The daily intelligencer. [volume] (Seattle, Wash. Territory [i.e. Wash.]) 1876-1881, 1876-09-25
The Guard Of Death.

The horror. Of war have bceu detail
81 il alnos; iutini'e variety. aaordIng
themes Of InexhaustAb.~a abundance Tor
the faoraiIsf the poet, and the r0msncer.
Abundant ia sgeh details Of suffering
must bsve been the disastrous cam paigu
of Napoleon IN kas>ia. or. rather. the
iDost di7a ,irou. poftion Of the campaign,
,h, retreat from N ,~cow.
The Or iiuary disasters of a retreat
through AN es.etny's country we're, IL
this instance, fearfnily aggravated by
the intense severity Of the cold. and
oi tn faults,aie~ sbo perished
,hage ~.re bousansi. whJ sank b--neath
~ rigors To- hundreds wh0 fell beneath
the lauce3 4 the Co>sacks Yet the
as~au!ts of ttte-e rJyiug Warriors Of the
deserts were fcsrfuliy destructive.
lowering iu small band. around the
divisions of the rctreaiIug frenchme1,
aud never falling 70 strike whenever
small party became separated from the
main body on IL march-and such sep
arations were daily becoming more
frequent. through the relaxation of
discipline aud Ehe Increasing want of
provi.i0ns-there was TO possibility of
either resisting or escaping their at
tacks W Ill mounted On their fleet and
hearty courscr-. such was the rapidity
ol their movements that they seemed
% spring up from the earth. always ap-
pcafing when least expected aud, re-
pulsed. securing away with celerity
that defied puF suit. even If the worn
and harassed Frcnchmen had been able
10 attempt il For them. indeed there
was but one resource. To keep as
closely as possible together; when at
tackled by the Cossacks, 10 form into
solid squares and meet the shock /; aud
above all, 10 pursue their march with
the least possible intermission, tor those
who haul,ed died
Thus WAS the remains of Napoleon's
great army toilsng back across the
irightful wastes of that inhospitable
region, but daily leaving thousands OF
their number stltfening on its SHOWS:
the troops of Cossacks sweeping around
them. and bringing up their rear. ready
10 pick np every straggler whom fatigue
or the hope of greater safety In isolated
progress bad separated from his fellows.
The main body had passed on and
there was solitude on the vast and
naked stcpps which they had traversed.
The cold WAS dreadful. and n driving
storm of snow was whitening the
ground. 10 which the intense frost had
given the rigidity OF marble. Afar oil,
In the remot st verge of the horizon, u
dark object might be seen dlmly
through the snow and from another
quarter comes warling on - troop Of
Cos~acks. with many "A wild hurrsh.
Their leader points TO the dark object
IN the distance. and away they scour
across the plain IN the direction OF his
spear. As they ,pproach they see with
grim delight that band of frenchmen
l. before them--Dut these. 1t seems. are
preparing for the attack The square is
formed the bsyonets at charge. The
Cossacks gallop round aud round. as If
seeking for point Of vantage to attack
the Frenchmet stand firm, presenting
everywhere IA bold and steady front,
which seems To dash the courage of the
assailant. Meantime the snow comes
down in wreaths, and Is fast gathering
in white masses on the dark uniforms of
the brave Frenchmen. Rouod and
round the Cossacks wheel. approaching
nearer every moment-yet not hand
is stirred in that human citadel noSa
musket Is fired although every shot
might tell. At eng,h the leader Of the
Cossacks shouts: Forward to the
CHARGE - and with a rush thew fling
first shot the foremost rank of French
men falls. row of stiffened Corpses. on
the plsin. They had been frozen 10
death there where they stood ami
there, perhaps. shey would have stood.
until tho next Summers heat had given
relaxation 20 their rigid muscles. but
for the wild attack of the fierce desert
warriors.