Leviticus 26:8

And five of you shall chase an hundred.

Panic among soldiers

During the Italian war a panic occurred in a whole reserve corps d’armee of the French forces, and the account is given us by the Hen. Mr. R--, the editor of a prominent American journal, who was there, partook of the fright, and ran himself with the fugitives. Five Austrians, whose retreat was cut off, rode rapidly into the village where the reserve forces were stationed, with the design of giving themselves up. The frightened inhabitants cried out, “The Austrians are coming!” and ran for their lives. The soldiers followed suit--horse, foot, and dragoons, pell-mell, without waiting to take care of the wounded, ran fifteen miles without stopping. One wounded French general offered a large reward to be carried to a place of safety. Mr. R--confesses to have run ten miles on foot before he stopped. A panic among the loyal troops in the first battle of Bull’s Run in the American civil conflict, if not the cause of their defeat, greatly aggravated the disasters of the battle. (Lowrie.)