As soon as Corbineau sent word back across the river that he had control of the far bank Napoleon gave the order for General Eblé’s engineers to set to work. The plan called for two bridges to be constructed in the darkness and the army was to begin crossing the moment they were completed. Davout’s and Victor’s corps were to cover the approaches to Studienka while the rest of the army crossed over. The swiftness of the current and the unevenness of the river bed had ruled out any attempt to ford the river in strength. Half the army would have been swept away and the rest would have been frozen by the immersion in the icy water.

A handful of braziers were lit on the east bank to provide illumination for the engineers, and a short time later some more fires appeared on the far bank as a second team of Eblé’s men began work from the other end, a hundred paces away. Napoleon strode down to the river bank to watch the progress. He found Eblé directing the work, a few feet from the edge of the icy current swirling downstream. Out in the river the dark figures of his men stood braced against the current as they held stout timbers in place while their comrades used a makeshift piledriver to ram the timbers into the river bed.

‘How goes it, General?’

Eblé turned and saluted. ‘The first trestle is in position, sire. We’ve been lucky with the frost.’

‘Lucky?’ Napoleon stared at the men standing up to their thighs in the river.

Eblé stamped his boot on the frozen river bank. ‘It’s hardened the mud. Makes it easier to get the materials down the bank.’

‘I see.’ Napoleon gestured towards the handful of wagons behind them. ‘I thought I gave orders to have all the wagons burned at Orsha.’

‘Yes, sire. However, I gave orders for my men to save a handful of wagons for our tools and nail barrels.’

‘You disobeyed my order.’

Eblé stared at him and then shrugged. ‘Evidently.’

‘Good man. I wish half my generals showed such initiative.’ Eblé looked relieved, but Napoleon pointed a finger at him. ‘Just don’t make a habit of it.’

Eblé laughed.

Napoleon looked round at the timber piled on the bank. ‘Will you have enough material to complete the job?’

‘That depends on Studienka, sire. The timber comes from the houses. My men are busy tearing the buildings down to get what we need. As long as the village is big enough, you can have your bridges.’

‘When will they be completed, General?’