The Stark County Democrat. [volume] (Canton, Ohio) 1833-1912, 1895-11-14


"A review" he went on, "but it
will be battalion review. The Third
corps numbered 30, 900 infantrymen and
s,400 cavalrymen at the opening of the
campaign. 1t had 10000, all told, ON
quitting Moscow. Do you know how
many yet remaing'
He did not wait for the response.
"There remain 1870. say nothing Of
the horses. They have been digested. l
-Colonel Champeaux-do you know
how many men | myself have?"
How manyY
Seven-the remnant Of fine regi-
ment Of grenadiers !"
The general sbuddered, and his horse
made me 'ement
How many wounded?"
"Six."
"Ohicers?"
Zone and the sole effective. l am he. I"
And the colonel burst out laughing.
1t seemed "good one"
Every well, " said the general "This
is the fourth. Tomorrow at 8 O'Clock
the Third corps must be assembled.
Ou uluhl llll'l lntsb buTNlNOIb.
The colonel interrupted violently:
Look out for all army corps-in this
desert !"
"Bah!" said the general 1.-THE en-
peror wishes it. Understand, Cham
peauX, the emperor
And he plunged into the darkness.
Champeaux, erect amidst the snow,
reflected moment, snapped his jaws
together and turned back toward the
plain.
"The emperor
This luminous word he passed again
and again mechanically before his inn
agination.
THE emperor If it s the emperor
All the same if it is he'--
The French army was encamped In
the midst of an immense circle of wag-
ons and tethered horses-that is to say,
in disorder Bands Of stragglers and
wounded-the straying of the former
and the creeping pace Of the latter di-
rected by chance-had assembled around
thousands of fires, which they fed with
rotted planks, tops Of caissons, saddle
pads and broken wheels. Everywhere
was shoreless sea Of phantoms, with
here and there looming in the midst of
it a miserable shelter.
From time to time the heavy, i'm
mense, indefinable breadth of the storm
swept by and again terrific detonation
was heard--a caisson of shells explod-
ing.
Champeaux, savage and irresolute,
made his way through the group of
shadows, cursed by those whose despond-
ent reveries he disturbed.
"A review-an imperial review
Tomorrow These carrion have no
longer any uniform How are corps and
regiments to be recognized? Their only
raiment is wounds, saddle cloths, horse
blankets. Find the different battalions
if you canl"
He grasped a shoulder at hazard.
What regiment?"
The man was stretched out in sleep.
He opened one eye; then closed it heav-
lily.
Champeaux drew his saber a little
way from its scabbard, entered the edge
of the fire, the flames licking his tall
boots, and turned toward the men,
whose blackened hands and arms were
extended toward the Goals, dripping as
they thawed. They did not so much as
look at him, but Champeaux was al.
ready roaring out the order Of the en-
peror. Immediately, when this, name
was pronounced, few heads were lifted
the oldest-and l2 cavalrymen of the
Third corps came and ranged themselves
behind the colonel.
Have you your horses?"
The soldiers began to laugh softly in
the manner Of young girls.
"Well, we will do without them,
said the colonel March -
He went on. He and his men boldly
entered thS fire circles. Champeaux de-
liyercd tbs emperor's orders, which, in
proportion as the difficulties increased,
he magnified by dint Of vociferation,
until it became sort of proclamation
to the troops. This reminder OF Napo-
leon drew 30 men from the bivouac
fires, of whom eight were grenadiers.
"Fall in |" said the colonel.
AS he moved forward he stumbled
upon the recumbent forms of men i'm
bedded in the ice Then all would bend
down and would loosen these stiffened
forms, wrenching them from the ground
as though they were so many sticks OF
timber. They planted them upright,
and Champeaux, with sort of conges-
tive exultation, brawled out his chant
"Blnckkaads! It's fnE the emnarnr"---
Following, bareheaded, were two sol
diers of the engineer corps, with neither
sabers nor cartridge boxes, frightfully
slashed by the Cossacks, but still carry
ing their spades.
Rrrra-ITa--rrra- -'pataplan paum
paum clamored the tireless drummer.
Then appeared disordered cavalry,
without horses, hobbling, limping along,
but so proudly courageous that they
would have retraced their steps on the
instant and have Ieoonquered the Rus.
slams; eight ouirassiers, without ouirass-
es, lifting toward the emperor their
scanned faces, the fur bands Of their
helmets tiabtened about THAR nscks.