At first every thing went on well, although the danger was every where, in the front, in the rear, and on the flanks; for the grand army of Kutusoff had already pushed forward three vanguards, on the retreat of the Duke of Tarentum.  Macdonald encountered the first at Kelm, the second at Piklupenen, and the third at Tilsit.  The zeal of the black hussars and the Prussian dragoons appeared to increase.  The Russian hussars of Ysum were sabred and overthrown at Kelm.  On the 27th of December, at the close of a ten hours’ march, these Prussians came in sight of Piklupenen, and the Russian brigade of Laskow; without stopping to take breath, they charged, threw it into disorder, and cut off two of its battalions; next day they retook Tilsit from the Russian commander Tettenborn.

A letter from Berthier, dated at Antonowo, on the 14th of December, had reached Macdonald several days before, in which he was informed that the army no longer existed, and that it was necessary that he should arrive speedily on the Pregel, in order to cover Koenigsberg, and to be able to retreat upon Elbing and Marienburg.  This news the marshal concealed from the Prussians.  Hitherto the cold and the forced marches had produced no complaints from them; there was no symptom of discontent exhibited by these allies; brandy and provisions were not deficient.

But on the 28th, when General Bachelu extended to the right, towards Regnitz, in order to drive away the Russians, who had taken refuge there after their expulsion from Tilsit, the Prussian officers began to complain that their troops were fatigued; their vanguard marched unwillingly and carelessly, allowed itself to be surprised, and was thrown into disorder.  Bachelu, however, restored the fortune of the day, and entered Regnitz.

During this time, Macdonald, who had arrived at Tilsit, was waiting for Yorck and the rest of the Prussian army, which did not make its appearance.  On the 29th, the officers, and the orders which he sent them, were vainly multiplied; no news of Yorck transpired.  On the 30th, Macdonald’s anxiety was redoubled; it was fully exhibited in one of his letters of that day’s date, in which, however, he did not yet venture to appear suspicious of a defection.  He wrote “that he could not understand the reason of this delay; that he had sent a number of officers and emissaries with orders to Yorck to rejoin him, but that he had received no answer.  In consequence, when the enemy was advancing against him, he was compelled to suspend his retreat; for he could not make up his mind to desert this corps, to retreat without Yorck; and yet this delay was ruinous.”  This letter concluded thus:—­“I am lost in conjectures.  If I retreat, what would the Emperor say? what would be said by France, by the army, by Europe?  Would it not be an indelible stain on the tenth corps, voluntarily to abandon a part of its troops, and without being compelled to it otherwise than by prudence?  Oh, no; whatever may be the result, I am resigned, and willingly devote myself as a victim, provided I am the only one:”  and he concluded by wishing the French general “that sleep which his melancholy situation had long denied him.”