The Pioche weekly record. [volume] (Pioche, Nev.) 1877-1900, 1896-08-20
LAST IMPERIAL VICTORY.
Napoeon's Battle Against the Allie.
at Dresdeu.


"apoeon's Battle Against the Allies
at Dresden.
On the 18th. as be passed Ran,zan hs
learned that oudlnot had been defeated
u Luckau: but be gave no heed TO the
report and next day he reached Dres.
Gen at nine in the morning. An bour
later the guard came no. having per-
formed the almost Incredible feat OF
uiarchlng seventy-six miles in three
oa!s Vandamme. with 10000 men
nae reached Pima. few miles above
.he city, and st. Cyr was drawing In
behind the temporary fortncatIons az
dresden. The head Of Napoleon's defens.
I've hne was to be kept at any cost. The
enemy, too, was at hand, but they had
no pan. In a council OF war held by
them the same morning there was a
protracted debate, and finally Moreau,s
auViee to advance in seven columns
was taken. He refused to fight against
ms country" but explained that the
rrencn could never be conquered in
mass, and that IL one assaIling column
were crushed the rest could still push
on.
This long dellberation cost the allies
their opportunity, for at four In the
afternoon, when they attacked. the
mass OF the French army had crossed
the Elbe and completed the garrison
ot the city. For two hours the fighting
was fierce and stubborn; from three
olnerent sides, Russians, Austrians
ana russians, each made substantial
gains; at six Napoleon determined to
throw In his guard. With fine prompt
ness Mortier, with two divisions OF the
young guard, sailed forth against the
RUSSIANS, and, fighting until midnight
drove them beyond the hamlet Of Strife.
fen. ST. Cyr dlslodged the Prusslans
ana pushed them to Strebla, while Ney.
WIN TWO divisions OF the young guard.
threw portion of the Austrlans into
Plauen, and Murat, with two divisions
Oh infantry and Latour- Maubourg's cav
airy, cleared the suburb FriedrIchstadt
OF the rest. Napoleon, alert and ubloui-
tous, then made his usual round. and
knew when he retired to rest that with
IO,ooo men or boys he had repulsed $780,
ooo OF his foe. His insplritlng personal
work might be calculated as worth So
OOO OF his opponents best men. That
night both Marmont and Victor. with
their corps, entered the city; and yan-
damme In the early dawn began to
lombard Pirna, thus drawing AWAY
FORCES from the allies to hold that ont
post.
The morning Of the 9th opened in n
tempest OF wind and rain, fact which
Is considered as having been most adj
vantageous to the French, since 1t ena-
Dled them to hide their movements
and interfered with their enemy's guns
and ammunition. In any case, the sec
ond days fighting was more disastrous
to the allies than the first At six both
sides were arrayed. On the French
right Victor and Latour-Maubourg
then Marmont; then the old guard. ana
Ney, with two divisions of the young
guard; next st. Cyr, with Mortier ON
the left. Opposite stood Russians. Prus-
SLAMS and Austrians, In the same rela-
tive positions, on higher ground. encir-
cling the French all the way westward
and around by the south to Plauen: be-
tween their center and left was resery-
ed gap for the Austrians under Kle-
nau, who were coming up from Thar
andt In the binding storm, and were
overdue. At seven began the artillery
fire Of the young guard, but before long
1t ceased for an instant, since the gun
ners found the enemy's line too high
for the elevation of their guns. Con
tinue," came swiftly the Emperor's or
der; I'VE must occupy the attention
Of the enemy on that spot"
The ruse succeeded; at ten Murat
dashed through the apparently unno-
ticed gap, and, turning westward to-
ward the Elbe, killed or captured all
who composed the enemy's extreme
left. The garrison of Pima stood firm
until afternoon, and then retreated to-
ward Peterswald. Elsewhere there was
fighting, but the French
merely held their own. Napoleon loung-
ed all day In a curious apathy before
his campfire, his condition being ap-
due to the incipient stages of
a digestive disorder. Early In the after
noon Schwarzenberg heard of Murat's
great charge, but he still held firm.
When, however, the flight from Pima
was announced, he prepared to retreat,
and at five his columns were slowly
from the conflict. BY six
Napoleon was aware that the conflict
was over, and, mounting his horse, he
trotted llstlessly to the palace, his old
gray overcoat and hood streaming with