Sturgis advertiser. (Sturgis, Dakota [S.D.]) 1887-1???, 1891-05-14
THE OLD GUARD.
.NAPoLEoN's GRAND TROOP
Tho True story OF Its Ovsrthrow AZ The
Battle of WaterIeo.
Leisure Hours

alone in his cabinet during the afternoon.
| It had appointed midday as the time for
! his departure. As the hour approached,
| the troops of the Imperial Guard were
| drawn up in the court yard of the palace.
| An immense concourse from the sur.
rounding country had collected to wit
| ness an event which to this day is re-
membered with more interest than any
| of the older historical associations of the
| palace. On arriving at thelanding of the
grand staircase, he stood Tor a few mo-
ments. Every eye was fixed on him.
At any other time shouts would have
rent the air. But there was silence,
almost like the solemnity of religious
awe. Many of the veterans bowed their
heads, and tears ran down their furrowod
cheeks. SURPRISING his own emotion,
the Emperor descended INTO the court
| yard, and as he approaches the soldiers
the drums beat the accustomed salute.
/ BY gesture the Emperor arrested the
| martial sound, and amid breathless
4 silence he spoke with clear voice and
! firm:
/ aGenerals, officers and soldiers of the
| Old Guard, / bid you farewell. For five
| and twenty years have ever found you
in the path of duty and ssllrvs In these
last days, as in the days Of my prosperity,
| you have never ceased to be models of
| fidelity and of courage. Europe has
| armed against us. Still. with men such
| as YOU our cause could never have been
| lost. We could have maintained civil
/ war for years. But it would have brought
| misery ON our country. have, there
| fore, sacrificed our interests for those of
Frssnee. | leave you. But do you, my
| frieads, be faithful to the new sovereign
| whom France has accepted. The happi-
| ness OF France was my only thought. 1t
| shall ever be the object or my most fer
| vent PRAYERS. Grieve not for my lot. |
shall be happy as long as know you are
| SO. If have consented to outlive my
| self, it is with the hope that | may, still
| promote your glory. tinst to write the
! deeds we have achieved together. Adieu,
| nv children would that could press
| each one of you to my heart. Let me at
least embrace your general and your
| eagle.
At a signal from the Emperor Gen.
Petit, who then commanded the Old
| Guard, man of martial bearing but of
tender feeling, advanced and stood be-
tween the troops and their adored chief.
Napoleon, with tears diinming his eyes,
| embraced the veteran general. Who. en-
tirely unnamed, sobbed aIoudWThere
were few dry eyes at that moment. Then
the Emperor, nerving himself. said:
"Bring me the eagle" grenadler ad-
vanced, bearing one of the eagles OF the
Guard. Napoleon kissed it and pressed
it to his heart, saying, with tremulous
voice "Dear eagle, may this last EN- brace
vibrate in the hearts OF all faithful SOL
diers Farewell, again, my old comrades,
farewell" Cold critics have ridiculed
this scene as studied acting, but there
can be no doubt that the feelings were
deep and genuine, although the manltes-
tation of them was in the theatrical style
of the national character. The men be-
fore the Emperor were the represent atives
of the famous Guard which formed the
elite OF the French armies, and the his
tory of which was interviewer with the
glorious records of victory in many q
hard fought battle in the great wars OF
the empire.
This1vas not, however, the last appear
ance OF the Imperial Guard in history.
| When all Europe was in commotlon on
the return of the Emperor from Elba, the
veterans of the Old Guard, the men who
\ had fought at jena 81 <siisseTllez, Were
among the first to welcome their old
chief. In the campaign of the hundred
DAYS the Guard was organized anew, and
in the decisive battle OF Waterloo 1T form
ed two batalllons, the Old Guard and the
Young Gard, in all about 10000 strong.
The Imperial Guard did not take part In
the long dry's conflict on June Is; they
ND
La Have Sainte. Toward evening when
the near approach OF the Prussians under
RIoucher was no longer doubted, the Em-
| peror felt that the time had come for a
supreme effort to force the British po-
. sition and to overwhelm the troops
waaried with the incessant artillery and
Il cavalry attacks of the day. About sig
O'clock Napoleon rode to the position OF
the Guards when he was welcomed with
the utmost enthusiasm. He intended,
or gave out that he intended, to lead
them to the attack. He was dissuaded
from riskine his life, and Ney-t the
brayest of the brave'-took the command.
Tbav moved in two mighty columns,
sanarated nv only a few PAGES. and pre-
coded by a cloud of skirmishers. They
advanced steadily down the slope, the
drums beating the pas de charge, and
with repeatedIy renewed cries of 6 Vive
pEmnerenr. y The English Guards-Mait.
lands brlgade-were in reserve on the
, onnosite height. living down Just over the
, crest Il, he al long sheltered as possible
The French artillery kept M a fierce fire
from the height during the advance, till
tha head of the columns had reached the
; ascent on the opposite slope.
THE English Guards. who then had lit.
tie snare Ammunition. drove the Skin
| roishers down the slope, to the top oil
which thew had nearly advanced, anC
retnrned to the position, awaiting the
nearer approach of the Imperial troops
, or thew steadily came. led by the gallant
New. on foot, his horse having been sho