rief visit to the King, rode away towards the western gate. It was
none too soon. The conflux of his still mighty forces streaming in by
three high roads, produced in all the streets of the town a crush
which thickened every hour. The Prussians and Swedes were breaking
into the northern suburbs, while the white-coats drove in the
defenders on the south. Slowly and painfully the throng of fugitives
struggled through the town towards the western gate. On that side the
confusion became ever worse, as the shots of the allies began to whiz
across the arches and causeway that led over the Pleisse and the
Elster, while the hurrahs of the Russians drew near on the north.
Ammunition wagons, gendarmes, women, grenadiers and artillery, cavalry
and cattle, the wounded, the dying, Marshals and sutlers, all were
wedged into an indistinguishable throng that fought for a foothold on
that narrow road of safety; and high above the din came the clash of
merry bells from the liberated suburbs, bells that three days before
had rung forced peals of triumph at Napoleon's orders, but now bade
farewell for ever to French domination. To increase the rout, a
temporary bridge thrown over the Elster broke down under the crush;
and the rush for the roadway became more furious. In despair of
reaching it, hundreds threw themselves into the flooded stream, but
few reached the further shore: among the drowned was that flower of
Polish chivalry, Prince Poniatowski.

But this mishap was soon to be outdone. A corporal of engineers, in
the absence of his chief, had received orders to blow up the bridge
outside the western gate, as soon as the pursuers were at hand; but,
alarmed by the volleys of Sacken's Russians, whom Bluecher had sent to
work round by the river courses north-west of the town, the bewildered
subaltern fired the mine while the rearguard and a great crowd of
stragglers were still on the eastern side.[383] This was the climax of
this day of disaster, which left in the hands of the allies as many as
thirty generals, including Lauriston and Reynier, and 33,000 of the
rank and file, along with 260 cannon and 870 ammunition wagons. From
the village of Lindenau Napoleon gazed back at times over the awesome
scene, but in general he busied himself with reducing to order the
masses that had struggled across. The Old Guard survived, staunch as
ever, and had saved its 120 cannon, but the Young Guard was reduced to
a mere wreck. Amidst all the horrors o