The National tribune. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1877-1917, 1897-12-30

Napoleon was again victorious, and at
o'clock in the evening rode over the cum
bered ground, while the setting sun shone
on different scene from that which its
rising beams had gilded. But not at Jena
was the great battle ofithe 14th OF October
fought, nor was Napoleon the hero OF the
day. Less than thirty miles distant
within hearing of hiss cannon, could he
have paused to listen-Davoust was win
ming the victory for him, by prodigies OF
valor, TO which the hard-fought battle OF
Jena was an easy affair Napoleon i'm
agined he had the King of Prussia, with
his whole army, on the nights OF Land
grafenberg-and they were behind them,
two days previous. With $4,000 men, he
supposed he was marching on over hum
dred thousand, instead OF on 10000. as the
result proved.
After several hours of hard fighting, the
Prussians, it is true, were reinforced by
&c, 000 under Ruchel, making $4,000 against
so 000 with Napoleon at their head, ana
Murat's splendid cavalry IN reserve.
FORCE OF TWO TO ONE.
At Auerstadt, matters were reversed.
The King Of Prussia, with nearly two
thirds OF his army, had marched thlther,
and, with 10000 men, threatened to crush
Davoust, with only 10000 Napoleon lg-
norant of this, sent dispatch to him which
he received at & o'clock iu the morning, to
march RAPIDLY on Apolda, in the rear OF the
army he was about to engage and defeat
If Bernadotte was with him they were to
march together; but as the former had re-
ceived his orders before, and this seemed
"a permission rather than an order, he re-
fused 10 accede TO Davousts request tG
join their armies. He took his own route,
and but for the heroism and unconquer-
able firmneSS of the latter, this act would
have cost him his head.
Davoust, with his 10000 troops, of which
| only 4 200 were cavalry, pushed forward,
not expecting to meet the enemy TIL to-
| wards evening. But short distance IN
| front of him, on the plateau of Auerstadt,
| that spread away from the steep ascent up
which his army, fresh from their 3ivouacs,
was toiling lay the King of Prussia, with
! 80 900 infantry and 10 600 splendid cavalry
| the whole commanded by the Duke oil
| Brunswick.
The fog that enveloped Napoleon on the
| nights of Landgrafenberg and covered the
| battlefield OF Jena with darkness, curtained
| in, also, the nights of the Sonnenberg, and
| the army of the King OF Prussia. At eight
| in the morning the vanguard OF Davous'
| came unexpectedly upon the enemy, also
| advancing The dense and motionless fog
| so concealed everything, that their bayo-
nets almost crossed before they discovered
| each other.
WHAT PREcIPITATED THE BATTLE.
| Even then, both, supposing they hao
| come on a single detachment only, SEM
forward a small force to clear the way
| the Prussians TO open the defiie up winch
| Davoust was struggling, and the French t.
| do the same thing, so that they could con
| tinue their march.
| The upper end of this defi.e opened, as
| remarked on to the elevated plain OF Auer
| stadt far up the Sonnenberg mountains
| Davoust sent on the brave and heroic
| Gudin with his division, to clear IT, anf
| occupy the level space on top, at all haz
| ards In a few minutes Gudin stood, II
| battle array on the plateau, though en-
| tirely shut out from the enemy by thu
dense fog.
Biucher, with nearly three thousand hus
sars, was ordered to ride over the plateau
| and sweep it of the enemy. The forme
| part OF the order he obeyed, and came dash
| ng through the mist, with his body OF cav
airy when, suddenly they found them
vessel on the bayonets point, and tin
next moment shattered and rolled back, b.
| a murderous fire, that seemed To open iron
| the bowels of the earth.
Rallying his men, however, to the charge
! 3lucher came gailoping up to the frcn' n
now thrown into squares, and dashed
| with his reckless vaIor, on their stead,
ranks Finding, from the incessant roll o
musl1etry, that Butcher was meeting witt
| an obstinate resistance, the King of TTus
!
| him.
| These, with Blucher's hussars, nov
| came sweeping down Gudin's' singh
| division, threatening to crush ii with I
single blow One division against three
| supported by $500 cavalry, was fearf,i
| odds; but Gudin knew his defeat woult
ruin the army, now packed in the deiil
! below, and making desperate efforts f
| reach the plateau, presented firm iron
! to the enemy, and proved, by his her0i
resistance. worthy TO be under the illustri
| Gus chief that commanded him.
| TWO BATTLE SCENES.
| Hitherto the combat had been carried OF
amid thick fog, that stubbornly chung to tn
| nights, involving everything in obscurity
| and only now and then lifted like the fold
| OF a curtain, as the artillery and muSl.etr,
| exploded ir its bosom. At this dreadful
| crisis, however, it suddenly rolled over tn
mountain, and parting in fragments, rod
! away on the morning breeze, while the un
| clouded sun flashed down on the immens
| Prussian host, drawn up in battle array.
I It was at this same hour the fog parte,
on the plains OF Jena, and revealed to tn
! astonished Prussians their Overwhelming
enemy rushing TO the charge. There tn
| sun shone on 10000 Frenchmen movin
down, with resistless power, on &c, 900 Prus