Here, in fact, it was, that money, honour, and every remains of discipline and strength were completely lost.  After fifteen hours of fruitless efforts, when the drivers and the soldiers of the escort saw the King of Naples and the whole column of fugitives passing them by the sides of the hill, when turning their eyes at the noise of the cannon and musquetry which was coming nearer them every instant they saw Ney himself retreating with three thousand men (the remains of De Wrede’s corps and Loison’s division); when at last turning their eyes back to themselves, they saw the hill completely covered with cannon and carriages, broken or overturned, men and horses fallen to the ground, and expiring one upon the other,—­then it was, that they gave up all idea of saving any thing, and determined only to anticipate the enemy by plundering themselves.

One of the covered waggons of treasure, which burst open of itself, served as a signal; every one rushed to the others; they were immediately broken, and the most valuable effects taken from them.  The soldiers of the rear-guard, who were passing at the time of this disorder, threw away their arms to join in the plunder; they were so eagerly engaged in it as neither to hear nor to pay attention to the whistling of the balls and the howling of the Cossacks in pursuit of them.

It is even said that the Cossacks got mixed among them without being observed.  For some minutes, French and Tartars, friends and foes, were confounded in the same greediness.  French and Russians, forgetting they were at war, were seen pillaging together the same treasure-waggons.  Ten millions of gold and silver then disappeared.

But amidst all these horrors, there were noble acts of devotion.  Some there were, who abandoned every thing to save some unfortunate wounded by carrying them on their shoulders; several others, being unable to extricate their half-frozen comrades from this medley, lost their lives in defending them from the attacks of their countrymen, and the blows of their enemies.

On the most exposed part of the hill, an officer of the Emperor, Colonel the Count de Turenne, repulsed the Cossacks, and in defiance of their cries of rage and their fire, he distributed before their eyes the private treasure of Napoleon to the guards whom he found within his reach.  These brave men, fighting with one hand and collecting the spoils of their leader with the other, succeeded in saving them.  Long afterwards, when they were out of all danger, each man faithfully restored the depot which had been entrusted to him.  Not a single piece of money was lost.

CHAP.  IV.

This catastrophe at Ponari was the more disgraceful, as it was easy to foresee, and equally easy to prevent it; for the hill could have been turned by its sides.  The fragments which we abandoned, however, were at least of some use in arresting the pursuit of the Cossacks.  While these were busy in collecting their prey, Ney, at the head of a few hundred French and Bavarians, supported the retreat as far as Eve.  As this was his last effort, we must not omit the description of his method of retreat which he had followed ever since he left Wiazma, on the 3d of November, during thirty-seven days and thirty-seven nights.