alry would be able to pass; that all would not then be lost, both
peace and war, as if Napoleon himself remained in the enemy's hands. The
marshal therefore did not hesitate. In the night of the 23d, the general
of artillery, a company of pontonniers, a regiment of infantry, and the
brigade Corbineau, took possession of Studzianka.

At the same time the other two passages were reconnoitred, and both
found to be strongly observed. The object therefore was to deceive and
displace the enemy. As force could do nothing, recourse was had to
stratagem; in furtherance of which, on the 24th, three hundred men and
several hundred stragglers were sent towards Oukoholda, with
instructions to collect there, with as much noise as possible, all the
necessary materials for the construction of a bridge; the whole division
of the cuirassiers was also made to promenade on that side within view
of the enemy.

In addition to this, Major General Lorence had several Jews sought out
and brought to him; he interrogated them with great apparent minuteness
relative to that ford, and the roads leading from it to Minsk. Then,
affecting to be mightily pleased with their answers, and to be satisfied
that there was no better passage to be found, he retained some of these
rascals as guides, and had the others conveyed beyond our out-posts. But
to make still more sure of the latter _not_ keeping their word with him,
he made them swear that they would return to meet us, in the direction
of lower Berezina, in order to inform us of the enemy's movements.

While these attempts were making to draw Tchitchakof's attention
entirely to the left, the means of effecting a passage were secretly
preparing at Studzianka. It was only on the 25th, at five in the
evening, that Eble arrived there, followed only by two field forges, two
waggons of coal, six covered waggons of utensils and nails, and some
companies of pontonniers. At Smolensk he had made each workman provide
himself with a tool and some cramp-irons.

But the tressels, which had been made the day before, out of the beams
of the Polish cabins, were found to be too weak. The work was all to do
over again. It was found to be quite impossible to finish the bridge
during the night; it could only be fixed during the following day, the
26th, in full daylight, and under the enemy's fire; but there was no
room for hesitation.

On the first approach of that decisive night, Oudinot ceded to Napoleon
the occupati