The Wyandot pioneer. (Upper Sandusky, Ohio) 1853-1868, 1868-12-10
Charge of Murat at Eylau.
BIZ J. T. HEADLY.

1t is at Eylau that Murat appears
in his most terrible aspect. this
battle, fought in midwinter, in 1907,
was the most important one that had
then occurred. France and Russia
had never BEFORE opposed such
strength to each other, and com
plete victory on either side would
have settled the fate of Europe
Bonaparte remained in possession Of
the field, and that was all: no victo-
ry was ever so like defeat q
The field of Eylau was covered
with snow, and the little ponds that
lay scattered over it were frozen
sufficiently hard to bear the artillery
Seventy thousand men on one
side, and eighty-fiv thousand onthe
other, arose from the frozen field on
which they had slept the night of
FEBRUARY, without o tent or covering
to battle for a continent. Augerau
on the left, was utterly routed in the
morning. Advancing through a
storm SO thick he could not see the
enemy. the Russian common moved
down his ranks with their destruct-
i've fire, while the Cossack cavalry,
which were ordered to charge, came
laundering on almost hitting the
French infantry with their long Ian
ces before they were visible through
| the storm. --.f
Hemmed in and overthrown, the
whole division, composed Of 16, 900
men, with the. exception of 800,
were captured or slain. just then
the snow storm cleared up,revealing
to Napoleon the peril to which he
was brought, and hei Immediately
ordered a grand charge of the I'M
perial Guard and the whole cavalry
Nothing was further from Bona
parties wishes and expectations than
the bringing Of his reserve into the
engagement at this early stage of the
battle, but there was no other re-
source left him.
Murat sustained his high reputa-
ton on this occasion, and proved
himself, for the hundredth time
worthy of the great confidence Ma
poleon placed in him. Nothing
could be more imposing than the
battle field at this moment. Bona
parte and Empire trembled in the
balance, while Murat prepared to
lead down his cavalry to save them.
Seventy squadrons, making in all
II, 900 well mounted men, began to
move over the. slope, with the old
Guard marching sternly behind.
Bonaparte, it is said, was more ag
itated at this crisis than when few
moments before, he was so near be-
ing captured by the Russians. But
as he saw those seventy squadroEs
come down on plunging trot, pres
sing hard after the white plume Of
Murat, that streamed through the
snow storm far in front, smile pas
sed over his countenance.
The earth groaned and trembled
as they passed, and the sabers above
the dark angry mass below, looked
like the foam of a sea- wave, as it
crests on the deep. The rafting of
their armor, and the muifled thunder
of the tread, dro wned all the roar of
battle, as with firm: set array. and
swift, steady motion, they bore
down with front on the foe.
The shock Of that host was like a
falling mountain, and the front line
of the Russian army went down like
frost before it. Then commenced a
protracted fight of hand to hand
and sword to sword, as inthe caval-
ry action ct Eckmuhl. the clashing
of steel was like the ringing of coun
tess hammers, and horses were
blended in wild confusion together
The Russian reserve were ordered
up and on these NIurat fell with his
fiece horseman, crushing and tramp
ling down by thousands. But the OBJ
stinatn Russians disdained to fly, land
and rallied again and again, SO that
it was no longer cavalry charging on
infantry, but squadrons of horses
galloping through broken hosts that
gathering into knots, still disputed,
with unparalleled bravery, the red and
rent field. XXX.
1t was during this strange fight
that Murat was seen to perform one
of those desperate deeds for which
he was so renowned. Excited to the
highest pitchaof passion by the OBJ
stacles that opposed him, he seemed
endowed with tenfold strength, and
looked more like supe. human be-
ing treading down helpless mortals,
than an ordinary man. Amid the
roar of artillery, and rattling of mus
kerry, and falling of saber strokes
like lightning about him, that lofty
white plume never once went down,
while ever the anon it was seen glar
ing through. the smoke of BATTLE ,fhe
star of hope to Napoleon, and show
ing that ''his right arm was still up
lifted and striking for victory.
He ragged like an unloosed hon
amid the foe: and his eyes, always
terrible in battle, burned with in
creased lustre, while his clear and
steady voice, heard above the tnr-
moil Of strife, was worth more than
a thousand trumpets to cheet on his
followers. At length, seeing knot
of Russian soldiers that for a long
time kept up a devouring fire on his
men he wheeled his horse and drove
in full gallop upon their leveled
mEskets A few of his Guards, who
never allowed that white plume to
leave their sight, charged after him.
Without waiting to count his foes,
he seized his bride in his teeth, and
with his pistol in one hand and his
drawn sword in the other, burst in
headlong fury upon them, and scat
/! terinr them as if a hurricane had