Studenki to unite with Langeron, after leaving only a regiment of infantry, one of hussars, some Cossacks, and twelve guns, to watch the ford. Before finally removing, however, he advised the Admiral" that he was satisfied that the enemy were throwing bridges across at that point;" but the order of Kutusow was so precise that even then no deviation was thought advisable.

Kutusow, designedly or undesignedly, was thus again the preserver of Napoleon; for error, if error it were, might have been avoided by a closer pursuit, which would have kept Napoleon in view, instead of maintaining systematically an interval of four marches behind, and thus allowing him full latitude for the selection of the route he might deem most expedient after reaching Bobr, which formed the point of the triangle with Borisow and Beresino, from which it was nearly equidistant.

The Admiral's whole disposable force did not amount to thirty-two thousand men, of which twelve thousand were cavalry: with this force he had a line not only to watch, but to defend (being left by the Marshal's absence isolated), of at least sixty miles, in weather the most unfavourable for vigilance and movement.

The enemy's force at this period has been variously estimated. Including every description of persons approaching the Beresina who depended for their safety on a passage being effected by Napoleon, the grand total might amount to seventy or eighty thousand souls, of which the combatants did not exceed forty thousand.

To this force may be added about four thousand armed artillerymen, escorts, head-quarter guard, &c., and the rest must come under the denomination of non-combatants and men who did not fall into the ranks useless hands, and worse than useless mouths.

Two roads led from Borisow to Studenki, one direct on Wesselowo, the other a cross road running along the bank of the Beresina, but avoiding its bends and sinuosities.

Napoleon quitted Borisow at night, stopped at Staroi Borisow, two miles off, and reached Studenki early on the morning of the 26th, where he met Oudinot. The delay in the construction of the bridge caused him much disappointment, but he immediately crowned the hill of Studenki with sixty pieces of cannon (his whole park of artillery now again consisted, by the junction of Oudinot and Victor, of two hundred and sixty pieces tolerably horsed) to command the

opposite marsh-land, and sent some horsemen through the river, whom he soon supported by four hundred infantry, passed on two rafts each of which held ten men. This forlorn hope then advanced on Brill and took possession.

Some Cossacks with two pieces of light artillery fired a couple of shots and then retired, as they could not sustain the superior fire from Studenki; but noise, not execution, ought to have been the object of the Russian officer in charge of this post, to convey in the most rapid way the intelligence of the passage to the Admiral.

At one o'clock in the afternoon the bridge on the right was reported passable through the extraordinary diligence and exertions of General Eblé and his coadjutors.

Napoleon, who had never quitted the spot, instantly ordered the corps of Oudinot "to file by him and across." Spectators affirm that "the corps presented a very regular body, and manifested the best spirit." A detachment of the corps moved on Stakhow in the direction of Borisow, and kept the Russians in check, whilst another detachment proceeded by the right to secure the Zembin road, on the possession of which depended the safety of the army for its march on Wilna by Molodeczno.

About five miles from Studenki the road to Zembin lay through a boggy wood which the little river Gama intersected; over this river there were three wooden bridges, each two hundred yards long, and separated from each other by about as many yards. Had the Russians burnt or destroyed these bridges, the route would have been irreparably closed against

the enemy's progress; but their detachment found them uninjured, and entered Zembin without any opposition.

It was near five o'clock before the left bridge at Studenki was ready for the transit of carriages. The artillery of the 2nd corps of the Guard immediately commenced their march across it. Ney, arriving, followed during the night; but the bridge for the carriages breaking twice, great delay occurred, and much confusion ensued from the irregularity of the drivers choking up the entrance.

The pioneers and their fellow-workmen indefatigably exerted powers of endurance and labour which entitled them to a high meed of praise: the Beresina was for them a monument of reputation.

The passage was continued all the 27th, by the corps successively arriving at Studenki.

Parthonneaux, with his brigade, had been left by Victor at Borisow as a rear guard, to march when order was received for his departure; but Wittgenstein, who had reached Kostritsa on the 26th, found himself nearer to the point of passage at Studenki than the enemy's rear guard left at Borisow.

Napoleon, who had passed the night in one of the hamlets at Studenki, and since daybreak had been superintending the passage across the bridges, where his remaining authority as well as patience were severely tested by the disorders that required his continual interference, at one o'clock crossed on horseback to the right bank of the Beresina, and took up his quarters in the hamlet of Zanewki, located in the middle of the wood, about three miles from the bridges, and near the road to Borisow.

At four o'clock the left bridge broke down for the third time, and required three hours for its repair; during this pause the multitude began to swarm around the bridges and over the whole ground between them, and Studenki was covered with carriages and the remaining incumbrances of an original army of above four hundred thousand men. All directing control was lost; the wildest disorder and violence. prevailed; despair made savages of those who had strength enough left to contend; and the helpless throng, unable to advance, still perversely barred the approaches to the bridges, as if resolved on making the ruin of all inevitable.

During the night, the Viceroy, Davoust, and Latour Maubourg, collecting some armed detachments, forced a passage through this mass with great difficulty; but there yet remained on the left bank, exclusive of the division of Parthonneaux, the division of Gerard with two brigades of light cavalry.

Wittgenstein, who had reached Kostritsa, and whose detachment of six thousand men under Wlastoff had arrived at Giskowo, was informed on the 26th in the evening," that Victor was at Borisow, and that the passage of the army was being effected at Studenki."

There being no practicable route for artillery from Kostritsa to Studenki, Wittgenstein began his march on Staroi Borisow to intercept Victor, or pursue him if he already had passed to gain Studenki.

Platow, who was at Kholopeniczi, was directed "to march on Borisow;" but Yermolow, who was at Kroupki with his detachment, and Milaradowitch at Maliawka near Bobr, were both too distant to take any part in the projected operation.