23 around the green branches which they had vainly endeavoured to handle, and so numerous were the bodies, that they would have obstructed the road, had not the soldiers been often employed in throw- ing them into the ditches and tie ruts. " We can seareely imagine a picture more deplora- ble than the bivouac of the staff. Twenty-one officers, confounded with as many servants, had crept together round a little fire, under an execrable cart-house scarce- ly covered. Behind them were the horses ranged in a circle, that they might be some defence against the violence of the wind, which blew with fury. The smoke was so thick that we could scarcely see the figures of those who were close to the fire, and who were employed in blowing the coals on which they "cooked their food. The rest, wrapped in their pelisses or their cloaks, lay one upon another, as some protection from the cold: nor did they stir, except to abuse those who trode upon them as they passed, or to rail at the horses, which kicked when- ever a spark fell on their coats."
THE RESULT OF THE CAMPAIGN. These may be considered as imperfect sketches, many of them hastily drawn, of horrific scenes, which distinguished a' campaign, that ended in the re turn of a few miserable stragglers out of 400,000 warriors, who, we are told, had crossed the Niemen but a few months before; elated, it is probable, with the hopes of success, and buoyed up in the delusive expectation of soon returning, crowned with the lo spoils of the vanquished; for, we are informed that it was by the light of the flames of Moscow that the author penned the account of its conflagration; and it appears, that he had to pursue his melancholy task of recording passing events, generally at night, beside a wretched fire, almost benumbed with cold, and surrounded with his dead and dying companions !
