172] ANNUAL REGISTER, 1812. 



consisted of five corps d'armee, 

 one of which, under Gen. Wit- 

 genstein, remained to cover Pe- 

 tersburgh, while the other four 

 marched by Polotzk to Wite))sk. 

 On July 25th, two French divi- 

 sions under Gen. Nansouty, en- 

 countered the Russians in front of 

 Ostrovno. On that and the two 

 following days there was much 

 sharp fighting in this quarter, the 

 strength of the Russians being 

 stated in the French bulletin at 

 60,000 infantry and 1,500 caval- 

 ry. The loss on both sides was 

 considerable, but the fruits of vic- 

 tory remained with the French, 

 who took many prisoners, and se- 

 veral pieces of caniion. On the 

 evening of the 28th, the Russian 

 army was in full retreat towards 

 Smolensko, and on that day the 

 French entered Witepsk. During 

 these transactions, Prince Bagra- 

 thion, on his march, was attacked 

 by the Prince of Eckmuhl (Davoust) 

 near Mohilow, and an engagement 

 ensued which continued the great- 

 est part of the day. It concluded 

 with the retreat of Bagrathion, un- 

 molested, in the direction of Smo- 

 lensko, where he joined the grand 

 army. The vicinity of Polotzk was 

 also near this time the scene of 

 severe contest. Marshal Oudinot 

 having crossed the Duna with the 

 view, it is supposed, of coming 

 round upon Riga was attacked by 

 Count Witgenstein on the 30th 

 and 31st, who, according to the 

 Russian accounts, gained a com- 

 plete victory. A French bulletin, 

 however, represents the result of 

 another action, on August 1st, to 

 have reversed this fortune, and left 

 the Russians in the state of entire 

 defeat. The capture by storm of 

 the fortress of Duuaberg, on July 



30th, was a proof that, on the 

 whole, success still continued to 

 attend on the French arms. 



The French troops now went 

 for a short time into what were 

 called quarters of refreshment, in 

 order to recruit from their losses 

 and fatigues. They were again in 

 motion about the 12th of August, 

 and the main body, under the 

 King of Naples and the Prince of 

 Eckmuhl, maiched upon the Dnie- 

 per in order to obtain possession 

 of Smolensko, at which city the 

 principal force of the Russians was 

 assembled. On August ICth, the 

 heights of Smolensko were com- 

 manded by the French troops : the 

 place was reconnoitred by Napo- 

 leon in pevs-on, and the army was 

 arranged in its position. The par- 

 ticular operations which ensued are 

 not intelligible without a plan ; but 

 it appears that the attack and de- 

 fence were both conducted with 

 vigour and resolution. On the 

 night of the 17th, a dreadful con- 

 flagration broke out in the town; 

 and after midnight it was aban- 

 doned by the Russians, who re- 

 tired across the river. It was oc- 

 cupied on the 18th by the invaders, 

 who at length succeeded in extin- 

 guishing the fire. The contest for 

 this important place is said to have 

 engaged 100,000 men on each 

 side ; and the loss of lives could 

 not fail to be considerable, but 

 that of the Russians is, by the 

 French accounts, stated at triple 

 their own. On the 19th the French 

 crossing the Dniester, made an at- 

 tack on the Russian rear-guard, 

 the last column of which retreated 

 to the second, which was posted 

 on the heights of Valentina. An 

 action was brought on to force this 

 position, in which a large number 



of 



