EYLAU, lion, or PREUSSISCH-EYEA11, proi's4sh-l'Ion. A town of some 3000 inhabitants, situated on the Pasmar, about 24 miles south of K5nigsberg, Prussia. It is noted as •the scene of a sanguinary battle betm cm the French under Napoleon and a combined force of Russians and Prussians under Bennigsen and Lestoeq, February 7-8, 1807. On the night of February 7th, the French army came in touch with the rear guard of the Russians at Eylau. After a murderous tight, during which the Russian position was thrice taken and lost, Soult succeeded in driving the enemy from the town. The following morning found the two armies drawn up at close range. Soul) held the left of the French army; in the centre was the corps of Augereau ; on the right flank was the division of Saint-Hilaire. 'Behind Augcreau was Murat with his cavalry. On the extreme left ad some ten miles in advance of the main battle line was the corps of Ncy engaged in hot pursuit of 8000 Prussians under Lestooq. On the extreme right and also in advance was the corps of Davont. It was Napoleon's intention to throw Davout's forces against the extreme left flank of the Russians. and by pressing it back upon the centre to send the entire 11(e.0 urine eying in eonfusion toward Eintigsberg, where ihey would be intercepted by Ney. . The plan miscarried, for 11:wont, delayed by a Id indiug snow St0111. (lit] Dot deliver his atttn-k before 1 o'clock Too battle brgdn early in the morning with a furious cannonade, lasting several hours. corps was then sent against the Russian centre, but was met with a terrific cannon lire, and Was almost annihilated. For a time the centre of the French army was threatened, and to save the clay, Slurat's cavalry was hurled against the advancing forces of the Russians. They drove back the Russian cavalry,
broke through the first two lines of infantry, but revolted before the third, and could only regain their position by eutting their Way through tho lines of the enemy which had formed again be hind them. Davout finally struck the enemy's left and succeeded in driving them from their and it seemed as if in spite of delay Napoleon's plan would be carried out after all. BM at 3 o'clock in the afternoon, Lestocq, who had succeeded in escaping from Ney, arrived on the battlefield with 5500 men, and passing in the rear of the entire Russian army, assailed Da vent with his fresh troops. Davout's forces were sItyaly pushed back from the most ad vanced of the positions they had captured, but both sides were soon too exhausted to do more than hold each other in check. Late at night, Ney arrived on the field, too late to bring victory to the French, but still in time to prevent a defeat which might have resulted from a concerted move on the part of the Russians. The num bers engaged were about 70.000 on either side. The losses were 13,000 for the Russians and Prussians, and somewhat more for the French. Against the advice of his lieutenants, Bennigsen retreated during the night, leaving the French masters of the field. Direct results the battle had none, and Eylau has passed into history as a huge, profitless carnage. Indirectly, however, it strengthened the enemies of Napoleon. by breaking the charm of his seeming invincibility.