Book Thirteen: 1812 - Chapter IX

by Leo Tolstoy

　　With regard to military matters, Napoleon immediately on his entryinto Moscow gave General Sabastiani strict orders to observe themovements of the Russian army, sent army corps out along the differentroads, and charged Murat to find Kutuzov. Then he gave carefuldirections about the fortification of the Kremlin, and drew up abrilliant plan for a future campaign over the whole map of Russia.

　　With regard to diplomatic questions, Napoleon summoned CaptainYakovlev, who had been robbed and was in rags and did not know howto get out of Moscow, minutely explained to him his whole policy andhis magnanimity, and having written a letter to the EmperorAlexander in which he considered it his duty to inform his Friendand Brother that Rostopchin had managed affairs badly in Moscow, hedispatched Yakovlev to Petersburg.

　　Having similarly explained his views and his magnanimity toTutolmin, he dispatched that old man also to Petersburg to negotiate.

　　With regard to legal matters, immediately after the fires he gaveorders to find and execute the incendiaries. And the scoundrelRostopchin was punished by an order to burn down his houses.

　　With regard to administrative matters, Moscow was granted aconstitution. A municipality was established and the followingannouncement issued:

　　Inhabitants of Moscow!

　　Your misfortunes are cruel, but His Majesty the Emperor and Kingdesires to arrest their course. Terrible examples have taught youhow he punishes disobedience and crime. Strict measures have beentaken to put an end to disorder and to re-establish public security. Apaternal administration, chosen from among yourselves, will formyour municipality or city government. It will take care of you, ofyour needs, and of your welfare. Its members will be distinguishedby a red ribbon worn across the shoulder, and the mayor of the citywill wear a white belt as well. But when not on duty they will onlywear a red ribbon round the left arm.

　　The city police is established on its former footing, and betterorder already prevails in consequence of its activity. Thegovernment has appointed two commissaries general, or chiefs ofpolice, and twenty commissaries or captains of wards have beenappointed to the different wards of the city. You will recognizethem by the white ribbon they will wear on the left arm. Severalchurches of different denominations are open, and divine service isperformed in them unhindered. Your fellow citizens are returning everyday to their homes. and orders have been given that they should findin them the help and protection due to their misfortunes. These arethe measures the government has adopted to re-establish order andrelieve youp condition. But to achieve this aim it is necessary thatyou should add your efforts and should, if possible, forget themisfortunes you have suffered, should entertain the hope of a lesscruel fate, should be certain that inevitable and ignominious deathawaits those who make any attempt on your persons or on what remainsof your property, and finally that you should not doubt that thesewill be safeguarded, since such is the will of the greatest and mostjust of monarchs. Soldiers and citizens, of whatever nation you maybe, re-establish public confidence, the source of the welfare of astate, live like brothers, render mutual aid and protection one toanother, unite to defeat the intentions of the evil-minded, obey themilitary and civil authorities, and your tears will soon cease toflow!

　　With regard to supplies for the army, Napoleon decreed that allthe troops in turn should enter Moscow a la maraude* to obtainprovisions for themselves, so that the army might have its futureprovided for.

　　*As looters.

　　With regard to religion, Napoleon ordered the priests to bebrought back and services to be again performed in the churches.

　　With regard to commerce and to provisioning the army, thefollowing was placarded everywhere:

　　Proclamation!

　　You, peaceful inhabitants of Moscow, artisans and workmen whommisfortune has driven from the city, and you scattered tillers ofthe soil, still kept out in the fields by groundless fear, listen!Tranquillity is returning to this capital and order is beingrestored in it. Your fellow countrymen are emerging boldly fromtheir hiding places on finding that they are respected. Any violenceto them or to their property is promptly punished. His Majesty theEmperor and King protects them, and considers no one among you hisenemy except those who disobey his orders. He desires to end yourmisfortunes and restore you to your homes and families. Respond,therefore, to his benevolent intentions and come to us without fear.Inhabitants, return with confidence to your abodes! You will soon findmeans of satisfying your needs. Craftsmen and industrious artisans,return to your work, your houses, your shops, where the protectionof guards awaits you! You shall receive proper pay for your work.And lastly you too, peasants, come from the forests where you arehiding in terror, return to your huts without fear, in fullassurance that you will find protection! Markets are established inthe city where peasants can bring their surplus supplies and theproducts of the soil. The government has taken the following stepsto ensure freedom of sale for them: (1) From today, peasants,husbandmen, and those living in the neighborhood of Moscow may withoutany danger bring their supplies of all kinds to two appointed markets,of which one is on the Mokhovaya Street and the other at the ProvisionMarket. (2) Such supplies will be bought from them at such prices asseller and buyer may agree on, and if a seller is unable to obtain afair price he will be free to take his goods back to his village andno one may hinder him under any pretense. (3) Sunday and Wednesdayof each week are appointed as the chief market days and to that enda sufficient number of troops will be stationed along the highroads onTuesdays and Saturdays at such distances from the town as to protectthe carts. (4) Similar measures will be taken that peasants with theircarts and horses may meet with no hindrance on their return journey.(5) Steps will immediately be taken to re-establish ordinary trading.

　　Inhabitants of the city and villages, and you, workingmen andartisans, to whatever nation you belong, you are called on to carryout the paternal intentions of His Majesty the Emperor and King and toco-operate with him for the public welfare! Lay your respect andconfidence at his feet and do not delay to unite with us!

　　With the object of raising the spirits of the troops and of thepeople, reviews were constantly held and rewards distributed. TheEmperor rode through the streets to comfort the inhabitants, and,despite his preoccupation with state affairs, himself visited thetheaters that were established by his order.

　　In regard to philanthropy, the greatest virtue of crowned heads,Napoleon also did all in his power. He caused the words Maison de maMere to be inscribed on the charitable institutions, thereby combiningtender filial affection with the majestic benevolence of a monarch. Hevisited the Foundling Hospital and, allowing the orphans saved byhim to kiss his white hands, graciously conversed with Tutolmin. Then,as Thiers eloquently recounts, he ordered his soldiers to be paid inforged Russian money which he had prepared: "Raising the use ofthese means by an act worthy of himself and of the French army, he letrelief be distributed to those who had been burned out. But as foodwas too precious to be given to foreigners, who were for the most partenemies, Napoleon preferred to supply them with money with which topurchase food from outside, and had paper rubles distributed to them."

　　With reference to army discipline, orders were continually beingissued to inflict severe punishment for the nonperformance of militaryduties and to suppress robbery.