t of
Ostermann. This was impossible: the defile was choked with wagons and
artillery: but one of Kleist's staff-officers proposed the daring plan
of plunging at once into cross tracks and cutting into Vandamme's
rear. This novel and romantic design was carried out. While, then, the
French general was showering his blows against the allies below Kulm,
the Prussians swarmed down from the heights of Nollendorf on his rear.
Even so, the French struggled stoutly for liberty. Their leader,
scorning death or surrender, flung himself with his braves on the
Russians in front, but was borne down and caught, fighting to the
last. Several squadrons rushed up the steeps against the Prussians and
in part hewed their way through. Four thousand footmen held their own
on a natural stronghold until their bullets failed, and the survivors
surrendered. Many more plunged into the woods and met various fates,
some escaping through to their comrades, others falling before
Kleist's rearguard. Such was the disaster of Kulm. Apart from the
unbending heroism shown by the conquered, it may be called the Caudine
Forks of modern war. A force of close on 40,000 men was nearly
destroyed: it lost all its cannon and survived only in bands of
exhausted stragglers.[361]

Who is to be blamed for this disaster? Obviously, it could not have
occurred had Vandamme kept in touch with the nearest French divisions:
otherwise, these could have closed in on Kleist's rear and captured
him. Napoleon clearly intended to support Vandamme by the corps of St.
Cyr, who, early on the 28th, was charged to co-operate with that
general, while Mortier covered Pirna. But on that same morning the
Emperor rode to Pirna, found that St. Cyr, Marmont, and Murat were
sweeping in crowds of prisoners, and directed Berthier to order
Vandamme to "penetrate into Bohemia and overwhelm the Prince of
Wuertemberg."[362] Then, without waiting to organize the pursuit, he
forthwith returned to Dresden, either because, as some say, the rains
of the previous days had struck a chill to his system, or as Marmont,
with more reason, asserts, because of his concern at the news of
Macdonald's disaster on the Katzbach. Certain it is that he recalled
his Old Guard to Dresden, busied himself with plans for a march on
Berlin, and at 5.30 next morning directed Berthier to order St. Cyr to
"pursue the foe to Maxen and in all directions that he has taken."
This order led St. Cyr westwards, in pursuit of Barcl