206 
inconsiderate ardour of the younger 
generals, who were determined on 
risking another engagement. In 
consequence of the departure of 
Kamenskoy, the command of the 
Russian army was divided between 
Benningsen and Buxhoevden, the 
former at Pultusk, and the latter at 
Golomyn. Both were attacked by 
the French on the 26th, and both 
made an obstinate resistance. ‘They 
were both, however, driven from 
their positions, and forced ‘to retreat 
with precipitation, leaving behind 
them great part of their baggage 
and artillery. Soult -had been sent 
forward by another road to cut off 
their retreat; but the horrible 
slonghs, the consequences of rain 
and thaw, retarded his march, and 
saved them from total destruction. 
According tothe French accounts, 
the Russians lost in these actions 80 
pieces of cannon, all their ammuni- 
tion waggons, 1200 baggage carts, 
and 12,000 men, killed, wounded, 
and prisoners. ‘heir own loss they 
admit to have been 800 killed and 
2000 wounded; among the latter 
were six general officers, and one 
general ‘of dragoons was killed. 
After the action of the 26th; the 
French army went into cantonments 
on the banks of the river Orzyk, 
and the emperor ibdige ol anti aa 
to Warsaw. 
An account of the battle of Pal. 
tusk, claiming the victory for the 
Russians, and making no mention of 
the preceding engagements, or of 
the battle of Golomyn,- was ad- 
ANNUAL REGISTER, 
1806. 
dressed by gencral Benningsen to 
the emperor of Russia, and pub- 
lished in the Petersburg gazette. 
Similar intelligence was ‘transmitted 
to Vienna and other parts, and ea- 
gerly disseminated over Germany 
and the north, where implicit credit 
was given to it by all who had suf- 
fered from the oppression of the 
French, or who trembled at the pro. 
gress of their arms. It was added, 
that besides this disaster in the field;: 
dyséntry and other camp diseases 
were making dreadful havoc in their 
armies, and “had already greatly re- 
duced their effective strength. The 
confidence with which these accounts 
were circulated, and the minute 
detail of circumstances with which 
they were accompanied, imposed for 
a time-on the mosé sceptical and 
desponding. Some of those, who | 
in former wars had’ most ‘despaired 
ef success against France upon the 
continent, from any league or com- 
bination of ifs princes, began now 
to indulgein chimerical expectations, 
and to hope from Russia and Poland . 
what Austria and Prussia had cons 
tended for in vain. But this delu- 
sion was of short duration. | The 
grossness of Benningsen’s misrepre- 
sentations was soon detected, and 
certain intelligence was obtained, 
that though the French soldiers were 
far from enjoying such exemption. . 
from sickness as their official bul- 
letins announced, the diseases pre- 
valent in their army were neither so 
general nor so fatal as reported and 
believed by their enemies. 
