Pasquier, vol. ii., ad init.
Colonel Desprez, who accompanied the retreat, thus described to King Joseph its closing scenes: "The truth is best expressed by saying that the army is dead. The Young Guard was 8,000 strong when we left Moscow: at Vilna it scarcely numbered 400.... The corps of Victor and Oudinot numbered 30,000 men when they crossed the Beresina: two days afterwards they had melted away like the rest of the army. Sending reinforcements only increased the losses."
The following French official report, a copy of which I have found in our F.O. Records (Russia, No. 84), shows how frightful were the losses after Smolensk. But it should be noted that the rank and file in this case numbered only 300 at Smolensk, and had therefore lost more than half their numbers—and this in a regiment of the Guard.
GARDE IMPÉRIALE: 6^ME RÉGIMENT DE TIRAILLEURS.
l^ère Division. Situation à l'époque du 19 Décembre, 1812.
|——————-+——————+—————-+—————-+—————+—————+————|
| | Perte depuis le départ de Smolensk |
| +——————+—————-+—————-+—————+—————+————|
|Présents sous|Restés sur |Blessés qui|Morts de |Restés en |Total des|Reste |
|les armes au |le champ |n'ont pu |froid ou de|en arrière |Pertes |présents|
|départ de |de bataille |suivre, |misère |gelés, ou | |sous les|
|Smolensk | |restés au | |pour cause | |armes |
| | |pouvoir de | |de maladie | | |
| | |l'ennemi | |au pouvoir | | |
| | | | |de l'ennemi| | |
|——-+———-+———+——-+———+——+———+——+———+——+——-+—-+——+—-|
| Off.|Tr. | Off. |Tr. | Off. |Tr. | Off. |Tr. | Off. |Tr. | Off.|Tr.|Off.|Tr.|
| 31 |300 | — |13 | 4 |52 | — |24 | 13 |201 | 17|290| 14|10 |
|——-+———-+———+——-+———+——+———+——+———+——+——-+—-+——+—-|
Signé le Colonel Major Commandant
le dit Regiment. CARRÉ.
Les autres régiments sont plus
ou moins dans le même état.