GENERAL HISTORY 



I' 



being announced that Marmont 

 was still retreating, Bluolier re- 

 solved upon a further pursuit. He 

 had under his orders only the corps 

 of Kleist, and Gen. Kapsiewitz's 

 division of Langeron's corps. The 

 enemy continued retreating, till lie 

 came near the village of Janviliiers, 

 where a considerable body of ca- 

 valry was collected. He then sud- 

 denly rushed upon six advanced 

 guns, and took possession of them, 

 but they were recovered by the 

 Prussian cavalry. From some pri- 

 soners made on the occasion, it 

 was learned that Napoleon himself 

 was on the ground, with all his 

 guards and a large body of cavalry, 

 having made a forced march in the 

 night from Chateau Thierry. Blu- 

 cher's infantry was at this time ad- 

 vancing in columns on the open 

 grounds on each side of the cause- 

 way leading through the village, 

 when a great mass of the enemy's 

 cavalry pushed forward, broke 

 throughthecavalry of the advanced 

 guard, and dividing itself, attacked 

 with great furj' the columns of 

 infantry. The columns formed 

 into squares, and succeeded in re- 

 pelling the enemy ; but the num- 

 bers of the latter increasing, and 

 bodies of cavalry beingseen to move 

 round on each flank, the Field- 

 marshal resolved upon a retreat. 

 The troops were disposed in the 

 most skilful order for defence 

 against the superior numbers by 

 which they were vigorously as- 

 sailed ; and from Janviliiers to 

 half way between Champ-aubert 

 and Etoges, a distance of nearly 

 four leagues, it was a continued 

 retiring combat. The most per- 

 fect order, however, was pre- 

 served by the retreating troops, and 

 every charge was repelled. At sun- 

 set, a corps of the enemy's cavalry. 



which had taken a circuit round 

 the flanks, threw themselves into 

 the line of retreat, and formed 

 into a solid mass with the evident 

 purpose of disputing the passage. 

 Blucher was now entirely sur- 

 rounded, and nothing was left but 

 to break through his opponents. 

 He instantly made his decision, 

 and arranged his infantry for an 

 attack. They opened a heavy fire 

 upon the intercepting cavahy, 

 which it was unable to withstand, 

 and the passage was left free. Still 

 the flanks and rear of the retreat- 

 ing army were assailed, but not a 

 square or column was broken. At 

 the approach of night, the enemy's 

 infantry succeeded to their cavalry 

 in the attacks, and particularly in 

 the village of Etoges threw a se- 

 vere fire upon both flanks. Gene- 

 rals Kleist and Kapsiewitz, how- 

 ever, forced the way with their 

 corps, and at length, without fur- 

 ther molestation, reached the po- 

 sition of Bergeres, where they bi- 

 vouacked for the night. The loss 

 acknowledged ontheirsideamount- 

 ed to 3,500 men, and seven pieces 

 of artillery. The French account 

 of this action, however, boasts of 

 much greater success. It asserts 

 that several of the squares of the 

 allies were broken ; and carries 

 their loss to 10,000 prisoners, 10 

 pieces of cannon, 10 colours, and 

 a great number killed. That the 

 check given to the army of Silesia 

 was a very serious one, appeared 

 from the necessity Marshal Blucher 

 found himself under of retiring 

 back as far as Chalons, with the 

 complete interruption of his com- 

 munication with the Austrians. 

 At Chalons iie waited for the junc- 

 tion of the dispersed parts of his 

 force, which gradually took place, 

 so that instead of its annihilation, 



