New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1899-05-21

lie VINO READS THIS DOCK sups 1ull Oh nOiTOiS'
Imagination has never produced a narrative so
terrible as this in its blunt simplicity 1t is not
to be wondered at that the brave Frenchman
who related these experiences in after years felt
that the burden of silent remembrance was not
to be borne IAN these things he says, have
taken such possession Of my mind that think
II write them down they will cease TO trouble
me-" He has told what he had to tell with re-
narkable clearness and force, and with restraint
rather than exaggeration Indeed. It would be
hard to exaggerate the recital OF the miser1es OF
the French army, left starved and frozen to
.ath IN the Russian SHOWS as the Emperor
aade his way back to France
Bourgogne was the son of prosperous pro-
inciaI merchant; he was well-educated man
and an enthusiastic soldier from his youth. AL
though only twenty-seven when he endured the
sufferings described In this book. he had already
passed through several campaigns in Poland
Spain and Portugal, and had been twice
wounded. He was a sergeant Of the Veltes, or
skirmishers attached to the Imperial Guard
when he was summoned TO Russia from Portu-
gal and entered Moscow with his comrades
He gives a strange and fearful picture OF
wreck and rapne in the great city OF gitterlng
domes and countless treasures. The fires be
gan almost Immediately and one gilded
wooden palace after another fell in ashes a scene
of indscriminate footing, Of drunkenness and
murder went on. Napoleon's star paled in that
eventful month during which he remained, with
no good reason in the holy city. He is regu-
lar fool of a csnscript" said one of his old sol
ders of the Emperor, in the course Of the tragic
retreat, ito have waited so long in Moscow.
fortnight was long enough to eat and drink
everything We found there; but TO stay there
-fol daV inst Wal
on call that folly II he were here could
tell him to his face that isn't the way to lead
men Good Cod The dances he has led me
the last sixteen years. We suffered enough in
Es-ypt-in the Syrian deserts but that's nothing
compared with these deserts of snewi" 1t must
be confessed that this is almost the only com
plant recorded In this book-the men died for
their General Loyalty as they had fought for
him.
The retreat began on October 10 most Of the
Frenchmen taking with them booty of gorgeous |
stufTs Of gold and silver, Of ornaments and
wine-and but a small quantity OF provisions
The country apparently bare Of food and
within very short time hunger attacked them |
BY November 1 there was nothing but horse
flesh TO eat, and one detachment Of Russian pris-
oners had not even this-they ate each other.
With every day the cold grew greater. and, ex-
hduSteC
down In the snow and died by the score. The
wretched horses, starved and worn out by IA
tigue died in their tracks and were cut up by
men as starved as they. Whenever we stopped
10 eat hastily" writes Bourgogne. 1.-The horses
left behind were bled The blood was caught IN
q saucepan cooked and eaten. But often we
were forced to eat it before there was time 10
cook IL Either the order for departure was
given or the Russians were upon us. In the lat |
ter case we did not take much notice l have
sometimes seen men eating calmly while others
fired at the Russians to keep them OF. But
when the order was imperative and we were
obliged to 60 the saucepan was carried Win US
and each man, as he marched, dipped his hahds
IN and took what he wanted; his face in conse-
ouence became smeared with blood. Very often
we were obliged to leave the horses for want or
time 10 cut them up and men would drop be-
hind and hide themselves for fear OF peing
forced TO follow their regiments. Then they
would throw themselves the meat like vult-
ures These men seldom reappeared; they were
either taken by the enemy they died of cold
Those of the men who had little rice or oat-
meal left would hide and eat il in secret; but II
the sergeant noted acts OF selfishness he has
noted noble deeds also. He has seen men carry
n wounded officer Oh their shoulders for many
davs: and the young Prince Emile Of Hesse-
Cassel vas saved from freezing to death one
terrible night by his Dragons hundred and
6fty of them who stood pressed tightly about
him in their great white cloaks 10 protect him
from the cold. Three quarters of them lay dead
and buried beneath the snow next morning.