CHAP. XXV.] CAVALRY UNDER NAPOLEON. 



393 



entrenchment. Its sides seemed clothed in glittering 

 steel, and the fire from its summit, after redoubling in 

 fury for a few seconds, suddenly ceased. The flames of 

 the volcano were extinguished in blood, and the resplen- 

 dent casques of the French cuirassiers appeared when 

 the smoke cleared away, above the highest embrasures 

 of the entrenchment."' 



Grouchy, following up this attack with his cavalry, 

 advanced against the troops of Osterman while drawn 

 up on the heights in rear ; but being charged by the 

 two cavalry regiments of the Russian Guard, they were 

 defeated with great loss, and obliged to fall back upon 

 the infantry.^ 



At the Katzbach, 26th August, 1813, the victory was 

 mainly due to the excellent services rendered by the 

 Russian cavalry of Sacken's corps, under the command 

 of Wassilchikof and some Cossacks under Karpofi". 

 These brave horsemen charged Sebastiani's cuirassiers, 

 as they debouched from the defile of Kroitsch, at Neider 

 Grain, and by attacking them boldly in front and flank, 

 drove them back into the defile, and the whole of the 

 French left were in this way thrown into confusion and 

 obliged to retreat. This compel] ed Macdonald to retire 

 with his entire army, and in the pursuit the allies won 

 many trophies and prisoners.^ 



At the battle of Culm, on the 30th of August, the 

 allies had 10,000 admirable horsemen to bring into 

 action against Vandamme, who had only 3,000 cavalry 

 in his army. The allies massed their squadrons on their 

 own right, in front of Vandamme's left, where the open 

 plain was suitable to the use of that force. The battle 

 opened with a vigorous charge of the Russian cavalry 

 upon the left flank of the French line, which was totally 

 unsupported, and unable to oppose an effective resist- 

 ance. This attack swept all that portion of Vandamme's 

 line back upon the centre and right, and so threatened 

 his communications with Pirna as to seriously alarm 

 him. He at once despatched a fresh brigade to stem 

 the torrent of advancing horsemen, but in vain ; they 



' Alison, iii. 564, 565. ^ Boutourlin, i. 344. ^ Alison, iv. 146. 



