The Washington herald., 1914-05-10
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him. Many were certain that Napoleon
had with him no more than 1000 men.
The snonarchs, therefore, taking mat
tiers n their own unframed hands. de-
termf1ed to move at once Soon the al
lies Game upon French outposts along the
Brunn road. but these fed before them
and left the way open TO Austerntz'
where the two Emperors found a pleas
ant chateau for their headquarters. AZ
the French retreated, the more s3ger
spirits among the Russians grew fear
full that the enemy would continue 70 re-
fuse battle and finally make good his
Nevertheless the allies went on with
their preparations for cutting on the
French the next day. and at a midnight
psn
tie. while old Gen. Kutusof. the Russian
commander. forgot in a sound sleep his
disgust with the campaign that had been
forced upon him, punctuating with his
deep shores the loudly delivered orders
of the Austrian.
For Q Finish Fight.
Napoleon had been riding over the
field all day and watching the position
of the allies. From the hills behind
which he had posted most Of his 1900
men he looked across plain to the en-
campment Of the enemy two miles in
front of Austerlitz on the banks Of a
little river that flows to the west Of the
town.
Out of the plain between the two armies
rose the big, steep hill Of Pratzen. which
any general in Europe except Napoleon
would have seized upon as an admirable
position to defend. But he had come to
Moravia to destroy an army. not to hold
a hill.
He left the hill, therefore, without a
man on IL in order that the allies might
not be diverted from their nicely laid
plans. He could have delivered only
an ordinary battle" from the nights of
Pratzen, he informed those marshals who
were surprised to see him neglect the
tempting opportunity the hill offered him
for the posting of troops and artillery.
An Ordinary battle would necessarily
have meant another battle afterward,
and to Napoleon a war was not a series
of sparring matches. On the contrary,
he went into every battle with the pur-
pose of fighting to a finish, and he meant
now to end the war with one staggering
blow over the heart of his foe. What
ever they may say, believe me- SO ran
a maxim to which he remained faithful,
"a man fights with cannon IS with his
fists"
Even while he gazed at the plain. he
saw the left wing Of the allied army
pushing all the time toward the southerly
foot of the hill. and he remarked in a
row night that army will be mine" It
was beginning the operation which would
expose its heart to his blow. -.
When he sat down to eat his dinner In
his corps Of commanders about him and
gave them a detailed schedule of their
movements the next morning. He had
already sent off a courier to Talleyrand
at Vienna requesting the minister to dis
patch word to Paris that he was biv-
ouacking in the midst of his grenadiers
and writing on his knee. but he abjured
him not to speak Of the impending en-
wife too much
So clearly did he foresee the character
of the battle, he took his entire army into
his confidence and in his proclamation.
which was read at the head of every bat
talon, he made this extraordinary an
nouncement: I'VE occupy a formidable
position. and while the Russians and
Austrians are marching to turn my right
wing. their flank will lie open to u.s.
This comradic frankness was followed
in the proclamation by q remarkable
pledge. Most commanders, when seeking
to inspire their men. promise to share
course and appealed to his soldiers to be
his shield. his protectors from danger.
This bulletin is documentary evidence
of the affection and loyalty in which the
grand army held its commander-in-chief:
Soldiers, /. myself, will direct all your
battalions. II with your accustomed
bravery YOU carry disorder and confu-
sion into the enemy's ranks shall hold
victory for a moment seem doubtful, you
shall see your Emperor expose himself
to the foremost strokes"
A Busy Night.
A very dark night fell upon the field.
Through the hazy mist Napoleon saw
the enemys lights cleaning dimly; but
he had the French fires put out in order
that his position might not be disclosed.
His bivouac had been set up on a hill
not far from the highroad, between
Brunn and Austerlitz and five miles from
the headquarters OF the allies. That i'm
perial habitation was only a miserable
hut made OF straw and the limbs of trees,
with q hole In the roof to let the smoke
ascend from the fire-it was q cold FIRST
of December.
After a brief sleep in the evening, the
Emperor rose to take one more view of