three o'clock in the morning
Well , lad , we have both got out of it without serious damage , for that bullet you got through your arm will soon heal up again , but there is one thing , if you remain in the army for the next twenty years you are not likely to see harder fighting . '' That night , indeed , Smolensk was evacuated by the Russians , contrary to the wishes of both officers and men , Prince Eugene and General Doctorow declaring that they could hold on for ten days longer . This might doubtless have been done , but Barclay was afraid that Napoleon might sweep round and cross the river somewhere to his left , and that in that case he must fall back , and the town would have to be evacuated in the day time when the enemy could sweep the bridges with their fire . By three o'clock in the morning the whole force in the city had crossed , and the bridges were burnt behind them . The flames acquainted the French with the fact that the city had been evacuated , and at daybreak they entered the town , and soon afterwards their skirmishers opened fire on the Russians on the other side of the river . At eight o'clock a Spanish brigade crossed the river waist deep , and entered the suburb known as St. Petersburg , on the right bank ; but they were at once attacked ; many were killed or taken prisoners , and the rest driven across the river again . General Barclay then withdrew his army to the heights , wishing to tempt the enemy to cross , intending to give them battle before all had made the passage ; but Napoleon kept his troops in hand , except that his artillery maintained a fire to the right against the Russians .