A Circumstantial Narrative of the Campaign in Russia: Embellished with Plans of the Battles of the Moskwa and Malo-Jaroslavitz ...Samuel Leigh, 1815 - 442 pages A narrative of the French invasion of Russia in 1812. |
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abandoned advanced-guard aide-de-camp arms arrived artillery attack baggage banks Bavarian Belluno Beresina bivouack Borovsk brave bridge cavalry chasseurs chateau Colonel commanded compelled cossacks Count courage crossed crowd cuirassiers Dnieper dreadful Duke of Elchingen Duke of Reggio Dwina Eckmuhl Elchingen eminence Emperor encamped endeavoured enemy fatal fatigue field of battle fire flames followed forced formed fourth corps French Gifflenga grand halted heard Hetman honour horses houses imperial guard infantry inhabitants Italian guards Kaluga King of Naples Kowno Krasnoë leagues Lithuania Malo-Jaroslavitz manœuvres ment Minsk miserable Moscow Moskwa Napoleon neral Niemen night o'clock officers Orcha ordered passage passed perceived pieces of cannon Poland position Prince of Eckmuhl rear rear-guard redoubt regiment remained retreat river road royal guard ruins Russian army scarcely side Smolensko soldiers soon staff thousand tion town troops Viazma Viceroy village waggons whole Wilna Witepsk Wittgenstein wood wounded wretched
Popular passages
Page 375 - ... to arrive at the river. Some, who were buried in these horrible heaps, still breathed, and struggling with the agonies of death, caught hold of those who mounted over them; but these kicked them with violence, to disengage themselves, and, without remorse, trod them under foot.
Page 22 - Second bulletin of the grand army. planation of her strange conduct until the French eagles have repassed the Rhine and left our allies at her mercy. Russia is hurried away by a fatality! Her destinies will be fulfilled. Does she think us degenerated? Are we no more the soldiers who fought at Austerlitz? She places us between dishonour and war. Our choice cannot be difficult. Let us then march forward. Let us cross the Niemen, and carry the war into her country.
Page 372 - ... thirst, any one asked for a single drop of water from another who carried a full supply, the refusal was accompanied by the vilest abuse. We often heard those who had once been friends, and whose education had been liberal, bitterly disputing with each other for a little straw, or a piece of horse-flesh, which they were attempting to divide. This campaign was therefore the more terrible, as it brutalized the character, and stained us with vices to which we had before been strangers. Even those...
Page 196 - I penetrated at length into the interior of the exchange; but, alas! it was no more the building so renowned for its magnificence; it was rather a vast furnace, from every side of which the burning rafters were continually falling, and threatening us with instant destruction. I could still, however, proceed with some degree of safety under the piazzas. These were filled with numerous warehouses, which the soldiers had broken open; every chest was rifled, and the spoil exceeded all their expectations.
Page 382 - Polanese corps of General Girard, which till then had held them in check. At the sight of the enemy, those who had not already passed, mingled with the Polanders, and rushed precipitately towards the bridge. The artillery, the baggagewaggons, the cavalry, and the foot-soldiers, all pressed on, contending which should pass the first. The strongest threw into the river those who were weaker, and hindered their passage, or unfeelingly trampled under foot all the sick whom they found in their way.
Page 135 - the latest posterity recount with pride your ** conduct on this day ; let them say of you,— " ' He was at the great battle under the walls of
Page 213 - Nothing could equal the anguish which absorbed every feeling heart, and which w.as increased in the dead of the night, by the cries of the miserable victims who were savagely murdered, or by the screams of the young females, who fled for protection to their weeping mothers, and whose ineffectual struggles tended only to inflame the passion of their violators. To...
Page 214 - Desirous of terminating the recital of this horrible catastrophe, for which history wants expressions, and poetry has no colours, I shall pass over, in silence, many circumstances revolting to humanity, and merely describe the dreadful confusion which arose in our army, when the fire had reached every part of Moscow, and the whole city was become one immense flame. A long row of carriages were perceived through the thick smoke, loaded with booty.
Page 192 - Although Moscow had been entered by some of our troops the preceding day, so extensive and so deserted was the town that no soldier had yet penetrated into the quarter which we were to occupy. The most intrepid minds were affected by this loneliness. The streets were so long that our cavalry could not recognize each other from the opposite extremities.
Page 271 - Borodino, my consternation was inexpressible, at finding the twenty thousand men, who had perished there, yet lying exposed. The whole plain was entirely covered with them. None of the bodies were more than half buried. . In one place were to be seen garments yet red with blood, and bones gnawed by dogs and birds of prey; in another were broken arms, drums, helmets, and swords.