t the
noise of this engagement in the rear of their own, threatening their
retreat. The action had now continued ever since seven in the morning,
and night was approaching: the baggage must by this time have got away,
and the French generals began to retire.

This retrograde movement increased the ardor of the enemy, and but for a
memorable effort of the 25th, 57th, and 85th regiments, and the
protection of a ravine, Davoust's corps would have been broken, turned
by its right, and destroyed. Prince Eugene, who was not so briskly
attacked, was able to effect his retreat more rapidly through Viazma;
but the Russians followed him thither, and had penetrated into the town
at the very time when Davoust, pursued by 20,000 men, and overwhelmed by
eighty pieces of cannon, in his turn attempted to pass.

Morand's division first entered the place: it was marching on with
confidence, under the idea that the action was over, when the Russians,
who were concealed by the windings of the streets, suddenly fell upon
it. The surprise was complete, and the confusion great: Morand
nevertheless rallied and encouraged his men, retrieved matters, and
fought his way through.

It was Compans who put an end to the affair. He closed the march with
his division. Finding himself too closely pressed by the bravest troops
of Miloradovitch, he turned about, dashed in person at the most eager,
overthrew them, and having thus made them fear him, he finished his
retreat without farther molestation. This conflict, glorious to each,
was in its result disastrous to all. It was, unhappily, without unity or
order. There were troops enough to conquer had there not been too many
commanders. It was not till near two o'clock that the latter met to
concert their manoeuvres, and these were even then executed without
harmony.

When at length the river, the town of Viazma, night, mutual fatigue, and
Marshal Ney had established a barrier between them and the enemy, the
danger being adjourned and the bivouacs established, the numbers were
counted. Several pieces of cannon which had been broken, the baggage,
and four thousand killed or wounded were found missing. Many of the
soldiers, too, had dispersed. Their honor had been saved, but there were
immense gaps in their ranks. It was necessary to close them up, to bring
everything within a narrower compass, to form what remained into a more
compact whole. Each regiment scarcely composed a battalion, each
battalion s