Newark evening star and Newark advertiser. [volume] (Newark, N.J.) 1909-1916, 1913-05-21

The Eagles of NapoIeon's Grand Army
When the English refer to Napoleon
the worst characteristics of their ma
tional spirit are brought out in
strong relief 1t is as II they could
never tire of the reiteration of the
fact that the conqueror had been
beaten by the "Great Duke. This
ungenerous feeling of triumph over a
fallen giant is only intensified as the
decades pass. Not long ago there
was published in England by Messrs.
Murray 1.-THE War Drama Of the
Eagles by Edward Fraser The
book gained the highest commenda-
ton except in England. A cele-
brated English review of worldwide
fame in referring to 1t said that In
the methods of Napoleon there was
something reminiscent of Contests
for the Americas Cup or at the Mod
ern Olympic Games" thus adding a
spiteful thrust at Americans, as well
as smirching the character of their
defeated enemy THE War Drama
of the Eagles" tells the story OF
body of men who bore them who Will
ever be accounted as among the.
bravest of any age. They are we'll
typified by De la Tour D'Auvergne,
"The First Grenadier of France" The
eagles first essay in battle as a
symbol was in 1905. Their last
charge was at Waterloo. They were
instituted by Napoleon to inspire in
his soldiers the spirit of the uncon-
querable warrior. They were not in
stituted in vain. Borne on high by
his Iegions, Napoleons guards per-
formed deeds of valor that must
stir the most unimpressionable
heart. As the soldier rested ms
ewes on the symbol of glory he
laid down his life with prodigality
that has never been eaualed save,
perhaps, in the case of the Japanese
warriors who assaulted 2o3 metre
hill at Port Arthur. The English re-
viewer credits Napoleon with O. very
astute purpose in choosing the stan
with the eagle as the ensign OF VIC
tory. He points out that the armies
of the past had always borne great
banners, such as the oriflamme OF
France, for instance, attached to
weighty pole which only the veriest
giant could carry. These banners
were easily captured and very difficult
to defend Besides their possession
was tangible evidence of the defeat
of a general and his army. Napoleon,
who, in war. forgot nothing, con-
ceived the plan of substituting some
thing less easily taken, costing less
lives to hold. giving less proof of
shameful defeat. Thus the eagle was
to replace the voluminous standard.
In the Hotel DIES Invalides in Paris
were placed far more than hundred
of the flags of the Austrians and Rus
slams after the campaign of Auster-
litz. After the victory at Waterloo
the only spoils of war of this char
acter that found their way to Chel-
sea Hospital were two lonely eagles
On the Champ de Mai, in 1904, as
Mr.. Fraser relates. the eagles were
first distributed, one to every bat
talon of infantry and one to each
squadron of cavalry. In 1907, after
Eylau, with its disasters, when
twelve eagles fell to the arms of the
enemy, Napoleon still further reduced
the symbols. Thereafter there was
only one eagle to each infantry regi-
ment and one to each cavalry unit.
Yet, again, regiments of light infan-
try We're deprived altogether of eagles,
and in the Peninsula campaign regi-
ments serving in the Sierras were
command to leave their eagles in
the arsenal of Madrid, and, still later.
every regiment, either of Infantry or
cavalry. in Spain was commanded to
return its eagle. From this reduc-
ton it arose that at yittoria, where
the French lost every gun and vast
treasure not a single eagle was cap