CHAPTER L. THE MARCH ON VIENNA
All General Massena's wise counsels, and my own steady resolves toprofit by them, were so far thrown away, that, on our arrival atAbensberg, we found that the Emperor had left it four hours before, andpushed on to Ebersfield, a village about five leagues to the eastward.A despatch, however, awaited Massena, telling him to push forward withOudinot's corps to Neustadt, and, with his own division, which comprisedthe whole French right, to manoeuvre so as to menace the archduke's baseupon the Iser.
Let my reader not fear that I am about to inflict on him a story of thegreat campaign itself, nor compel him to seek refuge in a map fromthe terrible array of hard names of towns and villages for which thatdistrict is famous. It is enough for my purpose that I recall to hismemory the striking fact, that when the French sought victory by turningand defeating the Austrian left, the Austrians were exactly in march toexecute a similar movement on the French left wing. Napoleon, however,gave the first 'check,' and 'mated' his adversary ere he could open hisgame. By the almost lightning speed of his manouvres, he moved forwardfrom Ratisbon with the great bulk of his army; and at the very time thatthe archduke believed him to be awaiting battle around that city, he wasfar on his march to Landshut.
General Massena was taking a hurried cup of coffee, and dictating a fewlines to his secretary, when a dragoon officer galloped into the townwith a second despatch, which, whatever its contents, must needs havebeen momentous, for in a few minutes the drums were beating and trumpetssounding, and all the stirring signs of an immediate movement visible.It was yet an hour before daybreak, and dark as midnight; torches,however, blazed everywhere, and by their flaring light the artillerytrains and waggons drove through the narrow street of the village,shaking the frail old houses with their rude trot. Even in a retreatingarmy, I have scarcely witnessed such a spectacle of uproar, confusion,and chaos; but still, in less than an hour the troops had all defiledfrom the town, the advanced guard was already some miles on its way,and, except a small escort of lancers before the little inn where thegeneral still remained, there was not a soldier to be seen. It may seemabsurd to say it, but I must confess that my eagerness to know what was'going on' in front was divided by a feeling of painful uneasiness at myridiculous dress, and the shame I experienced at the glances bestowed onme by the soldiers of the escort. It was no time, however, to speak ofmyself or attend to my own fortunes, and I loitered about the court ofthe inn wondering if, in the midst of such stirring events, the generalwould chance to remember me. If I had but a frock and a shako, thoughtI, I could make my way. It is this confounded velvet jacket and thisabsurd and tapering hat will be my ruin. If I were to charge a battery,I'd only look like a merry-andrew after all; men will not respect whatis only laughable. Perhaps after all, thought I, it matters little;doubtless Massena has forgotten me, and I shall be left behind like abroken limber. At one time I blamed myself for not pushing on with somedetachment--at another I half resolved to put a bold face on it, andpresent myself before the general; and between regrets for the past anddoubts for the future, I at last worked myself up to a state of anxietylittle short of fever.
While I walked to and fro in this distracted mood, I perceived, by thebustle within-doors, that the general was about to depart; at thesame time several dismounted dragoons appeared leading saddle-horses,tightening girths, and adjusting curb-chains--all tokens of a start.While I looked on these preparations, I heard the clatter of a horse'shoofs close behind, and the spluttering noise of a struggle. I turnedand saw it was the general himself, who had just mounted his charger,but before catching his right stirrup the horse had plunged, and wasdragging the orderly across the court by the bridle. Seeing, in aninstant, that the soldier's effort to hold on was only depriving GeneralMassena of all command of the horse, who must probably have fallen onhis flank, I jumped forward, caught the stirrup, and slipped it overthe general's foot, and then, with a sharp blow on the soldier's wrist,compelled him to relax his grasp. So suddenly were the two movementseffected, that in less time than I take to relate it, all was over, andthe general, who, for a heavy man, was a good rider, was fast seatedin his saddle. I had now no time, however, to bestow on him, for thedragoon, stung by the insult of a blow, and from a peasant, as he deemedit, rushed at me with his sabre.
'_Halte-la!_, cried Massena in a voice of thunder; 'it was that countryfellow saved me from a broken bone, which your infernal awkwardnessmight have given me. Throw him a couple of florins for me,' cried he tohis aide-de-camp, who just rode in; 'and do you, sir, join your ranks; Imust look for another orderly.'
'I am right glad to have been in the way, general,' said I, springingforward, and touching my hat.
'What, Tiernay--this you?' cried he. 'How is this? have I forgotten youall this time? What's to be done now? You ought to have gone on with therest, monsieur. You should have volunteered with some corps, eh?'
'I hoped to have been attached to yourself, general. I thought I couldperhaps have made myself useful.'
'Yes, yes, very true; so you might, I've no doubt; but my staff isfull--I 've no vacancy. What's to be done now? Lestocque, have we anyspare cattle?'
'Yes, general; we've your own eight horses, and two of Gambronne's.'
'Ah, poor fellow, he 'll not want them more. I suppose Tiernay may aswell take one of them, at least.'
'There's an undress uniform, too, of Cambronne's would fit Monsieurde Tiernay,' said the officer, who, I saw, had no fancy for my motleycostume alongside of him.
'Oh, Tiernay doesn't care for that; he's too old a soldier to bestow athought upon the colour of his jacket,' said Massena.
'Pardon me, general, but it is exactly one of my weaknesses; and I feelthat until I get rid of these trappings I shall never feel myself asoldier.'
'I thought you had been made of other stuff,' muttered the general, 'andparticularly since there's like to be little love-making in the presentcampaign.' And with that he rode forward, leaving me to follow when Icould.
'These are Cambronne's keys,' said Lestocque, 'and you'll find enoughfor your present wants in the saddlebags. Take the grey, he's the betterhorse, and come up with us as fast as you can.'
I saw that I had forfeited something of General Massena's good opinionby my dandyism; but I was consoled in a measure for the loss, as I sawthe price at which I bought the forfeiture. The young officer, who hadfallen three days before, and was a nephew of the General Gambronne, wasa lieutenant in Murat's celebrated corps, the Lancers of 'Berg,' whoseuniform was the handsomest in the French army. Even the undress scarletfrock and small silver helmet were more splendid than many full paradeuniforms; and as I attired myself in these brilliant trappings, Isecretly vowed that the Austrians should see them in some conspicuousposition ere a month was over. If I had but one sigh for the poor fellowto whose _galanterie_ I succeeded, I had many a smile for myself as Ipassed and repassed before the glass, adjusting a belt, or training anaigrette to fall more gracefully. While thus occupied, I felt somethingheavy clink against my leg, and opening the sabretache, discovered apurse containing upwards of forty golden Napoleons and some silver. Itwas a singular way to succeed to a 'heritage' I thought, but, with thefirm resolve to make honest restitution, I replaced the money whereI found it, and descended the stairs, my sabre jingling and my spursclanking, to the infinite admiration of the hostess and her handmaiden,who looked on my transformation as a veritable piece of magic.
I'm sure Napoleon himself had not framed one-half as many plans for thatcampaign as I did while I rode along. By a close study of the map,and the aid of all the oral information in my power, I had at lengthobtained a tolerably accurate notion of the country; and I saw, or Ithought I saw, at least, half-a-dozen distinct ways of annihilatingthe Austrians. I have often since felt shame, even to myself, at theeffrontery with which I discussed the great manoeuvres going forward,and the unblushing coolness with which I proffered my opinions andmy criticisms; and I really believe that General Massena tolerated myboldness rather for the amuse
ment it afforded him than from any othercause.
'Well, Tiernay,' said he, as a fresh order reached him, with themost pressing injunction to hurry forward, 'we are to move at once onMoosburg--what does that portend?'
'Sharp work, general,' replied I, not noticing the sly malice of thequestion; the Austrians are there in force.'
'So your grenadiers say so?' asked he sarcastically.
'Nor general; but as the base of the operations is the Iser, they mustneeds guard all the bridges over the river, as well as protect thehighroad to Vienna by Landshut.'
'But you forget that Landshut is a good eight leagues from that!' saidhe, with a laugh.
'They'll have to fall back there, nevertheless,' said I coolly, 'or theysuffer themselves to be cut off from their own centre.'
'Would you believe it,' whispered Massena to a colonel at his side, 'thefellow has just guessed our intended movement?'
Low as he spoke, my quick ears caught the words, and my heart thumpedwith delight as I heard them. This was the Emperor's strategy--Massenawas to fall impetuously on the enemy's left at Moosburg, and drive themto a retreat on Landshut; when, at the moment of the confusion anddisorder, they were to be attacked by Napoleon himself, with a vastlysuperior force. The game opened even sooner than expected, and a fewminutes after the conversation I have reported, our tirailleurs wereexchanging shots with the enemy. These sounds, however, were soondrowned in the louder din of artillery, which thundered away at bothsides till nightfall. It was a strange species of engagement, for wecontinued to march on the entire time, the enemy as steadily retiringbefore us, while the incessant cannonade never ceased.
Although frequently sent to the front with orders, I saw nothing of theAustrians; a low line of bluish smoke towards the horizon, now and thenflashing into flame, denoted their position, and as we were about asinvisible to them, a less exciting kind of warfare would be difficultto conceive. Neither was the destruction important; many of the Austrianshot were buried in the deep clay in our front; and considering thetime, and the number of pieces in action, our loss was insignificant.Soldiers, if they be not the trained veterans of a hundred battles, growvery impatient in this kind of operation; they cannot conceive why theyare not led forward, and wonder at the over caution of the general. Ourswere mostly young levies, and were consequently very profuse of theircomments and complaints.
'Have patience, my brave boys,' said an old sergeant to some of thegrumblers; 'I've seen some service, and I never saw a battle open thisway that there wasn't plenty of fighting ere it was over.'
A long, low range of hills bounds the plain to the west of Moosburg, andon these, as night closed, our bivouac fires were lighted, some of themextending to nearly half a mile to the left of our real position, andgiving the Austrians the impression that our force was stationed in thatdirection. A thin drizzly rain, cold enough to be sleet, was falling;and as the ground had been greatly cut up by the passage of artilleryand cavalry, a less comfortable spot to bivouac in could not beimagined. It was difficult, too, to obtain wood for our fires, andour prospects for the dark hours were scarcely brilliant. The soldiersgrumbled loudly at being obliged to sit and cook their messes at themurky flame of damp straw, while the fires at our left blazed awaygaily without one to profit by them. Frenchmen, however, are rarelyill-humoured in face of the enemy, and their complaints assumed all thesarcastic drollery which they so well understand; and even overtheir half-dressed supper they were beginning to grow merry, whenstaff-officers were seen traversing the lines at full speed in alldirections.
'We are attacked--the Austrians are upon us!' cried two or threesoldiers, snatching up their muskets.
'No, no, friend,' replied a veteran, 'it's the other way--we are goingat them.'
This was the true reading of the problem. Orders were sent to everybrigade to form in close column of attack--artillery and cavalry toadvance under their cover, and ready to deploy at a moment's notice.
Moosburg lay something short of two miles from us, having the Iser infront, over which was a wooden bridge, protected by a strongflanking battery. The river was not passable, nor had we any means oftransporting artillery across it; so that to this spot our main attackwas at once directed. Had the Austrian general, Heller, who was secondin command to the Archduke Louis, either cut off the bridge, or takeneffectual measures to oppose its passage, the great events of thecampaign might have assumed a very different feature. It is said,however, that an entire Austrian brigade was encamped near Freising, andthat the communication was left open to save them.
Still it must be owned that the Imperialists took few precautions fortheir safety; for, deceived by our line of watch-fires, the picketsextended but a short distance into the plain; and when attacked by ourlight cavalry, many of them were cut off at once; and of those who fellback, several traversed the bridge, with their pursuers at their heels.Such was the impetuosity of the French attack, that although the mostpositive orders had been given by Massena that not more than three gunsand their caissons should traverse the bridge together, and even theseat a walk, seven or eight were seen passing at the same instant, and allat a gallop, making the old framework so to rock and tremble, that itseemed ready to come to pieces. As often happens, the hardihood provedour safety. The Austrians counting upon our slow transit, only opened aheavy fire after several of our pieces had crossed, and were already ina position to reply to them. Their defence, if somewhat late, was a mostgallant one, and the gunners continued to fire on our advancing columnstill we captured the block-house and sabred the men at their guns.Meanwhile the Imperial Cuirassiers, twelve hundred strong, made asuccession of furious charges upon us, driving our light cavalry awaybefore them, and for a brief space making the fortune of the day almostdoubtful. It soon appeared, however, that these brave fellows weremerely covering the retreat of the main body, who in all haste werefalling back on the villages of Furth and Arth. Some squadrons ofKellermann's heavy cavalry gave time for our light artillery to opentheir fire, and the Austrian ranks were rent open with terrific loss.
Day was now dawning, and showed us the Austrian army in retreat bythe two great roads towards Landshut. Every rising spot of ground wasoccupied by artillery, and in some places defended by stockades, showingplainly enough that all hope of saving the guns was abandoned, and thatthey only thought of protecting their flying columns from our attack.These dispositions cost us heavily, for as we were obliged to carry eachof these places before we could advance, the loss in this hand-to-handencounter was very considerable. At length, however, the roads becameso blocked up by artillery, that the infantry were driven to defile intothe swampy fields at the roadside, and here our cavalry cut them downunmercifully, while grape tore through the dense masses at half-musketrange.
Had discipline or command been possible, our condition might have beenmade perilous enough, since, in the impetuosity of attack, large massesof our cavalry got separated from their support, and were frequentlyseen struggling to cut their way out of the closing columns of theenemy. Twice or thrice it actually happened that officers surrenderedthe whole squadron as prisoners, and were rescued by their owncomrades afterwards. The whole was a scene of pell-mell confusionand disorder-some, abandoning positions when successful defence waspossible; others, obstinately holding their ground when destruction wasinevitable. Few prisoners were taken; indeed, I believe, quarter waslittle thought of by either side. The terrible excitement had raisedmen's passions to the pitch of madness, and each fought with all theanimosity of hate.
Massena was always in the front, and, as was his custom, comportinghimself with a calm steadiness that he rarely displayed in the commonoccurrences of everyday life. Like the English Picton, the crash andthunder of conflict seemed to soothe and assuage the asperities of anirritable temper, and his mind appeared to find a congenial sphere inthe turmoil and din of battle. The awkward attempt of a Frenchsquadron to gallop in a deep marsh, where men and horses were rollingindiscriminately together, actually gave him a hearty fit of laughter
,and he issued his orders for their recall, as though the occurrencewere a good joke. It was while observing this incident, that an orderlydelivered into his hands some maps and papers that had just beencaptured from the fourgon of a staff-officer. Turning them rapidly over,Massena chanced upon the plan of a bridge, with marks indicative ofpoints of defence at either side of it, and the arrangements for miningit if necessary. It was too long to represent the bridge of Moosburg,and must probably mean that of Landshut; and so thinking, and deemingthat its possession might be important to the Emperor, he ordered me totake a fresh horse, and hasten with it to the headquarters. The orders Ireceived were vague enough.
'You 'll come up with the advance guard some eight or nine miles to thenorthward; you 'll chance upon some of the columns near Fleisheim.'
Such were the hurried directions I obtained, in the midst of thesmoke and din of a battle; but it was no time to ask for more preciseinstructions, and away I went.
In less than twenty minutes' sharp riding I found myself in a littlevalley, inclosed by low hills, and watered by a small tributary of theDanube, along whose banks cottages were studded in the midst of whatseemed one great orchard, since for miles the white and pink blossoms offruit-trees were to be seen extending. The peasants were at work inthe fields, and oxen were toiling along with the heavy waggons, or thescarcely less cumbersome plough, as peacefully as though bloodshed andcarnage were not within a thousand miles of them. No highroad penetratedthis secluded spot, and hence it lay secure, while ruin and devastationraged at either side of it. As the wind was from the west, nothing couldbe heard of the cannonade towards Moosburg, and the low hills completelyshut out all signs of the conflict. I halted at a little wayside forgeto have a loose shoe fastened, and in the crowd of gazers who stoodaround me, wondering at my gay trappings and gaudy uniform, not onehad the slightest suspicion that I was other than Austrian. One old manasked me if it were not true that the 'French were coming?' and anotherlaughed, and said, 'They had better not'; and there was all they knewof that terrible struggle--the shock that was to rend in twain a greatempire!
Full of varied thought on this theme I mounted and rode forward. Atfirst, the narrow roads were so deep and heavy, that I made littleprogress; occasionally, too, I came to little streams, traversed bya bridge of a single plank, and was either compelled to swim my horseacross, or wander long distances in search of a ford. These obstructionsmade me impatient, and my impatience but served to delay me more, andall my efforts to push directly forwards only tended to embarrass me.I could not ask for guidance, since I knew not the name of a singlevillage or town, and to have inquired for the direction in which thetroops were stationed might very possibly have brought me into danger.
At last, and after some hours of toilsome wandering, I reached asmall wayside inn, and, resolving to obtain some information of mywhereabouts, I asked whither the road led that passed through a long,low, swampy plain, and disappeared in a pine wood.
'To Landshut,' was the answer.
'And the distance?'
'Three German miles,' said the host; 'but they are worse than five; forsince the new line has been opened this road has fallen into neglect.Two of the bridges are broken, and a landslip has completely blocked upthe passage at another place.'
'Then how am I to gain the new road?'
Alas! there was nothing for it but going back to the forge where I hadstopped three hours and a half before, and whence I could take a narrowbridle-path to Fleisheim, that would bring me out on the great road. Thevery thought of retracing my way was intolerable; many of the places Ihad leaped my horse over would have been impossible to cross from theopposite side; once I narrowly escaped being carried down by a millrace;and, in fact, no dangers nor inconveniences of the road in front of mecould equal those of the course I had just come. Besides all this,to return to Fleisheim would probably bring me far in the rear of theadvancing columns, while if I pushed on towards Landshut I might catchsight of them from some rising spot of ground.
'You will go, I see,' cried the host, as he saw me set out. 'Perhapsyou're right; the old adage says, "It's often the roughest road leads tothe smoothest fortune."'
Even that much encouragement was not without its value. I spurred intoa canter with fresh spirits. The host of the little inn had notexaggerated--the road was execrable. Heavy rocks and mounds of earth hadslipped down with the rains of winter, and remained in the middle of theway. The fallen masonry of the bridges had driven the streams into newchannels with deep pools among them; broken waggons and ruined cartsmarked the misfortunes of some who had ventured on the track; and exceptfor a well-mounted and resolute horseman the way was impracticable. Iwas well-nigh overcome by fatigue and exhaustion, as, clambering up asteep hill, with the bridle on my arm, I gained the crest of the ridge,and suddenly saw Landshut--for it could be no other--before me. I havelooked at many new pictures and scenes, but I own I never beheld onethat gave me half the pleasure. The ancient town, with its gaunt oldbelfries, and still more ancient castle, stood on a bend of the Inn,which was here crossed by a long wooden bridge, supported on boats, awide track of shingle and gravel on either side showing the course intowhich the melting snows often swelled the stream. From the point whereI stood I could see into the town. The Platz, the old gardens of thenunnery, the terrace of the castle, all were spread out before me; andto my utter surprise there seemed little or no movement going forward.There were two guns in position at the bridge; some masons were atwork on the houses, beside the river, piercing the walls for the use ofmusketry, and an infantry battalion was under arms in the market-place.These were all the preparations I could discover against the advance ofa great army. But so it was; the Austrian spies had totally misled them,and while they believed that the great bulk of the French lay aroundRatisbon, the centre of the army, sixty-five thousand strong, and led byNapoleon himself, was in march to the southward.
That the attack on Moosburg was still unknown at Landshut seemedcertain; and I now perceived that, notwithstanding all the delays I hadmet with, I had really come by the most direct line; whereas, on accountof the bend of the river, no Austrian courier could have brought tidingsof the engagement up to that time. My attention was next turned towardsthe direction whence our advance might be expected; but although I couldsee nearly four miles of the road, not a man was to be descried alongit.
I slowly descended the ridge, and, passing through a meadow, wasapproaching the highroad, when suddenly I heard the clattering of ahorse at full gallop coming along the causeway. I mounted at once, andpushed forward to an angle of the road, by which I was concealed fromall view. The next instant, a Hungarian hussar turned the corner at topspeed.
'What news?' cried I, in German; 'are they coming?'
'Ay, in force,' shouted he, without stopping.
I at once drew my pistol, and levelled at him. The man's back wastowards me, and my bullet would have pierced his skull. It was my duty,too, to have shot him, for moments were then worth days, or even weeks.I couldn't pull the trigger, however, and I replaced my weapon in theholster. Another horseman now swept past without perceiving me, andquickly behind him came a half squadron of hussars, all riding in madhaste and confusion. The horses, though 'blown,' were not sweated, sothat I conjectured they had ridden fast though not far. Such was theeagerness to press on, and so intent were they on the thought oftheir own tidings, that none saw me, and the whole body swept by anddisappeared. I waited a few minutes to listen, and as the clatteringtowards Landshut died away, all was silent. Trusting to my knowledge ofGerman to save me, even if I fell in with the enemy, I now rode forwardat speed in the direction of our advance. The road was straight as anarrow for miles, and a single object coming towards me was all I coulddetect. This proved to be a hussar of the squadron, whose horse, beingdead lame, could not keep up with the rest, and now the poor fellow wasmaking the best of his way back as well as he was able. Of what use,thought I, to make him my prisoner--one more or less at such a time canbe of slight avail; so I merely
halted him to ask how near the Frenchwere. The man could only speak Hungarian, but made signs that thelancers were close upon us, and counselled me to make my escape into thetown with all speed. I intimated by a gesture that I could trust to myhorse, and we parted. He was scarcely out of sight when the bright gleamof brass helmets came into view towards the west, and then I could makeout the shining cuirasses of the Corps de Guides, as, mounted on theirpowerful horses, they came galloping along.
'I thought I was foremost,' said a young officer to me as he rode up.'How came you in advance?'
'Where's the etat-major?' cried I, in haste, and not heeding hisquestion. 'I have a despatch for the Emperor.'
'Follow the road,' said he, 'and you'll come up with them in half anhour.'
And with these hurried words we passed each other. A sharp pistol reporta moment after told me what had befallen the poor Hungarian; but I hadlittle time to think of his fate. Our squadrons were coming on at asharp pace, while in their rear the jingling clash of horse artilleryresounded. From a gentle rise of the road I could see a vast distanceof country, and perceive that the French columns extended for milesaway--the great chaussee being reserved for the heavy artillery, whileevery byroad and lane were filled with troops of all arms hurryingonward. It was one of those precipitous movements by which Napoleon sooften paralysed an enemy at once, and finished a campaign by one daringexploit.
At such a time it was in vain for me to ask in what direction the staffmight be found. All were eager and intent on their own projects; and assquadron after squadron passed, I saw it was a moment for action ratherthan for thought. Still I did not like to abandon all hope of succeedingafter so much of peril and fatigue, and seeing that it was impossible toadvance against the flood of horse and artillery that formed along theroad, I jumped my horse into a field at the side, and pushed forward.Even here, however, the passage was not quite clear, since many, intheir eagerness to get forward, had taken to the same line, and, withcheering cries and wild shouts of joy, were galloping on. My showyuniform drew many an eye towards me, and at last a staff-officer criedout to me to stop, pointing with his sabre as he spoke to a hill a shortdistance off, where a group of officers were standing.
This was General Moulon and his staff, under whose order the advancedguard was placed.
'A despatch--whence from?' cried he hastily, as I rode up.
'No, sir; a plan of the bridge of Landshut, taken from the enemy thismorning at Moosburg.'
'Are they still there?' asked he.
'By this time they must be close upon Landshut; they were in fullretreat when I left them at daybreak.'
'We 'll be able to speak of the bridge without this,' said he, laughing,and turning toward his staff, while he handed the sketch carelessly tosome one beside him; 'and you'll serve the Emperor quite as well, sir,by coming with us as hastening to the rear.'
I professed myself ready and willing to follow his orders, and away Iwent with the staff, well pleased to be once more on active service.
Two cannon shots, and a rattling crash of small-arms, told us that thecombat had begun; and as we ascended the hill, the bridge of Landshutwas seen on fire in three places. Either from some mistake of hisorders, or not daring to assume a responsibility for what was beyond thestrict line of duty, the French commander of the artillery placed hisguns in position along the river's bank, and prepared to reply to thefire now opening from the town, instead of at once dashing onward withinthe gates. Moulon hastened to repair the error; but by the delay inpushing through the dense masses of horse, foot, and artillery thatcrowded the passage, it was full twenty minutes ere he came up. With astorm of oaths on the stupidity of the artillery colonel, he ordered thefiring to cease, commanding both the cavalry and the train waggons tomove right and left, and give place for a grenadier battalion, who werecoming briskly on with their muskets at the sling.
The scene was now a madly exciting one. The _chevaux defrise_ at one endof the bridge was blazing; but beyond it, on the bridge, the Austrianengineer and his men were scattering combustible material, and withhempen torches touching the new-pitched timbers. An incessant roll ofmusketry issued from the houses on the river-side, with now and then thedeeper boom of a large gun, while the roar of voices, and the crashingnoise of artillery passing through the streets, swelled into a fearfulchorus. The French sappers quickly removed the burning _chevaux defrise_, and hurled the flaming timbers into the stream; and scarcely wasthis done, when Moulon, dismounting, advanced, cheering, at the head ofhis grenadiers. Charging over the burning bridge, they rushedforward; but their way was arrested by the strong timbers of a massiveportcullis, which closed the passage. This had been concealed from ourview by the smoke and flame; and now, as the press of men from behindgrew each instant more powerful, a scene of terrible suffering ensued.The enemy, too, poured down a deadly discharge, and grapeshot torethrough us at pistol-range. The onward rush of the columns to the reardefied retreat, and in the mad confusion, all orders and command wereunheard or unheeded. Not knowing what delayed our advance, I was busilyengaged in suppressing a fire at one of the middle buttresses, when,mounting the parapet, I saw the cause of our halt. I happened to havecaught up one of the pitched torches at the instant, and the thought atonce struck me how to employ it. To reach the portcullis, no other roadlay open than the parapet itself--a wooden railing, wide enough for afooting, but exposed to the whole fire of the houses. There was littletime for the choice of alternatives, even had our fate offered any, so Idashed on, and, as the balls whizzed and whistled around me, reached thefront.
It was a terrible thing to touch the timbers against which our men wereactually flattened, and to set fire to the bars around which their handswere clasped; but I saw that the Austrian musketry had already done itswork on the leading files, and that not one man was living amongst them.By a blunder of one of the sappers, the portcullis had been smeared withpitch like the bridge; and as I applied the torch, the blaze sprang up,and, encouraged by the rush of air between the beams, spread in a secondover the whole structure. Expecting my death-wound at every instant,I never ceased my task, even when it had become no longer necessary,impelled by a kind of insane persistence to destroy the barrier. Thewind carrying the flame inward, however, had compelled the Austrians tofall back, and before they could again open a collected fire on us, theway was open, and the grenadiers, like enraged tigers, rushed wildly in.
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I remember that my coat was twice on fire as, carried on my comrades'shoulders, I was borne along into the town. I recollect, too, thefearful scene of suffering that ensued, the mad butchery at each doorwayas we passed, the piercing cries for mercy, and the groan of dyingagony.
War has no such terrible spectacle as a town taken by infuriatedsoldiery; and even amongst the best of natures a relentless crueltyusurps the place of every chivalrous feeling. When or how I was woundedI never could ascertain; but a round shot had penetrated my thigh,tearing the muscles into shreds, and giving to the surgeon who saw methe simple task of saying, '_Enlevez le--point despair_.'
I heard thus much, and I have some recollection of a comrade havingkissed my forehead, and there ended my reminiscences of Landshut. Nay, Iam wrong; I cherish another and a more glorious one.
It was about four days after this occurrence that the surgeon in chargeof the military hospital was obliged to secure by ligature a branchof the femoral artery which had been traversed by the ball through mythigh. The operation was a tedious and difficult one, for round shot, itwould seem, have little respect for anatomy, and occasionally displacemuscles in a sad fashion. I was very weak after it was over, and orderswere left to give a spoonful of Bordeaux and water from time to timeduring the evening--a direction which I listened to attentively, andnever permitted my orderly to neglect. In fact, like a genuine sickman's fancy, it caught possession of my mind that this wine and waterwas to save me; and in the momentary rally of excitement it gave, Ithought I tasted health once more. In this impression I never awoke froma s
hort doze without a request for my cordial, and half mechanicallywould make signs to wet my lips as I slept.
It was near sunset, and I was lying with unclosed eyes, not asleep, butin that semi-conscious state that great bodily depression and loss ofblood induce. The ward was unusually quiet, the little buzz of voicesthat generally mingled through the accents of suffering were hushed, andI could hear the surgeon's well-known voice as he spoke to some personsat the farther end of the chamber.
By their stopping from time to time, I could remark that they wereinspecting the different beds, but their voices were low and their stepscautious and noiseless.
'Tiernay--this is Tiernay,' said some one, reading my name from thepaper over my head. Some low words which I could not catch followed, andthen the surgeon replied--
'There is a chance for him yet, though the debility is greatly to befeared.'
I made a sign at once to my mouth, and after a second's delay the spoontouched my lips; but so awkwardly was it applied, that the fluid randown my chin. With a sickly impatience I turned away, but a mild, lowvoice, soft as a woman's, said--
'_Allons!_--Let me try once more'; and now the spoon met my lips withdue dexterity.
'Thanks,' said I faintly, and I opened my eyes.
'You'll soon be about again, Tiernay,' said the same voice--as for theperson, I could distinguish nothing, for there were six or seven aroundme--'and if I know anything of a soldier's heart, this will do just asmuch as the doctor.'
As he spoke he detached from his coat a small enamel cross, and placedit in my hand, with a gentle squeeze of the fingers, and then saying'_Au revoir_,' moved on.
'Who's that?' cried I suddenly, while a strange thrill ran through me.
'Hush!' whispered the surgeon cautiously; 'hush! it is the Emperor.'
Maurice Tiernay, Soldier of Fortune Page 50