Chapter XXVI: Book IX: Chap

—Departure from Moscow—Composition of the army —Battle of Malo-Yaroslawetz —Distress of the Emperor—Danger which he ran from a sudden attack of the Cossacks —Field of Malo-Yaroslawetz—Council held by the Emperor—Opinions of Murat, Bessières, and Davoust—Napoleon determines to retreat —Kutusof's similar determination to retreat from Malo-Yaroslawetz, ineffectually opposed by Sir Robert Wilson—Napoleon's projected plan of retreat —Mortier's proceedings at Moscow after the departure of the main army—Blowing up of the Kremlin—Devastations committed by both armies—Capture of General Winzingerode—Napoleon's behaviour to him —Arrival at Mojaisk—Alarming news of the Russian army—View of the field of Borodino —Abandonment of the wounded in the Abbey of Kolotskoi—Horrible conduct of the suttlers—Massacre of 2000 Russian prisoners—Arrival at Gjatz —Napoleon's arrival at Wiazma—Reproaches to Davoust for his tardy mode of retreat, and that officer's vindication—Danger of the latter and Eugene—Arrival of Miloradowitch —Battle between Eugene and Davoust and Miloradowitch, near Wiazma, on the 3d November—heavy loss of the French —Dreadful snow-storm on the 6th of November—its effects upon the troops —Arrival of the intelligence of Mallet's conspiracy—impression produced by it upon Napoleon and his officers—Message from Ney—Perilous situation of that marshal —Defeat and entire dissolution of the Viceroy's corps at the passage of the Wop —Arrival at Smolensk—Dreadful sufferings of the troops—Bad arrangements of the administrators—Reasons assigned by the latter in their vindication