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I ] 



CHAP. XXIV.] CAVALRY UNDER NAPOLEON. 



379 



overwhelming rush of the French horsemen, lay down 

 to let them pass over, when they rose up again and 

 fired into their rear after they had gone by. 



The Russian cavalry after Eylau performed most 

 effective service. Murat attempted to pursue Benningsen 

 towards Konigsberg. He had under him twelve regi- 

 ments of cuii'assiers. After a hard engagement he was 

 defeated and driven back, with the loss of 400 killed and 

 300 prisoners. 



It was in this campaign that Napoleon for the first 

 time felt the difficulty of carrying on a war against a 

 nation whose armies were covered by such efficient light 

 cavalry as the Cossacks. In subsequent wars, in the 

 disastrous retreat of 1812, in 1813 and in 1814, on the 

 plains of Germany and the east of France, numberless 

 blows were struck against him, by the irregular light 

 horsemen of Russia. 



After this defeat of Murat's cuirassiers, the Cossacks 

 became bolder and more enterprising*. Their incursions 

 were incessant, night and day were alike to them in their 

 unceasing vigilance ; the French foraging parties were 

 cut off", their messengers intercepted, their positions con- 

 tinually attacked. So effective were the Cossacks in the 

 duty of light cavalry, that the French could not levy 

 contributions, and could not feed their army except with 

 great difficulty. In ten days Napoleon found that he 

 was obliged to fall back into winter quarters, having lost 

 in that short time 1,500 cavalry, captured by the 

 indefatigable horsemen of the Russian Emperor. 



It is a fact well worthy to be remembered, that this 

 was the first campaign that Napoleon ever fought in 

 which his successes were not decisive and vigorously 

 followed up. To the Russian cavalry can be attribut d 

 the great change, and we shall soon see how the influence 

 of these irregular and undisciplined horsemen was in 

 the end the most important influence in destroying the 

 gigantic power founded by the marvellous military genius 

 of the great Napoleon. 



Some heavy cavalry fighting occurred at the battle of 

 Eckmuhl on the 22nd of April, 1809, where a battery of 



