[216] "The Emperor came out from his barrack, cast his eyes on the other side of the river. 'I have outwitted the admiral' (he could not pronounce the name Tchitchagoff;) 'he believes me to be at the point where I ordered the false attack; he is running to Borizoff.' His eyes sparkled with joy and impatience; he urged the erection of the bridges, and mounted twenty pieces of cannon in battery. These were commanded by a brave officer with a wooden leg, called Brechtel; a ball carried it off during the action, and knocked him down. 'Look,' he said, to one of his gunners, 'for another leg in waggon, No. 5.' He fitted it on, and continued his firing."--RAPP, p. 246. [217] "Ney took me apart: he said to me in German, 'Our situation is unparalleled; if Napoleon extricates himself to-day, he must have the devil in him.' We were very uneasy, and there was sufficient cause. Murat came to us, and was not less solicitous. 'I have proposed to Napoleon,' he observed to us, 'to save himself, and cross the river at a few leagues distance from hence. I have some Poles who would answer for his safety, and would conduct him to Wilna, but he rejects the proposal, and will not even hear it mentioned. As for me, I do not think we can escape.' We were all three of the same opinion."--RAPP, p. 245. [218] "When Napoleon saw them fairly in possession of the opposite bank, he exclaimed, 'Behold my star again appear!' for he was a strong believer in fatality,"--SÉGUR, tom. ii., p. 295. [219] "Napoleon was deeply affected with so unexpected a misfortune--'Must this loss come to spoil all after having escaped as by a miracle, and having completely beaten the Russians.'"--RAPP, p. 246. [220] The conduct of the admiral was so unaccountable on this occasion, that some attempted to explain it on his naval habits, and to suppose that he was prevented from sending the reinforcements by the wind being contrary.--S. [221] Ségur, tom. ii., p. 317; Jomini, tom. iv., p. 195. CHAPTER LXIII. _Napoleon determines to return to Paris--He leaves Smorgoni on 5th December--reaches Warsaw on the 10th--Curious Interview with the Abbé de Pradt--Arrives at Dresden on the 14th--and at Paris on the 18th, at midnight--Dreadful State of the Grand Army, when left by Napoleon--Arrive at Wilna, whence they are driven by the Cossacks, directing their flight upon Kowno--Dissensions among the French Generals--Cautious Policy of the Austrians under Schwartzenberg--Precarious state of Macdonald--He retreats upon Tilsit--D'Yorck separates his Troops from the French--Macdonald effects his retreat to Königsberg--Close of the Russian expedition, with a loss on the part of the French of 450,000 Men in Killed and Prisoners--Discussion of the Causes which led to this ruinous Catastrophe._