It was only an advanced-guard:  but they were alarmed at the noise of this fight in the rear of their own, threatening their retreat.  The action had lasted ever since seven in the morning; night was approaching; the baggage must by this time have got away; the French generals therefore began to retire.

This retrograde movement increased the ardour of the enemy, and but for a memorable effort of the 25th, 57th, and 85th regiments, and the protection of a ravine, Davoust’s corps would have been broken, turned by its right, and destroyed.  Prince Eugene, who was not so briskly attacked, was able to effect his retreat more rapidly through Wiazma; but the Russians followed him thither, and had penetrated into the town, when Davoust, pursued by twenty thousand men, and overwhelmed by eighty pieces of cannon, attempted to pass in his turn.

Morand’s division first entered the town:  it was marching on with confidence, under the idea that the action was over, when the Russians, who were concealed by the windings of the streets, suddenly fell upon it.  The surprise was complete and the confusion great:  Morand nevertheless rallied and re-encouraged his men, retrieved matters, and fought his way through.

It was Compans who put an end to the whole.  He closed the march with his division.  Finding himself too closely pressed by the bravest troops of Miloradowitch, he turned about, dashed in person at the most eager, overthrew them, and having thus made them fear him, he finished his retreat without further molestation.  This conflict was glorious to each, and its result disastrous to all:  it was without order and unity.  There would have been troops enough to conquer, had there not been too many commanders.  It was not till near two o’clock that the latter met to concert their manoeuvres, and these were even then executed without harmony.

When at length the river, the town of Wiazma, night, mutual fatigue, and Marshal Ney had separated them from the enemy, the danger being adjourned and the bivouacs established, the numbers were counted.  Several pieces of cannon which had been broken, the baggage, and four thousand killed or wounded, were missing.  Many of the soldiers had dispersed.  Their honour was saved, but there were immense gaps in the ranks.  It was necessary to close them up, to bring every thing within a narrower compass, to form what remained into a more compact whole.  Each regiment scarcely composed a battalion, each battalion a platoon.  The soldiers had no longer their accustomed places, comrades, or officers.

This sad re-organization took place by the light of the conflagration of Wiazma, and during the successive discharges of the cannon of Ney and Miloradowitch, the thunders of which were prolonged amid the double darkness of night and the forests.  Several times the relics of these brave troops, conceiving that they were attacked, crawled to their arms.  Next morning, when they fell into their ranks again, they were astonished at the smallness of their number.