The Somerset press. [volume] (Somerset, Ohio) 1873-1977, 1876-09-15

THE GUARD OF DEATH.
A Thrilling Incident In NapOleon's
Retreat from MOSCOW.

The horrors Of war have been detail
ed in almost infinite variety-afording
themes Of inexhsustible abundance for
the moralist, the poet, the historian and
the romancer. Abundant in such de-
tails OF sufering must have been the
disastrous campaign Of Napoleon in
Rus.is--or, rather, the most disastrous
portion Of the campaign, the retreat
from Moscow.
The ordinary disasters Of n retreat |
through an enemy's country were, in
this instance, fearfnlly aggravated by the
intense severity Of the cold, aud thai, o.
Oh. mnliitud.s who prri-hed, there were |
Thousands who sank beneath the its rig !
ora for hundreds who fell beneath the /
Iance- of the Co--acks. HeI the assaults
Of these rowing warriors Of the desert 1
we're fesrfully destructive. Hovering in |
small bands around the divisions Of the
retreating Frenchmen, and never failing |
10 strike whenever a small party Of the
enemy became separated from the main
body on its march-and such separated
from the main daily becoming more fire.
quent, through the relaxation of discip-
line and the increasing want Of provis-
ions-there was no possibility of either
resisting or escaping their attacks. Well
mounted on their feet and hardy
r. roniAffv af fhafr
movements that they seemed to spring
up from the earth, always appearing
when least expecte J, and. repulsed, scour
ing away with q celebrity that de6ed
pursuit, even IL the worn and harrassed
Frenchmen had been able to attempt it.
For them, indeed, there was but one re-
source. To keep as closely as possible
together; when attacked by the Cossacks
TO form in solid squares and meet the
shock-and, above all, to pursue their
march with the least possible in,ermis-
sion; for those ho..halted died.
Thus we're the remains Of Napoleon's
great army ioiling back across the fright
full wastes Of that inhospitable region,
but daily leaving thousands Of their
number stifiening on its SHOWS; the troops
Of Cossacks sweepinq around them, and
bringing up the rear, ready to pick up
every straggler whom fatigue or the
hope Of greater safety in isolated pro-
gress had separated from his fellows.
The main body had passed on; and
there was solitude on the vast and naked
steppe which they had traversed. The
cold was dreadful, and driving storm
Of snow was whitening the ground, to
which that intense frost had given the
rigidity Of marble. Afar of, in the re-
motsst verge Of the horizon, a dark OBJ
ject might be seen dimly, through the
snow; and from another quarters comes
whirling on troop Of Cossacks, with
= many a wild hurrah. Their leader points
TO The dark object in the distance, and
away they scour across the plain in the
distance, direction of his spear. As they
approach, they see with grim delight
that band-of Frenchmen is before them
but these, il seems, are prepared for
the attack. The square is formed-the
bayonets at charge. The Cossacks gal
lop round and round. as if seeking for a
point Of vantage TO attack the Frenchmen
stand firm, presenting every ywhere bold
and steady front, which seems to dasl
the courage of the ai-ailants. Meantime
the snow comes down in wreathr, and i,
fast gathering in white masses on the
dark uniforms of the brave Frenchmen
Round and round the Cossacks wheel
approaching nearer every moment-yet
not a hand is stirred in the human cita
del; not a musket is fired, although ev
cry shot might tell. At length the lead
or Of the Cossacks shouts, "Forward t.
the chargeW and with rush they fins
themselves upon the-dead. At th,
first shot the foremost rank Of French
men falls, q row Of stiffened corpses, OF
the plain. They had been frozen Il
death, there where they stood; and there
perhaps, they would have stood, unit
the next summers heat had given relax
alton TO their rigid muscles, but for tn,
wild attack Of the fierce desert warriors