Page:Works of Voltaire Volume 20.djvu/183

Rh be utterly ruined, should Löwenhaupt join the King of Sweden with a victorious army.

The moment he saw his troops begin to flinch, he ran to the rear-guard where the Cossacks and Calmucks were posted. "I charge you," said he to them, "to fire upon every one that runs away, and even to kill me, should I be so cowardly as to fly." From thence he returned to the vanguard, and rallied his troops in person, assisted by the princes Menzikoff and Gallitsin. Löwenhaupt, who had received strict orders to rejoin his master, chose rather to continue his march than renew the battle, imagining he had done enough to prevent the enemy from pursuing him.

Next morning, about eleven o'clock, the czar attacked him near a morass, and extended his lines with a view to surrounding him. The Swedes faced about on all sides; and the battle was maintained for the space of two hours with equal courage and obstinacy. The loss of the Muscovites was three times greater than that of the Swedes; the former, however, still kept their ground, and the victory was left undecided.

At four in the afternoon General Bayer brought the czar a reinforcement of troops. The battle was then renewed for the third time with more fury and eagerness than ever, and lasted till night put an end to the combat. At last superior numbers prevailed, the Swedes were broken, routed and driven back to their baggage. Löwenhaupt rallied his troops behind the wagons. The Swedes were conquered, but disdained to fly. They were still about nine thousand in number, and not one Swedish soldier