henceforward each ought to put confidence in himself alone.

At the same time he apprised the Emperor, that a woody country on his
left might favour attempts against his flank and rear; that his first
line, backed against a ravine, might be precipitated into it; that in
short the position which he occupied, in advance of a defile, was
dangerous, and rendered a retrograde movement absolutely necessary. But
Napoleon would not consent to this step, though he had at first pointed
out Woronowo as a more secure position. In this war, still in his view
rather political than military, he dreaded above all the appearance of
receding. He preferred risking every thing.

At the same time, on the 13th of October, he sent back Lauriston to
Murat, to examine the position of the vanguard. As to the Emperor,
either from a tenacious adherence to his first hope, or that any
disposition which might be construed into a preparation for retreat,
equally shocked his pride and his policy, a singular negligence was
remarked in his preparations for departure. He nevertheless thought of
it, for that very day he traced his plan of retreat by Woloklamsk,
Zubtzow, and Bieloe, on Witepsk. A moment afterwards he dictated another
on Smolensk. Junot received orders to burn on the 21st, at Kolotskoi,
all the muskets of the wounded, and to blow up the ammunition waggons.
D'Hilliers was to occupy Elnia, and to form magazines at that place. It
was not till the 17th, at Moscow, that Berthier thought of causing
leather to be distributed for the first time among the troops.

This major-general was a wretched substitute for his principal on this
critical occasion. In a strange country and climate, he recommended no
new precaution, and he expected the minutest details to be dictated by
his Emperor. They were forgotten. This negligence or want of foresight
was attended with fatal consequences. In an army, each division of which
was commanded by a marshal, a prince, or even a king, one relied perhaps
too much on the other. Besides, Berthier gave no orders of himself; he
thought it enough to repeat exactly the very letter of Napoleon's
commands; for, as to their spirit, either from fatigue or habit, he was
incessantly confounding the positive with the conjectural parts of those
instructions.

Napoleon meanwhile rallied his _corps d'armee_. The reviews which he
held in the Kremlin were more frequent; he formed all the dismounted
cavalry into battalions, and lavish