horror, and destruction, unparalleled in the annals of any age. The governor, Rostopelin, conformably to the instructions he received, had prepared for this awful event. Under pretence of sending up a balloon filled with combustible matter

Kutousoff now make a stand on the heights of Amstalten, where he was furiously attacked by Murat's cavalry, and Oudinot's division; but, after having repulsed them several times, was at length obliged to retire. On Bonaparte pushing forward his whole force, Kutousoff, then posted at St. Polton, thinking his situation too critical to attempt to maintain it, and apprehensive lest his retreat should be cut off, crossed the Danube at Krems, and destroyed the bridge, when the French proceeded towards Vienna, and took possession of it.

Kutousoff now marched into Moravia, whither he was followed by Bonaparte, and forced to retire from Weiskirchen to Stein; but he, in his turn, attacked the French next morning, and so far succeeded, that Mortier, to avoid being taken, was obliged to cut his way through the Russian lines with great difficulty and considerable loss. The Russians, however, being at length repulsed, were forced to fall back upon Brunn, there to wait for the expected reinforcement under Bux, howden. At Holbrunn, Murat and Lasnes pressed them so hard, that nothing would have saved them but Kutousoff's having recourse to the same stratagem by which the French army had passed the bridge at Vienna unmolested; that was sending a flag of truce, and proposing to separate from the Austrians, by which means he was enabled to hasten and secure his retreat after a sharp action..

The operations of this gallant general in the subsequent retreat, were masterly in the extreme; and in the latter end of November, Alexan der joined the army, consisting then of about 50,000 men. On this, Bonaparte, trusting to the impetuosity of Prince Dolgorucki and other young officers about the Emperor's person, by a feigned retreat induced that prince to persuade his master to adopt such measures as led to the fatal battle of Austerlitz; in which, however, Kutousoff still retained his supreme command.

In this action the combined army consisted of about 72,000 men, the Austrians being under Prince John of Lichtenstein; and the French amounted to an equal number, The firing commenced on the 1st of December, and so well prepared was Bonaparte, that when he saw the operations of the combined forces who gave up their defensive position for one of attack, he exclaimed-Before to-morrow night that army will be in my power;' and for this purpose he kept his troops

to destroy the French army, he had for some time employed a number of workmen, under the superintendence of an English physician, who prepared an immense quantity of fusees, rockets, and other kinds of fireworks. On the ap

concentrated in many columns, ready to act according to circum

stances.

On the third the grand battle was fought; and the Russian and Austrian armies being in open order with large intervals, owing to the nature of the ground, the French pushed through with their heavy columns in spite of a gallant resistance. Kutousoff was thus certainly taken by surprise, for he had considered himself as the assailant; but was now forced to act on the defensive on the heights of Pratzén, on whose summits the fate of the day was decided. The bayonet was now all he had to depend on ; a desperate attack took place; for an instant, the right of the French began to give way, but some of the Russian generals being wounded, the troops wavered, when the French, in turn, became assailants, and advancing their artillery, the victory was complete. The masterly dispositions of Kutousoff, however, saved the remnant of the combined army, though he himself was wounded. The emperor behaved extremely well; and Prince Bagration distinguished himself much. An armistice soon after took place, when it was agreed that the Russians should evacuate the Austrian states; after which they returned home, and the war in one campaign was ended.

In the war in Poland, in 1806 and 1807, it does not appear that Kutousoff took an active part, but was, we believe, on the frontiers of Turkey, where he afterwards commanded a large army in the recent war with that power, from which he was now called to take the command of the forces opposed to the invading army; his predecessor, Barclay de Tolli, to whom he is a junior officer, being removed to the cabinet.

So sensible was the Emperor Alexander of his services, that in addition to his previous rank of General of infantry, he was pleased to bestow on the gallant Kutousoff that of Marshal General, to which he added a present of one hundred thousand roubles; the Princess Kutousoff also, in a manner the most gratifying to her meritorious husband, was raised at court to the highest possible rank for a subject, that of Stahl Dame, and decorated with the portrait of his Imperial Majesty.

To these honours already bestowed, we may add his recent elevation as Prince of Smolensko, and to the first class of the order of St. George, which is only bestowed on Field Marshals who have defeated Field

proach of Bonaparte's army, every person of respectability were ordered from the city, the French and Germans were arrested, and all the firemen and fire-engines were carried off. In the mean time, according to the French accounts, the populace were amused by the performance of Te Deum, for the victory over Bonaparte at Moskwa. But scarcely had the advanced guard of the French army entered the city, when several hundreds of desperadoes set fire to one of the largest and richest cities in the world-the entrepot of Asia and Europe. The exchange, the bazar, and other public buildings, soon sent up columns of fire: and when it is considered. that five-sixths of the dwelling houses, as well as the warehouses, and even the streets, were formed of wood, some idea may by formed of the terrific scene that this immense city presented. It appeared like an ocean of fire. All efforts to arrest the progress of the devouring element, which spread with inconceivable rapidity, proved abortive; and a high wind that arose on the 16th completed the destruction of Moscow. The Kremlin, which contains several fine public buildings, is situated near the centre of the city, and is surrounded by lofty stone walls. This was preserved, and here Bonaparte stood upon a tower contemplating the horrible effects of his ambition. Nearly 1600 churches, 1000 palaces, nine-tenths of the city, an incalculable quantity of merchandise, and, according to the French reports, 30,000 sick and wounded Russians, fell a prey to the flames!

Marshals, and in which he succeeds Tchitchagoff, father of the present Admiral.

It is only necessary further to add, that as an able and accomplished General (as it has been well observed), and in the excellence of his dispositions, in caution, and above all, in that happy presence of mind, which by a sudden and masterly manœuvre decides the fate of a general battle, the gallant Kutousoff is considered as inferior to no officer of the present day, and was therefore a fit, and perhaps the most proper opponent for the able, yet now discomfited tyrant of the continent!

Bonaparte appears to have been much enraged and disappointed at the destruction of Moscow. The governor was represented as a sort of Marat, a monster shunned by all men, tormented by the upbraidings of conscience, and destitute of every kind of consolation, except what arose from the company of the English commissary, Sir Robert Wilson.The men who burnt the city were held up to universal detestation, as the outcasts of society, who were liberated from prison on purpose to execute this horrible project; and three hundred of these incendiaries, as they were called, were arrested and shot!

The burning of Moscow was certainly a desperate and lamentable alternative, but its policy has been clearly demonstrated. Allowing the act to be as wicked as Bonaparte represented it, yet as it was the will of the Russian government, their subjects, who owed allegiance to none other, were justified in executing the orders they received. The shooting of these three hundred men, is another instance of Bonaparte's diregard for the law of nations. Were his, conduct in this instance to be imitated, the consequence would be dreadful indeed.

3 Q

BONAPARTE'S EMBARRASSED SITUATION-LEAVES MOSCOW -HARASSED BY THE RUSSIANS AND COSSACS-DAVOUST'S CORPS DESTROYED-NEY'S LAY DOWN THEIR ARMSDEPLORABLE STATE OF THE FRENCH ARMY-BONAPARTE LEAVES HIS ARMY IN THE NIGHT-TRAVELS INCOGNITO IN A SINGLE SLEDGE-ARRIVES AT PARIS-HIS POLITIC CONDUCT ESTIMATE OF HIS LOSS-PROBABLE CONSEQUENCES OF HIS DEFEAT-SUMMARY SKETCH OF HIS CHARACTER.

BONAPARTE found his situation very delicate and embarrassed after entering Moscow. His army had suffered severely during the long march it had completed, and was much reduced by the terrible battles it had fought, particularly that on the heights of Borodino. He had promised his men repose and good quarters in the city of Moscow, but they found it a heap of ruins. He had even promised them an honourable peace in this metropolis, but his proposals were returned unopened, and the most desperate resolutions seemed to have been taken by his opponents. This increased the chagrin of Napoleon, accustomed as he was to subdue and humble his foes by one decisive blow. To conceal his distress it was pretended that there were found in Moscow 60,000 muskets, 150 pieces of cannon, 100,000 balls, 1,500,000 cartridges, 400,000 lbs. of gunpowder, 400,000 lbs. of saltpetre and sulphur, besides magazines of sugar, furs, cloths, brandy, &c.; and several thousand carpenters and other mechanics were sent for to Paris in order to erect barracks for the army. The Russians, on the other hand, asserted, that every article of use to an army was either removed or