Book Thirteen: 1812 - Chapter II

by Leo Tolstoy

　　The famous flank movement merely consisted in this: after theadvance of the French had ceased, the Russian army, which had beencontinually retreating straight back from the invaders, deviatedfrom that direct course and, not finding itself pursued, was naturallydrawn toward the district where supplies were abundant.

　　If instead of imagining to ourselves commanders of genius leadingthe Russian army, we picture that army without any leaders, it couldnot have done anything but make a return movement toward Moscow,describing an arc in the direction where most provisions were to befound and where the country was richest.

　　That movement from the Nizhni to the Ryazan, Tula, and Kalugaroads was so natural that even the Russian marauders moved in thatdirection, and demands were sent from Petersburg for Kutuzov to takehis army that way. At Tarutino Kutuzov received what was almost areprimand from the Emperor for having moved his army along theRyazan road, and the Emperor's letter indicated to him the veryposition he had already occupied near Kaluga.

　　Having rolled like a ball in the direction of the impetus given bythe whole campaign and by the battle of Borodino, the Russian army-when the strength of that impetus was exhausted and no fresh pushwas received- assumed the position natural to it.

　　Kutuzov's merit lay, not in any strategic maneuver of genius, asit is called, but in the fact that he alone understood thesignificance of what had happened. He alone then understood themeaning of the French army's inactivity, he alone continued toassert that the battle of Borodino had been a victory, he alone- whoas commander in chief might have been expected to be eager toattack- employed his whole strength to restrain the Russian armyfrom useless engagements.

　　The beast wounded at Borodino was lying where the fleeing hunter hadleft him; but whether he was still alive, whether he was strong andmerely lying low, the hunter did not know. Suddenly the beast washeard to moan.

　　The moan of that wounded beast (the French army) which betrayedits calamitous condition was the sending of Lauriston to Kutuzov'scamp with overtures for peace.

　　Napoleon, with his usual assurance that whatever entered his headwas right, wrote to Kutuzov the first words that occurred to him,though they were meaningless.

　　Monsieur le Prince Koutouzov: I am sending one of myadjutants-general to discuss several interesting questions with you. Ibeg your Highness to credit what he says to you, especially when heexpresses the sentiment of esteem and special regard I have longentertained for your person. This letter having no other object, Ipray God, monsieur le Prince Koutouzov, to keep you in His holy andgracious protection!

　　Napoleon

　　Moscow, October 30, 1812

　　Kutuzov replied: "I should be cursed by posterity were I looked onas the initiator of a settlement of any sort. Such is the presentspirit of my nation." But he continued to exert all his powers torestrain his troops from attacking.

　　During the month that the French troops were pillaging in Moscow andthe Russian troops were quietly encamped at Tarutino, a change hadtaken place in the relative strength of the two armies- both in spiritand in number- as a result of which the superiority had passed tothe Russian side. Though the condition and numbers of the Frencharmy were unknown to the Russians, as soon as that change occurred theneed of attacking at once showed itself by countless signs. Thesesigns were: Lauriston's mission; the abundance of provisions atTarutino; the reports coming in from all sides of the inactivity anddisorder of the French; the flow of recruits to our regiments; thefine weather; the long rest the Russian soldiers had enjoyed, andthe impatience to do what they had been assembled for, which usuallyshows itself in an army that has been resting; curiosity as to whatthe French army, so long lost sight of, was doing; the boldness withwhich our outposts now scouted close up to the French stationed atTarutino; the news of easy successes gained by peasants andguerrilla troops over the French, the envy aroused by this; the desirefor revenge that lay in the heart of every Russian as long as theFrench were in Moscow, and (above all) a dim consciousness in everysoldier's mind that the relative strength of the armies had changedand that the advantage was now on our side. There was a substantialchange in the relative strength, and an advance had become inevitable.And at once, as a clock begins to strike and chime as soon as theminute hand has completed a full circle, this change was shown by anincreased activity, whirring, and chiming in the higher spheres.