The gold leaf. [volume] (Henderson, N.C.) 1881-1911, 1888-04-26
Napoleon in Russia.
ICUntributcd.l


The attempted conquest Of Russia 10y
Bonapart was one of the greatest errors Of
his life II involved more Of human suffer
ing than any event recorded i'll the history
of modern warfare. Napoleon had dashed
over Europe shaking the lettering thrones,
and bringing rulers in sub lection at his
feet until he felt that he Wa% invinciblc.
"AlluIcd by conquest too far he con
criyed the idca of bringing the AutOcrat of
Russia with his millions of subjects in
humble subseryiency to his will ami dicta-
ton. But the Emperor Alexander was
not the man to tremble at his approach or
shrink from his duty i'll defending his
country against the preSump:uous invader
I'm her hour of peril. Napoleon left
France with the largest and best equipped
army that had ever left her soil Oh tor
egn invasion. 1t was composed OF the
flower of France and was a heavy drain on
her population. In looking over the mag
niticCmt army awaiting his marching
orders he exclaimed the grand army"
What visions Of conquest and glory bound
up before him lie Imagined himself sit
ting on the high pedestal of fame with
subjugatcd Russia at his feet, while awe
struck Europe bcheld the scene with dread
and establishment. Starting out on his
march toward Moscow in Russia he met
with little opposition until he reached the
heights OF Brodnoa. There he was met by
the Russian commander, SuwarsrO, in a
terrific conflict that walked the invader
from his dreams of an easy conquest. 1t
displayed 4 degree of herOism and intrc-
pidity III the defenders OF their soil that
startled the Emperor. AS the smoke of
battle cleared away, looking over the
field of blood and carnage with the thOus-
ands of the dead and the dying before him,
he exclaimed, Was there ever such a
field Of battle!" The Russian commander
drew off his forces toward Moscow, the
objective point Of the advancing foe. Re-
moving the treasures of the city he pro-
posed to give Napoleon warm reception
on his arrival there. When the French
invader arrived in sight of the city he
beheld a scene that beggared description.
The city ten miles III diameter and thirty
miles in circumference was wrapt i'll a de-
Youring sheet of llamG from one extremity
to the other Napoleon had decided to take
up his winter quarters IN the city, but the
ascending flames convinced him that an
invading soldieTy could never occupy the
halls Of the MoScOyiteS. lie gave vent to
his feelings of establishment in the cx-
preston, IAN ocean of flames - lie saw
his "star Of destiny" descending in pale
ness in the curling flames Of EloscOw
never to rise again on the field of battle
A people willing to make such sacrifice
for their country ware not going to bow in
craven hearted submission to the will of
the invader. Napoleon said in Helena. but
for the bnrning of Moscow he would not
have been driven out of France. 1t was
the death knell of his glory and power.
Napoleon seeing the perilS that sur
rounded him at Moscow, resolved 10 re-
trace his steps as hest he could. On start
ing out on his retreat he found himself
harrasSed by the CoSSackS in his rear, with
all tae bridges destroyed in front to cut off
his retreat. His unacclimatrd soldiers
poorly clad, were in no condition to endure
the rigUTS of n Russian winter. The death
rate was friGhtful and appalling. Day by
day he saw the emaciatcd forms of his
hungry soldiers, go down upon the foreign
earth, unburied and uncared for, leaving
their stiffened forms in the driftn. SHOWS,
food for hungry wolves and dogs and de-
dVvouring vulturcs. In the poetic lines Of
the poet. Byron says, A soldier fell with
every flake of snow" The pen Of man can
not describe the scenes of suffering they
endured. The halt has never been told y
On November 18th, 1872, Napoleon, with
remnant of his once grand army
hungry, cold, and diSpiritcd, reached the
river Bcresina, where he expected tn find
bridge on which to cross over. To his
aStoniShment h" found the stream much
swollen, with floating ice upon its surface.
ami the bridge swept away by the enemy.
thus he was, With an impossible stream
in his front. and the artillery of the enemy
laundering III his rear. The bridges had to
be rebuilt or surrender WAS the inevitable
result. Marshall Victor put forth almost
tilpll 10 CbtCk lHe DtOS{eAS
of the pursuing foe until the bridges Zone
for artillery and o te for f0otmen) could he
completed. When the bridges w-re ready
10 cross on the eager crowd rushed across
as If escaping from avs of death. VIII. n
the brave Victor fell back on the rive )
bank, announcing th.t he could hold the
advancing foe in check no longer, scene
OF Undesirable confusion enSued For tie
eager rush for the bridges hundreds were
crushed to dslth beneath the artillery
wheels or hoUfS of the cavalry
prses. Night threw her sable curtain o'er
the SceEe, and mantljng clouds obscured
the heavens above, while binding snow
came sweeping by driven by piercing
winds that seemed to mark their woe
While passing over the bridge in the dark
ness OF tho night one of The arches of the
foot bridge gave away precipitating hun
dredS OF the eager crowd tn the waters be-
low. Those behind, not knowing of the
disaster in front, came pressing on still
pushing the unfortunate ones in front ovel
the pTecipice of the broken arch into tn,
swollen stream below. 4 graphic write
SAYS, for some time it was Il living cata
Tact of men" When the ice and snow
melted away in the Spring." says the his
torian, twelve thousand dead bodies wer
found Strewcd along the banks of tn
Beresina, where the fearful passage ha,
been made and Napoleon said it was
scene we'll calculated 10 cool the ardor G
ambitious minds for military glory. Bu
it Icquired the prowesS of Wellington q
Waterloo, to curb his prGnd ambition, an
thirst for power aud glory, and restoI
n trannniliitV In Enrnna