332

LIFE OF COLONEL MACERONI.

representing Murat which abounded in the public places,were respected and remained intact.

In 1806 the King of Prussia was drawn by his court intoa war with France. Murat again appeared upon the fieldas Commander in Chief of all the cavalry ; the first victoryof this campaign was again gained by the Grand Duke ofBerg, with very inferior forces at Salsburg on the riverSaale .

The battle of J ena was for some hours bravely disputedby the Prussians. They had attacked the Emperor twohours sooner than he could have wished; Murat was notyet in position with the cavalry, but upon his forming inthe rear of the French infantry, the Emperor immediatelyattacked the enemy with his reserve. Upon this thePrussians , despairing of success, began their retreat, but ina slow and orderly manner. Now was Murat commanded tocharge, which he did with the speed of lightning and thesound of thunder. In vain did the Prussian cavalry en-deavour to cover and protect the retreat of their infantry.They were overthrown and forced back into the torrent ofretreat; the infantry now formed itself into five hollowscpiares, all of which w 7 ere broken and demolished byMurat who slew five thousand men on the spot. Twentythousand infantry and cavalry, with almost all the Prussianartillery, remained in the hands of the victors.

The next day Murat was on his march to Erfurth inwhich were sixteen thousand Prussians , a portion of whomwere wounded fugitives from Jena. Murat summonedthe commander to surrender, -which he did on the 15thOctober. Besides the sixteen thousand troops, oneand twenty pieces of cannon, and immense stores weretaken.

Following up his successes Murat pursued the Prussians without allowing them a moment’s respite. He came up