The National tribune., 1898-07-14

attack. st. Cyr arose from his feverish
couch, where the pain from his wound
and his intense anxiety had kept HIM
tossing the long night, and was borne
again TO the field of battle. He perceived
at once that the hesitation of the enemy
did not arise from fear of n repulse but
from some expected manuver which was
to be the signal of assault; and so he
stood in suspense, hour after hour, firmly
awaiting the approach of the dense
| masses that darkened the woods before
| him, till, at 10 o'clock, an Aid-deCamp
was seen squirting at furious gallOp
over the bridge, the hoofs of his horse
striking fire on the pavements as he
dashed through the village towards the
| Commander-in-C Chief. Steingell with 10,
600 Russians, had come, and was rapidly
marching along the other side of the river
10 aSSaIi him in rear. Hemmed in be
| tween these two armies, st. Cyr must
| inevitably be crushed
Imagine, for moment, his desperate
| condition. Polotsk stands on the left
side of the Dwina, as you ascend il. with
only one bridge crossing the river to the
right bank. Behind this wooden town
st. Cyr had drawn up his forces, in order
| of battle, with the formidable masses oil
the Russian army in front, threatening
every moment to ovcrwhelm him.
IN the meantime, word was brought
that $1,000 fresh troops were approaching
tfic oii the OtElcI sac. cutting OIL
all hopes of retreat. Here were two
armies, numbering together more than
so, 900 men, drawing every moment nearer
together TO crush between them II ,OOO
French soldiers, commanded by a wounded
General. But st. Cyr forgetting his
wound, summoned all his energies to
meet the crisis that was approaching
He gave his orders in that quiet, de-
termined tone which indicates the set
tied purpose of a stern and powerful
mind.
Unseen by Wittgenstcin, he dispatched
three regiments across the river to check
the progress OF Steingeu while he, with
his weakened forces, should withstand
the shock of the Russian army before
him as best he could. Thus the two
armies stood watching each other. while
the roar of artillery on the farther side
approached nearer and nearer every
moment, showing that the enemy was
sweeping before him the few regiments
that had been sent To retard him
At length the French batteries. which
had been planted on the farther bank Of
the Dwina to protect the camp, were
wheeled round, ready TO fire on the new
enemy, which was expected every mo-
ment To emerge into view
At this sight loud shout Of Joy rolled
along the Russian lines, for they now
deemed their prey secure. But the Rus
sian General still delayed the signal Of
attack till he should see the head of
Steingell's columns.
In CONSERVATION the French Generals
gathered around st. Cyr, urging him to
retreat; but he steadily refused all their
counsel and urgent appeals, declaring
that with his first retrograde movement
the Russian army would descend uDon
him, and that his only hope was in
delay. If Stcingell did not make his ap-
pearance before dark he could retreat
under the cover of night; but 10 fall back
now was to precipitate an attack that
was most unaccountaby delayed
For three mortal hours he stood and
listened 10 the roar Of the cnemy's can
non, shaking the banks of the river as it
moved its way towards he bridge-now
gazing on the opposite shore, now on the
30 ,0)5 Russians before him in order of
battle, and nov his own band OF
heroes, till his agitation became agony.
Minutes seemed heightened into hours,
and he kept necessarily pulling out his
watch, looking at il. and then at the