t only the courage but
also the cupidity of Platof's Cossacks.

It is possible, indeed, that the Hetman made sure of destroying the
Viceroy on the following day. In fact, all his measures were so well
planned, that at the moment when the army of Italy, after an unquiet and
disorderly march, came in sight of Dukhowtchina, a town yet uninjured,
and was joyfully hastening forward to shelter itself there, several
thousand Cossacks sallied forth from it with cannon, and suddenly
stopped its progress: at the same time Platof, with all his hordes, came
up and attacked its rear-guard and both flanks.

Persons, who were eye-witnesses, assert that a complete tumult and
disorder then ensued; that the disbanded men, the women, and the
attendants, ran over one another, and broke quite through the ranks;
that, in short, there was a moment when this unfortunate army was but a
shapeless mass, a mere rabble rout whirling round and round. All seemed
to be lost; but the coolness of the Prince and the efforts of the
officers saved all. The best men disengaged themselves; the ranks were
again formed. They advanced, firing a few volleys, and the enemy, who
had every thing on his side excepting courage, the only advantage yet
left us, opened and retired, confining himself to a mere demonstration.

The army took his place still warm in that town, beyond which he went to
bivouac, and to prepare similar surprises to the very gates of Smolensk.
For this disaster at the Wop had made the Viceroy give up the idea of
separating from the Emperor; there these hordes grew bolder; they
surrounded the 14th division. When Prince Eugene would have gone to its
relief, the men and their officers, stiffened with a cold of twenty
degrees, which the wind rendered most piercing, continued stretched on
the warm ashes of their fires. To no purpose did he point out to them
their comrades surrounded, the enemy approaching, the bullets and balls
which were already reaching them; they refused to rise, protesting that
they would rather perish than any longer have to endure such cruel
hardships. The vedettes themselves had abandoned their posts. Prince
Eugene nevertheless contrived to save his rear-guard.

It was in returning with it towards Smolensk that his stragglers had
been driven back on Ney's troops, to whom they communicated their panic;
all hurried together towards the Dnieper; here they crowded together at
the entrance of the bridge, without thinking of defe