gun fred from the height where we
stood was the signal for three hurrahs
from the troops. Even at this distant
day, these hurrahs sound freshly in my
ears; secon dgun gave the time for
general salute. The cannoDl and mus
kerry began at once, and the fire ran
along the three extended lines showing,
more distinctly than anything else
could have done, the vast space they:oc-.
cupied, by the distant flashes and retir-
ing sound of the musketry. +. -.
Il forget exactly how long time was
necessary for three rounds from these
saluting tens of thousands. We rode
down the hill, and the Russians broke
from their lines into grand columns of
regiments, and no one but soldier can
conceive the beauty of this great sim.
ultaneous change. A spot was then FIX
ed upon for these masses to march by
the sovereigns, and the Emperor of Rus
STA. putting himself at the head of the
leading regiments, thus formed in col
umn, marched past and snlrted the EN-
peror of Austria and King of Prussia /;
then placing himself by their side to see
the rest of the army go by. The whole
Of the day was only sufficient to give
time for re formation into line, and an
opening Of ranks, along which the ca
valcade of monarchs and thir immense
suit rode:
.sThe Emperor of Russia appeared
greatly occupied with the Duke of Wei
lington (~ho was at this period our en-
bassador at Paris as if anxious for his
opinion of what was passing before
them. Well, Charles, said the Duke
Of Wellington to the Marquis of Londen-
\ r n