The National tribune. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1877-1917, 1898-02-24

MARSHAL
Something more than bravery was needed
to cover the retreat of the French there,
and Bonaparte knew it. He never placed
Ney at the head of the army in invading
Russia and in the rear when Tetreating
from it simply because he was brave
man. His actions and statements here
contradict each other, and the former is
more likely to be honest than the latter.
The two great and ruinous errors OF
Bonaparte's ambitious career would have
been prevented had he listened to Ney' 8
counsel. The conquest of Spain brought
nothing but disaster, and the invasion OF
Russia overturned his throne. Against
both these Ney urged his strenuous re-
monstrance as long as it seemed of any
avail, and then did his utmost to prevent
the ruin he knew must follow.
AN ANnCDoTE.
One day ut Madrid Napoleon entered the
room where Ney and several officers were
standing, and said in great glee: -as
Everything goes ON well; Romano will
be reduced in a fortnight; the English are
defeated and will be unable to advance; in
three months the war will be finished"
The officers TO whom this was addressed
made no reply; but Ney, shaking his head,
said with his characteristic Guinness:
"Sirc, this war has lasted long already,
and our affairs are not improved. These
peopIe are obstinate, even their women
and children fight; they massacre our men
in detail To-day we cut the enemy in
pieces, tomorrow we have to oppose an
other twice as numerous. 1t is not an
army we have to fight, it is whole nation.
/ see no end to this business"
Bonaparte followed his own inclinations,
and was eventually defeated. Ney saw
| the difference between conquering an army
and a people. Though engaged in no gen
eraI battle while III Spain, he exhibited
his wonted skill and bravery in Austria.
But it is in the Russian campaign that
he displayed his greatest qualities as a
commander. The history OF the Grand
Army in its invasion of Russia and retreat
| from it, combines more of glory and OF
gloom than anything Of its kind in the
annals OF man.
The contrast between that army of nearly
half million OF men, crossing the Me
men in presence of Napoleon, as he sat in
his tower and saw those glorious legions
move in beautiful order and high spirits
before him. and the remnant OF that scat
tered army in rags, wan and CHASTITY
staggering like "a band of specters over
| that same river, always fills one with the
profoundeSt melancholy.
At Smolensko, Ney made a last effort to
dissuade the Emperor from passing into
Russia so late in the season. But neither
he nor the other Generals that formed his
council could divert his purpose. The bat
ties Of Valentino and I<rasnoi soon fol-
lowed, and last of all came BorodinO, in
which Ney "outdid himself" and earned
the title Napoleon gave him on the spot OF
"Prince OF MoSkWa."
At the commencement of that action
Bonaparte kept Ney close beside him, and
would not for a long time allow him to
take part in the conflict. There they
stood within mailing distance Of each other
and gazed ON the battle that ragged on the
right At length the former called Ney to
him and gave his last orders.
The trumpets sounded, the drums beat
their hurried charge, and Ney with his
three divisions hurled himself on the foe.
The enemys artillery swept within Ger
tain limit every inch OF ground, and it
seemed impossible that a body of men
could stand there q single moment. But
with firm and rapid step that unfiinch-
ing column moved forward, till it at length
entered the storm OF grapeshot, when the
head OF it sank down and disappeared
like snow when it meets the river.
NFY AT THE FRONT.
Yet Ney still moved unhurt at it's head,
and without falteTing n moment, led the
remnant straight through the destructive
fire, up to the very entertainments, and
carried them. Then commenced that ter
rifle struggle for the nights Of DemenOw-
with more than human valOr to gain the
eminence After four hours Of steady un-
paraileled effort against superior force, and
in the midst OF incesSant discharges of
artillery, Nay sent 10 BOnaparte for help.
The Young Guard and the reserved cav
airy were ordered down, though they still,
at the command OF Napoleon, remained
idle spectators of the fight, while he di-
rected 400 cannon on the redoubt.
Under cover of this terrible fire, the in
trepid columns moved to the assault. The
Russian artillery from the batteries
stretched whole battiliiOns on the field at
every discharge. But 1t was all in vain.
The rent columns closed again as before,
each ueading wherc his comrade STOOD"
and pressed on like the in rolling wave of
the sea.
Finding the French were gaining ground,
the Russian commander ordered his whole
left wing to leave the intrenchments and
meet the French in the plain below. The
shock was awful Eighty thousand men
were crowded into small space, and for
more than an hour ragged against each
other in all the ferocity of war, while 700
pieces of cannon played necessarily upon
the dense masses of living flesh
Ney moved amid this wild storm calm
and collected, though heated by the battle
like some terrible spirit of the fight. His
uniform riddled with balls, and his face
begrimed with powder and smoke, he still
with his clear clarion voice, cheered on his
troops, and with his cool bravery held his
exhausted men to the encounter with a
that could not be overcome, and