A convent served to shelter the emperor against the first fury of the tempest.  From hence he shortly departed for Kowno, where the greatest disorder prevailed.  The claps of thunder were no longer noticed; those menacing reports, which still murmured over our heads, appeared forgotten.  For, though this common phenomenon of the season might have shaken the firmness of some few minds, with the majority the time of omens had passed away.  A scepticism, ingenious on the part of some, thoughtless or coarse on the part of others, earth-born passions and imperious wants, have diverted the souls of men from that heaven whence they are derived, and to which they should return.  The army, therefore, recognized nothing but a natural and unseasonable accident in this disaster; and far from interpreting it as the voice of reprobation against so great an aggression, for which, moreover, it was not responsible, found in it nothing but a motive of indignation against fortune or the skies, which whether by chance, or otherwise, offered it so terrible a presage.

That very day, a particular calamity was added to this general disaster.  At Kowno, Napoleon was exasperated, because the bridge over the Vilia had been thrown down by the cossacks, and opposed the passage of Oudinot.  He affected to despise it, like every thing else that opposed him, and ordered a squadron of his Polish guard to swim the river.  These fine fellows threw themselves into it without hesitation.  At first, they proceeded in good order, and when out of their depth redoubled their exertions.  They soon reached the middle of the river by swimming.  But there, the increased rapidity of the current broke their order.  Their horses then became frightened, quitted their ranks, and were carried away by the violence of the waves.  They no longer swam, but floated about in scattered groups.  Their riders struggled, and made vain efforts; their strength gave way, and they, at last, resigned themselves to their fate.  Their destruction was certain; but it was for their country; it was in her presence, and for the sake of their deliverer, that they had devoted themselves; and even when on the point of being engulphed for ever, they suspended their unavailing struggles, turned their faces toward Napoleon, and exclaimed, “Vive l’Empereur!” Three of them were especially remarked, who, with their heads still above the billows, repeated this cry and perished instantly.  The army was struck with mingled horror and admiration.

As to Napoleon, he prescribed with anxiety and precision the measures necessary to save the greater number, but without appearing affected:  either from the habit of subduing his feelings; from considering the ordinary emotions of the heart as weaknesses in times of war, of which it was not for him to set the example, and therefore necessary to suppress; or finally, that he anticipated much greater misfortunes, compared with which the present was a mere trifle.