Alpena weekly argus. [volume] (Alpena, Mich.) 1871-1893, 1878-01-23
Great Cavalry Charge Of Murat at
Eylau.

One OF our contemporaries pub
fishes the following:
1t is at Eylau, that Murat APP
pears in his terrible aspect. Thi'
battle, fought in midwinter, in 1907
was the most important and bloody
one that had then occurred
France and Russia had never be-
fore opposed such strength to each
other, and a complete victory Oh
either side would have settled the
fate of Europe. Bonaparte re-
manned in possession of the field
and that was all no victory was
ever so like defeat.
The field of Eylau was covered
with snow, and the little ponds
that lay scattered over it were
frozen sufficiently hard to bear
artillery; 1000 Frenchmen on
one side, and $4,000 Russians on
the other, arose from the frozen
fields where they had slept during
the night without tent or covering,
to battle for continent. Anger
aux, on the left, was utterly routed
in the morning. Advancing
through q storm so thick be could
not see the enemy, the Russian
cannon moved down his ranks
with their destructive fire, while
the Cossack cavalry, which was or
dered to charge, came laundering
on almost hitting the French intan-
try with their long lances before
they were visible through the
storm.
Hemmed in and overthrow, the
whole division, composed of $4,000
men, with the exception of 1900,
were captured or slain. just then
the snowstorm cleared up, reveal
ing to Napoleon the peril to which
lie was brought, and be immediate
ly ordered grand charge 10y the
Imperial Gurad and the whole OF
cavalry. Nothing was further
from Bonaparte's wishes or eX-
pectations, than the bringing of
his reserve into the engagement,
at this early stage of the battle,
but there was no other resource
left him.
Murat sustained his high reputa-
ton on this occasion, aud proved
himself worthy of the confidence
placed in him. Nothing
could I've more imposing than the
battlefield at this moment. Bona
parte and the Empire trembled in
the balance, while Murat prepared
to lead down the cavarly to save
them. Seventy squadrons, max
ing in all eleven thousand we'll
men began to move over
the slope, with the Old Guard
marching sternly behind. Bona
parte, it is said, was more agitated
at this crisis than when, few mo-
ments before, he was near being
captured 10y the Russians. But as
he saw those seventy squadrons
come down on plungiug trot
pressing hard after the white
plume of Murat, smile passed
over his couutenance. The earth
groaned aud trembled as they
passed, and the sabers above the
dark, angry mass below, looked
like the foam of a sea-wave, ~ it
crests on the deep. The rafting
of their armor, and the muftled
of their tread, drowned al
the roar of battle, as, with trm-set
array, and with swift, steady motion
they bore down with terrible 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 protracted fight OF
hand to hand, aud sword to sword,
as in the great cavalry action of
Ecklnuhl. The clashing of the
steel was like the ringing of count
less hammers, and horses and riders
were blended in wild confusion to-
gether. The Russian reserve were
ordered up, aud on these Murat
fell with his fierce hosemen, crush.
ing them, and trampling them
down by thousands. But the
obstinate Russians disdained to fly,
and rallied again and again, so
that it was no longer cavalry charg-
ing on infantry, but squadrons Of
horses galloping through broken
hosts that, gathering into knots,
still disputed, with unparalleled
bravery, the red and rent field.
1t was during this strange fight
Murat was seen to perform one OF
those desperate deeds for which he
was so renowned Excited To the
highest pitch OF passion Ivy the
obstacles that opposed him, he
seemed endowed with tenfold
strength, and looked more like
superhuman being treading down
helpless mortals than any ordinary
man. Amid the roar of artillery,
and rafting of musketry, aud fall
ing of sabre stI okes like lightning
above him, that lofty white plume
never went down, while ever aud
anon it was seen glazing through
the smoke of battle, the star OF
hope to Napoleon, aud showing
that Ibis right arm was upiilted
aud striking for victory. He RACED
like an unloose lIoU amid the lOe,