Clarksville weekly chronicle. (Clarksville, Tenn.) 1873-1890, 1883-07-28

The dreary winter campaig
dragged its slow length along, an
the Deaths Heads Cuirassiers ha
their share of the work. On the st
of February, 1907, in drivin
snoW-stOrm, was fought the battl
of Eylau, where the regiment wa
taken by surprise, by cloud of Cos
sacks, who emerged from the mis-
at full speed while the Death
Heads were at halt, and had kill
ed half the regiment before the,
were finally repulSed in confusion
1t was then, at the moment wher
Gabriel Lenoir's horse was shot un
der him by a Russian bullet, tina
he saw, or thought he saw, his enc
my, in the midst of the Red Cos
sacks of the Russian Guard.
It-was only glimpse, and h,
could not get at him, but the fac
remained that the Prince of Pots
dam had become good soldier, anC
that the Deaths Heads had suffer
ed their first check and loss.
Case Tete was more excited Ovel
it than his colonel and, although
the Russians fell back after the bat
tie, the obstinate orderly insisted tC
his master that the honor of the
French arms was stained. 1t was
the first time that the emperor had
not driven his foes i'm headlOng rOut
and confusion from the field.
"It's all very well to call it a vic
tory, my colonel" he said as he
brought up Gabriel's solitary re-
manning horse next morning to
their cherries biYouc in the snow ;
'but the Russians have an army
still and your honor has only one
horse left. Its lucky it was only
the Austrian horse that Was killed.
The Orlof trotter is left alive still
and he'll have to carry you all next
summer"
And SO it turned out.
The French army returned to its
quarters for the rest of the winter,
and again Gabriel Lenoir had to
chafe in forced inactivity through
three weary months of snow, rain
and mud, till the Polish summer
came on them again with rush in
June, and the French army found
itself opposed, on fair field, 10 the
Russians at Friedland.
And there at last Gabriel Lenoir
met his ancient enemy, face to face.
1t was early in the day, when less
than thirty thousand French were
holding their own with difficulty
against more than twice rs many
Russians, that the heavy cavalry
under Nausonty arrived to the help
of their imperilled comrades, and
the Deaths Heads Cuirassiers were
to cnarge mass of Cos
sacks that looked as if they could
swallow them up.
Gabriel knew that the charge was
a desperate one, and only made in
hope of gaining time for the rest of
the French forces to arrive. when
was thought to be certain.
The cuirrassierS were to be sacrl-
feed to save the army.
The young colonel looked round
on his diminished band. The once
and lordly regiment had
to a bare four hundred
men, but they were all grim, war.
worn veterans.
He drew his sword and pointed to
the dark masses of the Russians.
"It is time for us to die, Deaths
Heads" he called out, in his clear,
cutting tones. '.Who will follow
Lenoir to death ?''
There was no answer; but he
heard the rattIing of accOuterments
as the Black CascOns drew their
belts tighter, looked to their pistols,
and settled themst Ives into their
saddles. lie understood them.
"F0rWard then," he said.
' France asks us to kill AS many
Russians as we can before they kill
u.s."
Then away went the grim black
ine, through the smoke and dust,
over the bodies of dead wounded
men, like the rapid sweep of a thun-
1er-cloud and burst into the midst
Of the astonished Russians, with a
yindictive ferocity that no other
regiment in the service showed.
The COssacks had not dreamed they
would dare charge with such a
of men but the fierce en-
9rgy with which they came, on
heir big black chargers, scattered
he ponies of the stepe like chatf be-
ore the wind.
The stalwart Cascons rode over |
hem and trampled them down,
all the time with their long |
words, stabbing, shooting, killing
ill they had burst clear through the |
whole host of Russians, leaving IA
,rOad lane of death behind them.
Then they turned to cut their way
,ack, and Gabrielsaw his enemy at |
asst.
The Prince of Potsdam, In the
inform OF Russirn general of
avalry, was pointing TO the Deaths
leads and trying to induce body
4 Cossacks to charge.
When Gabriel saw him he was
Ot three hundred yards off.
"FolloW me, Deaths Heads |"
houted the young colonel. "This
layw
He pointed to the enemy and
ashed off alone like q maniac, go
lg straight for his foeman's back.
With a wild cheer the cuirasSiers
lshed after him, in mass of hors-
5 and men, no longer at the trot
ut full gallOp.
Potsdam heard his toeman come,
lrned to face him, calling to the
ossacks to charge, and actually
a few. PAGES to meet the
'eath's Heads.
Then his heart failed him, as he
NV the terrible black hOrsmen
lming, and he wheeled to fly.
That settled the Cossacks. Un-
'illing TO charge before, they
lrned tail as soon as they saw their
,ader give way, and in another
lOment the Deaths Heads were i'm
Ieir rear, stabbing like fiends, and
rowling their rage as they stabbed
18th Gabriel LenOir many yards in
he van, cutting right and left to
ear a way and get at his foeman.
For the Prince of POtsdam had a
ne horse, blOOded and fleet of foot,
nd he was burying himself among
IS men and pushing to the front OF
le route, in way that showed
i'm to be desperately afraid.
AT last Gabriel found himself
bout choked with dust, his horse
own, the COssacks rapidly dis
ncing his heavy cuirassiers, while
battery of guns was beginning to
ay on his scattered men, and it [
as obviously necessary TO retreat. {
But the great mass of Cossacks
hich had been threatening the1ex
iusted infantry of Lannes and
ortier was scattered all over the
o n nF EriaIfonH ond fbn xyn.1nsy | ,