The Roanoke times. [volume] (Roanoke, Va.) 1890-1895, 1892-10-11

8, 1907. If 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 ut their trade and Just the
fellows to die hard. How one of them
fought against fate is told in the memoirs
of an aid-decamp who was near the per
son of Napoleon himself, and also of Mar
shall Augcreau, Baron Marriott. Augcrcau's
corps was the French center, and very re-
luctantly Napoleon ordered it to charge
the enemy's center, consisting of n semi
circle of hills studded with cannon. The
assault was IL forlorn hope to save n wing
of the imperial army from destruction
y hill toward which Napoleon q rectcd
the charging column to march was
promptly carried by the leading regiment
the Fourtcenth-of the line. \ binding
snow squall enveoped the whole scene
while the ASSISTANTS were advancing, ami
the detachments soon separated, wander
ing aimlesSly and fighting uselessiy, friend
against friend, mt times, like 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 We're reduced to the strength of
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'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
Ing eagle OF the regiment was hoisted in
the air and waved as a token OF victory
and call for help from the rear Napo-
leon saw the signal, and despairing of send
n a. fn- &c Il
the devoted men alive if possible. His
orders were that m aid should steal over
the battlefield to the hill and tell the men
TO form square and retreat, while q bri.
gade of French cavalry would fight its way
from the rear to meet the square.
The space between the lines was pa
trollcd 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.
Marbots turn came next. He noted that
the unlucky messengers before him had
ridden out with drawn swords. inviting
battle, and taking n lesson from that left
his sword in its scabbartl and plumed him
self for 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
IL Amusement, each man thinking some
other one would hold up the audacious
trcnchman, and the result was that no
one interfered, and Marriott won to the hill
without Al 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 stecds, 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. 1t would add too much to the pain
Of death to see it fall into the hands of the
enemy"
Marriott turned to rctrace his steps when
Russian cannon ball struck the peak of
his cap, which was securely fastened by a
strap under the chin, and nearly paralyzed
him with 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