But he had to deal with a tough and daring opponent.

Throughout the winter Lannes had been a prey to ill-health and resentment at his chief's real or fancied injustice: but the heats of summer re-awakened his thirst for glory and restored him to his wonted vigour.

Calling up the Saxon horse, Grouchy's dragoons, and Oudinot's grenadiers, he held his ground through the brief hours of darkness.

Before dawn he posted his 10,000 troops among the woods and on the plateau of Posthenen that lies to the west of Friedland and strove to stop the march of 40,000 Russians.

After four hours of fighting, his men were about to be thrust back, when the divisions of Verdier and Dupas--the latter from Mortier's corps--shared the burden of the fight until the sun was at its zenith.