Year: 1870

MS most terrible aspect. This battle
fought in midwinter, in 1907, was the
most important and bloody one that had
then occurred France aud Russia- had
never before opposed such strength to
each other, and complete victory on
either side would have settled the fate of
Europe. Bonaparte remained in posses
sion OF the field aud that was all; no
victory was ever SO like defeat.


The field of Eylau was covered with
snow, and the little pools that scattered
over it We're frozen sufficiently hard to
bear the artillery. Seventy-cne thousand
men on one side, and eighty-fve thousand
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. Augereau, on the
left, was utterly routed in the morning.
Advancing through storm SO thick he
could not see the enemy, the Russian
cannon moved down his ranks with their
destructive fire, while the Cossack caval-
ry, which were ordered to charge, came
laundering, almost hitting the FRENCH
infantry with their long lances before
they were visible through the storm.


Henmed in and overth:own, the whole
division, composed of 16 1000 men, with
the exception Of 800, were captured or
slain. just then the snow storm clear
| ing up, revealed to Napoleon the peril to
which he was brought, and he immedi-
ateiy ordered a grand charge by the I'm
pe.iai Guard aud the whole cavalry.
Nothing was further from Napoleon $
wishes or expectations 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 himself, for


the hundrcd;h time, worthy the great
confidence which Napoleon placed in


him. Nothing could be more imposing
than the battle-f field at this moment.
Bonaparte and the Empire trcmbled in
the balance, while Murat to lead down


his cavalry to save Them. Seventy
squadrons, making in all about II 600
well mounted men, began to move over
the slope, with the Old Guard marcing
sternly behind.


Bonaparte, it is said, was more agi-
/ tated at this crisis than when, a few
moments before, he was so near beaten
by the Russians. But as he saw those
seventy squadrons come down on
plunging trot, pressing hard after the


white plume of Murat, that streamcd in
the snow storm far in front, a smile
passed over his eountcnance.


The earth groaned and tremb.ed as
they passed, and the sab es above the
dark, angry mass below looked like the
foam OF Il sea wave as it crests on the
deep. The rafting of their armor and


the muthcd thunder of Their treai


drowned all the roar of the battle, as
with swift, set array, and swift, steady


motion they bore down with terrible
front on the foe.


The shock of that host was Ike a
/ falling mountain, and the front line OF
the Russian army went down like frost
! before it. Then commenced a protracted
/ fight of hand to hand and sword to
sword, as in the cavalry action at Eek


muhl. The clashing steel was like the
ringing 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 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 inian
try, but squadrons OF horse charging on


broken hosts that, gathering in knots,
still disputed, with unparalleled brave
ry, 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 SO re-
nowned. Excited to the highest pitch
of passion by the obstacles that sur
rounded him, singly and alone he cherged
into the centre OF one of the largest
bodies of the enemy, crushing and de-
stroying them by the score; and yet amid
the falling of saber strokes like lightning
about him, that lofty white plume never
once went down, while ever and anon it
was seen, elaring through the smoke of
battle. the star of hope to Napoleon, and
showing that his right arm was still up
lifted and striking for victory.


lie ragged like an unlooscd lion amid
the foe and his eyes, always terrible in
battle, burned with increasing lustre,
while his clear and STEADY voice, heard
above the turmoil of strife, was worth
more than thousand trumpets to cheer
on his followers. At length, seeing
knot of Russian soldiers that for long
time had kept up devouring fire on his
men, he wheeled his horse and drove in
full gallop upon their leveled muskets
A few of the guards who never allowed
that white plume to leave their sight,
charged after him. Without waiting to
count his foes, he seized the bride in his
teeth, and with his pistol in one hand
and his drawn sword in the other, burst
in headlong fury upon them, and scat
them as if hurricane had swept by.
Murat was thunderbolt on that day.
and the deeds that were wrought by him
will furnish themes for the poet and
painter.-J T.. Ueadlv.


A Cincinnati Judge went swimming
and the boys stole his clothes, which
compelled him to walk through thickly
populated street dressed only in an UNI.