Arizona republican. [volume] (Phoenix, Ariz.) 1890-1930, 1892-10-20

Augereau encountered at the bloody bat.
tie OF Eylau on the plains of Prussia, Feb
5, 1907 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 to die hard How one of them
fought against fate is told in the memoirs
Of an aid-de-camp who was near the pcr
son of Napoleon himself, and also Of Mar
shal Augercau, Baron Marriott. Augereau,s
corps was the French center, and very re.
luctantly Napoleon ordered it to charge
the enemy's center, consisting of a semi
circle of hills studded with cannon. The
assault was forlorn 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-of the line. A binding
snow squat enveloped the whole sceps
while the aSSailants were advancing, and
the attachments soon separated wander.
ing aimeSsly and fighting uselessly, friend
against friend, at times, like a mob with.
out leader. Then the Russian cannon
previously trained on the ground opened
with grape and canister, and in an in.
slant two magnificent French divisions of
10000 men were reduced TO the strength of
a regiment. The marshal, his two division
generals, his brigade generals and all the
colonies had been killed OF wounded, and
a lieutenant colonel led back the fragment
Of the once noble corps d'armee to the EN-
peror's side
The survivors OF the brave Fourteenth
had chung to the captured hill, and when
the furry of snow passed away the glitter
fnfr Of . 1
the air and waved as a token of victory
and a call for help from the rear Napo-
leon saw the signal, and desparing Of send.
ing up re-enforcements determined to save
the devoted men alive if possible. His
orders were that an aid should steal over
the battlefield to the hill and tell the men
TO form a square and retreat, while a bri
gade Of French cavalry would fight its way
from the rear TO meet the square
The space between the lines was pa
trolled by roaming 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
Marbot's tIrn came next. He noted that
the unlucky messengers before him had
ridden out with drawn swords, inviting
battle, and taking lesson from that left
his sword in its sCabbard aud plumed him
self for a race. His horse was equal TO the
task and went flying over the field, leap
ing bitches and other obstacles like prac.
ticed steeple chaser the enemy looked on
in amazement, each man thinking some
other one would hold up the audacious
Frenchman, aud the result was that no
one interferel, and Marriott won TO the hill
without a scratch
The Fourteenth had already formed
square to resist cavalry, and the thinned
ranks were literally inclosed by a barricade
Of dead COssacks and their steeds, but the
commander pointed sadly to his handful
and said it would be hopeless to attempt to
cross back over the plain with them alone
Handing the eagle to the aid he said,
Return TO 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. It would add too much TO the pain
of death 10 see il fall into the hands Of the
enemy"
Marriott turned TO retrace his steps when
a Russian cannon ball struck the peak Of
his cap. which was securely fastened by
strap under the chin, and nearly paralyZed
him with a shock that forced blood from
his nostrils, ears and eyes. Still he kept
his seat and was barely recovered from the
blow when body Of Russian infantry
leaped over the breastwork and attacked