The Afro-American advance., 1900-04-14

of their foes had been captured or
dispersed Alexander of Russia was
hurrying down through the plains of
Poland. at the head of Il6. 600 troops.
Dense columns of Austrians. number
ing 10000 from Italy and the Tyrol,
were making forced marches TO COM
bine with the Russians, A Hungarian
army so, 600 strong was goaded for
ward to join the enemies of France.
Thirty thousand English troops, land
ed in Hanover. united with Swedish
and ZNeapolitanZ Zauxiliaries, were
fastening to the scene of conflict.
The queen of Prussia had also effected
an interview between her husband,
Frederick William, and the emperor
of Russia
These two sovereigns met at mid
night, in the tomb of Frederick the
Great at Potsdam. and over the re-
mains of the great. warrior pledged
their mutual faith against France.
Prussia placed her army of 100000
men at the service of =ths allies
poleon was nearly 500 miles distant
from his capital. and all Europe
deemed him ruined beyond redemp-
tion. His only safety lay in attacks
ing his vastly outnumbering foes be-
fore they could concentrate.
Forward to Vienna" was the COM
mand. IL was an audacious march of
nearly 400 miles farther into the very
heart of the enemies country, regard
less of impregnable fortresses and
swarming armies upon his right and
his left.
"If Napoleon" says his brother
Iouis. ''in his bold and often hazard
Gus actions, seemed to calculate who'll
ly on his good fortune, no person
seemed to leave less TO accident in
the conception of his plans. He all
ways considered things under every
imaginable aspect. And though he
never, or scarcely ever, experienced
reverses he was in every enterprise
prepared beforehand for whatever
might happen"
At the command: "Forward to vi,
enna." the whole French army moved
resistlessly on. sweeping the valley
of the Danube like an inundation.
! All Austria was terror-stricken. The
panic in Vienna was dreadful, as each
day the resistless host drew nearer.
| On the morning of the 13th of No
vember he eagles of France glitterei
upon the heights which surroundind
| the Austrian capital. Resistance was
hopeless. Emperor Francis with u
| fragment of his army had fed to tho
north. seeking the protection of Rus
sia. A deputation of citizens waited
upon Napoleon, imploring his elem
ency. and surrendering to him the
keys of the city. No private property
was allowed to be touched. But the
/ government chests and arsenals,
filed to repletion with the munitions
of war. fell into the hands of the
victor. One hundred thousand mus
/ lsets, 1000 cannon and military sup
plies of every kind replenished the
stores of the French.
In 20 days the emperor had trans
ported an army of 10000 men from the
shores of the ocean TO he remote cap
! ital of Vienna. His descent of the Dam
ube was a continued battle and con-
/
seemed more perilous than ever before.
| Detachments which he had been foi ID
to leave by the way, TO protect lines OF
communication had dwindlcd his
| available troops. that he could lead
| into battle. TO but 20 600 men.
Armies in the vicinity, amounting to
| $50 900 men, were straining every nerve
to concentrate and destroy him, but
| they did not know the strategic skill of
their opponent. He paused for a mo-
ment to decide where to strike the first
| blow, and then fixing his eyes upon the
! legions of Alexander crowding down
| through the detiles of the Carpathian
mountains. and who were soon to be
| joined by Emperor Francis and his
/ routed troops. he gave again the order
for the onward march.
The blasts of winter already swept
the hills whitened with snow But the
indomitahle host, eagerly following
their leader. plunged into the wilder
ness of the north. until they disap-
/ penred from the observation of France.
| On the LIST of December. the French
| 10000 i'm number. met the Russians and
| Austrians, 100000 strong, on the field
/ of Austerlitz. more than n thousand
miles from the capital of France. The
conflict was short and terrible. Alex
ander and Francis. from an adjacent
eminence. witnessed the discontinue
and almost the annihilation of their
united army. Accompanied by a few
guards, they joined the fugitives and
/ fled from the CORY field. depressed with
the thought OF their defeat.
/ A flag of truce. borne by the hand Of
/ Prince John of Austria. was sent TO
! Napoleon. imploring an armistiee. II
was readily granted, and the next
morning Emperor Francis repaired
to an appointed place for an interview
/ with Napoleon. He found the French
/ emperor standing by a campfire built
/ by the side Of a windmill, which alone
( protected him from the wind which
| alone protected him from the wind
| which swept the frozen hills.
II receive you" said Napoleon, "in
| the only palace which have inhabited
! for the last two months"
@You have made such good use OF
that habitation, Francis replied. that
it ought 10 be agreeable to YOU.
The terms Of peace were soon con-
eluded both with Austria and Russia.
When Emperor Francis had with
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