The Republican. [volume] (Oakland, Md.) 1877-current, 1900-04-26

VI ANdoSl0s
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 the allies Ma
poleon was nearly 500 miles distant
from his capital, and all Europe
deemed him ruined beyond redemp-
ton. His only safety lay in attack
ing his vastly outnumberng foes be-
fore they could concentrate.
| Forward to Vienna" was the com
mand. 1t 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.
eff Napoleon" says his brother
Louis, lin 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 al
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
email" 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 18th of No
vember the eagles of France glittered
upon the heights which suIToundind
the Austrian capital. Resistance was
hopeless. Emperor Francis, with
fragment of his army. had fed to the
north, seeking the protection of Rus
STA. A deputation of citizens waited
upon Napoleon, imploring his Glenn
ency, and surrendering to him the
keys of the city. No private property
was allowed to be touched. But the
| government chests and arsenals.
filled to repletion with the munitions
of war, fell into the hands of the
victor. One hundred thousand mus
kets, 1000 cannon and military sup
plies of every kind replenished the
stores of the French.
In 40 days the emperor had trans
ported an army of 10000 men from the
shores of the ocean to the remote cap
ital of Vienna. His descent of the Dam
ube was a continued battle and a con-
tinued victory. But his situation now
seemed more perilous than ever before.
Detachments which he had been forced
to leave by the way, to protect lines of
communication, had dwindled his
available troops, that he could lead
into battle, to but 10000 men.
Armies in the vicinity, amounting to
100000 men, were straining every nerve
to concentrate and destroy him, but
they did not know the strategic skill of
their opponent. He paused for mo-
ment to decide where to strike the first
blow, and then fixing his eyes upon the
legions of Alexander crowding down
through the defles of the Carpathian
mountains. and who were soon to be
joined by Emperor Francis and his
routed troops. be gave again the order
! for the onward march.
The blasts of winter already swept
the hills whitened with snow. But the
indomitable host, eagerly following
their leader, plunged into the wilder
ness of the north. until they disap-
peared from the observation of France.
On the 1st of December. the French,
10000 in number, met the Russians and
Austrians. 100000 strong, on the field
of AusterlitZ, more than a 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 humiliation of their
united army. Accompanied by 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 armistice. 1t
was readily granted, and the next
I '@iipSiOi GU
to an appointed place for an interview
j with Napoleon. He found the French
emperor standing by campfire built
by the side of Windmill which alone
protected him from the wind which
alone protected him from the wind
which swept the frozen hills.
81 receive you" said Napoleon. lin
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 TO be agreeable to you"
The terms of peace were soon con-
cluded both with Austria and Russia.
When Emperor Francis had with
drawn, Napoleon, being in one of his re-
Elective moods. walked for some time
thoughtfully before the fire, and was
heard refectively to say
81 have acted very unwisely. I could
have followed up my victory. and have
taken the whole of the Russian and
Austrian armies. They are both entire
ly in my power. But-let il be. II will
at least cause some less tears TO be
| 4.