Year: 1861

the Russian cannon moved down bis ranks
with their destructive fire, while the Cos
a. cavalry, which were ordered 10 charge,
came laundering on, almost hitting the
French infimtry with their long lances be-
Ire they were visible through the storm.


lIemmed in and overthrown, the whole
division, composed of 10000 men. with the
Exception Of 1900 were captured or slain.


just then the snow storm clearing up. re-
vealed to Napoleon the peril to which he
was brought, and he Immediately ordered
grand Charge by the Imperial Guard and
the whole cavalry. Nothing was further
from Bonaparte's wishes or expectation than


the bringing Of his reserve into the engage
ment at this early stage of the battle, but
there was no other resource left him.


Murat sustained his high reputation on
this occasion, and proved himself for the
hundred,h time, worthy Of the great conf
dence Napoleon placed in him. Nothing
could be more imposing than the battle
field at this moment. Bonaparte and the
Empire trembling in the balance. While
Murat prepared to lead down his cavalry
to save them. Seventy squadrons, making
in all $4,000 well mounted men, began to
move over the slope. with the Old Guard
marching sternly behind


Bonaparte, it is said, was more agitated
at this crisis than, when moment before,
he was so near being captured by the Rus
slams. But as he saw those seventy squad
rons come down on plunging trot, press
ing hard against the white plume of Murai
that streamed through the snow storm far
in front, a smile passed over his countenance.


The earth groaned and trembled as they
passed, and the sabres, above the dark and
angry mass below, looked like the foam of
a sea wave rs it cressed on the deep. The
rafting Of their armor, and the muffed
thunder Of their tread drowned all the roar
of the battle, as with firm, set array, and
swift, steady motion, they bore down with
terrible front on the foe.


The shock OF that immense host was like
a falling mountain, and the front line of the
Russian army went down like frost-work
before it. Then commenced a protracted
fight of hand 10 hand and sword to sword
as in the cavalry action at Eckmuhl. The
clashing Of steel was like the raging of
countless hammers, and horses and riders
were blended in wild confusion together;
the Russian reserve were ordered up, and
on these Murat fell with bis fierce horse
men, crushing and trampling them down by
thousands. But the obstinate Russians dis
dained TO fly, and rallied again and again,
so that it was no longer cavalry charging
on infantry. but squadrons OF horse gallop-
ing through broken hosts that, gathering in
TO knots, still disputed with unparalleled
bravery, the red an white field.


1t was during this strange fight that Mu-
rat was seen TO perform one of those des-
perate deeds for which he was so renowned.
Excited to the highest pitch of passion by
the obstacles that opposed him, he seemed
more like superhuman being treading
down helpless morials, than an ordinary
man. Amid the roar of artillery and rat
Ting of musketry, and falling of sabre
strokes like lightning about him, that lofty
white plume never once went down, while
ever and anon it was seen glaring through
the smoke of battle, the star of hope in Ma
poleon, and showed that his right arm "
was still uplitted and striking for victory.
He ragged like an unloosed lion amid the
foe; and his eyes always terrible in battle,
burned with increased lustre, while his
clear and steady voice, heard above the tur-
mol of strife, was worth more than thou
sand trumpets to cheer on his followers -
AT length seeing knot of Russian soldiers
that for a long time had kept up devour-
ing fire on his men, he wheeled his horse
and drove in full gallop upon their leveled
muskets. A few Of his guards, that never
allowed that white plume to leave their
sight, charged after him. Without waiting
to count his foes he seized his bride in his
teeth, and with his pistol in one hand and
bis drawn sword in the other, burst in head
long fury upon them, and scattered them as
if hurricane had swept by. sIurat was
ihunderbolt on that day, and the deeds that
were wrought by him win furnish themes
for the poet and the painter.