hurrah of Platoff rung once more in their ears.  They fled once more, with such of their baggage as could be most easily got into motion; but many fell beneath the spears of the Cossacks, and not a few, it is said, were butchered deliberately in the moment of their perplexity by their Lithuanian hosts, the same Polish Jews who had already inflicted such irreparable injury on the whole army, by their non-observance of their contracts.  Shortly after, a waggon laden with coin was overturned on the road, and the soldiers, laying aside all attention to their officers, began to plunder the rich spoil.  The Cossacks came up—­but there was enough for all, and friend and foe pillaged the imperial treasure, in company, for once, without strife.  It deserves to be recorded that some soldiers of the imperial guard restored the money which fell to their share on this occasion, when the weary march at length reached its end.

They passed the Niemen at Kowno; and the Russians did not pursue them into the Prussian territory.  At the time when they escaped finally from Poland, there were about 1000 in arms, and perhaps 20,000 more, utterly broken, dispersed, and demoralised.

Schwartzenberg, the general of the Austrian auxiliaries, on learning the departure of Napoleon, formed an armistice with the Russians, and retired by degrees into his own prince’s territory.  These allies had shown little zeal in any part of the campaign; and their conduct seems to have been appreciated by the Russians accordingly.

In Courland, on the left flank of the French retreat, there remained the separate corps of Macdonald, who had with him 20,000 Prussians and 10,000 Bavarians and other Germans.  These Prussians had been sent on this detached service in just apprehension of their coldness to the invader’s cause.  Macdonald, on learning the utter ruin of the main army, commenced his march upon Tilsit.  On reaching that place D’York, the commander of the Prussians, refused any longer to obey the marshal’s orders, and separated his men entirely—­thus taking on himself the responsibility of disobeying the letter of his sovereign’s commands, and anticipating that general burst of national hatred which, as all men perceived, could not much longer be deferred.

To the great honour, however, of the Prussian people, the wearied relics of Napoleon’s grand army were received in the country which, in the days of their prosperity, they had so wantonly insulted, if not with friendship, at least, with compassion.  They took up their quarters, and remained for a time unmolested, in and near Konigsberg.

Thus ended the invasion of Russia.  There had been slain in battle, on the side of Napoleon, 125,000 men.  Fatigue, hunger, and cold, had caused the death of 132,000! and the Russians had taken of prisoners 193,000—­including forty-eight generals and 3000 regimental officers.  The total loss was, therefore, 450,000 men.  The eagles and standards left in the enemy’s hands were seventy-five in number, and the pieces of cannon nearly one thousand.