A 
 
 CIRCUMSTANTIAL NARHATITB 
 
 OF THE « 
 
 CAMPAIGN IN RUSSIA, 
 
 EMBELLISHED WITH 
 
 plans of the Buttles of the Moskzva and Malo-Jaroslavitz, 
 
 CONTAINING 
 
 A FAITHFUL DE^?CRIPTI01V OF THE AFFECTING 
 
 AND INTI^KESTING SCENES OF WirilClI 
 
 THE AUTHOR WAS AN 
 
 EYE-WITNESS. 
 
 BY EUGENE LABAUME, 
 
 aptain oftlie Royal Geo&rapbical Engineers, Ex-Ofl?terof the Ordnance of Prince EufeilB? 
 Chevalier of the Legion of Flonour, and of the lion Crown. Author of aa Abridg- 
 ed History of the republic of Venice, 
 
 TRANSLATFD FROM THE FRENCH. 
 
 SECOND AMERICAN FROM THE SECOND LONDON EV ITION 
 
 ilMTTOUD: 
 
 ^PUBLISHED BY SHELDON AHH GOODRICH* 
 1816. 
 
 B, <§• J. Russellf PrinterSo 
 

 
 (1 
 
 o't. 
 
 ^.1 
 
PREFACE, 
 
 I RELATE that which I have seen. A witness of 
 the greatest disasters that ever befel a great nation ; 
 a spectator and an actor in every scene of this sad ainl 
 snemorable expedition, I present the reader with 
 no fictitious narrative, artfully arranged, and height- 
 ened by false colouring. The events that passed 
 around me were daily recorded, and I now simsdy 
 endeavour to communicate the impressions which I 
 then felt. It was by the light of the burning of Mos- 
 cow, that I described the sack of that unfortunate 
 city. It was on the borders of the Beresina, that I 
 traced the recital of tjiat fatal passage. The plans 
 of the battles of the Moskwa, and Malo-Jaroslavitz, 
 which accompany this work, were taken on the spot, 
 at the command of prince Eugene. 
 
 It is scarcely possible to conceive what difficulties 
 I had to surmount in the progress of my work, Cum- 
 peiled, like ray companions in arms, to struggle with 
 the most urgent necessities, pierced by the cold, tor- 
 
iy PREFACE. 
 
 merted ^iih bnng:er, a prey to every accumulated 
 borror ; uncertain at the rising of the sun whether I 
 should ste ils settirg ia\s, ard doubtful at nightj 
 whelher I shouUl witness the morrow's dawn ; every 
 thouahl seemed concentrated in the ardent desire to 
 live, that 1 might perpetuate the memory of what I 
 had seen. Animated b}' this irresistible feeling, I re- 
 traced, each night, the events of the day, sitting be- 
 side a wretched fire, under a temperature of ten or 
 twelve degrees, and surrounded by the dying and 
 the dead. The knife with which I had carved my 
 scanty morsel of horse-flesh, was employed in cutting 
 a raven's quill and a little gun-powder, mixed with 
 some melted snow, in the hollow of my hand, served 
 me for mk and ink-stand. 
 
 I have composed this WQrk without personal ill- 
 will, and without prejudice; yet I must confess, that 
 durmg the recital of the most horrible entef-prise, 
 which the ge .ius of ambition had ever conceived, J. 
 cou d often scarcely restrain my inic|ignation against 
 Uie author of all our mi'?lbrtunes. But the respect with 
 which his former weU-earned reputation had inSj)ired 
 me, and the memory of the glorious victories that I 
 had witnessed, a:id in the honours of which I had 
 shared, compelled me to speak of that conqueror with 
 moderation and reserve. 
 
 iHiiving constantly before me the mournful imao-e 
 of a crowd of warriors, doomed to perish miserablv 
 in remote deserts, I was sustained by the hope of 
 re dering my feeble homage, to a courage acknow- 
 led^ea even by their enemies ; and to exploits t!i€ 
 
BilEFACE. 
 
 more beroic, since their object was no longer the 
 safety of their country, nor even of their lives, but 
 the preservation of their fame, I shall account my= 
 self most happy, if my reader is convinced, that in 
 the midst of so many disasters, our brave soldiers 
 were always worthy of themselves ; that they stained 
 not their ancient reiiown, and that, always formida- 
 ble to their enemiesj they were conrj^uered by the iele= 
 
A 
 
 CIRCUMSTANTIAL NARRATIVE 
 
 Ot* THE 
 
 CAMPAIGN IN RUSSIA. 
 
 FABT L—BOOK L 
 
 WILNA. 
 
 tp we were to look into our annals for the most 
 brilliant j.eriod of our g"lory, we should find that France 
 ha<i never been more powerful than after the treaty 
 of Tilsit. Spain, under the name of an ally, was, in 
 Ideality, one of our provinces, whence we were sup^ 
 plied with money, men, and ships. Italy, wisely g-o- 
 verned by a prince who was at once a skillful warrior 
 and an able politician, being subject to, and obey- 
 ing the same laws, as the French empire, enjoyed an. 
 (equal share of prosperity with ourselves ; and saw 
 "with pride that her legions, transported to the Balticj 
 had given proofs of the noblest courage, in order t© 
 procure for France, a peace as glorious as it was 
 
beneficial. Germany, alarmed by our colossal ag- 
 grandizement, far from o )posing our successes, en- 
 deavoured merely to insure her own existence, by a 
 submission to ail the great changes which subverted 
 the German constitution. England, the only con'= 
 slant opponent of an ambition so fatal to mahkiiid, 
 saw, in the prosperity of Napoleon, a new cause of 
 fear to herself, and of terror to ibe continent. Jt a- 
 lous of the honour of circumscribing that boundless 
 ambition, she anxiously representtd to the sovereigns 
 of the north, how much it was their interest to arrest 
 the rapidly increasing progress of our excessive pow- 
 er, Yain efforts ! these sovereig s Imd not yet ac= 
 quired the requisite degree of ct nviction, that they 
 must all be united to crush the gi; nt who wished to 
 devour them. Napoleon's passion for invasion, sug- 
 gested to him on his rieturn from Tilsit, the idea of 
 declaring an unjust war on Spain, which not oily 
 tarnished his laurels, but afterwards furnished his 
 enemies with the long-wished-foi* occasion of sub- 
 verting his power. 
 
 A weak prince nominally presided over that un- 
 happy peninsula ; but a perfidious minister, trieache- 
 rous towards his country, and ungrateful to his king^ 
 and benefactoi', in reality' governed the state with a 
 partial hand ; and by the most abject deference to the 
 evil counsels of foreigners, degraded the nation, whose 
 rights he seemed to have Uaurped only to drag it in- 
 to long and shameful servitude. The credulity of 
 the father, and the moderation of the son, alike pro- 
 hioted his criminal views. He incensed them againist 
 
WIXNA. ^ 
 
 each other, nnd parties were ^oop formed. The art- 
 ful Navjoleoa profiled by the discord, which was 
 thus produced, in excite a civil war, and to kindle 
 Ih :t ihAiiv which was necessary tor the execution of 
 the mosl: unjust and abominable project, a project 
 which preseists, in the history of a civilized nation, 
 an example of atrocious ingratitude, unparalleled 
 even among'st barbs'/rians. 
 
 Spain, Hoti\ilhstanding its proximity to France, 
 was little known ', and the character of its inhabitants 
 was stiil !e-;H understood. This fatal ig^norance mis- 
 led ihe conqueror, and induced him to attempt an 
 uisfortai;ate p.ivasion ; the miseries of which will, how- 
 ever, be easily forgolien, when we consider that, like 
 the campaign ot Moscow, it was the primitive cause 
 of those events which led to the happy deliverance of 
 the uoi'ld. 
 
 It does not enter into my j/lan to recapitulate an 
 ill fated aggiession, which nsade enemies of two na- 
 tions equuUy generous, and who, always united by 
 a reciprocal esteem, would yet have retained the most 
 friendly sentiments, had it not been for the perfidi- 
 ous politics of the tyrant. The struogle which en- 
 sued, men^orable for its obstinacy and its vicissi- 
 tudes, will fiu'nish {he historian wilh an interesting* 
 subject, and the military man with ample matter for 
 meditation. I shall only briefly observe, that Pro- 
 vidence appears to have excited in Napoleon the idea 
 of these two unjust w, rs, to convmce the Spaniards 
 and Kussians, that an alliance with the vicious will 
 
 9 
 
It) WlLNA. 
 
 unavoidably prove fatal. This instrument, whicfo 
 the Almight}' had employed to accoaipiish his pur- 
 pose, was now precipitated from error to error, to 
 show that tyranny is a crime against the common 
 and inalienabie rights of man, and that it may, at alt 
 limes, be snccesstuily opposed by those who march 
 united under the banners of justice. 
 
 Whilst Napoleon vainly endeavored to chase 
 the English from the peninsula, a new storm was 
 gathering in Germany. Austria, whooi he had so 
 often humbled, could not tamely submit to the dis- 
 graceful yoke under which her defeats had placed 
 her. The resistance of the l;Hpaniards, and the pow- 
 erful armaments of England, offered her a favoura- 
 ble opportunity for again having recourse to arms, 
 and endeavoring to recover the territories which she 
 had lost, a'id that political preponderance of which 
 she had always been so jealous. 
 
 The new war against Austria only opened a new 
 tieid of triiunph to the French. Landshut, Eckmuhl 
 and Ratisbon, having been attacked, with brilliant 
 success, prepared the way, at the end of four months, 
 for one of the most memorable victories. The field 
 ofWagrarnsaw the prodigies of Austerlitz renewed, 
 and secured to France the most glorious campaign, 
 and the most decisive results. 
 
 The treaty of Vienna, which gave us peace, 
 brou«-bt several wealthy provinces under our domi- 
 nion. It aggrandized Wntemberg and Bavaria, and 
 seemed to promise to Poland her complete re-esta- 
 blishmeat. But that treaty, dictated by a power thai 
 
WIXNA. 11 
 
 grasped at every thing-, miglit, like those which pre- 
 ceded it, have contained the seeds of fresh conten- 
 tion, if the most august and most unexpected aUi- 
 ance, had not crowned the prosperity of the fortu- 
 nate Napoleon. Of all the blessings which chance 
 had bestowed upon him, that marriage was undoubt- 
 edU' the greatest j siticeitsecured forever the deslniy 
 ©f a man, who haviisg risen from the humblest rank 
 in society, had now become allied to a powerful mo- 
 narch. Bat seduced by a prosperity so dazzling, 
 he was yet dissatisiied ; and forming- SiCw, and roman- 
 tic, and impious projects, he hazarded all that he 
 had acquired. He wearied his good genius, and 
 provoked his fate. To his own folly alone is it to 
 be attributed, that that which was so well calculat- 
 ed to cement his power, became the cause of his 
 ruin. 
 
 That period ought to have been esteemed the 
 happiest of Napoleon's life. What more could the 
 wildest ambition desire? From a private individual 
 he saw himself raised to the first throne in the world ; 
 his reign had been one continued series ot victories; 
 and to complete his happiness, a son, the object of 
 his most ardent wishes, was born to succeed him. 
 The people, though oppressed under his government, 
 became accustomed to it, and seemed desirous to 
 secure the crown to his family. All the foieign prin- 
 ces, who were subjected to his power, were his vas- 
 sals. They maintained his troops, and supplied him 
 with money, to gratify his luxury and Ins pleasures. 
 In short, all obeyed him. Nothing was wanting to 
 
i2'- WJLNA. 
 
 mnkehim'^b^.ppy ! notbingj if he conkl be bappv, w^e 
 pospessed not a love of jaslice. To that sentisnent 
 N'ipokoii had ever beea ahtrang'er, :r,id, conseqent- 
 ly, knew not either eujoyoieni; or re|>o:se. Ag'ilased 
 hy a restless spirit, and tormented by angoveni;J:*!e 
 ambition, the very excess of his toriime w;»s Ins 
 ruin, Amuug' at thai which it w^as inijrossihle io 
 obtain, and ignorant of huninn nakire, he forgot 
 every principle of honour and humasiity — lie forget 
 bimjself. 
 • The sovereign of the German empire, fired of a 
 resistance so long' fatal to his arms, fancied for amo- 
 nrient, that he obeyed his fate, m yielding to a man 
 to whom every one had submitted. He K;icri(iced 
 Iris glory, and e^'ea hrs oifsprmg, to obtain peace j 
 thus reabzing those fabulous times, v^hen mag- 
 nanimous princes devosed their daugliters to ap- 
 pease the wrath of s.ome demon, who ravaged their 
 country. 
 
 All seemed dif:posed to submit to the greai chan- 
 ges A-shich Napoieon had effected ; and '.he conniion 
 people, whose limited concepfious seldom peaeh':«te 
 into the dark miadsoi" ambitions monarrhs, ihonght 
 that the surprising rdliance befAveen this man and an 
 arcliduchess, muss satisfy ad his mimodi-rule desires. 
 They also expected, that the tcisfier feelings of a pa- 
 rent wouid leach him, that a throne is noi so lirmiy 
 cemented by ambitions concjuests, purchased by 
 blood and by tears, as b} wise instikilions, wh ch, 
 making a government belove(i, insure its duration. 
 The bemg never existed w hu posyes.sed ampler means 
 
WILNA. IS 
 
 for protiioling- the happiness of niankiiid. NoUiirig' 
 was requi 4 d but justice asid priitieitce. The nation 
 expected th e from hi id, and granted him thai an- 
 liiiDted cos fid uce, which he aiierwarcis so cruelly 
 abused. P.jsterity will hesilate to decide, whether 
 N^tpoleon be more culpable on acconnt of the crimes 
 which he has committed, or the. oood that he msght 
 have done, bulou v^hich he bestowed not a single 
 thought. 
 
 liisU'ad of COT] side riu Of "^viib calmness and mode- 
 * ration, how he might best employ his vast resources, 
 be ruminated 011 projects bevoind the power of man 
 to execute ; forgetting what inoumerable viciiraf; 
 must be sacnticed in the v dn atlempt. Coathioally 
 tormented by spieeit and melancholv, tl e leasi con- 
 tradiction u'ritaled him. 11ie very idea that there 
 exisjed a nation sufficieally g"n at and generous to 
 despise his proposals, and resist his falal iiifiuesice, 
 lacerated his bosom, and poisoued the happiest mo- 
 meists ot his glory. 
 
 lu the hope of conquering that invincible ene- 
 my, he vainly endeavoured to grasp the extremities 
 of Europe. Scarcely did he think that he had se- 
 cured him on one side, than he escaped on the 
 other. Infuriated at the disappointment of liis chi- 
 merical plans^ he aspired nt universal despotism, for 
 no other reason, than because a nation isolated from 
 the continent, and profiting by its happy situation, 
 had refused to submit to hjs intolerable yoke. 
 
 From that time he dismissed his ministers, whose 
 wisdom he despised. In liis estimaiioii, talent cOh- 
 
14 WILNA. 
 
 sisted only in a blind submission to bis nbsurd preten- 
 sions ; and it was necessary for the greatest men to 
 become the most abject slaves. Despot over his peo- 
 ple and his armies, and a slave to his own ung^overna- 
 ble passions, he carried his ambitious views to the 
 extremities of the globe, and aspired to the empire 
 of the world. Misled by his rash and hasty tem- 
 per, he adopted a fal^e line of politics, and converted 
 in the north, as he had done before in the south, the 
 most useful and powerful of his aSlies, into a dan- 
 gerous enemv. 
 
 In his senseless dreams he overstepped the na- 
 tural boundaries of France. He allotted to her a 
 chimerical and romantic destiny, and terrified him- 
 self with the g-roundless apprehensii-n, that Russia 
 might place herself on the ancient throne of Constan- 
 tine, and command the two seas by which Europe is 
 surrounded. He then assumedthe prophet, predict- 
 ing distant disasters to his country, and sacrificing 
 the present generation to the uncertain happiness of 
 posterit}'. 
 
 Blinded by an excess of prosperity, he fancied 
 that the neighbouriog powers beheld him with envy; 
 and, Judging- of others by himself, he imagined that 
 Russia must look with secret jealousv on the union 
 between the most ancient and the most modern em- 
 pires- Full of this idea, he pursued his plans of de- 
 vastation ; and desiring, as he said, that his dynasty 
 might soon become the most ancient in Europe, he 
 endeavoured to sanction his usurpation by dethron- 
 ing every legiiiraate prince in order to bestow their 
 
WILNA. 15 
 
 crowns on his brothers, who, too effeminate losecond 
 hiiii in his tyranra), or rival him in his exploits, only 
 shone like pale satellites around an ill-boding star. 
 
 The treaty of Tilsit appeared but a truce to those 
 who knew Napoleon's character. Every one who 
 compared the constantly giowiiig power of the two 
 great empires, predicted an approachingrupture,and 
 foresaw, in their systematic plans of aggrandizement, 
 the future destruction of the gigantic edifice which 
 both were erecting. The distance which had for- 
 merly separated them, had likewise separated their 
 interest; but the conquests ot France, having ren- 
 dered her a neighbour of Russia, every thing pre- 
 saged that a terrible struggle must, ere long, ensue 
 between those rival powers, the shock of which 
 would convulse the world. 
 
 For more than two years, Russia and France had 
 maintained a warlike altitude; but at length Napoleon 
 having reinforced the garrison of Dantzic, consisting 
 of a strong body of troops, and completed the cavalry, 
 the artiliery-train, and the military equipages, forbore 
 no longer to overwhelm Russia with reproaches. 
 Forgetful that since the treaty of Tilsit, he had not 
 only invaded Holiand, and the Hanse-to wns, but like- 
 wise the duchy of Oldenburg, which belonged to the 
 sister of Alexander, he imputed to the latter as a 
 crime, that he had renewed a commercial intercourse 
 with England. 
 
 From that moment, France made immense pre- 
 parations. Numerouslegionshastened from the banks 
 of the Tagus to those of the Oder ; and the same 
 
16 WILTv'A. 
 
 soldiers wbo, not lonj::; -is,'^, bad encampefl on tb*^ fer- 
 tile pi iins of Lomb.ii'dv, saw themselves, ui.less h-ui 
 three mouths, traiispcrled fco the baiTen sands of Po- 
 land. 
 
 Nj'hiag-, In^vever, had yet lra'i5>p'red respectino' 
 ihese gi'eat m )vetiienl:?, e>:ce':)t the faraoas seaatus- 
 consuUe,^' whsch org'inize;! She eni|> re into cohort s^ 
 bans, a id arriere bans.'f Thus Fryace was ou the 
 poist of beiag' engaged irs the most bloody contest 
 which it had ever sustauied, -dud o le h^lf of Enrope 
 was marching ag'aiast ^heother, while Ntpoleoa had 
 not deigned to atFord the least inlitnalioii of it io the 
 senate ; nor had that body veiiiured o desyiand from 
 him aijy reasors for a war, in which France was 
 about io exhaust her treasures and i.-ev blood. 
 
 Under these circiimst;uEces all e_ves were Ir.rned 
 towards Prussia, anxious to discover which p-wiy she 
 would eS(3oase. H,er fortresses, and her vi'hoie terri- 
 lory, were occupied by our armies ; nevertheless, an 
 alliance with us appeared so Oj)posite to her true po- 
 licy, and so prejudicial to her interests, that, in spite 
 of the constraint and the sabjugatioa in which we 
 iieid her, she long hesitated to dech\re herself. At 
 hist, to the surprise of all the world, we learned that 
 she had decided in our favonr.J T^ey, however, 
 who knew in whatraaiiner Napoleon contracted all 
 
 '^- Sittiog of the Senate, 10th of March, 18 J 2. 
 
 f Three classes into which the mers were divided from 25 to 60 
 years of age, fir the defence of the fronlfers aud the coasts. 
 
 I Treaty of alHance (2ith Feb. 1812.) between his majesty the 
 enijieror aix! i<ing, and his majesty (he liing of Prussia. 
 
ilisailidrices, observed that Prussia did not declare for 
 us Jill Berlin was pressed on all sides, and the duke 
 of Kegio (Oudmot) was on the point of entering it 
 as a conquerer. The king- of Prussia was shortly af- 
 ter compelled to abandon his capital, and leave the 
 command of it to the French generals. 
 
 At this time appeared ajiOther treaty of alliance, 
 bet vveeri France and Austria, by which it was stipula- 
 ted, ihat each of the two contracting powers should 
 furnish the other with an auxiliary corps of thirty 
 thousand men, in case of attack. Wapoieon, pre- 
 tendingthathewasthreatenedby Russia,claimedand 
 obtained the promised succour, which was put un- 
 der the command of the prince of bchwartzenberg* 
 Thus Napoleon tyrannisedover kings, as Robespierre 
 tyrannised over the people. No one could remain 
 neutral under either. The love of peace was regard- 
 ed as treason, and moderation considered as a crime. 
 
 Innumerable troops traversed every part of Ger- 
 many, and bent their course towards the Oder. The 
 king of Westphalia (Jerome Bonaparte) at the head 
 of his guards and of two divisions, had already 
 crossed that river, as well as the Bavarians and 
 Saxons. The first corps was at Stettin, the third 
 marched in that direction; and the fourth, havmg 
 arrived at Glogau, replaced the Westphalians, who 
 proceeded towards Warsaw. 
 
 The composition of our army was curious and 
 imposing. Were I to enumerate the different troops, 
 it would remuid my reader of the description of Ho- 
 mer, when he speaks of the various nations who 
 
18 WILNA. 
 
 marched to the conquest of Troy. In the month of 
 April ihe grand army consisted of eight corps of in- 
 fantry, each ol them containing at least three divisions 
 (the first had five divisions) and one body of cavalry. 
 To these were joined the imperial guards, composed 
 of about fifty thousand men; and three great corps of 
 cavalry under the name of the reserve. The total of 
 our forces may have amounted to three hundred 
 thousand infantry, and sixty thousand cavalry. 
 More than a thousand pieces of cannon, distributed 
 amongst the different corps, constituted our artillery. 
 The prince of Eckmuhl (Davoust) had long comr 
 manded the five divisions, which constituted the first 
 corps of the army. The second was intrusted to the 
 duke of Reggio (Oudinot.) The third to the duke 
 of Elchingen (Ney.) The fourth, known by the 
 name of the army of Italy y and which contained the 
 royal guards, was commanded by the prince viceroj'^ 
 (Eugene Beauharnois.) Prince Poniatowski, at the 
 head of his Poles, formed the fifth corps. The Ba- 
 varians, incorporated into the sixth, were under the 
 orders of count Gouvion St. Cyr. The Saxons were 
 counted as the seventh corps, commanded by Gen» 
 Regnier. The Westphalians, marching under the 
 orders of their kiisg (Jerome BonaparteJ took rank 
 in the army as the eighth corps. Only a skeleton of 
 the ninth was formed, but it was destined for the 
 duke of Beliuno (Yictor:) and lastly, the tenth corps, 
 commanded by marshal the duke of Tarentum, was 
 composed ot Prussians under general Grawert, and 
 included no French, except the division of general 
 Grandjean. 
 
WILNA. 19 
 
 The Kussian army opposed to ns, was divided in- 
 to two corps, under the denominaiion of first and se- 
 cond army of the west; the one commanded by 
 general Barclay de Tolly, and the other by prince 
 Baarration. The number of divisions amounted to 
 forty-seven, amongst which eight consisted of caval- 
 ry. The emperor Alexander, who, on the 26th of 
 April, arrived at Wilna with all his staff, had been 
 long prepared to repel our attacks. Bat those who 
 had studied our system of war, strenuously advised 
 that monarch not to hazard a battle, being well assu- 
 red that Napoleon's ambition would lead him into 
 savage countries which, duringthe rigour of winter, 
 would become the grave of his armies. 
 
 Although Prussia had declared for us, prudence 
 required that we should mistrust an alliance exacted 
 by force. The French garrisons, in the different for- 
 tified places, guarded them with the utmost care, par- 
 ticularly Glogau, where the fourth corps was assem- 
 bled. Its vicinity to Breslau, whither the king of 
 Prussia had retired with the remainder of his troops, 
 naturally awakened our fears, and induced the gover- 
 nor to take every precaution against ^coupde main, 
 which might have proved fatal to the enterprises of 
 France, 
 
 The fourth corps, which arrived from Italy, un^ 
 der the denomination of the army of observation, 
 seemed, from its title, to be destined alternately to 
 advance in front of the grand army, and to observe 
 its flanks, and lastly, to rejoin it when great events 
 required its assistance. Having had the honour to 
 
^0 WILNA. 
 
 belong to this corps, I shail more particularly describe 
 its exploits durii'g this memorabie campaig-n. lis 
 operations, when separated from the grand army, 
 were more interesting than those of any other cor[»s, 
 and it was generally united to the main body \^hen 
 circumstances induced J^^apole^n to concentrate his 
 forces. 
 
 The viceroy (Eugene Beauharnois) before he was 
 appointed to the fourth corps, which had in the inte- 
 rim been under the orders of the duke of Abrantes 
 (Junot) was called to Paris, where his frequent con- 
 ferences with the emperor led to the belief that he 
 was destined to higher functions than those which 
 attached to the command of one corps of the ar- 
 my. The rumour had long been spread that Napo- 
 leon, desirous of terminating in person the Spanssh 
 war, had announced in council that he intended to 
 confide the government of the empire to a young 
 prince, if circumstances should oblige him to absent 
 himself from the capital. But these brilliant hopes, 
 which since the repudiation of his mother seemed to 
 have no foundation, were soon destroyed. The vice-* 
 roy, having received his instructions seven or eight 
 days after his arrival in Paris, took the road to Po- 
 land, and arrived at Glogau on the 12th of May. 
 
 Whde he remained at Glogau, he reviewed the 
 troops which had been placed under his orders, and 
 was particularly pleased with the fine appearance of 
 the fifteenth division, consisting solclv of Italians, 
 and amounting to thirteen thousand men. The sol» 
 difjrs who composed it were so excellently disciplie- 
 
edy that g-eiieral Pino, though first captain of the 
 ToyH' guards, deemed it an honour to commandthem„ 
 
 The fourth corps was to assenible at Plock. The 
 Bavarian army was there aheady ; a?;d the prince 
 viceroy arrived in this town by way oi Poseo, a iew 
 davs before his army. HeempK)yed this time m re- 
 counoitenngf the banks of the Narew, and in unitins; 
 the iines of defence formed by this river, with those 
 of the lakes which extend from Angeiburg-to Joan- 
 nisburg. His highness particularly examined the 
 foi tress of Modiin, v% hither the king of Westphalia 
 had also proceeded. The conference between thtse 
 princes appeared to indicate that the banks of the 
 Bng and of the Narew would be the theatre of war. 
 B'lt a few days afterwards, all eyes were directed to- 
 wards the emperor, who had arrived at Thorn. Ti;e 
 viceroy went to pay his respects to him, and on his 
 return made the necessary dispositions to effect a 
 movement on the 4th of Juije. 
 
 On that day our corps marched for Soldau, which 
 it reached on the 6tb. Tne troops were ailovved a 
 halt oftwo days, which were employed in construct- 
 ing ovens for the use of the army. We then march- 
 ed to Yillemberg, where we likewise remained two 
 days; and three days afterwards we arrived at Rastem- 
 bourg, a neat little town urrounded by lakes. It 
 afforded a valuable supply of provisions to the army, 
 being the largest and most populous town we had 
 passed through since our depariure from Glogau. 
 From Rastembourg we marched to Lolzen, and alter- 
 wards to Oletzkoj, the last town in East-Prussia, 
 
22 -WlluNA. 
 
 Two leagues further on, we entered Poland, and 
 soon perceived the striking- difference between these 
 two countries. In the one the houses are clean and 
 well built; in the other, they are dirty and of a clum- 
 sy construction. The inhabitants of the fornjer are 
 civ'l and hospitable; lh@se oi" the latter consisted 
 chieHy of iilthy and disgusting Jews. Many of the 
 petty seigneurs were too indigent to maintain the 
 proper splendour of their rank: but the higher orders 
 of the nobility are brave, magnificent, and generous. 
 U nsul'iied honour and ardent patriotism wili ever con- 
 stitute them true heroes. The peasantry are few in 
 number, and this defect in the population, joined to 
 the barrenness of the soil, accounts for the uncultiva- 
 ted state of the country. The sandy plains of Poland^ 
 planted only with bad rye, seemed doomed to lasting 
 sterility. 
 
 We arrived at Kalwary, a considerable town filled 
 with Jews. At Marienpol we found a similar popula- 
 tion. Tired of beholding the numbers, and the dis- 
 gusting appearance of these people, we used to say 
 that Poland was but another Judea, in which a Polo- 
 nese was rarely to be seen. 
 
 During this march, Napoleon left Thorn, and 
 visited the fortress of Dantzic, which his thirst for 
 dominion made him regard as one of the most impor-^ 
 tant in his empire. Thence he went to Osterode,, 
 and passed rapidly through the towns of Leipstadt 
 andKreutzbouigjin the neighbourhood of Heilsberg, 
 Eyjau, and Friedland, which had been the theatre of 
 \m greatest military exploits. On his arrival at Ko- 
 
WILNA. 23 
 
 iiig'sberg', he made every preparation for his great en- 
 terj^rise. He reviewed numerous divisions, visited 
 the fortress of Piilau, and a few days afterwards, 
 marching with the center of his army, traversed the 
 Pi6gel as far as Gumbinnen. 
 
 Napoleon hoped to intimidate Russia by his pre- 
 parations, and to compel her to submit to his dicta'es, 
 while he disregarded everything which could possi- 
 bly lead to a friendly understanding with Russia, or 
 to the maintenance of peace. Russia, with an excess 
 of moderation, seldom to be met with in great pow- 
 ers, consented that Prance should retain a garr son 
 in Dantzicj but she required, attd with justice, the 
 evacuation of Prussia, that a country unoccupied by 
 the troops of either power might be left between these 
 two great empires. These wise and moderate condi- 
 tions were called by Napoleon, arrogant arid aitoge- 
 tJier extraordinary demands!* and on the formal re- 
 fusal of Russia to listen to the embassy of count Lau- 
 riston without these preliminaries. Napoleon was ab- 
 solutely enraged, and exclaimed, in a tone of phrensy 
 which the slightest contradiction always excited, 
 * The vanquished assume the tone of conquerors. 
 A fatality involves them; let their destinies bejulfill- 
 ed.' Leaving Gumbinnen that very instant, he went 
 to Wdkowiski, 22d of June, 1812, and issued the 
 following proclamation in his general orders: — 
 
 * Soldiers, 
 
 * The second Polish w'ar is began. The first ter- 
 minated at Friedland and at TiisiL A I Tilsit, Rus-^ 
 
 * SecoHd bulletin of the graad army. 
 
24 WILNA. 
 
 sia vowed an eternal alliance with France, and war 
 With England. She now breaks her vows, and refu- 
 ses lo give any explanation of her stranoe condiictj 
 until the French eagles have repassed the Rhuie 
 and left our allies at her mercy. 
 
 ' Russia is hurried away by a fatality! Her des- 
 tinies will be fojfiiled. Does she think us degene- 
 rated? Are we no more the soldiers who fought afc 
 Austerlitz? She places us between dishonour and 
 war. Oar choice cannot be dittscult. Let us then 
 march forward. Let us cross the Niemen, and carry 
 the war into her country. Tiiis second Polish war 
 will be as glorious for the Freiicl! arms as the first has 
 been; but the peace we shall coiiclude, will carry 
 with it its own guarantee, and wsil termmate the fatal 
 iniiuence which Rassia, for fifty years past, has 
 exercised in Europe.' 
 
 This proclamation reached us at Kalwary. Un- 
 becoming real greatness, it was only remarkable for 
 its excessive boasting, and for the prophetic tone of 
 its contents: yet, although it was but a monotonous 
 repetition of the same ideas so often expressed, it ex- 
 cited the ardour of our soldiers, always ready to lis- 
 ten to any thing flattering to then* courage. Elated 
 with the idea of treading on Russian ground, they 
 proudly contemplated the commencement of the se- 
 cond Polish war, and were eager to leave behind 
 them a river at which they had closed their victori- 
 ous career, at the termination of the first war. The 
 word Niemen infl^amed their imagination. They 
 burned to pass it: and this desire was the more natu- 
 
WILNA. ^S 
 
 ral, as, independent of the spirit of conquest, the 
 miserable state of Poland every day an^oiented our 
 sufferini^s and privations. To silence onr complaints, 
 the territory of Russia was always held out to us as 
 the promised land. 
 
 The Russian army opposed to ours, was com- 
 posed of six divisions. The first, twenty thousand 
 strong, and commanded by the prince of Wittaen- 
 stein, occupied Rossiei^a and Keidanoui. The 
 second corps consisting likewise of twenty thousand 
 men under the orders of general Bag-aw out, guarded 
 Kowno. The third, consisting of twenty-four thou- 
 sand men, under general Schomoaloff, was; posted at 
 New-Troki. The fourth corps, commanded by ge- 
 neral Tutschkoff, was stationed between New-Troki 
 and Lida. These four divisions, together with the 
 guards, formed what the Russians called, the F>rst 
 Anny of the West. The second army comprised 
 the fifth corps, amounting to forty thousand men, ^ 
 and the sixth corps, called that of Doctorow, of 
 eighteen thousand men. This second army> com- 
 manded by prince Bagration, was encamped at 
 Grodno, Lida, and throughout Wolhynia. General 
 Markoff organized in this province, the ninth and 
 fifteenth divisions, which were to form the seventh 
 corps, and which acted in the sequel, under the or- 
 ders of general Tormasow, against the duchy of 
 Warsaw. 
 
 Such was the position of the Russians beyond the 
 Niemen, when the king of Naples (Mural) wbo com- 
 4 
 
2t» WILNA. 
 
 iTianrled our cavalry, established his head-quarter* 
 within two leas^ups on this side of the river, (23d 
 June.) He had with him the two corps of cavalry, 
 commanded bv g"enerals Nansouty and IVIontbriiii, 
 each composed of three divisions. The first corps 
 took post at the opening" of the great forest of Pil- 
 W'sky. The second corps and the g-iiards marched 
 in the rear. The third, fourth, and sixth corps, ad- 
 vanced by MarJenpol, and marched at a day's dis- 
 tance from each other. The king of Westphalia, 
 with the fifth, seventh, and eig-hth corps, directed his 
 march to Grodno, up the Naiew, and facing the army 
 of prince Bag^ration. 
 
 The pontoons under the orders of general Eble, 
 arrived the same day at ihe Niemen. Napoleon, dis- 
 g-uised as a private Polish soldier, and in company 
 with the general of the. engineers Haxo, then visited 
 the line of the Niemen, and from the heights which 
 command Kowno, discovered the most advantageous 
 point. About eight o'clock at night, the army was 
 put in motion. Three light companies of the divi- 
 sion of Morand (first division of the first corps) passed 
 the Niemen, and protected the construction of three 
 bridges, which were thrown across the river. 
 
 A I day-break, that is to say, about one o'clock in 
 the morning, we were close to Kowno. General Pa- 
 jol having pushed forward the advanced guard, occu- 
 pied the town with one battalion, and drove before 
 him the enemy's cavah'y, which retired as we advanc- 
 ed. On the 24th and 25th, the army continued to 
 cross the nver at the three bridges. In the meantime, 
 
WILNA, 27 
 
 Napoleon, having- arrived at Kovvno, caused another 
 bridge to be thrown across the Wilia, near that town ; 
 while the knig of Naples (Murat) marched towards 
 Zismorij and the marshals, prince of Eckmuhi ^Da- 
 voust) and duke of Elchingen (Ney) went the ont to 
 Roumchichki, and the other to K-ormelov. 
 
 I'he following day C27th June) our light cavalry 
 was within ten leagues of Wilna. The day after, 
 about two o'clock in the morning, the king of Naples 
 continued his march, supported by the division of 
 cavalry of General Bruy^res, and by the first corps. 
 The Russians fell back on ail sides behind the WUia, 
 after burning the bridge and their magazines, A de- 
 putation, consisting of the principal inhabitants of 
 Wdna^ now delivered to N ipoleon the keys of the 
 town. He entered it about noou, and proceeded im- 
 mediately to the advanced posts of general Bru^eres, 
 to ascertain the<iirection in which the enem^ had re- 
 treated. Ti^ey were pursued on the left of the Wiiiai, 
 when Octave de Segur, captain of hussars, was 
 wounded and taken prisoner in a charge of cavah-y. 
 This distinguished officer was the first in this cam- 
 paign, who fell into the hands of the Russians. 
 
 The point which Napoleon had chosen to pass the 
 Niemen was difficult to defend, Kowno being com- 
 manded b) a high mountain on our side, which com- 
 pletely overhung the town. But if this position had 
 been even less advantageous to us, it was not the in- 
 tention of the Russians to oppose our lirst efforts. It 
 is said that the emperor Alexander had made every 
 preparation to dispute the passage of the Niemen ; but 
 
5S WILNA. 
 
 tbat at the moment at which the attack was to have 
 cotnmeiiced, g"eneral Barclay de Tolly, throwing him- 
 self at the ieet of his master, entreated him not to com- 
 bat a formidable army which nolhing- could resist ; 
 adding", that Naj3oIeon should be suffered to j ass like 
 a torrent, keeping their forces unbroken in reserve, 
 to be employed against him, when famine and the in- 
 clenjency of the season had thinned his ranks. J wdl 
 not vouch for the authenticity of this anecdote: but it 
 will not bethought improbable when it is recollected 
 that the emperor Alexander, after having remained 
 six weeks at Wilna, inspecting his armies and recon- 
 noitring the principal points which were capable of 
 defence, suddenly abandoned this line without fight- 
 ing, and ordered a retreat across the Dwnia and the 
 r^jeper. 
 
 On our arrival at Wilna we read the proclama- 
 tion which the emperor of Russia had issued when 
 he learned that the French troops had passed the Nie- 
 men. It paints so truly the magnanimity and the 
 equity of Alexander, that on comparing it with the 
 proclamation of Napoleon published at Wilkowiski, 
 and breathing a spirit of unbounded arrogance and 
 injustice, the reader may obtain a perfect knowledge 
 of the characters of these two conquerors, on whom 
 the eyes of the world were then fixed. It was thus 
 •worded: — 
 
 * Wilna, the 25th of June, 1812. 
 
 * We had long observed, on the part of the em- 
 peror of the French, the most hostile proceedings 
 towards Kussia; but we had always hoped to avert 
 
WILNA. ^0 
 
 them by conciliatory and pacific measures. At 
 length, experiencing a continued renewal of direct 
 and evident aggression, notwithstanding our earnest 
 desire to maintaiii tranquility, we were compelled to 
 complete and to assemble our armies. But even then 
 we flattered ourselves that a reconciliation might be 
 produced while we remained on the frontiers of our 
 empire, and, without violating one principle of peace, 
 were prepared only to act in our own defence. AU 
 these conciliatory and pacific measures could not pre- 
 serve the tranquility which we desired. The empe- 
 ror of the French, by suddenly attacking our army 
 at Kowno, has been the first to declare war. As 
 nothing, therefore, could inspire him with those 
 friendly sentiments which possessed our bosoms, we 
 have no choice but to oppose our forces to those of 
 the enemy, invoking the aid of the Almighty, the 
 witness and the defender of the truth. It is unneces- 
 sary for me to recall to the minds of the generals, the 
 officers, or the soldiers, their duty and their bravery. 
 The blood of the valiant Sclavonians flows in their 
 veins. Warriors ! you defend your religion, your 
 coufitry, and your liberty! lam with you. dod is 
 against the aggressor. 
 
 (Signed) Alexander.' 
 
 While the whole of our army was concentrated 
 near Wilna, the second Russian corps, under gene- 
 ra! Bagawout, effected its retreat across the Dwina, 
 Prince Wittgenstein likewise was retreating to Wil- 
 komer, since the dukeof Reggio (Oudinot) by march- 
 ing on Janow and Chatoui, had forced him to aban- 
 
8.0 WILNA. 
 
 don Samogitia. On the 28th they met near Devel- 
 tovo. A smart cannonade commenced ; but prince 
 Wittgenstein being driven from his position, and pur- 
 sued by our troops as far as the Dwina, passed the 
 bridge thrown over this river with so much precipi- 
 tation, that he had not time to burn it. 
 
 Tiie Russians being repulsed beyond the river, 
 the fifth, seventh, and eighth corps, under the orders 
 of prince Poniatowski and the kmg of Westphalia 
 (Jerome Bona[)arte) took possession of Grodno, and 
 closely pressed the second army of the west, under 
 prince Bagration. Intrenched, however, in a slroisg 
 position, he resisted all their attacks; and by a happy 
 employment of his numerous corps of cossacks, 
 commanded by the Hetman Plaloff, he wouid, no 
 doubt, have long defended the provinces confided to 
 him, if, after the evacuation of Wilna, he had not 
 been ordered to join general Barclay de Tol'y. 
 Prince Eckmuhl (Davoust) was instantly detached 
 from our centre, to occupy the road to Minsk, and 
 prev ent their junction. 
 
 . On the 29lh of June, the fourth corps, which had 
 hitherto remained in observation behmd the Niemen, 
 came in sight of this long desired rit^er. On arriving 
 at Pilony, the place appointed for our passage, we 
 found the viceroy, the duke of Abrantes (Jiuiot) and 
 all the staff, who, notwithstanding the rainy weather, 
 were busy in constructing a bridge. The artillery 
 of the royal guards was posted on an eminence com- 
 manding the opposite shore. This was a wise, but 
 ageless precaution ; for, on reconnoitring beyond the 
 
WILNA. 81.. 
 
 Niemen, we learned that every thing was perfectly 
 tranquil on that side. 
 
 We now dismissed all apprehension with regard 
 to the success of our passage, for an aid-de-camp of 
 the viceroy, sent with a message to Napoleon, had 
 informed us, that our troops, after having passed the 
 defile from Kowno to Roumchichki, without opposi- 
 tion, were arrived at Zssmori ; that even the positions 
 between Rouikontoui and Wilna had been but slight- 
 ly defended by the Russians; and that having, more- 
 over, constructed no redoubts on the heiohts, within 
 two leagues of this town, the emperor had entered it 
 on the 28th instant, preceded by the Polish uhlans pf 
 the eighth reoiment, commanded by prince Radzivil. 
 The report of this officer mentioned, that the suburbs 
 had suflfered a little from the rapacity of our soldiers, 
 but order having been speedily re-established, every 
 thing returned to its natural course. He likewise 
 added, that this great and populous town ailbrded 
 ample supplies for the army, aud was favourably dis- 
 posed towards the views of Nripoleon. 
 
 The following day, the thirteenth and fourteenth 
 divisions, under generals Delzons and Broussier, 
 quietly effected their passage; and the day after (1st 
 July) the roval guards, followed by the division of 
 Pino, effected theirs. Thus all the Italian troops pass- 
 ed the Niemen in one body, in presence of their vice- 
 roy. They expressed their sense of this honour by 
 spontaneous acclamations ; and the prince must, in his 
 turn, have felt great satisfaction at beholding the soU 
 diers whum he had raised, marching undismayed into 
 
32 W1I.NA. 
 
 an eneinf \s coaittty, and at a distance of six hundred 
 leagues from their native soil, preserving the same dis- 
 cipline and the same fine appearance, as if manceuvring 
 in front of his palace. 
 
 Scarce!} had we reached the opposite shore, when 
 we seemed to breathe a new air. However, the roads 
 were dreadfully bad, the forests gloomy, and the vil- 
 lages completely deserted ; but the imagination, in- 
 flamed by a spirit of conquest, was enchanted with 
 every thing that it saw, and cherished illusions which 
 were but too soon destroyed. 
 
 In effect, our short stay at Pilony, while the rain 
 beat tempestuously, was marked by such extraordi- 
 nary disasters, that any man, without being supersti- 
 tious, would have regarded them as the presage of 
 our future misfortunes. In this wretched village, 
 the viceroy himself had no house to shelter him ; we 
 were heaped upon one another under some wretched 
 slteds, or exposed to all the inclemencies of the 
 weather. An extreme scarcit}/ made us anticipate the 
 horrors of famine. Tiie rain fell in torrents, and 
 overwhelmed both men and horses. The first escaped, 
 but the l>adness of the roads completed the destruc- 
 tion of the latter. They were seen dropping by hun- 
 dreds in the environs of Pilony. The road was cov- 
 ered with dead horses, overturned waggons, and 
 scattered baggage. It was in the month of July, that 
 we suffered thus from cold, and rain, and hunger. 
 So many calamities excited in us sad forebodings of 
 the future, and every one began to dread the event 
 of an enterprise, the commencement of which was so 
 
W1I.NA. 3S 
 
 disastrous ; but the sun re-appeared on the horizon, 
 the clouds dispersed, our fears were scattered with 
 them, and from that moment we thought that the 
 fine season would last forever. 
 
 After a march of two hours through marshy 
 ground, we arrived at the tovvn of Kroni (Ist July) 
 in which the chateau and all the houses are built of 
 wood. I make this observation here, because most 
 of the villages in Russia are thus constructed. When- 
 ever I find them otherwise I shall remark it. We 
 found some brandy in Kroni, which the soldiers 
 seized with great avidity. This place not being in- 
 habited by any Jews, the houses were all deserted, 
 which convinced us that the enemy, in order to ruiu 
 the country through which we were to pass, and de- 
 prive us of all means of subsistence, had carried 
 along with them the inhabitants and the cattle. 
 
 The next day (2d July) we received orders to 
 march to Zismori, to regain the great road which the 
 emperor had taken. Arrived in this large town, we 
 found only some Jews, still overwhelmed with terror 
 at the horrible tumult which the passage of our 
 troops had occasioned. The first orders were to halt 
 here, but on the arrival of the viceroy, the staff con- 
 tinued their route to Melangani, leaving the division 
 of Pino at Zismori, and those of generals Delzons 
 and Broussier in the environs of Strasounoui. 
 
 The following day (3d July) we proceeded to Ri- 
 contoul, a miserable village, with a little ehateau built 
 of wood on the left, and on the right, a church erect- 
 
§4' WILNAo 
 
 ed on an eminence. The prince did not; stop bere, 
 bni took up his quarters at a chateau piaced near the 
 branching" oft of the cross-road eadinjy to New-Troki. 
 Our corps had pleased itself with the hope, that 
 it was desSined for Wihia. Sadly > as it disappoint- 
 ed, when on the morrow (Julv 4th) our advanced- 
 guard took a direction towards New-Troki. Every 
 one complained of the change in our route. They 
 said that ;» fatality attached to our corps : that, ha- 
 rassed wish fatigue, we were suddenly and unneces- 
 sarily prevented from entering a town where we had 
 expected to repose ourseives after our long and tedi- 
 ous march. Our commatKlers endeavored to con- 
 sole us for this disapponUment, by assurmg us that 
 we should certainly visit Witepsk and Smolensk©, 
 two towns which would soon make us forget Wilna. 
 
 After four tedious hours, during which we had 
 traversed noihirsg but forests and miry foot-paths, we 
 armed near New-Troki, situated on an eminence 
 ad surrounded by lakes. This delightful place 
 formed a striking contrast with the road we had just 
 qu'tted, and everv one admued its tine situation, and 
 the charming effect which was produced by a large 
 convent on the summit of a mountain that overlook- 
 ed the town. Others were struck with the wild ap- 
 pearance of the impenetrable forests, arsd the clearness 
 of the waters, which are said never to freeze. They 
 who had acquired assy taste for the beauties of nature, 
 were nevertired of admuing this romantic spot. In 
 the middle oi the lake was an old ruined castle, whose 
 darkened wails projected on one side over the sur- 
 
WILNA. S5 
 
 f»ce of the water, and ou the o^her seemed to touch 
 the g-ikled horrizon. 
 
 Troki appeared at first a deliglitful spot, \m\ \he 
 illusion ceased the moment we entered it. We had 
 scarcely approached the first houses, when a crowd 
 of Jews, followed by wonsen, children, and old men 
 with their beards renehing' to their girdles, threw 
 themselves at our feet, and implored us to deliver 
 them from the rapacity of the soldiers, who plunder- 
 ed and destroyed every thihg- which fell into their 
 power. We could grant them nothing- but our pity. 
 The town in which we were quartered had no nuiga- 
 zines, and our soldiers, having been long deprived of 
 their rations, subsisted now only on pillage. This 
 caused the greatest confusion. And the fatal want 
 of discipline which it produced was the more perisi- 
 cious, as it is an infallible si^n of the approaching ruia 
 of an army. ' 
 
 The houses of the Russians at Troki, had been all 
 deprived of the.r furniture by the inhabitauts, who 
 had carried every thing away with them in their flighty 
 and the houses of the Jews, which were disgustingly 
 dirty, had been pillaged by the soldiers. Thus an 
 abode, which we had expected to hud so agreeable, 
 was, in the highest degree, usipleasantand uncomfort- 
 able. We had not even straw to sleep upon ; and the 
 forage for the horses was procured from a distance of 
 nearly four leagues. 
 
 As it was probable that we should remain some 
 days at Troki, the emperor having halted at Wilna, 
 the viceroy went to him, and they had some long 
 
$6 WILNA. 
 
 conferences tog-etlier. Several officers also obtained 
 leave to g'o there, and had an opportunity of witness- 
 ing the artifices to which Napoleon resorted to ensure 
 his conquest. He excited the enthnsiasni of the peo- 
 ple by the most magnificent promises, and obtained 
 from them the greatest sacrifices. The nobles also 
 exerted themseives to the utmost of their power in pro- 
 moting the views of the conqneror. By his means, 
 they hoped to ensure the independence of Poland ; 
 and to restore to their coui try the glory wh.ch she 
 had possessed in the times of the Jagellons, the Casi- 
 mirs, and ihe Sobieskies. 
 
 The sight of the Polish standards, floating on the 
 walls of the a cient capital of the dukes of Lithuania, 
 excited the enthusiasm of all the inhabitants, and re- 
 called the most pleasing and brilliant recollections to 
 the minds of those who cherished the memory of the 
 ancient glory of their beloved courktry. Nothings 
 however, more forcibly reminded them of their for- 
 mer greatness, than to meet again on the borders of the 
 Wdia, those warriors who had devoted the lime of their 
 exile to immortalize the Polish nanaeon thebanksof the 
 Nile, the Tiber, the Tagus, and the Danube. The air 
 was rent with joyful acclamations. Crowds everywhere 
 followed their steps. All wished to see them, to en-- 
 grave on their hearts the iniage of their brave compa- 
 triots ; and all glowed with the noble desire of march- 
 ing under the same banners. 
 
 Napoleon, having given audience to the whole 
 body of the university, questioned the principal on 
 tlie different branches of science which were taughlfe 
 
WTLNA, m 
 
 in that celebrated institulion. He afterwards rpor- 
 ganized the civil administration of the town, whsch 
 had been com >letely subverted by the departure of 
 the chief funct onaries, and by the loss of all the 
 books and registers that belonged to the archives of 
 the place. After the example of France, he divided 
 the invaded provinces into different districts, nomi- 
 nating inspectors, receivers, commissaries of police, 
 and above all, intendants to facilitate the payment of 
 his numberless requisitions. But he principally en- 
 deavoured to stimulate the Lithuanians to make levies 
 en masse, for the formation of new corps. He offer- 
 ed arms to all the peasants who were itiolined to re- 
 volt against their masters ; and strove, as at the com- 
 mencement of our revolution, to cause a civil war be- 
 tween the people and the nob lity. 
 
 These projects certainly caused some sensation 
 in the city where the em^-eror commanded ; but, in 
 the towns and the country, nothing was produced 
 favourable to the projected revolution. Napoleon, 
 however, continued to invite the Lithuanians to assist 
 him ; and to impose on them, he endeavoured to as- 
 tonish the vulgar. He spoke with equal fluency, and 
 sit the same audience, of the public spectacles, and of 
 religion, of war, and of the arts. He was seen on 
 horseback at all hours of the day ; and after having 
 superintended the erection of some new bridge or 
 fortification, he immediately entered his cabinet, and 
 showed himself perfectly master of the most compli- 
 cated scheme of politics or finance ; and often he af- 
 
58 WTLNA. 
 
 fected to assist at a ball or a concert, on the eve of the 
 mosT important battle. 
 
 The comnnission which was formed for the g^ene- 
 ral administration of A] Lithuania, consisted, at first, 
 of onl}' five memi;ers : but Napoh on added to their 
 number in proportion as his partisans increased. The 
 day on which that commission was instituted, three 
 proclamations were instituted. The first, which was 
 addressed to the people, announced the installation 
 of the provisional government of Lithuania, and en- 
 forced the gratitude which was due to him who had 
 delivered Pi)Iaiid from the grasp of its oppressors. 
 The next exhorted the clergy to second the zeal of 
 the nation, amd to obtain, by their fervent pra\ ers, the 
 favour of Almighty God. The third, the object of 
 which was to recall the Lithuanians who were in the 
 service of Russia, cotained the following words: — 
 
 * P01.ANDERS, 
 
 * \ ou are under Russian banners. It was per- 
 mitted you to serve that power while you had no 
 longer a country of your own. But all is now 
 changed. Poland is newly created. You must 
 combat for her complete re-establisbment, and com- 
 pel the liussians to acknowledge those rights of 
 which you had been despoded by injustice and usur- 
 pation. The general confederation of Poland and 
 L.thoania, recalls every P»lander from the Russian 
 service. Generals of Poland, officers and soldiers ! 
 listen to the voice of your country. Abandon the 
 standards of jour oppressors. Hasten and range 
 
WILNA. 39 
 
 yourselves under the eagle of the Jag-ellons, the Casi- 
 mirs and the Sobieskieu ! Your country requires it 
 of you. Honour and religion equally command it.'* 
 
 The committee of the government established at 
 Wihia, which lent itself to the views of Napoleon, 
 merely to lighten those calamities, which the horrors 
 of the war had brought on the people, was indefati- 
 gably zealous in every thing which could promote 
 the interest of the administration. The department 
 of Wilna was already formed, and the conquered ter- 
 ritory was divided into eleven sub-districts. That 
 organization, apparently advantageous, produced, 
 however, no kind of benefit. The country was \h\- 
 laged, the villages deserted, and all the peasants fled 
 into the woods. We saw only a few miserable Jews, 
 covered with rags, who, from a spird of avarice, 
 chose rather to expose themselves to the insults of 
 our soldiers, than abandon their infectious habita- 
 tions. In short, to give some faint idea of the dis- 
 order which prevailed in the midst of this pretended 
 organization, I shall o riy mention, that when the 
 sub-prefect of New-Troki came from Wiina, to take 
 possession of his government, he was stopped by our 
 troops, and plundered of every thing. Even his own 
 escort robbed him of his provisions and clothes ; 
 and, at length, he arrived on foot, in a condition so 
 wretched, that every one regarded as a spy the man 
 who was destined to be our first administrator. 
 
 Thus the brilliant hopes with which the Polanders 
 had at first flattered themselves, began to fade, when 
 * See Lithuankn Courier, July 7, 1812, 
 
4ii WILNA. 
 
 it was perceived, that our chief was actuated solely 
 bv the puerile ambition of placing" a new crown on his 
 head ; and, that whde he was unable to consoHdate 
 any thina^ he talked incessantly of conquering^ im- 
 mense provinces, and of subjecting- to the same «aws 
 ad the same sceptre, countries which differed so 
 -widely in their customs and their climates. Blmd to 
 the want of discipline which prevailed in his army, 
 he occasioned the ruin of the rich, and the despair of 
 the poor ; and reduced the Lithuanians to consider 
 those as their greatest aggressors, who had promised 
 to become their deliverers. He thus exposed ns to 
 the hatred of the people ; and made us the first and 
 the saddest victims of his tyranny. 
 
 While this happened at Wiin , Warsaw might 
 have exhibited the sublimest spectacle, if she had 
 not been under the baneful influence of a man who 
 trifled with the fate of nations ; and whose plansj 
 never the offspring- of m ture reflection, were always 
 frustrated, when their execution required calmness 
 and prudence. The unhappy Polanders, relying- en 
 his flattering- promises, assembled in the r capital 
 (Jui'e 28), and formed a diet. The committee di- 
 gested an eloquent report, in which the orator stated 
 the im ortance of the work which had been intrust- 
 ed to their care. He reminded his auditors, in an 
 energetic manner, that Poland, placed in the ce ire of 
 Europe, Jiad formerly been a disting-uished empire, 
 mistress of a country extensive i ml fertile, and 
 equally celebrated for her valour and her refine- 
 ments ; that for many centuries, she had with unwea- 
 
WILNA, 41 
 
 ried courage, repulsed from her herders, those bar- 
 barous tribes who allempted in vain to subjugate the 
 civilized world: that the honour of filling their 
 throne had ever been an object of universal desire; 
 and that, if some little divisions had arrisen among- 
 themselves, they had only obscured for a short time 
 their own horizon, without carryings the tempest 
 abroad. He enumerated at lensffh all that their be- 
 loved country had suffered from the ambition of 
 Russia, who had outrag;ed a powerful nation by fre- 
 quent dismemberments. He dwelt particulary on 
 the last period when Poland was annihilated by a tri- 
 ple partition, and Warsaw heard, amidst the shouts 
 of a ferocious conqueror, the lamentable cries of the 
 inhabitants of Prjg-a, given, without mercy, to the 
 sword and to the flaiiies. He showed that Russia, 
 continually trampling upon Poland, gradually ap- 
 proached nearer to Germany, and already aspired at 
 her conquest ; and, fisially, he demonstrated that such 
 a fatal superiority of power, must ultimately destroy 
 the rights of every nation, and subject the whole world 
 to its empire. 
 
 After this rapid exposition of facts, the speaker 
 made a less animated, but not a less judicious, enu- 
 meration of the weighty reasons which ought to 
 unite Poland to France. * Europe,' said he, ' re- 
 quires some rest after twenty-five years of violent 
 agitation. Her system will remain incomplete, nor 
 will the reward of her struggles and her blood be se^ 
 cure as long as the regions of the north are permit- 
 ted to vomit forth those hordes, to the, true character 
 
42 VVILNA. 
 
 of which it becomes us to be no longer blind. They 
 are no more those whom necessity alone forced to 
 quit their savage abodes, and to seek in other lands 
 the comforts which their own inhospitable climate 
 denied. A blind instinct once served them instead of 
 the arts wiiich civilize or defend olher countries. 
 But now the refinements of polished nations are 
 united to the barbarism of former times. The Rus- 
 sian has supplicated from the European, and he 
 has now learned from him all the arts of attack 
 and defence, and he has made them the instruments 
 of desolation and destruciioo. He is, in some re- 
 spects, the equal of the European, and he may soon 
 become his master. In Russia, superstitious and 
 submissive slaves unhesitatingly obey the orders of a 
 government, to whom every outrage is familiar. For 
 a century past they have been busily employed in 
 undei mining all those banks which have restrained 
 a torrent I hat threatens destruction to the world. 
 How often have they overflowed them, urged either 
 by their own ambiiion, or invited by imprudent 
 princes to whom they brought slavery instead of 
 assistance. Russia, in the course of fifty years, has 
 twenty times overwhelmed the south of Europe with 
 her arms. The empire of Constantinople is almost 
 subverted, and hsr crescent shorn of half its splen- 
 dour.' 
 
 Aiiimated by his subject, he thus continued :— - 
 ' Henceforth the children of the Piasts and the Ja- 
 geilons, will be proud to bear a name which was the 
 giory of their ancestors ; a name at which they grew 
 
WJLNA. 43 
 
 pale, whom fraud and injustice have, for a short time, 
 made our masters. Let us not doubt that this country 
 once so rich in heroes, will recover all her wonted 
 glory, tehe will produce new Sigismonds, and new 
 Sobieskies. She will shine with more brilliant and 
 purer lustre ; and surrounding' nations, compelled to 
 do us justice, will acknowledge that nothing was 
 wanting in Poland for the growth of everv virtue, but 
 the cultivation of the soil by the free and unfettered 
 hands of her own children.' 
 
 Then addressing the venerable old man*, who, 
 from his services and his virtues, presided at the as- 
 sembly, he concluded with the following beautiful 
 apostrophe : — * Nestor of the Polish patriots, when you 
 left them, you carried with you the gods which had 
 escaped the overthrow of your country. They return 
 to it to-day, to receive eternal adoration ; and to dwell 
 in it as in a temple, around which the whole nation, in- 
 structed by their misfortunes, and awakened to vigil- 
 ance by the surprises from which they have suffered, 
 will not cease to maintain a constant guard; which 
 they will enrich with every virtue that has adorned the 
 Polish character, and which they pledge themselves to 
 defend at the hazard of their lives.' 
 
 After this harangue the orator submitted another 
 report to the diet, in which he explained the motives 
 that had induced the committee to draw up the act of 
 confederation; declaring that it was the wish of the 
 nation to offer the crown to the king of Saxony ; who, 
 too wise and too virtuous to object, would condescend 
 
 # Prinee Czartoryski, grand marshal at the diet. 
 
44. WII.NA. 
 
 they bopedl, to accept it, and unite, with Divine Provi- 
 dence in restoring the arms of Lithuania to their es- 
 cutcheon, and in spreading" through the fertile coun- 
 tries of Wolhynia, and the extensive plains of PodoHa 
 and the Ukraine, the ciieering- sounds of, Lon^ live 
 Poland ! Long live our Country ! 
 
 The committee then produced the act of confe- 
 deration, the chief articles of which consisted, in 
 iinitiitg- every part of ancient Poland, in the forma- 
 tion of the new kingdom; in recalling the Pohiid- 
 ers from the Russian service; and lastly, in sending a 
 deputation to the emperor Napoleon, soliciting him 
 to extend his powerful protection over the cradle of 
 Polish liberty. 
 
 The deputation was admitted to Napoleon the 
 night before his departure frosn Wilaa. They sub- 
 mitted to him the act of confederation, of which we 
 have just spoken The conqueror gave them eva- 
 sive promises. Perhaps he was offended that the 
 noble Polish nation had not thrown itself at his feet, 
 to obtain the honour of becoming a part of the great 
 empire. The liberty which they demanded, appear- 
 ed to disquiet and to surprise him. He feared that 
 the assembly which he had convoked, and which 
 seemed now so willing to second his views, might, 
 hereafter, prove less submissive to his wishes. It is 
 the peculiar character of tyrants, to be suspicious 
 even when they are doing good ; to take umbrrige at 
 the objects of their own protection; and to be alarm- 
 ed at the independence of others, even if it has been 
 their own work. Napoleon, therefore, made no deci- 
 
give promises, but exacted, as preliminaries, enor- 
 mous sacrifices, and a devoiion to his interest, with 
 which the Polanders could not comply, without put- 
 ting* to the hazard their hopes of" future happiness.. 
 He demanded that the provinces subjected to Russia, 
 should declare themselves against her, even before his 
 arrival, and that Gallifcia should \form no j>art ot" the 
 confederation, because he had guaranteed to Austria 
 the integrity of her states. 
 
 If all these extensive projects had been conceived 
 by a prudent head, more anxious for the welfare of 
 mankind, than the gratification of its own ambitioo, 
 there is no doubt that, although gigantic, they might 
 have been realized. Napoleon had attained so high a 
 degree of power, that it was not necessary for him to 
 resort to war, to accomplish any purpose. By a policy 
 prudent, skillful, and, above all, conciliatory, he might 
 have made more lasting, and even more extensive con- 
 quests, than he had gained by force of arms. Poste- 
 rity will perceive that he was dazzled by too much 
 prosperity, and employed incalculable means to ac- 
 complish his own downfall, while he might have suc- 
 ceeded to the utmost of his wishes, without hazarding: 
 or compromising any thing. An enemy to whatever 
 required patience and reflection, he knew nothing but 
 force ; and Heaven permitted him to be crushed by 
 that very power, which, till then, had been his only 
 law. 
 
 The brave Polanders, despairing for their coun- 
 try, considered all their plans as chimerical, whet? 
 they perceived that Napoleon, more ambitious and 
 
46 WILNA. 
 
 less virtuous than Charles XII, aspired at the Folish- 
 crown, and only promised them his assistance, that he 
 mig^ht profit by their resentment against Russia. 
 Thus, that fortunate conqueror, restless, even on the 
 most splendid throne of Europe, was led astray by the 
 excess of his conquests, and strangely imagined that 
 he could not cement his fortune better than by sub- 
 verting the whole world, and renewing in the north 
 the horrible wars of the middle age, when nations, ex- 
 asperated against each other, delivered themselves up 
 to every excess of barbarity. 
 
BOOK 11. 
 
 WITEPSK, 
 
 Whilst Napoleon remained at Wilna, marshal 
 Davoust proceeded to Minsk, in pursuit of prince 
 Bagration, who endeavoured to effect a junction with 
 the army of Barclay de Tolly. By that manoeuvre 
 we prevented the Russian prince from marching on 
 the Dwina, and forced hsm to proceed towards Mo- 
 hilow, on the Nieper, whither he was pursued by the 
 first corps, and the cavalry of general Grouchy. All 
 our other corps, which formed the centre, directed 
 their course towards Dinabourg-. With regard to 
 the fourth corps, the two French divisions, and the 
 royal guards, took the road of Paradomin in their 
 march to Ochmiana j whdst the viceroy, the division 
 oi Pino, and ail the cavalry, marched to Rndniki. 
 
 This latter movement was rendered necessary in 
 consequence of information which we had received, 
 that the Hetman Platow, at the head of four thou- 
 sand cossacks, having been separated fiom the corps 
 of Bagration, was expected on the road of Lida, 
 where he would endeavour to effect a junction with 
 tlie Russian army, which^ had evacuated Wdna. At 
 this news the viceroy put himself in motion, but the 
 road to Rudniki was so bad, that the cavalry of the 
 
iS \^ITEPSK. 
 
 roj/al givjjid was ublig-ed to pursue a different routCo 
 It is not possible to form an idea of the difficulties 
 Vi'hich prenented themselves on that road, which was 
 entirely formed of the trunks of fir-trees, placed on 
 the marshy grouiid. The horses in passing over 
 these pieces of wood frequently trod between ihem, 
 and, falling \a thus situation, inevitably broke their 
 leg's. If, to avoid these ditficuUies, we turned to die 
 rig^ht or left, we were in danger of sinking into mo- 
 rasses, from which there was no possibility of escape. 
 
 The staff, after having lost some horses belong- 
 ino- to our escort, at last succeeded in extricatins: 
 itself from this dangerous passage, and arrived at 
 Kudniki in the middle of the night. The following 
 morning (July 8lh) we marched towards Jachounoui, 
 where we regained the great road. Thence we pro- 
 ceeded to Mal-Solechniki. The prince, however, 
 would not stop there ; but pursued his route to Bol- 
 Soiechniki, where he intended to remain during the 
 iiiglit, and hoped to receive some tidings of the cos- 
 sacks, whom he hsnl orders to pursue. The follow- 
 ing day we continued oar march, and arrived at a 
 castle not far distant from Soubotniki. 
 
 The viceroy was obliged to halt here, for the bad 
 roads having impeded the march of the thirteenth 
 and fourteenth divisions, as well as the Italian corps, 
 we had nothing but the light cavalry with us. The 
 order which had been sent for hastening their pro- 
 gress, was, by some mistake, returned to the chief of 
 the staff, so that these troops having received no in- 
 structions' had retained their position, while we be- 
 
WSTEPSK. 49 
 
 lieved that they were following us. At \eng\h, see- 
 ing- that they did not arrive, some intellig-ent officers 
 were sent out in all directions, who succeeded, after 
 a io ig search, in extricating the division ol Pino 
 from the marshes of Kudaiki, and conducting the 
 guard towards Ochmiana. The viceroy, in the mean 
 time, after having searched in vain for the cossacks, 
 returned and marched towards Jachou loui, where he 
 joined the thirteenth and fourtte ah divisions. On 
 the following day (July 12th), they all took the road 
 towards Smorghoni, where they effected a junction 
 with the rest of the troops who composed tiie fourth 
 corps. 
 
 The town of Smorghoni is large and populous, 
 yet all the houses, with the exception of two or three, 
 are built of wood. A little river, with a bridore 
 thrown over it, divides the castle from the town. 
 The inhabitants consist chiefly of Jews, who carry on 
 considerable commerce. For this reason, thongh 
 the town contained little that was remarkable, the 
 halt which we made in it was delightful to the whole 
 army, for it enabled us to procure a supply of bread 
 and beer. 
 
 Duiing the day that we reposed at Smorghoni, 
 we erected a bridge over the Narotsch, that we might 
 proceed in a direct line to Yileika. But the work was 
 hardly finished when the orders were changed, and the 
 majority of the troops marched toZachkevitschi, where 
 Ihey remained that night. 
 
 The road from Zachkevitschi to Vileika is very 
 sandy, and lies through a ih'ck forest. A little be= 
 7 
 
50 WITEPSK. 
 
 fore we arrived here, we crossed the Wilia over a 
 floating- bridge. The river at this place is neither 
 very broad nor deep, but its banks are extremely steep, 
 particularly the one opposite Vileika. On entering' 
 the town, General Colbert, who commanded the ad- 
 vanced-guard, took somf^ magazines which had been 
 abandoned ; and as a shert time only had elapsed 
 since the enemy had quitted that position, the viceroy 
 redoubled his vigilance, for fear of a surprise, and 
 selected with tlie utmost care, an advantageous situa- 
 tion for his troops to encamp. 
 
 Whilst we marched towards Yileika, the king" of 
 ISaples (Murat), assisted by the second and third 
 corps, drove the first western army from one position 
 to another behind the Dwina, and at last forced them 
 to retire into the intrenched camp of Drissa. On our 
 right, prince Eckmuhl (Davoust) continued the pur- 
 suit of prince Bagration, and arrived without fight- 
 ing, as far as Borisow, on the Berezina. On our left 
 the marshal duke of Tarentum likewise obtained im- 
 portant advantages and took entire possession of Sa- 
 in oj^iti a. 
 
 The conduct of the enemy in thus continually 
 flying before us was accounteii for in diflerent ways. 
 Some thought it was the efl?ect of weakness, others 
 believed it to be the result of a well-digested plan. 
 * What is become of those Russians,' asked the for- 
 mer, * who, for more than fiity years, have been the 
 terror of Europe, and the conquerors of Asia ? The 
 power of Russia seems to be merely fictitious, in- 
 vented by hireling writers, and deceitful travellerso 
 
WITEPSK. 51 
 
 It exists only in inaaoination, and the phantom va- 
 nishes the mosnent we attack it/ They, however, 
 whom experience had taught to wait the result of 
 time, affirmed that it was unwise to despise an enemy 
 whom we had not yet combatted ; that his fl'ght was 
 calculated to duninish our force, and to deprive us of 
 the means of recruiting it, by drawing" us further 
 from our own country. * The Russians,' added 
 these intelligent reasoners^ * derive their most pow- 
 erful succours from their climate* Why should they 
 seek to fight us when they know that the wmter will 
 compel us to abandon all our conquests?' 
 
 At last the Russians themselves explained the 
 motives of their retreat, by the following- proclama- 
 tion distributed on the borders of the Dwina : — 
 
 * French Soldiers ! 
 
 * You are forced to march to a new war. You 
 are told that it is because the Russians do not render 
 justice to your valour. No, comrades, they truly 
 appreciate it. You will see it on the day of battle. 
 Consider, that if it be necessary, army will succeed 
 to army, and that you are four hundred leagues from 
 your resources. Do not allow yourselves to be de- 
 ceived by our first movements. You know the Rus- 
 sians too well to suppose that they fly before you. 
 In proper time they will accept the combat, and you 
 will find it difiicult to retreat. We advise you as 
 fellow-soldiers, to return in a body to your native 
 country. Do not believe the perfidious sug'gestion 
 that you are fighting for peace. You shed your 
 
62 WITEPSK. 
 
 b1oo?l to gratify the insatiable ambition of a sovereign 
 who <loes not wish for peace. He mig'ht have obtain- 
 ed it long asj-o; but he sports with the bves of his brave 
 subjects. Return to your homes, or if \ou wish it, 
 seek an asyhim in Russia ; there you will forget the 
 names of coiiscription, levies, bans, and arriere-hans, 
 and that military tyranny which does not allow you 
 for one minute to shake off the oppressive yoke.' 
 
 This proclamation contained such palpable truths, 
 that iis publication astonished every one. Some, 
 bowevfr, regarded it as a forgery, and thought that 
 it was written to prepare the way for that despicable 
 answer of a French (jrenadiar, which would certainly 
 have become a subject of pleasantry to the army, and 
 of coisterant to foreigners, if we had not loug known 
 that an implicit obedience to his chief is the first duty 
 of asoidier; and that every Frenchman, faithful to his 
 banners, esteemed it a point of honour strenuously to 
 combat all those whom his commanders should rep- 
 resent as the enemies of his country. 
 
 Continuing our march we arrived at Kostenevitschi, 
 a miserable little village, where, excepting the post- 
 house and vicarage, there were only a few wretched 
 barns covered with thatch The royal guard encamp- 
 ed round the village, but the viceroy established his 
 liead- quarters two leagues further on. 
 
 The following day (July 17), after a march of 
 five leagues over a tolerably good road, we reached 
 the town of Dolghinow, the inhabitants of which con- 
 sisted almost entnely of Jews, a circumstance by 
 
WITEPSK. 53 
 
 which we were enabled to procure a few bottles of 
 brandy. Our incessant marches, and the ioug pe- 
 riod during" which we had been deprived of that 
 liquor, induce me to mention a circomstaace avpa- 
 renlly so insigniificant ; but, from the importance 
 which we attached to it, the reader may judge of ihe 
 extent of our vvaiits, and the difficulSy of suppiyiiig 
 them. 
 
 We proceeded thence to Dokzice, a distance of 
 about seven leagues. That town the inhabitants of 
 which were likewise Jews, contained a handsome 
 square, near which stood a church, and a wreiched 
 chateau, built of wood. The extremities of the town 
 are situated on two eminences, between which runs 
 a little marshy rivulet. On the day that we halted 
 here we suddenly perceived a thick smoke arisino- 
 behind the chateau in which the prince was quarter- 
 ed. The flames soon spread on every side, and con- 
 sumed in an instant several neighbouring- houses; but 
 the soldiers rendering- the most timely and efficacious 
 assistance, the fire was quickly subdued, and all our 
 apprehensions vanished. 
 
 Near Smorghoni we had left the road to Minsk 
 and the Nieper, and had turned to the left, to ap- 
 proach die Dwina, and to f How the movements of 
 the centre of the grand army, which had taken that 
 d'rection. General Sebastani, who commanded the 
 adva iced-guard, assisted by the corps of the duke of 
 Re rgio (Oudinot), repulsed the cossacks as fcir as 
 Dro lia ; but the enemy, which was shut up in the 
 intrenched camp, at Drissa, having- been informed 
 
64 s WITEPSK. 
 
 that our cavalry was badfy guarded, threw a bridge 
 over the river, and detached five thousand infantry 
 and as many cavalry, commanded by general Koul- 
 niew. An engagement soon commenced, and gene- 
 ral Saintgeniez, being taken by surprise, was made 
 prisoner, whi e the rest of the brigade did not escape 
 without considerable loss. 
 
 As we approached Berezina, where we intended to 
 encamp that night, the road gradually descending, 
 brought us unawares to the river of the same name, 
 whfch runs through one of the most marshy plains in 
 Europe. We were convinced of this when we arrived 
 at the town, the houses of which extended in a long 
 line over an absolute morass. Beyond Berezina the 
 road is continued over a kind of turf, on which were 
 placed a quantity of fir branches, to give some firmness 
 to a mere bog. A few intervals were left for the wa- 
 ters to drain off*. 
 
 From the Berezina, as far as the Oula, the country 
 Mas wet and marshy. The road from one river to the 
 other forms a line of twenty or twenty-five leagues, 
 passing continually through marshes and immense for- 
 ests. Gtouboko^ was our first station, and Kamenthe 
 second. The first of these towns is remarkable for a 
 beautiful castle of wood ; and the latter, for a kind of 
 mountain in the very centre of the place, which^^over- 
 looks the plain. 
 
 At Botscheikovo we approached the borders of 
 the Oula (July '23d). This river it united to the Be- 
 rezina by the canal of Lepel, which gives facility to 
 the commerce of all the neighbouring provinces. 
 
WITEPSK. 65 
 
 This canal is yet more important, as it forms a com- 
 miiiiication between the Nieperand the Dwina; and 
 thus uniting the Baltic and the Mediterranean, it en- 
 livens the interior of Lithuania, and enriches her with 
 productions of the most distant climes. The banks of 
 this river are very high and steep. On the left side 
 beyond the bridge, appears a magnificent chateau, 
 which we thought the most beautiful that we had seen 
 since our arrival in Poland. 
 
 We could not, however, restrain our astonish-' 
 ment at the rapidity with which we were allowed to 
 proceed in our march without opposition. We ad- 
 vanced daily without any impediment, and with al- 
 most as much security as when we traversed Bavaria 
 and Saxony. The tranquility in which our adver- 
 saries permitted us to continue, was incomprehensi- 
 ble, and every one formed the most opposite, and fre- 
 quently the most erroneous conjectures. At Ka- 
 men, however, we learned, from several officers, who 
 had-been sent to Ouchatsch, where the emperor was, 
 that the enemy, having quitted their trenches at 
 Drissa, had ascended the Dwina, towards Polotsk 
 and Witepsk, through fear of being cut off by our 
 tjorps, which had taken a direction towards the latter 
 town. The orders which they brought us, made us 
 likewise believe that we should soon meet with con- 
 siderable resistance. These conjectures were pre- 
 sently changed into certainty when, on reconnoitring 
 the mouth of the Oula, and the road to B6zenkovit- 
 schi, we discovered that the cossacks hovered on our 
 flanks. The viceroy immediateiy ordered the ad- 
 
5(> WlTKPSRc 
 
 vanced-gaartl and the light cavahy, to proceed to B6= 
 zeukovitschi, where the liussians were assembled in 
 much force, under g'eneral Ostermau (July 23d). 
 
 The prince soon afterwards mounted his h rse, 
 accompanied by his aids-de-camp, and followed the 
 mov ements of the advanced-oniard. When he arrsved 
 at Bezenkovitschi, the enemy retreated, and crossed the 
 Dwina Wilh his cavalry, and some pieces of artihery^ 
 While we were in that town, the Russian sharp-shoot- 
 ers, who were concealed in the houses of the village, 
 Oil the opposite side of the river, kept up an incessant 
 fire upon us. Cjlonel la Croix, wlso was passing 
 down [he principal street leading to the river, received 
 a shoi which broke his thigh. This accident produc- 
 ed a paiaful sensation through the whole army. Every 
 one pitied thiS worthy otficer, and lamented that we 
 were deprived of his vaiu-ible services, by a fatality 
 which frequently takes from the most deservi? :g all 
 power to distinguish themselves. After having re- 
 connoitred the position of the enemy the viceroy re- 
 turned, forthe night, totlie castle of Botscheikovo. In 
 the evening he had a long conference with general 
 Dessoles, the chief of his staff, which made us presume 
 that we shou'id march in the night ; but the order was 
 not given till the following morning. 
 
 (July 24ih.) After live hours' march, and cross- 
 ing a smaii river, called Svelscha, our troops arrived 
 at Bezenkovitschi. This little town was already 
 filled with troops, particularly with the two divisions 
 of cavalry under^ generals Bruy^rs and Saint Ger- 
 
WITEPSK. 57 
 
 jM.ain, wlio had cotne by the way of Oula. This 
 great mass of troops marching- towards Witepskj 
 terrified not the enemy, who was separated from us 
 by the Dwina. His cavalry proudly manoeuvred 
 knd iired on our soldiers when they approached to 
 seize the ferry-boat, which had been carried to the 
 opposite shore. 
 
 The viceroy, however, having resolved to cross 
 the Dwina at this point, caused a battery of two pie- 
 ces of cannon to be erected, to protect the sappers 
 who had been ordered to construct a bridge, and the 
 marines of the royal guard, who, plunging into the 
 water, attempted to reach the boat. These gunSy 
 and a few sharp-shooters placed on the shore, mti- 
 midated the Russians so much, that they quitted 
 the houses in which they had concealed themselves, 
 and allowed us quietly to take back the boat, and to 
 complete the bridge which the engineers were erect- 
 ing. 
 
 In the meantime a division of Bavarian cavalry, 
 under general Preysing, having di&covered a ford 
 about two hundred paces below the bridge, elFectedv 
 trheir passage. Scarcely had they crossed the river, 
 when they ranged themselves in order of battle, sup- 
 ported by some companies of light troops, which 
 had been sent over in the boat. In an instant they 
 advanced to charge the enemy, who fled at their ap- 
 proach, setting fire to every thing which he was 
 compelled to leave behind. We particularly ad- 
 mired, on that occasion, the manner in which thf^ 
 
58 WITEPSK. 
 
 Bavarians advanced. The precision of their evolu- 
 tions, and the skill wilh which they disposed their 
 outposts, may be quoted as n»ode!s for those who 
 nsay be called to execute similar manoeuvres. 
 
 While we were contemplating' these operations, 
 it was re; orled that the emperor was approaching". 
 The courier who had brought the news was quickly 
 followed by another, who confirmed it. Soon after- 
 wards arrived the saddle-horses, the officers of ord- 
 nance, and the generals of the guard ; in short, the 
 town, already full of troops, presently became abso- 
 lutely crowded. In the midst of this tumult Napo- 
 leon appeared. He proceeded immediately to that 
 part of the nver at which they were erecting the 
 bridge. In a dry and sarcastic manner he blamed 
 its construction, which was certainly very defective ; 
 but, having determined to proceed to the other side, 
 he crossed the bridge, and mounting his horse, join- 
 ed the Bavarians, who had halted on the plain. 
 Then marching with tiiem, he advanced nearly two 
 leagues from Bezenkovitschi. Napoleon, doubtless, 
 executed this mancFUvre wilh the view of attracting- 
 the enemy's attention to this point, that he might 
 find less opposition when he attacked Witepsk, on 
 the opposite bank. He likewise hop^d to annoy the 
 Russian army in its retreat,, which was now ascend- 
 mg the Dtvina, after having abandoned the intrench- 
 ed camp atDrissa. 
 
 It is impossible to imagine the confusion which, 
 reigned at Bezenkovitschi, and which increased on 
 the arrival of the staff. Jn the night the tumult be- 
 
WITEPSK. 50 
 
 came still more dreadful. The crowd of Iroops 
 which flowed in from ail parts, and the quickness 
 with which they were ordered to proceed, left no 
 doubt that we were on the eve of a battle. The ca- 
 valry, commanded by the king of Naples (Murat) 
 formed the vanguard, and the fourth corps followed 
 imiKiediately to support them. 
 
 (July 25th.) Orders were given to march to 
 Ostrowno ; and the staff was on the point of setting" 
 out, when we heard a strono" cannonade. At this 
 moment an aid-de-camp of general Delzons arrived 
 in great haste to inform the viceroy (Eugene Beau- 
 harnoisj that the enemy had been overtaken near 
 Ostrowno, and that a vigorous engagement had just 
 commenced* The aid-de-camp had scarcely finish- 
 ed his report, when the noise of the cannon was re- 
 doubled. His highness immediately commanded 
 the baggage of the head-quarters to halt; and, accom- 
 panied only by his staff, hastened to Ostrowno, 
 where he joined the king of Naple;^, who had vvilh 
 him the divisions of cavalry of Bruyeres, and Saint 
 Germain, supported by the thirteenth division of in- 
 fantry. But when they arrived at Soritza, the affair 
 had already been successfully decided, Twewty 
 pieces of cannon, which had fallen into our power, 
 and the vast numbers of dead that were left on the 
 field of battle, proved, both tli£ resistance of the 
 conquered, and the valour of the seventh and eighth 
 hussars, who had, on that occasion, covered them- 
 selves with glory. 
 
m 
 
 WITEPSK. 
 
 It was three o'clock in the morning (Ju^y 26th) 
 when the viceroy arrived at Ostrowno, with the 
 king of Naples. The fourth corps were encamped 
 near him, and the cavah'y, placed in front, watched 
 the manoeuvres of the enemy. At six o'clock his 
 m*ajesty and the prince, accompanied by their re- 
 s^Dective staffs, marched towards the out-posts, <»and 
 passing over the ground where the engagement had 
 taken place the night before, they heard that Oster- 
 mann's corps, consisting of two divisions, was drawn 
 up in order of battle. The prince immediately or- 
 dered the thiiieenth and fourteenth divisions to sup- 
 port the cavalry commanded by the king of Naples. 
 The hussars, who were sent out to reconnoitre, hav- 
 ing met with much opposition at the entrance of a 
 forest, returned with the intelligence that the enemy 
 seemed determined to dispute our passage. We 
 heard on all sides the fire of the sharp-shooters ; and 
 tbt: cannon of the Russians, placed on the road, enfi- 
 laded our columns which had advanced. General 
 D nthouard ordered our artillery to be brought foi*- 
 ■ward without delay, and it was in this exchange of 
 balls, that captain Ferrari of the eighth hussars, former- 
 ly aid-de-camp to the prince of Neufchatel, had his leg 
 shot off. Meanwhile, the king of Naples, hastening 
 wherever his presence could be useful, ordered an 
 attack to be made from our left, to disperse the 
 enemy's cavalry, which occupied the extremity of a 
 wood. But, notwithstanding this manoeuvre was^ 
 well-planned, it had not the desired eifect. The de- 
 tachment of hussars, intrusted with the execution of it» 
 
^VITEPSK. 6-1 
 
 was too weak, and was soon compelled, though with- 
 out loss, to retreat before the numerous squaorons 
 who rushed on to the charge. 
 
 While we were thus manoeuvring on our left, 
 the Russians attem(3ted to force our right. The 
 viceroy perceiving it, caused the thirteenth division to 
 proceed towards that point, who advancing rapidly on 
 the road, stopped he progress of the enemy ', and the 
 artillery of our regiments, being advantageously plac- 
 ed on some eminences, made us feel certain that our 
 line could not be forced. 
 
 Our right seemed well defended, when a si;ddeii 
 attack was made, and dreadful cries were heard, 
 both on the left, and in the centre. The enemy, 
 advancing in great force, had vigorously pushed 
 back our sharp-shooters, placed in the forest, and 
 compelled the artillery to retire precipitately ; whik 
 the Russian cavalry, profiting by a little plain on our 
 left, furiously charged the Croats, and the 84th regi- 
 ment. Happily, however, the king of Naples came 
 up in time to check their progress. Tw/® battalions 
 of the 106tb, which had been kept in reserve, sup- 
 ported the Croats; while general Danthouard, in 
 whom were united the most brilliant talents and un- 
 daunted bravery, seconded by colonel Demay, and 
 captain Bonardelle, reanimated the courage of the 
 artillery, and, by skilful evoJutions, replaced them in 
 the position which they had quitted but for a mo- 
 ment. 
 
 The affairs of the left and of the centie beins: re- 
 established, the king of Naples and prince Eugene 
 
62 WITEPSK. 
 
 proceeded to the right wing^, and put it in motion^ 
 The enemy, lying in ambuscade before a forest, op- 
 posed a vigorous resistance to the 92d regiment, 
 which, notwithstanding its being placed on an advan- 
 tageous eminence, remained inactive. The viceroy 
 instantly despatched the adjutant-commandant Fores- 
 tier, to urge them forward ; who, with some difficulty, 
 succeeded in making them advance. Their march, 
 however, appeared too slow to the impetuous valour 
 of the duke of Abrantes (Junot). That intrepid ge- 
 neral, who, in other campaigns had acted as comman- 
 der-in-chief, hastily quitted the viceroy, and put him- 
 self at the head of this regiment, on which every eye 
 was now fixed. His presence, or rather his exam- 
 ple, electrified every heart ; and the brave 92d, led 
 on by general Roussel, marched instantly to the 
 charge, overthrew every thing that opposed them, 
 and penetrated at last into the forest, where the ene- 
 my was protected by intrenchmeiits almost impreg- 
 imble. 
 
 On looking to the extremity of our right, we 
 perceived a Russian column, which had been sent to 
 turn our flanks, commencing its retreat. The king 
 of Naples, with that enthusiasm which is peculiar to 
 great minds, ordered the cavah'y to charge upon that 
 column, and to Compel it to lay down its arms. The 
 difiiculties of the ground made the soldiers hesitate 
 for a moment ; but the king, perceiving at a glance, 
 that the execution must be as prompt as the thought 
 itself, drew his sword from its scabbard, and eagerly 
 exclaimed, ^ Let the hravest follow me* This trait 
 
WITEPSK. ^ 
 
 of hejoism filled us with admiration. All pressed 
 forward to second him; but deep ravines and iiiipe- 
 netrable thickets impeded our progress, and gave 
 the enemy time to escape, and to rejoin the corps 
 from which they had been detached. 
 
 The success of the combat was certain ; but w« 
 dared not venture to cross the extensive forest i efore 
 us, on the other side of which were the hills of 
 Witepsk, where we knew the forces of the enemy 
 were encamped. While we were deliberating on 
 the means of effecting that important passage, we 
 heard a great tumult behind us. No one could 
 guess the eause, and uneasiness was added to our 
 curiosity ; but when we perceived Napoleon sur- 
 rounded by a brilliarst suite, our fears were dissi- 
 pated ; and the enthusiasm which his presence always 
 excited, made us hope that he would add to the glo- 
 ry of that eventful day. The king of Naples and the 
 prince hastened to meet him, and informed him of 
 the event ©f the engagement, and the measures which 
 they had since adopted. But Napoleon, desirous to 
 become more intimately acquainted with every cir- 
 cumstance, quickly proceeded to the most advanced 
 posts of our line, and viewed from an eminence, the 
 position of the enemy, and the nature of the ground. 
 His eye penetrated into the Russian camp. He 
 guessed their plans, and immediately ordexed new 
 dispositions, which being executed with precision 
 and rapidity, the army was soon in the middle of the 
 forest. We followed at a quick pace, and reached 
 the hills of Witepsk as the day began to close. 
 
§4 WITEPSK. 
 
 The thirteenth division, which assisted iii this 
 manoeavre, experienced much resistance from the 
 enemy in crossing the woods. He retired slowly, 
 and disputed every step ; while his numerous sharp- 
 shooters made us pay dearly for the ground which 
 we had g-ained. It was in one of ihese unfortunate 
 rencontre*, that a Russian drag-ooa, coming" up to 
 general Roussel, fired at him with a pistol, and killed 
 hail on the spot. As the Russiaiss seldom place 
 drag-ooTis among their sharp shooters, it occasioned 
 the report that general Rousse! had been murdere4 
 by one of our own men ; but we were afterwards as- 
 sured that we had not to reproach ourselves with the 
 death of that brave general, wiio was truly worthy of 
 our regret, both on account of his military qualities, 
 and his private virtues. 
 
 Broussier's division (the fourteenth) followed the 
 great road, and arrived very late at the position 
 which had been appointed for it between the road 
 and the Dwina. Tne fifteenth division, and the Ita- 
 lian guard, forming tiie rest of the infantry of the 
 fourth corps, were left in reserve, a little behind the 
 fourteenth. 
 
 After the different corps had taken their respec- 
 live positions, Napoleon established his head-quar- 
 ters in the viUagfe of Koukoviatschi. The kino' of 
 Naples and prince Eugene were encamped in an un- 
 comfortable little chateau near the village of Do- 
 br!Jka, surrounded! by the corps under their com* 
 mand. 
 
WITEPSK* 6S 
 
 On the following^ morning", at the dawn of day, 
 (July 27th) onr troops marched towards Witepsk, 
 The Russians, retiring", on that town, fired some 
 cannon, which, however, d'd us little injury. They 
 afterwards occupied a I rge plain near the town; 
 which commanded the roads by which we could ap- 
 proach. We coiild easily observe the lines of the 
 enemy from the hill on which we were placed, and 
 particularly his numerous cavalry, arranged in order 
 of battle at the extremity of the plain. 
 
 The division of Broussier, constitutinjj- the ad- 
 vanced-guard, crossed, by means of a miserable 
 bridge, the rivulet which separated us from the plain, 
 and drew up on a height opposite tSie eminence, 
 which was occupied by the Russians. The sixteenth 
 regiment of chasseurs, having descended the hiil, was 
 vigorously charged by several squadrons of the cos- 
 sack-guard, and it would have exi^erienced a total 
 defeat, if it had not been disengaged from the enemy, 
 towards the left, by the light troops of the ninth reo-i- 
 ment, commanded by captains Guyard aud Savary. 
 These brave men attracted, on this occasion, the at- 
 tention of the whole army, which, encamped on the 
 surrounding heights, as on an amphitheatre, witnessed 
 their exploits, and rendered them the applause that 
 was justly due to their valour. 
 
 The sixteenth chasseurs, retiring upon the four- 
 teenth division, were protected by the o3d regiment, 
 commanded by colonel Grosbon. That division 
 formnig' a square, presenter! to the energy an impe- 
 .9 
 
66 VVlTEPSK. 
 
 netrable tVout, and all their repeated and furious at- 
 templs to break it, proved inefifeclual. This circum- 
 istance threw a little confusion into our ranks ; but 
 Napoleon being at hand, it could not continue. 
 Placed on an eminence, from which he could see all 
 the manoeuvres, he calmly made every disposition 
 which he thought was necessary to secure the victo- 
 ry. He ordered a regiment of cavalry to retire, 
 to open the passag-e of the bridge to the thirteenth 
 division. This retrograde movement spread terror 
 amongst our train, which was composed of work- 
 men, sutlers, and victuallers, a class of people who 
 are easily alarmed ; and who, always afraid of losing 
 their booty, are rather prejudicial than useful to an 
 army. 
 
 The thirteenth division having' advanced, filed to 
 the right. The viceroy marched at their head, and 
 conducted them behind the fourteenth division, to an 
 eminence which overlooked the plain on which the 
 enemy was encamped. 
 
 These heights, not being guarded, we advanced 
 without difficulty, and took our position on the sum-^ 
 mit, opposite the Russian camp, separated only by the 
 river Loutchesa, the steep shores of which formed a 
 ravine so deep, that it was impossible to come to a 
 general action. We pretended, however, to com- 
 mence the engagement by detaching some light 
 troops, who succeeded in passing over the ravine, and 
 established themselves in a little wood. But not 
 being sup|.»orted, they proceeded no further, and re- 
 turned to their corps, as soon as the fire of the batter 
 
WITEPSK. 67 
 
 ries had ceased, and the divisions were no longer 
 under arms. 
 
 This suspension, when the armies were in sight 
 of each other, excited universal astonishment, and 
 everyone inquired, 'Where is the emperor ? What 
 are his intentions ?' 
 
 During- these discussions we were joined by tlie 
 first corps, and the imperial guard. Some thought 
 that Napoleon waited for the junction of all his forces, 
 before he began a serious attack; others affirmed that 
 marshal Ney, and the cavalry of general Montbrun, 
 advancing from the other side of the Dwina, would 
 turn the position at Witepsk, and tliusi cut off the re- 
 treat of the Russians. But this manoeuvre was, doubt- 
 less, impracticable, since it was not executed. 
 
 On that night the troops bivouacked on the places 
 where they had taken their positions, and the soldiers 
 of the different coi^ps, mingling together, related to 
 each other the share which then* respective divisions 
 had borne in the honour of the day. From these ac- 
 counts it appeared, that the combat, though glorious, 
 had not been bloody. Amongst the small number 
 Avho were killed, was the ingenious colonel Liedot, a 
 man truly worthy of the corps to which he belonged. 
 During the expedition to Egypt, he distinguished 
 himself by his courage ; and m the construction of 
 some forlilications in Italy, he proved that the mili- 
 tary art is no obstacle to the developement of the most 
 protound conceptions. 
 
 The boldness with which the Russians retained 
 their positions, and the junction of a great pail of 
 
68 WITITPSK. 
 
 our troops at the same point, induced us to believe 
 that a g-eneral action would take place on thefollow- 
 ping- day. What was, thertfore, our astonishment, 
 when we perceived at the dawn of day (July 28rh) 
 that the enemy had effected his retreat! Our whole 
 army went immediately in pursuit, except the impe- 
 rial guard, which was established at Witepsk, where 
 the emperor seemed inclined to remain. 
 
 This town, the capital of the government of that 
 name, situated on a plain between some rising ground 
 and the shores of the Dwma, contaiised twenty thou- 
 sand inhabitants, and presented, from the beauty of 
 its situation a most delighllul aspect. Poland and 
 Lithuania had, during more than two months, and 
 through a space of more than three hundred leagues^ 
 offered nothing to our view but deserted villages, and 
 a ravaged country. Destruction seemed to precede 
 our steps and in every direction the whole population 
 ■was seen flving at our approach, leaving their habita- 
 tions to hordes of cossacks, who destroyed every 
 thing which tl ey could not carry away. Having 
 long experienced the most painful deprivations, we 
 regarded with envious eyes, those well-built and ele- 
 gant houses where peace and abundance seemed to 
 dwell. But tiiat re{>ose which we had so eagerly an- 
 ticipated, was again denied us, and we were compel- 
 led to renew our pursuit of the Russians, leaving on 
 our left this town, the object of our most ardetit wishes 
 and our dearest hopes. 
 
 As we followed the movement of the advanced- 
 guard, we were astonished at perceiving the perfect 
 
WITEPSK. 09 
 
 order with which count Barclay de Tolly had evacu- 
 ated his position. We wandered in all directions 
 over an inime se plain, without perceiving the faint- 
 est trace ot hi ; retreat. Nut one carriage, not a sia- 
 g\e dead horse, not even a solitary vehicle, indicated 
 the road which the enemy had taken. While we 
 remained in this uncertair.ty, which, perliaps, was 
 without a parallel, colonel Klisli, scournig the neigh- 
 bouring country to endeavour to lind some peasant, 
 discovered a Russian soldier sleeping under a bush. 
 This rencontre was extremely fortunate, and the 
 viceroy profiting by it, questioned the prisoner, who 
 gave us some information as to the route that th^ co- 
 lumn to which he belonged had taken. 
 
 The prince, doubting the accuracy of the intel- 
 ligence, advanced to reconnoitre, but not having met 
 with any thing worthy of attention, we returned at 
 full speed towards the h'gh road which leads from 
 Witepsk to the source of the Dvvina. The whole 
 road was covered with cavalry. The kirig of Na- 
 ples soon joined the viceroy, and afier some consulta- 
 tion, they ordered their respective corps to proceed. 
 The heat was excessive, and the clouds of dust rais- 
 ed by the horses j'enderetl our march insupportably 
 fatiguing. We were soon obliged to stop, and hailed 
 at a church built of wood, vi'here the king of Naples 
 and the prince had along co lerence together. 
 
 The cavalry had filed off in pursuit of the liussiaii 
 army, and we soon heard that they had come up wiih 
 them. The rest of the troops immediately hastened 
 their march and overlook the enemy. The Cossacks, 
 
70 WITEPSK. 
 
 who formed the rear-guard retreated on the advance 
 of our artillery, and only halted to fire a few cannon- 
 shot whenever they found a favourable opportunity. 
 They continued manoeuvring till they were beyond 
 Aghaponovchi china, where our corps and the cavalry 
 encamped. Near this village, on an eminence to- 
 waids the left, was a wretched chateau built of wood, 
 where the emperor (who, being informed that we had 
 Overtaken the Russians, immediately left Witepsk to 
 join us) established his quarters. 
 
 Never did a bivouac present a more military ap- 
 pearance than ours at Aghaponovchtchina. Napo- 
 leon, the king of Naples, and the prince, were in one 
 tent. The generals, placed in miserable huts which 
 their soldiers had hastily constructed, were encamp- 
 ed with their officers by the side of a rivulet, the 
 miry water of which was preserved with the greatest 
 care. During the three days that we had been on the 
 field of battle, water and roots had constituted our 
 only nourishment. Our divisions were encamped on 
 the eminences which surrounded the chateau, and the 
 enemy could see our numerous fires, the brilliant 
 light of which dissipated the obscurity of the night. 
 
 Early on the following morning (July 29lh) we 
 again proceeded in search of the Russians. The 
 emperor, however, returned to Witepsk, where he 
 proposed to remain a suflficient time to execute his 
 plans relative to Lithuania. When the king of Na- 
 ples arrived at the separation of the roads of Jano- 
 ■witchi and Sourai, he left us, taking with him the 
 whole heavy cavalry, and the fourteenth divisionV^ 
 
WITEPSK. 7 i 
 
 The viceroy, still pursuing- his way, inarched towards 
 the Dwina, followed by the thirteenth and fifteenth di- 
 visions, the royal guard, and the brigade of light cav- 
 alry commanded by general Yillasa. 
 
 We were on the point of entering Soi;rai when we 
 were informed by some chasseurs that an enemy's 
 convoy, feebly escorted, was endeavouring to pass 
 the river to arrive at the road to Weliki-luki. Th& 
 viceroy immediately ordered his aid-de-camp, Deseve, 
 to follow the chasseurs, and seize on the convoy. This 
 order was fully executed : for, after two hours, the 
 aid-de-camp returned with the intelligence that the 
 convoy was ours. 
 
 The town of Sourai, although entirely built of 
 wood, was the best that we had seen. Its popula- 
 tion, consisting chiefly of Jews, was considerable, 
 and their industry procured us many comforts of 
 which we stood in the greatest need. The maga- 
 zines were tolerably filled, which was, in truth, a 
 fortunate circumstance, for every thmg seemed to 
 indicate that we should make some stay in this little 
 town. 
 
 Sourai, without being a military position, was a 
 very important place. It is situated at the junction 
 of the Cdsplia with the Dwina, and at the point 
 where the high roads to Petersbargh and Moscow 
 divide. These form two tetes-de-pont, which per^ 
 fectly command the road to Witepsk. During our 
 stay here several geographical engineers arrived, and 
 executed some plans of the river, and the surro!indin*y 
 country. 
 
72 VV-ITEPSK.. 
 
 The tbirieentli division which had followed us^ 
 was encamped about a leag-ne behind Hourai ; ;> part 
 of the fifteer.th, and the foot-guard, were quarlere.! in 
 the town. The horse-gnard, commanded by general 
 Triaire, proceeded to the otl er side of the Dwina, 
 and sent off a strong" detachment on he road to Wehki- 
 hiki. During* that march, the adjutant of the palace, 
 Boutarel, discovered that the road, as far as Ousviatj 
 formed a continued defiie across the woods. In the 
 immediate vicintty of that small town, the country was 
 totally different, and the provisions which the dragoons 
 brought from that expedition, proved that this neigh- 
 bourhood oifered abundant resourc es for the canton- 
 ment of the troops. 
 
 On our arrival at Sonrai, the viceroy being in- 
 formed that another Russian convoy, with a strong- 
 escort had taken the road towards Yeliz, ordered 
 Baron Banco, colonel ot the second ret^iment of Ita- 
 lian chasseurs, to take with him two hundred chosen 
 men, and proceed imme.lialeiy in pursuit. After 
 nine hours' march, this detachment arrived at Veliz, 
 just as the convoy was issuing from the town, and 
 crossing the bridge over the Dwina. The chasseurs 
 instantly charged the escort. Fwe times they were 
 reunited by the infantry, and by numerous detach- 
 ments of cavalry, much stronger than their own. 
 But the bravery of the Italians triumphed at lenglh 
 over the obstinate resistance of the Ciiemy, and they 
 succeeded in taking ail the biigg^ge, and compelling 
 five hundred Russians to lay down their arms. This 
 
WITEPSK. 73 
 
 victory cost us some wounded men ; among' these 
 were six officers, one of whom died of his wounds. 
 
 While Napoleon was at Witepsk, endeavouring 
 to organize Lithuania, and the centre of the army 
 was inactive between the Nie per and the Dwina, we 
 learned that the prince of Eckmuhl (Davoust) had 
 been attacked at Mohilow. Bagration, profitmg by 
 the leisure which the combat at Borisow had allow- 
 ed him, crossed the Berezina at Bobruisk, and 
 marched towards Novoi-Bickow. On the 23d July, 
 three hundred cossacks attacked us, at the dawn of 
 day, and took about a hundred prisoners from the 
 third chasseurs, among whom was the colonel. An 
 alarm was spread in our cam^j. The drum was beat, 
 and our soldiers flew to arms. The Russian general 
 Sicverse, with two chosen divisions, directed all the 
 attacks. From eight in the morning until five in the 
 evening the tiring continued on the skirts of the fo- 
 rest and OB the bridge, which the Russians wished 
 to force. At five o'clock the prince of Eckmuhl 
 caused three chosen battalions to advance ; he placed 
 himself at their head, overthrew the Russians, forced 
 their position, aiid pursued them more'than a league. 
 The loss must have been equal on both sides, but 
 prince Bagration, satisfied with the feconnaisanee 
 which he had made, retired on Bickow, where he 
 crossed the Nieper and proceeded to Smolensko, at 
 which place the tvi'o Russian armies were to form a 
 junction. 
 
 General Kamenski, with two divisions, endea- 
 voured to join prince Bagration: but, being unable 
 
 10 
 
74 WITEPSE.. 
 
 to effect it, be returned to Wolhynia, and united him- 
 self to the ninth and fifteenth divisions, formed by 
 count Markoff, and then commanded by general 
 Tormasow. These iouc divisions, forming a consi- 
 derable armv, marched towards Kobrin, and attach- 
 es themselves to the seventh corps. They surround- 
 ed the Saxon general Klenge!, who had with hsm 
 0:slv two regiments of infantry, and two squadrons 
 of cnvalry. Obliged to yield to superior force, he 
 did not surrender till after an obstinate combat, hop- 
 ing to the last, that he might be reinforced by gene- 
 ral Regnier ; but that othcer, though he advanced as 
 rapidly as possible, did not arrive till the capitulation 
 had been signed more than two hours. 
 
 Notwithstanding we sustained these losses on our 
 right, the successes of our left wing more than coun- 
 terbalanced them. The duke of Tarentum, com- 
 manding the Prussian corps, pushed forward several 
 strong detachments on the road to Riga, and by the 
 skilful dispositions of generals Grawert and Kieist, 
 gained very signal advantages over the Russians. A 
 few days afterwards, general Ricard took Dunahourg, 
 which the enemy had abandoned, after having made 
 great preparations for its defence. But the enterprise 
 most glorious to our arms, was performed by the se- 
 cond corps. The duke of Reggio (Oudinot) having 
 pushed forward his advarkced-guard towards Sebei, 
 met prince Wittgenstein, who having been previously 
 reinforced by the corps of prince Repnin, furiously 
 attacked him. The engagement took place near the 
 castle Jakoubovo. The division of Legrand sus- 
 
wiTErsK. 75 
 
 lained a severe engagement till ten o'clock at night, 
 when, by the valour of the 26th light infantry, and 
 the 56th of the line, the Russians were repulsed wilh 
 considerable loss. Notwithstanding- this, they ven- 
 tured on the morrow to Dttempt the passage ot the 
 Dwina. The duke of Keggio (Oudinot) ordered 
 general Castex not to oppose them. The enemy fell 
 into the snare, and on the 1st of August, advancing 
 towards Drissa, drew up in order of battle, facing 
 the second corps. Fifteen thousand men, formit-g 
 half of Wittgenstein's army, had crossed the river, 
 when a masked battery of iorty pieces of cannon was 
 opened upon them, and kept up a constant and de- 
 structive fire for half an hour. At the same mo- 
 ment, the division of Legrand advanced to the attack, 
 and the enemy beginning to fall into confusion, the 
 division of Yerdier made a furious and irresistible 
 charge with fixed bayonets. The Russians were dri- 
 ven into the river. Three thousand men, and four- 
 teen pieces of cannon remained in our power. Par- 
 suing their scattered troops on the road to Sebei, we 
 counted two thousand dead, among whom was ge- 
 neral Koulniew, a very distinguished officer of the 
 light troops. 
 
 At that time a rumour was spread, that the em- 
 peror Alexander had been assassinated at Yeliki-luki 
 by his courtiers, who were indignant at his offering 
 to treat with us. It was asserted that JNapoleon had 
 exultingly announced this as a positive fact at one of 
 his audiences at Witepsk. We afterwards ascer- 
 tained, that this false report had been circulated to 
 
76 WITEPSK. 
 
 counteract the effect of the energetic proclamation 
 which the emperor Alexander had issued to the Rus- 
 sian people ; in which he had commanded every inlia- 
 bitant of his immense empire to take arms against a 
 perfidious enemy, who, after having* violated the 
 boundaries of their country, was advancing to destroy 
 their ancient capital, and to annihilate the glory of its il- 
 lustrious founders. All these infamous falshoods com- 
 pletely failed of success. They did not even reach a 
 population, which, flying at the approach of the French 
 army, could neither expeiience the effects of an arti- 
 fice so mean, nor be corrupted by our flattering prom- 
 ises. In truth, the object of every promise made by 
 our deceitful chief was to delude and to betray ; it 
 ■was to kindle the most frightful discord, by exciting the 
 people against the nobility ; and siifliug in their hearts 
 that faithful attachment which was due to their lawful 
 sovereign. 
 
 ( 
 
BOOK IIL 
 
 SMOLENSKY 
 
 After the battle of Yeliz, the viceroy feeiing' 
 the necessity of reinforcing the detachment of chas- 
 seurs that had been left there, reinforced them with 
 the whole brigade of general Villata and with one 
 battalion of Dalmatians. Yeliz, situated at the junc- 
 tion of two principal roads, from Petersburgh and 
 Smolensko, was exposed to the frequent attacks of 
 the Cossacks ; it was also the extreme point to which 
 the French army had penetrated. The population 
 of this small town, consisting entirely of Jews, pro- 
 cured us little more than enough to supply the abso- 
 lute necessities of life. The environs contamed 
 only a few miserable hovels. While the soldiers 
 gave themselves up to the indulgeiicies which such 
 circumstances could afford, colonel Banco, who per- 
 fectly understood the Russian language, was inform- 
 ed by some spies, that the enemy intended to attack 
 the brigade. On receiving this intelligence, gene- 
 ral Villata secretly made every proper disposition to 
 re[)el the enemy, while he pubhcly affected to think 
 himself in complete security. At daybreak the cos- 
 sacks suddenly appeared before the town, hoping to 
 find the garrison buried in sleep ; but the Dalma- 
 
78 SMOLENSKO, , 
 
 lians, who were under arms, issuing' from their am- 
 hiiscade, fired a well-directed volley on them, whjch 
 did considerable execution. The enemy, frightened 
 by this unexpected reception, immediately took to 
 flight, and abandoned the hope of surprismg a town 
 so bravely defended. The soldiers showed themselves 
 on this occasion, worthy of the rewards which their 
 former valour had procured them. 
 
 The fourth corps, after resting ten days in the 
 town of Sourai, marched on the 9th of August, to- 
 wards Janowitschi, to join the fourteenth division. 
 On the evejiing before this movement took place, 
 colonel Labedoj^re, aid-de-camp to prince Eugene, 
 was sent to the king of Naples. At his return from 
 his mission, he confirmed the news of a desperate 
 engagement having taken place between the enemy 
 and our troops, under general Sebastiani, near In- 
 kovo, in which we had been defeated with consider- 
 able loss. The reports of the different officers agreed 
 that our cavalry had severely suffered, and that, be- 
 sides several pieces of cannon, a fine light company 
 of the 24th infantry had been captured. It was like- 
 wise said, that had it not been for the bravery of the 
 Polish lancers, our losses would have been infinitely 
 greater. On this occasion, some blamed general Se- 
 bastiani ; but the greater part attributed the fault to 
 general ^ontbrun, who disregarding the information 
 he had received, and urged on by his natural bravery, 
 had hazarded a battle against a much superior force of 
 the enemy. 
 
SM01.ENSK0. 7§ 
 
 The viceroy having halted on the 10th of Angnst 
 at Janowitschi, the pioneers of the fourth corps, un- 
 der the direction of general Poitevin, endeavoured to 
 repair the bridge over the little river that passes 
 through the town. It was, however, so completely 
 out of condition, that they were obliged to abandon 
 it, and the baggage and cavalry passed the river at a 
 ford, where the bottom was very muddy, and the 
 banks exceedingly steep. 
 
 On our march towards Liozna, we crossed a 
 plain gently undulated with little hillocks. We af- 
 terwards passed several small woods, and a rivulet, 
 that runs near a hamlet situated about half-way to the 
 castle of Yelechkovitschi, where the army arrived 
 on the Ilth of August, and the soldiers encamped on 
 the heights which surround the chateau. The fol- 
 lowing day the road was dreadfully miry, as far as 
 Liozna, and leading through wet and marshy mea- 
 dows, it presented almost insuperable obstacles to 
 our convoys, and particularly to our artillery ; it is 
 true, that two days before it had rained abundantly'. 
 I should remark, that these were the only violeiit 
 storms which we experienced ; for, during the rest of 
 the campaign, we were very little incommoded by- 
 rain. 
 
 Near Liozna, a large and dirty village, we cross- 
 ed (August the 12th) a wretched bridge thrown over a 
 deep and winding river, which separates the town 
 from the chateau, at the distance of three quarters of 
 a mile towards the west, where prince Eugene had 
 jestablished his cjuarters. But a communication wa« 
 
80 SMOLENSKO. 
 
 establisbed by means of another bridge. Our troops 
 availed themselves of the camp that had been form- 
 €d by the duke of Elchingen's (Ney's) corps, and 
 which was situated near this bridge, between ihe 
 town and the chateau. 
 
 Several obstacles arising from the nature of the 
 country, prevented us from taking the direct road to 
 Liouvavitschi ; and even the road which we pussued 
 was not exempt from difficulties. We viere forced 
 to pass through several defiles, and over many 
 swampy meadows, and to cross roads which were 
 cut through the middle of the forest. We arrived at 
 last at Liouvavitschi, the approaches to which were 
 as miry as the interior of Liozna. 
 
 This town was composed of a great many 
 wretched houses built entirely of wood. To ar- 
 rive ihere, we crossed a ruinous bridge. The road 
 was so dreadfully deep and clayey, that it was with 
 the utmost difficulty the horses could proceed. 
 These unwholesome marshes are the result of the 
 situation of Liouvavitschi. Several rivers surround 
 the town, and form extensive and dangerous mo- 
 rasses, which never dry. 
 
 As we entered Liouvavitschi, we saw all the ca- 
 valry of the king of Naples returning from the envi- 
 rons of Roudnia and Inkovo ; but, instead of following 
 the road to flazasna, they turned to the left, to pass 
 the Nieper at a higher point than that which had 
 been marked out for us. 
 
 The thirteenth and fourteenth divisions encamp- 
 ed before the town ; the fifteenth remained on the 
 
SMOIrENSKO, 81 
 
 heights which were to the left, with the cavah-y of 
 the Italian guard; while the infantry of the same 
 guard, being generally stationed at the head-quar- 
 ters, encamped in the suburbs near the chateau occu- 
 pied by the viceroy. 
 
 The reunion of the whole army on the borders 
 ©f the Nieper, plainly announced the intention of 
 crossing that river, and attacking Smolensko by the 
 left bank, the fortified part of which city was on this 
 side. The order .was, in fact, to go to Razasna, 
 where bridges had been thrown across to facilitate the 
 passage. 
 
 Before our arrival at this river, we passed over 
 an almost desert country. No village was to be seen 
 on the road, and we rarely found any houses at 
 which it was possible to stop. About half way on 
 our route, was a dangerous marsh, where we were 
 forced to leave part of our baggage. After many 
 difficulties, we reached the Nieper, which is called 
 also the Borysthenes by the Greeks, a name which 
 excited in our minds the sublimest ideas. The illu- 
 sion, however, was soon destroyed, when we saw a 
 shallow and insignificant stream. The river is so 
 narrow, and its banks so steep, that it was not seen 
 till we were on its very brink ; while the very steep- 
 ness of the banks renders the passage extremely dif~ 
 ficult. 
 
 Near Razasna, all the different corpus of the grand 
 army, some coming from Orcha, and others from 
 Babinovitschi, effected their junction. This im- 
 11 
 
82 SMOLENSKO, 
 
 iiiense crowd of men thronging" to the same pomi, 
 while it angmented our privations, redoubled the 
 confusion and disorder that reigned on the great 
 road. The stragglers sought in vain to recover 
 their proper regiments. They who were entrusted 
 with the most important orders, coukl not fulfil their 
 mission, so much were the roads encumbered. ~ 
 Hence arose a dreadful tumult ou the bridges and in 
 the defiles. 
 
 The fourth corps having arrived (August the 
 16th) at a small town called Liadoui ^remarkable as 
 being the last place where we found any Jews), we 
 crossed a little river very near it, above which is a 
 considerable eminence which entirely commands the 
 town. We continued our march as far as Siniaki, a 
 miserable hamlet, consisting only of a few houses, 
 and situated about two hundred yards from the road. 
 The viceroy intending to encamp in this place, gave 
 orders for the troops to halt. In the meantime, the 
 other divisions of the grand army marched towards 
 Smolensko, and the cannonade w^hich we heard made 
 usp'esume that the town was vigorously attacked. . 
 
 Tiie next day (August the Kith) we remained in 
 the same position, anel during the whole of the day, 
 great numbers of troops passed by us towards the 
 city. Towards six o'clock in the evening we quitted 
 Siniaki, and after three hours march arrived at Kras- 
 noe, a small town, with some houses built of stone, 
 and where the viceroy established his posts of com- 
 munication. We did not, however, stop here, but 
 continuing our march, crossed a small river near Ka-r 
 
* SMOLENSKO. 83 
 
 iova, above which was a rising ground. The prince 
 pitched his tent under a large avenue of trees sur- 
 rounded by his division. At day break (August the 
 17th) we continued our route, and bivouacked as 
 before, three miles beyond the postot Korouitnia in 
 a w^ood of birch-trees near a lake. Our camp offer- 
 ed a most picturesque appearance. The viceroy 
 having caused his tent to be pitched in the middle of 
 the wood, the officers slept in their carriages, and 
 those who liad uone, cut down branches of trees to 
 construct little huts, whilst their comrades ligiited 
 the fires to cook the provisions. As for the soldiers, 
 some went on a foraging party, others washed their 
 linen on the banks of a limpid stream, while the 
 rest, after a long march, amused themselves in 
 making war against the few ducks and geese that had 
 escaped the rapacity of the cossacks. 
 
 We here learned that Smolensko, after a long 
 contested battle, had been set on fire by the Russi-Aus, 
 and abandoned to their conquerors. This was an 
 omen of mournful presage to us, and proved to 
 what extremities they will proceed who are deter- 
 mined not to bow to a foreign yoke. The next day 
 we approached this unhappy town ; but the viceroy 
 ordered us to halt in a wood, near the castle of ISo- 
 voidwor, about three miles from the town, and went 
 to join the emperor, 
 
 1 was encamped with the whole of the fourth 
 corps, in this thick forest, when one of my coiurades 
 returning from Bmolensko detailed to me, in the tol- 
 
S4 SMOI.ENSKO. "^ 
 
 lowing- words, the circumstances of the battle at 
 •which he was present. 
 
 ' The position that we had occupied until the 
 13th of this month, made the enemy suppose that 
 we should attack Smolensko by the right bank of the 
 Boryslhenes, but the emperor, by a prompt and un- 
 expected manoeuvre, caused the whole of the army 
 to pass to the opposite side. The same day the king 
 of Naples (Murat) who still commanded the ad- 
 vanced-guard, and supported by the duke of Elchin- 
 gen (Ney) arrived at Krasnoe, and, as you know 
 already,' said the officer to me, * g"ave batlie to the 
 twenty-ftfth Russian division, amounting' to five thou- 
 sand infantry, and two thousand cavalry. In this gal- 
 lant affair we took several pieces of cannon, and some 
 prisoners. Aiter this success, Napoleon, as early as 
 the I6H1, in the morniiig, appeared before Smolens- 
 ko. This town is surrounded by an ancient wall, 
 with battlements of eight thousand yards in circum- 
 ference, ten feet thick, and twenty-five high, and at 
 certain distances, flanked with enormous towers in 
 the form of bastions, the greater part of which were 
 mounted with heavy pieces of cannon. 
 
 * The Russians still expecting the attack to take 
 place on the right bank of the Borysthenes, kept a 
 considerable portion of their troops on that side of 
 the river ; but when they saw us arrive by the left 
 bank, they thought themselves turned, and retreated 
 with the utmost rapidity to defend Smolensko, by 
 the principal point at which we were about to attack 
 them. They maintained themselves with the greater 
 
JSMOI.ENSKO. §5 
 
 obstinacy, as Alexander, when he quitted the army, 
 had recommended them to give battle in order to save 
 Smolensko.* 
 
 'After mploying- the 16th in reconnoitring the 
 place and its environs, the emperor confided the left 
 to the duke of E'chmgen (Ney) in clinino- towards 
 the Borysthenes ; the prince of Eckmuhl (Davoust) 
 had the centre ; ihe prince Ponivitowski the right; 
 and further on was the cavalry of the king- of Naples; 
 while the guard and ourselves constituting the fourth 
 division composed the reserve. The eighth corps, 
 under the command of the duke of Abrantes (Junot) 
 was also expected ; but that general, making a false 
 movement, lost his way.| 
 
 * Half the day was passed in reconnoitring. The 
 enemy occupied Smolensko with thirty thousand 
 men, the rest were in reserve on the right bank, 
 communicating by means of bridges, constructed 
 below the town. But Napoleon, perceiving that the 
 srarrison availed themselves of everv moment of time 
 to strengthen their fortifications, ordered prince Po-, 
 niatowski to advance, having on his left Smolensko, 
 and on his right the Borysthenes. He recommend- 
 ed him to construct some batteries to destroy the 
 bridges, and by that means intercept the communi- 
 cation between the tvFO banks. The prince of Eck- 
 muhl (Davoust) who still Ivcpt the centre, attacked 
 two intrenched suburbs, each defended by seven or 
 
 * See the Thirteenth Bulletin, 
 t See the Thirteenth Bull«tin, 
 
8% SMOLENSKO. 
 
 mghi thousand infantry. General Friand finished the 
 investiture of the place, taking his position between the. 
 first division and the Poles. 
 
 * Towards mid-day the light cavalry of general 
 Bruy^res repulsed the Russian horse, and took 
 possession of an eminence near the bridge. On that 
 point was established a battery of sixty pieces of 
 cannon, the fire of which was so well directed on 
 the divisions of the enemy which remained on the 
 other bank, that they were comoelled to retire. 
 Against this battery were opposed two of the ene- 
 my's consisting each of twenty pieces of cannon. 
 The prince of JEckmuhl (Davoust) who was charged 
 with the stormingof the town, confided the attack of 
 the suburbs on the right, to general Morand ; and 
 those on the left to general Gudin. After a severe 
 fire of musketry, these two divisions forced the posi- 
 tions of the enemy, and followed them with wonder- 
 ful intrepidity, as far as the covered way, which they 
 found strewed with dead. On the left, the duke of 
 Elchingen (Ney) forced the intrenchments occupied 
 by the Russians, and constrained them to take refuge 
 in the town, in the towers, or on the ramparts, which 
 they defended with obstinacy. General Barclay de 
 Tolly, then perceiving that an assault on the town 
 was likely to be attempted, reinforced it with two 
 new divisions, and two regiments of infantry of the 
 guard. The battle continued the whole of the night; 
 but soon after the evening had commenced, thick 
 columns of smoke were seen to rise from difierent 
 quarters. As the darkness increased, the flames 
 
SMOLENS'KO. 87 
 
 were distinctly observed spreading' with incredible 
 rapidity in every direction. The whole city was 
 soon on fire, and, in the middle of a fiiie summer's 
 night, presented to our view the same spectacle that 
 an eruption of Mount Yesuvius offers to the inhabit- 
 ants of Naples. 
 
 * At one o'clock the ruins of the town were aban- 
 doned. Our first grenadiers prepared to mount the 
 breach at two o'clock in the morning, when, to their 
 great surprise, they approached without opposition, 
 £tnd discovered that the place was entirely evacuated. 
 We took possession of it, and found on the walls 
 many pieces of cannon which the enemy could not 
 take away. 
 
 * Never,* said this officer to me, * can you form 
 an adequate idea of the dreadful scene which the in- 
 terior of Smolensko presented to my view, and never 
 during the whole course of my life can I forget it. 
 Every street, every square, was covered with the bo- 
 dies of the Russians, dead or dying. The flames 
 shed a horrible glare over them. Ah ! how much 
 have those princes to answer for, who, merely to gra- 
 tify their own ambition, expose their people to such 
 calamities.' 
 
 The next day (August 19th) we entered Smolen- 
 sko, by the suburb that is built along the bank of the 
 river. In every direction we marched o?er scatter- 
 ed ruins and' dead bodies. Palaces, still burning-, 
 offered to our sight only walls half destroyed by the 
 flames, and, thick among the fragments were the 
 blackened carcasses of the wretched inhabitants. 
 
88 ' SMOLENSKO. 
 
 whom the fire had consumed. The few houses that 
 remained, were completely filled by the soldiery, 
 while at the door stood the miserable proprietor, 
 without an assylum, dcjdoring the death of his chil- 
 dren, and the loss of his fortune. The churches 
 alone afforded some consolation to the unhappy vic- 
 tims, who had no other sheUer. The cathedral, ce- 
 lebrated through Europe, and held ia great veneration 
 by the Russians, became the reliige of the unfortu- 
 nate beings v^^ho had escaped the flames. In this 
 church, aud ronnd its altars, were seen whole fami- 
 lies extended on the ground. On one side was an 
 old man, just expiring, and casting r. last look on the 
 image of the saint vvhom he had all his life invoked 3 
 on the other was an infant whose feeble cries the mo- 
 ther, worn down withgr ef, waseudeavouring to hush, 
 and while she n reseated it with the breast, her tears 
 drojjped fast upon it. 
 
 In the midst of this desolation, the passage of the 
 army into the interior of the town, foimed a striking 
 contrast. On one side was seen the abject submis- 
 sio! of the conquered — on the other the pride attend- 
 ant upon victory; the former had lost their all — the 
 latter, rich with spoil, and ignorant of defeat, marched 
 proudly oh to the sound of warlike music, inspiring 
 the unhappy remains of a vanquished population with 
 mmaled fear and admiration. . 
 
 The grand bridge across the Nieper, which had 
 been burnt, and that communicated with the other 
 part of the town, in which there did not remain a 
 Single house, was promptly repaired. In the mean=^ 
 
SMOLENSK©. 89 
 
 lime the cavalry of general Grouchy, with the fourth 
 corps, and all their artillery crossed a ford at the ex- 
 tremity of the suburb by which we entered. In this 
 interval the other bridg-es were constructed, which so 
 accelerated the passage, that the same day the artil- 
 lery and cavalry of the king of Naples were on the 
 road to Moscow, in pursuit of the enemy. 
 
 All the fourlh corps having succeeded in cross- 
 ing the river, encamped on the heights that surround 
 the town, near the post-road from Porietsch to Pe- 
 tersburg. This was a position of the greatest im- 
 portance, and every one was astonished that the ene- 
 my had not defended it better. Had they made a 
 stand here, our march would have been considerably 
 retarded ; the prmcipal road to Moscow would have 
 been cut off, nor could we have retained possession 
 of the town, which this position completely com- 
 manded. 
 
 While the centre of the army pursued its trium- 
 phant career, general Gouvion St. Cyr gained some 
 important victories on the banks of the Dwina. 
 After the battle of Drissa, prince Wittgenstein, being 
 reinforced by twelve battalions, resolved to aot on 
 the offensive against the duke of Reggio (Oudiuot), 
 The latter, seeing himself on the point of being at- 
 tacked, united the Bavarian corps (the sixteenth) to 
 that which he already commanded. The engagement 
 actually took place on the 16ih and l7th of August ; 
 but at the moment the duke of Reggio was taking 
 measures to repel it, a grape-shot struck him in the 
 12 
 
m 
 
 ^MOLENSKO. 
 
 sboulder. and so (lansrerously wounded him that he 
 was compelied to quit the field of battle, and to give 
 tip the command to g-eneral Gonvion St. Cyr. 
 
 The latter disposed every thing- for the attack the 
 next morning' at daybreak; and, the better to deceive 
 the Russians, he ordered all ihe bag-g-age, and a g-reat 
 part of the artillery and cavalry, to retire on the leffc 
 bank of the Dwina, iu sight of the enemy, and, as- 
 cending the river, to repass it at Polotsk without be- 
 ing- seen. The enemy, deceived by this skilful ma- 
 ncEUvre, believed that we were retreating, and ad- 
 vanced in pursuit; but, instead of finding us disposed 
 to quit the ground, we presented ourselves ranged in 
 Older of battle, and our artillery, advantageously 
 placed, commenced a destructive fire on them. At 
 the same lime our infantry, under the protection of 
 our cannon, attacked the left and centre of the corps 
 commanded by general Wittgenstein. The two di- 
 visions of generals Wrede and Koy, having combin- 
 ed their movements with great bravery and skdl, 
 iBaiched out of Spas together. The division of Le- 
 grand, in position on the left of this village, was con- 
 nected with that of general Yerdier, one of whose 
 brigades observed the right of the enemy ; and the 
 division of Merle covered the front of the town of 
 Polotsk. 
 
 The enemy, although surprised at seeing us s® 
 well disponed, advanced with great resolution, con- 
 fiding in their arlillery ; but, towards the evening, 
 prince Wittgenstein, seeing his centre and his left 
 forced, retired in echei«n^ alter furiously defending' 
 
SM'^LENSKO. 91 
 
 every position. By this obstinate resistance he suc- 
 ceeded in saving his army, which, notwithstaudnig 
 the arrival of powerful reinforcements, endeavoured 
 in vain to resume offensive operations. We should 
 bave taken a great number of prisoners, had not the 
 woods facilitated their escape. Those who fell iato 
 our harids, had been left wounded on the lield of bat- 
 tle, and by their numbers we were e^sabled to jutige 
 of the severe loss which the Russians had sustained. 
 Several pieces of cannon added to the trophies of this 
 glorious day. 
 
 In truth, this victory was dearly purchased by 
 the loss of severa- brave I'iavarian officers, es;]ecialjy 
 of generals de Roy and Sierisein. Tne first was par* 
 ticuiariy regretted. The soldiers lost in him a father, 
 aiid the officers, a ch-ef, whose talents and consum- 
 mate experience were held in veneration bv the whole 
 Bavarian army. Generals, officers, and soldiers, ri- 
 valled each other in contributing to the success of the 
 day. Among the first, Count Gouviou St. Cyr ren- 
 dered a just tribute of praise to generals Legrandy 
 Verdier (wounded). Merle, Von Wtede, and Aubry ; 
 the latter, who was general of the artillery, particular- 
 ly distinguished himself in his department. The count 
 closed his rej'Ort by invoking the benevolence of the 
 emperor towards hss officers. He thus did justice to 
 all except to himself, on which point he observed a 
 profound silence ; but his modesty was the more con- 
 spicuous, and this virtue, which belongs only to great 
 minds, was a few days aiterwards rewarded on tlie 
 field of battle with a marshal's staff. 
 
92 SMOLENSKO. 
 
 While our corps on the left g-ained these important 
 victories ontheDwina; those of the centre distin- 
 guished themselves in combats no less glorious. 
 
 The duke of Elchingen TNey), having passed the 
 JVieper (19th August) above Smolensko, joined the 
 king of Naples in pursuit of the enemy. After march- 
 ing a league, he met part of the rear-guard, consisting 
 of six thousand men. Their position was carried in 
 an instant, and the bayonet covered the field of battle 
 with their dead. 
 
 This corps, which protected the retreat of the Rus- 
 sians, having been forced hastily to retire, took post 
 on the rising ground of Valantina. The first line, 
 however, was broken by the eighteenth regiment, and 
 towards four o'clock m the afternoon, a fire of mus- 
 ketry commenced with the whole rear-guard, then 
 cons sting of fifteen thousand men. The duke of 
 Abrantes (Junot), who had lost his way on the right of 
 Smoiensko, could not reach the road to Moscow time 
 enough to cut off the retreat of this rear-guard*. The 
 first columns of the enemy therefore returned to the 
 charge, and brought four divisions successively into 
 the field. The Russians were the more interested in 
 defending this position, as, besides its real strength, it 
 had always been regarded as impregnable, from the 
 defeats which the Poles had uniformly sustained here 
 in their ancient wars. Thence the Russians, super- 
 stitiously connected with this plain, the idea of certain 
 victory, and decorated it with the pompous title of the 
 Sacred Field. 
 
 # See ISth and l^th bulletins of the campaign. 
 
jjMOLENSKo. 9S 
 
 If the enemy attached the highest importance to the 
 preservation of this }3osition, it was not of less moment 
 for us to carry it, that we might be enabled more effec- 
 tually to annoy his retreat, and to obtain possession of 
 all the baggage, and the waggons with the wounded 
 from Smoiensko, the evacuation of which had been 
 protected by the rear-guard. 
 
 At six o'clock in the evening the division of Gudin^ 
 sent to support the thirteenth corps against the nume- 
 rous troops which the enemy recalled to his succour^ 
 appeared in column before the centre of the enemy's 
 position. Supported by the division of Ledru, they 
 instantly carried it. The seventh light infantry, the 
 twelfth, twenty-first, and one hundred and twenty-se- 
 venth, which composed the division of Gudin, charged 
 with such impetuosity that the enemy immediately 
 fled, persuaded they were engaged with the imperial 
 guards. But so much bravery cost us the life of the 
 gallant gevieral who commanded them. He was one 
 of the most distinguished officers in the army, and was 
 equally regretted for his private virtues, and his mili- 
 tary? skdl and intrepidity. His death, however, was 
 wed avenged. His division made a dreadful carnage 
 of the enemy, who fled towards Moscow, leaving the 
 Sacred Field covered with their dead. Among the 
 rest were found the bodies '.>f generals Skalon and 
 Baila ; and it was asserted that the general of caval- 
 ry, Koff, being mortally wounded, was considered by 
 the Russians as a loss equally great with that whicli 
 we had to deplore. 
 
94 SMOI.ENSKO. 
 
 At three o'clock on the morning' of the foilowinr 
 day, the emperor distributed rewards on the field of 
 battle to the regiments which had distinguished them- 
 selves. To ilie one hundred and twenty-seventh, a 
 nevs^ regiment, whch had contributed much to the 
 glory of the day, Napoleon granted the right ot car- 
 rying an eagie ; a privilege which they had not before 
 enjoyed, because they had not been present in any en- 
 gagement. These rewards, bestowed on a spot ren- 
 dered famous by vie lory, and in the midst of the dymg 
 and the dead, exhibited a scene of grandeur that 
 assimilated our exploits to the heroic deeds of ancient 
 times. 
 
 At Smelensko, the fourth corps changed the chief 
 of its staff. General Dessoles, who had till then til»ed 
 that situation, disgusted to see his services remain 
 unnoticed, desired to enjoy in retirement the esteem 
 which his talents had procured him. The army, re- 
 collecting that he had shared in the glory and the 
 disgrace of Moreau, approved his determination, 
 well knowing the difficulty which he would tind in 
 obtaining a rank that could put him on a level with 
 those who had outstepped him in his ca* eer, and who 
 would always be preferred before him. The empe- 
 ror, yielding to the entreaties of this skilful general, 
 granted him an honourable retreat, and appointed 
 baron Guilleminot his successor, who was well 
 known to the viceroy, by having exercised the same 
 functions lor a short time after the battle of VYa- 
 gram. 
 
During the four days that Napoleon remained at 
 Smolensko, he reviewed the different corps which 
 had distinguished themselves since the opening- of the 
 campaig^n. In tliis respect none was more justly en- 
 titled to honourable distinction than the fourth corps. 
 It was at ienglh granted us, and the chiefs of each 
 division, with the exception of general Pino, who, 
 with the fifteenth, was gone to Witepsk, received 
 orders to put their soldiers under arms. (22d of 
 August.) 
 
 The whole of our army, in its best accoutre- 
 ments, was drawn up on a vast plain, a little beyond 
 that on which we were encamped. Its fine appear- 
 ance, and, a!;ove all, the recoUection of the brilliatit 
 affair of Witepsk, gained our corps the rewards due 
 to its bravery, and vihich were worthy of the munifi* 
 cence of the chief who deigoed to grant tbem. 
 
 It had hitherto been believed, that Napoleon, de- 
 sirous only to re-establish the kingdom of Poland, 
 would terminate his conquests by the capture of the 
 two towns of Witepsk and Smolensko, which, by 
 their position, completely defended the narrow j)as- 
 sage comprised between the Nieper and the Dwina. 
 Every one considered these towns as our destined 
 winter-quarters, and if the ambition of our chief had 
 suffered him to limit the operations of this campaign 
 to the taking of Riga, the fortifying of Witepsk and 
 Smolensko;, and, more particularly, the organization 
 of Poland, the whole of which he had now conquer- 
 ed, he would, doubtless, in the foilowiig spring, have 
 forced the Russains either to subscribe to his coadi- 
 
96 SMOLENSKO. 
 
 tions, or to run the risk of the ahnost certaiii cle- 
 slriiction both of Moscow and Petersbuj'of. But, in- 
 stead of adopting" so wise a plan, Napoleon, biiisded 
 by excess of prosperity, and at a distance of six ismi- 
 dred leag-ues from France, with worn-out horses, and 
 destitute of provisions, magazines, or hospitals, ven- 
 tured upon the g-reat road to Moscow. As a last 
 proof of his imprudence, he left in his rear a Rus- 
 sian army, cantoned in Moldavia, and which was 
 ready to march against us on the ratification of the 
 treaty of peace, which had been already concluded 
 with the Porte, 
 
 This army having ceased hostilities against the 
 Turks, was then commanded by admiral Tschika- 
 koff, who constantly sent fresh troops to reinforce the 
 army of Wolhynia, which was opposed to the corps 
 of prince Schwartzenberg. Napoleon had flattered 
 himself that the Austrians, in obedience to his or- 
 ders, would have repulsed the corps of Tormasow, 
 Eriel, and Essen, as effectually as we had beateu that 
 of Barclay de Tolly, and that consequently, our al- 
 lies ravaging the Ukrane, would penetrate into the 
 governments of Kiew and Kaluga, and join us on 
 our entry into Moscow. But the manoeuvres of the 
 Russian generals frustrated this great plan. Yictors 
 and vanquished, by turns, they defended every posi- 
 tion ; and, taking advantage of the chances of war, 
 returned continually to the ground which they had 
 abandoned. The fortress of Bobruisk therefore con- 
 tinued to hold out, and the Austrians never saw the 
 banks of the Nieper. 
 
SMOLENSKO. 97 
 
 Leaving Smolensko (23d August) we went to 
 Volodimerowa, a village situated on the main road» 
 On an eminence to the right, surrounded by marshes, 
 is a chateau built of wood. Arrived on this height, 
 at a distance of about five leagues from Smolensko 
 we halted. It was then the intention of the prince to 
 march to Doukhovchtchina, and afterwards to fall 
 back on Doroghoboui, where the centre of the grand 
 army was quartered ; but general Grouchy, who hud 
 preceded us with hjs cavalry, announced that he had 
 repulsed the enemy more than twenty leagues. The 
 viceroy (24th August) who could now dispense with 
 pushing on to Doukhovchtchina, determined to search 
 for a path that would conduct him straight to the 
 high road leading to Doroghot>oui. He found this 
 route after following an excellent road, traced by the 
 Russians themselves, in effecting their retreat. 
 
 On this march we traversed a fertile and luxuri- 
 ant country. We saw, for the first time in Russia, 
 cattle grazing in the fields, inhabitants remaining un- 
 disturbed in their villages, and houses that had not 
 been plundered. The soldier, possessing abundance, 
 forgot his fatigues, and regarded not the length of 
 his march, which continued several hours. At 
 length, towards the evening we arrived at Pologhi, a 
 village at a small distance froai the road which we 
 were seeking. On the following morning (25th of 
 August) we crossed the Wop, a small river that 
 would have attracted our attention more could we 
 have foreseen how fatal it would one day prove to 
 13 
 
9S SMOLE'NSEO. 
 
 US. We might:, however, have forrtied an idea uf 
 what it would be m winter, from the ciifficullv we 
 foui d 111 passing it m the midst or so nun tr. Its bed 
 was very deep, ajid the banks so Sfee|>, that the artil- 
 lery crossed it with great difficulty, and onU' by 
 doLibhng" the number of horses to each piece. 
 
 Coatiiiuirig our route, we ag-aii) came jn sight of 
 the Nitioer, wliose marshes covered with wood liear- 
 ly reached the hill on which kiy the road we sought, 
 Proceediiig about a league we perceived the high 
 iurrels of the beatilul chateau of Zaz^ie, appearing 
 at A distance hi^e a considei'able town. Close by 
 was a lake, where the cavalry of general Grouchy 
 refreshed themselves. They had arrived before us? 
 and were encamped rouod the chateau o\ Znzttlc. 
 
 The viceroy despatcl.ed some officers from this 
 place to Napofeoii, who was at Doroghobou'i , but, 
 although general Grouchy had pushed his advaticed- 
 guard along the high road, we doubted whether it 
 were cleared as far as thai town. The uids-de-camp, 
 therefore, crossed the INie|)er below Zazcl6, and pur- 
 suing the post-road from Smolensk©, they arrived 
 safe at Doroghoboui, where the staff of the grand 
 armv had established their head-qoarters. 
 
 This town, sitoaied on an emicence, oltered a 
 military position capable of eflectnaily stopping the 
 progress of any army marchmgon the two high roads 
 from Smolensko to Moscow. Yet, notwithstanding 
 these advantages, it was very feebly defended owing' 
 to the o-reat losses which the Russians had sustained 
 ill the battles of Smolensko ami Yalontina. Gitr 
 
SMOIiENSKO. 99 
 
 poi'ps was entering" Doroohoboui, when an aid-de- 
 camp from Napoleon brought despatches to ihe vice- 
 roy. Having- read them, the prince g-ave orders to 
 select the most adv.mlao'eons sitiiaiioij in the neisfh- 
 bonrhood to encauip his divisions. The waut of wa- 
 ter having obliged us to jsush on to Mikailovskoe, we 
 estabhshed ourselves near thss vdhige. The cavahy 
 was in the rear, the Hi'aatry of the royal guard in the 
 centre 3 and, on theiJanks, were the two French divi- 
 sions, which forffied [j^rt of our corps. 
 
 At a league from Mikailovskoe (27Lh August) 
 we passed through twb villages, siluated in a marshy 
 valley. Shortly after, we entered ihe plain through 
 which runs the Nie[)er, and followed the road to 
 Blaghov^, where we isstended to cross the river. On 
 our right were some cultivated hitiS, with several 
 villages. The smoke issuing irom the houses made 
 lis conjecture that they had not been abandoned. We 
 saw at a distance their pea^.;eab!e iiihabitunls standiiig 
 on the summit of the hilis, anxiously ooserving 
 whether v»'e came to trouble the peace of their cot- 
 tages. 
 
 The sources of the Nieper not being far distant, the 
 river is here little larger than a brook. We forded it 
 with ease, and the artdlery had no other difficulty than 
 to climb its banks, v^hich, like all tiie rivers of Rus- 
 sia, are extremely steep and high, to contain the 
 great masses of water produced by the melting of 
 the snow. 
 
 The viceroy always present at the passage of a 
 river, did not quit this till ail the troops Jiad crossed. 
 
100 SMOLENSKO, 
 
 The fourth corps still forming the extreme point of 
 the left of the grand army, we marched over almost 
 unbeaten tracks. To prevent our wandering, the 
 prince ordered general Triaire, commandmg the ad- 
 vanced-guard, to post dragoons along the road. This 
 Wise precaution proved beneficial to the detachments, 
 and especially to the stragglers, who now, having no 
 doubt which road they ought to pursue, arrived all 
 safely at'Agopochina. Before this measure was 
 adopted, these unhappy beings, when left in the rear 
 from fatigue and sickness, found themselves in the 
 midst of thick forests, or on immense plains inter- 
 sected by numerous paths, all equally beaten, and 
 not knowing the language of the country, nor meet- 
 ing with a single person to direct them, they wander- 
 ed about in these vast solitudes, and perished, sooner 
 or later, by famine, fatigue, or the sword of the 
 enemy. 
 
 The village of Agopochina, where we halted, is 
 remarkable for a large chaiemi, and a noble church 
 built of stone. The four sides are ornamented with 
 peristyles. The sanctuary, constructed according to 
 the Greek ritual, is very rich, and adorned with se- 
 veral paintings, which reminded us of those which 
 the Greeks brought from Constantinople, when, in 
 the fourteenth century, they first established their 
 schools in Italy. From this village, the command- 
 ant Sewlinge, who had lately joined our stafi^ was 
 sent with important despatches to the king of Naples. 
 The king not having received these despatches, and 
 the commandant never returning, we felt the painful 
 
SMOI.ENSKO. 101 
 
 conviction that he had fallen into the hands of the cos- 
 sacks. 
 
 The next day, (28th August) we continued to 
 flank the left of the high road, marching always nearly 
 in a line willi the corps of the centre. The track 
 which we followed had never before been traversed 
 by an army. It was narrow, cut by frequent ravines, 
 and often so con racted, that it resembled a path, tra- 
 ced merely to divide the grounds. Arrived at a vil- 
 lage, the name of which was unknown, we found three 
 roads; one straight before us, one on our right, and a 
 third on our left. We followed the latter, which con- 
 ducted us, after a march of three hours, to an aban- 
 doned chateau, within a league of Bereski. 
 
 Early in the morning (29th August) we left this 
 chateau, in a thick fog". The frequent halts which the 
 viceroy made, and the reconnoitring" parties which he 
 sent to the right, as if to listen whether cannon were 
 firing on the high road, convinced us that he was im- 
 patient to know whether Napoleon met with any ob- 
 stacles in his march. 
 
 We approached Viazma. This small town, 
 which, in Russia, may be reckoned a great one, was 
 in a very advantageous situation for the enemy, be- 
 ing situated among" the numerous branches of the 
 river Viazma. It is surrounded by ravines, and 
 stands on a beautiful eminence, commanding the 
 plain and the defile, through which passes the high 
 road from Smolensko. The Russians did not profit 
 much by these advantages ; they but feebly defended 
 the place, and, after a slight resistance, set fire to the 
 
102 SMOLENSK©, 
 
 principal build-n^s and retired. When we arrived, 
 Viazma was a prey to the flames ; and, although ac- 
 customed to conflagrations, we could not helj> regard- 
 ing", with pity, this unhappy town, so lately peopled by 
 ten thousand inhabitants. Though newly founded, it 
 contained more than sixteen churches. The houses, 
 all new, and elegantly constructed, were enveloped in 
 clouds of smoke, and their destruction excited greater 
 regret, as they were the noblest which we had seen 
 since we quitted Smolensko. 
 
 The viceroy halted on the plain more than two 
 hours. Placed on a rising ground we observed dis- 
 tinctly the progress of the flames, and heard the guns 
 iiriwg on ihe enemy beyoud the town. A numerous 
 cavalry, which arrived from every quarter, encamped 
 in ihe environs. Prmce Eugene, having received 
 the emperor's orders, now passed the little river 
 Viaznia, which runs by the town of ihe same name; 
 and' proceeding to the left, he overtook the troops 
 which he had sent i)efore hmi, and whose march had 
 l)i?eD retarded by the passage of the Yiazma. We 
 met with yet another branch of the Viazma, the ap- 
 proach to which was so muddy, that it was impossi- 
 ble to ford it at any point. It was therefore neces- 
 sary to march along the bank till we found a wretch- 
 ed bridge, by which we crossed the river. Hence we 
 came to a little hill, from the top of which we per- 
 ceived at a distance a beautiful chateau, consistusg 
 i)f four pavilions, and a noble church. On ehtermg 
 it, we learned that the village was called J^fovoe? and 
 
iSMOLENSKO. lOS 
 
 that the c/i«^e«M had been pi aiidered by the light ca- 
 valry. 
 
 We halted in this village (30th Aiig-ust) having; 
 on our left the royal guards, and the fourteenth divi- 
 sion, with the thirteenth in front. The artillery of 
 these divisions was placed in batteries facing the dif- 
 ferent roads on which it was possible tliat the enemy 
 niig'nt appear. 
 
 As we commenced our march (31st August) we 
 were rejoined by the Bavarian cavalry under geueral 
 Preysiug. The viceroy and the staff accompanied 
 us. We saw on the road two neat chateaux cotn- 
 pletely ravaged. We baited at the second, and pass- 
 ed through a delighifnl garden with beautiiul walks 
 tastefully arranged. The pavilions had been newly 
 decorated, but tiiey offered novv' an imag^e of tlie most 
 frightful desolation. The furniture was broken to 
 pieces ; fragments of the most precious china were 
 scattered about the garden, and many exquisite 
 paintings had been torn from their frames, and were 
 dispersed by the winds. 
 
 The viceroy had pushed his march beyond the 
 chateau ofPakrovo; but observing that the infantry 
 was far in the rear, he returned to the chateau in 
 which some provisions were found, and especially a 
 quantity of oats in the straw, and excellent forage. 
 
 Since the affair at Witepsk, the fourth corps had 
 not met the enemy, and had not even seen any 
 of those detachments of cossacks which, in the first 
 Polish campaign, continually harrassed our troopSj, 
 a^nd intercepted the baggage ; but after we passed 
 
104 SMOLENSKO* 
 
 Viazma, more circumspection was necessary on our 
 march. 
 
 Although the enemy had not presented himself, 
 to observe our movements, we were nevertheless 
 certain that he would soon appear ; and, the next day 
 (1st September) being about half way on our accus- 
 tomed march, our cavalry was sto ped by the cos- 
 sacks. Two or three cannon-shots were the signal 
 of this rencontre. The viceroy immediately put the 
 cavalry of the Italian guards m order of battle, pre- 
 ceded by a considerable number of sharp-shooters. 
 These drove before them the enemy's squadrons, 
 who retired in proportion as we adanced, without 
 opposincr any resistance. They continued to retreat 
 as far as Ghiat, of which the emperor had just taken 
 possession. Above this town is a small river, which 
 they crossed, and immediately, as if to observe us, 
 drew up in order of battle on an eminence that com- 
 mands the plain by which we arrived. The viceroy, 
 after having made me reconnoitre the fords which 
 might facilitate the passage of the river, ordered the 
 Bavarian troops to cross it at a point that had been 
 explored and which was exactly between two little 
 villages, occupied by the cossacks. The enemy, 
 however, no sooner perceived this movement, than 
 they abandoned the villages and the heights, of which 
 the Bavarian cavalry, followed H)y their artillery, soon 
 took possession. Arrived on these heights, we saw 
 the enemy flying on all sides. They were closely- 
 pursued ^ but as night approached, our corps estab- 
 
SaiOLElSSKO. 105 
 
 iished itself in the little village of Paulovo, at the dis- 
 tance of half a league from Ghiat. 
 
 The emperor having passed three days in this 
 town, we halted likewise at Paulovo and Woremiewo 
 (2d and 3d September). Here the emperor, in the 
 general orders of the day, granted some repose to the 
 troops, which he commanded them to employ in col- 
 lecting provisions, in cleaning their arms, and pre- 
 paring for the battle, which the enemy seemed willing 
 to accept. Lastly, the marauding detachments were 
 ordered to return on the following evening, if thev 
 wished to participate in the honour of the engage- 
 ment. 
 
 14 
 
BOOK I\. 
 
 THE MOSKWA. 
 
 After the capture of Smolensko, the emperoi 
 Napoleon was not ignorant that Russia, having con- 
 cluded a peace with the Turks, would soon have the 
 whole of the Moldavian army at her disposal : never- 
 theless, he followed up his successes without dis=> 
 quieting himself respecting the future. But the news 
 which he received af Ghiat, that general Katusoffj 
 the renowned conqueror of the Oitoman power, had 
 arrived from the banks of the Danube, and taken the 
 command of the Russian army, hitherto under the 
 orders of count Barclay de Tolly, ought to have con- 
 vinced him that he would soon be attacked. 
 
 This 'general, who was regarded by the Mosco- 
 vites as the hope of their country, arrived at Czar^vo- 
 Saimiche, (29th August). The officers and soldiers 
 hailed as their chief this venerable warrior, already 
 celebrated in the annals of Russia ; and the inhabi-e 
 tants of Ghiat informed us that the sight of him had 
 inspired the army with hope and joy. In fact, he; 
 had scarcely arrived, when he announced that the 
 Russian army would retreat no further. That he 
 might better defend Moscow, within four days march 
 of which we were now arrived, he chose a strong po- 
 
108 THE MOSKWA. 
 
 sition between Ghiat and Mojaisk, where he could 
 advantageously awaif one of those decisive battles 
 which often determine the fate of empires. Each 
 party was sanguine in its expectation of victory. The 
 Moscovites contended for their country, their homes, 
 and their children. Our soldiers, accustomed to con- 
 quer, and filled with those grand and heroic ideas, 
 which continued success naturally inspires, eagerly de- 
 manded the fight ; and such is the superiority that 
 coirage gives over mere numbers, that on the eve of 
 the battle we calcuiated what, on the morrow, would 
 be the fruits of our approaching victory. 
 
 During the stay of Napoleon at Ghiat, our head- 
 quarters were transported from Paulovo to Wore- 
 miewo, where was a beautiful seat, beiongmg to 
 prince KutusofF. The staff had just entered the 
 village, when the viceroy, accompanied by several 
 officers, arrived to examine the environs of the place. 
 Scarcely had he been gone a quarter of an hour, 
 when he discovered that the whole plain was ^iled 
 with cossacks, who advanced as if they would charge 
 the group that surrounded the prince Eugene; but 
 on seeing some dragoons, who formed his escort, they 
 fled precipitately, and appeared no more in the neigh- 
 bourhood of Woremiewo. 
 
 While we remained in this village, some soldiers 
 of the hundred and sixth legmient, gomg on a torag^ 
 ing party, fell in with i\. post-chaise occupied by a 
 Russian officer and surgeon ; the former on benig in^- 
 terrogated by an officer of the staff, declared that he 
 .«?{}me from Riga, his native country,, and w\is goings 
 
THE MOSKWA. 109 
 
 to the head-quarters of Kutusoff, who had for some 
 days superceded Barclay de Toliy. Although this 
 officer was descended from a good Lavonian family, 
 and was decorated with several crosses and medals, 
 the viceroy would not see him, justly suspecting- that 
 he had purposely exposed himself to discover our ma- 
 noeuvres. Several peasants who were surprised on an 
 unfrequented road, and particularly iii the neighl>our- 
 hood of Mojaisk, where the enemy had intrenched 
 themselves, almost reduced this suspicion to a cer- 
 tauity. 
 
 Having passed two days at Woremiewo, we left 
 it on the 4th of September, and passed through some 
 forests, where they informed us the cossacks had been 
 seen. The reports of ihe advanced-guard conti* m- 
 ing this news, caused the viceroy to halt in an exten- 
 sive plam, where our whole corps was assembled. 
 The prince, placing hiaiself at the head of the caval- 
 ry, ordered the infantry to follow, while the guard, 
 placed as a reserve, brought up the rear. In this 
 order we advanced to meet the enemy. When we 
 reached the little village of Louzos, we found our- 
 selves impeded by a rivulet. The cossacks, who 
 were assembled on the opposite side, appeared to be 
 forming themselves into squadrons to oppose our pas- 
 sage ; but the viceroy ordering the cavalry to mount 
 the ravine, the Russians, fearing lest they should be 
 charged in the rear, fled with precipitation. 
 
 On gaining the heights, we discovered before us 
 several villages on tire, and hearing a brisk cannon- 
 ade, we imagined tli^t we were not far from the raad 
 
110 UTHE MOSKWA* 
 
 which Nopoleon had taken. Near the post-house, ettU 
 led Ghridneva, was another immense ravine thai cross- 
 ed the main road ; and on the opposite side was a. 
 steep hill, on which the Russians had established 
 some batteries, after an obstinate engagement which 
 had taken place there during the day. 
 
 When the enemy perceived that the fourth corps 
 was forming- on their right, they despatched a nume- 
 rous cavaliy to reconnoitre our position, which re- 
 tired when our artillery opened upon them. This 
 cavalry appeared for a moment di.->;.osed to maintain 
 itself on the edge of a wood j thevicerpv, therefore^ 
 ordered coionei Ranibourgh, of tiiC third Italian chas- 
 seurs, to march upon that pomt, and bruig ihem to 
 action. The cossacks observed this movement 
 without being intimidated ; and wheii the chasseurs 
 were on the point of charging them, they ru.shed 
 from the wood, crying * Houra ! houra !' — a cry, 
 since become too celebrated, and which these bar- 
 barians always use when they attack then* enemies. 
 The Italian chasseurs received them with great cool- 
 ness. The action was smart, but of no duration, for 
 the cossacks seeing the Bavarian light-horse advance, 
 quilted the tield, leaving Some prisoners in our pos- 
 session. 
 
 The Russians, nevertheless, maintained their po- 
 sitions on the summit of the hill, whence they kept 
 up a galling tire on us as we advanced. Several 
 bullets fell among a group of officers who surround- 
 ed llie prince. We succeeded, however, in passmg 
 fhe ravuie in spite of ail opposition, and efieeied our 
 
THE MOSKWA. 1 1 1 
 
 junction with the aiivanced-ofuard of the granrl armj> 
 commanded by the kin^ of Naples. We distin- 
 guished that monarch from afar by his white plun^e^ 
 as stationed at tUe head of his troops, he animated 
 them to the combat bv his own example. 
 
 As soon as the viceroy was informed that the 
 king of Naples was there, he went to concert with 
 him the necessary dispositions. The place of their 
 conference was not changed, and both of them dis- 
 coursed with the utmost sang-froid, though exposed 
 to the fire of the batteries, and seeing those around 
 them falling every minute by the shot of the enemy. 
 
 At the approach of night we returned to Loiizos, 
 where we had no other shelter than some miserable 
 barns, covered with thatch. Hunger redoubled our 
 sufferings, and we had nothing to satisfy its cravings. 
 The surroundnig hamlets, which had been sacked by 
 the cossacks, could yield us no relief. At the same 
 X\yne we were close to the intrenched camp of Mo- 
 ja'isk, where KutusofF hoped to accomplish o«r 
 defeat ; and this he would certainly have effected, if 
 he could only have detained us a few days before his 
 formidable lines. 
 
 The position of Ghridneva, which the Russians 
 had defended on the preceding evening, was evacu- 
 ated during the night. The king of Naples, ardent 
 ^n pursuit [bth September) rapidly advanced. The 
 fourth corps, which continued to flank the left wing 
 (pfthe army, always kept at the distance of about a 
 league from the main roadr On leaving a wood inr 
 fe»led by the cossacks, we passed through a v;Uf?ge 
 
112 THE MOSfcWA. 
 
 Ihat had been pillai^ed by these bafbanans„ The 
 horrible desolation which marked their career ena-' 
 bled us easilv to follow their steps. Beino- arrived 
 at the foot of a hill, we discovered some of their 
 sqeiadrois on the top, raui2^ed ia order of battle^ 
 round a noble duite.au, which overlooked the neigh- 
 bourin|>: plains. The viceroy immediately ordered 
 the Bavarians to advance on this poiat, who, notwith- 
 standing- the difficulties of the couniry, reached the 
 summit in the g^reatest order. As our alhes advanc- 
 ed, the enemy retired; and, as they descended the 
 other side of the hill, our artiliery-me! directed upo» 
 them the cannon which had been plaited on the ter- 
 race of the chateau. We pursued them through the 
 wood, and being- arrived at an open place, we saw 
 long columns of Russians defiling, who, pursued by 
 our troops, took up a position on an extensive plain 
 at the summit of a hill about half a league distant, 
 and where it was said, prince KutusofF intended to 
 hazard a decisive battle. On our right, we saw, 
 below us, the abbey of Kolotskoi. The massy 
 towers of this building gave it the appearance of a 
 town. The coloured tiles, with which it was cover- 
 ed, reflected the rays of the sun through the thick 
 dust caused by our immense cavalry, and served to 
 heighten still more, the gloomy and savage aspect 
 which the whole surrounding country presented. 
 The Russians intendmg to arrest our progress here, 
 had devastated in the most frightful manner, all the 
 plain, on which we were forced to encamp. The 
 c!orn, though yet green, had been cut, the woods des- 
 
l-HE MOSKWA. lis 
 
 Iroyed, and the villaofes burnt. In a word, we found 
 no food for onr horses, and no shelter for ourselves. 
 
 We halted on a hill. During this time the cen- 
 tre of the array vigorously pursued the enemy, and 
 obhged them to recire upon the eminence which they 
 had intrenched. We remained inactive till nearly 
 two o'clock in the afternoon ; when the viceroy, fol- 
 lowed only by his staff, reconnoitred the approaches 
 to the Russian position. He had scarcely com* 
 menced, when our dragoons, placed as sharp-shootersj 
 announced the approach of Napoleon. Immediately 
 the name of the emperor passed from mouth to 
 inouth, and every one awaited his arrival with the 
 greatest impatience. He soon made his appearance 
 followed by his principal officers, and took his station 
 on an eminence whence he could easily conmiand 
 the whole camp of the enemy. After having long 
 and attentively regarded their positiouj and carefull}'^ 
 observed all the adjacent country, he began to hum 
 some insignificant tune. He then conversed a mo- 
 ment with the viceroy, and, mounting his horse, he 
 went to consult the prince of Eckmuhl (Davoust). 
 
 The viceroy now ordered the thirteenth and four-' 
 teenth divisions to advance. The Italian guard, 
 which had been left in the rear, was placed in re^ 
 serve. These two divisions had scarcely reached 
 the eminence whence they could attack the Russians, 
 when a brisk fire of musketry commenced on our 
 right between the sharp-shooters of Gerard's division 
 (third division, first corps) and those of the eaemy. 
 J5 
 
ii4 WME MOSKWA. 
 
 At fi^'^t onr troops advanced close to the ravine wh'cils 
 sepnraJed us from ihe enemy; bill soperior yumbers 
 ob'ijred tl em to relire. 
 
 The Russians had a redoubt towards the right 
 exl. eouty of our array, ^he destructive fire of which 
 c^sfried conslernatfon throug"h the ratiks. They had 
 constructed d to t'ortifv their left ^ving■, which was 
 the wenkesl part of their uitre ched camp. Napo'eon 
 understood ihis, and saw the liecessity of taking ihat 
 redoubt. This honour was confined to Compan*s 
 division (fourth division, firs* corps) and these g-allant 
 men advn?jced to the attack, with an intrepidity which 
 ensured the success of the enterprise. lii this interval, 
 prince Poniatowski mntioeuvred on our ri^ht with his 
 cavah'y, in order to turn the position ; and when he 
 was at a convenient distance, Compan's division at- 
 tacked the redoubt, aiid succeeded in carrying it, after 
 an hour's fighting. The enemy, completely routedji 
 abandoned the neighbouring woods, and, retreating ia 
 disorder towards She principal eminence, rejoined the 
 centre of their army. 
 
 The division of Compan, in proving itself wor- 
 thy of the brilliant enterprise with which it was in- 
 trusted, purchased that lionour with considerable loss. 
 The acquisition of this important position cost us 
 the lives of oue thousand two hundred of our men,, 
 move tt an half of whom remained dead in the in- 
 trenchments which they had so gloriously carried. 
 The next morniijg, as Na )oleoM was reviewing the 
 sixty -Mrst regiment which had suffered most, he ask- 
 
3'HE MOSKWA, 115' 
 
 pi\ \he colonel what he had done wilh one of bis batta'- 
 liofis : ♦ Sire,' replied he, * it is in ihe rtdouhf.' 
 
 The possession of the redoubt did not in the leasl 
 determine the succes;* of the bailie. Before the ge- 
 neral engagement begauj Napoleou wished to gain a 
 position on the other side of the river which sepa- 
 rated us from the enemy. Ti ick underwood 
 concealed their numerous siuirp-shooters, and ren- 
 dered the approach as ditticuit as it was dan- 
 gerous. But our courageous light troops recom- 
 menced the attack with redoubled vigour ; an 1 al- 
 though the day was nearly closed, the tire on both 
 sides continued with equal fury. At the same tinies 
 general villages on tire to the right, spread around a 
 frightful glare. The cries of the combatants, aiid ihe 
 ilames which were vomited from a thousand brazen 
 mouths, and which carried every where desolation 
 and death, completed the horrpr of the scei.e. Oiu- 
 corps, ranged m order of battle, received with intre- 
 pidity, the tire oi the enemy, and coolly closed the 
 ranks, as soon as a cannon-ball had laid any of 
 their comrades iow. 
 
 In the meaiitinie, the night becoming more ob- 
 scure, abated the hre without abating our ardour; for 
 each, uncertain of his aim, thought it belter to re- 
 serve his strength and his anmmtion tor the mor- 
 row. Scarcely had we ceased firing, when the Rus- 
 sians, encamped as it were on an amphitheatre, light- 
 ed innumerable fires. The whole of tiien- camp was 
 one uninterrupted blaze of light, which, while it 
 presented a grand and sublime appearance, loimed a 
 
116 THE M<1SKWA. 
 
 sh iking" contrast with our bivouac, where the soldiers, 
 deprived oi uood, reposed in utie!" darkness, and heard 
 no sound but the groans of the wounded. 
 
 The viceroy caused h;s tent to be erected on the 
 spot where the Itaiiaa guard were placed in reserve. 
 Couched in the uoderwood, we slept soundly after 
 the fatigues of the day, in spJe of an mipeiuous 
 wind, and a rain excessively cold. Towants two 
 o'clock, I was awakened by the chief of our staff, who 
 informed me that the emperor wished for a plan of the 
 ground which we hud occur^sed the preceding evening. 
 I transmitied it to pn ce Eugene, who iminediatt:iy 
 sent it to N;ipoieon. The next morning at day-break 
 (<1lh of Scjitember,) the viceroy ordered me to com- 
 plere the plan by inspecting the whole sine, and ap^ 
 pro-acinng as near the enemy as I possibiy could, that 
 1 might the better discover the exact nature of the 
 grou d on which they were encamj-eii, and especially 
 to observe whetljer iheve were any masked batteries, or 
 ravines, unknown to us.'^ 
 
 After these instructions, I edvanced, and disco- 
 vered U at the Russian camp was situated behind the 
 river Kologha, upon a narrow eminence, and that its 
 left was very much weakened by the loss of the re- 
 doubf, wi'ich we had taken the evening before. In 
 front of the camp, and opposite to us, was the vil- 
 
 « The plan, which will be found here, has been esgraved after 
 ihmt wiiich ihe victiojr used on the day of battle. 
 
THE MOSKWA, 117 
 
 iage of Borodino, an extremely strong position,"^ situ- 
 . ated at the confluence of a little rivulet, with the Ko» 
 logha. Upon this eminence were two g"rand redoubts, 
 about two hundred toises from each other. That 
 on the right had fired on us the evening before ; 
 fchat on the left was ballt on the rums of a villas-e, 
 which they had destroyed for that purpose. This 
 redoubt communicated wjth Boi odir.o, by three bridges^ 
 constructed upon the Koiogha. Thus, this village, 
 and the rivulet which was in front, served the enemy 
 for his first hne. 
 
 Upon the extremity of our left, the Italipai cavalry 
 had crossed the rivulet of Borodino ; but this vil- 
 lage, placed on an eminence, was defeiided by a 
 numerous corps of Russian troops. All this ground 
 was exposed to the fire of their grand redoubts, as 
 well as under that of several smaller masked batteries 
 along the river. As for our right, they ki^ew that 
 our success the evening before, had enabled us to 
 «ross the Koiogha at this point, and to push forward 
 
 * Napoleon said in his bulletin of the battle of Moskwa, 
 
 * The viceroy, who formed our left, attacked aud took the vil- 
 lage of Borodino, which the enemy couid not defend' Prhice 
 Kutusoff. on the contrary, wrote to the emperor Alexander, 
 
 * The position which 1 have chosen in the village of Borodino, 
 is one of the best that can be I'sund in a fiat country. It is to 
 be wished, that the French would attack us in this poslfiori ' We 
 made the attack, and the village was so well defended, that ge- 
 neral Plausanne, and colonel Demay, of the artillery^ ofScers of 
 our corps, were killed in the commencement of the action. The 
 Russians have given to this bloody day, the name of the Baiik of 
 Borodino, 
 
ilS / *Hi: MOSKWA. 
 
 the greater psrt of our troops to ihe re?»r of \he emir 
 nence, on which was placed the euem}''s principal re* 
 doubi. 
 
 We passed the rest of the day in reconnoitring 
 ihe position of the Russsans. General Dauthouard 
 caused ihe redoubts, which were placed too much in 
 the rear, to be reconstructed ; and on the left, lliCy 
 likewise threw up some epa4iin[ieuts, where cannon 
 might be placed in batter^'. In fact, ail was prepared 
 for a decisive engagement, when, towards evening, 
 the eoiperor sent a proclamation to the eliieis of the 
 corps, with orders not to read ii to the soldiers till 
 the next day, should they then come to act. on ; for 
 aiihough the position was both advantageous and 
 strong, the enemy had so olten declined giving bat- 
 tle, that it was to be feared they wi uld again act as 
 they had done at Witepsk, and Yaloiitina. Here, 
 however, they were lor:ced to come to action, if they 
 Mould save Moscow, from which we were distant 
 biU tluee days' march., in addition to this, the ia- 
 ligueof our soldiers, and the exhaustion of our horses, 
 seemed to promise to the Russians an easy victory. 
 On the other hand, v;e were well assured that we must 
 either conquer or perish: and this idea iusinred us 
 all with such courage, that in spite oi' the numbers of 
 the Russian army, and their impreguabie mtrench- 
 ments, we regarded our entrance inlo Moscow as cer- 
 tain and near at hand. 
 
 Although, worn out with fatigue, w-e felt the 
 v»'ant of sleep ; there were many among us, so ena=- 
 mGured of glory, and so flushed with the hope of 
 
THE MOSKWA. llf 
 
 ibe morrow's success, that ihey were absolutely in- 
 capable of repose. As they passed the wakeful 
 hours, and the silence and darkness of midnight 
 stole upon them, while the fires of the sleeping- sol- 
 diers, now almost extinct, threw their last rays of 
 light over the heaps of arms piled around, thev gave 
 themselves up to profound meditation. They reflect- 
 ed on the wonderful events of our strange expedi- 
 tion ; they mused on the result of a battle which was 
 to decide the fate of two powerful empires ; ibey 
 Compared the sile'ice of the night with tlie tumult of 
 the morrow : they fancied that <leath was now hover- 
 ing over their crowded ranks, but the darkness of ibe 
 night prevented them from distinguishing who would 
 be the unhappy vi( tims : they then thought of iheh' 
 parents, then* country ; and the uncertainty wiieihci' 
 they should ever see these beloved objects again 
 plunged them into the deepest melancholy. But 
 suddenly, before day-break, the beat of the drum 
 was heard, the officers cried to arms, the men eagerly 
 nislied to their different stations, and all, in order for 
 battle, awaited the signal for action. The colonels, 
 placing themselves in the centre of their regiments 
 ordered the trumpet lo sound, and every captain, sur- 
 rounded by his company, read aloud the following 
 proclamation : — 
 
 * Soldiers, 
 
 * This is the battle so niuch desired by you I 
 The victory depends on yourselves. It is now ne- 
 cessary to us. t Will giv© us abundance, good win- 
 
12§ TH^ MOSKWA, 
 
 ier-qnariers, and r? prompt return to our ronntry! 
 Behave as at Au^terlitz, at S'r ediarul, at Witepsk, at 
 Smolensko, and let the lalesi posterity recount uith 
 prjrie, your conduct on this day; let them say of 
 you,—' He was at the great battle under the wails of 
 Moscow." 
 
 Every one was penetrated with the truths con- 
 tained in lliese energ^etic v&ords, and replied to tl;eni 
 by reiterated accSauiations. Some were anrnjated by 
 the love of glory, others flaliered hy the hope of re- 
 ward, but all were convinced, that imperious neces- 
 sity compelled us to conquer or to die. To ihe senti- 
 ment of seif-preservatiou, wde added ideas of duty 
 and of valour. Every heart was anintiated, every 
 breast proudly swelled, and each flattered himself that 
 this important day might place him in the rank of 
 those privileged men, who were born to excite the 
 «Rvy of their cotemporaries, and the admiration of 
 posterity. 
 
 Such were the feeling's of the army, when a ra- 
 dJerl siiu, bursting from the thickest tog", shone for 
 the l;ist time on many of us. It is reported, that at 
 lis Aiirhi, Napoleon exclaimed to those around him^ 
 * 1 i^ere is the sun of Austerlitz.' The action was 
 on t! f -^^.oint ot commencing-, the armies were in 
 sl-il.l of each other, the cannoniers at their pieces, 
 ai.d ail awaited in anxious silence the siot.al of 
 attack. At last (7th Se^ ieiuber), at six o'clock pre» 
 ciseiy, the firing of a cannon from our principal bat- 
 ten', announced that we were engaged.* Imimedi- 
 
 * See the plan of the field of battle.' 
 
THE MOSKVVA. 121 
 
 ately our thirteenth division marched upon the vil- 
 lage of Bqfo iioo, to which the enemy had ah'eady 
 set fire. Oar troops the s cro>^-ed the rivulet, and 
 arrived at the village. Orders had been given, ihaL 
 they should confine themselves to the occupation of 
 this position ; but, carried away by the enthusiasm 
 natural to Frenchmen, they crossed the river Ko- 
 logha, and took possession of one of the bridges 
 which connected the -village with the eminence. It 
 was then that general Plausanne, wishing to mode- 
 rate the ardour of the soldiers of the one hundred 
 and sixth, ran to the bridge to recall them, when a 
 ball struck him in the middle of his body. Behoved 
 dur ng bis life, his death was sincerely regretted. Ou 
 this occasion the bravery of the niiiety-second regi- 
 ment deserves the highest praise. Seeing thai, the 
 one hundred and sixth had ventured too far, it cross- 
 ed the bridge of Borodino, ai^d liastened to the suc- 
 cour of that regiment, which, indeed, without its 
 aid, must inevitably have been d. stroyed. 
 
 While the thirteenth division possessed itself of 
 Borodino, the fourteenth, crossing the Koiogha under 
 the eminence, lodged itself in a ravine near the prin-r 
 cipal redoubt, whence the enemy poured a horrible 
 fire. On this day the viceroy, besides his ovi'n corps 
 had under his orders the divisions of Gerard and 
 Morand, forming the first and third of the first corps. 
 At eight o'clock Morand's division, which had been 
 alreacjy engaged,, and formed the right extreme of the 
 fourth corpSj was warmly attacked at the rjioment 
 1C> 
 
 m 
 
i22 THE MOSKWA. 
 
 that it was preparing- to march upon the redoobt, a 
 movement which oug^ht to have been immedia*e]y 
 seconded by Gerard's division. Nevertheless, \vhile 
 general {\]orand sustained the efforts of the enemy's 
 lines, he detached upon his left the 30th reg-imeut, to 
 take possession of the redoubt. This position being- 
 carried, our artillery crowned the heights, and seized 
 the advantage which for more than two hours the 
 Russians had had over us. The guns, to whose de- 
 structive fire we had been exposed during the attack, 
 were now turned against the enemy, and the battle 
 Was lost to the Iliissians when they imagined that it 
 was but just begun. Part of their artillery was taken, 
 and the rest retreated to the rear. In this extremity, 
 prince Knlusoif saw that every thing was lost. Yet 
 determined to make one effort more, and to maintain 
 the re[)utation which he had acquired by the service 
 of half a century, he renewed the combat, and at- 
 tacked with all his forces the strong positions he had 
 jnst lost. Three hundred pieces of cannon, now ar- 
 raaged on these heights, spread devastation and death 
 among his ranks, and his disheartened soldiery pe- 
 rished at the feet of those ramparts which they had 
 themselves raised, and which they regarded as the 
 bulwark of Moscow, their venerable and sacred city. 
 
 The thirtieth regiment, attacked on every side 
 was unable to keep the redoubt which it had carried, 
 not being supported by the third division, scarcely 
 yet drawn up in order of battle. This gallant regi- 
 ment, commanded by general Bonami, was therefore 
 constrained to yield io the superior force which over- 
 
 
^THE MOSKWA. 123 
 
 whelmefl it, and rejoined its division with tlie loss of 
 its g-eneral. That division, with general Gerard's, 
 continued to maintain itself on the hill, and to with- 
 stand the utmost efforts oF ihe Russians. 
 
 The enemy, encouras^ed by the success he had 
 just obtained, brought forward his reserve, with the 
 hope of striking a decisive blow : it was partly com- 
 posed of the imperial guard. With all his forces conr 
 centrated, he attacked our centre, on which our right 
 had now wheeled. For a moment we feared that our 
 lines would have been broken, and that we should 
 have lost the redoubt we had gained the preceding 
 evening; but general Friand, coming up with twenty- 
 four pieces of cannon, arrested their progress, mow- 
 ing dowQ ranks at a time, who continued two hours 
 exposed to a fire of grape-shot, neither daring to ad^ 
 Vance, nor willing to recede. While they remained 
 in this uncertainty, we profited by it to snatch from 
 them a victory which they had considered as their 
 own. 
 
 The viceroy seized this decisive moment, and, 
 flvinof to the ria^ht, ordered a simultaneous attack of 
 the grand redoubt, by the first, third, and fourteenth 
 divisions. Having arranged all three in order of bat- 
 tle, these troops advanced with cool intrepidity. 
 They approached even the intrenchments of the ene- 
 my, when a sudden discharge of grape-shot from the 
 whole of their artillery spread distruction and con- 
 sternation through our ranks. Our troops were stag- 
 gered at this fatal reception; but the prince knew 
 how to reanimate their spirits, by calling to the re- 
 
 # 
 
124 THE MOSKWA. 
 
 collection of each reg-iment the circumstances iii 
 
 •wh'ch they had formerly covered themselves with 
 
 glory. To one he said, ' Preserve that courag'e 
 
 which has g^ained you the title of Invincible;' to 
 
 another, ' Remember, your reputation depends on 
 
 this day ;' then, turning towards the ninth of the line, 
 
 he said to them with emotion, * Brave soldiers, re- 
 
 Kiember you* were with me at Wagram, when we 
 
 broke the enen^y's centre.' By tliese words, and 
 
 still more by his example, he iniiamed the valour of 
 
 his troops to such a degree, that, shouting with joy, 
 
 they again marched with ardour to the redoubt. His 
 
 highness, riding along the line, arranged the attack 
 
 With the utmost coolness, and led it himself, at the 
 
 Lead of Broussier's division. At the same instant a 
 
 division of cuirassiers, from the centre of the army, 
 
 rushed oa the redoubt, and offered to our astoriished 
 
 sig-ht, a grand and sublime spectacle.* The whole 
 
 eminence, which overhung us, appeared in an mstant 
 
 a mass of moving iron : the glitter of the anus, and 
 
 the rays of {he sun, reflected from the hehiiets and 
 
 cuirasses of the dragoons, mingled with the flames of 
 
 the cannon, that on every side vomited forth death, 
 
 gave to the redoubt the appearance of a volcano in the 
 
 midst of the nrmy. 
 
 The enemy's infantry, placed near this point, be= 
 hind a ravine, kept up so destructive a fire on our 
 cuirassiers, that ihey were obliged immadiately to 
 retire. Our infantry took their place -, and, turning 
 
 « See the plac of the field of baf (le. 
 
THE MOSKWA. 325 
 
 the redoubt to the right and left, recommenced a furi- 
 ous combat with the Russians, whose efforts rivalled 
 our own. 
 
 The viceroy and his staff, in spite of the enemy's 
 tremendous fire, remained at the head of Broussier's 
 division, followed by the thirteenth and thirtieth regi- 
 ments. They advanced on the redoubt, and enter- 
 ing it by the breast- work, massadted on their pieces, 
 the cannoneers that served them. Prince Kutusoff, 
 who had witnessed tliis attack, immediately ordered 
 the cuirassiers of the guard to advance and endea- 
 vour to retake the position. These were the best of 
 their cavalry. The shock between their cuirassiers 
 and ours was therefore terrible ; and one may jaSge 
 of the fury with which both parties fought, when the 
 enemy, in quitting the tield, left it completely cover- 
 ed with dead. In the midst of this frightful encoun- 
 tre,' ever glorious for the staff of the fourth corps, tlie 
 young Saint Marcelin de Pontanes was wounded. 
 He was one of the first who entered the r&doubt, and 
 received a stroke from a sabre on \he nape of his 
 neck. This wound procured him the cross of the 
 legion of honour, bestowed on the field of battle — a 
 recom.ense the more flattering to him, as he was only 
 old enough to entertain the expectation of meriting it 
 at some future period. 
 
 The interior of the redoubt presented a horrid 
 picture. The dead were heaped on one another. The 
 feeble cries^of the wounded were scarcely heard amid 
 the surrounding tumult. Arms of every description 
 were scattered over the field of battle. The para- 
 
12G THE MOSKWA. 
 
 pets, half demolished, had their embrasures entirely 
 destroyed. Their places were distinguisl^ed oid}^ by 
 the cannon, the greatest part of which were dis- 
 mounted and separated from the broken carnages. 
 In the midst of this scene of carnage, I discover- 
 ed the body of a Russian cannoneer, decorated with 
 three crosses. In one hand he held a broken sword, 
 aitd with the other, firmiy grasped the carriage of the 
 gun at which he had so valiantly fought. 
 
 Ail the Russian soldiers in the redoubt chose ra- 
 ther to perish than to yield. The general who com- 
 manded them would have slsared their fate, if his va- 
 lour had not preserved his lite. This brave soidier 
 had sworn to die at his post, and he would have kept 
 his oath. Seeing all his companions dead around 
 him, he endeavoured to precipitate him.>~elf on our 
 swords, and he would inevitably have met his death, 
 had not the honour of taking such a prisoner arrest- 
 ed the cruelty of the soldiers. Ihe viceroy received 
 him with kitidness, and committed him to the care 
 of colonel Asseiin, who conuucled him to the em- 
 peror. 
 
 The viceroy's attention had been entirely taken 
 up by his centre, when it was recalled to his left by a 
 grand movement oi cavalry directed by the enemy on 
 that point. General Delzons, who, since the morn- 
 ing, had been menaced by this cavalry, formed his 
 iirst brigade into a square* on the leit of the BorodinOi. 
 Several times he waij on the point ot being attacked ^ 
 
 « See the plan of the 5eld of batti?. 
 
l-HE MOSKWA. 127 
 
 but the enemy, seeincr that he could make no im- 
 pression on him, advanced to the extremity of our 
 left, and commenced a brisk attack on the Bavarian 
 lijrht cavalry, which were for a moment thrown into 
 disorder. The prince, who happened then to be at 
 this point, threw himself into the middle of a square 
 formed by the eig^hty-fourth, and prepared to set it 
 in motion, when the cossacks were in their turn re» 
 pulsed, and taking to flig-ht, disengaged our left. 
 Every thing was then restored to the greatest order. 
 
 The prince was found at all points, exhorting 
 every officer to do his duty, and reminding him, that 
 on this day depended the glory of France. He was 
 seen at all the batteries, causing them to advance in 
 proportion as the enemy gave way ; and, braving^ 
 every peril, he himself i istructed the cannoneers 
 how to direct their fire. It was thus that, hastening 
 to every post of danger, from the beginning of the 
 day, bis aid-de-camp, Maurice Mejean, received a 
 wound in the thigh, and the eqierry, Bellisomi, had 
 his horse killed under him. His highness having at 
 onetime placed himself on the parapet of the grand 
 redoubt, surrounded by his officers, he remarked 
 from the embrasures all the movements of the enemy^ 
 paying no attention to the bullets that passed him on 
 all sides. Among the persons who composed hi» 
 suite, was colonel de Bourmont, whose great merit 
 was only equalled by his rare modesty. He had dis- 
 mounted with the other officers, and was leaning on 
 the pommel of the saddle, when general Guilleminol; 
 totting a paper fall, the colonel stooped to pick it up..- 
 
128 THE MOSKWA. * 
 
 That motion saved him his life; for at that very in^* 
 stant a cannon-ball passed through the breast of his 
 horse. 
 
 During- this memorable day, the emperor remain- 
 ed constantly in the rear of the centre ; and made, ou 
 the extremity of his right, several grand manoeuvres 
 with the Westphalians and the Poles to support the 
 duke of Elchingen (Ney), in his repeated and despe- 
 rate attempts to turn the position of the enemy. On 
 this point the Russians obstinately withstood aU our 
 efforts, and repulsed with considerable loss the West- 
 phalians and the Poles. 
 
 Although we had taken tvi'o redoubts, the enemy 
 had still a third, situated on another eminence, and 
 separated by a ravine. It was from thence that, es- 
 tablishing some batteries well served, they kept up 
 an incessant fire on 'Our regiments, some of which 
 were sheltered by a wood, aisd others were behind 
 the prand redonbL We remained, during several 
 hours m this stat*^ of inaction ; the artillery alone vo- 
 miting from every side flames and death At this 
 penod general Houard was killed by a grape-shot, 
 while commandiiig the second brigade of the thir- 
 teenth division ; companion in arms 10 general Plan- 
 sanne, they perished on the same day. United in 
 tijeir lives, they^were not separated in death ; for they 
 were bolh iiiterred on that field which had witnessed 
 their gallantry. 
 
 The fourth corps, which, since ten o'clock had 
 sustained wilh intrepidity the attacks of the enemy, 
 was nolrthe only one that had losses to deplore. Al- 
 
' THE MOSKWA. 12^ 
 
 tiibug-li the battle was not vet conclndefl, there was 
 hot a corj3s that had not to mdiirn the cJeath of one or 
 inore of its chiefs, l should make too long- a digres- 
 sion frbai my siibject were I to enumerate all the 
 generals who purchased with their lives the success 
 bf this bloody day ; biit there were some, who, by 
 their courag-e and their virtue^ had gained the esteem 
 «5f all the army« They excited that universal regard 
 which bravie men alone can inspire* They were the 
 subject of geueral o!)servatidn and applause, while 
 living, and the circumstances of their death will be 
 read with the liveliest infierest. Among these t 
 buii^ht to include general Augustus Caulincpurt, who 
 was killed as he entered the grand redoubt, at the 
 head of the fifth cuirassiers. Cut down in the flow- 
 er of his age, be had witnessed more combats than 
 years. To the valour bf a soldter, be united the po- 
 liteness of the gentleman. He was weil informedy 
 polished, sprightly, noble, and generous. In shorty 
 lie was endowed with all the qualities and all the vir- 
 tues that should characterize the French soldier. Be= 
 sides generals Plaiisanne and Houard, of whom I 
 have just nov^' spoken, we had to deplore the loss of 
 the generals of brigade, Compere and Marion, as well 
 as general count Lepel, aid-de-camp to the king of 
 Westphalia, not forgetting, above alU the just tribute 
 of respect due to the memory of the intrepid Mont- 
 brun. His undaunted intrepidity had long inspired 
 us with a melancholy presentiment that such a war- 
 yior must necessarily perish on the field of battle. A 
 17 
 
130 THK MOSKWA* 
 
 worthy successor of g-eneral T^assale, be died likd 
 him ; and like him he was an honour to our lig^hl ca- 
 vaIrN?. The number of generals wounded amounted 
 to thirty, among- whom were the generals of division 
 Grout hy, Rapp, Compans, Morand, Desaix, Lahous- 
 saye, &c. 
 
 Although the day was far advanced, the fate of 
 many an unfortunate being was \et to be decie'ed. 
 Thecaruion roared wsth unabated fury, aud contuuied 
 to overvi'helm new victims. The viceroy, ever inde- 
 fatigable, and unmindful of daiiger, was on every part 
 of the field of battle, exposed to a shower of grape- 
 shot and bullets. The firing still continued, and, in 
 the evening, it was so briskly maintained, that the le- 
 gion of the Vistula, commanded by general Clapa- 
 rede, was forced to kneel down, behind the grand re- 
 do bt. We remained more than an hour in this uncom- 
 fortable position, when the pnnce of INeu'chatel (Ber=- 
 thier) com'ug up, had an interview with the viceroy, 
 which lasted till near dark. Their conference being 
 ended^ prince Eugene issued different orders to his di- 
 visions and the firing ceased. The enemy was then 
 more quiet, and ouiy fired a few shot at intervals, 
 while the silence of the last redoubt, gave us reason to 
 believe that the Russians were preparing to rietreat on 
 the road to Mojaisk. 
 
 The weather, which had been very fine during 
 the d:\y, became, towards evening, cold and damp. 
 The whole army bivouacked on the ground it had 
 gained. The viceroy, who, since four o'clock in the 
 morning had not dismounted from his horse, took 
 
THE MOSKWA. 131 
 
 the road behind the eaiirjence occupied by the royal 
 guard, and where his highness expected to have 
 found his tent erected ; but his people having- lost 
 their way, he and his suite were uidebted to the hos- 
 pitality of general Lecchi, who could only give us a 
 supper withuut bread, and a tumbril for the bed on 
 which the prince reposed. This encampment was 
 most cruel ; neither men nor horses had any thing to 
 eat, and the want of wood exposed us to all the ri- 
 gour of a cold and frosty night. 
 
 The next day (8th September), very early, we 
 returijod to the li( Id of battle. What had been pre- 
 dicted the preceding evening had actually taken 
 place. The enemy, seeing the intrepidit)' with wh.ch 
 we carried his redoubts, despaired of maintaining his 
 position; and resolved to evacuate it during the 
 night. As we passed over the ground which they 
 had occupied, we were euable to judge of the im- 
 mense loss that the Russians had sustained. In the 
 space of a square league, amost every spot was co- 
 vered with the kiUed or wounded. On many places 
 the bursting of the sheiis had promiscuously heaped 
 to^fether men and horses. Tiie fire of our howitzers 
 had been so destructive that mountains of dead 
 bodies were scattered over the plain ; and the few 
 places that were not encumbered with the slain, were 
 covered wjih broken lances, muskets, helmets, and 
 cuirasses, or with grape-shot and bullets, as numer- 
 ous as hailstones after a violent storm. But the most 
 horrid spectacle was the interior oi the ravines; al- 
 jviost all the wounded who were able to drag theav 
 
132 THj: MpSKWA. 
 
 se'ves along, had taken refuge there to avoid lh§ 
 shot. These miserable wretches, heaped one up^n 
 another, and almost suffocated with blood, uttenng; 
 the most dreadful groans, and invoking death with 
 piercing cries, eagerly besought us to put rai end to 
 their torments. 
 
 While the cavalry pursued the enemy, the vice- 
 roy ordered his engineers to destroy the redoubt; 
 and as the fourth corps remamed encamped on the 
 fieid of battle, it was presumed we should pass the 
 night there. His highness had also ordered his suite 
 to establish themselves in the church of Borodino, 
 the o ly building that had escaped the flames, but it 
 was filled with the wounded, and the surgeons were 
 employed in dressing and amputating. The staff of 
 the prince then determining to establish their quar- 
 ters in the village of Novoe, near the road to Moja'isk 
 on the banks of the Koiogha, were on the point of 
 entering the castle, when some parties of cossack^ 
 obliged them precipitately to retreat. 
 
 In the meantime the viceroy being informed that 
 the tifteenth division, returned from Witepsk, had at 
 length, joined again their corps, received orders to 
 advance. Arrived at the village, beiqw which was 
 the redoubt abandoned by the enemy, we left, on th^ 
 right, the high road of Mojaisk, which was pursued 
 by the centre corps, and marched aloug the Koiogha. 
 On this march we were convinced that it would have 
 been impossible to have turned the right of the Rus- 
 sians, on the preceding evening. They had not only 
 Biany bodies of reserve on that side^ but iikswise s^- 
 
THE MOSKWA, 133 
 
 yeral masked batteries along the river. Within half a 
 league of lite village of Krasnoe, we found tour other 
 great redoubts, in she form of a square, which defend- 
 ed the road, and were not quite completed. 
 
 Qoitting the field of battle, we left a detachment 
 of alt the stragglers that could be collected, to defend 
 the po-iition under liie orders of colonel Bourmont. 
 This difficult task was j)erfectly accomplished by that 
 officer, who, after destroying the enemy's works, re- 
 joined us in a few days. During this time he lived 
 in the midst of the rlead and the dyi;ig, and was oblig- 
 ed to procure bis provisions at a distance of more than 
 five leagues. 
 
 Whilst we were preparing to encamp at the dm" 
 teau of Krasnoe, a rumour was sprejid of the arrival 
 of Napoleon. This news, however, was not confirm- 
 ed. On a height before us, we heard oar sharp-shoot- 
 ers engaged with the cossacks. la one of the charg- 
 es of cavalry, colonel Marboeuf was wounded at the 
 jhead of his regiment. 
 
 The chateau of Krasiioe, and the village of this 
 Dame, are situated near the Moskwa. Tiie follow- 
 ing morning we crossed this river, and, on its left, 
 prepared to attack Mojaisk ; but the viceroy, with his 
 escort, advanced only to the suburbs. Here we saw 
 this unhappy town enveloped in flames. The inha- 
 bitants had fled, and our dragoons made only a few 
 prisoners, fouMd in the houses on this side of the ri- 
 ver. Several batteries, established on an eminence 
 beyond Mojaisk, proved to us that we were masters 
 pf it. In effect we learned that jj^apoleon had taken 
 
134 ^HE MOSK-VTA. 
 
 it, after an obstinate eng-agement, and that the enemy 
 in burning- the town had not abandoned it without 
 making a brave defence, leaving the streets and 
 squares filied with the dead and the dying. 
 
 Oar staff examined the environs of Moja'isk, whea 
 the fourth corps, moving lo the left, followed a high 
 road, through a thick wood; beyond which we saw a 
 considerable village, and, further on, we found a larg- 
 er one, called Vedenskoe. 
 
 On this delightful sjDOt was a chateau, the furniture 
 of which corresponded with the beauty of the exterior; 
 but in an instant it was entnely pillaged, without any 
 ' other advantage than some thousands of bottles of wine, 
 which were seized by the soldiers. 
 
 From Vedenskoe, turning to the right, we crossed 
 a rivulet, close to a liltie village, and, pursuing a road 
 through thick underwood and briars, we arrived at a 
 village, called Vrouinkovo, wliere we understood the 
 bead-quarters were to be established. On eutermg it, 
 we perceived on an eminei.ce at a distance, some very 
 neat houses, and four steeples elegantly constructed. 
 We were about to halt in this village, where abundance 
 seemed to reign, wlsen it was announced that the fourth 
 corps was to proceed to a town of the name oi Rouza, 
 the steeples oi which were plainly perceived. Leav- 
 ing Yrouinkovo, we saw a great number of peasants 
 with carts, loaded with their most valuable turniture 
 and property* A sight so new excited our astonish- 
 ment, and asking colonel Asseiin what could be the 
 reason of this singular assemblage, he answered me j*^ 
 follows :-— 
 
THE MOSKWAo li5 
 
 * In proportion as our ariiiies advanced into the in<. 
 terior, of Russia the em[»eror Alexander, seconding 
 the wishes of the nobility, and following the example 
 of Spain, endeavoured to make this a national wur. 
 According-ly, the nobility and the priests have, by per- 
 suasions and b) bribes, induced all the peasants who 
 were dependent upon then, to rise en masso against us. 
 Of all the districts which have adhered to this system 
 of defence, that of Rouza has shown itself the most 
 zealous. The whole population, animated by their 
 seigneur, who had declared huuself the chief of the in- 
 surrection, was properly organized, and ready to join 
 the Russian army, as soon as they should receive the 
 necessary orders. 
 
 ' As Rouza was at a distance of five or six leaoues 
 from the high road, the inhabilants had flattered them- 
 selvs that we should not pass through their town, and 
 had consequently remained secure and tranqiiiL 
 What was their surprise, or rather their terror,' con- 
 tinued the colonel, * when I was sent by the viceroy, 
 and presented myself with a dozen of Bavarian light 
 horse before the town? The peasants^ dismayed^ 
 rushed from their houses, hastily harnessed their horses 
 to the carts which you now see, and fled with the ut^ 
 most precipitation. 
 
 * The men, however, who had been enrolled foi^ 
 the levy, collected at the voice of their lord, and, 
 armed with poles, lances, and scithes, assembled in 
 the square, and immediately advanced towards us r, 
 but this timid populace could not resist a few sol- 
 diers accustomed to battle, and presently took tf> 
 
136 l^HE MOSKWA, 
 
 flight. The chief alone evinced more firmness. He 
 awaited us on the sqnare, and, armed with a poinard^ 
 menaced ail who summoned him to surrender. — ' How 
 ean 1 survive the dishonour of my country,^ cried he, 
 foaming" with rage., * Our altars are no more ! Cur 
 empire is disgraced ! Take my life, it is odious to me /' 
 We wished to calm him, and ersdeavoiired to wrei.cli 
 his poinard from him : but he became more furious, 
 and wounded several of Our soldiers, who then listen- 
 ing only to revengCj killed him with repeated stabs of 
 the bayonet. 
 
 * This was scarcely enected wh n the advanced- 
 guard of the fourth corps entered Rouza. On my 
 reciting what had happened,' contiiiiied the colonel, 
 * they immediately pursued the peasants, \^ho had 
 fled with their effects and their cattle. They soon 
 came up with them, and those whom you see here^ 
 are a \rdrt of the fugitives escaped from Rv>uza. ijo 
 into the town,' added he, ' and you will see many 
 more of them.' 
 
 As we approached the town, we saw a great 
 number of these carts brought back bv the dragoonSo 
 it was an affecting spectacle to behold these veh cles 
 loadeti with children and old people. The heart was 
 pierced with grief to think how soon our soldiers 
 woiikl divide among them the carts and horses which 
 constituted the sole fortune of these disconsolate fa- 
 milies. 
 
 At length we entered Kouza ; and as we advanc- 
 ed to the very centre of the town, we saw in every 
 streetj a crowd of soldiers, who pillaged the houses|. 
 
THE MOSKWAi 137 
 
 unmindful of the cries of the inhabitants, or the tears 
 of the mothers, who, to soften the hearts of their con- 
 querors, presented their children on their knees ; 
 baihed in tears, and distractedly wringing their hands, 
 these innocent creatures begged only for their lives. 
 This rage for plunder was justified in some, who, 
 dying with hunger, only sought after provisions ; but 
 others, under this pretence, pillaged every thing, and 
 even robbed the women and children of the very 
 clothes which covered them. 
 
 The viceroy had arrived several hours with his 
 staff only. He had left the divisions of infantry and 
 the royal guards, who to-day encamped in our rear, 
 between Rouza and Yrouenkovo. Every one en- 
 chanted to find himself in so delightful a town as 
 Rouza, gave himself up to that security, or rathef 
 the disorder, which abundance pruduces after long 
 privations ; when suddenly some Bavarian light horse, 
 who had been sent to reconnoitre, returned at full 
 speed, reporting that several squadrons of cossacks 
 were advancing towards the town. It would be diffi- 
 cult to describe the sensation produced by this nev/s. 
 The tranquility that we had enjoyed, opposed to the 
 imminent danger which now threatened, produced a 
 most sudden transition from the liveliest joy to the 
 deepest despair. * The cossacks are here!' cried 
 one ; * There they come /' cried another, quite aghast. 
 * What can we oppose to them ?' we asked one an- 
 other. * Nothing but some miserable soMiers, come 
 hither to plunder the peasants' This was, however, 
 18 
 
ibn T-HU MOSKWA. 
 
 our only resource. They were iramediately assem-" 
 bled in the square, but they were only about sixty in 
 nornber, and half of them without arms. 
 
 The viceroy, informed of the cause of this alarm, 
 mounted his horse, and ordered his officers to follow 
 him. We hastened out of the town, and entered the 
 plain ; but what was our surprise, when, instead of 
 finding- several squadrons, we only perceived about a 
 dozen horsemen, and at so great a distance, that we 
 could scarcely distinguish them. Some Bavarian 
 lig^ht horse who were with us, advanced to recon- 
 noitre, and reported that they were really cossacks : 
 but by their small number, and timid and cautious 
 march we could easily perceive that we had nothing 
 to fear from them. 
 
 As these cossacks might have been detached 
 from a considerable corps, the prince thought it ne- 
 cessary to cosifirm the order which he had already 
 given for sqme troops to advance ; but he modified it 
 so far as to content himself with two battalions in- 
 stead of the who!e of the thirteenth division, which 
 had at first been ordered. These two battalions en- 
 camping before Rouza dissipated our fears. Every 
 one now returned quietly to his lodgings, where a 
 table well served, and excellent wines, made us soon 
 forge' the alarm we had experienced towards the 
 close of the day. 
 
 The following day we remained at Rouza. The 
 viceroy profised by this repose, to make the chief of 
 his staff draw up a circumstantial report of the cele- 
 
th:^ moskwa, ISB- 
 
 ferated battle of the 7th of September, in which tli® 
 fourth corps had particularly distinguished itself. 
 
 Whilst the thirteenth and fourteenth divisions laitl 
 before the emperor their claims on his regard, the 
 fifteenth division, not less deserving than the rest, but 
 deprived of the honour of fio^htinii^ in the battle of the 
 Moskwa, was likewise justly entitled to distinguished 
 notice, in consideration of the numberless hardships 
 which it had undergone in its expedition to WUepsk. 
 This brave division, proceeding constantly thfough a 
 marshy country, meeting only with deserted and rav- 
 aged villages, was always compelled to bivouac dur- 
 ing the night, and generally without provisions, and 
 every day to make the most painful and harrassing 
 marches to attack an enemy, which always fled at its 
 appearance. For nearly twenty days it saw only the 
 fields which we had completely laid waste; and at 
 length, worn out with hunger, weariness, and dis- 
 ease, this unfortunate division, which, with its chief, 
 was worthy of a better fate, could not reach Bo- 
 rodino, till the day after the battle. The fatigues 
 which it had endured, and especially, the great 
 losses it had sustained, obliged the viceroy to leave 
 it in reserve. It was the highest proof of esteem 
 which the prince could bestow, to unite them with the 
 heroes of the royal guards, the greatest part of whom 
 had been taken from this division. 
 
 On quitting Rouza it was decided that this posi- 
 tion, so important on account of the abundance of 
 provisions which were still to be found there, should 
 be maintained. The castle, situated on a small emir 
 
140 THE MOSK\VA. 
 
 nence, surrounded with ditches, afforded a sufficient 
 defence for the garrison, and guarded them against a 
 coMjt? de main. This honourable command was given 
 to captain Maison Neuve, who proved himself worthy 
 of the confidence reposed in him. As long as the po- 
 sition was retained, this brave and intelligent officer 
 rendered himself useful to the army by the skilfulness 
 of his dispositions, and by the ease with which he ap- 
 peared to comprehend every intention of the enemy. 
 
K Y. 
 
 MOSCOW. 
 
 After the battle of the Moskwa, our triumph- 
 ant army marched in three columns towards the ca- 
 pital of the Russian empire. Napoleon, impatient to 
 get possession of it, pursued the enemy with his ac- 
 customed vigour, on the high road of Smolensko ; 
 while prince Poniatowski, at the head of the fifth 
 corps, marched on the right, by way of Kaluga. The 
 viceroy, commanding the fourth corps, continued on 
 the left flank, and, taking the road of Zwenighorod, 
 proceeded towards Moscow, where the whole army 
 was to assemble. 
 
 We could judge of the consternation which reign- 
 ed in this capital, by the terror with which we inspir- 
 ed the country people. Our arrival in Rouza (9th of 
 September) and the cruel manner in which we bad 
 treated the inhabitants, were no sooner known, than 
 all the villages on the road lo Moscow, were instantly 
 abandoned. The country presented one uniform 
 scene of horrible desolation : for most of those who 
 fled, burnt, in despair, their houses, their chateauXy 
 and the grain and forage, which were scarcely gather- 
 ed. All these unhappy bemgs, terrified by the fatal 
 
i42 ftioscow. 
 
 and useless resistance of the inhabitants of Rouzaj 
 threw away the pikes with, which they had been 
 armed, and swiftly fled to conceal their wives and 
 their little ones in the thick forests at a distance from 
 our route. 
 
 On approaching Moscow, we had hoped that ci- 
 vilization, which enervates the soul, and especially an 
 attachment to pro[iierty, so natural to the inhabitants 
 of large towns, would have induced the people i.ot to 
 quit their habitations. We were convinced that the 
 rapacity of our soldiers was principally excited by 
 the deserted state in which we found the villages. 
 But the country around Moscow does not belong to 
 the iidiabitants of that beautiful city ; it was the pro- 
 perty of the lords who had declared against us, and 
 their peasants, equally enslaved and oppressed with 
 those of the Nieperand of the Volga, obeyed the or- 
 ders of their masters. They had been enjoined, on 
 pain of death, to fly at our approach, and to hide in 
 the woods, whatever could be useful to us. 
 
 We perceived ihe execution of this fatal measure, 
 on entering the village of Apaichtchouina. The 
 houses deserted, the castle abandoned, the furniture 
 dashed to pieces, and the provisions destroyed, pre- 
 sented a spectacle of the most frightful desolation* 
 All these ravages showed us what sacrifices a people 
 ^sufficiently magnanimous to prefer independence to 
 riches, will cheerfully make. 
 
 Near Karinskoe, a village halfway towards Zwe- 
 oighorod, whither we were marching, the cossacl^ 
 appeared. According to their custom, they made^na 
 
MOSCOW^ 1413' 
 
 stand ag-ainst our advanced-guard, but contented 
 themselves with observing- us, by marching on an. 
 Eminence at our left, parallel to the high road. On 
 the summit of this height, in the midst of a thick 
 wood of birch, rose the gray walls and the steeples 
 of an ancient abbey. At the foot of the hill stood 
 the little town of Zwenighororl, built on the banks of 
 the Moskwa. On thss point the cossacks formed 
 themselves into several bodies, and skirmished for 
 some time with our light troops, but they were gra- 
 dually dislodged from their ambuscades, and we took 
 post around Zweniohorod. 
 
 The ahbey situated above this little town, com- 
 mands the course of the Moskwa. Its embattled 
 wails, more than twenty feet in height, and between 
 five a>id six feet thick, are flanked by four great 
 towers, with embrasures. This editice, constructed 
 in the thirteenth or fourteenth century, reminds us of 
 the tunes, when the Muscovites, filled with venera- 
 tion for their priests, suffered the sacerdotal authority 
 to take precedence of that of the nobles; and when 
 the Czar marched, on days of ceremony, before the 
 patri u'ch of Moscow, holding the bridle of his horse. 
 But these monks, so powerful and so formidable be- 
 fore the time of Peter I, were brought back again to 
 the simplicity of the apostles, when this great mo- 
 Barch, on founding his empire, confiscated their pro- 
 perty and diminished their number. 
 ^ To conceive a proper idea of the changes pro- 
 educed by this reform, it was sufficient to enter the 
 abbey of Zwenighorod. At the sight of these lofty 
 
144 :moscow. 
 
 towers and enormous walls, we supposed that the 
 interior contained an ag-reeab!e and commodious re- 
 sidence, and that we should find among these monks 
 the wonted abundance of all richly-endowed abbeys. 
 A large iron gate, strongly barricadoed, confirmed us 
 in the persuasion that this convent was well supp; ed 
 with every thing that our soldiers needed. We were 
 about to force the entry, when an old man, whose flow- 
 ing beard was whiter than his robe, came to admit us. 
 He was desired to conduct us to the abbot. On en- 
 tering the court, we were much surprised at finding 
 that this vast edifice did not correspond with the high 
 opinion we had conceived of it ; and that our guide 
 instead of introducing us into the apartments of the 
 superior, conducted us to a small chapel, where we 
 saw four monks prostrate at the foot of an altar, con- 
 structed in the Grecian style. These venerable old 
 men, when they perceived us, threw themselves at 
 our feet, and, embracing our knees, entreated, in the 
 name of the God whom they adored, that we wotdd 
 respect their church, and the graves of some bishops, 
 of which they were the faithful guardians. * You 
 may judge, by our miserable appearance,' they ad- 
 dressed us by means of an interpreter, 'that we can 
 have no hidden treasures ; and our food is so coarse, 
 that many of your soldiers would scorn to eat it. 
 VYe have no other possessions than our relics and 
 our alters. Deign to respect them from a reverence 
 for a relis'ion so similar to vour own.' This we 
 promised, and our assurance was confirmed on the 
 
MOSCOW. 145 
 
 arrival of the viceroy, who established his head-quar- 
 ters in this abbey, and thereby preserved the church 
 and the convent, from the pillage with which they 
 were threatened. 
 
 While this asylum, formerly so peaceful, was a 
 prey to the tumult unavoidable on such occasions, I 
 perceived one of these pious monks, who, to conceal 
 himself, took refuge in a cell almost under ground, 
 the simplicity of which presented nothing to excite 
 our avarice. This friar, sensible of my attentions to 
 him, rewarded them by acknowledging that he spoke- 
 French, and that he wished to have the pleasure of 
 conversmg with me. Charmed vtith his candour, I 
 profited by it, to inform myself of every thing relat- 
 ing to the sentiments and character of a nation, from 
 whom we had conquered more than two hundred 
 and fifty leagues of territory, without becoming ac- 
 quainted with them. When I mentioned Moscow, 
 he told me that it was the place of his nativity, atid I 
 perceived that deep sighs interrupted ins speech. I 
 judged by his silent grief that he mourned over the 
 misfortunes to which this great capital would soon 
 be exposed. I sympathized with him ; but, anxious 
 to'know the state of affairs in that city which we were 
 on the point of entering, I ventured at length to ask 
 him concerning' it. 
 
 * The French have entered the territory of Rus- 
 sia with immense force,' said this venerable monk ; 
 * they come to ravage our beloved country, and they 
 advance even to the sacred city— the centre of our 
 *?mpire, and the source of our prosperity, Unac- 
 19 
 
146 MOSCOW. 
 
 quainted with our manners and our character, they 
 think that we shall bend under their yoke, and that, 
 compel'ed to choose between our homes and our in- 
 dependence, we shall, like too many others, submit 
 to their dominion, and renounce that naSional pride 
 in which consists the true power of a people. No, 
 Napoleon is mistaken. We are too wise not to abhor 
 his tyranny ; and we are not sufficiently corrupted to 
 prefer slaverv to liberty. In vain he hopes to force 
 us, by his nuntberless armies, to sue for peace. He 
 do«'s not remember that the population of Russia is 
 at the absolute control of the nobility. Our seig- 
 neurs, able at their pleasure to cause whole districts 
 to emigrate, will order their peasants to fly into the 
 deserts, at the approach of the invader, or, if neces- 
 sary, willdestro. every town and village, rather than 
 give them up to a true barbarian, whose tyranny is 
 more dreadful to us than death itself. 
 
 ' We are aware, too,' added he, ' that Napoleon 
 relies much on the dissensions which used formerly 
 to exist between the monarch and the nobles } but 
 the love of our country has stifled every ancient feud. 
 He flatters hi nseif, likewise, that he will be able to 
 arm the people against the great. Vain efforts ! the 
 people are, from religion, obedient to their masters ; 
 nor will they confide in the deceitful promises of 
 him v^ho burns their cottages, murders their chil-, 
 dren, devastates their country, and subverts their 
 temples. Besides, has not the whole oi Europe 
 witnessed the most striking instances of his per- 
 fidy ? Is he not the scourge of Germany, of whom 
 he proiessed to b© the protector? Spain, to0;» 
 
MOSCOW. 147 
 
 liavin^ trusted to the sincerity of his alliance, is be- 
 come one vast buryiiig-place ! The pontiff" who 
 crowned him, and raised him from a private station 
 to the first throne in the world, what reward has he 
 received for that diadem? Aa ignoninious captivity! 
 And even yoi*r own country, which, for the sake of 
 a foreigner, seems to have forgotten the race of St. 
 Louis, what advantages does she derive from her 
 submission? Incessant new taxes, to maintain a 
 crowd of worthless courtiers, or to gratify the luxury 
 of a family insatiable in their pleasures, lu addition 
 to this, you have proscriptions and secret executions 
 without number. Your very thoughts are fettered, 
 and whole generations are destroyed. In truth, your 
 mothers have often been reduced to the sad necessity 
 of deploring their fecundity. This,' said the vene- 
 rable old man to me, * this is the situation in which 
 your tyrant has placed you : a tyrant who is the more 
 vain and odious, because he sprung from an obscure 
 family; and who, formerly having scarcely one do- 
 mestic to serve him, is now desirous that the whole 
 universe should crouch at his feet, and that even 
 kings should be compelled to wait in his anti-room. 
 If I did not fear to disgrace the majesty of that mo- 
 narch who loves us as we love him, I would draw a 
 comparison between your monarch and ours, — but 
 such a comparison would only produce a shocking 
 contrast, as it would place vice in constant opposition 
 to virtue.' 
 
 Struck by the energy of this priest, whose 
 strength of mind had suffered nothing from age, 1 
 
148 MOSCOW. 
 
 remained silent, and was at the sarae time charmed 
 with his candour. Affected by the confidence with 
 which he had honoured me, I thought I might cast 
 off all reserve, and derive much useful information 
 from his conversation. * As you have just mention- 
 ed the emperor Alexander,' said 1 to him, ' pray 
 tell me what is become of him? Since we passed the 
 Wilia we have never heard any thing- of him; and at 
 Witepsk, in a public audience, Napoleon announced, 
 with much satisfaction, that this monarch had shared 
 the fate of his father, having- fallen a victim, at Wi- 
 liki-luki, to the treachery of his courtiers. ' 
 
 * He cannot have much greatness of soul, ' an- 
 swered the old man, smiling, 'who tr'mmphs at the 
 death of an enemy. But, to prove to you the falsity 
 of that report, and to show you how much harmony 
 exists among all classes at this critical momei;t, and 
 how beloved our sovereign is, i will read you a letter, 
 which was sent to me from Moscow, a few days after 
 Alexander had arrived there from the army.' At 
 these words he took out the letter, translating it to 
 me as he went on. 
 
 3Iosco7v, July 27.* 
 'This day will add new lustre to our annals^ and 
 the remembrance of it will descend to the remotest 
 posterity, as an eternal testimony of Russian patriot- 
 ism and loyalty. It will record the ardent attach- 
 
 * The translation of this letter having appeared in the 
 French journals, it is given here as it was published in the 
 Monitenr. 
 
MOSCOW. 149 
 
 ment, which our illustrious nobility, and every class 
 of citizens, feel for our beloved sovereig-n. After a 
 notificatiou published in the evening-, the nobility and 
 the merchants assembled, at eight o'clock on the fol- 
 lowing morning, at the palace Slobode, to wait the 
 arrival of our most gracious emperor. Notwith- 
 standing- the object of this meeting had not been 
 communicated, every one attended, full of those 
 loyal feeling's which the appeal of the father of his 
 country to his children, in the capital of his empire, 
 would naturally inspire. The silence which reigned 
 in this vast assembly clearly proved their union, and 
 their disposition to submit to any sacrifice. When 
 the manifesto of his imperial majesty was read in the 
 presence of the governor of Moscow, appealing- to 
 the nation at large, and calling- on every one to de- 
 fend his country, against an enemy * who, with craft 
 in his heart, and seduction on his lips, was bringing 
 fetters and indissoluble chains for Russia,' the illus- 
 trious posterity of the Pojarskies, animated by the 
 most ardent zeal, immediately testified their readi- 
 ness to sacrifice the whole of their property, and 
 even their lives. They immediately resolved that 
 levies should be made in the government of Moscow, 
 to form an army of the interior, consisting of ten 
 men eut of every hundred, who should be armed to 
 the utmost of their abiMtj, and provided with cloth- 
 ing and pay. The manifesto being afterwards read 
 in the assembly of the merchants, this body, animat- 
 ed by the general zeal, resolved that a sum of money 
 should be levied on each of them, proportionate to 
 
150 3JSOSCOW. 
 
 their respective capitals, to defray the expense of the 
 army of the interior. Not satisfied with this, the 
 g-reater part of them were desirous of making far- 
 ther sacrifices. They demanded permission to open 
 a vokmtary subscription for that purpose, and in less 
 than an hour, the sum subscribed amounted to more 
 than one million and a half of roubles. 
 
 * Such was the disposition of these two bodies, 
 when his majesty, who had attended divine service 
 at the church of the palace, appeared amo*.g the no- 
 bles. After assuring- them, in a short speech, that 
 he considered the zeal of the nobility as the firmest 
 support of his throne ; and, acknowledging that they 
 had, at all times, and under all circumstances, shown 
 themselves the guardians and faithful defenders of 
 the integrity and glory of their beloved country, he 
 condescended to give them a brief sketch of the state 
 of military affairs, wh^ch then required extraordinary 
 measures of defence. When he was informed of 
 the unanimous decision of the two bodies, who had 
 resolved to furnish, to clolhe, and to arm, at their 
 own expense, eighty thousand men for the defence 
 of Moscow, he received this new proof of attach- 
 ment to his person, ai»d of love to the country, with 
 the feelings of a father who loves his children; and 
 who is proud of their courage. Yielding to the 
 emotions whi«h overpowered him, he exclaimed, 
 * I did not expect less : you have fully confirmed my 
 opinion of you.' 
 
 ' Afterwards his imperial majesty condescended 
 to proceed to the saloon where the merchants were 
 
MOSCOW^ 151 
 
 iassembled, and, being informed of the zeal they bad 
 shown both in the resolution of levying* a sum on the 
 whole body, and making an extraordin:iry voluntary 
 subscription of a millioa and a half of roubles, he 
 expressed his gracious satisfaction in terms dictated 
 by wisdom itself. His speech was followed by the 
 general exclamation of, ' We are ready to sacritice 
 for our father, not only our fortunes, but our ives.* 
 These were the words of the descendents of the im- 
 mortal Minin. The scene of that morning requires 
 the pen of a new Tacitus ; while the pei.cil of a se- 
 cond Apelles alone would do justice to the picture, 
 which represented the monarch and the father beam- 
 ing kindness and benevolence, receiving from his 
 children, who throiiged around him, the sacritices 
 which they were offering on the altar of theii* 
 country. 
 
 * May our enemy be informed of this f May thai 
 proud man, who sports with the fate of his subjects, 
 learn it, and tremble ! We shall all march against 
 him. We are guided by religion, and by loyalty for 
 our sovereign and country. We will conquer, or 
 perish together.* 
 
 After having read this letter, the pious friar in- 
 formed me that the patriarch Platon, archbishop of 
 Moscow, notwithstanding his advaiiced and decrepid 
 age, watched still in the spirit and in prayer, for the 
 welfare of his sovereign and the empire, and that he 
 had just sciit to his imperial majesty the precious 
 image of Saint Serge, bishop of Kadou^gue. The 
 monarch, added he, accepted this sacred relic, and 
 presented ik to the army of Moscow, hoping that it 
 
152 MOSCOW. 
 
 would be safe under the protection of this saitit, who 
 once, by his benediction, shielded the victorious 
 Demitri Douskoi, in his combat against the cruel 
 Mamai. 
 
 This is the letter of his eminency Platon, dated 
 from the abbey Troitsa,* July 26th. 
 
 * Moscow, the capital of the empire, the new Je- 
 rusalem, receives her Christ like a mothei*, in the 
 arms of her faithful sons ; and perceivnig-, through 
 the mist which is raised, the brilliant glory of his 
 power, she sings joyfully, Hosannab, praised be he who 
 is arrived ! Let the arrogant and shameless Goliath 
 bring his mortal terrors from tl^e limits of France to 
 the confines of Russia! Peaceful relig'on, this shng of 
 the Russian David, will soon destroy his sanguinary 
 pride. This image of Saint Serge, ancient defender 
 of our country's happiness, is otlered to your imperial 
 majesty's acceptance.' 
 
 Astonished at a custom so different from ours, I 
 asked whether it was really true, that the emperor 
 Alexander had given this standard to his soidters. 
 * I am so certain of it,' answered the venerable ec- 
 clesiastic, ' that it would be sacrilegious to doubt it. 
 Letters from Moscow have since informed us, that 
 bishop Augustin, vicar of that capital, having assem- 
 bled all the troops in the town,f chanted a 'ie Deum 
 and presenting them with the image of Saint Serge, 
 pronounced a discourse which dissolved the whole 
 
 * About fifteen leagues distant from Moscow. 
 
 f Saturday, August 17tb, or, according to our calender, August 
 29th, whicti, as is well knowD, afiticipateS the Russian calender bv 
 fwelve days. 
 
Moscow. 153 
 
 congregation in tears. We have seen these troops 
 passing under the walls of our abbe^?, in their way 
 to the battle of Moscow, and carrying with vfenera- 
 tion that sacred standard. They marched to the 
 corabat like true christian soldiers, devoted to their 
 religion, their country, and their prince. These sen- 
 timents were expressed m their countenances ; a ce- 
 lestial joy beamed from their eyes at the thought of 
 combatting the enemy. Every warrior, even those 
 who had just entered the service, glowed with 
 the ardour of most experienced veterans, and show- 
 ed that unlimited submissioti to his chieis, and ob- 
 served that strict discipiij^e, which is the duty and 
 the surest sign of a good soldier. The country peo- 
 ple, who saw them pass, implored Irom the bottom 
 of their hearts, the protection of heaven on these 
 brave men who proceeded from the ancient capital of 
 llnssia, that city, which in former times had, with her 
 own forces, laid the insolent enemy in the dust, who 
 presumptuously came to destroy it.' 
 
 Filled with astoiiishment at the extraordinary 
 things which this good old man had conmmnicated 
 to me, I felt the deepest respect for a nation so great, 
 even in its misfortunes ; and 1 said to myself, ' That 
 people must be invincible, who, firm to their princi- 
 ples, shrink not at ihe approach of danger, and stake 
 their own preservation on that of their religion and 
 their laws.' 
 
 Early on the following morning we quitted the 
 abbey. As I retired from it, I looked behind, and 
 saw the first rays of the rising sun, gilding the sum- 
 20 
 
154 MOSCOW. _ 
 
 rnit of t]io<?e lofty wails, vvliich had been ererteri as 
 the asvlum of peace, biii which, after our detartnrej 
 bee ime a piev to u'Klisciplinerl briofands. I ruraina- 
 ted on these pai fnl ideas, amd, taking- a road parallel 
 with tfje Moskwa, T observed that bridges had been 
 ejected before Zweniohorod, with the intention of 
 o ening' a comnnunicalion wiih the grand arniv, who 
 marched towards Moscow on the opposite bank. 
 
 We followed the ronrse of the Moskwa, when 
 the Cossacks again appeared, manceuvruig just in the 
 same rr^anner as tbev had done the nseht before. 
 They attempled, for a moment, near Aksniino, to 
 slop the Bavarian light horse ; but some of ihetr men 
 being wounded, they fled in disorder, and retired be- 
 yond the Moskwa, which we crossed below the vil- 
 \aQ;e of Spaskoe. The river was shallow at that point, 
 Qi d bo'ih men and horses easily effected a passa»-e. 
 The Cossacks, who waited for us at the edr'd-ce of a 
 wood, dispersed when they s;!W that the barrier 
 wHiich separated them from us had been overstepped. 
 Tiience we pursued our mach as far as Buzaievo, 
 where the post-house alone remained, and a castle, on 
 a very steep eminence, surrounded by woods, in which 
 prince ijigeue lodged. 
 
 The foJiowing morning, (September 14th), anx- 
 ious to arrive at Moscow, we commenced our 
 march at an early hour, and passed through several 
 deserted villages. On the banks of the Moskwa, 
 towards our right, were some magnificent chateaux, 
 which the cossacks had pillaged, to deprive us of 
 every comfort which these places could afford. The 
 
MOSCOW, 155 
 
 <5orn, ready for harvest, had either been trodden 
 down, or ea^eri by the horses. The hay-stacks, which 
 covered the country, were given to the flames, and 
 spread all around an impenetrable smoke. When 
 "we at last reached the village of Tscherepkova, and 
 our cavahy continued their march, the viceroy as- 
 cended an emiiieuce on our right, and loug evamiiied 
 whether Moscow, the object of all our wishes, could 
 be seen; for we regarded it as the end of our fatigues 
 and the termination of our expedition. Several hills 
 yet concealing it from our view, we perceived no- 
 thing but clouds of dust, which, rising paraiiei widi 
 our march, indicated the route which the gia id army 
 had pursued. A Jew cannon-shots, tired ai a ustaiice, 
 and with long inlervais, disposed us to tiiink that our 
 troops were approaching Moscow, without experienc- 
 ing much resistance. 
 
 As we descended from the eminence, we suddenly 
 heard the most dreadful cries, A troop of cossacks, 
 issuing from a neighbouring wood, had, in their 
 accustomed manner, rushed upon our chasseurs, and 
 Ciideavoured to stop the march of our van-guard. 
 But our brave fellows*, far from being intimidated by 
 thss unexpected attack, quickly repelled those vain 
 efforts by which a powerless horde strove to impede 
 our entrance into the capital. Tliese were the iast 
 struggles of a desperate courage, and the Russians, 
 beaten and dispersed, were obliged to fly, under the 
 wails of the Kremlin, as they had before done on the 
 banks of the Koiogha. 
 
156 MOSCOW. 
 
 We distinguished, at a distance, and amidst th@ 
 dust, long- columns of Russian cavalry, all marching 
 towards Moscow, and all retiring behind the town, 
 as soon as we approached it. While the fourth corps 
 was constructing a bridge across the Moskwa, the 
 staff, about two o'clock, established itself on 'a lofty 
 hill, whence we perceived a thousand elegant and 
 gilded steeples, which, glittering in the rays of the 
 sun, appeared ai tlie distance like so many flaming 
 globes* One of these globes, placed on the sum- 
 mit of a pillar, or an obelisk, had the exact appear- 
 ance of a baJloori, suspended in the air. Transported 
 with delight at this beautiful spectacle, v/hich was the 
 more gratifying, from the remembrance of the me- 
 lancholy objects which we had hitherto seen, we 
 could not suppress our joy ; but, with one spor»tane- 
 ous movement, we all exclaimed, Moscow ! Moscow ! 
 At the sound of this wished-for name, the soldiers 
 ran up the hill in crowds, and each discovered new 
 wonders every instant. One admired a noble cha- 
 teau on our left, the elegant architecture of which 
 displayed more than eastern magnificence; another 
 directed his attention towards a palace or a tem = »ie; 
 but all were struck with the superb picture which 
 this immense town afforded. It is situated in the 
 midst of a fertile plain. The Moskwa is seen mean- 
 dering through the richest meadows; and, after hav- 
 ing fertilized the neighbouring country, takes its 
 co\n"se through the middle of the town, separating an 
 immense cluster of houses, built of wood 3 stone, and 
 
MOSCOW. 157 
 
 bricks, constructed in a style which partakes of the 
 g'othic an<^ modern architecture, and in which, in- 
 deed, the architecture of every different nation is 
 strangely ming-'ed. The walls, variously painted, 
 the domes covered wilh lead, or slates, or glittering 
 With gold, offered the most pleasing variety ; whilst 
 the terraces before the palaces, the obelisks over the 
 gates, and, above all, the f-teeples, really presented to 
 our eyes one of those celebrated cities of Asia, which 
 we had thought had only existed in the creative ima- 
 gination of the Arabian poets. 
 
 We were still contemplating this noble spectacle, 
 when we saw a well-dressed man coming towards 
 us, through a by-way from Moscow. Several of 
 our soldiers immediately ran to meet him, and, view- 
 ing hmi with suspicion, were disposed to make him 
 pay dearly for his imprudent, curiosity. But the 
 calmness with which he addressed us, and the iiu- 
 ency with which he spoke our language, and, above 
 all, our impatience to hear some tidiugs from Mos- 
 cow, made us all listen to him with pleasure and in- 
 terest. 
 
 * I am not come here,* said he, * to observe 
 your manoeuvres, nor to give you false information ; 
 I am an unfortunate merchant, ignorant of every 
 thing which relates to war; and, notwithstanding I 
 am the victim, I have not inquired into the motives 
 which have induced our sovereigns to engage in this 
 fatal contest. Your emperor to-day, about noon, en- 
 tered Moscow, at the head of his invincible legions; 
 but he found only a deserted town. Some wretches, 
 
J5S MOSCOW. 
 
 "who have escaped from prison, and some miserable 
 prostitutes, were the only creatures who interrupted 
 its solitude. Hasten, if possible, to stop their ex- 
 cesses. Liberty has only been gras ted them, with 
 the hope, that all the crimes which I'hey may commit 
 ■will be attributed to the French army. Being: aware 
 of the m sfortunes which threaten us, I came to find 
 among you a man sufficiently generous to protect my 
 family ; for, in S|)ite ot the orders of our government, 
 I cannot consent to abandon my house, and to lead a 
 wanderif)g, miserable life in the woods. I prefer ap- 
 plying to Freiich generosity, and I trust that I shall 
 find a protector amoiig those who have been ever re- 
 presented to us as our most cruel enemies. The 
 great men of our empire, deceived by a savage and 
 destructive policy, wjll doubtless attempt to irritate 
 you, by causing the whole population to emigrate, 
 and leaving nothing but a deserted city, if indeed, 
 it is not alrevidy sacrificed to the flames.' Every one 
 interrupted him, sayinjj-, thnt it was impossible any 
 people would thus effect their own rum, from the 
 uncertain hope of" involving their enemy m it. 
 
 *It IS but too true that such a resoluhon is taken,* 
 said this unhappy man, ' and, if you yet doubt it, 
 know, that count Rastopchin, governor of Moscow, 
 quitted it yesterday. Before he departed, he charged 
 the very outcast of human beings to assist him in his 
 revenge. How far he will proceed I k.ow not; but 
 I tremble when I recollect that he has often threaten- 
 ed to burn Moscow, if the French 'should approach 
 it Such barbarity must seem atrocious and even 
 
aioscoWi 15^ 
 
 incredible to you, if you are not aware of the deadly 
 hatred which your unheard of victories have inspired 
 in the nobility. They know that the whole of Eu- 
 rope is under your domination, and, from a senti- 
 ment of pride, they would destroy their native coun* 
 try, Hither than see it subjug-ated. 
 
 * If the nobility, ashamed of their defeats, had 
 not meditated the destruction of the capita;, why 
 should they have fl d with all their pro,)erty ? Why 
 have the merchants likewise been comi)elle'.i to fol- 
 low them, can- ing- with them iheir goods and I heir 
 treasures ? Why, lastly, have no magistrates remain- 
 ed in this desolated town, to implore the mercy of t^ie 
 conqueror ? They have ail fled, aixl thus seem deter- 
 mined to urge your soldiers to every excess; for 
 the legal authorities, the Oiily protection of the citi- 
 zens, by abandoning their posts, have abandoned 
 every thing.' 
 
 This unfortunate Moscovite shed many bittei'' 
 tears while he thus addressed us. To calm his grief 
 we promised what he requested, and e ideavoured to 
 console him, by dissipating tho>e fears, too well 
 founded, which the dangers of his unhappy coun- 
 try had excited. We questioned him as to the direc- 
 tion in which the Russians had retreated ; what they 
 had done since the battle of the Moskwa, and, lastly, 
 what was become of the emperor Alexander and his 
 brother Constantine ? He answered all our questions 
 in the most satisfactory manner, and confirmed the 
 intelligence which had been already communicated 
 tfo ra« by the friar in Zvvenighorod. This unhappy 
 
160 MOSCOtV. 
 
 man becoming- more composed, and being" secretly 
 flattered by the ag-reeable surprise which the sigfjt of 
 Moscow and its environs had caused, consented at 
 mj request to give us some account of a city, the con- 
 quest of which promised to crown ail our hopes. He 
 expressed himself as follows : — 
 
 ' Moscow, built in the Asiatic style, has five enclo- 
 sures, one within another ; the last comprising the 
 town and its suburbs, is about thirty werste.%* in cir- 
 cumference; but the fourth enclosure, which compri- 
 ses the town only, and which is called Semlaingorodt 
 is but twelve. The suburbs, or slohodes, are thirty in 
 number. In winter, fhe population amounts to three 
 hundred thousand souls; but, on the approach of sum- 
 mer, every one retires to his country-house, and this 
 number diminishes one third. 
 
 * The high towers and the embattled walls, 
 which you see rising in thesmidst of the town, trace 
 the first enclosure, called Kremlin. This fortress, in. 
 the form of a perfect triangle, is celebrated in our an- 
 nals, and has never been taken. f The plan of it * 
 was drawn, towards the fourteenth century, by some 
 Italian architects. J The interior ot the Kremlin is di- 
 
 * Seven leagues. 
 
 f The people of Moscow believed that the preservation of the 
 empire depended on the towers of this ancieat fortress. A false 
 tradition persuaded them that it never had been taken. Thus, to 
 express the idea of security, it was a common saying, Jls safe as 
 tvilhin the Kremlin. 
 
 X Voltaire's Bistoire de Russie, volume I. page 60, stereotype 
 edition. 
 
MOSCOW,* 161 . 
 
 vicled into two parts ; the one called Krepofs, or cita- 
 de], contains only the palace, and some churches, 
 each of which is surmounted by five domes. Prom 
 this place you may perfectly distinguish them, as 
 much by their elevation as by the gilding of the 
 steeples, and their fantastical architecture. In the se- 
 cond enclosure are some noble houses, commercial 
 streets, and the place called Bazar, or Khitaigorod, a 
 name given it by the Tartars, who were its founders. 
 *Poedor, the elder brother of Peter the Great, 
 began to improve Moscow. He constructed several 
 buildings of stone, but without any regular architec- 
 ture. To him we owe the first stud of beautiful hors- 
 es, and some useful embellishmeats.* Although Peter 
 had a particular affection for Petersburg, nevertheless, 
 tiis genius, which embraced every thing, did not neg- 
 lect Moscow. He caused it to be paved, adorned it 
 with many superb edifices, and enriched it with valu- 
 able manufactures; and, lastly, under Elizabeth, a 
 university was established. f 
 
 * The arsenal within the krepots, is remarkable 
 for six culverins, mounted on fixed carriages, the 
 largest of which is twenty-four feet in length. Near 
 the principal gate, is likewise an enormous howitzer, 
 at least three feet in diameter. Further on is the an* 
 cient palace of the Czars. It is the residence ^ our 
 emperors. Yours has now established himself there. 
 
 * Voltaire'8 Histoire de Roseie, vol. I. page 52. 
 f l(km. 
 
 91 
 
16S MOSCOW. 
 
 Behind is \he pal-ire of the senate ; near which is the 
 c^sthedra^ of St. luau, aiiH the foiindahoo of an an- 
 C'ent tower, with the famous hell which was ca^1 ia 
 IVIosrovv, towards the midd'e of the sixteenth century, 
 under ihe Czar Boris Go io;*o. Ft h an astonishing' 
 proflurtion, and proves, that even at that remote peri- 
 od, she Russians had made g-reat prooress m civilrza- 
 lion and the tine arts. This bell, jHstly admired for 
 the beantv of the fitjnres wh'ch surround it, surpasses 
 in size the most fymons in Europe.* 
 
 * From the krepots you enjoy a der!2:htfu] prospect. 
 On the riij^ht vmd left are two bridg'f's, across the Mosk- 
 "wa. Beyond the river are some niasjnificent palaces; 
 and Hi the back-ground is a fine country, embelished 
 with many noble mansions.' 
 
 But, said I, interrupting- the Moscovite, tell us what 
 immense fabric is this with an infinite number of win- 
 dows on each side, and which. In its enormous mag- 
 nitude, seems to command the whole town ? 
 
 * It is the hospital Shere^nitow/ answered he, 
 ' built by the illustrious family of that name. One 
 of their ancestors was the glorious companion in. 
 arms of Peter the Great ; and the riches which he ac- 
 quired, were always devoted to the prosperity and 
 glory of the nation. In this building were educated 
 the orphans and the children of those who have de- 
 fended the country. But at present the children have 
 been removed, and their fathers, to the number of 
 
 J: Voltaire's Histoire de Russie, torn. i. page SU 
 
MOSCOW,. 163 
 
 twenty thousand who have been gloriously wounded 
 at Mojaisk, occupy their places. These unhappy men 
 are abandoned, death is before their eyes ; and it" soir 
 generosity does not in this niomeut ot cahimity iui*: d 
 them assistance, they will be left to die in the UiOst 
 fnachttnl torments. 
 
 ' FiOHi the jrate of Petersburg- to that of Kaln^a, 
 numerous palates aie seeii, which, by tiseir riches 
 and mag'niticence, att> act the aitentioi; ot the travel- 
 ler. At: these paiaies are newiy cot strncted, and 
 aiHioUiice the prodigious wealth that Russia uns »c- 
 cumniated within these tew \ears. Bnl the most 
 af4ouishing^ of al:, is the palace of Orlow. It belongs 
 to the only heiress of this nume, whose income ex- 
 ceeds six milhoiis of rubies.* The extent of this 
 palace is immense, anci the beauty of the interior 
 corresponds with the spacious courts and enchanting- 
 gardens uliich sm round it. 
 
 * You will tind in my country,' added the Mosco- 
 vite, * a great number of editices, justly celebrated as 
 the m<ist beautiful m Europe. It is use. ess to des- 
 cribe them to you, since you will soon see them your- 
 selves. I wish that you may long admire them, but a 
 fatal presentiment convinces me, that this great and 
 superb tovi^u, justly considered as the market of Eu- 
 ro|)eand of Asia, will, ere lo g, astonish the world by 
 the must dreadful catastrophe.' 
 
 As he uttered these words, the unfortunate man 
 seemed suffocated h ith gnel. 1 pitied him ; but I 
 
 ^ One million sterling. 
 
364 MOSCOWr 
 
 could not leave hirn without asking" the name of that 
 great building of red and white brick, which was seen 
 to the, north of the town, on the road to Petersburg". 
 He informed me, that it was the famous chateau of 
 Peterskoe, where the sovereigns of Russia used to re- 
 side previous to their coronation. 
 
 Although the bridge over the Moskwa was not yet 
 finished, the viceroy ordered the troops of his corps to 
 Ci\:ss the river. The cavalry had already passed it, 
 ar>d bid taken post before the village of Khorch6vo, 
 We were here officially informed of the entry of our 
 troops into Moscow. The fourth corps received or-*- 
 ders to halt at this place till the foliowmg day, when 
 an hour would be appointed for us to enter the capital 
 of the Russian empire. 
 
 Oil the 15lh of September our corps left the vil- 
 lage, where it had encamped, at an early hour, and 
 marched to Moscow. As we approached the city, 
 we saw that it had no walls, and that a simple para- 
 pet of earth was the only work which constituted the 
 outer enclosure. Kolhing indicated that the town 
 was inhabited ; and the road by which we arrived was 
 so deserted, that we saw neither Russian or even 
 French soldiers. No cry, no noise vi'as heard, in the 
 midst of this awful solitude. We pursued our march 
 a prey to the utmost anxiety, and that anxiety was 
 redoubled when we perceived a thick smoke, which 
 arose in the form of a column, from the centre of the 
 town. It was at first believed that the Russians, 
 agreeably to their custom, had, in retreating, set fire 
 to some magaziaes. Recohecting, however^ the re-? 
 
iMOSCow. 165 
 
 «ital of the inhabitant of Moscow, we feared that his 
 prediction was about to be ftdtilled. Eager to know 
 the cause of this conflagralioii, we in vain endeavour- 
 ed to find same one who mij>ht satisfy our irrepressible 
 cnriosity, and the impossibdity of satisfying- it, increas- 
 ed oar impatiei.ce, asid augmented our alarm. 
 
 We did not e iter at the first barrier that presented 
 itself, but, moving to the leit, we continued to march 
 round the town. At length, according" to the orders 
 of the viceroy, I phiced the troops of the fourth corps 
 in a position, to guard the high road towards Peters- 
 burg: The thirteenth and fifteenth divisions, en- 
 camped around the chateau of Peiersko'e, the four- 
 teenth established itself in the viliaoe between Vios- 
 cow and this chateau^ and the Bavarian light cavalry 
 was a league ia front of the village. 
 
 When these positions were taken, the viceroy en- 
 tered Moscow, and fixed h s head-quarters in the pal- 
 ace of prioce Momonotf, in the beautiful street of 8t. 
 Petersburg. Tne quarter assigned to our corps was 
 one of the fi lest in the town. It was composed en- 
 tirely of superb edifices, and of houses, which, although 
 of wood, had an appearance of surprising grandeur 
 and magnificence. Tiie magistrates having abandon- 
 ed the town, every one established himself at his plea- 
 sure in these sumptuous i^alaces; even the subaltern 
 officer was lodged in vast apartments richly decorated, 
 and of which he could easily fancy himself to be the 
 proprietor, since no one appeared but a humble and 
 submissive porter, who, with a trembling hand, deiiv» 
 ered to him the keys of the mansion. 
 
16& MOSCOW. 
 
 Although Moscow had been entered by some of 
 our troops the preceding' day, so extensive and so de- 
 scried was the town that no sohlier had jet j.ei etraled 
 into the quarter uhich we v\ere to occu|)^. The most 
 intiepid muids were afiected by this iobehness. 1'he 
 streets were so long that our cavahy could rmt recog- 
 nize each other troiii the op|;osite extrtnaiies. liiey 
 were seen advancing' with caution : the , .siruck with 
 fear, they suddenly fled irom each otlier, though ll.ey 
 were all enlisted under thesanie banners. In | ro[..or- 
 tion as a new quarter was occupied, reconnoitring 
 parties were sent torward to exaaitne the palaces and 
 the churches, [a the former w ere found only o.d n^en, 
 children, or Ru&sian ofliCerf-:, who 1 ad been wounded 
 in the preceding engagements : m the latter, the altars 
 were decorated as it for a festival ; a thousand lighted 
 tapers, burning in honour of the patron saint of the 
 country, attested that die pious JVIoscovites had not 
 ceased to invoke him tiil the moment ot their depar- 
 ture. This solemn and religious spectacle, rendered 
 the people w horn we had conquered, povvertul and res- 
 pectable in our e>tin!ation, and fiileo us wsth that ton- 
 slern&tion which is the offspring of injustice.. With 
 cautious steps we advanced through this awful soii- 
 lode ; often stoppiiigand iookiiig feariutiy behind us; 
 then, struck willi sutiden terr« r, v.e eagerly iihtened to 
 every sound ; lor tl e magn ation, tnghtened at the 
 ver^ magnitiuic ot our conquest, made us apprehensive 
 of treachery in every place. At the least noise we fan- 
 cied thai we heard the clashing ot arms, and the cries 
 f)i the wounded, 
 
MOSCOW. 1G7 
 
 Approaching, however, towards the centre of 
 the town, and especially in the neighbourhood of the 
 Bazar, we beo'an to see some inhabitants assembled 
 aronnd the Kremlin. These deladed beings, deceiv- 
 ed by a national tradition^ had believed that this cita- 
 del was impregnable, and had attempted the preced- 
 ing day to defend it for an instant against our valiant 
 legions. Dismayed by their defeat, they coulem- 
 plated, with tears, those loftv towers which they had 
 hitherto regarded as the palladium of their city. Pro- 
 ceeding further on, we saw a crowd of sodiers, who 
 exposed to public sale a vast quantity of articles 
 which they had pdlaged ; for it was only at the grand 
 magazines of provisions that the imperial guards had 
 placed sentinels. Cvintinumg our progress, the num- 
 ber of soldiers multiplied; they yvere seen in troops, 
 carrying on their backs pieces of cloth, loaves of su- 
 gar, and whole bales of merchandise. We knew 
 not how to account for this shocking siisorder, when 
 at length some fusileers of the guards informed us 
 that the smoke which we had seen on enterino- the 
 town, proceeded from a vast building, full of goods, 
 called the exchange, and which the Russians h:id set 
 on fire in their retreat. * Yesterday,' said these sol- 
 diers, * we entered the city about twelve o'clock, 
 and, towards five, the tire began to appear. We en- 
 deavoured at first to extinguish it, buL we soon learned 
 that the governor had sent away all the engines. It 
 is also believed,' added they, ' that this fire, which 
 cannot be subdued, has been kindled by the nobilit}, 
 with an intention of exciting us to plunder, and de- 
 
108 . MOSCOW. 
 
 stroying' our discipline -, and likewise with the deter- 
 mination to rnin those merchants who opposed Ihe 
 abandonment of Moscow.' 
 
 A natural curiosity made me proceed. As I ad- 
 vanced towards the fire, the aveiuies were still more 
 obstructed by soldiers and beg'g'ars carrvirso- off goods 
 of every kind. The less precious articles were des- 
 pised, and soon thrown away, and the streets were 
 covered with merchandise of every descrij-tion. I 
 penetrated at leng^th ii»to ihe interior of the exchange ; 
 bul, atas! it was no more the building- so renowned 
 for its mag-nificence; it was rather a \ast furnace, 
 from every side of \\hiGh the burning' rafters were 
 continually falling, and threatening us with instant 
 destruction. I could still, however, proceed with 
 some degree of safety under the piazzas. These 
 were filled with numerous warehouses, which the 
 soldiers had broken open ; every chest was rifled, and 
 the spoil exceeded all their expectations. No cry, 
 no tumult was heard in this scene of horror. JEvery 
 one found abundantly sufficient to satisfy his thirst 
 for plunder. Nothing was heard but the crackling 
 of the flames, and the noise of the doors that were 
 broken open ; and occasionally a dreadful crash, caus- 
 ed by the falling in of some vault. Cottons, muslms, 
 and, in short, all the most costly productions of Eu- 
 rope and of Asia, were a prey to the flames. The 
 cellars were filled with sugar, oil, and vitriol; these 
 burning all at once in the subterraneous warehouses, 
 sent forth torrents of flame through thick iron grates, 
 and presented a striking image of the mouth of hell. 
 
It was a spectacle both terrible and affecting. Even 
 the most har^iened minds were struck with a conviction 
 that so g-reat a calamity would, on some future dajjj 
 Call forth the vea^eance of the Almighty upon the au- 
 thors of such crimes. 
 
 The information which I endeavoured to obtain^ 
 with regard to the causes of this fire, were very un- 
 satisfactory ; but, returning in the evening to the pa- 
 lace where our staff was quartered, I met a French- 
 man there, who had been tutor to the children of 
 
 prince >. This geUleman possessed much 
 
 general knowledge, and a sound judgment in politics. 
 His conversation was the more interesting, as he had 
 long lived among the Russian nobility, and was per- 
 fectly acquainted with their character and views. 
 Moreover, the events which happened in Moscow 
 since the battle of the Moskwa, had passed under 
 bis observation, and, although a Frenchman, he form- 
 ed one of the small number of those, who, by their 
 talents and their prudence, had always been on a foot- 
 ing of intimacy with count Hastopchin. This meet- 
 ing was extremely fortunate, as it gave me an oppor- 
 tunity of learning what I was so desirous to know j 
 particularly the true character of the governor, who, 
 notwithstanding" the blackest calumriies, will alwavs 
 be revered by his fellow-citizens, and will be cited 
 by future generations as a model of courge and patri- 
 otism. 
 
 * Although the French advanced towards Mos- 
 cow in three columns,' said the tutor, * so nnich , 
 
170 MOSCOW. 
 
 pru'lence was employed bv count RasfopcTiin, in con- 
 cealing- the truth from the people, that noue but the 
 nobility, and the persons atU^ched to the o;overnment, 
 were acquainted with the terrible disasters with which 
 the city was threatened. This, it is true, contributed 
 to prolong our illusions; but when we saw the Rus- 
 sian armv return within these walls, preceded by thirty 
 thousand wounded, and dragging after them the whole 
 populahon of the country, the citizens renounced their 
 peaceable occupations, and abandoned themselves to 
 the utmost agitation. All societies were dissolved, 
 and the public institutions deserted. Even the me- 
 chanics, renouncing the work that supplied their fa- 
 milies with bread, shut up their shops, and, sharing in 
 the consternation, which was become universal, mix- 
 ed ^Yilh the immense crowd which w^as running to the 
 governor's house, to know whether they were to fly or 
 remain. 
 
 ' In this painful and critical situation, the count 
 Kastopchin, surrounded by the mos; illustrious of 
 the no' ility, and by the richest a?;d most esteemed 
 among the merchants, reminded his fellow-citizens 
 oi the solemn promises which they had made to their 
 emperor. He recalled to their minds that memora- 
 ble scene, when the sovereign, the father of his 
 country, received from his children, the homage of 
 their fortunes and their lives. At this recollection, 
 the governor, overpowered by the sentiments which 
 agitated him, was almost suffocated by excess of feel- 
 ing, and lost the faculty of sjjeech. This silent scene 
 lasted several minutes, and produced more tears than 
 
MOSCOW^ 171 
 
 the mosteloquent harangue would have done. But the 
 interest ot the state, conquering a sensibihty so natu- 
 ral, and so affecting, a nobleman iu the assembly, who, 
 from his diplomatic office, was well acquainted with 
 the cause that had produced this disastrous war, ad- 
 dressed them in the following words : — 
 
 * *' Inhabitants of Moscow ! Jf you knew how 
 the paternal heart of our monarch has suffered, and 
 the means he has employed to ensure the repose and 
 happmess of his empire — if you knew even how 
 much his love of peace, and his desne to maintain 
 even a disadvantageous ailiauce, have made him ne- 
 glect the interests of his glory - you could ihen alone 
 form an adequate idea of that excellent prince, who 
 told us six weeks ago, I have neglected nothing to en- 
 sure the peace of my countrv ; but, the more sacrifices 
 1 made, the more were demanded by our enemy. 
 For our justification in the eyes of posterity, we 
 must avow that we have taken up arms, only in the 
 utmost extremity ; and at the moment when our glo- 
 rious empire was compelled to choose between the 
 chas'.ces of war, or the infamy of having its laurels 
 blasted. But, since injustice forces us to ihe com- 
 bat, why siiould we fear it. For more than a cen- 
 tury, war has aiways been to us tavourabie and gio- 
 rious. The north was formerly the terror of the 
 south ; and now, when the north approaches to civi- 
 lization, and wishes for oniversal peace, the south, 
 blinded by an ungovernable and fatal ambition, aban- 
 dons its rich provinces, to overrun our frozen re- 
 gions. Is it then necessary always to be the oppres- 
 
172 MOSCOW. 
 
 sor, in order noi to be oppressed j and must my pa- 
 cific senl ments be now the misfortune of my reign? 
 In vain this scoiirg^e of mankind alleg-es, that he 
 wages a war of policy, and that this is the struggle 
 of civilization against barbarism! a clumsy artifice, 
 which can Jteceive those only who a'*e unaccjuainted 
 with our manners and principles. This civilization, 
 so liigh-y vaunted, what has it to fear from us, who 
 exhaust our treasures, who traverse the seas, and 
 explore both hemis[iheres, to cultivate and to natu- 
 ra,!ze it in our climate ? And those to wiiom we go 
 for instruction, and who enrnh themselves by selling 
 Tus the productions or their industry, these very peo- 
 ple dare to call us barbarians ! No, no, this is not the 
 motive of the war winch the ungrateful Napoleon 
 makes upon us. He fears our rapid progress more 
 than our barbarism. In fact, what nation is virtuous 
 enough, not to be jealous oi the miraculous protec- 
 tion which Providence grants to our empire. It is 
 scarcely a century, since Peter, of illustrious me- 
 mory, placed it in the rank of great nations; and 
 since that time, how many countries have been sub- 
 dued ! — how many cities have been captured ! — how 
 ma^iy provinces reduced to submission ! Yet, let us 
 rather consider as the noblest trophies, the towns 
 that have been founded, the districts that iiave been 
 civilized ; the universisies, colleges, and institutions, 
 which have been established ; and you will find, that, 
 in a short space of time, we have effaced the line 
 which separated the civihzed from barbarised Eu-^ 
 ropep It is our spirit of civilization^ so closely re^ 
 
Moseow. 173 
 
 semhling- that of which the French are vain, which 
 now attracts their hatred. They reproach us for our 
 conquests over tie Persians and Turks, pretending 
 not to know, that it is owing to the terror with which 
 we have inspired the Musselraen, that Europe has 
 ceased to be invaded by these infidels. Hungary owes 
 to us its safety, ai)d Italy its preservation : far differ- 
 ent, in this respect, from our enemies, whose conquests 
 are only a new subject of dissention and war with iheir 
 neighbours" 
 
 * This is the substance of the memorable speech 
 which the emperor Alexander pronounced in the 
 assembly of the nobles ; and which the orator most 
 judiciously repeated, as best calculated to rouse the 
 courage of those who had not been present. Count 
 Rastopchin, who hitherto had listened with sifent atr 
 tention, seeing that the inhabitants of Moscow were 
 sufficiently ^ re pared, rose immedialely from his seat, 
 and, runniag to the balcony, which opened on the 
 gTe;»t square, he thus addressed the people there as- 
 sembled : — 
 
 * " Brave Moscovites ! 
 
 * " Our enemy advances ; and you already hear 
 the roar of the cannon, not far (rom our suburbs. 
 This bad man wishes to overwhelm a throne, the 
 splendour of which eclipses his own. We have 
 yielded ground, but we are not conquered. Yoii 
 know that our etnperor, in imitation of his ancestors, 
 resides in the camp. Our armies are almost un- 
 touched, and are reinforced every day by new levies; 
 
174 MOSCOW* 
 
 but those of our pei-fidious enemy, arrive exhausted^, 
 annihilated. Insensible man! he thought that his 
 viciorious eagle, after having- wandered from the banks 
 of the Tay us to the sources of the Volga, could sub- 
 due one, which, reared in the midst of the Kremlin, 
 proudly hovers over our heads, extendmg one wing 
 towards the pole, and reaching with the other beyoad 
 the Bosphorus. 
 
 * *' Let us persevere, and I venture to predict 
 that our country will reappear from the midst of its 
 ruins, greater and n.ore majestic than before. But, 
 to attain an end so desirable, consider, my friends, 
 that the greatest sacrifices must be made, and the 
 dearest affections renounced. It behoves you now 
 to prove yourselves w^orthy descendants of the Po- 
 jarskies, the P.ihtsires, and ol the Minines, who, m 
 the most unhappy times, established, by their cour- 
 age, the belief that the Kremlin is inviolable. Cher- 
 ish this pious tradit on, and maintain it, by arming 
 yourselves aganist our dangerous esiemy, who wishes 
 to annihilate our empire, and to pillage our altars. 
 Sacritice every thing to obtain a victory, or be con- 
 tent to lose your honour, your fortunes, and your 
 independence. But if God, in the dispensations of 
 his wisdom, should allow vice to triumph for a mo- 
 nient, remember that it will be vour sacred duty to 
 ^y into the deserts, and to forsake a country which 
 will no longer be yours, when the presence of your 
 oppressors has polluted it. The inhabitants of Sa- 
 ragossn, still recollecting the immortal courage of 
 their ancestors, who, to escape the yoke of the Ro- 
 
MOSCOW, 175 
 
 inaniS, kindled n funeral pile, and immolated iheir fa- 
 milies and Jhemselves, have, like them, chosen rnther 
 to perish under the rains of their town, than submit 
 to injustice. The same tyranny now threitens to 
 crush us. Let us show to the whole universe, that 
 the glorious example of the Si)aniards has not been 
 lost upon the Russians." 
 
 * After this speech the most violent agitation suc- 
 ceeded, and an ur^governab e populace, running* 
 through the pri scipai streets, cried aloud that it was 
 better to perish than to outlive their country and their 
 teligion. Those on whom nature had not bestowed 
 the most ardent courage, ran to their homes to save 
 their families from the impending danger. Some 
 fled with haste from the city. Others, on the con- 
 trary, vowed to defend it, whilst the rest of the po- 
 pulation, seizing their arms, either took refuge in the 
 Kremlin, or, with torches in their hands, set fire to 
 the exhange, which contained, as you know, im- 
 mense riches, and where the French army might 
 have found means of subsistence during the winter.' 
 
 This was the account which the worthy tutor 
 gave me of all that had happened at Moscow, previ- 
 ous to our arrival there. We both lamented thes& 
 calamitous events ; but, the day being calm, we hoped 
 that the fire would not extend beyond the exchange. 
 But what was our regret and our terror, when on 
 the following morning, at the dawn of day (Septem- 
 ber 16), we saw the conflagration raging on every 
 side, and perceived that the wind, blowing with vio- 
 lence, spread the flames in all directions. 
 
176 MOSCOW. 
 
 The most bearl-rending* scene which my imagi* 
 nation had ever conceived, far surrassing' the most 
 afflicting" accounts in ancient or mociern history, now 
 presented itself before our eyes. A great part of the 
 pO'>ulation of Moscow, frighleaed at our arrival, had 
 concealed themselves in cellars or secret recesses of 
 their houses. As the tire spread around, we saw 
 thesii rushing in despair from their various asylums. 
 They uUered no imprecation, they breathed no com- 
 plaint, but, carrying with them their most precious 
 effects, fled before the flames. Others, of greater 
 seiisibihly, aiul actuated by the genuine feelings of 
 nature, saved only their children, who were closely 
 clas|ied in their arms. Many old peop e, borne down 
 bv grief rather than by age, had not sufficient strength 
 to toliovt' their families, and expired near the houses 
 in which they were born. The streets, the public 
 places, and particularly the churches, were filled with 
 these unhappy people, who, lying on the remains of 
 their property, suffered even without a murmur. No 
 contention or noise was heard. Both the conqueior 
 and the conquered were equally hardened : the one 
 from excess of fortune — the other from excess of 
 misery. 
 
 The fire, whose ravages could not be restrained, 
 soon reached the finest parts of the city. Those pa- 
 laces which we had admired for ihe beauty of their 
 architecture, and the elegance of their furniture, were 
 enveloped in the flames. Their magaificent fronts, 
 ornamented with bas-reliefs and statues, fell with a 
 dreadful crash on the fragments of the pillars which 
 
MOSCOW. 177 
 
 had supported them. The churches, thon^-h covered 
 with iron and lead, were likewise destroyed, and 
 with them those beautiful steeples, which we had 
 seen the night before, resplendent with ""old and sil- 
 ver. The hospitals, too, which contained more Ihan 
 twenty thousand wounded, soon be^^an to burn. This 
 offered a harrowing and dreadful spectacle ; almost 
 all these poor wretches perished. A few who still 
 lingered, were seen crawling, half burnt, amongst the 
 smoaking ruins ; and others, groaning under heaps of 
 dead bodies, endeavoured in vain to extricate them- 
 selves from the horrible destruction which surrounded 
 them. 
 
 How shall T describe the confusion and tumult 
 when permission was granted to pillage this immense 
 city ! Soldiers, suttlers, galley-slaves, and prosti- 
 tutes, eagerly ran through the streets, penetrating mto 
 the deserted palaces, and carrying away every thing 
 which could gratify their avarice. Some covered 
 themselves with stuffs, richly worked with gold ; 
 some were enveloped in beautiful and costly furs ; 
 while others dressed themselves in women's and chil- 
 dren's pelisses, and even the galley-slaves concealed 
 their rags under the most splendid court-dresses ; the 
 rest crowded into the cellars, and forcing open the 
 doors, drank the most luscious wines, and carried off 
 an immense booty. 
 
 This horrible pillage was not confined to the de- 
 serted houses alone, but extended to those which 
 were inhabited, and soon the eagerness and wauton- 
 23 
 
178 MOSCOW. 
 
 ness of tlie plunderers, caused devastalions wbicli 
 almost equalled those occasioned by the conflagra- 
 tion. Ever^ asvium was soon violated by the licen- 
 tious troops. The inhabitants who had officers in 
 their houses, for a litlie while flattered themselves 
 that thev should escape the general calamity. Vain 
 illusion ! the fire, progressively increasing, soon de- 
 stroyed all the r hopes. 
 
 Towards evesiing, when Napoicon no longer 
 thought himself safe in a city, the rum of which 
 seemed inevitable, he lett the Kremlin, and establish- 
 ed himself, with his suite, in the castle at Peterskoe, 
 When i saw him pass by, I could not, without ab- 
 horrence, behold the chief of a barbarous expedi- 
 tion, who evidently endeavoured to escape the decid- 
 ed testinsony of public indignation, by seeking the 
 darkest road. He sought it, however, in vain. On 
 every side the flames seemed to pursue him, and their 
 liorribie and mournful glare, flashing on his guilty 
 head, reminded me of the torches of the Eumenides^ 
 pursuing the destined victims of the furies ! 
 
 The generals likewise received orders to quit 
 Moscow. Licentiousness then became unbounded. 
 The soldiers lio longer restrained by the presence of 
 their chiefs, committed every kind of excess. No 
 retreat was now safe, no place sufficiently sacred to 
 afford any protection against their rapacity. Nothing 
 more forcibly excited their avarice than the church 
 of St. Michael, the sepulchre of the Russian enioe- 
 rors. An erroneous tradition had propagated the be- 
 lief that it contained immeiise riclieg. Some grena?- 
 
]>ioscow. 179 
 
 f^ers presently entered it, and descended with torches 
 into the vast subterranean vaults, to disturb che ppace 
 and silence of the tomb. But, instead of treasures, 
 they found only stone coffins, covered with pink vel- 
 vet, with thin silver plates, on which were engraved 
 the names of the ezars, and the date of their birth and 
 decease. Mortified at this disappointment, they 
 again searched every part of the building-, and at 
 length perceived, at the end of a dark gallery, a lamp, 
 the half-extinsTuished ligrht of which fell on a small 
 altar. They immediately proceeded towards it, and 
 the first object which presented itself to their nohce, 
 Was a young female, elegantly dressed, and in the 
 attitude af devotion. At the noise of the soldiers, 
 the unhappy girl screamed violently, and tell i.jto a 
 swoon. In that situation she was carried before one 
 of our o^enerals. 
 
 As long as I have life I shall retain the impression 
 which the appearance of that young lady, pafe, and 
 almost dying, produced on my mind. Her counte- 
 nance, in which grief arid despair were equally legi- 
 ble, was irresistibly interesting. As her recollection 
 returned, she seemed to deprecate the care which was 
 employed m recalling her to life. While we gazed 
 on her lovely form, every bosom was inspired with 
 pity, and we all were anxious to become acquainted 
 with her history. The general, in particular, but 
 from very different motives, seemed eager to hear it ; 
 iand, sending most of those who were present away, 
 J^e begged her to relate to him her misfortunes. 
 
180 MOSCOW. 
 
 * Of wliat use,* said she, 'would it be to men- 
 tion to von the wealth of a house, which will soon 
 be annihilated ? Suffice it, that the name of my father 
 is celebrated in the history of our empire ; and that 
 he is now serving" with distinction in the army, which 
 is gloriously fighting in defence of our country. My 
 name is Paulowna. On the day preceding your en- 
 trance into Moscow, 1 was to be united to one of the 
 young- warriors, who had distinguished himself at the 
 battle of Mojaisk. But amidst the nuptial solemni- 
 ties, my father was informed that the French were at 
 the gates of the city, and, suspending our marriage, 
 and taking my husband with him, they hastened to 
 join the army. Early on the following morning, be- 
 ing with my afflicted family, we heard the roar of the 
 cannon 5 and, the noise evidently approaching nearer, 
 we no longer doubted that we must quit Moscow. 
 In the midst of this dreadful tumult, I fled with my 
 relations ; but, when we arrived near the Kremlin, an 
 immense crowd met us, and, rushing hastily by, part- 
 ed me from my mother and sisters, I endeavoured, 
 in vain, to recall them by my cries. The noise of 
 arms, and the cries of an infuriated populace, over- 
 powered my feeble voice, and in an instant I was 
 rendered truly miserable. The French, meanwhile, 
 penetrated into the town, and, driving all before 
 them, advanced towards the Kremlin. To find a 
 shelter against their excesses, I, with many others, 
 ran into the citadel, which was considered a place of 
 security. As I could not mix with the combatants, 
 
MOSCOW, 18i 
 
 I retired to the church of St. Michael, seeking refuge 
 among the graves of the czars. Kneeliog near their 
 sepulchres, I invoked the manes of those illustrious 
 founders of our country, when, on a sudden, some 
 wicked soldiers broke in upon my retreat, and drag- 
 ged me away from an inviolable and sacred asylum.' 
 When the unhappy girl had finished her history, she 
 shed a torrent of tears ; and, throwing herself at the ge- 
 neral's feet, implored him to respect her virtue, and 
 restore her to her relations. He was more interested 
 by her beauty than by her tears ; but, pretending to 
 pity her misfortunes, he pledged himself to relieve 
 them. He offered her his house as a protection ; and, 
 to retain her there, he promised to use his utmost en- 
 deavours to discover her father and her destined hus- 
 band. But, as I knew the disposition of tlie man, I 
 clearly perceived, that this apparent generosity was 
 only a snare to deceive the innocent Paulovvna. There 
 wanted nothing more to complete the horrors of that 
 day, when he resolved to outrage virtue and seduce 
 innocence ; and we afterwards found that neither no- 
 ble blood, nor the candour of youth, nor even the tears 
 of beauty, were respected. 
 
 Penetrated by so many calamities, I hoped that 
 the shades of night would cast a veil over the dread- 
 ful scene 3 but they contributed, on the contrary, to 
 render the eonflag-ration more visible. The violence 
 of the flames, which extended from north to south, 
 and were strangely agitated by the wind, ^produced 
 the most awful appearance, on a sky which was dark- 
 ened by the thickest smoke. Nothing could equal 
 
18^ MOSCOW, 
 
 the ang'uish which absorbed every feeling- heart, and, 
 which was increased m the dead of the nighl, by the 
 cries of the miserable vjctims who were savag-el} mur- 
 dered, or by the screams of the young females, who 
 jBed for protection to their weeping mothers, and whose 
 ineffectual struggles tended only to inflame the passion 
 of their violators. To these dreadful groans and 
 heart-rending cries, which every moment broke upon 
 the ear, were added, the bowlings of the dogs, which, 
 chained to the doors of the palaces, according to the 
 custom at Moscow, could not escape from the fire 
 which surrounded them, 
 
 I flattered myself that sleep would for a while re- 
 lease me from these revolting scenes ; but the most 
 frightful recollections crowded upon me, and all the 
 horrors of the evening again passed in review. My 
 wearied senses seemed at last sinking into repose 
 when the light of a near and dreadful conflagration, 
 piercing into my room, suddenly awoke me. I 
 thought that ray room was a prey to the flames. It 
 was no idle dream, for when I approached the win- 
 dow, I saw that our quarters were on fire, and that 
 the house in which I lodged, was in the utmost dan- 
 ger, bparks were thickly falling in our yard, and on 
 the wooden roof of our stables. I ran quickly to 
 my landlord and his family. Perceiving their danger,, 
 they had already quitted their habitation, and had re- 
 tired to a subterranean vault, which aflbrded them 
 more security. I found them with their servants all 
 assembled there, nor could I prevail on them to ieavfe 
 
^ SIOSCOW. 18^ 
 
 it, for they dreaded our soldiers more than the fire. 
 The father was sitting on the threshold of the door^ 
 and appeared desirous of appeasing", by the sacrifice 
 of his own life, the ferocity of those barbarians, who 
 advanced to insult his family. Two of his daugh- 
 ters, pale, with dishevelled hair, and whose tears ad- 
 ded to their beauty, disputed with him the honour of 
 the martyrdom. I at length succeeded in snatching 
 them by violence from the asylum, under which they 
 would otherwise soon have been buried. These un- 
 happy creatures when they again saw the lifjht, con- 
 templated with indifterence the loss of all their pro- 
 perty, and were only astonished that they were still 
 alive. Notwithslanduig they were convinced that ihey 
 would be protected tVom all persorml injury, they did 
 not exhibit any tokens of gratitude ; bui, like those 
 wretches, who, having been ordered to execution, are 
 quite bewildered, when a reprieve unexpectedly ar- 
 rives, and the agonies of death render them insensi- 
 ble to the gift of life. 
 
 Desirous of terminating the recital of this horri- 
 ble catastrophe, for which history wants expressions, 
 and poetry has no colours, I shall pass over, in silence, 
 many circumstances revolting to humanity, and mere- 
 ly describe the dreadful confusion which arose in our 
 army, when the fire had reached every part of Mos- 
 cow, and the whole city was become one immense 
 flame. 
 
 A long row of carriages were perceived through 
 flie thick smokf , leaded with booty. Being too heavir 
 
184 MOSCOW. 
 
 ly laden for the exhausted cattle to draw them along', 
 they were obliged to halt at every step, when we heard 
 the execration of their drivers, who, terrified at the 
 surrounding' flames, endeavoured to push forward, with 
 dreadful outcries. The soldiers, still armed, were di- 
 ligently employed in forcing open every door. They 
 seemed to fear lest they should leave one house untou- 
 ched. Some, when their carriages were laden almost 
 to breaking down, bore the rest of their booty on their 
 backs. The tire, however obstructing the passage of 
 the principal streets, often obliged them to retrace 
 their steps. Thus, wandering from place to place, 
 through an immense town, the avenues of which they 
 did not know, they sought, m vain, to extricate them- 
 selves from this labyrinth of tire. Many wandered 
 further from the gates by which they might have esca- 
 ped, instead of approaching them, and thus became the 
 victims of their own rapacity. In spite, however, of 
 the extreme peril which threatened them, the love of 
 plunder induced our soldiers to brave every danger. 
 Stimulated by an irresistable desire of pillage, they 
 precipitated themselves into the midst of the flames. 
 They waded in blood, treading upon the dead bodies 
 without remorse, while the ruins of the houses, mixed 
 with burning coals, fell thick on then- murderous hands. 
 They would probably all have perished, if the insup- 
 portable heat had not forced them at length to with- 
 draw into the camp. 
 
 The fourth corps having received orders to leave 
 Moscow, we proceeded (September 17th)s towards 
 
MOSCOW. 18a 
 
 Peterskoe, where our divisions were encamped. At 
 that niotiient, about the dawn oi day, 1 witnessed the 
 most dreadful and the most afi'ectnio^ scenes which it 
 is jfossiile lo conceive ; nameiy, the unhappy inhahir 
 lants drawing upon some uiean vehicles all that they 
 had been ab;e to save troui the cot.- tiap ration. The 
 soldiers, having- rohbed them O: their horses, ihe 
 men and wonien were slowly and paintuliy drai^gmg 
 along these liitie carls, some of which contained an 
 infirm mother, others a paralytic old man, and others 
 the miserabe wrecks of haif-consumed furniture 5 
 children, half naked, toilowed these interesting groups. 
 Affliction, to which their age is commonly a stranger, 
 was impressed even on their features, and, uhen the 
 soldiers approached tiiem, they ran crying mlo the 
 arms of their mothers. Alas ! what habitation could 
 "we have offered them which would not constantly re- 
 call the object ot their terror ? Without a shelter and 
 without food, these unlortunate beiugs waiidered in 
 the fields, and fled into the woods ; but, wherever they 
 bent their steps, they met the conquerors of Moscow, 
 who frequently ill-treated them, and sold before iheir 
 eyes, the goods which had been staien from their own 
 deserted iiabitations. 
 
 24 
 
PART II. 
 
 BOOK VL 
 
 MALO-JAROSLAVITZ. 
 
 The arrival of a victorious French army in the 
 ancient capital of the czars, in the richest and most 
 central city of Russia, which a religious belief had 
 hitherto considered as sacred, was one of the most ex- 
 traordinary occurrences of modern history. 
 
 Our former conquests had, for some years, accus- 
 tomed Europe to behold our vast and most astonish* 
 ing plans crowned with complete success. But, of all 
 our expeditions, none had, like this, an appearance of 
 imposing grandeur, calculated to seduce those who 
 were fond of the marvellous; while the difficulty of 
 the enterprise equalled every romantic tale that the 
 Persians, the Greeks, or the Romans, had conceived. 
 The distance from Paris to Moscow, nearly equal to 
 that which separated the capital of Alexander from 
 the residence of Darius; the nature of the country, 
 and rigour of the climate, which had been hitheto 
 supposed inaccessible to the armies of Europe; the 
 recollection ot Charles XiJ. who, wislnng to attempt 
 
188 MATi^-J VROSLAVITZ. 
 
 ^ similar project, did not dare to pass Smotenkso ; \he 
 terror of the Asiatic r»atio,!s, astonished to see the 
 peojde who had fled before us arrive amongst them ; 
 all, in short, coisciirred to g-ive to the progress of t tie 
 grand army, an air of w mder, which recalled to o r 
 recollection the most celebrated expeditions of anti- 
 quity. 
 
 Such was the aspect of our conquests, when ta- 
 ken in the most brilliant poinl of view ; but, when 
 sound reason had taui^hl us to h)ok into futurity, no- 
 thing" presented (tsfctlf but the dai kestand mostfrij^ht- 
 ful imag"es. The horrible extreaiity to which the 
 inhabitants of Moscow had been reduced, proved to 
 us, that we bad no means of treating with the people 
 determined to make such immense sacrifices ; and, 
 that the vain-g^lory of siguing' a treaty of peace at Mos- 
 cow, had kindled a fire, the ravag^es of which would 
 spread through Europe, and would 2^ive to the war a 
 character so sanguinary, that it could end only in the 
 entire ruin of a generous peo;de, or the fall of that 
 evil genius, whom God, in his displeasure, seen»ed 
 to have designed as a new exterminating angel to 
 chastise mankind. 
 
 The wisest and most judicious witnessed, with 
 terror, the destruction of a cit\, which, within five 
 days, had become a prey to the flames, and the light 
 of which illuminated our camp every night. * There 
 is no hope,' said they, • of a speedy termination of 
 
 • the war, even should we still continue our con- 
 
 * quests. Having compieted the rum of Moscow, 
 
ftfALO-JAROSLAVlTZ. 189 
 
 * who knows whether we shaU not attempt that of 
 
 * Petersbursj ? And even when we have subduf^d 
 
 * all Russia, may we not uiticipate an exj>edition to 
 
 * the Euphrates or the Gano^es ? Alas ! when a sove- 
 
 * reig^n possesses only a rash vah)ur, which is not tem- 
 
 * pered by wisdom, the brilliant lustre of his arms 
 
 * readers him like those dang;erous meteors which 
 
 * occasionally appear on the earth, and excite the 
 ' most serious alarm.' 
 
 Althoug^h the ruin of Moscow was a g:ve^\ loss to 
 the Russians, it was still more sensibly felt by us, 
 and it ensured to our enemies all the advantages 
 which they had promised themselves from the rigour 
 of their climate. In vain did we represent to the in- 
 habitants that the burning of their capital was useless, 
 and that the French army ought to rejoice at being 
 relieved from an immense population, whose natural 
 ardour and fanaticism might have caused dangerous 
 seditions. After much reflection, I am convinced 
 that the Russian government had reasons to fear, from 
 the crafty and treacherous character of our chief, that 
 this population, instead of revolting against us, mii>ht 
 have become nistrumental to our projects, and ttiafe 
 many of the noblesse, led away by an example so 
 dangerous, or seduced by brilliant, but deceitful 
 promises, might have abandoned the interest of tljeir 
 country. 
 
 It was, doubtless, to prevent this calamity, that 
 count Rastopchin sacrificed the whole of his fortune 
 in burning Moscow, thmking that this great example 
 
190 MALO-JAROSLAVITZ. 
 
 would be lli8 only means of rousing- the enero;!es of 
 thenobilitvj and, by rendering- us the objects ofu.eir 
 execration, would excite in the minds of the people 
 the most vio'ent hatred against us. Besides, the city 
 being' provisioned for eight moijths, the French 
 army, by occupying it, would have been able to -^ait 
 the return of spring, and ihen renew the campaigsi, 
 with the oraiies of reserve which were encamped at 
 Smolensko, and on the Niemen ; while, by burnmg 
 Moscow, they would compel us to a precipitate re- 
 treat, in the most rigorous seasons of the year. 
 
 Their hopes fousided on this calculation, could 
 not be disappointed ; for our formidable army, though 
 it arrived in the fiue seasons, had lost a third of its 
 numbers, merely by the rapidity of our march ; and 
 the enemy had no reason to fear that we could main- 
 tain any position, since our want of discipline had 
 made a desert of all our conquests, and our improvi- 
 dent chief had formed no plan to facilitate our re- 
 treat. 
 
 In short, to finish this picture of our distresses, in 
 the midst of our apparent victory, the whole army was 
 discouraged and worn out with fatigue. The cavalry 
 was nearly ruined, and the artillery-horses, exhausted 
 by want of food, could no longer draw the guns. 
 
 Although we were the dejiorabie vicrims ofihe 
 coisflagration of Moscow, we must do justice to the 
 inhabitants of that city. It is impossible not to ad- 
 mire I heir g>neroos devotedness to their country, 
 and we umsi acksiowled^e that they have, like the 
 
MATiO-JAROSIiAVlTZ. 191 
 
 Spaniards, raised themselves, by their courage and 
 then- oerseverance, to that high degree of true glory 
 which constitutes the oreatness of a nation. 
 
 When we recollect the sufferings that we had 
 endured, and the losses* we had experienced by 
 fatigue alone, prt^vious to our arrival at Moscow, and 
 that at a tune whe i the earth, covered with its choic- 
 est productions, otered us abundant resources, one 
 cnn scarcely coaceive how Naf)oleon could be so 
 bhnd and obstinate as not immediately to abandon 
 Russia; particularly when he saw that winter ap- 
 proached, and that the capital, on which he had so 
 much depended, no longer existed. It seems as if 
 divine Piovidence, to punish him for his pride, had 
 deprived him of reason, since he presumed to think 
 that they who had had sufficient courage to lay waste 
 and destroy their country, would afterwards be weak 
 enough to accept his hard proposals, and sign a 
 treaty of peace on the smoking ruins of their city. 
 They who possessed the smallest foresight, predicted 
 our misfortunes, and imagined that they read on the 
 walls of the Kremlin, those prophetic words which 
 an invisible hand traced before Belshazzar, in the 
 midst of his greatest prosperity : — 
 
 » The fourth corps, when we set out from Glogau, consist- 
 ed of about forty eight thousand men, but when we left Mos- 
 cow, there were only twenty thousand infantry, and two thou- 
 sand cavalry. The fifteenth division, consisting of thirteen 
 thousand men at the commencement of the campaign, was thea 
 reduced to four thousand. 
 
J 92 MALO-JAROSLAVITZ* 
 
 * God hath numbered this kingdoyn and JinisJied 
 
 * it ; thou art weighed in the balance andjouna wunt" 
 
 * ing ; thg kingdom is divided, and given to other 
 
 * hands,* 
 
 During the four days (17, 18, 19, and 20, Sep- 
 tember) that we remained near Ptlerskoe,* Moscow 
 did not cease to burn. I.i the mtantmie the rain 
 fell in torrents; and the houses near the chateau, be- 
 ing- too few in number to contain the numeroas 
 troops who were encamped there, it was alaiost im- 
 possible to obtain shelter: men, horses, and carriageSj 
 bivouacked in the midvlleoftht; ti Ids. The staii» 
 officers, placed around the chateaux where their 
 generals resided, were estabiished in the English 
 g'ardens, and quartered under grottos, Ciiiiiese pa- 
 vilions, or grten-houses, whilst the horses, tied under 
 acacias, or linden-trees, were separated irom each 
 other by hedges or beds of flowers. Ttiis camp, 
 truely picturesque, was rendered still more e\traor- 
 dinary by the new costume adopted by the soldiers; 
 most of whom, to sl»elter themselves from the incle- 
 mency of the weather, had put on the same clothing 
 which used to be seen at Moscow, and which formed 
 the most pleasing and amusing variety on the public 
 ■walks of that city. Thus we saw, walking in our 
 camp, soldiers dressed a la Tartare, a la cosaque, a 
 lu Chinoise ; one wore the Polish cap, anothei toe 
 high bonnet of the Persians, the Baskirs, or the Kal- 
 
 ii This imperial chateau, of which we have already spokeB 
 18 but a quarter of a league from Moseow. 
 
MALO-JAROSLAVITZ. 193 
 
 liiouks. In short, our army presented the image of 
 a carnival ; and from what followed, it was justly said 
 that our retreat commenced with a masquerade, and 
 «nded with a funeral. 
 
 But the abundance which the soldiers then en^- 
 joyed, made them forget their fatig-ues ; with the rain 
 pouring on their heads, and their feet immersed in 
 the mud, they consoled themselves with good cheer, 
 and the advantages which they derived from trafiic- 
 ing in the plunder of Moscow. Although it was 
 forbidden to go into the city, the soldiers, allured by 
 the hope of gain, violated the order, and always re- 
 turned loaded with provisions and merchandise. Un- 
 der the pretence of going on marauding parties, they 
 returned near the Kremlin, and dug, amongst the 
 ruins, where they discovered entire magazines, 
 whence they drew a profusion of articles of every 
 description. Thus our camp no longer resembled 
 an army, but a great fair, at which each soldier, me- 
 tamorphosed into a merchant, sold the most valuable 
 articles, at an inconsiderable price ; and although 
 encamped in the fields, and exposed to the incle- 
 mency of the vi^eather, he, by a singular contrast, ate 
 off China plates, drank out of silver vases, and pos- 
 sessed almost every elegant and expensive article 
 which luxury could invent. 
 
 The neighbourhood of Peterskoe, and its gar- 
 dens, at length became as unhealthy as it was incon- 
 venient. Napoleon returned to ©Btablish himself at 
 
 •?.5 
 
1^4 MALO-JAROSL4TIT2. 
 
 the Kresnlin, which had not been burnt, and the 
 gnards and staff-oncers received or lers to re-enter 
 the city (the 20th and '21st of September;. Accord- 
 in <r to the calculations of the engineers, the tenth 
 part of the houses still rem lined. They were divi- 
 ded between the different an-ps of the ^rand army. 
 We possessed the faubour^- of St. Petersburg-, which 
 we had at our first entry into the city. O.i re-enter- 
 ing* the city, we experienced the most heart-rending 
 sensations, at perceiving that no vestige remained of 
 those noble hotels at which we had formely been 
 established. They were entirely demolished, and 
 their ruins still smoking, were scattered in such con- 
 fusion, that we could no longer distinguish even the 
 outline of the streets. The stone pvtlaces were the 
 only buildings which preserved any traces of their 
 former magnificence. Standisig alone amidst piles 
 of ruins, and blackened by smoke, tbis wreck ofa 
 citv, so nevcly built, resembled some of the venera- 
 ble remains of ant qnity. 
 
 Each one endeavoured to find quarters for him- 
 self, but rarely could we meet with houses which 
 joined together; and, to shelter some companies, we 
 were obliged to occupy a vast tract of land, which 
 only offered a few habitations scattered here and there. 
 Some of the churches compossed of less combustible 
 materials than the other buildings, had their roofs 
 entire, and were transformed into barracks and sta- 
 bles. Thus the hymns and holy melodies, which 
 ^ad once resounded within these sacred walls, now 
 
MAILO-JAROSLAVITZ. 195 
 
 g-ave place to the neighing' of horses, and the horrible 
 blasphemies of the soldiers. 
 
 Curious to know in what state I should find the 
 house at which I had lodged, I long sought for it in 
 vain, until a neighbouring church, which had sur- 
 vived the general destructioi, enabled me to ascer- 
 tain it. I could scarcely believe that it was the same. 
 The interior was entirely consumed, and the four 
 walls alone remained, which weie full of chinks, 
 owing to the fierceness of the fire. I was reflecting' 
 on the terrible effects of this destructive element, when 
 the unfortunate servants of the house made their ap- 
 pearance iVom the bottom of a vault. Emaciated 
 by famine and distress, I should doubtless have found 
 their features much altered, if the ashes and smoke 
 had not rendered them totally unknown to me. They 
 reseml)led spectres more than human beings. But 
 what were my sensations when I recognized my 
 former host amongst these miserable wretches. He 
 was concealed under the rags which he had borrowed 
 from his domestics. They now lived all together, 
 for misfortune had equalized every condition ! On 
 • seeing me, he burst into tears, particularly when h© 
 presented to me his children, half naked and dying 
 with huns^er. Although his grief was silent, it made 
 a deep impression on my heart. He told me by 
 signs that the soldiers, alter having plundered his 
 dwelling whde it was burning, had also robed him 
 of the very clothes which he wore. This distressing 
 picture touched me to the souL I wished te ali«vi» 
 
196 MALO-JAHOSLAVITZ. 
 
 ate his sufferings, thoug-h J feared I hf^d only barrea 
 consolation to offer. The same man who a lew days 
 before had given me a splendid repast, accepted with 
 gratitude a morsel of bread. 
 
 Although the population of Moscow had entirely 
 disappeared, there still remained many of those un- 
 fortunate beings whom misery had accustomed to 
 look on all occurences with indifference. Most of 
 them took shelter in cabins which they had them- 
 selves constructed in the gardens or public walks, 
 W:ih planks half burnt, which they had collected 
 from the ruins. There were also a number of un- 
 forfunate gir!s, and these alone derived any advan- 
 tage from the plunder of Moscow. The soldiers 
 eayerly associated with them, and when they were 
 once introduced into our quarters, they soon became 
 absolute mistresses of them, and squandered away 
 all that the flames had spared. A small number, how- 
 ever, really merited our regard by their education, 
 and above all, by their misfortunes ; for horrible to 
 re] Hie, famine and misery had compelled their mo- 
 thers to come and offer them to us. This immora- 
 lity, under such circumstances, recoiled on those who 
 bad not sufficient virtue to resist the temptation, and 
 who regarded with an eye of passion the forms which 
 hunger had emaciated, and disease had rendered dan- 
 gerous and loathsome. 
 
 Of all these victims, the most to be lamented, and 
 the most worthy of pity, was the unfortunate Paulow« 
 na, whose history I have already related, and whoj, 
 deceived by an apparent generosity, had been we^k 
 
MALO-JAROSLAVITZ. 197 
 
 enough to place unlimited confidence in the general 
 who had received her. This man well knew how to 
 deceive his innocent captive, by his assiduities and 
 false pity 3 and, by feigning sentiments vi'hich he 
 never knew, and taking advantage of the impossibi- 
 lity of discovering her parents or her lover, he per- 
 suaded her that she would find in him a friend and a 
 protector. On the faith of repeated promises, this 
 innocent female, after having Sjient several days in 
 unavailing^ tears, become a victim to the artifices of her 
 ungenerous lover. Alas ! the general was already 
 married, and she, who had expected to become his 
 wife, found herself only a dishonoured slave. 
 
 There yet remained at Moscow a class of men, 
 the most contemptible of all, since they escaped the 
 punishment due to their former crimes by consenting 
 to commit still greater : these were the galley-slaves. 
 During the whole time of the conflagration at Moscow 
 they signalized themselves by the audacity with 
 which they executed the orders they had received. 
 ^Provided with phosphorus, they lighted the fire anewj 
 wherever it appeared to be extinguished, and even 
 crept by stealth into the houses which were inhabited, 
 to involve them in the general ruin. 
 
 Several of these abject wretches were arrested 
 with torches in their hands ; but their punishment, 
 too prompt and summary, produced little effect (24th 
 September). The people, who always detested their 
 conquerors, regarded these executions merely as the 
 effect of policy. In short, these victims were too ob- 
 scure for the expiation @f suck a crime; and, aboyg 
 
19S MALO-JAROSIiAVITZ. 
 
 all, their trial wanting" publicity and leg-al form, threw 
 BO light on ihe cause of this dreadful calamity, and 
 couid not justify us ciearly in the estimation of the in- 
 habitants. 
 
 When we entered Moscow, the Russian troopa 
 fell back on the grand road of Wladimir; but the 
 greater part of their army having descended the 
 Moskwa to go to Kolomna, totik up their position 
 along the river. It is said thul this very army, fol- 
 lowed by the whole population, in tears, passed, a 
 few days after our arrival, under !;he wails of Mos- 
 cow, while the city was still bnrning. Ti;e march 
 of the troops was illuminated by the light of the fire ; 
 and ihe wind, blowing with violence, even carried 
 into the ranks some of the ashes of their capital. 
 Notwithstanding such accumulaied misfortunes, the 
 troops observed the greatest order, and maintained a 
 profound silence. Such resignation, at the sight of 
 a spectacle so melancholy, gave to this oiarch a so- 
 lemn and religious air. 
 
 When the main body of the Russian army had 
 taken its different positions, the proprietors of the 
 country in the neighbourhood of Moscow, perceiv- 
 ing that the disasters of the war had highly exasperat- 
 ed the people against us, availed themselves of the po- 
 pular feeling to excite a general insurrection against 
 the common enemy. Many raised levies at their 
 own expense, and put themselves at the head of their 
 insurgent peasants. These forces, united to the cos- 
 sacks, intercepted our convoys on the great roads. 
 But the prmcipai aim of these military preparatiene 
 
MALO-JIROSLAVITZ. 191> 
 
 fPHs to harass our forng-ers, and, above all, to deprive 
 Ihetn of the resources which they were still abie to 
 procure from the neig'hbouruig- villages. 
 
 Iti dig-g-ing- under the ruias of Moscow, the sol- 
 diers often found magazines of sug-ar, of wine, or of 
 brandy. These discoveries, aUhough thev woiiid 
 have been valuable in happier times, afforded no great 
 relief to an array which had consumed all the grain 
 of the country, and which would soon have neither 
 bread nor meat to eat. 
 
 Our cattle perished for want of forage, and, to 
 procure others, it was each day necessary to engage 
 in combats, always disadvantageous to us ; fo •, at so 
 great a distance from our native country, the smallest 
 loss was sensibly felt. 
 
 Our real misery was disguised by an apparent 
 abundance. We had neither bread nor meat, yet our 
 tables were covered with sweet-meats, syrups, and 
 dainties. Coffee, and all sorts of wmes, served in 
 china or crystal vases, convinced us that luxury 
 might be nearly allied to poverty. The extent aud 
 the nature of our wants rendered money of little 
 Talue to us, and this gave rise to an exchange rather 
 than a sale of commodities. They who had cloth, 
 offered it for wine; and be who had a pelisse could 
 procure plenty" of sugar and coffee. 
 
 Napoleon buoyed himself up with the ridicu^ou* 
 hope of reclaiming, by mild proclamations, those- 
 who, to free themselves from his yoke, had made 
 their capital an immense funeral-pile. In order t© 
 seduce them, and inspire theiu with coiifiue-.jeej he 
 
200 MALO-JAROSLAVITZ. 
 
 had divided the remains of the town into districts, 
 appointed governors for each, and instituted magis- 
 trates, to render to the few citizens who still remain- 
 ed, the justice which was their due. The consul- 
 general Lesseps, appointed governor of Moscow, 
 published a proclamation, to announce to the inha- 
 bitants the paternal intentions of Napoleon. These 
 kind and generous promises, however, never reached 
 the Moscovites ; and, even if they had, the rigorous 
 circumstances under which they were placed, would 
 have made them regard the proclamation as insulting 
 irony. Besides, the greater part had fled behind the 
 Volga, and the others, who had taken refuge in the 
 midst of the Russian array, animated by a deadly ha- 
 tred, breathed only sentiments of vengeance ! 
 
 Ib the meantime prince Kutusoff, having con- 
 veyed the greater part of his forces to Lectaskova, 
 between Moscow and Kaluga, to cover the southern 
 provinces, so narrowly confined Napoleon, that, in 
 spile of his different manoeuvres, he could not disen- 
 gage himself from his painful position, but was al- 
 ways constrained to fall back on his own lines. It 
 was impossible to advance towards Petersburg with- 
 out leaving the Russian army on our rear, and en- 
 dangering our safety, by abandoning all communica- 
 tion widi Poland. 
 
 He could not march towards .laroslaw and Wla- 
 dimir ; siiice every undertaking in that direction 
 would only divide his troops and remove him further 
 from his re&ources. CoDsequently nolhiog could be 
 more critical than the situation of the French army. 
 
MALO-J^AHOSLATITS, 201 
 
 mow encamped on the roads of Twer, of WlvAd.mir^ 
 of Raz'dn, and of Kaluga. 
 
 Onr head- quarters continued at Moscow, the 
 neighbourhood of which was become highly infec- 
 tious. It was indeed totally deserted, except by the 
 peasants and the Cossacks, who, overrunning th® 
 country, plundered our convoys, intercepted our cou-^ 
 Tiers, massacred our foragers, and caused us irrepa- 
 rable evils. From that time our position became 
 more and more pamful. Our poverty and the dis- 
 content of the soljiiers, augmented every day ; and^, 
 to complete our misfortunes, there appeared no proba- 
 bility of a peace. 
 
 It would be carious ta relate the extravagant pro- 
 jects which, under these circumstances, were dis- 
 cussed m the army. Some spoke of going to the 
 Ukraine— others of marching on Petersburg. But 
 those who were wise, mamtained that we ought, ere 
 long, to return to Wiln.\ Napoleon, always most 
 obstinate when surrounded with difficulties, and pas- 
 sion<itely fond of extraordmary exploits, persisted in 
 maintaining hmiself in an absolute desert, and 
 thought to frighten the enemy, by feigning to pass 
 the winter there. To give some colour to this ridi- 
 culous stratagem, he formed the plan of arming the 
 Kremhn, and even of making a citadel of the large 
 prison which was situated in the quarter of Peters*- 
 burg, and vulgarly called the Square Il&use j and, to 
 complete the folly and absurdity of the whole, when 
 every magazine was exhausted, and we kad nothing; 
 
MALO-J'AROSLAVITZ. 
 
 to eat, he ordered us to make provisions for tW4i 
 months. While we were occiipied in meditatiuof on 
 ail these chicneras, and particulnrly on provisioning- 
 Moscow, without any resource, the report of pe .ce, 
 beheved by those alone who so ardent'y deswed it, 
 filled oar hearts with joy, and fl ittered us with the 
 hope that we should not be compelled to attemtt the 
 executio . of projects absolutely impracticable. This 
 news acqun-ed much credit from tlie arsnistice which 
 had bee^i concluded between the cossacks and the 
 advanced posts of the king* of Naples, buch a con- 
 vention seemed to aug'ur that there might be some 
 hope of a reconcdiation between the two emperors t 
 especially as we knew that general Lauriston had 
 been sent to the head-quarters of prince Kntusoffj 
 a;. d that, in consequence of his interview with this 
 commander, a courier had been despatched to St. 
 Petersburg-, to decide on peace or war. 
 
 In the ssieantime Napoleon, with his usual acti* 
 vily, daily reviewed hjs troops, and, by the severest 
 proclamatiorss, obliged the colonels to maintain the 
 strictest discipline throughout their regiments. The 
 weather, toonr astonishmeii^ contained remarkably 
 fine, and contributed much to the brilliancy of these 
 reviews. A circumstance so rare, in this advanced 
 seaso!!, was regarded as a jihenomenon by the Mos- 
 covHes, who, accustomed to see it snow from the 
 month of October, beheld with surprise the beautiful 
 days vvijieh we enjoyed. The people, iialurally su- 
 perstitious, and who had lo;,g and anxiously exjiecied 
 the wniler, as tlieir certain avenjjer, iinpaueutl^V 
 
<MALO-JAROSLATITZ. ;2()f 
 
 despaired of the assistance of Providence, and beg-ari 
 to consider this prodigy as the effect of tlse maniiest 
 protection which the Almii»hty had affortled to Na- 
 poleon. But this apparent protection was precisely 
 the cause of his ruin, as it rendered him so infatuated, 
 as to believe that the climate of Moscow resembled 
 that of Pans. His foolish aud impious vanit;* made 
 hiai hope to command the sea!>oi;s as he had comman- 
 ded men ; and, abusing his good fortune, he believ- 
 ed that the sun ot Austerhtz would enlighten him even 
 unto the pole, and that, like another Jobhua, he would 
 be able, by his vuice, to arrest this luminary in its 
 course, and compel it to protect him in his ambitious 
 career. 
 
 While we were deluded by the protracted nego- 
 ciation, preparations were made to reconsmence the 
 war, but nothing was done to guard against the ri- 
 gours of winter. Meanwhile our prospects became 
 more alarming. The longer our slay at Moscow was 
 continued, the more inconvenient and uncomfortable 
 it became. In proportion as we exhausted the neigh- 
 bouring villages, we were compelled to go to places 
 more remote. Their distance rendered ©ur excur- 
 sions as perilous as they were iatiguing. Setting out 
 at break ot day, rarely did our ioragers return beiore 
 night. Tisese excursions, daily repeated, harassed 
 our men, and destroyed our cavasry, particularly the 
 artillery-horses ; and, to complete our wretchedness, 
 the audacity of the cossacks redoubled in proportion. 
 as our weakness rendered us tietenceiess. 
 
MALO-JAROSLAVITZ. 
 
 As a proof of it, they intercepted, in the very ea- 
 virons of Moscow, a convoy of artillery, coming 
 from yiazma, and conducted by two majors. Napo- 
 leon believed that these officers were culpable, and 
 instituted an inqnirv respectiniaf their conduct. One 
 of them destroyed himself, more from the dis|^race 
 of having- lost his cannon, than the fear of being- 
 found g-uilty. To prevent simii-)r losses, Bronssier's 
 division and the light cavalry, commnnded by count 
 Ornano, received orders to establish themselves in 
 the environs of the chateau of Galitzin, situated be- 
 tween Mojaisk and Moscow. These troops deliver- 
 ed the neighbouring comitry from the cossacks, who 
 alwavs avoided meeting them. But Ihe smallest spot, 
 unoccupied by our troops, was immediately taken 
 possession of by these hordes of Tartars, who piofit^ 
 ed b}^ the advantages which their knowledge of the 
 country afforded them, to attempt the boldest enter- 
 prises. 
 
 They made another attack on a convoy of artil- 
 lery, coming from Italy, under the orders of major 
 Vives. It was reported that the escort, having taken 
 to flight, surrendered to the cossacks, almost without 
 opposition, the artillery which had been intrusted to 
 it. The enemy earned off the field pieces and the 
 horses, when count Ornano, informed of this attack, 
 pursued the cossacks, and overtook them in the mid- 
 dle of the woods. At the sight of our cavalry they 
 lied, and abandoned all the fruits of their victory, 
 •^/ithout resistance. Major Yiv^s would have beea 
 
MAI.O-JAHOSLAVITZ. 20i 
 
 brongfht to trial ; but our departure, and the disasters 
 which ensued, forced JNTapoleon to relax from his ac- 
 customed severity. 
 
 While the fourteenth division guarded the road 
 from Viazma, the thirteenth was on tliat ot Twer. 
 This last division occupied some excellent canton- 
 ments, when we were informed that count Saltikof, 
 the favourite of the emperor Alexaiidt^r, and proprie- 
 tor of the village of Marfino, in the neighbourhood 
 of Dimitrow, had armed all his peasants, and that, 
 having entered into combination with several other 
 lords, he was forming in his chateau a grand scheme 
 of insurrection. To prevent the couhequences ot so 
 dangerous an example, orders were given to a bri- 
 gade of the thirteenth division to repair to the cha- 
 teau de Marfino, The general wlio commanded it 
 made strict enquiries to convince himself tiiat these 
 meetings had really taken place. The result was un- 
 satisfactory and fruitless; nevertheless, obliged to 
 conform to the orders which he had received, he com- 
 mitted to the flames a palace which had been justly 
 celebrated as one of the finest in Russia. This pre- 
 tended meeting caused a suspicion that Napoleon had 
 only wished to revenge himself on count Saltikof, to 
 whom he was an enemy, because that nobleman had 
 continued laithful to his sovereign. 
 
 The various manoeuvres which the differeist corps 
 of the army were obliged to make, contirmed us in 
 the opinion that we should not long be able to main-? 
 tain opr position. Every thing presaged our ap-. 
 proaching departure, and sMspiciuH was changed intQ, 
 
too MAIiO-JABOSLATlTS, 
 
 cerfamty on perceivings that the cavalry of the Italian, 
 guards qiiitted their g^ood cantonments in the envi- 
 rons of. Dimitrovf, to return to Moscow ; and pro- 
 ceeded thence to occupy the position of Charopovo, 
 (L>ih October), a little villag^e, situated on the road 
 from Borovsk, about six leagues from Moscow. At 
 the same time the viceroy ordered the thirteenth di- 
 vision to return, the fourteenth to advance, and the 
 cavalry of general Ornano tp march towards Fomin« 
 skoe, whither it appeared that the whole of the fourth 
 corps was about to direct its course. The cossacks^ 
 informed of this movement, availed themselves of 
 the oppoilunity, when the baggage of our light ca- 
 Talry w as feebly escorted, to attack the convoy in the 
 neighbourhood of Osighovo ; but, seeing general 
 Broussier's division, they abaiidoned a part of their 
 booty, and, sheltered by the woods, escaped the pursuit 
 ©f our soldiers. 
 
 We waited with the utmost anxiety the return of 
 the courer which hud been despatched to Petersburg, 
 Persuaded that the answer would be favourable, our 
 army negiected the isecessary precautions, and ima- 
 gined itself in the most perfect security. The ene- 
 my, profiting by this indiscretion, attacked on the 18th 
 of October, the cavalry of the king o( Naples, in the 
 vicinitv of Taroutiua, and surprised a park ot twenty- 
 six pieces of cannon, which they carried off. This 
 attack, made at the moment when the cavalry was 
 foraging, was fatal to that division of the army, which 
 bad been already much reduced. The few who re- 
 named, ^tiil continued to iac© th@ eneniy ; antl, sup-- 
 
|>orte<l by s<»me Polish reoimetits, who were less fa- 
 tigued tha'i ours, succeeded in recoverin:^ the pieces 
 which the eiiemy hfid captured. General Bd^awout, 
 who com Handed the fourth Rassiau co'-os, was kil- 
 led in the action : and ofeneral Benniiisen was wound* 
 ed. We lost leariy two thousand me;j ; and we par- 
 ticularly regretted the death of g-eaeral Dery, aid-de- 
 Camp of the king of Naples, who had on every occa- 
 sion given proof of the greatest courage, and the 
 highest talents. 
 
 The emperor was at the Kremlin, occupied itii 
 reviewing his troops, when he received this unex- 
 pected news. He ininiediately became furious, and, 
 in the transports of his rage, exclaimed, that it was 
 treacherous and infamous ; that ihey had attacked the 
 king of Naples in comtem^jt of all the laws of war, 
 and that none but barbarians would have thus vio- 
 lated a solemtj converttion. The parade was imme- 
 diately dissolved, all hopes of peace vanished, and 
 the order for our departure was given that very eve- 
 ning. All the corps were to quit Moscow, and take 
 the grand road to Kaluga. We then hoped that w« 
 should go to the Ukraine, to seek, under a milder 
 sky, cousitries less savage and more fertile. But 
 those who were best informed, assured us that our 
 movement on Kaluga was only a false manoeuvre, to 
 conceal from the enemy our design of retreating on 
 Smoiensko and Witepsk. 
 
 Those who did not witness the departure of the 
 French army from Moscow, can form but a faint 
 idea of what the Greek and Boman aritaies were, 
 
20S MALO-JA.ROSLAVITX. ' ' 
 
 when they abandoned the ruins of Troy or of Car- 
 tha^y^e. But they who observed the appearance of our 
 army at this moment, acknowledged the accuracy of 
 those iatere-itiiig sceaes whicb are so admirably de- 
 iscribed in the writing's of Vir^rjl and Livy. The 
 long' files of carria.i;es, m three or foar ranks, exte d- 
 ed for several leagues, loaded wtth the immense boo- 
 ty which the soldiers had snatched tVom the flames ; 
 and the Moscovite peasaiits, who were now become 
 our servants resembled the slaves wfi.ch the ancients 
 drag-ged m their train. Others carrying" with thetn 
 their wives a.id chtUireii, or the prostitutes whotn 
 tht^y had found at Moscow, represented the warriors 
 among-st whom the captives had been divided. Af- 
 terwards came nusiierous wagons filled with tro- 
 phies, amon'4' which were Turkish or Persian stand- 
 ards, torn froai the vaulted roofs of the palaces of the 
 czars, and, last of all, the celebrated cross of Saint 
 Iwan gloriously closed the rear of an army which, 
 but for the unprudence of its chief, would have been 
 enabled to boast that it had extended its conquests to 
 the very limits of Europe, and astonished the people 
 of Asia vi'ith the sound of the same cannon with 
 which the pillars of Hercules had re-echoed. 
 
 As we set out very late, we were obliged to en- 
 camp at a miserable village, only one league from 
 Moscow. The cavalry of the Italian guards, which 
 still remained at Charopovo, marched on the follow- 
 ing day (I9di October) and joined us at Patoutinka, 
 not far from the chateau of Troitskoe, where Napo- 
 leon had eatabiished hi« head-quarters. jNearl^ the 
 
MALO-JAROSLAVII^. ^0§ 
 
 \vhole army was re-united at this point, with the ex- 
 ception of the cavalry which was in advance, and the 
 young- g-uards who remained at Moscow to brinor' up 
 the rear. We experienced much difficulty in procu- 
 ring the means of subsistence, but we still continued 
 to bivouac; and llie carriages which every officer? 
 brought with him, furnished us with some provisions. 
 On the following' day, the cavalry of the royal 
 guards were to have directed their course towards 
 Charopovo, as well as the whole of the fourth corps ; 
 bat at the moment when they were commencing theif 
 march, they were recalied, and the prince ordered 
 these troops to pursue the same route which we had 
 followed the preceding evening. We crossed the 
 Pakra near Gorki. This beautiful village no longer 
 existed but in name ; and the river, choked up with 
 the ruins of the houses which had l)een a prey to the 
 flames, flowed in a black and muddy stream. Above 
 "was the beautiful chateau of Krasnoe, which had been 
 entirely pillaged ; but the elegance of the building still 
 formed a striking contrast with the rustic hiils on 
 •which it was built. Arrived on this pouit, we halted, 
 and an hour afterwards left the high road to seek on 
 our right a path which wouid conduct us to Fomins- 
 koe, where general Broussier and our cavalry had 
 been for four or five days in view of the enemy. Our 
 march by this unfrequented road was very tedious 
 and painful, but it procured us the advantage of find- 
 ing some villages, which, although they were desert- 
 e(i, had not been so completely plundered as those ©r 
 
21© MALO-JAROSLAVlTZ. 
 
 the great road. We passed the night at Tnatowo, 
 where, we discovered a chateau, situated on an emi- 
 nence which overlooked the country by which we 
 had arrived. 
 
 We afterwards continued our march, with an in- 
 tention- to regain the road to Charopovo, which we 
 at length reached, near the village of Bouikasovo. 
 These geographical details, on which I dwell so much, 
 will not appear tedious, when it is recollected that 
 they are absolutely necessary, in order to point out 
 the difficulties which we had to encounter in our ope- 
 rations. Having only incorrect maps, and marching 
 without Q^uides, we could not even pronounce the 
 names of the villages described on our charts ; but 
 having at length discovered a peasant, we seized 
 him and kept him for two days, but he was so stu- 
 pid that he only knew the name of his own village. 
 This march was, however, very important for the 
 emperor, who followed us with the main body of the 
 army; the prince, therefore, made me every day draw 
 out a plan of the road, to send to the major-general. 
 
 Having surmounted every obstacle, we regained 
 the old road of Kaluga. In one hour afterwards we 
 arrived at Fominskoe. Broussier's division was en- 
 camped in the environs of this village, and the caval- 
 ry, placed in advance, were led on by the viceroy, 
 who, without delay, proceeded to reconnoitre the 
 height which the cossacks occupied ; but at his ap- 
 pearance they immediately »'etired, leaving his high- 
 ness at liberty to encamp peaceably on the ground 
 for which we had expected to iight. 
 
MALO-JAROSLAVITZ. £11 
 
 According" to the military report, the position of 
 Formmskoe would have been advantageous for the 
 Russians, if they had resolved to defend it. Through 
 the middle of the village, overlooked by a hill, ran the 
 river Nara, which, towards this point, owing to the 
 contraction of the valley, tormed a little lake, sur- 
 rounded by marshes. The whole army had to pass 
 this defile, and to cross a single bridge. This, how- 
 ever, was reserved for the carriages, and another con- 
 structed for the infantry. 
 
 In order to e?.ecute this operation, and to permit 
 a part of the army to pass over before us, they al- 
 lowed us a day of repose (22d October.) During this 
 time, the Poles, commanded by prince Poniatowski, 
 marched on Vere'ia, where the Hetman PiatofF was 
 with his Cossacks. Napoleon soon followed us with 
 his accustomed suite, and in an instant the village 
 was filled with carriages, horses, and men. But, ow» 
 ing to the skilful precautions which had been adopt- 
 ed, all this passed without confusion ; a circumstance 
 which excited not a little astonishment, for the ca-r 
 horts of Xerxes^ had not more baofg^aofe than we. 
 
 The same day captain Evrard, who had been de- 
 spatched to Charopovo, announced to us that he had 
 heard a tremendous report in the direction of Mos- 
 cow. We afterwards learned that it had been pro- 
 duced by the blowing up of the Kremlin. The de- 
 
 * An expression which Napoleon made use ©f in the bulle- 
 tins of the campaign of 1809, when speaking of the Austrian 
 
2ia MALO-JAKOSLAVITZ, 
 
 struclion of this noble citadel, and of the mag-nificetit 
 buildings which it contained, was accomi^l'shed by 
 the young imperial guards, who, on quitting Mos- 
 cow, were ordered to destroy every thing that the 
 flames had spared. Thus perished this celebrated 
 city, founded by the Tartars, and destroyed by tlie 
 French! Enriched with every gift of fortune, and 
 situated in the centre of the continent, she experien- 
 ced from the passions of an obscure and remote isl- 
 ander the most lamentable of human vicissitudes. 
 The historian will not fail to remark, that the same 
 man who affected to sacrifice us to promote the pro- 
 gress of civilization, boasted in his own bulletins, 
 that he had caused Russia to retrograde, at least a 
 hundred years.* 
 
 A part of the army having crossed the Nara, the 
 fourth corps followed them a! *out five o'clock in the 
 morning (23d October) and proceeded towards Bo- 
 rovsk. The enemy appeared no more during this 
 day's march. The cossacks had fled before us, doubt- 
 less, to announce to the general-in-chiei, that we had 
 deceived his vigilance by leavirig the new road to 
 Kaluga through Taroutina, and taking the old one 
 "which passes by Borovsk. 
 
 The enemy, informed of our march, immediate- 
 y abaado.ied his intrenched camp at Lectaskova, 
 but left us in doubt whether he would take the road 
 by Borovsk, or by Maio- Jaroslavitz. INapoleon oc- 
 cupied the former city, situated on an eminencj^; 
 
 ^ Bee th<^ bailetios of the eampaiga in {Inssia. 
 
MALO-jAllOSLAVi*Z. 218. 
 
 m 
 
 ,aro«nd wltich ran the Piotva in a deep and inacces^- 
 sible channel. 
 
 The viceroy, who had encamped half a league 
 beyond Bo ovsk, in a little village on the right of the 
 road, ordered Delzon's division to march on Malo- 
 Jaroslavitz, and occupy that position before the Rus- 
 sians could seize on it. This general having found 
 it without defence, took possession of it, with only 
 two battalions, leaving the rest of his troops in the 
 rear on the plain. We consequently imagnied that 
 this position was secure, when on the following 
 morning (24th October) at day-break, we heard a 
 heavy cannonade in our front. The viceroy, sus- 
 pecting the cause of it, immediately mounted his 
 horse, and, accompanied by his staff, galloped towards 
 Malo-Jaroslavitz. On approaching this city, the noise 
 of the cannon redoubled ; we heard the sharp-shoot- 
 ers on both sides, and at last we distinctly perceived 
 the Russian columns, who were advancing by the 
 new road of Kaluga, to force the position which we oc» 
 cupied. 
 
 On arriving below the heights of Malo-Jarosla- 
 vitz,* general Delzons came towards us, and, ap- 
 proaching the viceroy, said to him, ' Yesterday eve- 
 ning, on my arrival, I took possession of this place, 
 and no one then appeared to dispute it with me, but^ 
 about four o'clock in the morning, I was attacked by 
 a large body of infantry. Immediately the two bat- 
 talions flew to arms, but, overpowered by a much sn*' 
 
 ^ ^ee the plan of the field of battle of Malo-Jaroslavitz. 
 
S14 MA"LO-JABOSIiAVITZ. 
 
 perior force, they have been compelled to descend 
 from the heights, and abandon Malo- Jarosiavitz.* 
 
 The viceroy, feeling the importance of this loss, 
 aEd wishing immediately to repair it, gave orders to 
 general Delzons to march, with his whole division. 
 An obstinate engagement now commenced, and fresh 
 troops having arrived to the assistance of the Rus- 
 sians, our soldiers, for a moment, gave way. Gene- 
 ral Delzons thinking they were about to fly, rushed 
 into the thickest of the battle, in order to reanimate 
 them ; but, at the moment whew he was defending 
 with obstinacy the barriers of the city, the enemy *s 
 sharp-shooters, intrenched behind the wall of a ceme- 
 tery, fired upon him, and a ball enteriitg his forehead, 
 he fell, and immediately expired. The viceroy, on 
 being informed of this sad event, appeared to be much 
 tgiffected at the loss of a general so worthy his esteem : 
 and, after having paid a just tribute to his memory, 
 sent general Guilleminot to replace him. He also 
 ordered the fourteenth division to advance, and re- 
 lieve those who had been so long engaged. Oar 
 soldiers now resumed the offensive, when several 
 fresh columns of Kussians coming from Lectaskova, 
 forced them to retreat. We saw them descending 
 the hill with precipitation, and making towards the 
 brido"e, as if they wished to repass the river Louja, 
 which ran at the foot of the eminence. But shortly 
 afterwards our brave men, rallied by colonel Fores- 
 tier, and seeing themselves supported by the chas- 
 seurs and grenadiers of the royal guards, resumed 
 their accustomed courage, and once more aseentled 
 
MALO-JTAHOSIiAVITZ. 215 
 
 Ihe hel splits. In the meantime, a great number of 
 wounded who had abandoned the field of battle, and, 
 above a]l, the difficulty with which we maintai led 
 ourselves in Malo-Jaroslavitz, Gonvincecl the viceroy 
 of the necessity of sending" other troops ag"ainst the 
 continual reinforcements of the enemy. Pino*s di- 
 vision, which, during' the whole of the campaign, had 
 sought for every opoortunity of distinguishing' itself, 
 obeyed, vi^ith transport, the orders of the prince. They 
 rapidly ascended the heights, with their bayonets fix- 
 ed, and uttering- shouts of joy, succeeded in establish- 
 ing themselves in all the positions whence the er.emy 
 had driven us. This success, however, was dearly 
 purchased. A great number of brave Italians were 
 the victims of their emulation of French valour; nor 
 was it without sincere regret that we heard of the 
 death of general Levi6, whom fate permitted to en- 
 joy his new rank only eight days. We were equally 
 afHicted, on beholding general Pino returning- cover- 
 ed with blood ; who, though he suffered much from 
 the pain of his wound, felt still more sensibly the 
 death of a brother who had fallen by his side. During 
 this time, the enemy's cannon raged with fury, and 
 his balls, carried destruction into the ranks of the 
 royal light troops, placed in reserve, and even amongsJ; 
 the staff of his highness. It was at this moment that 
 general Gifflenga, a man of great merit, and extraor- 
 dinary courage, received a ball in his throat, which 
 obliged him to quit the field of battle. 
 
 The success of the day was decided, and we ac- 
 cupied the town, and all the heights, when the :^ftk 
 
^16 MAI.O-JAR0SLAVIT2. 
 
 division of the first corps joined ns, and took np *lieir 
 position on oar left. The third division of the samei 
 corps arrived also after ihe battle, and occupied a 
 "wood Oil our rig-ht.* Until, nine o'clock in the eve- 
 iiins^, oar batteries and foot-soldiers did not cea-.e 
 their firing, at a very short distance from the eneni}; , 
 but, at iengih, night and excessive weariness put an 
 end to this sanguinary combat. It was, however, 
 nearly ten o'clock before the viceroy and the staff 
 were able to take the repose which was necessary, 
 after so many fatigues. We encunped beneath Ma- 
 lo-Jaroslavitz, between the town and the river Louja ; 
 bat the troops bivouacked through the whole extent 
 of the positions which they had so glorously carried. 
 
 The next day we were convinced that the obstina- 
 ey with which the Russians had disputed our posses- 
 sion of Miilo-Jaroslavitz, was in consequence of their 
 intention of effecting a movement on our right, in or- 
 der to arrive at Yiazma before us, well j ersuaded that 
 our march on Kaluga was only a manoeuvre, with the 
 desisra of concealing^ our retreat. About four o'clock 
 in the morning, the viceroy mounted his horse. We 
 ascended the eminence on which the battle had been 
 fought, when we saw the plain covered with cossacks, 
 owhose light artillery was firing oh our troops : we a!= 
 so observed on our left three grand redoubts. On 
 Ihe preceding evening each of them had mounted 
 fifteen or twenty pieces of cannon, with which they 
 defeaded the right Hank of Katusoff, supposing that 
 
 ^ See the field of battle of iVIalo- JaroslaTitz, 
 
MALO-JAROSLAVll^; SI*? 
 
 we should have attempted to turn his position on that 
 side. About ten o'clock the firing abated, and at 
 twelve it entirely ceased. 
 
 The interior of Malo-Jaroslavitz presented the 
 most horrid spectacle. On entering" the town, we 
 beheld with grief the spot where general De»zons had 
 perished, arid regretted that a premature death had 
 terminated his glorious career. We did equal jus- 
 tice to the memory of his brother, who received a mor- 
 tal wound, whde endeavouring to rcvscue him from 
 the hands of the enemy. A little, further on they 
 showed us the place where general Fontane had been 
 wounded ; and at the foot of the hill, we saw the 
 grenadiers of the thirty-fifth regiment of the line, 
 ■who were bestowioo' funeral honours on their brave 
 eoionel. 
 
 The town where we had fought no longer remain- 
 ed. We could not even distinguish the iine§; of tie 
 streets, on account of the numerous dead bodies with, 
 which they were heaped. On every side we saw a 
 mullitude of scattered limbs, and human heads, crush- 
 ed by the wheels of the artillery. The houses form- 
 ed a pile of ruins, and under their burning ashes ap- 
 peared many skeletons half consumed. Many of 
 the sick and wounded had, on quitting the field of 
 battle, taken refuge in these houses. The small num- 
 ber of them who had escaped the flames, now pre- 
 sented themselves before us, with their faces blacks 
 ened, and their clothes and hair dreadfully burnt. In 
 the most piteous tone, they besought us to afford them 
 some relief, or kindly to terminate their sutferings 
 2S 
 
218 MALO-JAROSLW^Tf;^ 
 
 by (leatli. Tbe most ferocious were affected at this 
 sad spectacle, asid, tiirnino- hastily away, could not re- 
 fra'n from shedding- tears. This distressing- scene 
 made every one s udder at the evils to which despo- 
 tism exposes humanity, and we almost fancied that 
 tho^^e ha barous , times were returned, when we cou'd 
 only appease the j^ods, b}' offering human victims oa 
 their sano-uusary altars. 
 
 Towards the afternoon. Napoleon, having* arrived 
 with a numerous suit, coolly surveyed the field of bat- 
 tle, and heard, without emotioM, th.^ heart-rending^ 
 cries of the unhappy wounded, who eagerly demand-, 
 ed assistance. But this man allhough accustomed 
 for twenty years to the calamities of war, could not, 
 on entermg the town, re{)ress his astonishment at the 
 desperation with which both |>arties must have fought* 
 Even had he intentied to continue his march on Tu- 
 la and Kalug-a, the experience of this b:<tt!e would 
 have deterred him. O.i this occasioii, even his insen- 
 sibility was forced to render justice to those whom 
 it was due. He gave a convincing- proof of it by 
 praisng the valour or ihe fuvu'th corps, and sayjngto 
 the viceroy, * The honour of this glorious day be- 
 longs e.itirely to \ou.' 
 
 While we were d!S,>uting with the enemy the po- 
 sition of Maio Jaiosaviiz, uiore than six thousand 
 Cossacks uiiexpecteiily rushed on the head-quarters 
 of the emperor, established at Ghorodnia, and carried 
 off six pieces of cannon, which were posted not far 
 from the village. The duke of Istria immediately 
 galloped alter them with all the cavalry of the guards^ 
 
. MAIX)-JAI'OSLAVlTZ. 219 
 
 and succeeded in retaking the artillery. The cos- 
 sacks, cut to pieces aud dispersed, effected their re- 
 treat ; but in their flig-lit, oue of their numerous de-, 
 tachments attacked the hag-g-aoe of the fourth corps, 
 and would have captured it, it the cavalry ofthe Ita- 
 lian g-uards had not received tiiem with the same in- 
 trepidity as the imperial guards. The coolness of 
 Joubert, who commanded the escort, was much prais- 
 ed in this affair. Seated in his carriage, he had the 
 resolution not to stir from it, but drew his sword on 
 the Cossacks, who surrounded him, and defended 
 himself till he could obtain assistance. 
 
 From the commencement of the campaiii^n, the 
 son of the Hetman Platoff', mounted on a superb white 
 horse, from the Ukraine, was the faithful companion 
 in arms of his brave father, and always at the head 
 of the cosSacks. He was often remarked by our ad- 
 vanced guards, on account of his courage and mtre- 
 pidity. This fine young man was the idol of his fa- 
 ther, and the hope of the warlike nation which ex- 
 pected hereafter to obey him. But Destiny had pro-'' 
 nounced his doom, and the fatal hour was at hand. In 
 a desperate charge of cavalry, which took place neat 
 Vereia, between prince Poniatowski and the Hetman 
 Platoff*, the Poles and Russians, animated by a mu- 
 tual hatred, fought with fury. Excited by the ardour 
 of the combat, they gave no quarter, and on both 
 sides fell numerous brave men, who had returned in 
 safety from former battles, Plaloff', who saw his best 
 soldiers falling around him, forgot his own danger, 
 and, with an anxious eve^ looked round for his f«" 
 
^SO MAXiO-JAROSLAVITE. 
 
 yourit * sen But the moment approached when this 
 pnfortuiiate father was destined to feel that life is 
 sometimes almost insupportable. The unhappy 
 youth had returned from the heat of the baUls, and 
 was preparing to renew the attack, when he received 
 a mortai wou »d from a Hulati Poleo 
 
 At this moment his father appeared, and flying; to 
 In's assistance, threw himself upon him. On seeuig 
 bis beloved paresit the son heaved a deep sigh, and 
 '^'ould have expressed, for the last time, his affection 
 ^nd his duty 3 but, as he attempted to sjjeak, his strength 
 faiietl him, and he breathed his last. In the mean- 
 time, Platoff, who could not restrain his tears, retired 
 to his tent, to give vent to his ieeling's. Li the first 
 burst of ag-onj he considered life a burden, and could 
 no longer eiuiure the light. The following morning, 
 ^* d iy-bnak, the chiefs ©f the cossacks came to ex- 
 jres!s their grief, and earnesliy to request that they 
 nsrghl be permitted to render fuoeral honours to the 
 son of their Heiman. Every one, on seeing this 
 brave vonng man stretched on a bear-skin, knelt 
 spontaneousi^, and respectfully kissed the hand of a 
 youth, who, but for a premature death, would have 
 equalled the greatest heroes, by his valour and by his 
 virtues. After having, according to their ritual, of- 
 fered fervent prayers for the repose of his soul, they 
 removed him from the presence of his father, and 
 carried him in solemn procession to a neighbouring 
 eminence covered with cypress? where he was to be 
 
MALO-JAROSLAVIlMg. £2 1 
 
 The cb sacks, standing- around, all ranged in or- 
 der of baUl*. obsserved a religious silence, a.sd bow- 
 ed their heads m profound respect, while grief vi'as 
 painted in ever- coiuienanceo At the moment when 
 the earth was fo ever to &e|)arate them from the son 
 of ti.eir prince, ; hey iired a volley over the grave. 
 Afterwards holdu.ji iiieir horses ui their hauds, tbev 
 slowly and soleiTsnly inarched round the tomb, with 
 their iajices pomteu towards the earth. 
 
BOOK Til. 
 
 DOR0GHOBO¥L 
 
 TptB victory of Milo-Jaroslavitz discovered two 
 melancholy truths : — Hrst, that the llissians, far from 
 ben^ weakened, had bee \ reinforced by numerous 
 battalions, and that fhey all foug-ht with an obstinacy 
 which mide us despair of gaining" new victories. 
 * But two baltles more like this/ said the soldiers, 
 *aiid Nai5oleoii will be without an army.' It like^ 
 wise disovere.l that we coal I ao longer effect an ea-^ 
 sy retreat, siuce the enemy, having at the close of the 
 engag'sment outfla iked us, preveated our columns 
 from retiring by the route of Medouin, Joukhnov, and 
 JElnia, and reduced us to the unhappy necessity of 
 retreating precipitately by the great road of Smo- 
 lensko, or in other words, by the desert which we 
 ourselves had made. Beside these apprehensions, 
 too Wi41 founded, we aiso knew that the Russians 
 had despatched before us the army of Moldavia, oa 
 the very route which we were to pursue, and that the 
 •orps of Wittgenstem was advancing to join that army. 
 Alfer this sanguinary combat, those who judged 
 only from appearances and popular report, supposed 
 tkiit we should march on Kalag;a ani Tula; but when 
 
'324 330TlOGHO"8OUi 
 
 thev saw tliat a strong- aclv;incef\ graH of 'lip en^my^ 
 instead of taking" that direction, had outHauke ; omf 
 rio'ht by defiling on Medoain, all who we^'e ex ■••«.- n=- 
 enced in warlike maiiceuvres verce ve#l that tbf K s* 
 sians had penetrated the desifyns of Napoleon, and 
 that it was aecessary for ns to make a ranid uiarcl- on 
 Viazma, to arrive there before them. Th^re wa« jio 
 lo'isxf^r a«iy question of KaUiga or the Ukraine, biit 
 liovv to efTect a safe retreat on the route ofBori^^sk^ 
 As soon as 05ir retreat was decide!, the fourlh corps 
 beeran its retrograde mtirch, leavino- a i the first corps, 
 and the cavalry of general Cuastel. at Jaroslavitz. 
 These troops were to form the rear-guard, at the dis- 
 tance of a day's march from os, 
 
 (October 2'i1th.) We saw on onr roufe to what 
 the unfortunate and memorable victory o^ Malo-Ja- 
 roslavitz had reduced us. At every step were wag- 
 gons abandoned for want of horses so draw them, 
 and the fragments of innumerable mi itary carriages 
 burned for the same reason. With snch misforfunes 
 at the very commencement of oor ret'eat, we form- 
 ed sad and mournful presages of the uture. Those 
 who c;vrried with them the spoils of Moscow, trem- 
 bled for their riches. We were priuc pally disquiet- 
 ed at seeing the deplorable slate of he feeble re- 
 mains of our cavalry, and we listened with melancho- 
 ly foreboding to the frequent explosions of our am- 
 iiiunitioij-waggons, which souaded from afar like dis- 
 tant 'thunder. 
 
 It was night when we arrived at Ouvarooskoe. 
 *^urprised at seeing the place in fiumes, we were in- 
 
BOROGHOBOUr. 2M 
 
 formed that orders had been issued to destroy every 
 thing in oar rouie. Near this village was a chateaUf 
 which, although in the centre of a wood, possessed a 
 grandeur and mag .iaceiice eqia! to the notdest pala- 
 ces of Italy. The richness of the furniture corre- 
 sponded with the beauty of the architecture. We 
 saw there many exquisite paintings, chandeliers of 
 the greatest value, and numerous lustres of rock- 
 crystal, which gave to these apartments, when light- 
 ed up, an appearance truly enchanting. Even these 
 were not spared ; and we learned, on the morrow, that 
 Our artillery-men, finding the progress of the flames 
 too slow, had hastened and completed the destruction, 
 bv placing several barrels, filled with gunpowder, oa 
 the grou.d floor. 
 
 The villages, which a few days before had aiFord- 
 ed us shelter, were now level With the ground. Un- 
 der their ashes, yet wunn, and which the wind drove 
 towards us, were the bodies ol hundreds of soldiers 
 and peasants. Manv an iidant was to be seen cruelly 
 butchered, and man) a female savageiy massacred on 
 the spot which ha s witnessed her violation. 
 
 We left the vdiage ol Borovsk, which had been 
 equally a prey to the flames, on our right, to reascend 
 the Protva, and find a ford for our artillery. Having 
 discovered one, half a league from the village, it 
 would have been att,em;jted by all our corj^s, but 
 many of the waggons, sticking fast in the middle of 
 the river, so much encumbered the only spot at which 
 a passage there was practicable, that it was necessary 
 to search for another ford. On reconnoitring the 
 
 29 
 
226 looRoesHOBotri. 
 
 bridg-e o^Borovsk, I found that it still ri^mained, and 
 that it oiTered s^reat facility for carrying' over theba^- 
 gag-e. Immediately the prince caused the third di- 
 vision to fall back, and thus, b, means of the bridye, 
 opened to ouv corns a better and a shorter route. The 
 only dang"er which we had to fear, was the passage of 
 the wag-g-ons laden with amnounition, through a town 
 completely in flames. 
 
 The fourth corps filed across this vast confiagratioii 
 without a single accident, and after havig- passed 
 throug-h njanv triohtful deciles, the night found us at 
 the execrable vilJag-e of Alf<6r6va (Oct. 27th,) where 
 the generals of divsion with difficulty found a barn to 
 shelter them. That of the viceroy was so ruinous, 
 that we jjitied those who were destined to inhabit it. 
 In addition to all Uiese evils, the want of provision 
 asrg'''ivated our sufferings. That which we had 
 brouoht from Moscow, was almost consumed, and 
 everv one, covetous of the little that remained to 
 li -n, retired to eat in secret the morsel of bread 
 wbu'h his indu trv had procured. Our horses fared 
 vet worse. A 'iti'e ihatch. torn from the roofs of the 
 i]<(5)fi<?^s, wfSs their only food. Many of them died of 
 fati^yiie an<l hunger, o!)1igin^ the artdlery to abandon 
 a!l h it v.^iis not absolutely necessary; and every day 
 redo.ibled, in a frightful manner, the exj>losions of 
 the wagiions, which were blown up and destroyed, 
 (October 281 h). 
 
 On the following day we recrossed the Protva a 
 little below Vereia. This town was burning at 
 the moment of our passage; and the devouring 
 
DORO&HOBOWr. , t€7 
 
 flames rising in whirlwinds on every side, soon re- 
 duced it to asi^esv Vereia was tlie more aidbrtn- 
 nate, siiice, lying at a distance from the great road, 
 she had flattered herself that she might escape the 
 calamities by which she was surrounded. In truth, 
 with tiie exception of the engagement between the 
 Kussiaus aiid tne Poles, she had hitherto experienced 
 iittie of the horrocs of war. Her lielus had tsot 
 been ravaged, and her Wfil-cuitivated gardens were 
 now c vered with vegetabies of every kind, which 
 our famisijed soidiers devoured in an instant. At 
 night we siept at a wretciied village, of which we 
 couUi not learn t!se name. We supposed that it was 
 Mslia^va, because we were ouly a league from Gho- 
 rodok- Borisov. This place was yet more miserable 
 thati the hamlet at which we had halted the nljrht 
 before. The greater part of the officers passed the 
 night in the open air, which was the more unpleas- 
 ant, as the nights began to be extremely cold, and 
 little wood could be procured. Even the huts 
 ■which the genera's had hastily erected, were demo- 
 lished b) the soldiers to supply a few scanty tires ; 
 aiid many who went to sleep in comfortable cabins, 
 on waking in the middle of the night, found that the 
 sky was then oniy covering, 
 
 Napoieon, who preceded us one day's march, had 
 already passed Mojaisk, burning and destroying 
 every thing which he fouisd on his route. His sol- 
 diers were so intent on this devastation, that they set 
 fire even to the places where we should have halted. 
 This exposed us to great and unnecessary sutienng | 
 
42S i>OROGHOEOUI. 
 
 but our corps, in its turn, burned the few houses 
 that the others had left, and deprived the ara«y of 
 the prince of Ecknauhl, which formed the rear-guard, 
 of all power to shelter itself from the inciemenc} of 
 the nig^ht. Th it corps had likewise to contend with 
 an exasperated enemy, which, learning our retreat, 
 hastened on ever}? side to avenge itself. The cannon 
 which we heard every dav, and at distances cot. tinu- 
 allv diminishiiig, sufficiently annomsced to us the 
 fatigues, the sufferings, and the dangers, of that divi- 
 sion of the army. 
 
 At length, having- passed 'through Ghorodok-Bo- 
 risov (October 29lh), in the midst of almost impe- 
 netrable clouds of 5-moke, we entered, an hour after- 
 wards, on a plain which appeared to have been long 
 Since devastated. We saw at a distance the dead 
 bodies of n en a; d horses : but thenumeious iiitresch- 
 nients, half destroyed, the asj ect ot the run ed town 
 recalled to our menories the environs of iVJojaisk, 
 through which we had passed as conquerors, hfty-one 
 days before. The Poles encamped upon the rui;>s, 
 and at their departure burnt the few houses which had 
 escaped the first conflagration ; but the destruction had 
 been already so complete, tl at we could scarcely see 
 the light of the flames. The only thing which struck 
 us was the newiy erected tower, rismg amid the 
 ruins, and, by its whiteness, forming a nie^aiicholy 
 contrast with the black clouds which enveloped it. 
 It remained entire, and the clock yet tolled the hours, 
 though ihe city was no moreo 
 
POROGHOBOVI. 229 
 
 Our corps did not pass tbroug^b Mojaisk, but^ 
 turning to the left, we arrived (October 2i>tb) at the 
 site of the village of Krasnoe, where we bad slept at 
 the day after the battle of the Moskwa : I say the site 
 of the villi'iff'e, lor the houses existed no longer, and the 
 chateau alone had been preserved for the use of JNapo- 
 leon. We encamped round the chateau, and, as 
 long as I live, [ shaH recollect how, pierced with the 
 cold, we crowded together, and slept with comfort 
 on the yet warm ashes of the houses thai had been 
 burned the day before. 
 
 (October 30th. j The nearer we approached to 
 Mojaisk, the more desolate the country appeared. 
 The fields, trampled down by thousands of horses, 
 seemed as though they had never been cultivated. 
 The forests, cleared by the long continuance ot the 
 troops, partook likewise of the general desolation. 
 But most horrible was the multitude of dead bodies, 
 which, deprived of burial fifty-two davs, scarcely 
 retained the human form. On arriving at Borodmo, 
 my consternation was inexpressib-e, at finding the 
 twenty thousaiid men, who had perished there, yet 
 lying exposed. The whole plain was entirely cover- 
 ed with them. None of the bodies were more than 
 half buried. In one place were to be seen garments 
 yet red with blood, and bones gnawed by dogs and 
 birds of prey ; in another were broken arms, drums, 
 helmets, and swords. Fragments of standards lay 
 scattered thick around, and, from the emblems with 
 which they were adorned, it was easy to judge how 
 
 ^ 
 
jfnoch the Russian eag-le had suffered on that bloody 
 day. 
 
 On one side we saw the remains of the cottag'e at 
 which Katusoff had encamped ; aad more to the left, 
 the famous redoubt. It vet fro^vned threatei]in2:ly 
 over the plain. It elevated ilself like a pyrnmid in the 
 midst of a desert. When I mused on what it bad 
 heen^ and what it then was, I thought that I saw Ve- 
 suvius in repose. Perceiviug a Soulier on the sum- 
 mit, at the remote distance his immovable figure 
 had the effect of a statue. * Ah !' I exclaimed, * if 
 ^ ever a statue is consecraied to the demon of war it 
 ^should be placed on this pedestal.' 
 
 As we traversed the field of battle, we heard, at 
 a distance, a feeble voice appealing to us for succour. 
 Touched by his plaintive cries, some soldiers, ap- 
 proached the spot, and, to their astonisiiment, saw, 
 stretched on the ground, a French soldier with both 
 his legs fractured. * I was wounded,' said he, *on 
 the day of the great battle. I fainted from the 
 agosy which I endured, and, on recovering my 
 se jses, 1 found myself in a desolate place, where 
 no one could hear my cries, or afford me relief. 
 For two months, f daily dragge^i myself to the brink 
 of a rivulet:, where I fed on the grass and roots, and 
 some morsels of bread, which 1 found among the 
 dead bodies. Atni^ht 1 ia.d m} self down under the 
 shelter of some dead horses. To day, seeing you at 
 ^ distance, I summoned all my strength, and happily 
 crawled sufficiently near jour route to make myself 
 heard.' While the surrounding soldiers were ex« 
 
390RO©HOBOUI. 231 
 
 pressings their surprise, the general, who was inform- 
 ed of an occurrence so sing-ular and so touching, plac- 
 ed the unfortunate wretch ia his own carriage. 
 
 My history woulvl far exceed the bounds pre- 
 scrihed, were I to recount all the calamities which 
 th'it atrocious war produced. I will relate one circum- 
 stance aloiie, from which my readers may jndg-e of 
 the rest. Three thousand prisoners were brought 
 from Moscow. Having^ nu'hins; to ffive them during 
 their march, they were at night driven into a narrow; 
 fo'd like so many beasts. Without fie, and without 
 food, they lay on the bare ice, and to ass'iage the 
 hunger which tortured them, those who had not the 
 courage to die, nightly fed on the flesh of their com- 
 panions, whom fatigue, misery, and famine, had de- 
 stroyed. 
 
 But I turn from a picture so shocking, and pur- 
 sue the course of my narrative. I shall soon have 
 horrors enough to describe, which fell to the lot of 
 my friends and my comna:,ions in arms. 
 
 We repassed the Kologha, with as much precipi- 
 tation as we had formerly crossed it under the auspi- 
 ces of victory. The steps which conducted to the 
 river were so steep, and ihe frozen earlh so slippery, 
 that men and horses cont<uuuiiy fell over each other. 
 Happy would it h;n'e been for us, if the passaoe of 
 other rivers, so often multiplied upon us, had not been 
 even more dangerous than this. 
 
 We saw again the abbey of K.olotskoi. Despoil- 
 ed of its former splendour, and surrounded by ruins, 
 it resembled more an hospital than a convent. It wa« 
 
23S DOROGHOBOtrr. 
 
 the only liou^e which had been spared since our re- 
 treat from Moscow. It was s;^iven to the sick and 
 wounded, who wished to breathe their last in its peate° 
 ful asylum. 
 
 Tiie fourth division, fonuini^ always the advanc- 
 ed-guard, halted at a miserdble village, situated h;!f 
 a leag'ue to the right of the road, between the abbey of 
 Kolotskoi, and Prokofevo. O. all Ihe places of repose 
 at which we hid hitherto slopped, this was the most 
 intolerable. Nothing remained but some wretched 
 sheds, and thethUch had be n torn from the roofs to 
 give to the half-faMU^hed horses. Here, however, 
 the prince aiid his staff were constrained to pass the 
 night. 
 
 On the morrow (October 3lst.) we commenced 
 our march at an early hotw, and >eing arrived at the 
 heicrhts of Prokofevo, we heard the sound of cannon 
 so near us, that ihe viceroy, fearing the prince of 
 Eckmuhl was pushed by the enemy, halted on one of 
 the heights, and drew up his troops in order of battle 
 to succour him. For some days, many persons had 
 complained of the slowness with which the first divi- 
 sion marched. They had blamed the system of re* 
 treat by echelons, adopted by the commander-in-chief, 
 saying that it had lost three days' march, and thus had 
 enabled the advanced- guard of MUoradowitch easily 
 to overtake us. Finally, they alleged that he ought 
 to pass rapidly over a country which did not afford 
 the means of subsistence. He might have repSied, in 
 his own justification, that too rapid a retreat would 
 have redoubled the auaacily of the enemy, who, strong 
 
DORO&BOBOUI^ 286 
 
 in lig"ht cavalry, could at all times overtake us, and 
 cut in pieces our rear-guard, if it had refused the 
 combat. He could have added this maxim of war ; 
 ■ — The more precipitate a retreat, the more fatal it 
 becomes, because the fear which it occasions in the 
 minds of the soldiers, is more to be dreaded than any 
 physical evils. 
 
 The viceroy had made these dispositions on the 
 heio-hts of Prokof^vo, to succour the prince of Eck- 
 muhl, but soon understanding that that marshal was 
 oily harassed by the cossacks, he continued his 
 march towards Ghiatz, always taking care that his 
 divisions marched in the greatest order, and halting-, 
 whenever it was possible that the prince of Eckmuhl 
 could want his suppert. It is impossible to give too 
 much ;)rais- to prince Eugene, for his conduct in 
 these c.al circumstances. He was always the last 
 of his column, and he now bivouacked a league on 
 this side Ghiatz, that he might be ready the more 
 promptly to repel the attack of the enemy. 
 
 The night which the prince and his staff passed 
 here was the severest to which they had been expos- 
 ed. They halted on a little hill, near the place where 
 formerly stood the village of Ivachkova. Not one 
 house remained 3 the whole hamlet had been long 
 since destroyed. To complete their sufferings, a vio- 
 lent and piercing wind arose. Not a tree afforded 
 them shelter, and nature, in depriving that situation of 
 wood, had refused the only resource which could mit- 
 igate the severity of the climate of Russia, 
 30 
 
2S4 BOROGHOBOVr. - 
 
 Allliongli our own suiTeriug-s were tlms great, we 
 were rjot msensibie to those which oureneiniesendu ed. 
 On approachirsg Ghiatz in the morning', we feii the 
 sincerest regret when we perceived that the whole 
 town had disapfseared. We should have searciud for 
 it in vain, had it not beea for the ruins of a few houses 
 of stone, which showed that this had once b'^en a place 
 of human habitation, and that we were not wandernig 
 amid the remains of a forest consumed by fire, 
 r^ever were cruelty and revenge pushed so far. Ghi- 
 atz, consiructed entirely of wood, disappeared in a 
 day, and left its former inh sbilants, and even its ene- 
 mies, to regret the fail of its industry, and the destruc- 
 tion of its prosperity. It was the most commercial 
 and flourishing town in Russia. It coiitamed masiy 
 excellent manufactories ot cloth and leather, and fur- 
 nished the Russian navy with considerable quantities 
 of tar, cordaue, and marine stores. 
 
 The weather, which was {)iercingly cold in the 
 night, was beautiful during the day ; and the troops, 
 though almost worn out by their suiferings, and ex- 
 posed to , rivations of every kind, were fuii of cour- 
 age, and eager to meet the enemy. All seemed to 
 feel that their only safely consisted in manfully strug- 
 gling with the difficulties by which they were sur- 
 rounded. They had, for maiy days, been reduced 
 to subsist on horse-flesh : even the generals had begun 
 to share the same food. The mortality of these ani- 
 mals was then regarded as a fortuiiate circumstance ', 
 and, Without this resource, the soldier would have 
 
DOROGHOBOUI. 285 
 
 inucli more severely experienced the horrors of fa^ 
 mine. 
 
 (November \sL) The cossacks, whose approach 
 we had dreaded, no longer delayed to realize our fears. 
 Hitherto, while they had not been seen, the soldier 
 marched with his accustomed coi.fidence, and the 
 baggage-waggoiis, feebly escorled, v ere soiiumerous, 
 that they formed many distinct convoys, at conside- 
 rabie distances from each other. Near the ruined vil- 
 lag"e of Czarevo-Saimich^ was a causeway, about five 
 hundred feet long-, where the g-reat road formerly 
 passed. The passage of the arldiery had so worn it, 
 that it was no longer practicable, and to coiitinne the 
 rouie, it was necessary to descend i.;to a marshy mea- 
 dow, cut by a large river. Tue waggons, wh ch went 
 first, easdy passed over the ice ; but this, at lenotb, 
 being broken by the multitude which thronged over, 
 it became necessary, either to expose themselves to 
 the greatest danger in attempting to ford the river, or 
 to wait while some wretched bridtjes were construct- 
 ed in haste. In the meantime, the head ol the co- 
 lumn being thus arrested, fresh carriages continually 
 arrived. Artillery, baggage-waggons, and suttiers' 
 carts, all crowded one on another, and the drivers, ac- 
 cording to their custom, profitted by the momentary 
 delay, to light their fires, and to chafe their limbs be- 
 numbed with cold. While all was in this imagined se- 
 curity and complete confusion, on a sudden, the cos- 
 sacks, uttering the most frightful cries, rushed from 
 a thick wood on our left, and precipitated themselves 
 on these poor wretches. Ail were panic struck a 
 
236 130I10GH0B0UI. 
 
 their sigrht, and almost unconscious of what they did. 
 Some ran to the woods ; others fled to their carrias^es, 
 and, lashing- their feeble horses, g^alloped in confu- 
 sion over the plain. These were most to be pitied. 
 The rivu!els, the marshes, the slipperiness, or the 
 breaking of the ice, soon arrested their progress and 
 left them an easy prey to their pursuers. They were 
 most fortunate who, taking advantage of the nume- 
 rous cavriao-es, intr^^nrhed themselves 1 ehind them, 
 and awaited that deliverance which was not slow in 
 arriving ; for, as soon as the cossacks perceived the in- 
 fantry advancing upon them, they retreated, after 
 having wounded a few of the drivers, and pillaged 
 some of the ammunition wagfgfons. 
 
 7^he soldiers, to whom the care of escorting or 
 conducting the baggage was entrusted, profited by 
 the disorder which the presence of the cossacks ex- 
 cited, to pillage and destroy what they had sworn to 
 defend. From that time dishonesty and theft spread 
 themselves so rapidly and so u iversally through the 
 army, that we were scarcely more secure amongst 
 our own soldiers, than we should have been in the 
 Hiidst of the enemy. Whatever the soldiers took a 
 fancy to, they availed themselves of some opportuni- 
 ty to purloin ; and, encouraged b\ the impunity with 
 which they set all discipline at defiance, they procUf 
 rcd more frequent opportunities to pillage, by indus- 
 triously spreading false alarms. 
 
 The royal guard was clearing the defile of Cza- 
 revo-8aimicli6 when the baggage was attacked. It 
 immediately received orders to lialt^ and while it rest- 
 
DOROGHOBOUI. 33^' 
 
 edonitsarms^ we saw the cossacks on our left, not 
 two hundred paces from us, reconnoitring our situa- 
 tion. It Wr\s even said, that, profiting- by the inter- 
 vals which sabsi> ed between some of our divisions, 
 they frec(aently crossed our route. But their brava- 
 does, exercised with success on the followers of our 
 camp, had no effect when attempted against the reg-ii- 
 lar troops. When the ro\ai guard saw the cossacks 
 thus hovering on their flanks, they no longer contmu- 
 ed their mai'ch, but halted by a wood not far from 
 Y^litschevo. The other divisions, encamped near 
 the viceroy, who remained constantly in the rear, 
 since the Kussians appeared so determined to harass 
 oar retreat. 
 
 (November 2d.) On the morrow, three hours 
 before day, we abandoned this position. Our noc- 
 turnal march was truly terrifying. The night was 
 fearfully dark, and, afraid of running one against 
 another, we were compelled to grope along our way 
 ■with a slowness which gave us fud leisure to indulge 
 in the most melancholy reflections. In spite of our 
 precaution, we often fell into the ditches on each side 
 of the road, and were precipitated into the deep ra- 
 vines by which it was intersected. At length our 
 impatience for the dawn became insupportable. We 
 hoped that its cheering light would render our march 
 less painful, and would protect us from the ambushes 
 of an enemy, whose accurate knowledge of the coun- 
 try gave it a fatal advantage in all its manoeuvres. 
 
 We were assured, indeed, that we should soon 
 be attacked. Those who were acquainted with the 
 
238 JDOROGHOBOUI. 
 
 country, feared the position of Yiazma, because they 
 knew that, near that city, the road from Medouin, 
 which [>art of the Russian army had taken after the 
 battle of ;\ia!o-Jaroslavitz, and which was sbortei- 
 than ours, joined the great road. 1'hey aiso regard- 
 ed the cossacks, who had appeared on the preceding 
 evening, as the advanced-goard ot the immeruus ca- 
 vah-y of P at off, and the two divisions of general Mi- 
 loradowitch, which would suddenly burst upon us 
 near Viazma. 
 
 Our pioneers, and the equipas^e of the viceroy, 
 were oisly a league from that city, and nothing yet 
 betokened the presence of the enemy. In the mean- 
 time, that prince being in the rear-guard with the 
 first corps, and perceiving that the distance between 
 the two extremities of his column hazarded the safe- 
 ty of the army, ordered the troops which were in ad- 
 vance to halt. In that interval, colonel Labedo^^re, 
 aid-de-camp to his highness, arrived from Yiazma. 
 On hearing the dangers to which that officer had been 
 exposed, v.e doubled not timt on the morrow we 
 should be compelled to force our way with the point 
 ©f thebayoiiet. 
 
 The viceroy halted at Foedorovskoe, although 
 he was expected at Yiazma. The divisions of the 
 army encamped around him. At his right, facing 
 the enemy, were the Poles, a little in front of the 
 first corps, which, though it was the rear-guard, yet 
 having been sharply pressed, was but a short distance 
 from us. Prince Eugene had indeed slackened his 
 march to form a janctioii with them. 
 
DOROGHOBOUI, 239 
 
 (November 3d.) Our divisions were on the march 
 at six o'clock on the following" morning". As we ap- 
 proached Yiazma, and our bag"gage was already in 
 tlsat oty, the co«sacks showed that they were indeed 
 near us, by commencing" a sudden and violent attack. 
 The w:i;j-goas, however drew up round a little church, 
 until the arrivai oi our troops put the enemy to flight. 
 But when thes;e troops attempted to contnme their 
 march, the first bri^-ade of the thirteenth division, 
 commanded by gt^neral Nagle, which formed the 
 rear-guard of our part of the arriav, was attacked on 
 its ieit flank, a league and a half from Viazma. Nu- 
 merous squadrons of Kussian horse issued from the 
 very road which we had dreaded, and threw them- 
 selves into the space which separated the fourth corps 
 from the first. The viceroy jterceiving the danger 
 of his situation, suddenly halted his divisions, and 
 recalied his arliilery, thai the weli-du'ected lire of the 
 batteries might check an enem}^ ad whose manoeu- 
 vres tended effectually to cut off our retreat by pos- 
 sessing themselves of Viazma. 
 
 Whde these divisions executed divers evolutions 
 to frustrate the plans of the Russians, they were follow- 
 ed by the first corps, and we remarked, with regret, 
 that these troops, worn out, no doubt, by uuheard-of 
 sufferings, and incessant combat, had lost that doe 
 subordination, and undaunted courage, which we had 
 so often admired. The soldiers were regardless of 
 discipline, and most of them being won sded, or sink- 
 ing under fatigue, increased the crowd of mere camp- 
 followers. 
 
,#4y DOHOGHOBOtJI. 
 
 The foai'th corps was thus left for a cousiderable 
 time, to sustain alone, not Oiily the charge of a nu- 
 merous cavalry, but also the reiterated attacks of a 
 body of Russian infantry, consisting of more thuii 
 twelve thousand men. The first corps, howev* r, 
 having- filed off behind os, to the righ^ of the road, at 
 length took a position on the left of the same rond, 
 between Viazma and the point of attack, and thus re- 
 lieved the troops of the fourth corps, which the vice- 
 roy had caused to advance, at the beginnnig of ts e 
 action. These were now enabled to occupy some 
 advantageous positions, which they found at the rtght 
 of the road, and thas, conjointly with the first corps, 
 were ready to receive the attack, which the Russians 
 again threatened. 
 
 Our fourteenth division, which had been in front 
 of the thirteenth, suffered that division now to pass it, 
 and relieved it by becoming the rear-guard. The 
 fifteenth which had followed the fourteenth, remain- 
 ed with the royal guard, near Viazma, as a reserve. 
 The order of battle being thus arranged, the enemy's 
 infantry advanced, and the engagement commenced 
 with considerable warmth, but with a decided supe- 
 riority in artillery on the part of the Russians. The 
 miserable state of our horses would not permit us to 
 manoeuvre our pieces with much celerity, it was in 
 this engagement that colonel Banco, aid-de-camp to 
 the viceroy, and commandant of the second regiment 
 of Italian horse-chasseurs, had his head carried off by 
 a cannon-ball. 
 
X>OIlOGH0BOtni?t 241 
 
 Our troops, notwitbstanding' their inferiority^ 
 Hiaintaiaed their positions long enough for the bag- 
 gage to pass through Yiazma, in the greatest order. 
 A party of the enemy's cavalry then attempted to 
 break through our two wings. That which, during 
 our retreat, had advanced on our right, was repulsed 
 by a body of infantry furnished with cannon. The- 
 other, on our left, was equally repulsed by the Bava- 
 rian horse, which were opposed to it, and by some 
 battalions of sharp-shooters concealed in the bushes^ 
 with which the field of battle was covered. 
 
 This manoeuvre ol the Russians, however, spread 
 the greatest consternation among those whom either 
 disease of body or want of courage, had caused to 
 quit their rasjks, and to mingle with the followers of 
 the camp. This description of persons was, unhap- 
 pily, very numerous, principally among the cavalryp 
 which was almost entirely dismounted. They were, 
 in truth, become more thati useless to us. In the 
 perilous situation in which we. then found ourselves^ 
 they constituted eur greatest danger. Tbey not only 
 impeded all our manoeuvres, but they spread alarms 
 and disorder on all sides, by flying with precipitation 
 before an enemy with which their cowardice would 
 not permit them to fight. The cossacks, likewise, 
 seeing this feeble and unarmed multitude flying be- 
 fore them, acquired fresh courage, and attacked us 
 with redoubled ardour, believing that these columns 
 of fugitives were the only trw)ps with which they hatl 
 to contend. 
 
 3J 
 
24^ 3>OTI0GHO®0t/f, 
 
 AUbon<yli we repulsed every attack, our situation 
 tvas beconiiiig exceedingly critical, uatil, hai>pily, the 
 grarjd ravine, sihialed at the leit of our route, and 
 above ail, the excellent position which the duke of 
 E chill ^-en occupied, nrrested the progress of the Rus- 
 sians. Tl'iat D'.arshai, being- left the day befoce in a 
 position near Yir^zma, to await the pj>ss -ge of the first 
 corps, and to take its place as rear-g-nard, had the 
 g'lory of extr eating- vti from the greater dano^er, to 
 •which we h.id bitlerto '>eei; expose^*. Durmg* the 
 ■whole action he assisted in person, and he continued 
 to niiirch with the viceroy and the prince of Eckmnhl, 
 that i^e might confer with them on the measures which 
 it was necessary to adopt. 
 
 !■ was nearly four hours after mid-day, when our 
 divisio! passed through Yiazma. Leaving the city, 
 we saw the thsrd divis.on encamped on a little hdl on 
 our left. We o^\ed ncjuch gratitude to that corps for 
 bavins" so well defended that important situation. 
 Th bravery with which those troops maintained their 
 o-round, rendered the fierce and reiterated attacks of 
 an enemy, suj/enorin numbers, completely ineffectu- 
 al, and contributed much to save the first and fourth 
 corf-s from absolute destruction. That last division 
 V:i\s thus enabied to accomplish its retreat behind 
 the r;ver of Viazma, where the prince endeavoured 
 to i t r'«n- die dsasters of this baitle so unfortunate, and 
 sustained undei' circumstances in Vvhich the most 
 sk liu: combiuatious could scarcely promise a favour- 
 able issue. 
 
BOROGHOBOUt ^43 
 
 Traversing the forest at the foot of the hill of Vi 
 azma, we overtook a convoy of the sick and wound- 
 ed, which had left Moscow beJore us. These ualor- 
 tuiiate being's, after having been many da^s deprived 
 of medscal assistaiice, ard almost of tood, encamped 
 in this forest, which served them for an hospital and 
 a grave. The horses had perished of fatigue and 
 hunger, and their guards had forsaken these unhappy 
 "wretches, and abandoned them to their late. We 
 encamped near them, and, at the approach of night, 
 kindled an enormous fire, at the back of a httle hill 
 covered with brushwood. The royal guard was 
 round the tent of the prince, the thirteenth and four- 
 teenth divisions were placed on our flanks, while the 
 fifteenth division, though considerably weakenedj, 
 formed our rear-guard. 
 
 From this position the whole horizon appeared oti 
 fire. It was occasioned by the destruction of those 
 houses at Yiazma, which had escaped the first confla- 
 gration. The third corps, which always preserved 
 its position to protect our retreat, although it was 
 separated from the Russ^asis by a river, and by deep 
 ravines, seeoied to be frequently attacked. Often in 
 the silence of the night, we were startled by the re- 
 port of cannon, which, passing over the th.ck forests, 
 sounded in a pecuhariy mournful and horrible man- 
 ner. This unexpected sound, repeated by the eclioes 
 of the valley, was lengthened into dismal reverbera- 
 tions; and often, when our harassed powers were 
 sinking into calm and refreshing repose, suddenly 
 roused as, while we hastily and fearfully ran to ^nsis 
 
'M4 Bomo»HOBoui, 
 
 expecting" tbat tbe enemy, which we knew to be at 
 hand, was advancing- to surprise ns. 
 
 (November 4!h) At one o'clock in the morning 
 the vicproy deemed it prucient, to profit by tlie obscu- 
 rity of the night, to effect his retreat, and gain some 
 h nrs' march on the Kussians, with whom he could 
 not fight, since famine would not permit us to re- 
 main one unnecessary day in a country completely 
 depopulated and laid waste. 'We marched along the 
 great road, groping our way in the dark. The route 
 was entirely covered with the fragments of carriages 
 and artillery Men and horses, worn out with fa- 
 tigue, could scarcely tlrag themselves along, and, as 
 soon as the last fell exhausted, ths soldiers eagerly 
 divided the carcass among them, and hastened to 
 broil on the coals that food, wh;ch during many days, 
 had constituted their only nourishment. Suffering 
 yet more from the cold than from hunger, they aban- 
 doned their ranks, to warm themselves by a tire has- 
 tily kindled ; but, when they would rise to depart, 
 iheir frost-bitten limbf^ refused their office, a partial 
 insensibility crept over them, and they preferred to 
 fall into the hands of the enemy, rather than make a 
 feeble effort So continue their journey. 
 
 Bay had broken some time when we arrived at 
 tbe village of Polianovo, near which ran the little 
 river Osma. The bridge was very narrow and bad. 
 The crowd which had to pass it was immense. As 
 every one eagerly rushed ou to clear this narrow de- 
 file, the viceroy was compelled to order the officers 
 of his staff to iiuerpose their authority, and to main- 
 
j>oiiOG]^OBOiJa;.. 24* 
 
 tain some little order in so dangerous a place. He 
 even condescended to stay himself, arad to use every 
 necessary prrcaution to facilitate the passage of the 
 artillery, in the midst of a crowd of carriages, which 
 pressed on towards the bridge. 
 
 Beneath the town of Semlevo ran another branch 
 of the river Osma, more considerable than the first. 
 The march of the troops was not, however, delayed. 
 They profited by a bridge both large and solid, to 
 extricate themselves from a situation, from which the 
 enemy might have derived the greatest advantages, 
 had they been able to gain possession of it. Sem- 
 lev©, built on a steep hill, commands the road by 
 which we arrived. At its foot is the Osma, which^ 
 almost surrounding it, would have rendered it impos- 
 sible for us to have forced that position. 
 
 Towards the close of the day, we found shelter 
 for the prince, in a little chapel situated near this river, 
 which, making a considerable circuit to the right 
 from Semlevo, returns again, and passes the road, at 
 the spot at which we now were. We had scarcely 
 established ©urselves round the chapel, when the 
 camp-followers, having gone to forage, were attacked 
 by the cossacks, and fled back with precipitation. 
 Some had lost their horses, others their clothes, and 
 many were covered with wounds from the sabre and 
 the lance. It was necessary then to think of retreat- 
 ing, and, while the baggage of the viceroy evacuated 
 the position, we saw the troops of the enemy advan- 
 cing to the banks of that branch of the Osma, which 
 we were about to pass. In these circumstances, we 
 
^46 ^OROeHOBOUio 
 
 were convinced bow necessary it was in a retreat to 
 secure well the passage of every river. This, thougli 
 small, was scarcely fordable, aiid had no bridge. To 
 @ross it, men, horses, and waggons, precipitated 
 themselves into the water. Oar situation was the. 
 more deplorv^ble, as the Russians, profiting by our 
 distress, began to harass the rear of the column, and 
 lo spread couslerualion among" the immense crowd, 
 which, remainmg on the other side, saw itself com- 
 pelled to cross a deep and half frozen river, whose 
 banks were extremely boggy. During this time we 
 beard the balls of the enemy whistling over our heads, 
 and threatening every* moment to destroy us. With 
 this exception the passage of the river presented no- 
 thing unfortunate. Night approached, and the cos- 
 sacks discontinued their attacks. Our loss merely 
 consisted of a few carriages, which we were compel- 
 led to leave in the middle ol the water. 
 
 This obstacle being surmounted, we entered on a 
 forest, at the extremity of which, towards the left, 
 was a chateau^ long ago pillaged. We estabHshed 
 ourselves there for the night, near the viiiage of 
 Kouibki. W^e had only horse flesh to eat, except a 
 little flour that had been brought from Moscow, 
 which remained in one of the waggons. A very small 
 quantity of this was given lo each officer to make his 
 bouiUie. It vi^as carefully measured out to evt^y one 
 with a spoon. As for our horses, we were well con-^ 
 tent if we could give them the straw, which in @nv 
 former passage had served them for litter. 
 
(November 5tb.) E irly in the morning we pur- 
 sued our retreat, and, without any fatal rencontre 
 with the enen^iy, arrived at a larg-e vil!ag-e, of which 
 some houses had been s )are 1. , We parlicularly re- 
 marked a laro;e house bui't of slo le, and we dessg"- 
 nated that village bythenvFiie o»" the Sione House.* 
 We could rarely ascertain the names of the places 
 through which we passed, and we described them m 
 our journals by sonrjething" char icleristic, whether it 
 referred to their situation, or form, or any peculiar 
 hardships which we there endored. Oae was called 
 the Hurrah, from the dreadful cry of the cossacks. 
 Another, * That near which we vfere beaten.' We 
 spoke not of those at which we had suffcied from 
 hung-er, for that was common to every village through 
 which we passed. 
 
 Hitherto we had endured our misforkmes with 
 calmness and resignation, buoyed up by the flattering 
 hope that they would soon cease. When we depart- 
 ed from iVIoscow, we had regarded Smolensko as the 
 limit of our retreat. There we trusted that we should, 
 rejoin the divisions left on the Nieper and the Dwina, 
 and, taking these two rivers as the boundary of 
 ©ur territories, should have the beautiful country of 
 Lithuania for our winter quarters. We likewise 
 pleased ourselves with the thought, that Smolensko 
 abounded in provisions of every kind ; and that, to 
 relieve us from the labours under which we were ra- 
 
 * This yillage appears, from the map^ to have beeo JoSko« 
 PostoVa Door, 
 
24S BORd^HOBOCfli. 
 
 pidly sinking*, we sliould find the ninth clivisio», 
 eomposed of twenty-five thousand fresh troops. This 
 eity was therefore the object of our f©ndest wishes, 
 and our most pleasing^ dreams. Every one was anx- 
 ious to arrive thilher, persuaded that within its w ills 
 the dreadful calamities which now environed us would 
 forever cease. TiiC name of Smolensko passed from 
 mouth to mouth, and each pronounced it with confi- 
 dence to those who were smkmg' un-der their safer- 
 ing-s, as their truestj their only consolation. There 
 was ma^ic in the name. It c irried with it a happy 
 oblivion of all our past miseries, and inspired us with 
 courage to support the fatig'ues which we were yet 
 to encounter. 
 
 (November 6th.) We marched towards Smo- 
 lensko, with an ardour which redoubled our strength ; 
 and, approaching' Doroghoboui, distant from that 
 city only twenty leagues, the thought that in three 
 days we should reach the end ©f all our misfortunes, 
 iiiled us with the most intoxicating joy ; when sud- 
 denly the atmosphere, which had hitherto been so 
 brilliant, was clouded by cold and dense vapours. 
 The sun, enveloped by the thickest mists, disappear- 
 ed from our sigiit, and the sn©w falling in large 
 flakes, in an instant obscured the day, and confound- 
 ed the earth with the sky. The wind, furiously blew- 
 ing, howled dreadfully through the forests, and over- 
 whelmed the firs, already bent down with the ice ; 
 while the country arouad, as far as the eye could 
 reach, presented^ unbroken, one white and savage 
 appearance. 
 
DOROGHOBOUl, 249 
 
 The soldiers, vainly slrug-gling with the snow and 
 the wind, which rushed upon them with the violence 
 of a whirlwind, could no longer distinguish the road ; 
 and falling into the ditches which bordered it, there 
 found a grave. Oihers pressed on towards the end 
 of their journey, scarcely able to drag themselves 
 along, badly mounted, badly clothed, with nothing lo 
 eat, nothing to drink, shivering with the cold, and 
 groaning with pain. Becoming sesfish through de- 
 spair, they afforded neither succour, nor even one 
 glance of pity, to those who, exhausted by fatigue 
 and disease, expired around them. How many un- 
 fortunate beingSj on that dreadful day, dying of cold 
 and famine, strag"g'led hard with the agonies of death ? 
 We heard some of them faintly bidding- their last 
 adieu to their friends and comrades. Others, as they 
 drew their last brealh, pronounced the name of their 
 mothers, their wives, their native country, which they 
 were never more to see. The rigour of the frost 
 soon seized on their benumbed limbs, and penetrat- 
 ed through the whole frame. Stretched on the road, 
 we could distinguish only the heaps of snow which 
 covered them, and which, at almo^it every step, form- 
 ed little undulations, like so many graves. At tlse 
 same time vast flights of ravens, abandoning the 
 plain to take refuge in the neighbouring forests, 
 croaked mournfully as they passed over our heads ^ 
 and troops of dogs, which had followed us from 
 Moscow, and lived solely on our mangled remains, 
 howled around us, as if they would hasten the period 
 when we were to become their prey. 
 32 
 
260 BOROGHOBOUI. 
 
 From that day the army lost its courage and its 
 military athtude. The soidier no longer obeyed his 
 ctik'er. The officer separated himself from his gen- 
 eral. The regiments disbanded, marched ni disorder. 
 Searching for food, they spread themselves over the 
 plain, burning and pillaging whatever fell in their 
 wav. The horses fell by thousands.^ The cannon 
 and the waggons which had been abandoned, served 
 o;t!y to obstruct the way. No sooi.er had the sol- 
 diers separated from the raiiks, than they were assail- 
 ed by a population eager to ave» ge the horrors of 
 which it had been the victim. The cossacks came 
 to the succour of the peasants, and drove back to the 
 great road, aire id} fiued with the dying and the dead, 
 those of the followers who escaped from the carnage 
 muae amoisof them. 
 
 Such was the situation of the army, when we ar- 
 rived at Doroghoboui. This little town would have 
 given licw life to our unfortunate troops, if JN^apoleon 
 bad not been so far blinded by rage, as to forget, 
 that his soldiers would be the first to suffer by the 
 devastation which he caused to be made. Dorogho- 
 boui had been burnt, ils magazuies pillaged, and the 
 brandy, With which they were tiiled, had been poured 
 into the streets, while the rest of the army was pe- 
 riNriii g for want of it The few houses which re- 
 mained, w ere occupied exclusively by a small num- 
 ber of generals and staff-officers. The few soldiers 
 which yet dared to face the enemy, were exposed tcy 
 
 * See the twenty- niDth bulletin. 
 
pOROGHOBOUl. 251 
 
 all the rig-ours of the season ; while the others, who 
 had wandered from their proper corps, were now re- 
 pulsed on every side, and found no shelter in any 
 part of the camp. How deplorable was then the situa- 
 tion of these poor wretches ! Tormented by hunger, 
 we saw them run after every horse the moment it 
 fell. They devoured it raw, like dogs, and foucrht 
 among- themselves for the mangled limbs. Worn 
 out by want of sleep and long marches, they saw no- 
 thing arouud them but the snow ; not one spot ap- 
 peared on which they could sit or lie. Penetrated 
 with the cold, they wandered on every side to find 
 wood, but the snow had caused it entirely to disap- 
 pear. If, fortunately, they found a little, they knew 
 not where to light it. Did they discover a spot less 
 exposed than others, it afforded them but a momentary 
 shelter, for scarcely had their fire kindled, when 
 the violence of the wind, and the moisture of the at- 
 mosphere, suddenly extinguished it, and deprived 
 them of the only consolation which remained, in their 
 extreme distress. In one place we saw a multitude 
 of them, huddled together like beasts, at the root of 
 a beech, or pine, or under a waggon. Others were 
 employed in tearing down huge branches from the 
 trees, or pulling down by main force, and burning 
 the houses, at which the officers lodg-ed. Althougrb 
 they were exhausted by fatigue, they stood erect. 
 They wandered like spectres through the livelong 
 night, or stood immoveable around some enormous 
 
ZOS BOKOGHOBOUI. 
 
 The unforiunate Paulowna, whom the reader will 
 recollect, when he calls to mind the pillage of Mos- 
 cow, had hitherio accompanied us, and shared in all 
 oiu misfortunes and privations. She endui-ed them 
 with the cowrag-e which her virtue inspired. Be- 
 lieving that she carried in her bosom a pledge of love, 
 which she imagined to be legitimate, she was eager 
 to become a moih< r, ar.d proud to follow her hus- 
 band. But he, wlio had pledged himself to her by 
 the moj^t solemn promises, having been informed in 
 the morning, that we were not to take up our winter- 
 quarters at Smolensko, determined to break a con- 
 nexion, which he had regarded as merely temporary. 
 Inaccessible to pity, he approached this innocent 
 creature, r^nd, under some specious pretext, an- 
 nounced to her il aS ibey must part. At this intelli- 
 gence !the uttered a cry of sui'prise and horror, and 
 franticly declared, that having sacrificed her family, 
 and even her reputation, for him, whom she regarded 
 as her husband, it was her duty lo follow him ; and 
 that neither fatigues nor dangers should turn her 
 fl'om a resolution, in w; Ich her love and her honour 
 were equally iiileresied. The general, little sensible 
 of the value of an atiachment so rure, coldly repeat- 
 ed, that they must [art, si!;ce circumsSances would 
 FiO longer permit the women to remain with the 
 troops; thai; he was ah eady married, and that bj'' re» 
 turning speedily to Moscov^', ' she nsight find the hus- 
 band for whom her parents had destined her. At these 
 cruel words, his interesting victim felt almost annihi- 
 laleci. Paler ilrm when she rushed from the tombs 
 
DOROGHOBOUI. 258 
 
 of the Kremlin, sbe uttered not a word. She sighed, 
 she wept, and suffocated by her grief, fell into a state 
 of insensibility. Her perfidious seducer took advan- 
 tage of this to withdraw from her presence, not be- 
 cause he was overpowered by his sensibility ; he, alas 1 
 was a stranger to every tender and generous feeling ; 
 but to fly from the Russians, wliOse cries of ven- 
 geance he already fancied that he heard. 
 
BOOK Till. 
 
 KRASNOE. 
 
 When Napoleon quitted Moscow, he intended 
 to reunite his troops between W-itf psk and k*nioien- 
 sko, and make the Nieper asid the Dvvina the grand 
 line of his operations. The 6th and 7th of Novem- 
 ber, having- destroyed the third part of his army, he^ 
 on his arrival at Smolensko, aliedg-ed that destruction, 
 and the inclemency of tlie winter, as the reasons of 
 his abandoning his former design. But the true and 
 only motive which induced him to change his plan, 
 was the news which he received at Smolensko (10th 
 November) that Wittgenstein had forced the Dwina, 
 that Witepsk had been taken vi'ith its garrison, and 
 that the army of Moldavia, united to that of Voihy- 
 nia, having driven before it the corps of prince 
 Schwartzenberg-, was titking a position on the Bere« 
 sina with the design of joining Wittgenstein, and ef- 
 fectually cutting off the retreat of the French army« 
 This manoeuvre of the enemy was so well known? 
 and appeared so natural, that a report soon spread 
 amono^ the troops, that it was the intention ©f the 
 
•256 KRASNOE. 
 
 Russians to take Napoleon alive, and to put his whole 
 army to the sword ; wishing, by this severe chastise- 
 ment, to give Europe an example of the punishment 
 which they deserved who disturbed the world with 
 unjust wars. 
 
 In truih, it was not the severity of a premature 
 winter which rendered the plans of Napoleon abor- 
 tive, because if he could have maintained himself be- 
 tween Smolensko and Witepsk, he would easily have 
 repaired the losses which he had hitherto suffered* 
 The principal, and the only cause of h's ruin, was 
 his determination to proceed to Moscow, without 
 considering- the forcTEs which he left in his rear, and 
 to effect, at the price of our blood, that which the 
 most headstrong and imprudent monarch* had not 
 dared to attempt. 
 
 The desire of pillaging that capital, and the am- 
 bition of dictating his laws there, made hnn sacrifice 
 every thing. He rushed on, eager to destroy the an- 
 cient palace of the czars, forgetful of the winter, and 
 all its horrors ; forgetful that Wittgenstein had never 
 abandoned the Dwina ; and that TschskakofF, return- 
 ed from Moldavia, would attack hiai on his return 
 from his foolish expedition. 
 
 Napoleon, ignorant as yet of the progress which 
 the enemy had made on the Dwina, determined that 
 the fourth corps should pass the Nieper, and march 
 on Witepsk, to effect a junction with the garrison of 
 that town, commanded by general Pouget After 
 
 « Charles XII. of Sweden, 
 
reconnoitring whether the approach of winter had still 
 left this route practicable, general Samson, with some 
 engineers which he commanded^ was ordered to tra- 
 verse the country, and examine particularly the banks 
 of the Wop. These officers had scarcely passed the 
 JNieper, when they fell into the hands of a party of 
 Cossacks, by whom all these rivers were infested. 
 
 (November 7lh.) While the fourth corps pro- 
 ceeded in the direction of Witepsk, we left Dorogho- 
 boui, and passed the Borysthenes on a bridge of 
 rafts, opposite that village. The horses found the 
 greatest difficulty in chmbing the opposite bank. 
 The road was become as slippery as glass, and these 
 animals, Already exhausted, were no longer able to 
 draw. Twelve or sixteen horses harnessed to one 
 cannon had scarcely strength to drag it over the small- 
 est hill. It was intended to proceed the first day as 
 far as Zazel6 3 but the road was so execrably bad, 
 that even on the following morning, the waggons had 
 sc ircely reached the sixth league. Many cannon and 
 horses were of necessity abandoned i and it was on 
 that cruel night that the soldiery, no longer under 
 controul, began to pillage the baggage. The ground 
 was covered with portmanteaus, boxes, and papers ; 
 and many articles stolen from Moscow, which some 
 remains of shame had hitherto concealed, once more 
 saw the light. 
 
 The beautiful chateau of Zaz616 presented us, 
 during^ the night, with a repetition of the scenes of 
 yesterday. With the exception of those whom the 
 pillage of the waggons had reanimated, we saw nothing 
 
268 KKASNOE. 
 
 on every sirle, but men dying of hunger and of cold ; 
 and horses tormented by thirst, endeavouring to break, 
 the ice with their feet, to find that water which we 
 were unable to give them. 
 
 (November 8th.) Our baggage was so consid- 
 erable, that the losses which it had sustained were yet 
 scarcely felt. We marched all day, and with much 
 alacrity, for we thought that, having quitted the great 
 road of Smolensko, and pursued one which had ex- 
 perienced less of the calamities of war, we might find 
 some villages to shelter us from the inclemency of 
 the night, where our famished troops might obtain 
 refreshment, and especially where we might procure 
 some forage for our meagre horses. But this flat- 
 tering hope was soon destroyed. The village of Slo- 
 boda, at which we were to sleep, presented us with 
 new horrors. Every thing was destroyed; and the 
 Cossacks, hovering on our flanks, seized, and pillaged 
 ©r massacred, every one who, urged by necessity, 
 wandered but a little way from the ranks to seek for 
 food. In these dreadful circumstances, general Dan- 
 thouard, whose talents had before proved so useful, 
 appeared to multiply himself, and to be present 
 wherever danger threatened. He caused our artillery 
 to act with effect, on every point where it could be 
 brought to bear; when, as he was passing our lines, 
 a catmon-ball fractured his right thigh, after having" 
 killed the orderly soldier by his side. 
 
 The viceroy, knowing that we ought to cross the 
 Wop on the following day, had sent general Poite- 
 via forward in the night, with soeq« engineers, t© con- 
 
KRASNOE. 2^9 
 
 struct a bridge for our passage. We arrived on the 
 banks of the river at an early hour on the morrow, 
 when, to the great grief of the prince, and our ut- 
 most despair, we saw the whole army and the bag- 
 gage ranged along the Wop, without being able to 
 pass it. The bridge had been begun, and nearly 
 finished, but the waters had suddenly increased dur- 
 ing the night, and carried it away. 
 
 The Cossacks, whom we had seen the night be- 
 fore, did not tail to advance upon us, when they were 
 apprised of our critical situation. We already 
 heard the fire of our sharp-shooters, who endeavoured 
 to keep them in c4ieck ; but the noise of the fire-arms 
 rapidly approaching, convinced us that the audacity 
 of" the enemy increased at the view of our dangers. 
 In the meantime the viceroy, whose noble soul was 
 always calm in the midst of the greatest dangers, 
 maintained a presence of mind most important in 
 circumstances so desperate. To reanimate the spirits 
 of the soldiers, who were more terrified at the pre- 
 sence of the cossacks, than at the dangers of the 
 Wop, he despatched some chosen troops, who, re- 
 pulsing the Russians on our flanks, and ou our rear, 
 left us at liberty to attempt the passage of the river. 
 
 The prince, seeing that it was necessary for some 
 officer of rank to set an example of courage, in cross- 
 ing first, ordered colonel Delfanti to place himself at 
 the head of the royal guard, and to pa!»s the ford of 
 the Wop. That brave officer, whose intrepidity can- 
 not be too highly praised, embraced with ardour this 
 •pportunily of showing his devotion to the service^ 
 
f60 KRASNOE. 
 
 and in s\^ht of all our corps, with the water reaching 
 to his waist, made his wa^ through the accumulated 
 ice, at the head of the grenadiers, and surmounted 
 cver^^ difficulty. 
 
 The Viceroy immediately followed with his staff, 
 and, having- arrived at the other side, he issued the 
 necessary orders to facilitate a passage so dangerous. 
 The waggons now began to file off. The first passed 
 happdy over, and after them a few pieces of artillery. 
 But as the channel was far below the level of the 
 ground, and the banks steep, and glittering with ice, 
 the only practicable point was where a gentle declivi- 
 ty had been dug to descend to the river. The can- 
 non, all following in the same track, formed ruts so 
 deep, that it was impossible to drag them out. Thus 
 the only accessible ford was soon choaked up, and 
 rendered utterly impassable for the rest of the artdlery 
 and baggage. 
 
 In this situation every one yielded to despair; for, 
 notwithstanding the efforts made by our rear-guard 
 to repulse the Russians, it was but too evident that 
 they advanced. Our very fear doubled our dan- 
 ger. The river was half ti-ozen, and as the waggons 
 could not possibly cross it, it was necessary for those 
 who had no horses, to determine to wade through the 
 stream. Our situation was the more deplorable, as we 
 were forced to abandon a hundred pieces of cannon, 
 and a great number of ammunition and provision 
 waggons, carts, and drouschki,* which contained the 
 
 » A."' ®Jegant Isltle carriage jnuch used at Moscow, 
 
KBASNOE 961 
 
 little wbicli remained of the provisions of Moscow. 
 As soon aslhe r ecessity became thus apparent, every 
 one abandoned his vehicle, and hastily loaded his 
 horse with his most valuable effects. But scarcely 
 had any one resolved to leave his carriage, before 
 a crowd of soldiers !J!;iviiisr she owner no time to 
 ■select what he thoug-ht proper, violently seized on it, 
 and in a moment pillaged it of every Ihing which it 
 contained, principal !y searching for flour ai;d brandy. 
 The artillery-men abandoned their pieces, and, on the 
 report that the enemy rapidly approached, imuitdiale- 
 ly spiked them, despairing- to cctnvey theni across a 
 river, every part of which was choked w ilh w aggons 
 sticking fast in the clay, a,nd the bodies ot innumera- 
 ble soldiers and horses, who h^d been carried away 
 by the stream. The cries of those w ho were ciossing 
 the river, the consternation of others who were pre- 
 paring to descend, and whom, with their horses, we 
 every moment saw overwhelnjed by the current, the 
 despair of the women, the shrieks of the childreUj^ 
 and the terror even of the soldiers, rendered this pas- 
 sage a scene so horrible, that the very recollection of 
 it yet terrifies those who witnessed it. 
 
 Although it is most painful to recall to memory 
 the dreadtul events of that day, 1 cannot prevail on 
 myseifto forbear recounting one trait of maternal 
 love, so touching, and so honourable to human na- 
 ture, that the sight of it compensated for the affliction 
 which those unfortunate beings occasioned me. 
 
 A female suttler of our corps, who had been with 
 m during tne whole campaign, returned from Mos- 
 
■■268 JCEASNOIS. 
 
 eow, carrying in a waggon five young' children, and all 
 the fruit of her industry. Arrived at the Wop, she 
 regarded with horror the rapid stream, which com- 
 pelled her to leave on its banks, all her little fortune, 
 and the future subsistence of her children. For a long 
 lime she ran up and down, eagerly looking for a new 
 passage, when, returning in despair from her fruitless 
 search, she said to her husband, * we nmst indeed 
 abandon all ; let us now try only how to save our chil- 
 dren.' Saying this, she took the two youngest from 
 the waggon, and placed them in her husband's arms. 
 I saw the poor father closely hug the mnocent crea- 
 tures, and, with a trembling foot traverse the river, 
 while his wife, on her knees at the edge of the water, 
 now gazed eagerly on him, and then raised her eyes 
 to heaven ; but as soon as she saw him safely landed, 
 she lifted her hands in gratitude to ProvidCiice, and 
 leaping on her teet, exclaimed with transport, * they 
 are saved, they are saved.' The anxious father de- 
 positing his precious burden on the bank, hastened 
 back, seized on two more of them, and again plung- 
 ing into the waves, followed by his wife, who bore 
 the fifth on one arm, and with the other hand clung 
 fast to her husband, reached the shore in safety. The 
 children who were first carried over, thinking them- 
 selves abandoned by their parents, had made the air 
 resound with their cries, but their tears soon ceased 
 to flow, when the affectionate family was again re- 
 united. 
 
 Night approaching, we quitted this place of deso- 
 lation, and encamped near a wretched village, halt a 
 
KR4.SKOE. 263 
 
 leag^ne from the banks of the Wop, whence we often 
 heard, in the middle of thenig^ht, the lamentable cries 
 of those who were yet attempting- their passag-e. We 
 had lelt the fourteenth division on the other side, to 
 hold the enemy in check, and to endeavour to save 
 some part of the immense bag-gage which we had 
 abandoned. I was sent on the morrow, to recall this 
 division, and was thus enabled to perceive all the ex- 
 tent of our loss. For more than a league, nothiug^ 
 was to be seen on the road and the banks of the river, 
 but ammunition waggons, pieces of artillery, and the 
 most eleg-ant carriages, brought from Moscow. The 
 articles with which these wagg-ons had been filled, and 
 that were too heavy to be carried away, were heaped 
 on every side. I saw many figures of antique bronze, 
 chandeliers of the g-reatest value, original aiid exqui- 
 site paintings, and the richest and most esteemed por^ 
 celain. J perceived among the rest, a cup of the 
 most beautiful workmanship, on which was depict- 
 ed the sublime composition of Marcus Sextus. I 
 took it, and drank from it some of the water of the 
 Wop, full of dirt and ice. After I had thus used 
 it, I cast it from me With indifference, near the places 
 where I had found it. 
 
 Our troops had scarcely quitted the other bank 
 when clouds of cOssacks, no longer finding any op- 
 position, advanced to the river, where they found ma- 
 ny unhappy wretches who, feeble and diseased, had 
 been unable to pass the ford. Although our enemies 
 were now surrounded and oppressed with plunder, 
 they yet stripped their miserable prisoners, and Mk 
 
'264 JtKASNOE. 
 
 them naked on the yiiow. We could see, from the 
 OjDposite bank, the cossacks shariiig- among them* 
 selves the blood}' spoils. Iflheii' courage had equal- 
 led their love of pillage, the Wop would not have de- 
 fended us from their attacks. But these cowardly as- 
 sailants were always stopped by a few bayonets, or 
 contented themselves with firing at us a few cannon- 
 shot, which often, indeed, reached our ranks. 
 
 The last night iiad been truly dreadful. To form 
 some idea of it, the reader must picture to himself 
 an army encamped on the bare snow, in the midst of 
 the severest winter, closely pursued by the enemy, 
 and having neither artillery nor cavalry to oppose to 
 him. The soldiers without shoes, and almost with- 
 out clothes, were enfeebled by fatigi e and famine. 
 Sitting on their knapsacks, they slepi on their knees, 
 ^rom this benumbing posture Ihey only rose to broil 
 gome slices of horse-flesh, or to melt a few morsels 
 of ice. Often they had no wood, and to make their 
 iires, they destroyed the houses in which the generals 
 lodged ; sometimes, therefore, when we awoke in the 
 morning, the village which we had seen the night be- 
 fore had disappeared, and towns, which to-day were 
 untouched, would form on the morrow one vast con- 
 tiagralion. In the midst of these sufferings the vice- 
 roy, always at our head, never lost his calmness and 
 serenity of mind. Enduring comparatively far greater 
 privations than we, he was always cheerful, and pre- 
 served his presence of mind amidst the most urgent 
 dangers, offering^, at the same time, in his own exam- 
 ple, the most perfect model of military disciphne* 
 
^RASNOE. 266' 
 
 The Cossacks, perceiving- that we had quilted our 
 position, soon crossed the river and attacked our rear» 
 The fourteenth division, which had preserved twelve 
 pieces of cannon, formed the rear-gnard, and repuls* 
 ed the enemy. In the meantime the prince and his 
 officers endeavoured to reduce to some order, and en- 
 tice back to their ranks, those soldiers whom misery 
 had forced to leave their colours to search for food. 
 They attempted this, however, without success. 
 The number of the strag-glers was so great, that it 
 was impossible either to arrest or to check thera„ 
 Even when some had returned to their duty, the de- 
 sertion soon recommenced. Hunger, imperious hun- 
 ger, seduced them again from their colours, and 
 Ihrew all our columns into confusion. The more 
 enfeebled we became, the more enterprising were our 
 adversaries. Their attacks on our rear- guard were 
 almost incessant, and we were frequently compelled to 
 halt, and contend against superior forces, which 
 endeavoured to overwhelm us on every side. 
 
 The rear of our column was briskly pressed., 
 when the royal guard, which formed its head, was 
 stopped before Dukhovchlchina, by some squadrons 
 of cossacks, which, issuing from the town, deployed 
 in the plain, as if they would surround us. Seeing 
 that we were thus pressed on every side, our corps 
 fell into such disorder, that it resembled one im- 
 mense crowd, half of which were sick and disarmedo 
 In the meantime the enemy maintained his ground 
 ■^n one side of us, and on the other attacked us witl> 
 ^4 
 
26& KRASNOE» 
 
 vigour. Bufc the prince, ever preserving- his courage 
 unbroken, formed the Italian guard, and the Bavarian 
 dragooDS and light horse, into a square, which, march- 
 ing in pialoons, drove buck the cossacks, and per- 
 mitted us to enter Dukhovchtchina. The thirteenth 
 division was formed in column close to these troops, 
 in spite of the multitude of stragglers, which, press- 
 ing n)und our battalions, impeded every manoeuvre. 
 That he might accellerate the march of the army, the 
 prince himself watched during the night, and super- 
 intended the repair of an old bridge which arrested 
 our progress. To encourage the engineers, he even 
 condescended to assist at the work, while every priva- 
 tion to which he exposed himself, rendered him dear- 
 er to those whom he commanded. 
 
 The little town of Dukhovchtchina, through 
 which our army had not before passed,* had escap- 
 ed the general destruction. The inhabitants, flying 
 at our approach, left us some provisions, which we 
 eagerly collected, coarse as they were. But that 
 which rendered them most precious was the oppor- 
 tunity of preparing them in some human habitation, 
 and enjoying for a little while a shelter from the ex- 
 cessive cold of a piercing wind. 
 
 The viceroy despatched an officer towards Smo- 
 lensko, to announce to Napoleon the disasters which 
 we had experienced on the Wop. It was, doubtless, 
 to await the reply of the emperor, and to kuow whe- 
 
 * ExcepfiDg the cavalry commanded by general Grouchy, 
 atocl the tlivision of PinOj when it returned from Porietsch. 
 
KKASNOE, 267 
 
 Iher we were yet to continue our march upon Wi- 
 tepsk, that we were permitted to enjoy one day's rest 
 at Dukhovehtchina. But, when that officer did not 
 return, if was determined that we should recommence 
 our mirch at two o'clock on the followino; morning*. 
 We had been undisturbed during- the whole of the 
 day, but at ten o'clock at night, while we were in« 
 dulg-mg in a sweet repose, to which we had been so 
 long unaccustomed, the cossacks appeared before the 
 town, and directed th "' artillery on the fires round 
 which our soldiers were sleeping. Many picqnets 
 were surprised ; those of the one hundred and sixth 
 regiment, placed before a church, suffered consider- 
 able loss ; but the presence of the viceroy soon re- 
 paired the disorder which so unexpected an attack 
 had occasioned. The troops were immediately col- 
 lected, and occupied every position which could be 
 favourable to us in a nocturnal encounter. This attack 
 was followed by nothing of consequence, for it was 
 made by the cossacks, who took care to be far enough 
 away when they perceived that we were taking mea- 
 sures to punish their temerity. 
 
 (November 12th.) The hour of departure being 
 arrived, we set lire to Dukhovehtchina, whose houses 
 had been so useful to us. Although sufficiently ac- 
 customed to all the effects of a conflagration, we 
 could not restrain our astonishment at the horrible, 
 yet superb spectacle, which it now presented, amid 
 the shades of a forest covered with snow, and 
 strangely iUumined by torrents of flames. The trees, 
 covered with a sheet of ice, dazzled the siglit 
 
MB KKASNOE. 
 
 and produced, as with a prism, the most vivid and 
 variegated colours. The branches of the birch, 
 drooping' to the ground like the weeping' willow, ap- 
 peared like beautiful chandeliers, while the icicles, 
 melted by the heat, seemed to scatter around us a 
 shower of brilliant and sparkling diamonds. 
 
 In the midst of a scene full of splendid horror, 
 our troops reunited, and proceeded from the town on 
 the road to Smolensko. Although the night was un- 
 usually dark, the flames that ascended from the 
 neighbouring villages, which had been also destroy- 
 ed, formed so many auror^-boreales, and, till the 
 dawn of day, shed a frightful glare upon our march. 
 Beyond Toporovo, the road of Pologhi, which we 
 had followed when we came from Smolensko to Do- 
 roghoboui, was on our left. The snow, that covered 
 all the countrj^, had nearly buried the villages, which 
 formed from afar only a black spot on one boundless 
 surface of white. The difficulty of approaching them 
 saved many from the general desolation. When I 
 -Compared these peaceful asylums with the torments 
 to which we were a prey, I could not refrain from 
 exclaiming, * Happy people! exempt from ambi- 
 tion, you live tranquil and undisturbed, while we are 
 fast sinking under the rnost frightful calamities. The 
 winter preserves your existence, but it devotes us to 
 death. When the sweet spring shall have accom- 
 plished your deliverance, you will see our carcasses 
 bleaching on the plain, and ^ou will be doubly happy 
 in having suffered so little from our tyranny, and in 
 
KRASNOE^ 269 
 
 having' ad.led nothing to the weight of our misfoiv 
 tunes.' 
 
 The little river Khmost vf'as frozen when we cross- 
 ed it, and the bridge, which w^as yet entire, enabled 
 us to pass on without delay or danger. Arriving at 
 Wolodimerowa, the viceroy established himself in a 
 chateau a little above the village, where he had lodg- 
 ed on our former march. Encamping around him^ 
 we u'ere certain \\v\i the cossacks, who had flanked 
 our route during the day, would halt on a height not 
 far distant from us, and, accordingly they soon drove 
 in our foragers, who, urged by imperious necessity, 
 had spread themselves through the neighbouring- vil- 
 lages in search of food. 
 
 (November 13th,) We were now only one day's 
 march from Smolensko, where abundance would 
 succeed to want, and repose to fatigue. Impatient 
 to enjoy a happiness so long desired, we left Wolodi- 
 merowa long before day, burning, as was our custom, 
 the cottasces which had afforded us an asvlura. Ar- 
 rived at the heights of Stabna, where the road of 
 Dukhovchtchina joins with that of Witepsk, we ex- 
 perienced an almost insuperable difficulty in ascend- 
 ing the mountain. Wherever we attempted to climb 
 it, we found one solid mass of ice, bright, and slip- 
 pery as glass. Men and horses rolled over one an- 
 other ; and happy were they who, after the utmost 
 exertion, could extricate themselves from the dread- 
 ful pass. 
 
 Before we arrived at Smolensko, where all our 
 misfortunes were to terminate, the most melancholy 
 
270 .KKASNOE. 
 
 scenes presented themselves every iBstant, and in- 
 creased our eag-erness to reach that cit^/, the object of 
 our most ardent prayers. Among" the sports of cruel 
 fortune, none had more cause to complain than the 
 French women, who^ following us from Moscow to 
 escape the vengeance of the Russians, hoped to find 
 with us certain protection. Most of them on foot, 
 with shoes of stuff, little calculated to defend them 
 from the frozen snow, and clad in old robes of silk, 
 or the thinnest muslin, were glad to cover them- 
 selves with tattered pieces of military cloaks, torn 
 from the dead bodies of the soldiers. Their situation 
 would have drawn tears from the hardest hearts, if 
 dire necessity had not stifled, in every bosom, the 
 feelings of humanity. 
 
 Of all the victims of the horrors of war, no one 
 inspired warmer pity than the young and interesting 
 Fanny. Beautitu!, affectionate, amiable, and spright- 
 ly, speaking many different languages, and possess- 
 ing every quality calculated to seduce the most in- 
 sensible heart, she now begged for the most menial 
 employment; and tlie morsel of bread which she ob- 
 tained drew fi om her rapturous expressions of grati- 
 tude, imploring succour from us all, she was com- 
 pelled to submit to the vilest abuse ; and, though her 
 sool loathed the prostitution, she every night belong- 
 ed to him who would charge himself with her sup- 
 port I saw her when we quilted Smolensko. She 
 was no longer able to walk. She was clinging to the 
 tail of a horse, and was thus dragged along. At 
 len'-'^-th her |}owers were €|uiie exhausted. She fell 
 
KRASNOE. f>'71 
 
 on the snow, and there remained unburied, without 
 exciting- one emotion of compassion, or obtaining one 
 look of pity ; so debased were our souls now become^ 
 ^nd our sensibility quite exting^uished. But what 
 need of more testimonies of the calamities which 
 hefel us ; we were all fellow-sufferers. 
 
 It was horrible to see and to hear the enormous 
 dogs, with shaggy hair, which, driven from the villa- 
 ges that we had burned, follovt^ed us along our march. 
 Dying with hunger, they uttered one incessant and 
 frightful howl, and often disputed with the soldiers 
 the carcasses of the horses which fell on our route. 
 In addition to this, the ravens, with which Russia 
 abounds, attracted by the scent of the dead bodies, 
 hovered over us in black and innumerable crowds^ 
 and by their cries of mournful presage, struck the 
 stoutest hearts with terror. 
 
 Happily we were only two leagues from Smo- 
 lensko, and the tower of its celebrated church, which 
 we already saw at a distance, flattering us with tlie 
 sweetest illusions, seemed the most lovely object isi 
 the whole perspective. An hour before we arrived, 
 we left the fourteenth division, with the few Bavarian 
 horse which remained, to observe and hold in check 
 the Cossacks, who, increasing in number every mo- 
 ment, seemed determined to follow us to the very 
 walls of Smolensko. But what was oar grief, when 
 we learned, in the very suburbs of the city, that the 
 ninth corps was gone, that it had not even halted al 
 Smolensko, and that the provisions were all consora- 
 etl! A thuuderbolt fidling at om* feet would h^vf' 
 
^72 KRASKOE. 
 
 confounded us less than did this news. Our senses 
 were for a moment suspended. We would not be* 
 lievethe fact; but our eyes soon gave us sad confir- 
 mation of the truth, when we saw the garrison of 
 Smolensko eagerly rushing out, and immediately de- 
 vouring the horses which every moment dropped, 
 exhausted with fatigue and hunger. We then no 
 longer doubted that famine reigned in that city 
 which, till this moment, we had regarded as the abode 
 of plenty. 
 
 As we were musing on the sadness of our lot, 
 its rigour was somewhat alleviated by the promise of 
 a little rice, flour, and biscuit, which yet remained in 
 the magazines. The hope of this reanimated our 
 drooping courage, when suddenly we were filled with 
 new consternation. We had scarcely arrived with- 
 in the gates of Smolensko, when crowds of strag- 
 glers covered with blood, rushed upon us, and an- 
 nounced that the cossacks were only two hundred pa- 
 ces distant. The next moment, captain Tresel, aid- 
 de-camp to general Guilleminot, who had been left 
 behind with the fourteenth division, came at full 
 speed. He apprised us that that division had taken 
 up a position in a chateau, in a wood which com- 
 manded the road ; that the enemy had surrounded 
 it, but that being perfectly intrenched round the 
 chateau^ and the approaches being defended by pal- 
 lisades, the cossacks, despaired of attacking them with 
 success, and retired to fall upon the stragglers ; that 
 they had speedily overtaken these unhappy beings, 
 had massacred some, and wounded a great number. 
 
^RASNOE* 273 
 
 The road was covered with these miserahle wretch- 
 es, and presented a spectacle well calculated to ex- 
 site our liveliest compassion. We saw them, more*, 
 over, at a distance, descending the mountain of Snio- 
 lensko. The declivity was so rapid, and the frost 
 had rendered it so slippery, that numbers of these 
 unfortunate being^s, unable to support themseiveSj 
 Tolled down the declivity, and immediately perished. 
 
 Having left the royal guard on this height, to pro- 
 tect the division of Broussier, which formed the rear- 
 guard, we descended toward the Nieper, and endea- 
 voured to enter the city. Beyond the bridge was 
 the junction of the road of Doroghoboui, with that 
 from Yalentina, which all the other divisions had tak- 
 en ; and as these corps had not passed the Wop, they 
 yet retained a great part of their artillery and baggage. 
 The numerous carriages, which flocked in on every 
 side, mingled with the foot soldiers and the cavalry ; 
 and all of them attempting to rush into Smolensko, 
 where they had been promised some rations of bread, 
 the greatest confusion ensued. The entrance was 
 completely choaked up, and more than three hours 
 elapsed ere we could penetrate into the city. 
 
 (November 13.) The wind was tempestuous, and 
 the cold excessive. We were assured that the ther- 
 mometer was more than twenty-two degrees belovi?' 
 the freezing point. Notwithstanding this, every one 
 ran into the streets, hoping that he might be able to 
 purchase provisions. Smolensko was built on the 
 side of a mountain, and the ascent was so slippery, 
 ?J5 
 
274 KHASNOIS. 
 
 that it was neeessary to crawl on our knefs, and im 
 hold by the rocks which projected above the snow, in 
 Older to gain the summit. We at leng'lh reached the 
 lo;), where we found the great square, and tho'-fe hou- 
 ses which had suffered least irom the cosjflag-ralion. 
 AUhough the weather was iiisnpportabiy severe, we 
 sought rather tor food than for io(iging. Some sol- 
 diers oi ihe garrison, to whom a litlie bread had been 
 distributed, were compelled by force to sell it to us,^ 
 Others mimediatel\ entreated ihose who had boiighfe 
 it, to s[)are it, and soldiers and officers mingled to-, 
 gether, were ravenously devouring in the streets, 
 every kind of provision which they could procure, 
 however coarse or disgusting. In the meantinse the 
 Cossacks arrived. We distmctly perceived them 
 scouring the heights, and firnig on the troops which 
 defi ed below the town. Our fourth division being 
 actively engaged with them, the viceroy was eager 
 to transport himself to that point. He was accom- 
 panied, along a difficult and perilous road, by general 
 Gifflejge, and by his aids-de-can^p, Tacher, Labedo- 
 y6i'e,and Mejeaii, and by Corner, officer of artillery^ 
 all indefatigal>ie in misJoriune, and always ready to 
 brave the greatest dangers. 
 
 We had great difficulty in finding shelter, for the 
 houses were few, and the crowd, which was to occu- 
 py them mimense. At length, heaped one upon 
 another in the great hails whose arches had defied 
 the flames, we waited with inipatieiice lor the distri- 
 bution ot the bread. But the formalities necesi^ary 
 to be gone ihioujjh were so leng, that mght came on 
 
KRASNOE; STI' 
 
 «re any thing' was delivered. It was now necessary 
 to run aiicw into the streets, and, with money in our 
 bands, seek in the quarters of the imperial guard for 
 something to support our existence. They, more 
 favoured than the rest of the army, oiten rolled in 
 abundance, when we were destitute of every com ort^ 
 Thus, Smolensko, which we had thought would 
 have been the termmation ot our misfortunes, cruelly 
 deceived our dearest hopes, and became the witness of 
 our greatest disgrace, and our most profound despair. 
 The soldiers, who could not find a shelter, encamp- 
 ed in the middle of the streets, and some hours af- 
 ter, were found dead around the fires which they had 
 kindled. The hospitals, the churches, and the other 
 public buildings, were unable to contain the sick, 
 ■who presented themselves by thousands. Ihese 
 UJ happy beings, exposed to all the rigours of a fros- 
 ty night, lay uncovered on the waggons, or in the am- 
 munition-carts, or perished in vainly searching for an 
 asylum. In fine, when every thing had been promis- 
 ed us at Smolensko, nothing had been provided to 
 enable us to maintain ourselves there ; nothing had 
 been prepared to relieve and comfort an army whose 
 salvation depended on that place alone. Hence de» 
 spair seized upon us. We thought only how to save 
 our wretched existence. Honour and duty were for- 
 gotten, or rather, we were no longer disposed to sub- 
 mit to the commands of a rash sovereign, who trou- 
 bled not himself to provide bread fos* those who had 
 sacrificed their lives t© gratify his ambition. 
 
2T6 KMASNOE. 
 
 We saw those M'ho were once the giivest, and th© 
 most intrepid, entirely lose that character. They 
 predicted only disasters and dangers.* One thoug-hl; 
 occupied their minds — that country M'hich they were 
 never again to see. One object filled their view- 
 that death which every moment threatened them. 
 With a mouriiful presentiment, each enquired trem- 
 blingly, and with the most profound mystery, where 
 were the arm es to which we looked for deliverance? 
 * Where is the duke of Reggio ?' one secretly asked 
 his companion. — * He wished to have protected the 
 Dwina, but he was forced to abandon Polotsk, and to 
 fasl back upon Lessel,' was the whispered reply.—- 
 'And where is the duke of Belluno?' — ' He could 
 not leave Sienna.'—^' And where the Russian army 
 of Wolhynia ?'— -' It has repulsed prince Schwarlzen- 
 berg ; it has made itself master of Minsk, and it is 
 advancing against us.' — ^ Ah! if this news be true,* 
 repealed the first to himself, ' our situation is truiv 
 desperate ; and one great battle, on the borders of the 
 ]N*eper or the Beresina, will complete our ruin.' 
 
 Reflections, if possible, yet more depressing oc- 
 cupied and tormented us, when a confused murmur 
 spread the report that the whole of France was agi- 
 tated j that the town of N;mtes had been destroyed, 
 and that Paris, where, during nearly twenty years^ 
 the fate of Europe had been decided, was also in a 
 state of conimotion, which made us tremble for the 
 fate of our beloved country ! We were inforaied t|iat 
 
 «• See the twenty-nmih balletijj; 
 
KRASNO.E. .-277 
 
 certain men, V iiown for their love of democracy, bad 
 conceived the project of spreadiug" a false report of 
 the death of Napo'eon, and the entire destruction of 
 his army ; and, that profiting- by the grief antl con-^ 
 sternalion which this news would occasion it was 
 their intention to overthrow the existing authorities, 
 and tfi erect a gfovernment which would be subservi- 
 ent to their views. T* this desig-n had been conceived 
 bv hones*, and patriotic men, who, emulous to render 
 themselves illustrious h\ ihe deliverance of their coun- 
 try, sought only to dethrone the emperor, that they 
 might preserve the French people from the disgrace 
 of hereafter owing their freedom to tho^e whom they 
 called their enemies, certainly such a project would 
 have been truly heroicc But, instead of an enterprise 
 so noble, we were told that the conspirators wished to 
 deliver us from despotism, that they might plung'e 
 us into the horrors of anarchy. Far from wishing" 
 success to such a scheme, we rejoiced when we were 
 afterwards informed, that our country was not again 
 delivered over to the fury of the different factions, for 
 the political perfidy of our oppressor had caused the 
 fate of the people to depend solely oti his safety. Bv 
 his monstrous Machiavelism, France was at war with 
 the whole human race, that the preservation of France 
 might be connected with that of his own person. 
 
 As we lay under some wretched thatch, and in- 
 dulged in many a melancholy reflection, we were sud- 
 denly roused by unexpected cries. ' Rise, rise ; they 
 pillage the inagazines.' Springing* immediatelv o^ 
 
278 -KKASNOB. 
 
 our feet»and seizing" a sack, a pannier, ©r a bottle, we 
 exclaimed to each other, as we rushed out, * I will 
 go to the flour mag-azine, you g^o to the magazine of 
 ' brandy ; let the servants run to the place where the 
 meat, the biscu t, the jiease, are kept.* In an instant 
 the room was emply. After a considerable interval 
 our friends returned, and infotaied us, that the noU 
 dsers, dynig with hanger, and no laager able to await 
 the d lalory distribution of the provsions, had, in 
 spite of the guanl, forced the g-ites of the lua^a^uies, 
 and begun to pillage them. Some came back with 
 their ciolhes covered with flour, and even pierced 
 With the bayonet, bearing on then* shoulders sacks of 
 flour, which they had taken by force from the soU 
 djers who were dividmg it. Others entered, haras- 
 sed with fatigue, and deposited on the table a great 
 pannier of bhscuit, or what was belter, an enormous 
 leg" of beef. An hour after, the domestics followed 
 them bringing rice, pease, and brandy. At the un- 
 expected view of such abundance, our hearts once 
 more expanded. One laughed with joy, as he knead- 
 ed his bread ; another sung as he cooked h.s meat i 
 but most of them, eagerly seizing the braiidy, quickly 
 caused the wildest gay ety to succeed to the most dis- 
 tressing^ sadness. 
 
 Although the weather was beautifully clear, the 
 air was so exceedingly piercing, that it froze us as 
 ■we passed the streets. At every step were seen the 
 dead bodies of the soldiers, stretched on the snow, 
 who, htsrassed by fatigue, had perished of cold as 
 they were searching for a place of repose* Ail these 
 
disasters, and especially our stay at Smolensk*), re- 
 mi ad me of the death of colonel Biltag-lta, comm ii- 
 dant of the guard of honour of Italy. I have lon^ 
 reoroached myself with not having interested the 
 feelings of my readers, by recouiiting the misfortunes 
 of that distinguished corps. The rapidity of my 
 narration has hitherto prevented me from occupyiu^ 
 myself with the calamities of individuals, whi*e I 
 was oppressed and overpowered by the recollectioa 
 of those which were endured by the whole army. At 
 this epoch, that corps was cjmpletely annihilated ; 
 and, ere I quit the fital walls of Siuolensko, I will 
 succinctly recount its history. 
 
 It was composed of young men selected frojii 
 the first families in Italy, and whose parents allowed 
 them a pension of twelve hundred francs, when they 
 entered the corps. It was an honour to be admitted 
 into the regiment, as its very name testified. It was 
 not rare to find, among these young men, the mosfc 
 brilliant talents, united to the most affluent fortune. 
 Many of them were the ordy sons of illustrious fami- 
 lies. To the titles which they derived from their an- 
 cestors, they added a well-cultivated understanding, 
 and every quality which promised ultimately to form 
 the most distinguished military characters. In this 
 school were educated the best informed and the most 
 excellent officers of the Italian army. They acquir- 
 ed experience in submitting to the rules of their 
 corps, which, while it gave them the rank of sub- 
 lieutenaats, obliged them to perform the service of 
 private soldiers. 
 
28U ^ KRASNOE. 
 
 This corps conducted itself Well on every oeca- 
 sion, and was remarkable for its fine appeara ce and 
 strict discipline, but it suffered more than any other, 
 by the privations aifceudanl on this memorjihle c-m- 
 paig'ti. The guards of honour, unused to shoe their 
 horses, or to mend their garments or their i)ools, 
 were obliged to svibmit to these deg^radations, when 
 the artificers and domestics attached to their reg-iment 
 were no more. Having lost all their horses, and 
 wearing enormous and heavy boots, they were un- 
 able long to support- the fatigue of our continual 
 marches. Confounded with the stragglers, they re- 
 mained in the rear, without food and without lodg- 
 ing", lu this manner the descendants of the noblest 
 families, born to the happiest destinies, perished far 
 more miserably than the common soldiers ; for their 
 education and their habits ill-disposed them to sub- 
 mit to the menial offices by which others gained a 
 scanty morsel, and prolonged a wretched life. Some 
 of them were seen wrapped in the tattered fragments 
 ©f their cloaks ; others, mounted O;) sorry cognias,* 
 suddenly fainted from weakness and want, and fell 
 to rise no more. Out of the three hundred and 
 lifty, of which they were origmaly composed, all, 
 except five, perished in the most deplorable manner. 
 They had, however, this consolation, that they pos- 
 sessed the esteem of the prince, who formed them at 
 first, and who now sighed over the calamities which 
 
 ■^ Cognla, ja the Polish language, signifies a horse ; and, as 
 the horses of Russia are very srnailj they dis^Jinguished onrs by 
 the Bame of Cognia, 
 
KRASNOE. 281 
 
 the fatal circumstances of the campaign would not 
 permit him to alleviate, 
 
 (November 14.) The emperor, who vi^as at Smo- 
 lensko when we arrived there, rt ceived every day 
 disastrous news of his armies. That which most 
 affected him, was the defeat of general Bar'«guay 
 D'Hilliers, sent on the road of Knluga, with general 
 Augereau, to op:ose count O.lot^^ Denisoff, who 
 threatened to cut off our retreat belwteu Smolensko 
 and Krasnoe. At u loss how to rei air so many d s- 
 graces, Napoleon, on that day, and for the lirst time, 
 held a grand council, at which all the generals of di- 
 vision and marshals of the empire assisif^d. As soon 
 as the council was broken up, he burned part of lus 
 equipage, and immediately depajted i>i his carnage, 
 accompanied by his chasseurs, and by the Foh^h 
 lancers of the guard. It was reported, at tl«e close 
 of the council, that we were to march to-morntw 
 with the first corps, and that the third was to remain 
 behind to blow up the fortifications of the lown, and 
 to form our rear-guard. The s.ime day, the viceroy 
 was ioiig closeted with tl e chief of his staff", a^d 
 we awaited with anxiety the result of all these con- 
 ferences. 
 
 (November 15.) The order was given to con- 
 tinue our march, but at a \try iate hour, from ihe 
 delay occasioned by the dilatory tiislrbution oi the 
 whole contenlsoMhe magazines. The Russian wo- 
 men, whose sufferings only added to our misfortunes, 
 weie left at Smole: vko. lirfeadfui Situation! since 
 3« 
 
3^ KRASNOE. 
 
 these nnforfcwnate beings well knew that the remains of 
 the city would be sacked, the houses delivered toihe 
 flames, and the churches undermined. We soon, 
 however, heard that the Hetman Pia off, enter'no un- 
 expectedly into the town, had preverjted our rear- 
 guanl from excuting- the inhuman order. 
 
 Marching" from Smolensko, a spectacle the most 
 horrible was presented to our view. Proni that posnt 
 till we arrived at a wretched ruined hamlet, *anhe 
 distance of about thr<^e leagues, the road was entire iy 
 covered with cannon and ammunition- waggois, wh'ch 
 they had scarce lime to spike, or to blow up. Horses 
 in the agonies of death were seen at every step, ad 
 sometimes whole teams, sinking under their labours, 
 fell together. All the defiles which the carriages 
 could not pass, were filled with muskets, helmets, 
 and breast-plates. Trunks broken open, portman- 
 teaus torn to pieces, and garments of every kmd 
 were scattered over the valley. At every little dis- 
 tance we met with trees, at the foot of which the sol- 
 diers had attempted to light a fire, but the poor 
 "Wretches had pej'ished ere they could accomplish 
 their object. We saw them stretched by dozens 
 around the green branches which they had vainly en- 
 deavoured to kiiidle ; and so numerous were the bo- 
 dies, that they would have obstructed the road, had 
 not the soldiers been oUen employed in throwing: 
 them into the ditches and the ruts. 
 
 ■n On inspeetiog the map, this appears to be Loubna. 
 
These horrors, far from exciting our sensibility, 
 only hardened our hearts. Our cruelty, which could 
 no more be exercised on the enemy, was extended 
 to our comj>aiiio;is. The best friends no longer re- 
 cognise'vi e ch other. Whoever discovered the least 
 SK k ess, ii he had not good horses a^.d taithful ser» 
 Visnls, was sure never to see his couiiiry again. 
 Ev<-r- one preferred to nave ihe plunderoj' Moscow, 
 raiiier than the lite of his comrade. On ail sides we 
 heard the groans ot the d^^^ing, and the lamentable 
 cres of lliose whom we iiad aba doned. But every 
 one was deaf lo their supplications, or, if he ap- 
 proached those who were on the pomt of expiring, 
 it-was to plunder, not to assist them; it was to search 
 "whether they had any remains of food, and not to 
 afforii theiu relief. 
 
 Arrived at Loubna, we were able to save only 
 two miserable barns from destruction — one for the 
 "Viceroy, and the other for his staff. We had scarcely 
 established ourselves there, when we heard a loud 
 cannonade in our front. As the noise appeared to 
 come from our right, some thought that it was an 
 engagement with the ninth corps, which, not having 
 been able to relieve Witepsk, was obliged to retreat 
 before a su[)erior force ; but they who were best ac- 
 quainted with the country, believed that it was the 
 emperor and his guard, who had been attacked by 
 prince Kutusuff, before his arrival at KrasnoJ:^ That 
 prince had marched from Elnia, and passed our army 
 while we halted at Smolensko. 
 
^84 fCBASNOE. 
 
 We can scarcely imag-ine a picture more deplora- 
 ble than the ijivoir.ic ot' the staff. Twenty-one offi- 
 cers, conlounded with as many servants, had crept 
 too-ether roii d a little tire, u -der an execrable cart- 
 lionxe scarcely covered. Behind them were the 
 horses, ranged n a circle, tliat thej might be some 
 defence against the v»olence of the wind, which blew 
 W'th fury. Tne sm »ke was so thick that we could 
 sctsrcelysee the li^ures of those who were close to 
 the fire, and who were employed in blowing she coals 
 on which they cooked their food. The rest, wrapped 
 in their pelisses or tiieir cloaks, lay one upon anotner, 
 as some protection irom the cold; nor did they stir, 
 except to abuse those who trod upon .them as they 
 passed, or to i ail at the horses, which kicktd when- 
 ever a spark fell on their coats. 
 
 (November 16sh.) We recommenced our march 
 before the dawn of(tay, and the road was again cov- 
 ered with ihe wrecks of our baggage and artillery. 
 The horses could no longer draw, and we were oblig- 
 ed to abandon our cannon at the foot of the slightest 
 hill. The only duty which then remained to the artil- 
 lery-men, was to scatter the powder of the cartridges, 
 and to spike the pieces, lest the enemy should turn 
 them against us. yVe were reduced to this pxtre- 
 m ly when, at the distance of two hours' march from 
 Krasnoe, the gerierals Poilevin and Guy on, who 
 "were in Ihe van-goard, saw a Ross. an officer coming 
 towards them, followed by a trumpeter, who an- 
 nounced that a herald was advancing. Surprised at 
 ^n appearance so unexpected, general Guyon halted;j 
 
KRASNOEi. ^ 285 
 
 and, permittino* the officer lo approach, demanded 
 ■wjiestce ; e ca ye, and what was the object ol his luis- 
 sioii. * 1 coaie,' said Ise, * frotii general Mdora- 
 doaitch, to te^i 30U, that yesterday' we beat INapo- 
 leo , with die imoenai guard ; ai:d that to-da\ the 
 "Vr.erov IS surroiuided by ar; -army o? Iwenty ttious>a»d 
 nsen. He cannot escape ns, and, A he wjd suriender» 
 M't offer him honoii ^i' le lerms.' To this, geneial 
 Giiyon rephed with ntdigimtion, * Heturn qnickly 
 ^iieace von came, and announce to those who sentyou, 
 that if you have twenty tliousa. 'J men, we have here 
 four times twenty thousand.' These words, uttered 
 with a conBdent air, so corifouudtd the herald, that 
 he immediately returned to the cam|> of the enemy. 
 
 While this was jifoing on, ihe viceroy arrived, and 
 listened to the intelligence with mingled surprise and 
 indignation. Although his corps was so dreadfully 
 •weakened, ai)d he probably had some kuowiedge of 
 the serious affair which had taken | kice on the day 
 before, between the advanced-g;iard of Iv lusoli a.id 
 the nuperial guard, yet, reflecting on the boa^t.ng 
 manner in which this had been rehaled, he conce;ved 
 the hope, that, by forcing a passage, he msght in a 
 short time rejoin th^ emperor. He vvas hkewise fniiy 
 deiermined to tall honourably in the heid, rather than 
 accept of conditions uicompat'bie with his fame. He 
 immediately ordered the fourteenth division to front 
 the enemy, carrying with them the oidy Uvo pieces of 
 cannon which remained ; then calling general Guiile- 
 liiinot, he conferred with him for a long time, and the 
 result of their coiderence was, that it was absolutely 
 
286 KRASNOE. 
 
 necessary to force oor way throug-b the enemy. In 
 the meantime our troops had marched oa, and the 
 Russians, permitting them to advance to the very foot 
 of the hili on which they were encamped, suildtnly 
 unmasked their batteries, and directed ihem on their 
 squares. Their cavab'y soon after desceisdmg from 
 their position, completed the destruction of our 
 troops, and captured their cannon, of which they 
 had made but few discharges, through want of am- 
 munition. 
 
 Genera] Ornano advanced across the fire of the 
 enemy, with the remains of the thirteenth division, 
 to succour the troops of the fouiteeath, which were 
 so cruelly bealen, when a cannon-bali passea so near 
 him that he fell from his horse. The soldiers thought 
 that he was dead, and ran iorward to plunder him, 
 "when they perceived that he was o-dy stunned by the 
 violence of the fall. The prince then sent his aid- 
 de-camp, colonel Deifanti, to endeavour to reani- 
 mate the troops. That brave officer, rushing forward 
 amidst a shower of balls and grape-shot, encouraged 
 his soldiers by his exhortations and by his example; 
 when, receiving two dangerous wounds, he was com- 
 pelled to retire from the ranks. A surgeon having 
 applied a slight dressing, he returned with difficulty 
 from the field of battle. On his way he met Mon- 
 sieur de ViUebianche, who, in the capacity of audi- 
 tor of tiiC council of state, had quitted the town of 
 Smolensko, of which he was the intendant, with ge- 
 neral Charpentier, who was the govertior. Unfortu- 
 nately he had obtained leave of the viceroy to ac- 
 
KRASNOE. 287 
 
 coinnany h'tn. This generous young man, perceiv- 
 ing- coionel Delfaiiti wounded, and leaning' on an 
 officer, listened to the dictates of his sensibility and 
 offered him his arm also. As all three were slowly 
 retinng- from the field, a cannon-ball struck the colo- 
 nel between the shoulders, and carried off the head of 
 the brave Vdleblanche. Thus perished two young 
 men, who, in different professions, had proved their 
 talents and , their courage. The first fell a victim to 
 his bravery — the other to his humaiiity. The prince, 
 deeply affected by this unhappy catastrophe, showed 
 the regard which he felt for the memory of colonel 
 Detfanti, by an act of benevolence towards the au- 
 thor of his being ; and he would have afforded the 
 same consolation to the father of Villeblanche, if the 
 death of his only son had not shortly brought him to 
 
 his grave. 
 
 Many officers of distinguished merit perished on 
 that bloody day. We particularly regretted major 
 d'Oreille, whose intrepidity was so well known, and 
 the captain of engineers, Morlincourt, whose mo- 
 desty was equal to his talents. The cannonade yet 
 continued, and carried destruction through all our 
 ranks. Tiie field of battle was covered with the dead 
 and t'le dying. Great numbers of the wounded, 
 abandoning their regiments, took refuge in the rear^ 
 and inf reased the crowd of stragglers. The firing, 
 vihch had proved fatal to our first ranks, extended 
 its ravages to ti-e rear of our army, where the dis- 
 mounted officers were stationed. The captains Bor- 
 doni and Maslini perished there. Tiiey constituted 
 
288 KRASNOE-, 
 
 apart of the small number of the Italian guards wh© 
 yet survived. 
 
 The viceroy, seeing' iheohstirtacv v/ith wlith the 
 enemy d!S|)uted our passage, itigried, by a skillul 
 movement, to prolong ttie ehyageuieut on our left, by 
 rallying aud reuuitmg ali (hat rtmaned ot the four- 
 teeiitli division ; aud, wh' e trie enen.y concei ir^tj d 
 the greater part of i)i.s lorces o. this p.-Uit, w sur« 
 rouiid and cul off these troups, Ue ^ rr ce took ad- 
 vantage of the close of the tlay tu fifeoffto the right 
 with the rovai gnsu'd, which had iiot b» tn eiigaged. 
 Colonel K'S^ki gave a rem.irkab.e j root of j>resence 
 of mind in thai march. He was tamihar With the 
 Russian language, and marched in the van-guard of 
 the coSnmu. buddeijiy he was svopped by a scout 
 of the enemy, v^^iio cried in Russian, ' Wi»o goes 
 there?' That itilrepid Oiiicer, not at ali embarrassed 
 by a rencontre so nn. orlu sale, advanced towards the 
 cenlinel, and siid to hmi in his own lar.guage, ' Hold 
 yourtongne, scou idrel, doa't \ou see that we beloitg- 
 to the corj>s of O i v .ro v, and that we are going on 
 a secret expeditiosj !' Ai these words the soaliep 
 was silent, and suffered us to pass under tiie protec- 
 iion of the light, without g'vmg tlie alarm. 
 
 The whole army thus escapeti the vigilance of 
 the enemy, with tiie excejjtiou of the fifteenth divi- 
 sio 1, which, forming the rear-Guaid, was placed un- 
 der the comma id of general Tnaire, with orders t© 
 march a*? soon as the prince had etitcted his manoeu- 
 vre. Whiie tiiis divisio I rested on its a ms, it be- 
 heid, with ii,nef, the deslruction wmch spread amoD^ 
 
khe strag'sj^lers wlio were left in the rear. They like- 
 Wise waited for night to continue their route; but, 
 when harassed Hy fatigue, they found themselves 
 warm and comfortable roiind a blazina^ fire, many of 
 them would not proceed until the return of day, 
 Thus they perishe'l, the victims of their own apathy. 
 "jThe fifteenth division soon tiled off in the utmost si- 
 lence, recrardinir those whom they left behmd as the. 
 destined prey of the cossacks. 
 
 It was necessary to pass the enemy during* a nighty 
 which, instead of protecting us by its obscurity, sud- 
 denly presented a t)eautitul unclouded moon* Th» 
 snow, covering the surface of ihe ground, rendered 
 our march more coiispicuous, and it was not without 
 terror that we saw ourselves flanked by clouds of cos- 
 sacks, who continually ap,»roaChed close to us, as if 
 to reconnoitre, and then returned to the squadrons, 
 from which they had been detached. We often, 
 thcnight tliat they were about to cliarge lis, but gene-> 
 j*aS Tnaire, halting his column, presented a front so 
 imposing, that ihey did not dare to at ack us. At 
 length, tn spite of the ravines, and the mountaiiis of 
 snow that obstructed our passage, we reached the 
 great road, and half an hour afterwards, eflected a 
 junction with the young guard, which encamped neaf 
 91 river half a league from Krasnoe. There we found 
 the emperor, and there consequently, our fears were 
 dissipated. 
 
 Recounting to the soldiers of the guard the com-^ 
 bat which we had sustainedj they informed us^ 
 ->3? 
 
290 KRASNOE. 
 
 they likewise had been obliged to cut their wajl' 
 tbrong-h the enemy. Napoleon was exposed to the 
 most immii.ent danger in thisen gagement, and was 
 indel>ted for his safely to tie bravery of his troops. 
 We were told that the band of the guard, rejoining 
 him, afler having been separated from him in the heat 
 of the battle, mimediately struck up the air, * Where 
 can we i>e Isappier than in the bosom of om- family.' 
 But, as lh>s miiiht have a doul)le meaning in the nndsi 
 of fjozen deserts, he understood it in the worst sense, 
 aid said to the musicians, in a rough tone of voice, 
 * You had much better play, " Let us awake and save 
 the empire." ' 
 
 ThestafFof the emperor, his guard, his cavaby, 
 and the fourth corps, forming a junction in this little 
 town, so completely filled it, that it was scarcely pos* 
 sible to move. The streets were thronged with sol- 
 diers lying round their fires, which they could oisly 
 ki^^fp up by demolishing the houses that were built 
 with wood, and burning the doors and window-frames 
 of the others. 
 
 The viceroy was well received at the quarters of 
 the emperor, in spile of the ill humour which he felt 
 in consequence of the late disgraces, to which he had 
 been unaccnsttmed. He l.fighly]approved of the stra» 
 tagem that had been employed to deceive the enemy. 
 The prince remaining all night in conference, hissuite 
 encamped in the streets, until Napoleon and the vice- 
 roy, placing themselves at the head of the gnvrc), 
 marched on the position which iht Russians occupi- 
 ed, to succour the first and third corps, whe were in 
 
KRASNOK, 201 
 
 the same perilous situation, in which we had been 
 placed on the preceding- evening*. 
 
 A new eng-ag'ement commenced. The action was 
 obstinate and bloody, and it was only by the great- 
 est sficritices, that we were enabled to save the few 
 soldiers who were on their march to join us. The third 
 corps wasenlireiy dispersed, and there remained with 
 the duke of £ichingen, only two or three thousand 
 men, who had escaped from tUe enemy by passiiig the 
 Nieper, Twenty-five pieces oj cannon, and maa^^ thoa^ 
 sands of prisoners, were the fruits which the Kussiaus 
 reaped from four successive battles, in wi)ich we had 
 nothing to oppose against a complete army, but some 
 miserable soldiers, harassed by coi.tiuual marches, 
 and who, during more dian a month, had been with- 
 out food, without ammuiiitioii, and without artillery. 
 
 To reward the bravery of the Russian imperial 
 g-uard, who had distinguished themselves in these 
 different engagements, prince Kutusoff permitted 
 them to carry all the trophies of victory from the 
 field of battle to their camp. Among these, was the 
 baton of the marshal prince of Eckmuhl.* But that 
 baton, used by our marshals on days of ceremony 
 alone, added no glory to the enemy, for they found 
 it, doubtiess, in a baggage-waggon that had been 
 abandoned. 
 
 The Russians have divided our retreat inlo three 
 principal epochs, which, besides the constant increase 
 
 * See the official report of our retreat, published by the R«g 
 sians at Wilna, December 22, 1812. 
 
293 KRASNOE, 
 
 of onr misfortimes, have each a peculiar rharactei\ 
 The first etided at the batlle of Krastioe ihe second 
 at tie passage of the Beresuja, and the third at JN e- 
 jnen. 
 
 Althe conchision of the first period, ^o which we 
 nre now arrived, the^ had ah'eadv taken forty thou- 
 sand men, Iweutv-seven <>esiera!s, five hundred pieces 
 of cannon ; thu'ty-one standaids, and, beside onr own 
 immense bagga ore, all the pluiidt r of Moscow, th «t 
 we had not destroyed. If, to all these disasters, ve 
 yet add forty thousand more, dead of fatig'ue, or fa- 
 mine, or killed in the different batt!es, we shall fisd 
 that our army w-<.s reduced to thirty tiiOusand, in- 
 ch'din^ the imperial guard, of whom not more than 
 eig'ht thousaral combatants survived. The twenty-five^ 
 puces of artillery , which the guards had preserved, 
 could not be reckoned, since it was uncertain wheth= 
 er they would not be oblig^ed to abandon them on 
 the morrow. Onr cavalry was almost extinct. This 
 is the exact statement of the losses which we bad 
 suslajt ed, at the end of one month's march. From 
 this we formed mournful presages of what we were 
 ■\et lo ei dure, since we were scarcely half way to the 
 K'f men, and had three rivers to cross, and two muun- 
 tamg to ciimbo 
 
JsOOK 1X\ 
 
 THE BERESINjL. 
 
 The dreadful disisters which we had endured 
 in our retreat from Moscow to Krasnoe, led us to 
 conclude that our misfortunes must have reached 
 their utmost height, and that happier eve ts would 
 succeed. In fact, the nobie position of Orcha be- 
 ing- guarded by g-eneral Joui ini we were assured 
 that we should pass tlie Nieper without opposition, 
 and effect a junction with the corps of g-enerar Dom- 
 browski, and the dukes of Regg o and Beiliuio ; 
 jnoreover we were approaching the line of our rnaga-. 
 zines, and vve should soon enter on an iiihabited aad 
 friendly country. In fine, prince Kutusoff, wish- 
 ing to concert his plan of attack with the army of 
 Moldavia, which was ready to join hira, ceased to 
 harass us, and leserved for the Beresina, the great 
 results which the battle of Krasnoe had promised 
 him. 
 
 All these advantages, on which it was said that 
 we might build the surest hopes, imposed on the 
 soldiers only for a short time. They who were best 
 acquainted with the state of affairs, soon dissipated 
 
2i^4 BERESINA. 
 
 our illusions, by circulating- the report that admiral 
 Tschikakoff, coming' from the Danube, had re- 
 pulsed, near Varsovia, the troops tliat opposed his 
 passag"e ; that the Austrians had suffered him to take 
 Minsk ; and that by seizing- the bridge of Borisov, 
 on the Beresina, the admiral intended to torm a 
 junclion with' generals Wittgenstein asid Stengel. 
 These generals, in fact, being no longer held m 
 check by the twelfth and sixteenth corps, since the 
 battle of Polotsk, bad gone, the one on Vdeika, to 
 ^attack the Bavarians, and the other towards Tschach- 
 iiiki. to place itself in communication with the army 
 of Moldavia. Oil this junction depended the 
 fate of the French army, and it was to prevent the 
 most dreadful, and the most memorable of all de- 
 feats, that Napoleon advanced by forced marches on 
 the Beresina. 
 
 (I'lovember 1 7th.) As soon as the prince of 
 Eckmuhl had joined us, and the duke of Elchingeii 
 had thrown himself on the other side of the Nieper, 
 -we leftKrasnoe, about eleven o'clock in the morn- 
 ing, and marched towards Liadoui. During the 
 short repose that-we had taken at Krasnoe, the cos- 
 sacks had passed by that city, and nov* , ranged in 
 columns, followed us, along the road. They did not 
 venture to attack the armed soldiers; but perceiving 
 that the small remains of our baggage was stopped, 
 and in great disorder from the difficuUy which the 
 horsesfoui d in clearing the valley which separated 
 the town from a little hill, they rushed upon them, 
 and plundered them without resistance. We there 
 
BERESINA. 295 
 
 lost the ba^^age-wag-g'on of tlie staff, which contain- 
 ed the registers of correspondeiice, and all the 
 plans, charts, and memoirs, relative to the campaig-n. 
 Nig'ht began to overtake us as we entered Liadoui, 
 Above a little river, which we were to cross previ- 
 ous to our arrival at Liadoui', was a iofty hill, the 
 side of which was so slippery as to render the de- 
 scent not a little dangerous. The town offered a 
 new aspect to us, for there we first saw inhabitants. 
 Although they were Jews, we forgot the filthiness of 
 that venal people, and by force of entreaty, or rather 
 by force of nlO'iey, we made them iiad considerable 
 resources, in a town that at first appeared to be ruin- 
 ed. Thus that cupidity, the object of our supreme 
 contempt in the Jews, was advantageous to us, be- 
 cause it made them brave every danger to procure us 
 what we demanded. 
 
 Liadoui forming part of Lithuania, we thought 
 that it would have been respected, because it belong- 
 ed to ancient Poland. We departed before day- 
 break on the following morning (November 19), 
 when, to our great astonishment, we were, as usual, 
 lighted by the fire of the houses. That coisflagratioa 
 produced one of the most horrible scenes of our whole 
 retreat, and my pea would refuse to recount it, if 
 the recital of our misfortunes had not for its object, 
 and its moral, to render odious that fatal ambition, 
 which forced the most civilized people to become 
 barbariiyisin war. 
 
 Amongst the buildings which were burning, were 
 three vast barns, filled with soldi«fs, most of whom 
 
295 BeMfsinAo 
 
 werf wonnfied. They oonUI not esrane from t1i« 
 two which were t>eh ijI, wiHiO'it pa'-i^in^ through \he 
 one that was in froni, and ih^t was enveloped ill 
 flames. The most active saved themselves by leap-.^ 
 sn^-oiit of the windows ; bnt the sick and the wounded, 
 onahle to move, saw, wi'h horrible consternation* 
 the flames rapidly a<lvancmor to devour them. Moved 
 hy the cries, with which these on! appy beings rent 
 the air, some, whose hearts were less hardened thaa 
 others, attempted to save them. Vain eflbrt ! Before 
 we could reach them, they were more than half 
 buried uisder the burning- rafters. Eag-'erly did they 
 cry to their comrades throug-h ihe whirlwinds of fire, 
 to shorten their suflerinos by immediately depriving 
 them of life, ft became the painful duty of humanity 
 to comply with their entjealies. * Fire upon us, 
 lire upon us, at the head, at the head ; do not hesi- 
 tate,' were the cries which proceeded from every 
 part of the building, nor did they cease, tdi every 
 wretched victim was consumed. 
 
 We quickly entered into Boubrowna. That 
 town was in a belter state of preservation than any 
 through which we had passed in our journey from 
 Moscow. It had a Polonese sub- prt. feci, and a com- 
 mandant of the town, The inhabita: ts were pnnci- 
 pally Jews, who procured us a itlle flour, brandy, 
 and metheglin. They also exchinged the paper- 
 money of the soldiers for cash. Jn tine, astonishid 
 at the confidence of these Israelites, r.nd the honesty 
 of our soldiers, who paid for everN hi-g \^hich they 
 look, we thought piealy whs ab«ul to itvistt us, and 
 
berfsinAo 201? 
 
 that our misfortunes were near their close. "Fet we 
 were slruggiin^ under accumu ated evils. ' Bread! 
 bread !' was the incessasit cry of the fetb'e remains 
 of our once powerful army. The followers of tlie 
 camp of every kmd, greatly suffered : particularly 
 the commissaries and store-keepers, who had been 
 little accustomed to privations. But none were 
 more to l)e pitied than the physicians, and especially 
 the surgeons, who, without hope of advancementj 
 exposed themselves, like the common vsoldiers, by 
 dressing them on the field of b stt'e. Whde We were 
 nt Doubrowna, I saw a young surgeon near a house 
 which the soldiers surrounded in crowds, because ife 
 was reported that provisions were to be procured 
 there. He was plunged in the proioundept grief, and 
 with an eager and anxious countenance, was violently 
 endeavouring to iorce his way into the place. But;^ 
 when he was again and agiin driven back by the 
 crowd, he exhibited the wildest despair. 1 ventured 
 lo inquire the cause. * Ah, captain !' said he, * I 
 am a lost man. For two da^s 1 have had no food,* 
 and ascertaining that they sold bread in this house, I 
 gave the sentinel six francs to suffer me to enter* 
 But while the bread was yet in the oven, the Jew 
 would not promise to supply me, unless I gave hint 
 a louis in advance. I consented, but when I came 
 back the sentinel was changed, and I was crueiiy re- 
 pulsed from the door. Ah, sir !' continued he, * I 
 am, indeed, unfortunate ; I have lost all the n.or.ey 
 that 1 had in the world, and auab^e to protur«i*a 
 •3^ 
 
208 BEKESINA. 
 
 morse] of brf^ul, though I have not tasted any for 
 more than a month ' 
 
 At that moment, Napoleon passed by in a closd 
 chariot filled with furs. He wore, likewise, a pe^ 
 li.ssp and bonnet of sable-skin, which prevented him 
 from feehng- the severity of the weather. On the 
 dav when wf^ ar' ived at Doubrowna, he had marched 
 a jofreat part of the vvay on foot ; and, during that march, 
 he could easily conceive himself to what a miserable 
 state his army was reduced, and how much he had 
 been deceived bv the false reports which some erene- 
 ra's had made, who, knowing how dangerous it was 
 to confess the truth, did not dare to acquaint him 
 wnth the real stale of things lest they should incur his 
 displeasure. As he had often experienced the won- 
 derful effects 01 his discourse on the soldiers, he once 
 more mmsrled amongf them, and addressinar himself 
 angrily to ihe officers, and familiarly and jestingly to 
 the soldiers, he endeavoured to inspire the one with 
 fear, ad the others with courage. But the time of 
 enthusiasm vi^as passed, when one word irow him 
 would have produced miracles. His tyranny had 
 oppressed and debased us, and, stifling within us 
 every generous feeling, had deprived him of the only 
 means of reanimating our drooping spirits. Napo- 
 leon was most affected at seeing his old guard equally 
 dispirited and despairing. \^.'ouaded to the very 
 soul, he assembled a party of them before he quitted 
 Doubrowna, and, placing himselt in their centre, re- 
 commended the office rs to mair.lain strict discipline? 
 and reminded them that they had always been the 
 
BERESINA. 299 
 
 p^ride of his army, and that to their bravery he had 
 often been indebted for the most spleitdid victor es. 
 But sentiments hke these were out of season, and the 
 ijian, who destitute of virtue aspired to the character 
 of a hero, now too plainly found, that the grandest 
 projects were followed by no g"lory, when they had 
 not some laudable object, and when their execution 
 was beyond the scope of human ability. 
 
 (November 19th.) Half an hour after we quitted 
 Dombrowna, we passed a very wide and deep ravisie, 
 throuirh which flowed a considerable river. The o)> 
 posite bank completely commanded that at which 
 we had arrived. On speing this important position, 
 we thanked heaven that the Russians had not seized 
 upon it to oppose our passage, and this gave us rea- 
 son to hope that the village of Orcha was not occu- 
 pied by them. In fact, some troops lately arrived 
 from France, maintamed themselves there, and we 
 effected a junction with them at two o'clock in the af- 
 ternoon, without being harassed by the cossacks. This 
 was a new instance of good fortune, for in the disorder 
 in which we then were, it would have been impossible 
 for us to have forced either of these strong positions. 
 
 These troops had constructed two bridges over thp 
 Is[ieper, and as every one rushed on to pass first, 
 the crowd was immense, yet fortunately no accident 
 occurred. Napoleon arrived at Orcha soon after us, 
 and in an instant every house was occupied. The 
 Jews, as usual, immediately procured us triflmg re- 
 freshments, but the number of purchasers W9.§ so great, 
 ll)at all was soon consumed. 
 
SOO BERESINA. 
 
 The more T examined the position of Orcba, the? 
 greater was my astonishment that the Russians had 
 Dot taken possession of it. The town is built on tl>e 
 rig-ht bank of the Nie[>er, which rises considerably 
 higher than the Itft. Many projections appear from 
 the bank in the form of natural bastions, and perfectly 
 comm md the passage. The river flows immediately 
 beneath, and is about one thousand two hun- 
 dred feet wide, and of immense depth. The most 
 formidable army could not pass it without being* ex- 
 pos<"(l to entire ruin. While we halted upon these 
 heig"hts, we heard many discharges of musketry, 
 ad shortly afterwards, we saw those who had been 
 lef} on the other s:de retiring with the greatest preci- 
 pitation, and crying- as they approached us, ^ The 
 Cossacks, the cossacks.' In fact, they soon actually 
 appeared, but in numbers so small, that we should 
 have been indignant, if those who fled before them 
 had not been wretched stragglers, without arms, and 
 mostly wounded. 
 
 (November 20lh.) On the following" day we 
 were uimiolested, except that we occasionally heard 
 some discharges of musketry, directed against the 
 cossacks ; but accustomed to see them advance upoij 
 us, and immediately betake themselves to flight when 
 faced by the reg"ular troops, their presence gave us no 
 uneasiness. We were thus permitted to taste undis- 
 turbed, the sweets of one day's repose, and some pro- 
 visions were distributed amongst us, which general 
 Jomini, governor of Orcha, had preserved for the 
 passage of the army. They proved the more accept- 
 
BF.RESINA, 301 
 
 able to lis, as we had received no rations of bread since 
 our retreat from Smolensko, the magazines of 
 Krasnoe having" been pillaged by the cossacks before 
 we arrived.* 
 
 If the day was franqnil, the night was much dis- 
 turbed. The duke o E chuigen, who, since the 
 disastrous day of KraSi.oij, had bee t obliged to aban- 
 don the road that we pursued, and seek a safer re- 
 treat on the other side of the N:eper, had been 
 esigaged with the es.emy duruig three whole days. 
 That march, m which he had recourse to every ma- 
 noeuvre that the most extraordnrary courage and 
 talents couid effect, completed his brilliant reputa- 
 tion. His valour was seconded by the generous 
 Hiovement of the prince viceroy, who proceeded by 
 forced marches to succour hnii, and whose assistance 
 effected his dehverance. 
 
 (November 21st.) We marchsd from Orcha at 
 the moment that they began to set st on fire. An we 
 climbed the mountain to recover the grand road, 
 we heard a considerable firing of musketry. It pro- 
 ceeded from the soldiers of the first corps, who had 
 been left in the town to form the tear-guard, and 
 who were already engaged with the cossacks. 
 
 During our stay at Orcha, Napoleon, foreseeing 
 that he should soon be placed in a most critical situa- 
 
 * I ought to observe, that only the soldiers who were pre- 
 sent at the roll call, receired any distribution, and they did not 
 form a fifth part of thearojy ; and there were only three distribu- 
 tions in the space of two months, namely, at Smolensko, at Orcht^, 
 liud atKovvno. 
 
^m BERESINA. 
 
 iion, made every effort to rally his troops. He caused 
 it to be proclaimed by sound of trumpet, and by 
 three colonels, that every soldier who did not imme- 
 diately rejoin his regiment should be punished with 
 death ; and that every officer or g-euera!, who aban- 
 doned his post, should be dismissed. Bui when we 
 regained the great road, we perceived what little efr 
 feet this measure had produced. All was ui the most 
 frightful confusion, and in contempt of this severe pro- 
 clamation, the soldiers, naked and without arms, con- 
 tinued to march in the sjime disorder. 
 
 We e*ncamped at a sorry village on our right, 
 where two or three habitations remained, at the dis- 
 tance of an hour's march from l^okanovo. The vil- 
 lage of Kokanovo, which we passed on the following 
 day, was entirely ruined, j the posjt-house, which had 
 been inhabited by the staff, alone remained. We 
 continued our march along a road which the thaw 
 had rendered horribly dirty, when we received orders 
 i^ot to push forward to Toiotschin, where Napoleon 
 had fixed his quarters but to halt at a great chateau 
 half a league distant. 
 
 The road of Orcha, as far as Toiotschin, is un- 
 doubtedly one of the best in Europe. It forms a per- 
 fectly straight line, and is bordered on each side by a 
 «3ouble row of birch-trees, the branches of which, la- 
 den with snow and ice, hungslown to the ground like 
 the weeping willow. But these majestic avenues ex- 
 cited in us no admiration. They witnessed only our 
 tears and our despair. On every side we heard only 
 groans and lamentationSc Some, teelmg that they 
 
SteRESINA. <^iU' 
 
 tfould proceed no further, laid themselv€^> on the 
 ground, and with tears in their eyes, gave us their 
 papers and their money to be conveyed to their fami- 
 lies. * Ah ! If more fortunate than we,' they ex- 
 claimed, * you are permitted to re-visit our dear 
 country, give our* parents this last pledge of our love. 
 Tell them that the hope of seeing them again alone 
 sustained us till this day ; and that at leigih, compel- 
 led to renounce this pleasing expectation, we dsed 
 thinking of them, an<J blessing therai. Adieu, God 
 bless you ! When on yotn* return to our beloved 
 France, you rejoice in your good forlanej think, 
 sometimes, of our urdiappy fate.' A little further 
 on we met others, who, holding in their arais their fa- 
 mished children or their wives, implored one morsel of 
 bread to preserve their lives* 
 
 In the meantime, Napdeon was informed thai the 
 army of Wolhynia,' joined to that of Moldavia, had 
 marched on Mnisk (Nov. 16th,) and that it had 
 seized on the bridge of Borisov, to cut us off from the 
 passage of the Beresina. He also knew, that the ar- 
 my of Wittgenstein, reinforced by the division of 
 Stengel, sharply pressed the twelfth and sixteenth 
 corps, that it might be enabled to march on the Bo- 
 risov, and form a junction with admiral Tschikakoff 
 and prince Kutusoff. To oppose the execution of 
 a plan which would complete our ruin, Napoleoa 
 sent general Dombrowski against the army of Wo!-- 
 hynia, hoping also that he might anticipate it, ia 
 seizing the bridge of Borisov. This general did es- 
 tablish himself there, but he was forced to evacuate 
 
304 BERESIKA. 
 
 his posilioii (Nov. 2Sd.) The enemv havin»' then 
 passed the Beresina, marched upon Bohr, and came, 
 to meet «s. The twelfth corps coniaianded by *he 
 duke of Kegg"io, whuli was at Tsch^reia, received 
 orders io proceed irimiedia»ely lolhe succour of g-e- 
 neral Dombrowski, and to secnie or the army the 
 ps^ssage of the Beresina. On rhe following d:»T 
 (Nov. 24th) he met the division of the Russian gene- 
 rai Lambert, four leao;-ues on t'>is side of Borisov.. 
 He attacked and beat it. At the sume time jjenerai 
 Berkheim made a brilliant chir^e witi the fourth re- 
 giment of chasseurs, and forced l».e enemy to retreat 
 to ihe other bank of the river, after havinjr lost two 
 thousas'd men, six cannon and a quantity o\' baggage. 
 The Russians having deslro\ea in ther flight the 
 great bridge of Bonsov, defen ed all the right bank 
 of the Beresina, and occupied, with our divisionSj 
 the principal points where we c«Mii<t possibly attempt 
 to pass it. During ihe 25 h, Na.)ohH)n manoeijvred 
 to deceive the vigilance of the enemy, and, by strata- 
 Si;em, obtained possessioi* o. the vdlaoe of Studzianca^, 
 placed on an eminence that con manded the river 
 wh ch vve wished to pass. Thete, i * tiie presence of 
 the Russians, and notwithstandir.g their utmost op- 
 position, he constructed iv^o bridges, of which the 
 duke of Reggio profitinl to cross the Br-resina ; and 
 attacking the troops w huh opposed h.s passage, he 
 pitt them to flight, and pur-ued th». ni, w ihont mlef'- 
 mission, to the istaci of ihe bridge of ijorisov. Ge- 
 
iSEifEsnyA, 306 
 
 aeral Le^rand, an officer of distinguished merit, wais 
 wounded in this affair. 
 
 The duke of Belluno, who for some days had 
 kept the corps of Wittgenstein in check, having re- 
 ceived orders lo follov* the movements of the duke of 
 K<"ggio, was pursued in his retreat by the Kussiau 
 army of the Dwina, which had then formed a junc- 
 tion with prince Kutu-soff, near Lothnstza. During 
 all these operations, which took phice between the 
 f3d and '^liU of November, we passed four dreadful 
 davs, traversing many villages, among which we 
 could only Jearn the names of Bohr and Kraupki, 
 •where fatigue compelled us halt. The days were 
 so sh rt, that allhou^h we made but little progress, 
 we were obliged to march during part of the night 
 ll was from this cause that so many unhappy wrel( h- 
 es wandered from their regiments, and were lost. 
 Arriving very late at the encampments, where all the 
 corijs were confounded together, they could not d^s- 
 ti' guish or learn the situation of the regiment to 
 which they beloiiged. Alter having marched the 
 whole day, they were often compelled to wander 
 about all- the night to find their officers, and rarely 
 were they sufficiently fortunate to accomplish their 
 object ; they then laid themselves down to sleep, ig- 
 norant of the hour of march, and on awaking, found 
 themselves in the power of the enemy. 
 
 As we passed the Borisov, we saw the division of 
 
 Partho'ineaux forming the rear-guard of the ninth 
 
 corps. We then quitted the great road that led to 
 
 the bridge occupied by the RAissians, and turned tQ 
 
 39 
 
306 BERESINA. 
 
 the risfbt to proceed to Studzianca, w>»pre we found 
 IVapoleon. The other troops of the ninth corps, com- 
 manded by the duke of Belluno, arrived likewise by 
 the same road. 
 
 The twelfth a: id ninth corps, and the Poles, com* 
 manded by genera! Dombrow ki, not having been at 
 Moscow, had so much bag-gage, that from Borisov to 
 Studzianca the road was covered with carriages and 
 waggons. The reinforcements which these troops 
 brought us were very acceptable, yet we almost 
 doubted whether the junction of so many men, in the 
 centre of a vast desert, might not increase our miisfor- 
 tunes. Alwavs marching in the midst of a coiifus- 
 e<s mass of stragglers, with the divisions of the ninth 
 corps, we were two hours afterwards arrested in our 
 progress bv a great crowd, and, unable to penetrate, 
 we were compelled to march round it. In the midst 
 of this multitude were some paltry barns, on the sum- 
 mit of a little hill. Seeing" some chasseurs of the im- 
 periai guard encamped around it, we judged that Na- 
 poleon was there, and that we were approaching the 
 borders of the Beresina. In fact, it was the very spot 
 where Charles XII crossed that river, on his march t© 
 Moscow.* 
 
 What a frightful picture did this multitude of 
 men present, overwhelmed with misfortunes of every 
 kind, and hf^mmed in by a morass; th it very multi- 
 tude whch, two months before, had ex ultingly spread 
 itself over halt the surface of a vast empire ! Ouir sol- 
 
 « June 25th, 1708. 
 
EERESINA. 307 
 
 diers, pale, emnciated, dyin^ with hunger and cold, 
 having nothing to defend them from the inclemency of 
 the season, but tattered pehsses, and sheep-skins half 
 burnt, and uttering the most mournful lamentations, 
 ^crowded the banks of this unfortunate riv-er. Ger- 
 mans, Poianders, Italians, Spaniards, Croats, Portu- 
 guese, and French, were all mingled together, disput- 
 ing among thtmselves, and quarrelling with each 
 other, in their diherent languages:— filially, the offi- 
 cers, and eyen the generals, wrapped m pelisses c<> 
 vered with dirt and filth, confounded with the sol- 
 diers, and abusing those who pressed upon them, or 
 braved their authority, formed a scene ot strange con- 
 fusion, of which no painter could trace the laintest 
 resemblance. 
 
 They, whom fatigue, or ignorance of the impend- 
 ing danger, rendered less eager to cross the river, 
 ■were endeavouring U} kindle a fire, and repose their 
 yeaned limbs. We had, too frequently, occasion to 
 observe, in these encampments, to what a degree of 
 bi utality, excess of misery would debase human na- 
 ture. I-i one place we saw several of the soldiers 
 fighting for a morsel of bread. If a stranger, pierced 
 with the cold, endeavoured to approach afire, those 
 to whom it belonged inhumanly drove him away ; or, 
 if tormented with raging thirst, any one asked for a 
 single drop of water irom another who carried a full 
 supply, the refusal was accompanied by the vilest 
 abuse. We often heard those who had once been 
 friends, and whose education had been liberal, bitter- 
 ly disputing with each other for a little straw, or a 
 
SOi BERESINA. 
 
 piece of horse flesh, which they were attempting' to 
 divide. This campaign was therefore the more terri- 
 ble, Hs it brutalized the character, and stained us uUh 
 vices to which we had before been straitgers. Even 
 those who once were honest, humane, and g-enerous, 
 became selfish, avaricious, dislionest, and cruel. 
 
 IVapoleon havinjr, with the assistance of his g-uard, 
 forced his way throug-h this immense crowd, crossed 
 the river (November 27) about three o'clock in the 
 aftrritoon. The viceroy, whohnd passed the wholeday 
 with him, aiiiouKced to his staff, that what remained 
 of the fourth corps should pass the bridge at eight 
 o'clock at night. Although not a moment should 
 have been lost in escaping- trom a place so dangerous,, 
 many could not | revail on themselves to leave the 
 fires, round which they were sittings ' It is much 
 better,' said they, 'to pass the night on this side of 
 the river than on the other, where there is nothingbufc 
 marshes ; besides, the bridge is as much encumbered 
 as ever, and by waiting till to-morrow, the crpwd will 
 have lessened, and the passage wiil be GusyJ' This 
 unfortunate advice prevailed on too many, and at the 
 hour appointed, only the household of the prince, and 
 a few of the officers ot" the staff crossed the river. 
 
 It \^as, indeed, necessar)/ to know all the dang-er 
 that would have attended our stay on the left side of 
 the river, to induce us to pass to the other. The 
 viceroy and his suite, arriving on the right bank, en- 
 camped on a m&rshy piece of ground, and endeavour- 
 ed tofiiid out the places which were mo t frozen, to 
 pass the night on them and escape the bogs. The 
 
BERESINA. S09 
 
 darkness was horrible, and the wind tremendous, 
 bh)wing a th t-k sh 'wer of ice and snow full in our 
 faces. Man of the officers, pierced with the cold, 
 did not cease running-, and walking, and striking 
 their feet, during the whole night, to preserve them- 
 selves from being completely frozen. To complete 
 our misfortunesj w )od was so scarce, that we could 
 with difficulty supp'y one little tire for the viceroy ; 
 and to obtan some firebrands, we were obliged to 
 appeal to the Bavarian soldiers, the daughter of 
 whose king had been united in marriage to prince 
 Eugene. 
 
 (November 28th.) Napoleon being gone towards 
 Zembin, left behind hmi this immense crowd, 
 which, .standing on the other side of the Beresina^ 
 presented a lively, but frightful picture of the un- 
 happy ghosts who are said to wander on the banks 
 of the Styx, and press tumultuously towards the 
 fatal barge. The snow fell with violence ; the lulls 
 and forest presented only some white indistinct 
 masses, scarcely visible through the fog. We 
 could only see distinctly the fatal river, which, half 
 frozen, forced its way through the ice that impeded 
 its progress. 
 
 Although there were two bridges, one for the 
 carriages, and the other for the foot-soldiers, yet the 
 crowd was so great, and the approaches so danger- 
 ous, that near the Beresi'sa, the passage was com^ 
 pletely choked up, and it was absolutely impossible 
 to move. About eight o'clock in the morning, the 
 bridge for the carriages and the cavalry broke down j 
 
13 T@ tBERESINA. 
 
 llie bagsrn2;e and artillery then advanced towards the 
 other bridj^e, and attempted to force a pass:>g"e. 
 ISow besfan a frightful contention between the foot- 
 soldiers and the horsemen. Many perished by the 
 Iiands of their comrades, but a great number were. . 
 suffocated at the head of the bridg-e ; and the dead 
 bodies of men and horses, so choked every avenue, 
 that it was necessary to climb over mountains of car- 
 casses to arrive at the river. Some, who were buried 
 311 these horrible heaps, still breathed, and struggling 
 With the agonies of death, caught hold of those who 
 mounted over them ; bat these kicked them with vio- 
 lence, to disengage themselves, and, without re-^ 
 morse, trod them under foot. During this conten- 
 tion, the multitude which followed, like a furious 
 wave, swept away, while it increased the number of 
 victims 
 
 The division of Parthonneaux, which formed the 
 rear-guard, having received orders to return, lett a, 
 brigade to burn the bridge. That brigade, setting 
 out two hours afterwards io rejoin the first, found it 
 no more, Doubdess, it had hastened its retreat, for 
 it has now been fully proved, that ge'-eral Parthon- 
 neaux, who had been unjustly accused ot abandon- 
 ing his troops, received three or lour orders in the 
 course of the day, which rentlered him uncertain 
 how to act, and placed him m a very critical situa- 
 tion. Be thisasitmn}, the second brigade lost its 
 way, and wandered more than three leagues in a 
 wrong direction, In the middle of a dismaliiight, 
 and pierced with cold, it mistook the tires of the 
 
BERESINA. oil, 
 
 enemy for ours, and ran to join us ; When, seeing itself 
 surrounded, and without the least hope of escape, it 
 was compelled to surrender. 
 
 Borisov being- 'evacuated, the three Russian ar- 
 mies effected their junction, and the same day 
 (November 28th), about eight o'clock in the morsi- 
 incr, the duke of Reg-gio was attacked on the right 
 bank, and half an hour afterwards the duke of Bel- 
 luno was engaged on the left. Every soldier, who 
 had before been wanderinqr in conkision, fell into the 
 ranks. The battle was obstinatelv fought, and the 
 duke of Reggio couid only obtain the victory at the , 
 price of his own blood. He was wounded at the be- 
 ginning of ihe action, anj^ compelled to quit the field. 
 The command then devolved oa the duke of Eichia- 
 ^^e;n. 
 
 In the meantime the enemyj notwithstanding the 
 valour of our soldiers^ and the exertions of their 
 commanders, briskly pressed the ninth corps, which 
 formed tiie rear- guard. We already heaid the roar 
 of the cannon, and ihe sound dismayed every heart. 
 Insensibly it approached, a.;d we soon saw the fire of 
 the enemy's artdlery on the summit of the neighbour- 
 ing hills, and we no longer doubted that the engage- 
 ment V^. ould soon extend to that spot which was cover- 
 ed With thousa^nds ot" unarmed men, sick and wound- 
 ed, and with all our women and children. 
 
 The duke ol' Elchingen, having rallied his troops, 
 the battle recommenced with new fury. The divi- 
 sion of cuirassiers, commanded by general Doumerc, 
 made a very brilliant charge, and at the same m^- 
 
312 BERESlNAc 
 
 ment the legion of the Yistula was eng-ag-ecl in the 
 woods, endeavouring to force the enemy's centre. 
 These brave cuirassiers, although enfeebled by fa- 
 lig'ue and privations of every kind^ performed prodi- 
 gies of valour. They pierced the enemy's squares, 
 look several pieces of cannon, and three or four ihou- 
 «and prisoners, which our vveakness would not per- 
 mit us to retain : for in our cruel situation we fought 
 not for victory^ but only for life, and the honour of our 
 arms. 
 
 Jn the heat of the engagement, many balls flew 
 over the miserable crowd which was yet pressing' 
 across the bridge of ihe Beresina. Some slteiis burst 
 in the midst of them. T^^rrqr and despau* then took 
 possession of every heart. The women ad chd- 
 dren, who had escaped so many disasters, seemed lo 
 have been preserveti, only lo suffer 1 ere a. death still 
 more deplorab e. We saw Ihem rushirg from the 
 bagg-age-waggons, ar.d falling in agonies and tears at 
 the feet of the first soldier they met, implor.ng his 
 assistance to enable them to reach the other side. 
 The sick and the wounded, sitting on tliC trunks of 
 trees, or supported by their crutches, anxiously 
 looked around for some friend to help them. But 
 their cries were lost in the air. No one had leisure 
 lo attend to his dearest friend. His owp preservation 
 absorbed every thought. 
 
 Monsieur de Labarriere, the muster-master of the 
 fourth corps, was a man of respectable charicter, a.. d 
 engaging manners. His advanced age, and more es- 
 peciaily his fetbie constitution, haa long rt;n«ered 
 
BEEESlNA. 813 
 
 him nnahle to march, and he was now Ivinsr with 
 many others on an open sledge. He accidentaHy 
 perceived an officer of his acquaintance, ai d althonoh 
 he was scarcely able to stand, he ran to him, threw 
 himself in his arms, and implored his protection. 
 The officer was severely wounded, but, too generous 
 to refuse his feeble help, he prom it^ed thai he would 
 not leave him. These two friends, closely embrac- 
 ing- each other, slowly proceeded towards the bridge 
 animate<l by the consoling- thought, that at least they 
 would be permitted to die tog-ether. Ti^ey entered 
 the crowd ; but, feeble and hei|)less, they were una- 
 ble to sustain the intolerable pressure, and were seen 
 no more. 
 
 A woman was likewise marching with the equi- 
 page of Napoleon, whom her husband had left a little 
 way behind, while he went forward to endeavour to 
 fi ,d a place where they might safely pass. During 
 that time a shell burst near the unfortunate female. 
 The crowd that was asouud her, iuuoediately took to 
 fliijht. She alone remained. But the enemv soon 
 advaacisio;-, caused the soldiers to rush back all at 
 once to the bridge, and, in their confused march, 
 they hurried the poor woman with them, who strove 
 in vain to return to the place where her husband had 
 left her. Bafleted by the tumultuous waves, she 
 saw herself driven from tise spot, without the possi- 
 bility of return. We heard her from afar, loudly 
 calling to her husband, but her [ 'ercmg voice was 
 nnuttended to, amidst the noivse of a ms, and the cries 
 of the soldiers. At length, pale and speichless, sh© 
 40 
 
S14 BERESINA. 
 
 beat her breast in agony, and fell lifeless at the feet 
 of the soldiers, who, attentive to their own escape^ 
 neither saw nor heard her. 
 
 Al length the Russians, cdntindally reinforced by 
 fresh troops, advanced in a mass, and drove before 
 them the Polonese corps of general Girard, which till 
 then had held them in check. At the sight of the 
 enemy, those who had not already passed, mingled 
 with the Polanders, and rushed precipitately towards 
 the bridge. The artillery, the baggage-waggons> 
 the cavalry, and the foot-soldiers, all pressed on, 
 contending which should pass the first. The strong- 
 est threw mto the river those who were weaker, and 
 hindred their passage, or unfeelingly trampled under 
 foot all tlie sick whom they found in their way. 
 Many hundreds were crushed to death by the wheels 
 of the cannon. Oihers, hoping to save themselves 
 by swimming, were frozen in the middle of the river, 
 or perished by placing themselves on pieces of ice,, 
 which sunk to the bottom. Thousands and thou- 
 sands of victims, deprived of all hope, threw them- 
 selves headlong into the Beresina, and were lost in 
 the waves. 
 
 The division of Girard made its way, by force of 
 arms, through all the obstacles that retarded its 
 march; and clmibing over that mountain of dead 
 bodies which obstructed the way, gained the other 
 side. Thither the Russians would soon have fol- 
 lowed them, if 'hey had not hastened to burn the 
 bridge. 
 
BERESINA. S15 
 
 Then the unhappy beings who remained on the 
 ^iher side of the Beresina abandoned themselves to 
 absolute despair. Some of them, however, yet at- 
 tempted to pass the bridge, enveloped as it was in 
 flames ; but, arrested in the midst of their progress, 
 they were compelled to throw themselves into the ri- 
 Ter, to escape a death yet more horrible. At length 
 the Russians, being masters of the field of battle, our 
 troops retired; the uproar ceased, and a mournful 
 silence succeeded. 
 
 As we marched towards Zembin, we re-ascended 
 the right bank of the Beresina, whence we could dis- 
 tinctly see all \hAt passed on the other side. The 
 cold was excessive ; and the wind blew in loud and 
 boUow gusts. Xhe pbscunty of the night was dis- 
 sipated only by the numerous fires of the enemy, 
 "who occupied the heights. At the foot of these hills 
 were our unfortunate cpmpanions. Tueir destruc- 
 tion was now inevitable, and, amidst all their former 
 disasters, never were they exposed to, nor can ima- 
 gination conceive, horrors equal to those which en- 
 fcompassed them during that frightful night. The 
 elements let loose, seemed to conspire to afHict uni- 
 versal nature, and to chastise the ambition and the 
 crimes of man. The conquerors and the conquered, 
 were alike overwhelmed with $utferings. Round 
 the encampment of the Russians, however, we saw 
 enormous masses of burning wood, but on the spot 
 which held our devoted companions, there was 
 neither light nor shelter. Lamentable cries and 
 
316 BBRESINA. 
 
 groans alon<^ marked the place which contained 
 these misc rabie victims. 
 
 More than ivventv ihoiisand sick and wounded 
 fell ui to the power of the enemy. Two hundred pie- 
 ces o cannon were abaiidoned. All the hag-g-age f 
 tl.e two corps which had joined us was equally the 
 prey of the conquerors ; ^et, when we coitempiated 
 the (Jeplorable fate of the wretched beings who were 
 left on the other side of the Beresina, the conscious- 
 netjsofour safety rendered us insensible to the loss 
 ©fall our nclses. They were for ever deprived of 
 the hope 01 revisiting- the land that gave diem birth; 
 ai.d were doomed to pass ihe sad rtuiuant of their 
 days am dst thtr snows of Siberia, where tiiey would 
 water with thesr tears the black bread which would 
 be [he only wages of the most humiliating servitude, 
 
 (INovember 29ih.) Seltni«>- out on the morrow 
 for Zembni, and endeavournsg to rejoin what re- 
 mained of the fo'irih corps, we again conmiiserated 
 the fate ot ti e numerous friends w{ o were no longer 
 ■With us. We eagerly end)raced those who had re- 
 turned, whom we ad feared we sho.id never again 
 have beiieid, a. id congratulated each other on sur- 
 viving a day more ternbie than the bloodiest battle. 
 We mutua'-ly recounted the dangers that we had run, 
 and the difficulties with whicii we had struggled to 
 esca-se wiih hfe. ' 1 have lost every thing,' said 
 OS e, ' servaits, horses, bag-aj^e ; but I think not of 
 it; I rather esteem myself must fortunate, that 1 have 
 pit;seived my life, that I have escaped from the in- 
 ciemeiicy of the weather, the horrors of famuie; aiid 
 
BERFSINA. 3 IT 
 
 the arms of the enemy.' ' I have nothinqf but what 
 I ;i carry abo ir me,' said a second, * and of all that I 
 had, I only w-^h for some shoes to defend my feet, 
 and some bread to eat : these are the truest riches.* 
 * I have lost all,* exclaimed a third, ' but I do not 
 regret it, since the sacriHce of my baggage has ena- 
 bled me to save my wounded brother.' Such was 
 the language which we heard, during several succes- 
 sive days ; and those who were sdent, deeply mused 
 on the dangers which H«ey had pussed, and rendered 
 their secret but fervent thanks to Providence, for a 
 preservation almost miraculous. 
 
BOOK X. 
 
 ^EE NIEMEN. 
 
 The fatal passage of the Beresina having- reduced 
 our corps of reserve to the same condition as those 
 who had been as far as Moscow, realized the fatal 
 predictions, which had long been announced to us ; 
 and, with the exception of our chief (whose life Pro- 
 vidence seems to have continued, only to deliver 
 him to greater reinorse and despair,) ail was accom-^ 
 plished. 
 
 How dreadful was the punishment of this con^ 
 queror, to lose the provinces which he occupied with 
 more rapidity than he had invaded them ; to have the 
 melancholy cypress, instead of the laurels of victory^ 
 and cities smoking with recent slaughter, instead of 
 the incense of applause ; and, finally, as the compa- 
 nions of his triumph, twenty thousand disarmed sol- 
 diers, without linen and without stockings, whose 
 only shoes were contrived from their worn-out hats, 
 %vhose shoulders were covered with pieces of sacking, 
 and the skins of horses, newly flayed. 
 
320 THE NIEMENc 
 
 These were deplorable remains of five hundred 
 thousand brave warriors, who, but for ihe ambitiosi of 
 a sing^le man, would aiwavs have been the honour of 
 France, and the teiror of their enemies, 
 
 (Noveniber 29ib.) We arrived very early at the 
 viliaoe of Kainen, and were foisHnuin^' our route to 
 Plescenkovice, uhen Colaud, con mas der of the ad- 
 vanced-g'uard, re!ur!ie(i, and announced to us that 
 two thousand coss icks had cnteitd the city, crying 
 'Huurra!' and were massacrino;^ every one whom. 
 they fouifd in the streets. ' The duke of Reg-^-io,* 
 said he, ' being- wounded last night, was scarcely able 
 to reach the place; but, happily, many officers hasten- 
 ing to render hum assistance, or to die al his side, 
 excited a fear in the enemy that we were contriving 
 some ambush. They retired to a neighbouring 
 height, and cannonaded the marshal's houj^e, to make 
 it capitulate. As if a fatality pursued the duke of 
 Reggio, a cannon-ball s'nking on a beam, broke off 
 a splinter, by which he was again slightly wounded.* 
 This officer likewise informed us, ' hat general Pino 
 had been in the same quarters, ami that count Dan- 
 thouard, on entering into Plescenkovice, had scarcely 
 time to escape to his carnage.' 
 
 This uews determined us to remain al Kamen, 
 The next day (30th November) we set out before 
 day-break, aud passing b;, Plescenkovice, the accounts 
 wlrich we had received on the preceding evenuig, 
 were confirmed. We snw the house where the duke 
 ofReggio had taken up his quarters, and were sur- 
 prised that two thousand cossacks liad not ventured to 
 
ffHE NTEMEN. 321 
 
 carry off by force, a marshal who was only defended 
 by twenty wounded officers. Napoleon halted in this 
 city, but the viceroy continiting- his route, encamped 
 in a deserted village, near Zavichino, which according 
 to the map, was named Niestanovitsch. 
 
 (December 1st.) The following day, about seven 
 in the morning, the viceroy, accompanied by a few 
 officers, placed himself at the head of some grenadiers 
 of the royal guard, who yet remained faithful to their 
 colours. After a very long march, for men exhaust- 
 ed withfatifi^ue, we arrived at the town of Iliia. The 
 Jews, forming the majority of the population^ had not 
 quitted their houses, and the love of gain induced 
 them to bring out some provisions, which they had 
 intended to conceal. We paid them liberally, for in 
 such a situation the poorest nourishment was prefer- 
 able to gold. Without this assistance, we should 
 have lost the brave and estimable colonel Durieu, 
 whose health had much declined ; less perhaps On 
 account of deprivations to which he had been expoa- 
 ed, than the ardent zeal with which he fulfilled his 
 important and laborious duties. 
 
 (December 2d.) The next day, when we march- 
 ed upon Molodetschino, was stilly more fatiguing 
 and oppressive. We marched for twelve hours with- 
 out halting, through an immense forest. The cold 
 was excessive, and the only thing which could afford 
 us consolation, was the persuasion, that the cossacks 
 would no longer harrass our right. Captain Jouard, 
 
 who had bf><^n sent to Vileika. to general Wr«de, ash 
 
 4) 
 
222 THE 3SflEMEK. 
 
 sured us that the Bavarians still maintained that ini 
 porlant jDOsition. 
 
 We were in a pitiable situation when we arrived 
 at Molodetsehino. Happily the houses were i»ood, 
 and some of the proprietors, who still remained, pro- 
 cured us the means of subsistence. The next morn- 
 ing* the equipages of Napoleon began to depart. They 
 were scarcely out of the village, when a multitude of 
 Cossacks presented themselves, and would have taken 
 them, if they had not hastily returned to place them- 
 selves under the protection of the troops, who yet re- 
 tained their arms. The viceroy was preparing for his 
 dejjarlure, when it was announced to him that we 
 were to remain at Molodetsehino, but that he must 
 evacuate the chateau which he occupied, for the use 
 of Napoleon, who would soon arrive. 
 
 This repose was the more precious as the ability 
 to procure some provisions, by dint of searching for 
 them, enabled us to employ it profitably. Neverthe- 
 less, many soldiers expn*ed in the streets. The same 
 desolation extended to the houses where the officers 
 lodged. Some were sick from excessive fatigue, and 
 protested that they could go no further ; others whose 
 feet were frozen^ and who bad no horses, found them- 
 selves obliged, though full of courage, to remain in 
 the hands of the Russians. The generals were ex- 
 posed to the same calamities, for many of them, hav- 
 ing lost their servants and their carriages, were un- 
 able to replace them. In such circumstances if the 
 slightest sickness attacked them, they expired for 
 want ©f assistance. Such was our situation in Mo- 
 
THE NIEMEX, 323 
 
 lodetschino, when Napoleon wrote in characters of 
 blood, the fatal twenty-ninth bulletin, which made 
 France and her allies, a large family of mourners. 
 
 (December 4th.) We quilted the village, but 
 did not take the great road which leads through 
 ZHchk^vitschi, directly to Smorghoni. We kept to 
 the left of this rock, which, indeed, promised little 
 safety, and pursued a by-road, which conducted us 
 by Lebioda to Markovo. We encamped in this vil- 
 lage with some soldiers of the first corps, while the 
 emperor and his guard were at Bienitsa, about half a 
 league from us. 
 
 (December 6th.) Setting out for Smorghoni, 
 we crossed some marshy country, which would have 
 been absolutely impassable, had it not been for the rig- 
 our of the season. It was therefore evident to us thai 
 these regions are completely defended by their ver}'^ 
 nature, and that, independent of the rigour of winter, 
 the marshes of Lithuania would have been our grave. 
 When we arrived at this little town, we did not find 
 the resources which we had been promised. Ail the 
 houses were deserted, and the Jews, having taken 
 flight, had deprived us of their assistance. We found 
 however, in the magazines, some casks of biscuitjj, 
 which were immediately devoured^ 
 
 Napoleon, terrified by so many disasters, and still 
 more so by the fear of losing bis authority in France, 
 conceived the idea of abandoning these miserable 
 remains of his army, for the purpose of demanding 
 from his senate new levies: and, tortured by that jusl; 
 terror which always pursues the despot, he imagmeri 
 
^24- iPHE NIKMEW. 
 
 that liis allies were eager to dissolve the compact, 
 "which had placed them under his iron yoke. 
 
 Full of this resolution, he felt assured, when he 
 arrived at Smorghoni, that the road was safe as far as 
 the Niemen, and called together the chiefs of the 
 army. Afterwards he had a jjrivate conference with 
 the viceroy. This being finished, Napoleon issued 
 from his cabinet, followed by the master of the horse, 
 the marshal of the palace, and general Lefebre Des- 
 nouettes. Crossing one of the halls, he met the king 
 of Naples, and said to him, with an indifferent air, 
 ^ Adieu, kin(/ of Naples r While pronouncing these 
 words, he went out, accompanied by the three per- 
 sons who were going with him. Being sealed in his 
 carriage, he placed at his side general Desnouettes. 
 The master of the horse, and the marshal of the pa- 
 lace entered a second, which immediately followed 
 on the route to Wilna. No address was made to the 
 army, no proclamation to the Lithuanians, to reani- 
 mate their dejected spirits. The one was without a 
 chief, the other abandoned by him who had promised 
 them every thing. 
 
 The king of Naples took the command of the 
 r,rmy, but they marched with so much disorder and 
 precipitation, that it was only when they arrived at 
 Wilna, that the soldiers were informed of a depar- 
 ture as discouraging as it was unexpected. * What,' 
 said they among themselves, ' is it thus that he 
 abandons those of whom he calls himself the father ? 
 Where then is that genius, who, in the height of 
 prosperity ^ exhorted us to bear our sufferings patient- 
 
THE' NIE>1EN. 326 
 
 ]y ? He who lavished our blood, is he afraid to die 
 with us ? Will he treat us hke the army of" Egypt, 
 to whom, after having served him faithfully, he be- 
 came indifferent, when, by a shameful flight he found 
 himself free from danger ?' Such was the conversa- 
 tion of the soldiers, which they accompanied by the 
 most violent execrah'ons. Never was indignation 
 more just, for never were a class of men so worthy of 
 pity. 
 
 The presence of the emperor had kept the chiefs 
 to their duty, but whea they heard of his departure, 
 the greater part of them followed his example, and 
 shamefully abandoned the remains of the regiments 
 with which they ha I been intrusted. Until then we 
 had found, at intervals, some few armed soldiers, 
 who, conducted by their officers, rallied round the 
 standard which they had sworn never to forsake, but 
 with life. But from the moment that they were depriv- 
 ed of their chiefs, and that unheard-of calamities had 
 reduced their numbers, those brave soldiers, who were 
 intrusted with the immediate charge, were reduced to 
 the painful necessity of hiding them in their knapsacks. 
 Many of them, sensible that they were expiritig, and 
 knowing that the honour of a French soldier consisted 
 in preserving his colours, with a weak hand dug .p 
 the ground, to save from the Russians those ensiscns 
 under which our arms had been raised to the pinnacle 
 of glory. 
 
 The division of Loison, which had come before 
 us from Koningsberg, and that of the Neapolitans, 
 from Wihiaj, having been obliged to encamp in a 
 
'326 
 
 THE NIEMEN. 
 
 cold of twenty-two degrees, were totally destroyed, 
 aiid out of six thousand men, of which each was 
 composed, we could only see, through a thick fog, 
 some feeble battalions, who ran on the road like mad- 
 men. They beat the earth with their feet, to keep 
 themselves from being benumbed by the frost, and 
 if, unfortunately, they were ura^ed by the wants of 
 nature, losing the use pf their hands, they fell on the 
 ground, and rose again no more. They who could 
 support the fatigue of marching, only prolonged their 
 misery ; and if, at length, weary of life, they wished 
 to terminate their sufferings, it was necessary only to 
 stand still. 
 
 The road which we followed, presented, at every 
 step, brave officers, covered with rags, supported by 
 branches of pine, their hair and beards stiffened by 
 the ice. These warriors, who, a short time before, 
 were the terror of our enemies, and the conquerors of 
 Europe, hriving now lost their fine appearance, crawl- 
 ed slowly along, and could scarcely obtain a look of 
 pity from the soldiers whom they had formerly com- 
 manded. Their situation became still more dread- 
 ful, because all who had not strength to march were 
 abandoned, and every one who was abandoned by his 
 comrades, in an hour afterwards inevitably perished. 
 The next day every bivouac presented the image of a 
 field of battle. Whenever a soldier, overcome with 
 fatigue, chanced to fall, his next neighbour rushed 
 eagerly upon him, and before he was dead, robbed 
 him of all that he possessed, and even of his clothes. 
 Every moment we heard some of these unhappy men 
 
THE NIEMEN. 327 
 
 crying out for assistance. * My comrades,' cried 
 one, with a heart-rending voice, ' assist me to rise ; 
 lend nie a hand to pursue my march.' Eveiy one 
 continued his march without regarding- him. * Ah V 
 he continued, ' I conjure you, by every thing which 
 is dear to you, do not abandon me to the enemy ; in 
 the name of humanity, grant the little assistance I ask ; 
 help me to rise.' But those who passed, far from 
 being moved by this touching prayer, regarded hioi 
 as already dead, and immediately began to strip him. 
 We then heard him crying out, * Oh, help ! help ! 
 They murder me ; they murder me ! why do you tram^o 
 pie upon me ? Why do you snatch from me my money 
 and my bread, and take from me even my clothes 1* 
 If some generous officer did not arrive in time to de- 
 liver them, many of these unfortunate beings would 
 be assassinated by their own comrades. 
 
 (December 7.) We arrived at Joupranoui a lit- 
 tle before night. Overcome with fatigue, we were 
 obliged to stop there. The ruined houses afforded 
 us no shelter from the rigour of the season. Lying 
 on each other, suffering with hunger, and pierced 
 with cold, we passed the night in groans. 
 
 We marched early in the morning (8th Decem- 
 ber,) and arrived at Ochmiana about eleven o'clock. 
 The winter was so severe, that the soldiers burnt 
 whole houses to avoid being frozen. We saw round 
 the fires, the half-consumed bodies of many unfortu- 
 nate men, who, having advanced too near, in order 
 to warm themse ves, and being too weuk to recede, 
 had become a iney to the flames. Some miserable 
 
328 THE NIEMEN. 
 
 beings, blackened with smoke, and besmeared with 
 the blood of the horses vvhich they had devoured, 
 wandered like ghosts, round ihe burning houses. 
 They g'azed on the dead bodies of their compa .ons, 
 and, too feeble to support themselves, fell down, and 
 died like them. 
 
 We expected to have received some provisions 
 in this town, but we were inlorn ed that the cossacks 
 had pillaged the magazines, and that Napoleon had 
 passed through half an hour ai'er they were gone^ 
 We then continued our route, marchmg in the midst 
 of the dead and the dying, and at length arrived at 
 the wretched stone chaieau of Kovno-Pol^, where 
 the prince and his staff passed a mi erable n ght. 
 
 Misfortune having equalized all conditiouis, everj 
 thing was confounded. It was in vain that the offi- 
 cers endeavoured to assert their authority ; it was in*r 
 solently denied. The coionei, who I ad no food, was 
 obliged to beg apiece of buiscuit fiom the private 
 soldier. The man who possessed provisions, al- 
 though he were a servant, was .surrounded by a 
 cfowd of courtiers, who, to obtain h od, threw aside 
 their rank and distinction, and condescended to caress 
 bim. In short, to form an adequate idea of the dread- 
 fiil disorder to which famnie and ctld had reduced 
 us, you must figure to yourself thui)^ thousand nsen^ 
 of different ranks, marching togetlser, w thout order 
 and without discipline ; ignorant of the road they 
 were jt'oing, and o ily stO;)pnig when wearmess or ca- 
 price impelled them. The chiefs t! emseives, ber ^ 
 accustomed to command, were the UiOst uniorluuate. 
 
THE NIEMEN. -82^ 
 
 They were shunned, to avoid rendering* them assist^ 
 ance ; for, in our situation, even to give a glass of 
 l^ater, or to raise a feilow-soldier from the ground, 
 were offices of kindness which claimed the warmesi 
 gratitude. 
 
 The route was covered with soldiers who no long« 
 er retained the human form, and whom the enemy 
 disdained to make prisoners. Every day these miser- 
 able men made us witnesses of scenes too dreadful to 
 relate. Some had lost heir hearing, others their 
 speech, and many, by excessive cold and hunger, 
 Were reduced to a state of frantic stupidity, in which 
 they roasted the dead bodies of their conu'ades for 
 food, or even gnawed their own hands and arms.* 
 Some were so weak, that, unable to lift a piece of 
 wood, or roll a stone towards the fires w hich they 
 had kindled, they sat upon the dead bodies of their 
 comrades, and, with a haggard countenance, stead- 
 fastly gazed upon the burning coals. No sooner 
 was the fire extinguished, than these living spectres, 
 unable to rise, fell by the side of those on whom they 
 had sal. We saw many who were absolutely insane. 
 To warm their frozen feet, they plunged them naked 
 into the middle of the fire. 8ome, with a convulsive 
 laugh, threw themselves into the fiames, a. id perisii- 
 ed in the most horrible convulsions, and uUering tiie 
 most piercing cries ; while others, equally msane, ni- 
 mediately followed them, and expeiienced the same 
 fate. 
 
 * OfiicJal Report, publisbed by the Mttssiaas at WUaa, 2#, 
 
 43 
 
330 THE NIEMEN. 
 
 Such was our situation when vie arrived at the 
 village of Hoiikoni, where some wretched barns alone 
 remained filled with dead bodies. Being" only three 
 leagues from Wilna, many continued their march, 
 that they might arrive first in that city ; where they 
 hoped not only to find abundance of provisions, but 
 to remain some days and enjoy that repose which they 
 so much needed. The fourth corps, which could 
 not muster more than two hundred men, who were 
 yet faithful to their duly, halted in this wretched vil- 
 lage. 
 
 At break of day we hastened to quit Roukoni, 
 where the cold and the smoke had prevented us from 
 closing our eves. When we were commencing our 
 !m.«rch, the Bavarians, who formed the rear-guard, 
 hastily advanced, crying out that the enemy was pur- 
 suing them. The evening before, it was reported 
 that I hey had obtained some advantages over the cos- 
 sacks ; but the disorder in which they now arrived^ 
 proved that this intelligence was false. However, 
 we must do them the justice to say that they yet re- 
 tamed some pieces of cannon, but the horses were se 
 weak that they could not drag them along. 
 
 fCvery day's march presented a repetition of the 
 mournful scenes of which I have given a slight sketch.. 
 Our hearts were so hardened to these dreadful spec- 
 tables, that all sensibility was entirely lost. Self-pre- 
 servation was the on\y motive wfiich actuated us, in 
 the state of barbarism to which we were reduced. 
 Wilna occupied every thought, and (he hope that that 
 position would permit us to take some repose, inspir- 
 
THE NIEMEN, 631 
 
 ed those who were able to continue their march, with 
 such extreme joy, that they regarded with indifference 
 the miserable beings who crowded the road, strug- 
 gling with the agonies of death. Wilna, however, 
 the object of our dearest hopes, and to which we were 
 pressisig on with such eagerness, was soon found to be 
 another Smolensko. 
 
 At length we arrived at its suburbs, so ardently de- 
 sired ; but our happiness was sadly alloyed, when we 
 saw the whole of this immense place obstructed by a 
 crowd of carriages, horses, and men. This confusion 
 recalled the Beresina to my mind ; and such was our 
 stupidity, that, being accustomed to follow our colui tn, 
 we were afraid of losing ourselves if we ventured a 
 few steps from it ; thus, while all were pressing aganst 
 each other to enter at the same gate, there were, at the 
 right and left, other avenues unobstructed. 
 
 When we arrived in the city, we found it in ex- 
 treme disorder : the soldiers were running in every 
 direction lo ascertain the quarters assigned to their 
 respective corps. Those of the fourth corps going 
 to the municipality, saw written in large characters, 
 that they were to quarter in the convent of St Ra- 
 phael on the other side of the Vilia. Before they 
 went thither they ran as if they were almost famished 
 from house to house demanding food. The eating 
 houses and taverns, not being sufficient for the im- 
 mense number of guests, were instantly shut up. 
 But hunger determined us to find provisions ; and we 
 were compelled to break open the doors. Oihei*i 
 
S3f THES NfEMENo 
 
 with monev in their hands, pursued the Jews, who, in 
 s|»i*e ofoiu" t^eiierosity, could not satisfy us to the ex- 
 tend of our wants. 
 
 At Wihia, we heard that Napoleon had passed 
 throug^h incofjnito, escDrted by a i\ ehre detachment of 
 three reo"!nients of Neapolitan cavahy, which had been 
 sent before him to clear his route. These poor inha- 
 b;tants of the south were half dead when they passed 
 in review ; scarci ly had they departed from Wilna, 
 when a third part of them fell into the rear, having 
 their hands, feet, and noses, entirely frozen. The de- 
 puriureof Niipoleon in this disguised manner, not only 
 sj>read consternation among- the Lithuanians, who were 
 devoted to us, but sadly discouraged the French troops. 
 The first were indignant at finding themselves exposed 
 to the resentment of a master, whose yoke they had 
 wished to shake ofif"; the others were alarmed for their 
 own preservation, for, in a silaation so critical, every 
 one thought that the absence of the chief, consummat- 
 ed our ruin. Many, however, who felt all the dangers 
 to which we were exposed, yet jealous for the glory 
 of our arms, thought his departure was fortunate. — 
 * Napoleon,' said they, * when at Paris, will reorganize 
 a noble army ; will secure the peace of France, and 
 maintain the co-operation of the allies, whose defec- 
 tion would be so dangerous.' 
 
 About three o'clock in the afternoon, the rear of 
 our long column had scarcely entered the suburbs, 
 when we heard that the cossacks had taken posses- 
 sion of the heights which commanded the city. In 
 
'XHE NtEMEN. 335 
 
 ^affect they soon hegan to fire upon us. At tbe report 
 of the cannon, the new troops who were at Wilna, beat 
 the drum and sounded the trumpet. In an instant 
 the place was in arms. By one of" those chances by 
 which Providence confounds the proud, and punishe- 
 the insolent, it happened that the colossal power of Na- 
 poleon was so completeh reduced in ihis iron climate; 
 as to have no other support than the remains of a Ne- 
 apolitan division, formed from the garrisons of Taren- 
 turn and Capua. These troo; s being quickly dispers- 
 ed, terror immediately spread through the city ; and 
 at the single word of the * cossacksj all the soldiers 
 ru-thed from their quarters and betook themselves to 
 flight. The king of Naples, forgetting his rank, sud- 
 denly abandoned his palace, and on foot, followed by 
 his officers, pierced through the crowd, and escaped 
 from the town to encamp on the road to Kowno, 
 
 While some of the soldiers took arms, others, as 
 night advanced, profiting by the evacuation of the 
 magazines, carried off the clothes and military equip- 
 ments wh.cb had been collected there ; but the greater 
 part searching only for food, knocked at every door, 
 and their redoubled blows seemed the dreadful pre- 
 sage of a universal pillage. The inhabitants, trembling 
 in their houses, dreaded the impending desolation, as 
 they heard on every side the noise of cannon, which 
 thundered over their heads. 
 
 We gave up all hope of repose, and the feeble re- 
 lics of our army not being able to resist the attacks 
 of the enemy, we deteriMiaed to profit by the obscu- 
 
334 THE NIEMEN, 
 
 rity of the ni^lit, to quit so dangerous a position. It 
 was decided, that at eleven o'clock we should evacu- 
 ate the town. The hour being- arrived, we silently 
 proceeded on our route, leaving- the streets covered 
 with soldiers, intoxicated, asleep, or dead. Th« 
 courts, the gdleries, the stairs of the various buildings, 
 were filled with them, and not one would march, or 
 even rise to obey the orders of the chief who called 
 Iiim. After leaving Wiina, with as much difficulty 
 as we entered it, the prince and the staff went to the 
 king of Naples, where all the officers remained till 
 one o'clock in the mornino-. 
 
 lii the middie of a dark night (10th December,) 
 we marched on the road to Kowno, but the snow 
 which covered the country, caused us to wander eve- 
 ry moment, and left us for a long time uncertain of 
 the road; for the Poles going to New-Troki, had left 
 the traces of another route which was calculated to 
 mislead ns. Two hours afterwards we arrived at the 
 foot of a mountain, inaccessible on account of its 
 steepness, and the ice with which it was covered. All 
 arout;d were the remains of the equipages of Napo- 
 leon, the bag-gage left at Wilna, the treasures of the 
 army, and the waggons containing the fatal trophies 
 brought from Moscow, so that we no longer doubted 
 that we were on the road to Kowno. 
 
 While we were groaning at the foot of this moun- 
 tain, without the power to climb it, we distinctly 
 heard the firnig between the cossacks and our sharp- 
 shooters. Actuated by that unseasonable discontent 
 and lil-humour which mistortune inspires, many ex-^ 
 
THE NIEMEN. 335 
 
 tiaimed that it would have been belter to have gone 
 to New-Troki, and to have avoided this fatal moun- 
 tain. All who were thus arrested here, and who were 
 mostly sick or wounded, considered themselves as £1. 
 certain prey to the enemy. Their grief was increased 
 by the reflection that they must perish after having 
 so nearly reached the wished for post, and having- es- 
 caped the dangers of Krasnoe and the Beresina. 
 Their grief was soon changed to despair, when we 
 heard that the cossacks, having passed Wihia, had 
 pursued our rear-guard, and were advancing towards 
 US. Dire necessity, however, compelled us to wail 
 til! the dawn of day, that we might discover whether 
 there were any means of going round the monntain, 
 which our horses -could not climb. In this iisterval 
 we kindled a fire, and every one deeply sighing", ini* 
 patiently waited the return of day. 
 
 We looked every where in vain ; the mountain 
 was so slippery, and the horses so fatigued, that we 
 despaired of escape. The idea then occuied tons of 
 compelling the soldiers of the escort to carry the mo- 
 ney belonging to the military chest. It then contain- 
 ed about five millions, the greatest pert of which was 
 in crowns. We had little doubt, however, that the 
 soldiers, whom it was imp(')ssible to watch, cr to de- 
 tect, would carry off, for their own use, that which 
 was intrusted to their care. The standards taken 
 from the enemy, respecting which these venal wretch- 
 es were no ioj»ger uiLerested, were cowardly aban* 
 doned at the toot of the mountain. Among these 
 was tiie famous cross of (St. I VV8P, which world hnvp-- 
 
336 THE KIEMF.N. 
 
 made so glorious an addition to our trophies, if the 
 Russians, whom we termed barbarians, bad not given 
 us a noble example of a moderation which rarely ac? 
 companies victory. 
 
 Tiiose who followed augmented the number of 
 plnnderers, and it was truly curious to see those who 
 were dying- with hunger, \Adeii with more riches ihau 
 they could possibly carry. They saw the money dis- 
 tributed among them, wilh the most perfect indif^er-. 
 ence ; and searched in preference lor the coarsest lood,, 
 [Vuiiks and portmanteaus broken o >en and plunder- 
 ed, were seen in every direction. Tiie most su;;erb 
 court-dresses, and the richest lurs were worn by 
 ^hose whose couatenances were hiiteous and disgust- 
 ing. Returning from the pdlage, many of them 
 offered sixty francs for a louis, and some gave ten 
 crowns for a glass of brandy. Ore of the soldiers^ 
 in my presence, offered to sell a cask filled with sd- 
 ver, for a few pieces of go!d : it was bought by a 
 superior officer who placed it on his sledge. 
 
 It is impossible to form an adequate idea of the con- 
 iusion which our army now j)resenled. Far from be- 
 ing reanimated by the presence of some battalions 
 lately arrrived from Prussia, they spread consternatioa 
 among these new troops, who, not knowing whom to 
 obey, likewise threw away Ihesr arms, and increased the 
 crowd of stragglers. In short, ail our soldiers, trans- 
 formed into brokers, only songhl to sell their stolen 
 goods, while those who had pi.h^ged the mihlary 
 chest were eager to buy, that they might, at e st, 
 'etain something valuab.e. Every one s^^oke fami*. 
 
THE NiEMEN. 33^ 
 
 liarly of ingots and jewels. Every soldier was laden 
 with silver, but none with a musket. Ought we to 
 be astonished at the fears which the cossacks in- 
 spired ? 
 
 In this state of confusion, after five hours distress- 
 ing march, we arrived at Ev^, about ten leagues 
 frona Wilna. We had scarcely entered it when the 
 count Mejean,* supported by his son and the valet 
 de chambre of the prince, arrived. This uniortu- 
 liate father, to whose generous devotion to the ser- 
 vice I regret that the limits of my work will not jjer- 
 mit me to do justice, had been obliged to travel on 
 foot, from the mountain of Wilna, across a country 
 covered with snow. But this nobleman, whose cour- 
 age had often astonished us, and who, though not a 
 soldier, had patiently endured the sufferings to which 
 we were subjected, felt such great attachment to the 
 prince, that he quite forgot the mistoftuiies of the 
 day as soon as he found himself in the presence of his 
 highness. 
 
 Similar miseries happened to others. The prince 
 of Eckmuhl, weakened by a fever, could only travel 
 in a carriage. The quarter-master-general Joubert, 
 who had long been destitute of servants, had been 
 left in this village, in a situation so miserable, that he 
 excited the tears of all who saw him. We were 
 
 « Counsellor of state of the kingdom of Italy, and secretary 
 to the viceroy. He had been present during the whole cam- 
 paign with his two sons, and heard at the Bert shia, that his youiig>^^ 
 mi son haa been killed at the battle ol Polotsk, 
 
 44 
 
338 THE KIEMEN. 
 
 equally anxious resjjectinsj the fate of many other of- 
 ficers who remained with the baggage of the prmce. 
 In the evening* we ascertained, that owing fo the skill 
 and extraordinary activity of the adjutant of the pal- 
 ace Boiitarel, these strasrglers, had gone to New- 
 Troki to avoid the mountain ofWilna, and that it 
 was only the length of the journey which prevented 
 them from arriving at Ev6. 
 
 (December 1 Ith.) Leaving this village, we were 
 informed by those who had escaped from Wilna, 
 that the Russians had entered it at day-break. A 
 crowd of generals, colonels, and officers, and more 
 than twenty thousand soldiers, who were detamed by 
 weakness, fell into their hands. They added, that 
 the officers had been well treated, but that every sol- 
 dier or servant was immediately ordered to Moscow, 
 to be employed in rebuilding the city. These unfor- 
 tunate men lying in the streets, or public places, 
 without fire, without food, and most of them wound- 
 ed or sick, presented a spectacle so afflicting, that the 
 enemy endeavoured to mitigate their sufferings. The 
 least to be pitied, were those who, having been plun- 
 dered by the cossacks, died shortly after our depar- 
 lure. We now had a thousand proofs of human 
 weakness! the same men who had dragged them- 
 selves along from Moscow to Wilna, wanted courage 
 to pursue their course a few leagues more, when that 
 little space would have ensured their existence. We 
 heard also that the Jews had ill-treated many of our 
 soldiers, particularly those of the imperial guard, llsus 
 wishmg to take revenge for the losses which they had 
 
THE NIEMEN, S39 
 
 suffered ; but the Russians, with that justice which 
 always characterised them, hung* many of these 
 Israelites, as a lesson to the people that they should 
 not mingle their passions with the quarrels of sove* 
 reig'ns. 
 
 The rear of our long column, which covered all 
 the road with the dead and the dying, was continually 
 followed by a cloud of cossacks, who pillaged our 
 soldiers, and afterwards left them to the custody of 
 the peasants, who carried tiieni into the rear, after 
 ti eating them with a thousand indignities. At length 
 the Russians, weary of making prisoners, liberated 
 all the soldiers belonging to the ^confederation of the 
 Rhine, and contented themselves with detaining offi- 
 cers of distinction. But when they seized a Freneh- 
 Bian, miserable as he was, they strijiped him, and 
 treated him with the greatest ridicule. If he march- 
 ed with them during the night, he was ordered to 
 fetch water or wood. They afterwards brutally drove 
 him from the fire which he had kindled. Such was 
 the fatal lot of the soldiers, who compelled to fight, 
 are always the principal victims of the calamities 
 which flow from the quarrels of kings. 
 
 A Gossack officer, who spoke very good French, 
 overtook one of our sutlers, who earnestly implored 
 mercy, exclaiming that he was not a soldier. He 
 then offered his purse to satisfy the cossacks. Not 
 content with this prize, they began to search him, 
 and found in his pockets boxes of gold, diamonds, 
 and numerous rings enriched with precious stones, 
 which he had, no doubt, taken at the pillage of Mos? 
 
S40 THE NIEMEN. 
 
 COW. At the sijffht of this, the officer could not re« 
 strain his mdignation, and said to the sutler, * See 
 to what your avar ce has reduced you. In the hope 
 of plunder, you have followed the armies, to share in 
 their hooiy, wthout partaking- of their dangers. In 
 obtaining^ these much desired riches, you have been 
 enfeebled by their weight, and could not escape m^^ 
 pursuit. I could justly send \ou captive to the city 
 you have ravaged; but you are too miserable to re^ 
 build that which you have destroyed. Return if you 
 can to France ; and when you speak of our clemency, 
 describe to your fellow citizens the miserable state 
 to which they expose themselves, who trouble the 
 peace of the world, by following; the standards of an 
 unjust aggresso!.' At these words he left him to 
 the Cossacks, who, disdaining to make him prisoner, 
 drove him before them, beating him with the handle 
 of their lances. 
 
 Before we arrived at Zismori, we heard a can- 
 nonade at opr rear, and at no great distance ; we 
 lience concluded that the few soldiers of the rear- 
 guard which remained, were briskly pursued. Not» 
 withstanding this, the fatigue of the troops was so 
 great that many, preferring repose to safety, stopped 
 at Zismon ; but the viceroy went on to the village of 
 Koumchichki. 
 
 (December 12th.) Exhausted by long and harass- 
 ing marches, and dyhig with fatigue, we at length 
 arrived at Kowno, where the wiecks of the different 
 corps were re-united. They encamped as usual in 
 the streets, and as we knew that our deplorable sit- 
 
THE NIEME^. 24T 
 
 uation no lona^er permitted us to preserve any disci=^ 
 pline, we g-ave up to pillag-e the magazines, which 
 were amply stored. Immediately, clothes, corn, and 
 rum, were every where seen in abundance. Our 
 quarters were filled with broken casks, and the liquor 
 which was spilled, formed a little sea, in the middle 
 of the public square. The soldiers, having long* been 
 deprived of this beverage, drank to excess, and more 
 than two thousand of them, completely intoxicated, 
 slept upon the snow. Benumbed with cold, they all 
 perished. 
 
 It was announced in the evening that the fourth 
 corps would lake the road to Tiisit ; and as many of 
 IIS, to avoid the strange confusion which generally 
 prevailed, had been accustomed to sleep Oiie or two 
 leagues beyond the head-quarters, a great number 
 set out towards that town. In the middle of the 
 night, the chief of the stuff ctme to look for the 
 fourth corps, which was literally shut up in a single 
 room. He told us that the ordei- had bee > revoked ; 
 and that we were to proceed to Gumbinnen instead 
 of Tilsit. This order and counter-order completed 
 our ruin. From that time, the fourth corps consist- 
 ed only of the household of the prmce, and about 
 eight or ten staff-officers. 
 
 (December I3lh,) A** we left Kowno on the raor 
 row, we found the game tumult which we had ex- 
 perienced at the gate of Wilna. The crewd \Vd> 
 pressing towards the bridge, although the Nieniea 
 was frozen hard enough to have borne the weight of 
 artiiiery. la Kowno sind its environs, we say a greai 
 
342 THE NIEMEN. 
 
 mimher of unfortunate soldiers lyin^ on the snow^ 
 who had perished when they so nearly reached the 
 end of this fatal expedition. VVe were particularly 
 affected at seeing- colonel Vidman amon^ the dead. 
 He was one of the small number of the Italian guards 
 of honour, who had, tdl then, sustained the same fa- 
 tigues as ourselves; but, unable to proceed further, 
 he fell, as he was leaving Kowno to cross the bridge, 
 and expired, without having the satisfaction of dying 
 out of Russia. 
 
 The calamities of the army had extended to the 
 imperial guard, and many of its soldiers died every 
 day from hunger, cold, and fatigue. Among these 
 victims I saw one truly worthy of admiration. He 
 was an old grenadier. As he lay on the bridge of 
 Kowno, he was spared by the crowd, who, passing 
 by him, had respected his uniform, his decorations, 
 and, above all, his th*ee chevrons. This brave man 
 seemed to await his dealh with the utmost firmness, 
 and disdained to have recourse, like so many others, 
 to useless supplications. By chance, some of his 
 comrades passed by, and then he made a last effort 
 to rise, but unable to accomplish it, and feeling him- 
 self dying, he summoned all his strength, and said 
 to one of his companiong, who approached to assist 
 him, * Cense, my friend. Do not lavish ou me su- 
 perfluous assistance. 1 die With regret at being con- 
 quered by eiicmies with whom we could not fight. 
 Famine and winter have alone reduced me to the 
 slate in which you now see me. Tins body, which 
 has supperted more than ten wounds, falls miserably 
 
'THE NIEMEN. M^ 
 
 to-day for want of a morsel of breafl. Ah! if our 
 enemies iiuieed trimnph by means of the rigour of 
 their climate, let them not profane the distinclions 
 that I have gained in tighting against them. C<a-ry 
 to my captain this decoration, which was given to 
 me on the field of Austerlitz ; take him likewise my 
 sabre ; I used it in the b;«ttle of Friediand, and il 
 would still be as fatal to the Russians, as it was at 
 tiiat period, if the approaching spring would permit 
 us to go to Petersburg, as we have been to Mos-> 
 cow.* 
 
 On the morning of the 13th of December, out of 
 four hundred thousand warriors, who had crossed 
 the Nienien^ at the opening of the campaign, scarce- 
 ly twenty thousand men repassed it, of whom at least 
 two thirds had not seen the Kremlin. Arrived at 
 the opposite bank, like ghosts returned from the in- 
 fernal regions, we fearfully looked behind us, and 
 beheld with horror the savage couiitries where we luid 
 suffered so much. No person would then easily be- 
 lieve that we had once regarded these climates wiih- 
 envy, and thought those dishonoured who arrived at 
 them last. 
 
 After crossing the bridge, we turned to the left 
 to reach Gumbinnen. Many wished to go to the 
 right; still thinking, after the order of the preceding 
 evening, that they must, march to Tiisit. We, who 
 followed the proper road, had not proceeded far, 
 when we were obliged to c)imb a lofty mountain^ 
 prodigiously sleep, and which would have been fa- 
 tal to our equipages, if we had not long ago been 
 
344 THE NIlEaiEI«. 
 
 deprived of them. Many carts arid Carriages which 
 -were in the depot of Kowno, and a superb park of 
 artillery, lately arrived from Kuningsberg, were left 
 at the foot of the mountain. 
 
 Scarcely had we arrived in Poland, when our sol- 
 diers dispersed in different roads, and wandered, like 
 simple travellers, in the same country* Which six 
 months before, had been covered With our numerous 
 armies. In the evening, the king of Naples and the 
 prince halted at Skrauda. The si^^me n>orning .(14th 
 December,) when We departed fn m th-s vdlage, the 
 cossacks entered Kowno, passed the Niemen, which 
 was frozen at every point, and spread themselves over 
 the immense plains of Poland, wheie they massacred, 
 or made prisoners many of our scattered soldiers, 
 who, not thinking that the Russians would pass the 
 Niemen, thought that they were safe. 
 
 From Skraudamany took the direction of Thorn } 
 but the viceroy still contniued to iollow the road of 
 Gumbinnen, and arrived in this little town after h v- 
 ing slept at Pillwizken, Virballen, and Datkehmea 
 (14th, 15th, ItJth, and 17ih December.) Thence he 
 sent general Gifflenge, his aid-de-camp, to Konings- 
 berg, to order all those of the 4lh c(-rps who had tak-= 
 ea the road of Tiisit, to proce«3d to Manenwerder. 
 
 Konmgsberg bemg the first great city m ihe vicin- 
 ity of our march, was soon filled with those who^ 
 having escaped from Moscow, hoped now to recover 
 from the raistortunes which lUey hiid sntfe ed. The 
 coffee-houses, the restaiualeurs, the iur..ished bote s^ 
 oouid not at any one t^nce satislv the extent of ouf 
 
^ants. It vi'as necessary to piierce through a crowd 
 to enter any of Ihem, The cold was terrible but the 
 deh'cious sensation of knowing- that we could now 
 defend ourselves against it, and moreover the plea* 
 sure of obtaining whatever we desired, Wiere still 
 inore heightened, since six months of continual hard- 
 ships had deprived us of every thing- in which the 
 comforts of life consisted. 
 
 Thie ktng of Naples came to Konih^sbergi where 
 lie wis cbldly received by the principal authorities of 
 the town. The chiefs of each corps placed themselves 
 in cantonments along thfe Yistula, and occupied the 
 towns of Plock, Thorn, Mari'euberg, Marienwerder, 
 and Elbing. During this lime the Viceroy, having 
 >quitled Gumbinnen, passed by Insterberg and Web- 
 laU, (18th, IDlh December.) to visit the fields of 
 Friedland, Eylau, and Heilsberg (20lh, 2l.st, 22d, 
 December,) thus furnishing himself^ even m these 
 unhappy circumstances, with subjects for useful me*- 
 ditation. (27lh December) His highness arrived at 
 Marienwerder, where he was occupied in collecting 
 together all who remained of the fourth corps. After 
 «very research, we succeeded in collecting about 
 feight hundred wounded, the miserable remains of 
 forty-eight thousand warriors, all of whom had march- 
 ed from Italy to Russia. They were the victims, not 
 of the arms of the enemy, but of the fatal imprudence 
 of their chief, who, not satisfied with having subju- 
 gated the best half of Europe, wished to contend with 
 the elements, for a country which consisted only of 
 deserts. The viceroy afterwards despatched toward* 
 44 
 
346 THE KlEiiEN. 
 
 France and Italy those officers and soldiers, whose iit-^ 
 fiimities would not permit them to undertake anoiber 
 campaign. He rewarded those soldiers who had be- 
 haved well, and punished, by the most sensible dis- 
 graces^ those few who had dishonoured themselves 
 by a cowardly and pusillanimous conduct. 
 
 Such were the dreadful Ccslam»ties which annihi- 
 lated a powerful army, which had rashly undertaken 
 the proudest and the most useless of all expeditions. 
 If we look into the annals of antiquity^ we shall tind 
 that never, smce the time of Gamb^^ses, did so nume- 
 rous a body of men experience such dreadful re- 
 verses. Thus were the bofastful predictions ot Na- 
 poleon at the campaign, literally fulfilled, but with this 
 difference, thatn<)t Russia, but himself * hurried away 
 b^ a fatality^ had accomplished his destiny/ These 
 calamities have had one happy result, by putting an 
 end to a despotic influence ; they have restored t«r 
 Europe her liberty j and to France her happiness. 
 
 •E-NB OF THE NA11RATI¥% 
 
ITINERARY 
 
 Of the march of the Fourth Corps in the Russian Ter^ 
 ritory, during the Campaign oflSl'Z. 
 
 LeagueSc 
 
 1 July, 1812, from Pilony ta Kroni - 2 
 
 2 — *— Melans^ani - ^ - - ^ 
 
 3 — --^ Rouicontoui - - - =- - 6 
 
 4 ^ New-Troki » , .. - 3 
 
 5 < Halted. 
 
 6 — ^ Ditto. 
 
 7 Rudniki - - - - - 6 
 
 8 — ' — r Paradomin - - - - - ^ 
 
 9 Halted. 
 
 10 Paulovo - - - - - - 4 
 
 (At the castle of the count of Choiseuil.) 
 
 11 Ochmiana - - ^ - - 6^ 
 
 12 Sinorghoni ----- 8 
 
 13 — r— Halted. ^ 
 
 14 From Smorghoni to Zachkevitschi ^ 3J 
 
 16 Vileika - - - -- - 8 
 
 ;j6 -_ K^stenevitschi - - - - 6 
 
 Carried over 62,1-2. 
 
 The emperor Napoleon passed the Niemen at Kowno, the 24th 
 June; the 22d, being at Wilkowiski, he declared war against Rus- 
 sia The fourth corps, commanded by the riceroy of Italy, passed 
 the Niemen at Pilony ; the advanced-guard effected its passage th^ 
 29tb ; but the prince and the fifteenth division passed on the I 
 July. On the 28th Napoleon was at Wilna. 
 
848 }TINERARY» 
 
 lipases; 
 Brought over (12^ 
 
 17 July Po'«-bir©w ^ » = » - 4|. 
 
 18 Dokzce „ , ^ , = 7 
 
 19 — Hailed. 
 
 20 — — Bereziivo - - = = =. 6-|. 
 
 21 .^ — _= Po nchna, or Gloaboko6 - ?• - ^t 
 
 22 " ' Kamen » = » - = 6 
 
 23 — ^ Botscheikovo » - - - = 3-|. 
 
 24 — r— Ft om Smorllioni to Bezenkovitschi ^ 4 
 
 25 . .. ., Roritza (3 iHag-nesonthissideOstrowBo) 4f 
 
 26 -— Combat(bivouac at small castle Dobhjka) 5|, 
 
 27 Bivouac before Witepsk - = 2|- 
 
 28 — — BivQuap at Ag^haponovchtchina ° » 5| 
 
 29 — ,- — Sourai <, „ = = =. ^ 
 
 30 Halted. 
 
 1 August Dittc 
 
 2 — ^ Ditto, 
 
 3 Ditto. 
 
 4 _ Ditto. 
 
 5 — — Ditto. 
 
 6 Ditto. 
 
 7 . Ditto, 
 
 8 — Dittoo 
 
 9 . — ^ From Sourai to Janowitschi » ^ 4 
 
 10 — ^ Halted. 
 
 11 — _ Velechkovitschi - ^ » - Bf 
 
 12 — Lozua „ - » - » 2f 
 
 13 _ — . Liouvavitschi .= - - - 5| 
 
 14 ^ — _ Kasasua « - - = - 4 
 
 Carried over 143 
 
ITINEKARy, B4» 
 
 Leagues. 
 Brought over 143 
 15 August Siniaki - - - - * 7,1-4 
 
 16 'Katov^ ... - - - 3 
 
 17 Bivouac (at a league from Korouitnia) 5 
 
 18 Bivouac(nearthec/i«^eawofNovoidvor)5 
 
 jg— — Suburb of Smolensk - - - 1,1-2 
 ^0 — — Passed the Nieper (bivouac above Smo- 
 lensk „-••=- l-S, 
 21 -^ Bivouac same place. 
 
 22 — Ditto. 
 
 23 ^ Volodimerowa ■^ - -^ *• 6 
 24-, — Pologhi . . - - %. 7,1-2 
 
 25 Zaz^l6 r , - - - - 5,1-2 
 
 «26 Mikailovskoe . - - - 7,1-2 
 
 27 ^ Agopochma (passed the Niemen at 
 
 Blaghove) - - - - 4,1-2 
 
 28 — — - Bivouac (round a chateau a league be- 
 yond Bereski) - - - - 4 
 
 29 From Agopochina to Novoe - 9 
 
 30 Halted. 
 
 31 Pokron - ^ - = - 6,3-4 
 
 1 September Paul ova - - - - 6,1-2 
 
 2 — — Woremiewo » » =. » 2 
 
 3 ^ Halted. 
 
 4 Louzos ----- 5,1-? 
 
 5 •• Eiicamped on the heights of Borodino 4 
 
 Q Ditto. 
 
 7 Battle. 
 
 S — " — Ouspenskoe, or Krasnoe - 3,1-4 
 
 Carried over 236,1-4 
 
mo- irmER^RY. 
 
 
 Brought over 
 9 6epteml)cr Rouza - ? 
 10 Halted. 
 
 Leagues. 
 •236, 1-4 
 -6,1-4 
 
 11 Alpalchtchonina r 
 
 12 Zwenighorod 
 
 4,1-2 
 
 3,1-2 
 
 f g __ — Buzaievo „ « 
 
 6,1-2 
 
 14 _ IChorechevo - - 
 
 . 4,3-4 
 
 Id Moscow 
 
 2 
 
 Total from Pilony to Moscow 
 
 263,3-4 
 
 Slopped in this city from 15th September, until 
 18 October. Village on the road from Kalouga, 
 a league from Moscow - - 1 
 
 19 ^ Little village, near B^toutinka bivouac 5 
 
 2'> Inatowo = - - 7,1-2 
 
 21 Fominskoe » ■=• - 3 
 
 22 •, Halted. 
 
 23 -- — From Fominskoe to a village half a 
 
 league beyond Borovsk bivouac -> 7,1-4- 
 
 24 Battle of Malo-Jaroslavitz. Bivouac 4,3-4^ 
 
 25 Hasted. 
 
 26 Onvarovskofrbivouoc ,. - 4 
 
 27 Alfer^va ' - ' » - 4,1-2 
 
 28 Ysilage a leag-ue beyond Borisov, sup- 
 posed to be M!tia6va - - 2,1-2 
 
 29 Ous|;enskoe, called Krasnoe bivouac 5,1-2 
 
 30 Village half a league on the right of the 
 
 road between Kolotskoi an<i P«okofevo 
 bivouac - „ . 6 
 
 Carried over 51 
 
iTINERART. m 
 
 Leasrueso 
 
 Brought over 51 
 
 ^1 October Ghiat bivouac - « - 8,1^ 
 
 1 November Near Velitchevo bivouac 5 
 
 2 Fopderovskoe bivouac . - ^,1-4 
 
 3 ___ — u Battle of Viazina, bivouac half a 
 
 league further - - 8,1-2 
 
 4 — ^ Rouibki, a leag-ue beyond Semlevo 7 
 
 5 Jolkov Postoia Door - - 3^,1-^!^ 
 
 6 Dorogboboui bivouac - 6 
 
 7 From Fominskoe to Zazel^ bivouac 7 
 
 8 Sloboda bivouae - - 4 
 
 9 ■ ' • From Sloboda passed the Wop, bivou- 
 acked at a little village, half a league 
 
 from this river =• » 1 
 
 10, Doiikhovchtchina * * 4,1-'^ 
 
 11 Hated. 
 
 12 ' Wolodimerowa bivouac *- 6,-3-4 
 
 13 Siiioleusko - - ^,1-4 
 
 14 — - Halted* 
 
 15 - — ^ Hamlet three leagues from Smolensko, 
 
 supposed to be Loubna - 3,1-2 
 
 16 ' ■ - Krasnoe - * i 7 
 
 17 ~- — Lfadoui - - ^ 1,1-3 
 
 18 — — Dowbrowna - - S 
 
 19 -»«__ Orcha * ^ = - 4 
 
 20 — — Halted, 
 
 21 Half a league before Kokhanovo bi- 
 vouac - - - , 5 
 
 22 — — Bivouac round a castle, half a league 
 
 this side Toloschiu - 5 
 
 Carried over 15»? 
 
362 ITIKERAHY« 
 
 JBrouglit orer J6S 
 
 23 November Bivooac three leagues from To* 
 
 loschin Hear Jablonka * 4 
 
 24 - - ■ Bobr ^ t. « * 4 
 
 25 — L tile villag^e^ five leagfues from Bobr 
 
 where there is an insulated church, 
 
 bivouafc * ^ i. ^ 6,1-'!^ 
 
 26 — ^-^^ From a village at Nemonitsa, to two 
 
 and a half leagues on this side Bori* 
 
 sovj bivouac ^ ^ d,!--!^ 
 
 27 —'—— Studzianca, passage of theBeresina, 
 
 biVotJafc ^ ^ * 4,1-^ 
 
 28 — — Z-nlbin, bivouac, i ^ i 4,1-2 
 
 29 Kamen, = = ^ ^ « 3,J-4^ 
 
 30 Niestanovitschi^ near 2avichino^ * 6 
 
 1 December Iliia » ^ * - * 4,1-2 
 
 2 — Molodetschino^ & 4 ii 6 
 
 3 . Halted. 
 
 4 village supposed to be Markovo bivouac 7 
 
 5 — — Smorghonij = =. - - 4^1-4 
 
 6— Joupranoui i « ^ * 5 
 
 7 Rovno^Ptle bivouac * » - 6 
 
 8 Roukoni bivouac » * 5,1-^ 
 
 9 «. Wilna * =. „ ^ 3 
 
 10 Ev6 bivouac - - - 10 
 
 11 Zismori - - - - 6 
 
 12 - — — Kowno i = i » 10 
 
 Total 2;j6,1-2 
 
 From Niemeu to Moscow 263,3-4 
 
 Total 520,1-4 
 
A. J_ilo JL 
 
 Of all the Persons mentionedin this work, with their 
 Rank, diuing the Campaign in Russia, 
 
 IVAPOLEON. 
 
 Jerome Bonaparte, kinaj of Westphalia commander of the 8th corps. 
 
 Joachim Murat. king of Naples, commander of all the cavalry 
 
 Eugene de Beauharnois.viceroy of Italy, commander of the 4th corps 
 
 Berthier, prince of Nfufchatel and of Wagram, major general. 
 
 Davoust, prince of Eckmuhl, commander of 1st corps. 
 
 Oudjnot. duke of Reggio, do, 2d. 
 
 Ney, duke of Elchingen, do. 3d prince of Moskwa. 
 
 Prince Poniatowski, do. 5th. 
 
 Marshal count St Cyr, do. 6th. 
 
 General count Regnier, do. 7th. 
 
 Junot, duke of Abrantes, do. 8th. 
 
 Victor, duke of Be'luno, do. 9th 
 
 Duke of Tarentum, do. 10th. 
 
 Prince Schwartzenberg, commander of the Austrian auxiliary corps, 
 
 Bessieres, duke of Istria. commander of the cavalry of the guard. 
 
 Caulincourt, duke of Vicenza, general of division, grand ecuyer. 
 
 Duroc. duke of Frioul, general, grand marshal of the palace. 
 
 Count Rapp, do. ) aids de camp to the 
 
 Count Lauriston, do. ) emperor. 
 
 Count Lefebre Desnouettes. general of division, colonel of the horse 
 
 chasseurs of the guard. 
 Count Priant, general of division, colonel of the grenadiers of the 
 
 foot guards. 
 Count Naosouty, ^ 
 
 Count Grouchy, > Commanders of cavalry corps. 
 
 Count Montbrun, ) 
 General Dessoles, chief of the viceroy's staff. 
 Count Danthouard, commander of the artillery of the 4th corps. 
 Count Ebl6, general of division of artillery, commander of the 
 
 bridge equipages. 
 Count Gudin, ^ 
 
 Baron Gerard, I 
 
 Count Dessaix, I Generals of division — 1st corps 
 
 Count Compans, i 
 
 Count Moraod, j 
 
 Count Verdier, '1 
 
 Count Legrand, > Generals of division— 9d[ corps. 
 
 Barom Merle, } 
 
 45 
 
354 lilST OF NAMES. 
 
 Baron Ledrut, commander of a division— 3d corps. 
 
 Count of Claparede, general of division, commander of the legioE 
 
 of the Vistula. 
 Baron Delsons, ^ 
 
 Count Broussier, > Generals of division-— 4th corps, 
 
 C.)uat Pino, 3 
 
 Baron Wrede, ^ 
 
 General De Roy, > Bavarian generals — 6th corps^ 
 
 General Sierbein, } 
 
 Count Parthonneaux, > j.^^^^^,^ ^j. di,ision-9th corps. 
 Baron Girard, S 
 
 Baron Gramijean, commander of a division — lOth corps. 
 General Gravers, ) p^^^^.^^ generals-lOth corps. 
 
 General Kleist, ) * 
 
 Count Charpeatier. general of division, governor of Smolensko. 
 Count Baraguey d'Hilliers, general of division. 
 Count Loison, comijqiander of a division, from Koningsberg. 
 General Dombrowski, commander of a Polish division 
 Count Sanson, general of division, chief of the topographical bureauf. 
 Baron Haxo, general of division of engineers. 
 Count Sebastiani, 1 
 
 BaroD Lahoussaye, j 
 
 Count Bruyeres, } Generals of division of cavalry. 
 
 Bnron de St Germain, | 
 Baron Doumerc, j 
 
 Count Preyssing, commander of a division of light Bavarian cavalry^ 
 Prince Caartoryski, grand marshal of the diet of Warsaw. 
 Count Mejean, counsellor of state of the kingdom of Italy, and 
 
 secretary of the viceroy. 
 Genera' Poitevin (baron Maureillan,) commander of the engineers 
 
 of the 4th corps. 
 Baron Aubrey, commander of artillery of 2d corps. 
 
 GENERALiS of BaiGADE 
 
 Barons Ricard, Roussel. Huard, Piausanne, Bonami, Nagle, Ange- 
 reau, Marion, Compere, Villata, Pontane, Levie, Cbastel, Berk- 
 faeim, Colbert, Castex, Saint Geniez, Aug Caulincourt, Pajol^ 
 Guyon. 
 
 Pouget, general of brigade, governor of Witepsk, 
 
 Lecchi, ditto. ditto, commander of the Italian guard. 
 
 Lepel, aid de camp to the king of Westphalia. 
 
 D'Hery, aid de camp to the king of Naples. 
 
 Klengel, general in the Saxon service. 
 
 General Jomini, governor of Orcha. 
 
 |Baron Triaire, general of brigade, aid-decamp to the viceroy „ 
 
MST OP NAMES. 35^ 
 
 Baron Gifflenge, general of brigade, aid decamp to the viceroy „ 
 Baron Lacroix, c^^lonel, ditto. 
 Count Louis TaS'jher Lapagerie, ^ 
 
 Charles Labedoyere, ! ^^^.^^^ ^f squadrons. 
 
 Maurice M jean, } 
 
 Julfls Desseve. J 
 
 Colonel Delfanti, officer of the ordnance of the viceroy. 
 
 Andre Corner, lieutenant ditto. 
 
 Liedot, colonel of engineers, 
 
 Marboeuf, colonel of lancers. 
 
 Kliski, Polish colonel, with the viceroy. 
 
 Radzivil, colonel of the 8th P'^Hsh Hulans. 
 
 Durieu, adjutant commander, sub-chief of the staff of the 4th corps. 
 
 De Bourmont, ) 
 
 Asselin, > Adjutant commanders attached to this staff* 
 
 Forestier, y 
 
 Colonel Grosbon, of the 53d regiment. 
 
 = Battaglia. commander of the Italian guards of honour. 
 
 ■ Vidraann, commander of the company of the Venetian 
 
 guards of honour. 
 
 ■ Demay, commander of the artillery of the 13th divisioDo 
 
 Banco, of the horse chasseurs. 
 
 Rambourg, of the 3d ditto. 
 
 D'Oreille, major of the Spanish regiment Joseph Napoleon. 
 
 Vives, major of artillery. 
 
 Colaud, chief of battalion, waggon master-general of the 4th corps. 
 
 Sewlinge, ditto, i^ttached to the staff. 
 
 Boutarel, captain uf horse-chasseurs, adjutant of the palais royal 
 
 of Alonza. 
 Trezel, captain, aid-de-camp of general Guilleminot. 
 Maisonneure, ^ 
 
 Joaard, > Assistant captains of the staff of the 4th corps. 
 
 Evrard, j 
 
 Morlaincourt, captain of engineers to the 4th division. 
 Bonardelle, captain of artillery. 
 
 Ferrari, ^ ^^"'^' \ Oncers of hussari. 
 
 Savarv' \ Captains qf the 9th of the line. 
 
 Bordoni, ) Lieutenants in the Italian guards of 
 
 Mastini, ) honour. 
 
 Saint Mareellin de Pontanes, attached to thestaff of the 4(h corps„ 
 Lesseps, French consul at Moscow 
 
 yilleblanche, auditor of the council of state, intendant of Sma- 
 lensko. 
 
-356 iTST OF NAMES. 
 
 ALEX \N'DER f. einperor of Russia. 
 
 Graiul (!uke C);istantioe. 
 
 Prince K'liiurt^, cotamaMder-in-ebief of the Hussian army. 
 
 Barclay d« Tilly, coinmander-in chief belbre the arrival or prince 
 
 Kufusoff 
 Prince Witt gje ostein, commander of the Is' Russ^ail corps. 
 C Ba£;a\vout, do. 2<i do. 
 
 SeSiomoaloff, do. 3d do. 
 
 Generals I ^''^^^'''^^< <5o. 4lh do. 
 
 J '^riace Bnwration, do. 5t^'* do. 
 
 I 9octorovv, do, 6th do. 
 
 (^ Corraasovv, do. 7t' do. 
 
 Almiral Tj • liicax )if. com nanrler of the army of the Danube. 
 Platotr aetman of the Cossacks. ^ki,^^ 
 
 Pratoff, son. 
 
 O' low D^aatsosv, general of the advanced-guard. 
 Kamensld ^^ 
 
 ■j^^ ^ ' \. Generals commanders in Yolhynia. 
 
 Essen, / "^ 
 
 Marcoff, ) 
 
 Repnin, ) Generals, commanders in the corps of 
 
 Sreni;el, ) prince vVittgen- tein. 
 
 Limbert, commanding a division of the army of the Danube. 
 8 i.^ perse, general, employed in the second army of the West. 
 Ostermann, ^ 
 
 Beunigsen, ^ Generals employed in the centre of the Russiae 
 
 Ouvarow, i ^ * 
 
 Balla, } 
 
 K mlaiew, general of light cavalry. 
 
 K >ff general of cavalry. 
 
 Miloradowitch. commander- general of the advanced-guard of prince 
 
 Kuiusoff. 
 Archbishop Platon. 
 
 Bishop Augustin, vicar of Moscow. ^ 
 
 Rostopchin, 
 MomonofT, 
 
 Oriow, y Nobles of Moscow. 
 
 SaHikoff, 
 Sherimitow, 
 
 * Second corps, called the army of the west, 
 THE ENt*. 
 
Jiii'muw of Uif Emfmtr m ilif m'ghls ff '^^^^ie6^i'CT. 
 
///.■ .)." .\.o!','fs>/i:j,ij'i. 
 
 (XAJ^I\t\Kib 
 
 
 A ^«-V 
 
 
 
 U^ 
 
 I Itnasi.ii, ILil'iilil i;iisr,l //"■ ■'''!' I rSr/ilmilirr 
 
 ;! i,;,i,„i.' ,.■/,;./, ih, II,,..:.,,,, /,.s.-;s„l ,l„,„,:i "•■ H-"'' 
 
 I tl />^,».« ,;, ,/ //»/../«/ Il„(l.r,i 
 
 .-, /,v,/-v,«/.v /;.,• „ .v.,r,. ,i/,/«"/,- AVA. /»///" "'■'/"• /"•"'"■" 
 
 li /,■/,,.,/-.,■ -./• hii„f l\,ii„.wir 
 
 /tislilirlittis h/liff' 
 
 W ll„x.ii,,li S,/il,i'lrt:„ if /llixrinlin, I'li^nlri/ Infimli 
 
 ••' '■''»'■■'■ '"'/'■' "'■ '"'-"■"""" tCrr, Tr..,.,.,. 
 
 
 Am- 
 
 Srklr uTKiildiili Ynrda. 
 
 
 
 Scale of rralrli UeUM- 
 
 'V ninnAhf\ltrV!ir ll.y ,n I*' miihli ,fll„ /* A'.;" 
 
 
 <^ 
 
 
Scede of IteucK Metres . 
 
OF THVy-^W 
 
 1.1" 
 
 MA M& - .lARO .S LAV BT Z 
 
 I.I.I. i',„„i,u,nr,i„,i.u .iri;,„lf,i i.f/i.i,,- ii'/,i„;, ,r 
 
 U l:l."' JJlvUhn J>rl„.ns. 
 ■It IV!' l/!v!,;,m llr,.,l^>lrr. 
 
 A /./."' /lf,L,!,'„ hi,.: 
 
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