The Cecil Whig. [volume] (Elkton, Md.) 1841-current, 1869-07-24
Retreat of Ney.
BY JOHN s. c. ABBOTT.

One of the most memorable deeds of for
titude and heroism recorded in the annals
of war was performed by Marshal Ney, in
the retreat from Moscow. With division
of five thousand men he was cut off from
the remainder of the French army. Kutu-
soft, the Russian general, with eighty
thousand men, including numerous cavalry,
and with two hundred pieces of artillery,
had effectually blocked up his passage.
Ney, with his little band of half-famish-
ed soldiers, wavering in their languid
march, with guns defective and dirty, and
and with but six pieces of cannon, rushed
upon the hostile batteries, and maintained
the unequal conflict, in the vain cndeavor
to cut his way through the masses of the
foe, until night darkened the field. Then,
at midnight, with no thought even of sur
render, he ordered his troops to turn upon
their track, and march back again into the
wilds of Russia.
With amazement the troops heard this
command, which, without hesitation, they
obeyed. 1t was a cold, gloomy winters
with snow, and the blast pierced the worm
out clothing of the soldiers. For two or
three hours they traversed, in darkness, the
savage waste till they came to small river.
Breaking the ice, to see in what direction
the current ran, Ney said, "This stream
must flow into the Dneiper. 1t shall be
our guide
The feeble band, cold, hungry and weary,
struggled along until they reached the
Dneiper. Its broad and rapid current was
clogged with floating masses of ice, and in
one spot only, to which lame peasant con-
Quoted them, was the ice sufficiently firm
for them to attempt a passage. And even
here it was necessary to pass with the ut
most caution. Ney, wrapped in his cloak,
slept for an hour upon the snow, while his
troops passed over in ssngle file. The ice
bent and cracked under their feet
They then attempted to pass the wagons
over: laden with the sick and wounded
The frail surface broke, and several of the
wagons sank beneath the ice. A few faint
cries only were heard, as the sufferers dis
appeared in their cold icy sepnlchre. By
crossing the Dneiper, Ney hoped, in a long
detour, again to reach the army. The
Russians followed this feeble band in its
retreat, keeping beyond musket shot, but
firing necessarily upon their victims with
artillery, from every available eminence.
Napoleon was an Orcha, waiting, in the
most intense anxiety, to hear tiding from
Ney. Four days had passed without even
rumor of his fate. The whole army was
looking back across the Dneiper, hoping to
catch glimpse of his advancing colum Ms,
or to hear the report of his artillery. At
the close of day of solitude and watching,
another wintry night enveloped in its
gloom these retreating, woe-stricken ar
mics. Napoleon was partaking of a frugal
supper with General Lefebvre when shout
ofJoy was heard in the street, and the
words "Marshal Ney is safe" fell upon his
ear. At that moment Polish officer en-
tered with the tidings that the Marshal was
few leagues distant, on the banks of the
river, harassed by pursuing Cossacks, and
in want of immediate assistance. Napol-
con sprang from his chair seized the in
formant by both arms, and gazing into his
eyes, exclaimed:
is that really true? Are you sure OF
1t! have two hundred millions of gold
III my vaults at the Tuileries. l would
have given them all to save Marshal Ney''
Instantly Eugene was dispatched with
live thousand men for the rescue of the
Marshal. Eagerly the soldiers left then
bivouac fires for their midnight march,
For SIX miles they toiled along through the
snow and over an unknown path, Otter
stopping to listen if they could hear any
sound Of their lost friends. The river
which was their only guide, flowed drear
and chill at their side, encountered by vast
masses OF floating ice. Gloomy forests OF
evergreens frowned along their path, ant
no sound but the tramp of Eugene's battal
ion disturbed the silence of the night.
At length Eugene ordered his artillery t.
he discharged, as a shout to call the atten
ton OF his friends. Listening anxiously
they heard far off in the distance in appar
ent response, a feeble report of musketry
The Marshal had not a single piece of az
tillery left Both parties, however, under
stood the language of their guns, and the,
hastened to meet each other. They wer
soon united. Officers and soldiers alik
threw themselves into each others arms