ext came Bernadotte's division, separated by the highroad
from Brunn to Olmutz from the division under Murat, which, besides his
own cavalry, contained Oudinot's grenadiers and Bessiere's battalions
of the Imperial Guard; the centre and right being formed of Soult's
division, the strongest of all; the reserve, consisting of several
battalions of the Guard and a strong force of artillery, being under
the immediate orders of Napoleon, to be employed wherever circumstances
demanded.

These were the dispositions for the coming battle, made with all the
precision of troops moving on parade; and such was the discipline of the
army at Boulogne, and so perfectly arranged the plans of the Emperor,
that the ground of every regiment was marked out, and each corps moved
into its allotted space with the regularity of some piece of mechanism.

CHAPTER III. AUSTERLITZ

The dispositions for the battle of Austerlitz occupied the entire day.
From sunrise Napoleon was on horse-back, visiting every position; he
examined each battery with the skill of an old officer of artillery;
and frequently dismounting from his horse, carefully noted the slightest
peculiarities of the ground,--remarking to his staff, with an accuracy
which the event showed to be prophetic, the nature of the struggle, as
the various circumstances of the field indicated them to his practised
mind.

It was already late when he turned his horse's head towards the bivouac
hut,--a rude shelter of straw,--and rode slowly through the midst of
that great army. The _ordre du jour_, written at his own dictation, had
just been distributed among the soldiers; and now around every watchfire
the groups were kneeling to read the spirit-stirring lines by which he
so well knew how to excite the enthusiasm of his followers. They were
told that "the enemy were the same Russian battalions they had already
beaten at Hollabrunn, and on whose flying traces they had been marching
ever since." "They will endeavor," said the proclamation, "to turn our
right, but in doing so they must open their flank to us: need I say what
will be the result? Soldiers, so long as with your accustomed valor you
deal death and destruction in their ranks, so long shall I remain
beyond the reach of fire; but let the victory prove, even for a moment,
doubtful, your Emperor shall be in the midst of you. This day must
decide forever the honor of the infantry of France. Let no man leave his
ranks to succor the wo