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CHAPTER XXVII

I resumed my route: it was through forests, steeps, every thing that is most wild in nature; but I met at every step officers who were going on missions; they gave me news of my friends, of the army. I forgot the scenes that I was passing through; I discussed the probable chances of the war; they talked to me of the valour of the troops, of the prodigious activity of the Emperor. It was indeed inconceivable, the movements, the administrations, the measures of security and precaution; he embraced every thing, he was equal to every thing. The instructions that were given to M. d'Hautpoult are an example of it. They merit preservation.

"The orderly officer d'Hautpoult will go to Ostrowno, and from thence to Beszenkowiczi. He will see at Ostrowno whether the village is inhabited, and whether it has an engineer to re-organize it; he will see at Beszenkowiczi whether the bridges are erected, and if a bridge of rafts has been substituted for the fixed one, which would not stand the first swelling of the river; he will see whether the tête-du-pont is in progress; he will see also the hospital, the workhouse, the magazines, and in fine, if the country begins to be re-organized. He will give me an account of the troops that he may meet, whether cavalry, artillery, or military equipages. He will see at Beszenkowiczi the fourth regiment of the chasseurs of the guard, and the battalion of Hesse Darmstadt, which I have commanded to remain there till farther orders. There should also be there several pieces of artillery; he must take care that every thing be in its proper position, and that the works at the tête-du-pont be proceeded with in order to finish it. He will inform himself if there are any news of the Cossacks, and, if it is necessary, he will remain one day at Beszenkowiczi in order to see every thing, and draw up his despatch. He will write to me from that quarter, taking care to send his letter by the first estafette that may pass through Beszenkowiczi. He will continue his road to Polozk, from whence he will send me his second despatch; he will see the functionaries of the town, hospital, and workhouse. He will inform me how many prisoners the Duke de Reggio has taken in the different affairs which have just taken place; how many wounded; all that he can learn on this matter, and on the situation of the Duke de Reggio's corps. The Duke de Tarentum having taken Dünabourg, the orderly officer d'Hautpoult will learn whether the communication between the two corps has been effected. He will get every information which can make me acquainted with the nature of the forces opposed to the Duke de Reggio; he will remain with this Marshal (to whom he will send the inclosed letter) till he shall have attacked the enemy, cleared the right bank of the river, and effected his communication with Dünabourg.

"Napoleon."

But all this vigilance did not remedy the evil. The soldiers who were unable to keep up with their corps increased visibly; they encumbered our rear. I gave an account to the Emperor, whom I joined at the bivouac three leagues on this side of Smolensko, of the melancholy picture that I had had incessantly before my eyes during the whole of my journey. "It is the effect of long marches; I will strike a great blow, and every one will rally. You come from Wilna. What is Hogendorp doing? he is wallowing in indolence. Has he not his wife with him?" I knew nothing about it; I could not answer. Napoleon replied, "If he had his wife, she must go back to France, or at least that he must send her to Germany on the rear. Berthier is going to write to him." Some papers were brought in that had just been translated; some were the accounts of the victories in which some handfuls of Cossacks had beaten us all; others were proclamations and addresses, in which we were designated as a troop of missionaries. "See," said Napoleon to me, "you had no suspicion that we were apostles; but here it is proved that we are coming with damnation for the Russians. These poor Cossacks are going to become idolators. But here is another of a different kind; here, read, it is pure Russian. Poor Platoff! All are of equal strength in these dreary climates!" I read it; it was a long rhapsody with which the patriarch seasoned a relic of St. Sergius that he offered to the Emperor Alexander. He ended it with this paragraph: "The city of Moscow, the first capital of the empire, the new Jerusalem, receives its Christ, as a mother, in the arms of her zealous sons; and through the mist which is rising foreseeing the brilliant glory of his power, it sings in transports, Hosanna, blessed be he who cometh! Let the arrogant, the brazen Goliath carry from the borders of France mortal terror to the confines of Russia; pacific religion, this sling of the Russian David shall suddenly bow the head of his sanguinary pride. This image of St. Sergius, the ancient defender of the happiness of our country, is offered to your Imperial Majesty."

CHAPTER XXVIII

The affair of Smolensko took place. The battle was obstinate, the cannonade violent. The Russians, taken in flank and enfiladed, were defeated. They could not defend those walls which so many times had witnessed their victories; they evacuated them; but the bridges and public buildings were a prey to the flames. The churches in particular poured out torrents of fire and smoke. The domes, the spires, and the multitude of small towers which arose above the conflagration, added to the effect of the picture, and produced those ill-defined emotions which are only to be found on the field of battle. We entered the place. It was half consumed, of a barbarous appearance, encumbered with the bodies of the dead and wounded, which the flames had already reached. The spectacle was frightful. What a train is that of glory!

We were obliged to turn our views from these scenes of slaughter. The Russians were flying; our cavalry rushed to the pursuit, and soon came up with the rear-guard. Korff attempted to make a stand; he was overwhelmed. Barclay came forward with his masses. We, on our side, received reinforcements; the action became terrible: Ney attacked in front, Junot on the flank: the enemy's army would have been cut off if the Duke had pressed forward. Wearied with not seeing him appear, Murat ran to him, "What are you about? Why do you not come on?" "My Westphalians are wavering." "I will give them an impetus." The King of Naples put himself at the head of a few squadrons, charged, and overthrew every thing that opposed him. "There is thy Marshal's staff half gained; complete the work, the Russians are lost." Junot did not complete it; whether from fatigue or distrust, the brave of the brave slumbered amidst the sound of the cannon, and the enemy, who were coming up to support their rear, again fell back on their line. The engagement became terrible; the brave Gudin lost his life, and the Russian army escaped us. Napoleon visited the places where the battle had been fought. "It was not at the bridge—it is there—at the village, where the eighth corps ought to have debouched—that the battle hinged. What was Junot doing?" The King of Naples endeavoured to extenuate his fault: the troops, the obstacles, all the customary commonplaces were employed. Berthier, who had always loved the Duke, interested himself for him; Caulincourt did the same. Every one pleaded to the utmost in favour of a brave man who could be reproached with nothing but a moment of forgetfulness. But the advantages we had lost were too great. Napoleon sent for me. "Junot has just lost for ever his Marshal's staff. I give you the command of the Westphalian corps: you speak their language, you will show them an example, you will make them fight." I was flattered with this mark of confidence, and expressed my sense of it; but Junot was covered with wounds, he had signalized himself in Syria, in Egypt, every where; I begged the Emperor to forget a moment's absence of mind on account of twenty years' courage and devotion. "He is the cause of the Russian army not having laid down its arms. This affair will, perhaps, hinder me from going to Moscow. Put yourself at the head of the Westphalians." The tone with which he pronounced these last words was already much softened. The services of the old aide-de-camp extenuated the inactivity of the 8th corps. I resumed: "Your Majesty has just talked to me of Moscow. The army is not in expectation of such an expedition." "The glass is full, I must drink it off. I have just received good news: Schwartzenberg is in Wolhinia, Poland is organizing, I shall have every kind of assistance."

I left Napoleon to make known to the Prince of Neuchâtel and the Duke de Vicenze the disgrace with which Junot was threatened. "I am afflicted," said the Prince to me, "to see his troops taken from him; but I cannot but own that he has caused the failure of one of the finest operations of the campaign. See on what the success of war depends; on the forgetfulness, on the absence of a moment: you do not seize the occasion in its flight, it disappears, and returns no more. No one has more courage or more ability. He adds to the qualities of the soldier the most extensive knowledge; he is intrepid, clever, agreeable, and good-natured. He forgot himself for an hour; he has made himself many enemies. However, I and Caulincourt will see what is to be done." They managed so well that Junot kept his post. I was very glad of it; first, because it saved him from disgrace, and next because I did not much like his troops. Unfortunately, lassitude had succeeded the impetuosity of his youth. He did not show at the battle of Moscowa that elasticity, that energy, of which he had so many times given an example; and the affair of Vereia raised to its height the dissatisfaction of the Emperor.

We learnt, some days after, the irruption of Tormasoff. We were uneasy; we discussed these long points, on the dangers to which one is exposed in advancing to an excessive distance beyond the line of one's operations. Without doubt Napoleon heard us. He came to us, talked a good deal of the manner in which he had secured the rear, of the corps which formed our wings, and of that chain of posts which extended from the Niemen to our actual position. "Tormasoff," he said to us, "has put all the children at Warsaw in alarm. They saw him already officiating at Prague; but see, he is sent back quicker than he came." He went into his closet, and began to dictate with indifference, but loud enough to prevent us losing a word, instructions for the Duke de Belluno.

Napoleon to the Major-General

"Dorogobuj, August 26, 1812.

"My cousin, write to the Duke de Belluno to go in person to Wilna, in order that he may see there the Duke de Bassano, and inform himself of affairs and the state of things; that I shall be the day after to-morrow at Wjaezma, that is, five days' march from Moscow; that it is possible that, in that situation, communications will be intercepted; that some one then must take the command, and act according to circumstances; that I have ordered the 129th regiment, the Illyrian regiment, the Westphalian regiment which was at Kœnigsberg, and the two Saxon regiments, to march for Minsk; and that, moreover, I have placed between Minsk and Mohilow the Dombrowski division, twelve battalions strong, with a brigade of light cavalry; that it is important for his corps to approach Wilna, and that he must guide himself according to circumstances, in order to be in a condition to support Smolensko, Witepsk, Mohilow, and Minsk; that the Dombrowski division ought to be sufficient to keep up the communications from Minsk by Orza as far as Smolensko, since it has only to watch the Russian division of General Hetzel which is at Mozyr, from 6 to 8000 men strong, most of them recruits, and against which, moreover, General Schwartzenberg can act; that the new reinforcements which I shall send to Minsk will also be able to assist against all accidents; and at all events the movement of the Duke de Belluno to Minsk and Orza, and from thence to Smolensko, appears to me calculated to support our rear; that I have four towns and men in garrison at Witepsk, and as many at Smolensko; that the Duke de Belluno taking position thus, between the Dnieper and Dwina, can easily communicate with me, will be able quickly to receive my orders, and will find himself in condition to protect the communications from Minsk and from Witepsk, as well as those from Smolensko to Moscow; that I suppose that General Gouvion Saint-Cyr has sufficient of the second and sixth corps to keep in check Witgenstein, and to have nothing to fear from him; that the Duke de Tarentum can march on Riga and invest the fortress; in fine, that I order the four demi-brigades, making 9000 men, who formed part of the Lagrange division, to march for Kowno; that also it should only be in case General Gouvion Saint-Cyr should be beaten by General Witgenstein, and obliged to pass the Dwina, that the Duke de Belluno is to march to his support in the first instance; that, this case excepted, he is to follow his course for Smolensko. On this, &c.

(Signed)    "Napoleon."

CHAPTER XXIX

The army continued its movements, always driving before it the troops it had defeated at Valontina. Te Deums were often sung in Russia; they are sung for every thing in that happy country: but the victories after Tolly's fashion did not calm the anxiety of the nation; she perceived that this mode of conquering would soon drive her into Siberia; she resolved to put her destinies into other hands. Kutusow drew from the feet of images his military inspirations; he fasted, he prayed, he flattered the priests and the nobility; Heaven could not refuse him its assistance: he was appointed. Admirable in courts, pasquinades are not sufficient on the field of battle; all religious mummeries are of no avail against a good manœuvre: he experienced it. The King of Naples, who had a soldier's contempt for amulets, attacks him and cuts his troops to pieces. He wished to make a stand at Chevarino, but the cavalry is put in motion, the charge is sounded, he is overturned, and thrown back on his intrenchments; courage overpowers the saints of Russia. This beginning did not augur well; Heaven answered coldly to the zeal of the Cossacks. Supplications were redoubled; Kutusow displayed his images; the army defiled before the virgin of Smolensko, of which we wished to dispossess the devout nation: prayers, vows and offerings were made, and the orators of the Calmucks uttered the following homily:—

"Brethren!

"You see before you, in this image, the object of your piety, an appeal addressed to Heaven that it may unite with men against the tyrant who disturbs the universe. Not content with destroying millions of creatures, images of God, this arch-rebel against all laws, both divine and human, penetrates into our sanctuaries with an armed hand, defiles them with blood, overturns your altars, and exposes the very ark of the Lord consecrated in this holy image of our church to the profanations of fortune, of the elements, and of sacrilegious hands. Fear not, then, but that God, whose altars have been thus insulted by this worm which his almighty power has drawn from the dust, will be with us; fear not that he will refuse to extend his buckler over your ranks, and to fight his enemy with the sword of Saint Michael."

"It is in this belief that I wish to fight, conquer, and die, certain that my dying eyes will see victory. Soldiers, do your duty: think on the sacrifice of your cities in flames, and on your children, who implore your protection; think on your Emperor, your lord, who considers you as the nerve of his power, and to-morrow, before the sun shall have gone down, you will have traced your faith and your fidelity on your country's soil with the blood of the aggressor and his warriors."

The sword of Saint Michael is undoubtedly a formidable sword, but active soldiers are of still more consequence; Kutusow did not therefore spare libations; he proportionably increased the fervour of the Cossacks. As for us, we had no inspired men, no preachers, not even subsistence; but we bore the inheritance of a long glory; we were going to decide whether the Tartars or ourselves were to give laws to the world; we were on the confines of Asia, farther than any European army had ever gone. Success was not doubtful: thus Napoleon saw, with the most lively joy, the processions of Kutusow. "Good," he observed to me, "they are now busy with pasquinades, they shall not escape us again." He reconnoitred, despatched orders for moving, and prepared himself for the battle of the morrow. The King of Naples thought these preparations superfluous; he had made himself master of the principal redoubt; the left of this position was turned: he did not believe that the Russians would accept battle; he thought that they would withdraw during the night. This was not their project; they dug, they threw up the earth, they strengthened their position. The next day we perceived them all at work. It was eleven o'clock; Napoleon sent me to reconnoitre; I was charged to approach as near as possible to the enemy's line. I rid myself of my white feathers, I put on a soldier's cloak, and examined every thing with the greatest care possible; I was only accompanied by one chasseur of the guard. In several places I passed by Russian sentinels: the village of Borodino was only separated from our posts by a narrow but a deep ravine: I advanced too far; they fired at me two discharges of grape-shot. I withdrew, and returned about two o'clock; I came and gave an account of every thing I had seen. Napoleon was discoursing with the King of Naples and the Prince of Neuchâtel; Murat had entirely changed his opinion; surprised to see at daybreak the enemy's line unmoved, he had thought action approaching, and had prepared for it. Other generals still maintained that the Russians would not dare to run the risk: as for me, I asserted the contrary. I observed that they had plenty of men, in a very good position; I was convinced that they would attack us, if we did not prevent them. Napoleon did me the honour to be of my opinion, which was also that of Berthier: he called for his horses, and made the same reconnoissance in person. He was received as I had been before Borodino; the grape-shot obliged him to withdraw. What he saw effectually convinced him that he had not been deceived: on his return he gave orders in consequence.

Night came on. I was in attendance; I slept in Napoleon's tent. The part where he slept was generally separated by a partition of cloth from that which was reserved for the aide-de-camp in attendance. The Emperor slept very little: I waked him several times to give him in reports and accounts from the advanced posts, which all proved to him that the Russians expected to be attacked. At three in the morning he called a valet de chambre, and made him bring some punch; I had the honour of taking some with him. He asked me if I had slept well; I answered, that the nights were already cold, that I had often been awaked. He said, "We shall have an affair to-day with this famous Kutusow. You recollect, no doubt, that it was he who commanded at Braunau, in the campaign of Austerlitz. He remained three weeks in that place, without leaving his chamber once. He did not even get on horseback to see the fortifications. General Benigsen, though as old, is a more vigorous fellow than he. I do not know why Alexander has not sent this Hanoverian to replace Barclay." He took a glass of punch, read some reports, and added, "Well, Rapp, do you think that we shall manage our concerns properly to-day?"—"There is not the least doubt of it, Sire; we have exhausted all our resources, we are obliged to conquer." Napoleon continued his discourse, and replied: "Fortune is a liberal mistress; I have often said so, and begin to experience it."—"Your Majesty recollects that you did me the honour to tell me at Smolensko, that the glass was full, that it must be drunk off."—"It is at present the case more than ever: there is no time to lose. The army moreover knows its situation: it knows that it can only find provisions at Moscow, and that it has not more than thirty leagues to go. This poor army is much reduced, but what remains of it is good; my guard besides is untouched." He sent for Prince Berthier, and transacted business till half past five. We mounted on horseback: the trumpets sounded, the drums were beaten; and as soon as the troops knew it, there was nothing but acclamations. "It is the enthusiasm of Austerlitz. Let the proclamation be read."

"Soldiers!

"This is the battle that you have so long wished for! Henceforth victory depends on you; we want her; she will give us abundance of good winter-quarters, and a quiet return to our country. Behave yourselves as at Austerlitz, at Friedland, at Witepsk, at Smolensko; and let the remotest posterity quote your conduct on this day, and let it be said of you, 'he was at that great battle under the walls of Moscow.'"

The acclamations redoubled, the troops were incessantly demanding to fight, the action soon began.