Alexandria gazette & daily advertiser. [volume] (Alexandria [Va.]) 1817-1822, 1819-08-02


momete1 being then at 90 deg. below zero
and could scarcely stand erect, or per-
form the most simple movements. lie who
lost his equilibrium and fell to the ground,
was instantly struck with an icy aud NOR
tai slupeiaction. We found upon The road.
great number o! lIs. dead OF the 10Th Gi-
vision, which had come TO meet US at Os-
mana. left in this village, with one OF
nv surgical officers, all the wounied who
wished to stay - could not bear 10 see
them die upon The road, ailkom hariaS the
po,cer to assist them. With the exception
Of some select troops OF the guard, who still
preserved their great coats or cloaks, th II
boots and gloves, the whole army was now
in a state Vt irish tlul nakc,incss. Mixed in
complete confusion, without arms, o: any
mark of distinction among the corps, they
were moth ng but mass of wretched ind-
vi.iuals, marching in crowd, and compel
led by cold and weakness TO press together
and lean upon each other for support. But
no,hing could he more ludicrous, and at
f, the same time more deplorable, than their
/ habiiiments. They We're covered with
fragments of pelisses, cloaks or morcels OF
stiff of different colours The fires OF the BIZ
vouacs having gradually consumed their O.
riginal garments.
! At Miedricke, the thermometer at the
authors button hole was 81 dee rees below
zero ; and the 7rhole army, 7rlthom ercep-
tion, xas compelled to bi0ouac,-Woe be
to him who CAV. way to bis inclination to
/ slumber few minutes were sufficient TO
| freeze him entirely through, and he was
left dead upon the place where he had
fallen asleep. There was COW very little
difference between the teinperaiure of the
days ami nights and the cold was nearly
of the same intensity during al the rest OF
the march, The sides of the roads were
slrewed with the dead bodies Of those who
had persisted during the night between the
9Th and 9th and at last we were in such
state OF ,orpor and depression. that it was
with difficulty we could recognize each
other we marched along in melancholy
silence, our sight and muscular strength so
much reduced, that we could hardly pre-
serve our direction, or maintain our equIlI-
brium, aud hen any of US fell, his coa-
panOns did not even turn aside 10 look at
him.
/ AT wilma, the soldiers devoured every
thing they could seize upon; the misery
and confusion, il possible, increased and
the mountain between that place and kou-
no was nearly as fatal 10 those who stlii
survived, as the passage OF the Berezna.
After passing the Niemen, ing sill pur-
sued, some OF the guard who preserved
their arms attempted to rally. aud fire up
on the Cossacks but the cold iron of the
muskets deprived them of the use OF their
fingers, and they were obliged 10 retire.
About 5000 OF the best soldiers Of the
guard, almost all natives Of TIE south OF
France, were now the only survivors who
preserved their horses, or retained any
thing ike a warlike appearance. he
Dukes oil Danlzic and lstria were at the
head. Mural and Beauharnois in the centre
of this body The last remnant of 100000 /
men who had passed through this very !
country scarcely six months before, in the |
highest state of discipline and. military
splendor.
Suhioined to the narrative, there are !
some interesting observations on the effects
of cod upon the human system-The
death of the unfortunate victims was ge'
morally preceded by paleness, sort of
idiotism, difficulty OF speech, and weak
ness, or even a total loss OF sight. In this
state some OF them continued to march on,
for a short time, helped along by their
friends or comrades but their muscular
powers become insensbiy weaker; they
staggered like drunken men, and fell at
last, entirely deprived of life. The fate of
those who could not keep, up with the
drums was still more rapid, and the dead |
bodies were found lying on the face. The
want of food materially aggravated the ef
fects of cold, and to appease their hunger,
the soldiers frequently swallowed snow or
freezing water, which were often fatal
On the other hand a small quantity of
wine or coffee Immediately Gained the
sensation Of hunger; and once, after three