Year: 1868

Z
Eylau that Murat appears in his most terrible
aspect. This battle, fought in mid-winter,
in 1907, was the most important and bloody
one that had then occurred France and
Russia had never before opposed such strength
to each other, aud complete victory on
either side would have settled the fate of
Europe. Bonaparte remained in possession
of the field, and that was all no victory was
ever SO like defeat. The field of Eylau
was covered with snow, and the little ponds
that lay scattered over it were frozen suffi-
ciently hard to bear the artillery. 4, 900 men
on one side and 81, 900 on the other, arose
from the frozen field on which they had
slept on the night of February without tent
or covering to battle for continent. Au-
gerau, on the left, was utterly routed in the
morning. Advancing through storm SO
thick he could not see the enemy, the Rus
sian cannon moved down his ranks with
their destructive fire, while the Cossack
| cavalry, which were ordered to charge,
came laundering on, almost hitting the
French infantry with their long lances before
they were visible through the storm. Hem
med in, overthrown, the whole division,
composed of It, 900 men, with the excepation
of l, 500, were captured or slain. Just then
the snow-storm clearing up, revealed to
Napoleon the peril to which he was brought,
and he Immediately ordered grand charge,
by the Imperial Guard and the whole cavalry
.
pectations or wishes than the bringing of
his reserve into the engagement at this carly
stage of the battle, but there was no other
resource left him. Murat sustained his high
reputation on this occasion, and proved him
self for the hundredth time worthy of the
great confidence Napoleon placed in him.
Nothing could be more imposing than the
battlefield at this moment Bonaparte and
the Empire trembled in the balance, while
Murat prepared to lead down his cavalry to
save them. Seventy squadrons, making in
all II 900 Yell-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, few
Aoments before he was so near being cap
tured by the Russians. But as he saw the 10
squadrons coming down on plunging trot
pressing hard after the white plume of Murat
that streamed in the snowstorm far in 'front.'
a smile passed over his countenance. The
earth groaned and trem5led as they passed,
and the sabres, above the dark, angry mass
below, looked like the foam of sea wave
as it crests on the deep. The rattling of
their armor and the muffied thunder of their
tread drowned all the roar of the battle, as,
with m-set array and with, steady motion
they bore down with terrible force on the
foe. The shock of that immense host was
like falling mountain, and the front line of
the Russian army went down like frost be-
IL. luCll u
of hand to hand and sword to sword, as in
the cavalry action at Eckmuhl. The clash
ing of steel was like the ringing of countless
hammers, and horses and riders were blend
ed in wild confusion together. The Russian
reserve was ordered up, and of those Murat
fell with his fierce horsemen, crushing and
trampling them down by thousands But
the obstinate Russians disdained to fly, and
rallied again and again, so that it was no
longer cavalry charging on infantry, but
squadrons of horse galloping through broken
hosts that, gathering into knots, still disput-
ed, with Unparalleled bravery, the red and
rent field. 1t was during this strange fight
that Murat was seen to perform one of those
desperate deeds for which he was renowned


Excited to the highest pitch of passion by
the obstacles that opposed him, he seemed
endowed with ten fold strength, and looked
more like a supernatural being, treading
down helpless mortals, than an ordinary man


Amid the roar of artillery and rattle of mus
kerry and falling of sabre strokes like light
ming about him, the lofty white plume never
once went down, while ever and anon It was
seen glaring through the smoke of battle,
the star of hope to Napoleon, and showing
that " his right arm" was still uplifted and
striking for victory. He ragged like an un-
loosed lion amid the foe and his eyes, always
terrible in battle, burned with increased
lustre, while bis clear and steady voice


heard above the turmoil of strife, was worth
more than a thousand trumpets to cheer on
his followers. At length, seeing knot Of
Russian soldiers, that for long time kept
up devouring fire on his men, he wheeled
bis horse and drove in full gallop upon their
leveled muskets. A few of his guards, that
never allowed the 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
his drawn sword in the other, burst in head
long fury upon them, and scattered them as
if hurricane had swept by. Murat was a
were wrought by him will furnish themes for
the poet and painter.