The Irish standard., 1901-10-05

gained if the thing were possible. At
Bautzen he sent Ney in the night to
get into position for early attack. The
guns opened before breakfast, and Ma
poleon sent off message to the en-
press saying the victory was won.
Often Napoleon kept Ney close to him
during battle until crisis came. Then
he would send him to lead his corps in
at the danger point.
Ney commanded the rear guard on
the retreat from Moscow. 1t was q
terrible march, and thousands died
from cold and hunger. More than that,
the Russians were on the heels of the
retreating French, and Ney's corps had
to fight for the road. When his 10000
had been reduced by battle and famine
to 1900 he found himself headed tlr by
Cossacks. The main French army was
within reach, and Ney sent messengers
for help. Eugene Beauharnais claimed
the honor Of going to the aid of Ney.
and with 1000 troops waded the deep
SHOWS and, by firing cannon, drew the
sad procession to his camps. When
Napoleon heard of the incident he said:
II have three hundred millions in my
Golfers at the Tuileries and would
willingly have given them to save Mar
shal Ney." Going to Ney's bivouac he
met the indomitable veteran with the
words: "What a man! What a SOL
dier!'
But the army was still ON Russian
soil. Ney's corps had melted away,
but in every town there were French
soldiers who had dropped out Of the
column for rest. Ney rallied them and
fought off the Cossack pursuers. At
Wilma, the last town on the frontier,
he gathered several hundred, and these
were soon reduced by battle and deser-
tion to 80 men. Taking a musket in
hand, Ney stood with them at the gate
until left alone. Then he marched
backward through the street with his
face to the foe and crossed the Nieman
on to German soil. Struggling to the
house Of a French physician, he found
there General Dumas, who had been
left behind by Napoleon to the care of
his countryman. Dumas didn't recog-
nize the blackened, long-haired stran-
ger who accosted him familiarly.
"What!' exclaimed Ney, ''do you not
know me?" The other replied, mo,
who are you?" "The rear guard of
the grand army, Marshal Ney. l fired
the last shot on the bridge of Kowno.
have thrown the last of our muskets
into the Nieman and have walked, as
you see me, across the forests deep in
snow."
When Napoleon was a prisoner at
Elba, Ney lived recluse on his coun-
try estate. Suddenly he was ordered
by the crown to join his military d.
vision. Napoleon had escaped and sent
an appeal to his old hero to draw his
sword for the restoration of the en-
pire. Noy was deaf to the call until
lris soldiers deserted the king. Then he
went over, and Napoleon placed his
fate in the hands of the one soldier
who had never failed him.
At Waterloo, after fighting despe-
rately all day and watching in vain
for the coming of Grouchy off OH the
British left, Napoleon sent in the guard
for a last charge to save his crown.
Ney was given the column which was
to strike the English under Wellington
i'll person. Nhe other column melted
under the first fire. Then Napoleon ha-
rangued the veterans, telling them that
the fate Of the old army rested upon
their valor Ney ordered the charge
and rode down the slope at the head OF
the line. 1t was another Pickett's
charge in circumstance and import.
The guard marched down into the val
ley, the British holding their fire, and
their breaths, too, for that matter. But
when the French began to climb the
heights the guns again burst forth.
Still, Ney forged ahead through the
pltiless storm Of shots. Five times the
hero was unhorsed, and ut last he
strobe on afoot, leading the guards up
to the English guns and through them
into the ranks of Wellington's reserves;
but, as ut Gettysburg, there was regi-
ment lying out Of the path on the flank
Of the charging column. Whether or
not the men heard Wellingtons order,
up and Mt them!' they got up and
went at the French with the best they
had in their pouches, and the Old
Guard died out of the annals of war If
1t did not actually so down in carnage.
Some turned face to meet the new dan
ger. and through the intervals the
British cavalry rode, completing the
rout of Napoleon's last hope. Ney
formed squares and fought on while
the day lasted, but the retreating mass,
thrown into wild panic by the col
lapse Of the guard, carried him along
to disgrace and death. Napoleon's Gu
reer was ended. No power could save
Ney.
BY a treaty with Wellington it was
stipulated that no person should be