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toneers resumed their work, and at eleveno’clock, the bridge being again practicable,the carriages recommenced crossing. On the27th, at 2 A.M. three trestles in the deepestpart of the river, gave way: the pontoneersimmediately set about repairing the disaster,but this proved a very difficult operation. Itwas effected, however; and the communicationbeing re-established, the movements were re-sumed at about 0 A.M. Again two trestlesbroke, but they were repaired after about twohours’ labour; the movements continued, andthus a small portion of the vast material of thegrand army was saved.

The trestles of the bridge on the right, beingonly for cavalry and infantry, did not give way;but the thin planks which formed the road-way, having suffered much from the use whichhad been made of them, as coverings to thehouses from which they had been torn, couldnot be solidly fixed, and were constantly get-ting deranged, splitting under the horses feet,or breaking into holes. To obviate this asmuch as possible, the floor was strewed withtow and hay, and the covering frequently re-newed and readjusted.

When the Imperial guard began to move, thestragglers, dispersed in the surrounding woods