ith six thousand of the Russian
Imperial Guard, received orders to stop the French at all hazards. He
threw himself across the road, drove back their advanced guard, and
held his ground so tenaciously, that nothing could move him. Ostermann
himself lost an arm; the elite of the Russian guard died where they
fought; but Toeplitz was saved, and the certain ruin which its capture
would have brought upon the Allied cause was averted.

When a fierce battle once begins, there is no calculating in what
results it may terminate. Vandamme became irritated by the resistance
which was made to him; and, still hoping to bear it down, sent
continually for reinforcements. The heights of Peterswald were, in
consequence, gradually denuded of guards, and at last not so much as a
picquet remained to observe what might approach them. The fresh columns
were numerous and brave, but they arrived too late at the scene of
action. Already were the leading battalions of Barclay de Tolly's corps
in the field, and brigade after brigade followed them. Then, indeed,
Vandamme began to perceive that he would have acted more judiciously
had he adhered strictly to Napoleon's orders. But not being aware of
all the difficulties of his position, he did not like to abandon it;
and merely changed his ground so as to embrace Kulm in his line, and
there awaited on the morrow a renewal of the contest.

Vandamme committed a very grievous error in this. The night was at his
own disposal, and he ought to have availed himself of it to recover the
heights of Peterswald. His pride took the alarm; and, trusting that the
Allies, defeated before Dresden, would be utterly disorganised, and
that their pursuers would arrive close upon their heels, let them
appear in what quarter they might, he made up his mind to give battle
again on the 30th. The dawn of that day showed him that his enemies had
been more prudent than he. Not his front only, but both flanks were
threatened; that is to say, the Allies, gathering additional strength
from hour to hour, had completely overlapped his right; while his left,
closed in by the mountains, was at once supported, and rendered, for
any movement in retreat, completely useless. The Allies came on with
great courage, somewhere about eighty thousand men being in their line;
and till two o'clock the battle raged with indescribable fury. But the
odds were irresistable. Vandamme began, in the presence of the victor,
a retrogressive movement,