The National tribune., 1881-09-03
THE VICTOR OF MARENGo.
trRIF.

Napoleon was sitting in his tent Before him
lay the map Of Italy. He took four pins and
stuck them up; measured; moved the pins and
measured again. Nov" said he, that is right!
| will conquer him here," Who. sire?" asked
an officer "AIelas the old fox of Austria. He
viii retire from Genoa, pass through Turin and
fall back on Alexandria. shall cross the Po
join him on the plains of La Scrivia, and conquer
him there" and the finger Of the Child of Destiny
pointed to Marengo.
Two months later the memorable campaign of
1900 began. The both of May saw Napoleon on
the heights Of St. Bernard. The 22d, Lannes,
with the army Of Genoa, held Ivree. SO far all
had gone well with Napoleon. He had compelled
the Austrians to take the position he desired; :;
reduced the army from 10000 to 10000 men;
dispatched DeSaiX the right, and June IA
moved forward to conSummate his mastery plan.
But God thwarted his scheme! In the gOrges of
the Alps a few drops Of rain had fallen, and the
PO could not be crossed in time. The battle was
begun. Melas, pushed to the wall by Lannes,
resolved to cut his way out: and Napoleon
reached the field to Lannes beaten, Cham
peauX dead, and Kullerman still charging. Old
Melas poured his Austrian phaanx on Marengo
planned victory of Napoleon was a terrible
defeat
Just as the day was lost, DesaiX, the boy general
sweeping across the field at the head of his cav
airy, halted On the eminence where stood Napo-
leon. There was in the corps a drummer-boy,
gamjn, whom Desaix had picked up on the streets
of Paris. He had followed the victorious Eagles
of France in the campaigns of Egypt and Ger
many. As the column halted, Napoleon shouted
to him, "Beot a retredt!' The boy did not stir.
"G0mia, bedt q retreat!" The boy stepped for
ward, grasped his drumsticks, and said, 'Sire,
do not knO,c hOw. Desaix has never taught me
that. But | can beat a charge! Oh | can beat
a charge that would make the dead fall into line
| beat that charge at the Pyramids once; beat it
at Mount Tabor, and beat it again at the Bridge
Of Lodi! May | beat it here?" Napoleon
turned to Desax I" We are beaten! What shall
we do?" DO? Beat them 1t is only three
o'clock There is time enough to win victory
yet. Up FrOlut. The charge! Beat the old
charge of Mount Tabor and Lodi" moment
larer the corps, following the sword-gleam of
DesaiX and keeping step TO the furious roll of
the gania's drum, swept down on the host of
Austria. They rolled the first line back to the
second; the second on the third, and there they
died Desaix fell at the first vOley, but the line
never halted. AS the smoke cleared away the
gamia seen in front of the line marching
right on and still beating the furious charge over
the dead and the wounded; over the breastworks
and bitches; over the cannon and batterymen,
he led the way to victory, and the Fifteen days
in Italy, We're ended.
To-day men point to Marengo in wOnderment.
They laud the power and foresight that so skill
fully planned the battle; but they forget that
Napoleon failed; they forget that he was de-
teated; they forget how general only thirty
years old made victory of the Corsican's defeat
and that a gamin of Paris put to shame the
Child of Destiny