given them. They very soon crowned the heights. Eighty pieces of cannon
were discharged at once. The Russian cavalry was first broken by that
brazen line, and obliged to take refuge behind its infantry.

The latter advanced in dense masses, in which our balls at first made
wide and deep holes; they still, however, continued to advance, when the
French batteries crushed them by a second discharge of grape-shot. Whole
platoons fell at once; their soldiers were seen trying to keep together
under this terrible fire. Every instant, separated by death, they closed
together over her, treading her under foot.

At last they halted, not daring to advance farther, and yet unwilling to
retreat; either because they were struck, and, as it were, petrified
with horror, in the midst of this great destruction, or that Bagration
was wounded at that moment; or, perhaps, because their generals, after
the failure of their first disposition, knew not how to change it, from
not possessing, like Napoleon, the great art of putting such great
bodies into motion at once, in unison, and without confusion. In short,
these listless masses allowed themselves to be mowed down for two hours,
making no other movement than their fall. It was a most horrible
massacre; and our brave and intelligent artillerymen could not help
admiring the motionless, blind, and resigned courage of their enemies.

The victors were the first to be tired out. They became impatient at
the tardiness of this battle of artillery. Their ammunition being
entirely exhausted, they came to a decision, in consequence of which Ney
moved forward, extending his right, which he made to advance rapidly,
and again turn the left of the new front opposed to him. Davoust and
Murat seconded him, and the remnants of Ney's corps became the
conquerors over the remains of Bagration's.

The battle then ceased in the plain, and became concentrated on the rest
of the enemy's heights, and near the great redoubt, which Barclay with
the centre and the right, continued to defend obstinately against
Eugene.

In this manner, about mid-day, the whole of the French right wing, Ney,
Davoust, and Murat, after annihilating Bagration and the half of the
Russian line, presented itself on the half-opened flank of the remainder
of the hostile army, of which they could see the whole interior, the
reserves, the abandoned rears, and even the commencement of the retreat.

But as they felt themselves too weak to thr