482

LIFE OF COLONEL MACERONI.

the cavalry to deploy from its order of march in order todrive them way. Impatient and annoyed at this vexatiouswarfare, it is true, that the King of Naples actually did rideforth in advance of his troops, and approaching somethousands of these Cossacks to within speaking distance,cried out to them in an imperious commanding tone andgesture—“ Allez vous en Canaille!”—and true it is also thatthey obeyed the order. These fellows had become so ac-customed to be chased and beaten by Murat every day—andto feel the edge of his own keen sabre, that, howeversurprising it may appear, they actually did move off at thisinjunction, as though it had been given by their own com-manding officer. But 1 must inform my reader that he didnot address the Cossacks in French , but in strong Russian orCossack phrase which he had repeated over to him by aPolish nobleman, his aid-de-camp.*

Murat continued his march and soon arrived on thebanks of the Borodino. Being soon after joined by otherbodies of French he crossed the river. The day of the 6thof September was by Napoleon devoted to the allotting toeach corps, their station and functions. An advancedredoubt on the right of the Russians was taken by the divisionCompans. Murat swept the plain so as to clear it ofCossacks and detached parties of the enemy, who thusbecame confined to the positions on which they had deter-mined to make their stand.

The whole lines and positions of the Russians , werestrengthened by w T ell constructed and most formidableredoubts, flanking and supporting each other, supplied withat least two hundred pieces of cannon. The battle ofthe Moscowa was the most bloody of all those which tookplace in those days of sanguinary and gigantic conflicts. It

* This is a phrase of abuse very analogous to that used by tlie Turks“ Ana sene sietim ! which those who have sojourned in Turkey will re-member and understand.