During Napoleon's retreat from Moscow, Marshal Ney, who led the rear guard of the French army, displayed all the talents of a resourceful general. Insulated with his feeble army in the midst of an unknown country, he marched his troops in the form of a square, and was thus able to repulse the Russians' repeated attacks.
At the moment of passing the Dnieper, the anxiety of his soldiers was at the height. They looked everywhere for their leader, expecting to find in his countenance marks of despondency, which would give encouragement to their uneasiness to display itself. They found him crouched beneath a ridge of snow, holding a map in his hand, and calmly considering the route it was proper to take. The calmness of their general, at such a moment of danger, revived the courage of the soldiers, and Ney was able to conduct his marvellous retreat to its conclusion.
拿破崙從莫斯科撤軍時，內伊元帥負責斷後，表現完全無愧任何智勇雙全的將領。他在一個陌生的國家，孤立無援，手下士兵疲敝，更經常受俄軍攻擊，但內伊令部隊沿途排成方陣前進，因此能把俄軍擊退。
渡聶伯河的時候，內伊手下焦慮難當，四處找他，以為他也一定灰心喪氣，形於顏色。要是如此，他們也會把焦慮盡情流露。他們終於找到內伊，見他從容不迫，蹲在雪堆之下，一手拿着地圖，正在考慮應走哪一條路。眾士兵見到他們的將領，在這樣危急的關頭，還是泰然自若，勇氣大振，內伊也就得竟撤退的奇功。