ad rolled, and the putrified flesh of the dead,
had served for dressing for his wounds and food for the support of his
languishing existence. Those who say that they discovered this man
affirm that they saved him.

Farther on, we again beheld the great abbey or hospital of Kolotskoi, a
sight still more hideous than that of the field of battle. At Borodino
all was death, but not without its quiet; there at least the battle was
over; at Kolotskoi it was still raging. Death here seemed to be pursuing
his victims, who had escaped from the engagement, with the utmost
malignity; he penetrated into them by all their senses at once. They
were destitute of every thing for repelling his attacks, excepting
orders, which it was impossible to execute in these deserts, and which,
moreover, issuing from too high and too distant a quarter, passed
through too many hands to be executed.

Still, in spite of famine, cold, and the most complete destitution, the
devotedness of a few surgeons and a remnant of hope, still supported a
great number of wounded in this pestiferous abode. But when they saw the
army repass, and that they were about to be left behind, the least
infirm crawled to the threshold of the door, lined the way, and extended
towards us their supplicating hands.

The Emperor had just given orders that each carriage, of whatever kind
it might be, should take up one of these unfortunate creatures, that the
weakest should be left, as at Moscow, under the protection of such of
the wounded and captive Russian officers as had been recovered by our
attentions. He halted to see this order carried into execution, and it
was at a fire kindled with his forsaken waggons that he and most of his
attendants warmed themselves. Ever since morning a multitude of
explosions proclaimed the numerous sacrifices of this kind which it
already had been found necessary to make.

During this halt, an atrocious action was witnessed. Several of the
wounded had just been placed in the suttlers' carts. These wretches,
whose vehicles were overloaded with the plunder of Moscow, murmured at
the new burden imposed upon them; but being compelled to admit it, they
held their peace. No sooner, however, had the army recommenced its
march, than they slackened their pace, dropped behind their columns, and
taking advantage of a lonely situation, they threw all the unfortunate
men committed to their care into the ditches. One only lived long enough
to be picked up