itherto supported by a
continued irritation, sunk and fell into decomposition. Lariboissiere,
general-in-chief of the artillery, fell a sacrifice; Eble, the pride of
the army, followed him. Every day and every hour, our consternation was
increased by fresh deaths.

In the midst of this general mourning, a sudden insurrection, and a
letter from Macdonald, contributed to convert all these sorrows into
despair. The sick could no longer cherish the expectation of dying free;
the friend was either compelled to desert his expiring friend, the
brother his brother, or to drag them in that state to Elbing. The
insurrection was only alarming as a symptom; it was put down; but the
intelligence transmitted by Macdonald was decisive.

CHAP. VI.

On the side where that marshal commanded, the whole of the war had been
only a rapid march from Tilsit to Mittau, a display of force from the
mouth of the Aa to Duenaburg, and finally, a long defensive position in
front of Riga; the composition of that army being almost entirely
Prussian, its position and Napoleon's orders so willed it.

It was a piece of great audacity in the Emperor to entrust his left
wing, as well as his right and his retreat, to Prussians and Austrians.
It was observed, that at the same time he had dispersed the Poles
throughout the whole army; many persons thought that it would have been
preferable to collect in one point the zeal of the latter, and to have
divided the hatred of the former. But we everywhere required natives as
interpreters, scouts, or guides, and felt the value of their audacious
ardour on the true points of attack. As to the Prussians and Austrians,
it is probable that they would not have allowed themselves to be
dispersed. On the left, Macdonald, with seven thousand Bavarians,
Westphalians, and Poles, mixed with twenty-two thousand Prussians,
appeared sufficient to answer for the latter, as well as for the
Russians.

In the advance march, there had been at first nothing to do, but to
drive the Russian posts before them, and to carry off some magazines.
Afterwards there were a few skirmishes between the Aa and Riga. The
Prussians, after a rather warm affair, took Eckau from the Russian
General Lewis; after which both sides remained quiet for twenty days.
Macdonald employed that time in taking possession of Duenaburg, and in
getting the heavy artillery brought to Mittau, which was necessary for
the siege of Riga.

On the intelligence o