The daily dispatch. [volume] (Richmond [Va.]) 1850-1884, 1865-02-04
RIVALRY or RtRAr lyD DAYoynr

kfVALAy OF MtKAT AND DAVOLST. 81
Napoleon hadjust PLACED Dayo,lst under the or
the army, aud the two seaerals had advanced "a
hr ~ Slswkow II was the 27th Of August. On
che 2sth, Murat rushei the enemy beyond the Osna.
Nc crossed the r1ver With his cavalry and hriskly
attached the Russians, who were posted upon 4
height beyond the stream, and who could, in this
position, easily maintain obstinate conflict they
aid nj first with considerable success and Mu.at
Whatever is said OF him on this subject wishing to
spare his cavairy in spot where the g,ound was 70
difficult, sent orders to battery Of Davoust to sup
port his operations and to harass the enemy upon
the height. lie waited for awhile to observe the
success Of this attaok-tut all was silent; aud
the Russians, taking advantage Of this singular in
ACTIVITY, descended from their position, and, for
the moment, repuls'd the cavalry Of the King o.
Naples t. the banks Of the Osna, that iows in the
depths Of rayine, into which both men and horses
we're in danger Of being p,ecirtatcd. Murat sup
ported his men by his words and his example, and
,ispatched a second order to the commandnnt OF
the battery but again there was reply TO this
order and word was brought back to the King Of
Naples that the commandant. alleging his lnstric-
ton, which forbade him, under penalty VI being
cashiered, to engage without an order from Da-
yvust, had formally refused to fire. rdolncntary
anger niia:ned the face Of the King Of Naples but
a more puaen. peril demanded his attention; the
Russians continued to press his cavalry. lie at
oce placed himself st the head of the fourth Of the
lancers, spurrel against the enemy, and In mo-
ment carried the heights which Dayoust should have
swept with his artillery.
On The lolOwilly day The TWO ucuten?ntS Oh Ma.
poleon me. in his presence; the King OF Naples,
strong in the feeling that he had Justified his
temeIi.y by -success-the Prince OF Eckmuhl, calm
IN his opinion, based upon skill that had often
been tested. Murat complained bitte,ly OF the
orders given By Davoust to his subordinate officers.
rhe Emperor had listened with his hands CT ossed
behind his back head slightly ben: upon his bpast.
conceanx an air Of satisfaction, sd with his foot
playing with "A Russian ball, which he rolled for
ward, and which his eyes followed attennve'y.-
Davoust, greatly irriiate, lid not linger with his
reply .
King OF Naples must be t;a,gat 10 give over these
useless and imprudent attacks, which harass the
vanguard of the army. Never has the oiooo u
men been layihhed SO heedles>ly, and, believe me.
sire, they are well worth preserving sa campaign
like this"
.sAnd the Prince of Eckmuh has invented
excellent means for that sad Mrat, di~tan!uily,
THAT Is, to prevent his soldiers from lighting.
would advise INN to reserve this receipt for hn-
self"
The obstinate Davoust, who had proved sufi-
GENTLY that he WAS IL man vi courage, and who
wished, above ALL to prove that he was IN the right,
turned to the King OF Naples, and said in tone Oh
irritation:
And Of what benefit has been all your rash at
tscks against army which Is eec,,ng d retreat,
.kiiifuly combined, and decidedly advAnce, and
against guard, which abalulons its positions
only VIXEN it is upon the pint OF being beaten :"
''And Can you tell me- replied Murat, amos.
with Il sheer. "when it would abandon them il 1t is
not attacked, and If We lid not place it upon The
point OF being beaten..'
1T would abandon them few hours later"
cried DavOust, who had formed correct opinion Of
The plans Of the Eus general, for this letleat>
a course resolved upon-irreyocably resolved UPON
and ,ne which they will effect, with wl:hou.
fighting, according to our movements. What do We
gam, them by att king troops which will retire to-
morrow ii We do not drive them back to-day!'
Glory" replied Mu,at.
"And We lose the half OF our vanguard rejcincd
Davoust. bitterly; land We shall reach MOSCOW
vir me we shall glory
King OF Naples, without hoTseMan under his
command, Will be any great assistance to u.s.
Murat, highly exasreIated, violently interrupted
Marshal Davou,t," he said, "you would find
nothing useless i.nprudent IL my conduct If
under your ORDERS as you are under mine. l;
il web known that the Prince OF Eckmuhl does Not
like to obey any one, and that he would be well
pleased to be reputcd the hero Of this expedition, at
the expense even Of TIE most exalted; but swear
him that there is share here for ali, let him try
to find his.'
This reproach was well aimed. Murat had in
tentionally, emphasized the words, the Prince OF
Eckmuhl does not like to obey any one" and Ma
so,eon had slightly contracted his brOWs. Davo,is.,
Who fell that he had been assailed upon weak point,
and for fault Of which he had often been accused
even by the Emperor, FASTENED to protest that it
was his devotion to His Majesty alone which had
led him to speak and act Us he did. Murat again
violently interrupted HIM.
$50, them" he said, SIT is hatred against me,
Well, then, we must finish with it. 1t has always
been so since the campaign of Egypt. l am weary
of it and if the Prince of E,krnuhl is willing to
remember that he has been common soldier, as !
have-if he is willing to remember that he wears
sabre, and hkewise-i give him. ~
At these words Napoleon, until now indifferent
to this quarrel, at raised his head, measured
Murat with glance which caused the words 10 die
upon his lips and with that accent of authority
which he could SO readily assume, and which was
irresistible, he said to him:
ssThe King of Naples has nought but orders t.
give to the Prince of Eckmuhl''
Murs.t, satisfied with these words, which, not
wthstandins the severity of their tone, established
his right Of command, retired to his quarters
The Emperor, left alone with Davoust, spoke
mildly to him. But, better seconded in his cage,
march, and in his desire to Overtake and give batl:
to the enemy, by the mpetuo ity of Murat, than by
the prudent caution Of Davoust, lie represented to
him kindly
s.That one man could not have every kind OF
merit; that to lead vanguard was to direct the
movements of an army; and that Murat, with his
imprud nee, would, perhaps, have overtaken Bagrs-
ton, whom Davoust had, by his slowness, suffered
to escape"
Notwithstanding the mildncs. of the tone in which
the Emperor spoke to Davoust, he was offended BY
these reproaches and he retired irritated than
ever against the King Of Naples. An hour after
wards a message was brought him, that the first
who should attempt to push this quarrel further
should be sent back to France.
On the following day, Murat and Dave u.t in con.
cert, and by the orders Of the Emperor took pos
session CT Viasnla. But the day after their dis
cord was renewed. Mtfrat finds himself in the
presence OF the enemy, and suddenly the thought Of
combating eeizes him. The order to attack given
his cavalry at once asHails that of the Russians
The infantry of the latter advances to support the
horse Murat wishes to bring forward his own. that
is to say, that which Davoust commands under his
orders; be hurries to Campans division, and puts
himself at its head. But, at the same moment, the
Prince OF EckBauhl rides up; he bitterly reproaches
Murat fpr engaging in this new and useless combat
and declares tina. ne will not support him. He for
bids Caznpans to advance Murat repe Its his or
ders; Davo,st resists still more violently. At this
insult, the King Of Naples, furious at first sudden
" ealms his anger. He appeals to his rank-his
authority. Davoust does not heed him, and Cam.
pans, after long hesitation, obeys the commands OF
Davoust, his immediate chief. Then, with a calm