It was in vain that Saint Cyr then weakened his force by three regiments, which he dispatched to the other side to meet Steingell, and whose march he contrived to conceal from Wittgenstein’s observation.  Every moment the noise of the former’s artillery was approaching nearer and nearer to Polotsk.  The batteries, which from the left side protected the French camp, were now turned round, ready to fire upon this new enemy.  At sight of this, loud shouts of joy burst out from the whole of Wittgenstein’s line; but that officer still remained immoveable.  To make him begin it was not merely necessary that he should hear Steingell; he seemed absolutely determined to see him make his appearance.

Meanwhile, all Saint Cyr’s generals, in consternation, were surrounding him, and urging him to order a retreat, which would soon become impossible.  Saint Cyr refused; convinced that the 50,000 Russians before him under arms, and on the tiptoe of expectation, only waited for his first retrograde movement to dart upon him, he remained immoveable, availing himself of their unaccountable inaction, and still flattering himself that night would cover Polotsk with its shades before Steingell could make his appearance.

He has since confessed, that never in his life was his mind in such a state of agitation.  A thousand times, in the course of these three hours of suspense, he was seen looking at his watch and at the sun; as if he could hasten his setting.

At last, when Steingell was within half an hour’s march of Polotsk, when he had only to make a few efforts to appear in the plain, to reach the bridge of the town, and shut out Saint Cyr from the only outlet by which he could escape from Wittgenstein, he halted.  Soon after, a thick fog, which the French looked upon as an interposition from heaven, preceded the approach of night, and shut out the three armies from the sight of each other.

Saint Cyr only waited for that moment.  His numerous artillery was already silently crossing the river, his divisions were about to follow it and conceal their retreat, when the soldiers of Legrand, either from habit, or regret at abandoning their camp entire to the enemy, set fire to it; the other two divisions, fancying that this was a signal agreed upon, followed their example, and in an instant the whole line was in a blaze.

This fire disclosed their movement; the whole of Wittgenstein’s batteries immediately began their fire; his columns rushed forward, his shells set fire to the town; the French troops were obliged to contend every inch of ground with the flames, the fire throwing light on the engagement the same as broad daylight.  The retreat, however, was effected in good order; on both sides the loss was great; but it was not until three o’clock in the morning of the 20th of October that the Russian eagle regained possession of Polotsk.