50 kilometres from Borisov, he was informed that the bridge over the Berezina at Borisov had been destroyed. Fortunately, for the Grande Armée, Napoleon also learned that a French cavalry brigade had discovered a place where the river might be crossed eight miles north of Borisov at the hamlet of Studienka. Although this was a place where an ice crossing could normally be made in November, a temporary thaw of the ice and the muddy banks made it necessary that bridges be constructed. Plans were made to build pontoon bridges. Fortunately, the commander of the pontoon bridge builders, General Jean Baptiste Eblé had disobeyed Napoleon's previous orders given during the withdrawal to destroy the equipment, forges, and tools necessary for building bridges. To draw the Russians attention away from the vicinity of the crossing, numerous diversions were undertaken. On 25 November, bridge construction started in Studienka even though numerous campfires belonging to the forces of Admiral Chichagov were observed across the river at Brili. The movements of French General Nicolas Oudinot's corps and numerous rumours led the Russians to believe that Napoleon would either attack at Borisov and attempt to repair the bridge or he would lead his troops south of Borisov and cross the Berezina downstream. As a result, Chichagov made the decision to move the main body of his force south of Borisov to Szabaszeviki so that he could watch and patrol a 90 kilometre stretch of the Berezina River. Russian General Tshaplitz and his force of approximately 3,000 men camped at Brili were ordered to move 15 kilometres south to support the Russian forces at Borisov. As a result, on the morning of 26 November, the French discovered that the Russians had abandoned their camp on the west bank. Forty French cavalry troopers made their way across the river and protected the crossing of 400 men in boats. This small force then secured the west bank so that the bridges could be completed. Meanwhile, neither of the Russian forces pursuing Napoleon from the rear were very aggressive and both remained substantial distances north and west of the Berezina River while the French bridged the river. This river was 20-30 meters wide and filled with drifting ice, but its banks are swampy, making the crossing of the same extremely difficult. By 1 p.m. the smaller of the two bridges was complete and Oudinot began to lead his infantry