lying a great army in the field; by Germans, who regarded the French
Emperor as the enemy of the world, and served him accordingly with
reluctance; or finally, by Polish Jews--a race of inveterate smugglers,
and consequently of inveterate swindlers.

The result was, that after spending three weeks at Wilna, the Emperor
found himself under the necessity, either of laying aside his invasion
for another year, or of urging it in the face of every difficulty which
he had foreseen, and, moreover, of that presented by a commissariat less
effective by two-thirds than he had calculated on.

[Footnote 61: This officer had been born and educated in Germany. He was
descended from an ancient Scottish family, exiled for adherence to the
Stuarts, in 1715.]

CHAPTER XXX

Russia makes Peace with England, with Sweden, and with
Turkey--Internal preparations--Napoleon leaves Wilna--The
Dwina--Bagrathion's Movements--Battle of Smolensko--Battle of
Borodino--Napoleon enters Moscow--Constancy and Enthusiasm of the
Russians--Conduct of Rostophchin--The burning of Moscow--Kutusoff
refuses to Treat.

While Napoleon was detained in the capital of Lithuania by the confusion
and slowness which marked almost every department of his commissariat at
this great crisis, the enemy employed the unexpected pause to the best
advantage. The Czar signed treaties of strict alliance with England,
Sweden, and the Spanish Cortes, in the middle of July; and the
negotiation with Turkey was urged, under the mediation of England, so
effectually, that a peace with that Power also was proclaimed early in
August. By these means Alexander was enabled to withdraw whatever troops
he had been maintaining on the two flanks of his European dominions, and
bring them all to the assistance of his main army. Admiral Tchichagoff,
at the head of 50,000 soldiers, hitherto opposed to the Turks on the
side of Moldavia, marched towards the left wing of Barclay de Tolly's
force; and the right, which had gradually retired until it reached a
strong camp formed on the river Dwina, was reinforced from Finland,
though not so largely. The enthusiasm of the Russian nation appeared in
the extraordinary rapidity with which supplies of every kind were poured
at the feet of the Czar. From every quarter he received voluntary offers
of men, of money, of whatever might assist in the prosecution of the
war. The Grand Duchess, whose hand Napoleon had solicited