The Shasta courier., 1868-04-04
The Charge of Mcdonald at Wagram,

IldHs oii lue otner sue OF enSldel. As soon
as Davoust appeared on the other side of the
plateau OF Wagram and opened his artillery
on thedxposed ranks of the enemy. Napoleon
ordere, Marshal Mcdonald. with eiebt hat.
| talions to march straight into the enemy's
center, and pierce it. The charge formed
the crisis of the battle, and no sooner did the
Achduke see the movements of this terrible
column of eight battalions, composed of six.
teen thousand men, upon his centre, than
he knew that the hour Of Europe's destiny
and OF his own army had arrived. lie i'm
medlately doubled the lines at the threatened
| point, and brought up the reserve cavalry,
while two hundred cannon were wheeled
around the spot on which such destnes hung,
and opened steady fire on the approaching
column. Mcdonald Immediately ordered a
hundred cannon to answer the Austrian bat
teries, that swept every inch of ground like
a storm of sleet. The cannoniers mounted
their horses and started on a rapid trot with
their hundred pieces, and approached to
within half cannon shot and then opened
on the enemy's ranks The column marched
up to this battery, and with him ut its head,
belching forth like some monster steadily
advanced. The Austrians fell back and
closed on each other, knowing that the final
struggle had come. AT this crisis of the bat.
tie nothing could exceed the sublimitty and
terror of the scene. The whole interest of
the armies was concentrated here where the
incessant and rapid roll of cannon told how
desperate was the conflict Still Mcdonald
slowly advanced though his numbers were
diminished, and the fierce battery at his
head was gradually becoming silent. Envel
oped In the fire of his antagonist, the guns
had one by one been dismouated, and at the
|
where he started on his awful mission AicDon-
aid found himself without protecting bat
terry, and the center still unlroken. Mach
ing over the wreck of his guns and pushing
the naked head of bis column into the dcyour-
ing cross FIRE of the Austrian artillery
continued to advance. The carnage then
became terrible. At every discharge the
head of that column disappeared as if sunk
into the earth, while the outer rank, on either
side melted away like snow on the rivers
brink. No pen can describe the intense
anxiety with which Napoleon watched its
progress. On just such charge rested his
empire at Waterloo. and in its failure his
doom was sealed. But all the lion in MELON.
AIDS nature was aroused, and he fully resolv-
ed to execute the dread task given him or
fall on the field. Still he lowered unhurt
amid his falling guard, and with his eyes
fixed steadily on the euemy's center, moved
steadily on. AT the close and fierce DISCHARGE
Of these batteries on its mingled head that
column would sometimes stop and stagger
back Ne a strong ship when smtten by
wave l' 1t moment the drums would beat
their hu red charge, the calm, steady voice
of Melon Id ring back through his exhausted
ranks nei ing them to the desperate valor
that filled his own spirit. Never was such
charge made, and it seemed at every mo-
ment that the torn and nangled mass must
/ break aud fly.
The Austrian cannon gradually wheeled
around till they are stretcted away in paral-
| lei lines like two walls of fire on each side of
this band of heroes, and hurled an incessant
tempest of lead against theis bosoms, but the
stern warriors close in and fill up the fright
| ful gaps made at every discharge, and still
press forward. Mcdonald had communicat.
ed his own settled purpose to conquer or die,
to his devoted followers. There is no excite
ment-no enthusiasm such as Murat was
wont to infuse into his men when pouring on
the foe his terrible cavalry. No cries of
"Yive IEmpereur" are heard along the
line but in their place is an unal;erable
resolution that nothing but annihilatiop can
shake. The eyes of the army and the world
are upon them, and they carry Napoleon's
fate as they 90. But human strength has its
limits, and human effort the spot where it
ceases for ever. No man could have carried
| that column to where it stands but the iron
| hearted leader at its head. But now he halts
aud casts his eyes over his little surviving
band that stands alone in the midst of the
enemy. He looks back his path. and as far
as the eye can reach he sees the course of
his heroes by the black swath of dead men
that stretches like a huge serpent over the
| plain. Out of sixteen thousand men with
whom he started, but fifteen hundred are left
beside him. Ten out of eleven, have fallen,
and here at length the tried hero pauses and
surveys with a stern and anxious eye his few
remaining followers. The heart of Napoleon
stops beating at the sight, as we'll it NAV,
for his throne is where Mcdonald stands.
lie bears the Empire on his single brave
heart-he is Empire. Shall he turn at last
and sound the retreat? The fate of nations
waver to and fro, forlike shock in the dis
tance, Mcdonald is seen still to pause, while
the cannon are piling the dead in heaps
around him.
Will he turn and fy?" is the secret and
agonzing question Napoleon put to himself.
No he is worthy of the mighty trust COM
mitted The Emperor stands or falls with
him, but shall stand while he stands.
| Looking away where his Emperor sits, he
sees the dark masses of the Old Guard in
motion, and shining helmets of the brave
cuirassers sweeping to his relief. For
ward breaks from his iron lips. The roll
drums aud the loud pealing of trumpets
answers the volleys that smites that exhaused
column, and the next moment it is seen plerc-
| ing the Austrian centre. The day is won
| En- pire saved-aHd the whole Austrian army
Is in full retreat.
Such was the battle of Wagram, and such
the charge of Mcdonald. | know of nothing
equal to it except Ney's charge at Waterloo,
and that was not equal to it because it failed.
On riding over the victorious field. Bona
parie came where Mcdonald stood amid his
troops. As his eyes fell upon the calm and
coli3eted hero, he slapped, and. holding out
his hand, said: .'Shake hands, Mcdonald
no more hatred between us-we must
henceforth b, friends, and, as pledge of sin
cerity, | will send your Marshai's staff,
which you have SO glorously earned" The
trankness and kindness of Napoleon effected
what all bis negligence and coldness had
failed to do-subdued him. Grasping his