Vernon County censor. [volume] (Viroqua, Wis.) 1865-1955, 1909-06-30
FAMOUS BATTLEFIE[Z
GENERAL ROGERS VIEWS WAt2 4
AND AUSTERLITZ <
Journeys Through Provinces Of Moravia.
Bohemia. SaxOny. Brandenburg
Berlin a Grand City

tude 10 degrees. Looking for places of
| historic interest while at the capital of
Austria. and the field of Wagram not
far away, we visited the scene of Ma
pOleon's battle and victory over the
Austrian army. No evidence exists
now of the conflict: an hundred years
have obliterated all scars where the in
fantry stood with their eagle, cavalry
charged with drawn sabres and where
the artillery thundered with such force
that the earth trembled and was fur
rowed with richoehetipg cannon balls
where smoke, putting from the field of
blood, drifted up to the clouds as the
Austrian and French armies, led by
the emperors in person, fought for the
mastery of the Geld. and where thirty
thousand of the young life of Europe
fell to enrich the soil with their blood,
their bodies to return to clay IL was
in the fullness of springtime when
stood on the field of Wagram, the soil
well cultivated, peace over the land and
the dead on the field of Napoleon vic
tory forgotten.
Riding through the Province of Nor
avia, we left the main travelled road
TO visit the field of AusteritZ, where
the emperors of Russia and Austria
confronted Napoleon with his army of
French corps, commanded by marshals
Of superb generalship and bravery his
tory records no acts more daring than
Soult, Bernadotte, Lannes and Murat
as they broke the Russian and Austrian
ranks and sent the emperors fleeing to
the rear with their armies in confusion.
The scene of Austerlitz is in fine
farming country, all things in peaceful
harmony and the laws of nature bless
ing the earth with rain, sunshine and a
bountiful growth. A marker designates
Bernadotte's 8 position, his last battle un-
der Napoleon, with whom he had dis
pute in regard to his action, leaving the
French service with Moreau. Both
fought against their commander and
emperor at Leipsic, when Napoleon lost
the battle, his crown and empire
Blood of forty thousand soldiers redden-
ed the field of Austerlitz, fire consumed
and the earth took back her own.
The ride through Moravia and Bohem-
ia was full of interest. The soil is well
titled, wheat and barley growing in
small strips, the grapevine planted on
side of hills. women busy planting po-
tatoes and preparing ground for beets
We pass numerous cities and see
many smokestacks of manufacturing
plants and note the spires of the Gothic
churches. In due tinae arrived at Dress
den, the capital of Saxony. We visited
the galleries of art, where are on exhibi-
ton many celebrated pictures from the
brushes of the Italian and Dutch paint
ers; the museum has large collection
of the past ages, showing the handi-
work of man from an early age We
strolled through the kings palace and
sf,w the splendor of Saxon royalty, and
a the Opera had the pleasure of seeing
the king and a duke, who occupied
boxes that plain people could see royal
ty dressed for the opera gorgeous in
decorations of honor not won on the
field of battle or diplomacy, just inher-
tied. The rooms of the crown jewels
are OF mach interest to western folk;
there we 5eheld the jewels of kings and
queens who were take to the tombs.
their jewels on exhibition The seven
jewels of the Order of the Black Eagle
are. on account of their wealth of dia-
monds, viewed with great pleasure
There, also. l. to be seen green dia-
mond said TO Ee the only one taken
from the earth.
Still searching for monuments. we
tion of land outside the city. A street
ear ride and walk upgrade, we stood by
the monument of MOreau, one of the
brave French generals who incurred
NapOleon's displeasure, was tried for
treason, exiled to America, then return
ed TO fight against France and was kill
cd at the battle Of Dresden, Sep m
Der, 1873. Leaving Dresden, the route
is down the Elbe, river of large traf-
tic TO the sea We pass at short inter
walls cities where many smoke stacks
indicate prosperity, and the great mum
ber Of church spires a religious people.
We follow the Elbe TO Wittenbera and
there leave the tram To visit the
Schlosse kirche, stand before the tombs
Of Luther and Meiancthon, and the
statues Of these two great men. The
gate is shown where Luther nailed his
thesis and the place where lie burned
the papal bull. Luther came at time
when the world needed strong theo-
i0gian to lead the people from the in
dulgences of that period Melanchtou,
Iwlngi and Erasmus took up the work
and with Luther refused TO obey the
edicts Of the Diet, or heed the bull of
the vlceRerent, preparing to be govern
ed by their own cony ctions of right.
Brave men they we're, who dared TO
proclaim the denial Of indulgences. and
at time when fire was burning dissen-
ters by order of the Inquisition; the
massacre Of the Huguenots; murder of
the Albigenses, the Ceeilan vespers
and Alya burning heretics along the
Rhine. The world is better that those
men stood for their own faith and, sup
ported by a strong following Of jealous
men, that human sacrifice, having done
its work, should cease. The dove has
returned with the olive branch; the an
gel of peace has no drawn sword Ma
poleon petrified body is in the tomb;
all the Rhinish country and beyond is
enjoying prosperity and all worshiping
God according TO the dictates Of their
con6ciences; and that great boon began
and supported by Luther, before whcSe
bronze statue lifted my chapeau.
We journey on through the Province
of Brandenberg 10 Berlin. Ages ago,
the geOl0gist writes, the country was
an uplift of the sea, and many sand
doOns were made profitable by forest
ing with pine and birch, which yield
three cuttings century. Berlin IL an
interesting city Since the unification
Of Germany the remOdeling into an
empire, the crowning Of Emperor Will
liam the First at the Versaille the re-
turn home of the victorious army from
Paris with a billion and one hundred
million dollars assessed on France, and
all the French standards, guidons, ban
uorg and artillery Germany has taken