The Yakima herald. [volume] (North Yakima, W.T. [Wash.]) 1889-1914, 1892-11-24

] AAkENNAu NuEAAuNINNA ~ NAN NA0QAI u1F
tie Of Eylau on the plains Of Prussia, Feb.
8, 1901. II every man had yielded to the
logic Of the situation the corps would have
given up the ghost en- masse, but the
troops were old At their trade and Just the
fellows 10 die hard. How one Of them
fought against fate IL told 10 the memOirS
Of an aid+le-camp who was near the per
son Of Napoleon himself, and also Of Mar.
Ahal Augereau, Baron Marriott. Augereau's
corps was the French center, and very 70
luetRntly Napoleon ordered It to charge
the enemy's center, consisting Of a semi.
circle Of hills studded with cannon. The
assault was a foFloFn hope to save a wing
Of the imperial army from destruction.
A hill toward which Napoleon 4 rected
the charging column to march was
promptly carried by the leading regiment
the FOurteenth-oi the line. A binding
snoW squAll developed the whole scene
while the assailants were advancing, and
the attachments soon separated, wander.
ing aimlessly and fighting uselessly, friend
against friend, at times, like n mob with
out q leader. Then the Russian cannon
previously trained on the ground opened
with grap' and canister, and In an in.
slant two magnificent French divisions Of
9O.OOO R'eD were reduced to the strength Of
II regiment. The marshal, his two division
generals, his brigade generals and all the
colonies had been killed or wounded, and
lieutenant colonel led back the fragment
Of the once noble corps d'AFmee to the EN-
purOF's side.
The survivors Of the brave Fourteenth
had chung 10 the captured bill, and when
the FURRY Of SNOW passed away the glitter
ing eagle Of the regiment was hOlsted IN
the air and waved as a token Of victory
and call for help from the rear kapO
leon Naw the signal, and deSpairing Of send
ing up re-enfOrCementA determined 10 save
the devoted men alive II possible. His
orders were that an aid should steal over
the battlefield TO the hill and tell the men
to form u EquRFr and retreat, while a bFi
gale Of French cavalry would fight It's way
from the rear TO meet the square.
The space between the lines was pa
trOlled by RAINING COssacks, and the
chances Of AN aid getting through was
quite hopeless Two aids set out and were
never heard Of again In the French camps
MRFbOt'H turn came next. He noted that
the unluCky messpngera before him had
ridden out with drawn swords, inviting
battle, and taking q lesson from that left
bis sword In itS scnbbarJi and plumed him
srlf for n rice. His horse was equal 70 the
task and went flying over the Geld, leap
ing bitches and other obstacles like prNc
ticed Eteeple ehaSeF. Tue enemy looked on
In anlazemsnt, each man thinking some
other one would hold up the audRcious
Frenehman, and tie result was that no
one intsTferei, and Marriott won to the hill
without a scratch.
The Fourteenth had already formed
square 10 resist cavalry. and the thinned
ranks were literally inclOsed by barricade
Of dead COSglcks and their steeds, but the
commander pointed sadly TO his handful
and said It would he hopeless 70 attempt to
cross hRck over the plain with them alone.
Handing the eagle to the aid he said;
Return 70 the emperor, bid him farewell
from the Fourteenth Of the line, which has
faithfully executed his orders, and bear TO
him the eagle which we can defend no
longer. ItWOuld add too much to the pain
Of death 10 zee IL fall intO the hands Of the
enemy"
Marriott turned TO rVtFace his steps when
a Russian cannon ball struck the peak Of
his cap, which was securely fastened by q
strap under the chin, and nearly paFalyzed
him with shock that forced blood from
bis nOstFils, ears and eyes Still he kept
bis seat and was barely recovered from the
blow when a body Of Russian infantry
loaped over the bFeAstwOrk and attacked