Pittsburg dispatch. [volume] (Pittsburg [Pa.]) 1880-1923, 1892-05-29

| est OF Soignies--this, then, the overthrow o
England, now for the grand fnale-the aci
Napoleonicl Europe at his feetl
But hrst messenger is dispatched IN ho1
haste to Paris to announce the victory
From the forest still came sounds like re-
ceding thunder-retreat, but in order and II
condition to rally. One grand final charge
across the plateau, and Napoleon is supreme
in Europe!
Thought His Victory Was Assured.
Milhaud's giant cuirassieres with col
lossal horses are ordered up, and with great
pomp, for the day was to be historic. Anc
1t was, but in history not intended. Back
OF the plateau's crest, under cover of bat
teries masked by the wood, lay the allied
battalions, with muskets at their shoulders
calmly awaiting the onset. They could
hear the rising tide of the II, 900 hoofs Of
the coming squadrons, the clanking oi
sabers, the deepening tremor of the coming
throng, but neither side could yet see the
other.
Otherwise, ominous silence till the on
coming torrent had cleared the roll of the
crest, then, with a glittering saber-sweep,
In all the magnificent panoply of war, the
| gray-mustached host gave deafening shout,
not for France, nor tor humanity, but for
one man-"Vive PEmpereur!''
But alas! 1t was fateful as well as fatal
charge, such as in all the annals of war has
had no parallel. Just as the curve is
gained, the heavy troop charging madly on ,
the right of the column of horse reared in
widest uproar. Bent only on the utter
that magic seemed to place it there, be-
tween them and the enemy-a sepulcher-
that sunken road, four yards deep between
Its steep sides, the foremost hoofs on the
brlnk-for them, direst of all horrors, that
hell on earth-a living grave!
How was it?
Wellington had withdrawn a little
farther back from the hideous trap, and the
elated French rode madly on. Flushed
and lmpetuous they came with the mo-
mentum of a herd of wild cattle on the
pampas, each forward rank in turn pushed
by those following until the ravine was one
mass of writhing, striking, shrieking,
struggling, neighing, groaning creatures in
mortal pain and terror, the flesh in this
dreadful trench ground into one common
over and on.
Men Buried in Horsefesh.
Here was the grave for 1000 horses and
1900 men. This was the first breaker
against which dashed the tidal swell of vic
tory. To the question as to whether
the way was clear of Instructions, the guide
Is said to have answered with nod, not
comprehending that in military sense
for charge of cavalry-the deep-worn
road, was an obstacle. How could he fore
see that the supremely egotistic weakness
OF the Great Emperor must find expression
in grand equestrian pageant in the exodus
of that conflict?
In that PEASANTS nod was focused the
tremendous fate of empires.
While this horror was in progress, into
the survivors commenced pouring an iron
hail from GO hitherto concealed cannon.
The daring cuirassiers, terribly diminished,
were not dismayed and at once plunged into
the unequal contest. Ney was not satisfied
that the way was as clear as represented and
had obliqued one column to the left
under DeLord, which arrived entire,
while Wathir's only fell into the
treacherous snare; these and the
survivors rode into that belching hail and
environed the English in tempest of mad
dened fury. This force, now virtually con-
tended against the whole English army, as
no support could yet be at hand No can
non could cross that writhing grave. Valor,
such as earth may not often know, was in
vain. The English infantry would not
yield, as with knee on the ground, the FIRST
rank met the onset with the bayonet, and
the next rank with ball, while behind were
the cannon charged, then the squares opened
tor volley of grape to vomit, then closed
again.
A Fatal Neglect of Infantry.
In the midst of all this, why was the
infantry SO fatally forgotten? 1t was to
them that the pursuit should have been
moi tn a u1ar Of
cavalry. Even yet, the day might have
been retrieved. So soon as the fercely
assailed battaiions under Wellington began
to waver that practical commander sustained
them with his cavalry. Had the assaulting
cavalry but been supported by the infantry
But it was a day of errors Soon came
another event in this tragedy. The cuiras-
siers are assailed. They had annihilated
more than half their stubborn opposers and
were pressing hard the remainder, and now
on their flank they are assailed with Eng
lish cavalry under Somerset and German
under Domberg. Yet, even in the face of
all this accumulating misfortune, it was q
question which must yield-two infuriated
grapple-which shall first bleed to death?
1t was now nearly o'clock and yelling
tons salvation-Buecher or night
And now a sight-welcome to the one,
despairing to the other-a line of bayonets
comes into view, the slanting sunlight dane
ing on the polished steel-Bluecher hurry
ing over the hills of Frichmont! Five
thirty o'clock. Then into the devoted
cuirassiers commenced to pour storm of
lead and iron, roaring volleys of grape
charges of fresh cavalry, but with disci-
pline, such as elsewhere has never been,
that guard went down to death with accla-
nations that rose above the voice of battle.
Grand Machine in Pieces
Late, too late Napoleon galloped up and
down his shattered line, but his entreaties
On the rest of his army were of no avail.
The grand military machine was breaking,
into irremediable and ire
trievable disaster. An end had come to all
discipline, to all rank, to all authority.
From this cauldron of woe, this cataclysm
Of horror and wild despair, in woods, field,
path, road, valley, hill, br1dge-in loud out
cry and in mute anguish, with demonac
curses and piteous, unavailing supplication
20 heaven for succor, fled 10000 soldiers
bearing the uniform of France, in the
abandonment of unreasoning panic in ire
oressible terror and dismay.
This was the diverse, an inverse side to
he picture, lay on the CHASTITY field, in the
leep drifts of the dead and dying, in that
unken Golgotha-agony, terror, torture
hat cannot be expressed.
When the trees had commenced to cast
engthening shadows and hours before the |
moky leaves were
"Dewy with Natures tear-drops'
Napoleon had fallen. A bloody vampire
"a hideous nightmare had been banished
rom the brain of Europe. N.
.x.ra.-