Orleans independent standard. [volume] (Irasburgh, Vt.) 1856-1871, 1869-01-12
Charge of Murat at Eylau.
BY j. T. HEADLY.

fought in mid-winter, in 1907, was the
most important and bloody one
that had then occurred. France and
Russia had never before opposed such
strength to each other. and complete
victory, on either side would have
settled the fate of Europe. Bona
parte remained in possession of the
field, and that was all no victory
was so like a defeat.
The field of Eylau was covered with
snow, and the little ponds that lay
scattered over it were frozen suffi-
ciently hard to bear the artillery
Seventy-one thousand men on one side
and eighty-five thousand on the other,
arose from the frozen field on which
they had slept the night of February,
without tent or covering, to battle for
a continent. Augereau, on the left,
was utterly routed in the morning.
Advancing through a storm so thick
he could not see the enemy, the Rus
sian cannon moved down his ranks
with their destructive fire, while the
Cossack cavalry, which were ordered
to charge, came laundering on, almost
hitting the French infantry with their
long lances before they were visible
through the storm.
Hemmed in and overthrown, the
whole division, composed of $4,000
men, with the exception of 1900, were
captured or slain. Just then the snow
storm cleared up, revealed to Napo.
leon the peril to which he was bro't,
and he Immediately ordered a grand
charge by the Imperial Guard and the
whole cavalry. Nothing was further
from Bonaparte's wishes or expecta-
tiOn than the bringing of his reserve
into an engagement at this early stage
of the battle, but there was no other
resource left him.
Murat sustained his high reputation
on this occasion, and proved himself,
for the hundredth time, worthy of the
great confidence Napoleon placed in
him. Nothing could be more impos-
ing than the battle field at this mo-
ment. Bonaparte and the Empire
trembled in the balance, while Murat
prepared to lead down his cavalry to
save them. Seventy sQuadrons, max.
ing in all 1000 well mounted men
began to move over the slope, with
the old guard marching sternly behind
Bonaparte, it is said, was more agi
tated at this crisis than when, a few
moments before, he was so near being
captured by the Russians. But as ht
saw those seventy squadrons come
down on a plunging trot, pressing
hard after the white plume Of Murat
that Streamed through the snow storm
far in front, a smile passed over hi:
countenance.
The earth groaned and trembled al
they passed, and the sabres, above the
dark, angry mass below, looked like
the foam of a Sea-wave, as it crests OIL
the deep. The rattling of their arm
or, and the muffied thunder of thei
tread drowned all the roar of battle
as with firm, set array. and swift
steady motion, they bore down witt
terrible front on the foe.
The shock of that immense host wa
like falling mountain, and the from
line of the Russian army went dow
like frost work before it. Then CON
menced protracted fight Of hand t.
hand, and sword to sword, as in tn
cavalry action at Eckmuhl. The clash
ing of steel was like the ringing o.
countless hammers, and horses an,
riders were blended in wild confusion
together. The Russian reserve wa
ordered up, and on these Murat fel
with his fierce horsemen, crushing an
trampling them down by thousands
But the obstinate Russians disdaine,
.
to fly, and rallied again and again, s.
that it was no longer cavalry charg
ing on infantry, but squadrons O.
horse galloping through broken host
that gathering in knots, still dispute
with unparalleled bravery, the re
and rent field.
1t was during this strange fight tina
Murat was seen to perform one o
those desperate deeds for which b
was so renowned. Excited to th
highest pitch of passion by the obsts
, cleS that opposed him, he seemed Ell
dowed with ten-fold strength, an
looked more like a superhuman bein
treading down helpless mortals, tina
: an ordinary man. Amid the roar O
artillery, and rattling of musketr,
and falling of sabre-strokes like ligh
, ming about him, that lofty white plum
, never once went down, while eve
+ and anon it was seen glaring throug
the smoke of battle, the star of hop
to Napoleon, and showing that "hi
} right arm" was still uplifted and striI
ing for victory.
1 He ragged like an unloosed lion an
id the foe; and his eyes, always tel
: rible in battle, burned with increase
luster, while his clear and steady voic,
r heard above the turmoil of strife, wa
; worth more than a thousand trun
| pets to cheer on his followers. A
4 length, seeing knot of Russian so
), diers that for long time kept up
i devouring fire on his men, he wheele
+ his horse and drove in full gallop VI
r on their levelled muskets. A few @
] his guards that never allowed ths
! white plume t o leave their sigh
charged after him. Without waitin
to count his foes, he seized his brid
t in his teeth, and with his pistol in Oh
|, hand and his drawn sword in the otI
n er, burst in headlong fury upon ther
/ and scattered them as if a hurrican
: had swept by. Murat was a thundt
e bolt that day, and the deeds that wei
+ wrought by him will furnish theme
: for the poet and painter.