The National tribune., 1898-01-06

IL was ngntlng over again the PruSSlan
reserve at Auerstadt, save that nowAhe
hours fighting. Still, he put forth almost
superhuman efforts to keep the advantage
he had gained. He rushed into the thick
est of the fight in person, cheered and
| rallied on his wearied troops for the TWEEN
tieth time, calling on them by their former
renOwn to brave resistance.
Here" said he, "is the spot where the
brave should find glorious death; the
coward will perish in the deserts of Siberia.
| The brave fellows needed no fiery words
| to stimulate their courage. They loyiuily
! followed their leaders to the charge, but II
vain. Napoleon, in the distance, through
| the dim twilight, saw this little hamlet en-
| vcloped in a blaze of light as the army
rushed upon it, and for a whole hour
watched his brave Marshal, wrapped in
the fire of the enemy, struggling to win fol
him the victory. With grief he saw him al
length forced out of the blazing ruins, and
slowly retire with his bleeding army ovel
the field.
And now the night drew her curtain
round the scene-darkness fell on the
mighty hOStS-the flash of muSketry grew
less and less frequent-the sullen cannon
ceased their roar, and the bloody battle ol
Eylau was over. At midnight the Rus
slams began to retreat, and BOnaparte re-
mained master of the field-thanks to the
UloltS -tlcditCQ DdNOuSts
CAVALRY ACTION AT EcKMUHL.
The battle of Eckmuhl, where he earned
the title OF Prince, was distinguished by
one of the fiercest cavalry actions on
record, and as described by Stuttenheim,
Pellet, and others, must have been mag
nIticent spectacle.
LanneS, who had recently arrived from
Spain, took command OF two OF his di-
visions, and with two such leaders, that
renowned corps could not well fail of vic
tory Coming from Landshut, where he
had been victorious the day before, Da-
vouSt and his brave troops ascenurd the
slope whose summit looked down on TIE
villages Of Eckmuhl and Labelling.
1t was a Spring noon, and that green
valley lay smiling before them, as if fresh
from the hand of its creator Embosomed
in trees, and gardens, and winding streams,
it seemed too sacred TO be trampled by the
hoof Of war.
But though no clangor of trumpets broke
its repoSe, and the trees shook their green
tops in the passing breeze, and the mead
ows spread away like carpets from the
banks of the streams, and here and there
the quiet herds were cropping the fresh
heritage, or reclining under the cool shade;
yet there was an OminouS stiffness in the
fields. No husbandman was driving his
plow, and no groups OF peasants were seen
seemed holding its breath in expectation OF
some fearful catastrophe Banners were
silently huttering in the breeze; and in the
openings of the woods glittered bayonets
and helmets, for the Archdukc Charles was
there with his army, waiting the approach
OF the enemy. Napoleon gazed long and
anxiouSly on the scene, and then issued
his orders for the attack.
DAyoUsT's FIERCE ASSAULT.
Davoust came fiercely down on the left
while Lannes, with two divisions of the
CORPS, assailed the village i'm front. In a
moment all was uproar and confusion
The roar OF artillery, the rolling fire of the
infantry, and the heavy shock OF cavalry
made that village tremble as if on the
breast OF volcano.
In few minutes the shouts of DavOust' e
columns were heard over the noise Of bat
tie, as they drove the enemy before them
His success and that Of Lannes together
had so completely turned the Archduke' s
left that he was compelled to order a re
treat The streets Of Eckmuhl were piled
with the dead, and the green meadows
plowed uD by the artillery, were red with
flowing blood.
Napoleon then directed an advance OF the
whole line. The Archduke retired behind
Eglofshcim, where he planted powerful
batteries, cuTtalned in front by II squad
rons of heavy armed cuirassiers and a
cloud OF hussars. The French infantry in
hot pursuit, PAUSED as they saw this liv-
ing wall rise before them. Napoleon then
ordered up his own cavalry to fall upon
them.
The hussars on both sides charged first
while the cuirassiers looked on. After wit
Messing charge after charge, leaving the
victory in the hands Of neither party, the
Austrian cuirassiers put themselves in
motion. The trumpets sounded the charge
thousands of helmets rose and fell at the
blast-the plain shook with the muffied
tread Of the advancing host, and the next
moment they burst with the sound O
thunder on the French hussars-scatter-