Tazewell Republican. [volume] (Tazewell, Va.) 1892-1919, 1900-04-19
The Greatest Of Campaigns

of England. Secretly Austria and
Russia entered into a coalition with
England against him, and prepared
to assail him in the rear. Five hun
bred thousand allied troops were i'm
mediately on the march, for the IN
vasion of France, without any dec
laration of war. OF these. 25O,O0O
were Austrians, 100000 Russians, So
600 English, Swedes and Neapolitans.
There were also 100000 Prussians. for
midably armed and disciplined, eager
TO Join the coalition upon the first
reverse which should attend the
French arms. To meet these armies
of combined Europe, Napoleon had
but $4,000 combatants, $4,000 OF
whom were hOrsemen>
The allies supposed that they were
moving in secrecy, and that they were
to strike their victim by surprise.
But a vigilant eye was watching
them. The moment the Austrian
troops commenced their march, by
the invasion of Bavaria, Napoleon's
ally. he put the seal of silence upon
all the avenues of information, and.
by means of 10000 carriages which he
had in readiness, transported his
army. with almost the speed OF the
vhirlwind. across France. passed both
the Rhine and the Danube, and plant
ed his batteries in the rear of the di-
vision of $4,000 Austrians who had en-
tered the Bavarian kingdom. The re-
treat of the foe was thus cut off. and
he was separated from his supplies
and could hope for no aid. The Aus
TRANS could not have been more
amazed had an army descended from
| the skies.
As Napoleon was thus rapidly con-
centrating his troops in the rear OF
the foe, he wrote to Talleyrand:
'sThe Austrians are in the defles of
the Black Forest. God grant that
they may remain there. My only fear
is that we shall brighten them too
much. If they allow me to gain a
few more marches l shall have COM
Dletely turned them. Forbid the
newspapers to make any more men
ton of the army than if it did not
exist
Napolcon seemed to be omnipres-
ent. Night and day, almost without
food or sleep. he was on horseback
galloping from post to post For
eight days and nights of incessant
rain. the emperor had not taken Off
his boots. or even thrown himself
upon a couch Of rest. One night Ma
Doleon overlook a brigade of his sol
diers on the march. Gathering them
around him. as a father would as
semble his children. he eXplained 10
them infinitely the situation OF the
enemy. and the maneuvers by which
he hoped to gain Il triumphant ana
bloodlcss victory. He had no fear
that there would be a single deserter
to betrav his trust. AS he put spurs
to his horse and disappeared in the
darkness. a burst of irrepressibe en-
thusiasm cheered him on his way.
In less than three weeks 10000 OF
the Austrians were taken captive ano
10000 more were trembling behind
the ramparts of Ulm, all possibility
of escape being cut off. The bat
teries of the French were placed upon
the adjacent heights. and now ano
then shell fell into the city, por'
tentous of the approaching storm
Gen. Mack, in despair, sent Prince
Maurice to the emperor with flag
of truce. The prince, as was Gus
tomary on such occasions, was con
Quoted through the lines of the
French army to the empcrOr's head
quarters. blindfolded. When The
bandagcs were removed he found him
self in the presence of Napoleon. in
storm-torn tent, through which The
rain drippedfreely. The emperor stood
upon a loose board. which alone pro
tected his feet from the water whicl
deluged the plain. Nothing remained
for the Austrians but unconditional
surrender.
The next day was clear, cold ant
brilliant. when a scene was witnessed
seldom paralleled in the annals o
war Thirty-six thousand Austrian
d marched out from the city and lal'
down their arms before the con
, oueror. Napoleon stood upon the hill
side. before a campfire, as the mel
ancholy procession defiled before him
Tn generous terms he said to tn
officers, Inundated and grief-stricken
Gentlemen. war has its chances
Often victorious, you must eXpec
-, sometimes to be vanquished. You
master wages against me an unjus
war. I say candidly, I know not TO
!. what I am fighting"
The exultation of the French arm
was boundless. Sixty-six thousan
prisoners, 200 pieces of cannon, Q
! standards and an immense amount G
II military stores had been taken in
campaign of 20 days, and with tn
=. loss of but 1900 men. A few thou
e sands only of the great army OF II
lie vasion had escaped, in fugitive bands
= through IQe UelllcS VI OuN biOuh'
But astounding as was this success
- the French army was still in imm
nent peril. But 10000 of the 10000
E. of their foes had been captured
E. dispersed. Alexander of Russia wa
hurrying down through the plains
- Poland, at the head of 10000 troop
E. Dense columns of Austrians, numbe
SC ing 10000, from Italy and the Tyro
were making forced marches to con
-. bine with the Russians. A Hungaria
Of army, $4,000 strong, was goaded TO
t ward to join the enemies of Franc
u Thirty thousand English troops, LAM
cd in Hanover, unite,t with Swedis
and Neapolitan auxiliaries, wei
' fastening to the scene OF contiic
% The queen of Prussia had also effectc
an interview between her husban
Il Frederick William, and the emper'
n of Russia.
Us These two sovereigns met at mi