oo heavy for this frail bridge.
They attempted the passage at different points, and one after another
went down, amidst the shrieks of the dying and the groans of the
onlookers. The Cossacks had by this time gathered hard behind, and
swept up many stragglers, besides the sick. But Ney had achieved his
great object: and on the 20th, he, with his small and devoted band,
joined the Emperor once more at Orcsa. Napoleon received him in his
arms, hailed him as "the bravest of the brave," and declared that he
would have given all his treasures to be assured of his safety.

The Emperor was once more at the head of his united "grand army"; but
the name was ere now become a jest. Between Smolensko and the Dnieper
the Russians had taken 228 guns, and 26,000 prisoners; and, in a word,
having mustered 40,000 effective men at leaving Smolensko, Napoleon
could count only 12,000 after Ney joined him at Orcsa. Of these there
were but 150 cavalry; and, to remedy this defect, officers still in
possession of horses, to the number of 500, were now formed into a
"sacred band," as it was called, for immediate attendance on the
Emperor's person. The small fragment of his once gigantic force had no
sooner recovered something like the order of discipline, than it was
again set in motion.

But scarcely had the Emperor passed the Dnieper, when he received the
tidings of the fall of Minsk, and the subsequent retreat of
Schwartzenberg towards Warsaw. It was, therefore, necessary, to alter
his plan, and force a passage into Poland to the northward of that great
depot. It was necessary, moreover, to do this without loss of time, for
the Emperor well knew that Witgenstein had been as successful on his
right flank, as Tchichagoff on his left; and that these generals might
soon be, if they already were not, in communication with each other, and
ready to unite all their forces for the defence of the next great river
on his route--the Beresina.

Napoleon had hardly resolved to attempt the passage of this river at
Borizoff, ere, to renew all his perplexities, he received intelligence
that Witgenstein had defeated Dombrowski there, and retained possession
of the town and bridge. Victor and Oudinot, indeed, advanced immediately
to succour Dombrowski, and re-took Borizoff; but Witgenstein burnt the
bridge before he re-crossed the Beresina. Imperfect as Victor's success
was, Napoleon did not hear of it immediately. He determined to pass the
Beresina higher u