The National tribune. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1877-1917, 1898-03-24
MARSHAL OUDINOT.

AT THE BRIDGE TABOR-MADE MAI
SHAL AT WAGRAM-HIS COURAG
AT THE PASSAGE OF THE BERT
SINA-BATTLE OF BAUTZEN-MAG
NIFICENT SPECTACLE OF TIL
ARMY-DEATH OF DUROC AM
MOURNFUL SCENE AROUND TIL
TENT OF THE EMPEROR.
Marshal Oudinot was born at Bar, Apr
2, 1867, and was christened Charles Nicolas
His father was a brewer, and young Nco-
las followed the same occupation, and
bid fair 10 see some day Charles Nicolas
Oudinot stamped in large characters on
beer barrels. In ordinary times he would
have lived and died around his own watts,
contented with the moderate circum-
stances in which fortune had placed him;
but the revolution called him to Steiner
employment, and to fields of toll and fame.
An ardent republican, he adopted with
all the fervOr of youth those principles of
equality and universal liberty which the
French armies had brought back from our
shores. But, though republican, he was
not Jacobin; and his native town beng
plundered, and about TO be burned, he
rallied his companions, and forming them
into a military company, attacked and
frightened away the revolutionary robbers.
He soon after obtained u commission in
the army and his career fairly commenced.
He fought CALAMITY for his country under
the first republican Generals, Hoche,
PichegTu, MoTeau, etc, ard rose rapidly in
rank lie defended the castle OF Ritche /
successfully, against an attack of he
Prussians and evinCed that raS bravery |
which afterwards distinguished him.
In 1873 he was made General Of Division, 4,
and while LanneS and Murat and DaVoust |
were struggling around the pyramids, he
was winning laurels in the Alps under /
Massena. He advanced upon Feldki-ch, |
in which the AustranS were strongly in |
trenched but was met in his passage by |
an army sent out TO arrest his progress.
This he attat lled with his usual i'm
petuosity charging repeatedly at the head /
of his gren dieTs into the very center of the
enemy'S fire, but was as often compelled to
recoil before the shock. Thus, for whole
day. he fought but at length succeeded in
driving the enemy before him into Field
kirch.
The capture of this fortified place was
extremely important to the French; and
Jourdan. then on the Danube, sent orders
TO Massena to strain every nerve 10 take it.
But seated on rocky eminence, with n
river at its base, and fanked by strong
intrenchments, it bade defiance TO every
assault.
Still. Oudinot. at the head of his crena-
-.
moved up the rocky ascent, to the very
walls of the fortificatiOns-bu in vain
Before the heavy and well directed fire |
that received them. they were compelled TO
fall back though they bore up long time
against the storm. oudIn0t, enTaged at |
the repeated failure of his attempts again
put himself at their head, and amid the |
most sweeping volleys, led them up to the
yer muzzles OF the guns, and there, with |
his swo d waving over his head, cheered
them on.
FURIOUS oNsETs.
D.. :, mas impossible IN beat down the
uaIfs WHICH protected he enemy, and
Oudinot. after making = succession OF
most desperate onsets, exposing his per-
son like a common soldier, and urging his
men by his enthusiastic words and ex- .
ample was compelled TO acknowledge that 9
he could not carry the place. !
Massena however, feeling how import ,
ant it was 10 take it, as il commanded the :
chief passage into the Tyro, came up with !,
another division, and Joining it 10 the
grenadiers, put himself at their head, and J
once more sounded the charge. This in :
trepid chief, with Oudinot by his side, ,
rushed furiously on the intrenchments, :
and struggled long and obstinately TO carry ,
them, but in vain.
Mangled, shattered, and thinned. those I
brave troops were compelled to withdraw, !,
after leaving 900 of their companions at /;
the foot of the walls. The flower of the :
army lay there, and where Oudinot had led :
his grenadiers the slain were thickest. !;
Soon after general attack was made on =
Massena'S lines, and he was driven from !,
the GrisonS. Oudinot, however, attacked =
an Austrian division, and. after a severe
combat, defeated it, taking 500 prisoners u
In the meantime the victorious Su- -
warrow, after beating Macdonald at the 6
Irebbla, and Joubert and Moreau at Novi. a
began to pour his conquering legions over II
the Alps, TO drive MaSsena from Switzer- a
land. The latter occupied the Pass Of ST. n
and was threatening seriously II
Zurich, which Korsakow still held, when q
was brought him that Suwar- n
row was Fastening up. He had been rein :,
forced till his army amounted TO so GOO r
men, and with these he bore down on r,
Zurich. Oudinot, at the head of - 600 -
men, was the right arm of Massena on
this occasion.
AS the last night previous TO the assault
approached, that little town presented a %
scene OF understandable confusion. The a
Russian army, forced back from all points
flled the streets-artiIery and ammuni
ion wagons, and excited cavalry forcing
heir way through the crowd, added 10 the
;haos; while cries, and shouts, and
sounds of alarm, mingled together i'm
ceaselcss discord
As darkness fell over this beautifu,
swiss village. the nights back of it glowed
With the innumerable watch-fires of the
rrench, while blazing bombs began TO de-
'cend IN huge semicircles, throwing wrath
al streaks over the tranquil lake tJ,at
stretched away on the other side and
sending terror and dismay among the in
labitants.
All night long was heard the hearv
ramp Of infantry, mingled with words ~
Command as korsakow prepared TO cut
rs way through the enemy. At davbreaL
as army sailed forth along the onlv road
y which IT could retreat, and fell with the
mercy Of despair on the French columns
over heaps OF the slain, and amid the
most honid carnage, il steadily made lis
'ay, until ii broke the array of the re
ublicans. But thrown into confusion hy
epeated charges, IL rushed in utter dis
rider along he road leaving its cannon
Military chest, and ammunition wagons
nth the victors.
vIcToRY OVER THE RUSSIANS
While this fierce conflict was going on
long the road, Oudinot came pouring
own lnto the town like an Alpine torrent
weeping everything before him fierce
ruggle ensued IN the streets with the
but his victorious battalions bore
own all opposition, and the Remaining
oops surrendered. Eight thousand Rus
lans lay piled in the streets and along the
bad. and Zurich ran blood
MasSena did not forget the service that
udInot rendered him during this cam
aign, and the next year, when sent by u;-
2laparte TO defend Genoa, he selected s "r
I'm Chlet OF his staff. During all the te-