But to have sacrificed those veterans to Russian cannon would have been a perilous act.[267] His Guard was the solid kernel of his army: on it he could always rely, even when French regulars dissolved, as often happened after long marches, into bands of unruly marauders; and its value was to be found out during the retreat.

More fitly may Napoleon be blamed for not seeking earlier in the day to turn the Russian left, and roll that long line up on the river.

Here, as at Smolensk, he resorted to a frontal attack, which could only yield success at a frightful cost.
The day brought little glory to the generals, except to Ney, Murat, and Grouchy.

For his valour in the _melee_, Ney received the title of Prince de la Moskwa.
A week before this Pyrrhic triumph, Napoleon had heard of a terrible reverse to French arms in Spain.

His old friend, Marmont, who had won the Marshal's baton after Wagram, measured his strength with Wellington in the plains of Leon with brilliant success until a false move near Salamanca exposed him to a crushing rejoinder, and sent his army flying back towards Burgos.