, set the
example by raising a regiment on her estate. Moscow offered to equip and
arm 80,000 men. Platoff, the veteran hetman of the Cossacks, promised
his only daughter and 200,000 roubles to the man by whose hand
Buonaparte should fall. Noblemen everywhere raised troops, and displayed
their patriotism by serving in the ranks themselves, and entrusting the
command to experienced officers, chosen by the government. The
peasantry participated in the general enthusiasm, and flocked in from
every province, demanding arms and training. Two hundred thousand
militiamen were called out, and in separate divisions began their march
upon the camp.

Napoleon, having done whatever lay in his power to remedy the disorders
of his commissariat--and this, after all, does not appear to have been
much--at length reappeared in the field. He had now determined to make
St. Petersburg his mark: he counted much on the effects which a
triumphal entry into the capital would produce throughout the country;
and the fleet at Cronstadt was in itself a prize of the utmost
importance. He directed, therefore, all his efforts towards the Dwina,
where the Russian commander-in-chief had now halted on extensive
intrenchments, and Riga. This town, however, was now defended, not only
by Essen, but by the English sailors of Admiral Martin's fleet, and
resisted effectually; and, to the confusion of Napoleon, he was repelled
in three successive attempts to force Barclay's camp at Dunaburg.

He upon this changed his plan of operations, and resolving to march, not
for Petersburg, but for Moscow, threw forward the centre of his army,
under Davoust, with the view of turning Barclay's position, and cutting
off his communications with Bagrathion. That general was compelled by
this movement to pass the Dnieper (or Borysthenes); and Barclay, on
perceiving the object of Davoust's march, broke up from the camp on the
Dwina, and retired upon Vitepsk, where he hoped to be joined by
Bagrathion. Davoust, however, brought Bagrathion to action near Mohilow,
on the 23rd of July; and as the French remained in possession of that
town at the end of the day, the Russians found themselves under the
necessity of altering the line of their retreat. Bagrathion informed
Barclay that he was now marching, not on Vitepsk, but on Smolensko, and
the commander-in-chief felt the necessity of abandoning Vitepsk also.
During three days (the 25th, 26th, and 27th of July), his troops were
enga