Crawford avalanche. (Grayling, Mich.) 1879-19??, 1892-02-04

provisions possible, and remain there
during the winter. The second was tC
retreat direct to Germany as quickly as
possible; the third, to go south to the
fertile province of Kalouga, and there
winter in the midst Of plenty.
The third was adopted. The army set
forth with strength of less than one
half of that with which it had entered
Russia, and starting to the south, found
the Russians had anticipated the move
ment, and that Kotuson was there with
all his forces. At Malo Jaroslavitz
a terrible battle was fought; the Rus
SLAMS were defeated, but as they still
showed formidable front, Napoleon de-
termined to retreat along the line of his
advance and make the best of his way
back to the Niemen.
Then began the most disastrous
movement of body of troops ever seen
in modern times, and yet distinguished
at almost every turn by a brllliancy of
generalship that has few equals. After
leaving Smolensk, Ney was cut off from
the main body, and his division was sup
posed to be lost, but by incredible efforts
and superhuman display Of bravery he
rescued his command and rejoined Ma
poleon on the Beresina. A winter of un-
usual severity had set in, and in few
days the grand army became a mass of
starving humanity. Horses died by
thousands of starvation and cold; men
persisted like flies. Most were from the
south of Europe; all were in their sum-
mer uniforms, and were utterly unpre-
pared for the cold of an arctic winter.
There were no overcoats; the baggage
wagons were all left behind; no stores
could be saved; there were no provis-
ions, no medicines; the well could not
help the sick; the wounded were left to
die. AS the cold grew more severe
deaths by wholesale occurred; as
the famine grew worse bits of horse
flesh became luxuries; handfuls OF
burned corn snatched from the
ruined stores were dainties. On
the arrival of the army on the
Beresina, about half way back on the
road to Germany, all hope seemed to be
taken away. Napoleon had less than
$1,000 effective troops and over 10000
stragglers, suffers, camp followers, for
eigners in Russia who preferred to fol-
low the French army, runaway serfs,
soldiers who had lost their arms, women,
children, wounded and crippled. He had
no artillery, no cavalry. The opposite
sue Oh JOo IlNeT WIS Helu ny llc NUS
slams, numbering over lao, 900 men, with
an abundance of artillery and many
thousands of Cossack cavalry. At his
rear lowered cloud OF savage horse
men, while division of the Russian
army was in close pursuit. Never die
the genius of Napoleon appear to better
advantage. He made preparations fol
the worst. All the useless baggage
wagons were destroyed; the eagles OF
all the regiments were collected and
burned; he cast into the flames all his
own private papers and memoranda. The
officers who had been able to save theil
horses he organized into band called
the Sacred Squadron. Colonels
majors and generals acted as private
captains, and marshals of France acted
as non commissioned officers and cap
tains. Napoleon took every means tC
deceive the enemy; bodies of troops
were dispatched down the river as
though he intended to force passage
at ford some distance lower down
While Kotusoff was thus deceived, the
engineers were set to work at night K
build bridge. Incredible were the diff