On his side, Murat, always as prodigal of his life, which was now that of a victorious king, as he had formerly been when only an obscure soldier, persisted in attacks upon these woods, notwithstanding the heavy fire which proceeded from them.  But he was soon made sensible that a furious onset was fruitless here.  The ground carried by the hussars of the 8th was disputed with him, and his advance-column, composed of the divisions Bruyeres and Saint Germain, and of the 8th corps of infantry, was compelled to maintain itself there against an army.

They defended themselves as victors always do, by attacking.  Each hostile corps, as it presented itself to assail our flanks, was in turn assaulted.  Their cavalry were driven back into the woods, and their infantry broken at the point of the sabre.  Our troops, nevertheless, were getting fatigued with victory, when the division Delzons arrived; the king promptly pushed it forward on the right, toward the line of the enemy’s retreat, who now became uneasy, and no longer disputed the victory.

These defiles are several leagues in length.  The same evening the viceroy rejoined Murat, and the next day they found the Russians in a new position.  Pahlen and Konownitzin had united with Ostermann.  After having repulsed the Russian left, the two French princes were pointing out to the troops of their right wing the position which was to serve them as a point d’appui, from which they were to make the attack, when suddenly a great clamour arose on their left:  their eyes were instantly turned that way; the cavalry and infantry of that wing had twice attacked the enemy, and been twice repulsed; the Russians, emboldened by this success, were issuing in multitudes, and with frightful cries, from their woods.  The audacity and fervour of attack had passed over to them, while the French exhibited the uncertainty and timidity of defence.

A battalion of Croats, and the 84th regiment, vainly attempted to make a stand; their line gradually decreased; the ground in front of them was strewed with their dead; behind them, the plain was covered with their wounded, who had retired from the battle, with those who carried them, and with many others, who, under the plea of supporting the wounded, or being wounded themselves, successively abandoned their ranks.  A rout accordingly began.  Already the artillery corps, who are always picked men, perceiving themselves no longer supported, began retiring with their pieces; a few minutes longer, and the troops of all arms, in their flight towards the same defile, would have there met each other; thence would have resulted a confusion, in which the voices and the efforts of their officers would have been lost, where all the elements of resistance would have been confounded and rendered useless.