BATTLE OF THE MOSCOWA.

485

and the Russians overthrown with terrible slaughter. Thebattle now was ended, except on the Russian right, whereBarklay still defended himself with heroic bravery againstthe attacks of Prince Eugene . But, in another hour, thearmy of Italy had gained possession of these last positionsof the Russians , who then retreated in all directions. Muratinsisted upon pursuing them that very evening; but, nopart of the French army was in a state to proceed, exceptthe imperial guard,—Napoleon refused to allow that bodyto be exposed in such an operation during the darkness ofthe night.

Next morning, at eight o’clock, the vanguard of theFrench , commanded, as usual, by the King of Naples,marched in pursuit of the Russians. At Mojaisk the lattermade a stand, upon which Murat was about to charge theRussian battalions, when his brave and talented first aid-de-camp, General Belliard , informed him that he had dis-covered a deep and high-banked river between them andthe Russians , which it was impossible for the cavalry topass under such circumstances. Murat was, therefore,obliged to content himself with attacking and routing theswarms of Cossacks which hovered about him, and, on thisoccasion, he had the misfortune to be, for a time, deprived ofthe services of his brave Belliard , who, being severelywounded by a lance, was compelled to retire to the rear.Next morning the Russians had entirely disappeared, asthey had done at Smolensko and other places, withoutleaving any trace or indication of the rout they had taken.Murat felt much embarrassed as to whether he shouldfollow the road to Moscow or that to Kaluga ; but almost,it may be said, at a hazard, he chose the former. Addingto his cavalry the infantry division of Marshal Mortier, hemarched for two days with no other food than horse-fleshand pounded corn, without discovering the least trace of