He then stated that he knew of a road to the right of that town, constructed on wooden bridges, and passing across the marshes of Lithuania.  This was the only road, by his account, by which the army could reach Wilna by Zembin and Malodeczno, leaving Minsk on the left, its road a day’s journey longer, its fifty broken bridges rendering a passage impracticable, and Tchitchakof in possession of it.  In this manner we should pass between the two hostile armies, avoiding them both.

The Emperor was staggered; but as his pride revolted at the appearance of avoiding an engagement, and he was anxious to signalize his departure from Russia by a victory, he sent for General Dodde, of the engineers.  As soon as he saw him he called out to him, “Whether shall we retreat by Zembin, or go and beat Wittgenstein at Smoliantzy?” and knowing that Dodde had just come from the latter position, he asked him if it was approachable?

His reply was, that Wittgenstein occupied a height which entirely commanded that miry country; that it would be necessary for us to tack about, within his sight and within his reach, by following the windings and turnings of the road, in order to ascend to the Russian camp; that thus our column of attack would be long exposed to their fire, first its left and then its right flank; that this position was therefore unapproachable in front, and that to turn it, it would be necessary to retrograde towards Witepsk, and take too long a circuit.

Disappointed in this last hope of glory, Napoleon then decided for Borizof.  He ordered General Eble to proceed with eight companies of sappers and pontonniers to secure the passage of the Berezina, and General Jomini to act as his guide.  But he said at the same time, “that it was cruel to retreat without fighting, to have the appearance of flight.  If he had any magazine, any point of support, which would allow him to halt, he would still prove to Europe that he always knew how to fight and to conquer.”

All these illusions were now destroyed.  At Smolensk, where he arrived first, and from which he was the first to depart, he had rather been informed of, than witnessed his disaster.  At Krasnoe, where our miseries had successively been unrolled before his eyes, the peril had distracted his attention; but at Orcha he could contemplate, at once and leisurely, the full extent of his misfortunes.

At Smolensk, thirty-six thousand combatants, one hundred and fifty cannon, the army-chest, and the hope of life and breathing at liberty on the other side of the Berezina, still remained; here, there were scarcely ten thousand soldiers, almost without clothing or shoes, entangled amidst a crowd of dying men, with a few cannon, and a pillaged army-chest.

In five days, every evil had been aggravated; destruction and disorganization had made frightful progress; Minsk had been taken.  He had no longer to look for rest and abundance on the other side of the Berezina, but fresh contests with a new enemy.  Finally, the defection of Austria from his alliance seemed to be declared, and perhaps it was a signal given to all Europe.