The battle of Tarutino obviously did not attain the aim
Toll had in viewto lead the troops into action in the order
prescribed by the dispositions; nor that which Count OrlovDenisov may have had in viewto take Murat prisoner; nor
the result of immediately destroying the whole corps, which
Bennigsen and others may have had in view; nor the aim of
the officer who wished to go into action to distinguish himself; nor that of the Cossack who wanted more booty than
he got, and so on. But if the aim of the battle was what actually resulted and what all the Russians of that day desiredto
drive the French out of Russia and destroy their armyit is
quite clear that the battle of Tarutino, just because of its incongruities, was exactly what was wanted at that stage of
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the campaign. It would be difficult and even impossible to
imagine any result more opportune than the actual outcome
of this battle. With a minimum of effort and insignificant
losses, despite the greatest confusion, the most important
results of the whole campaign were attained: the transition
from retreat to advance, an exposure of the weakness of the
French, and the administration of that shock which Napoleon’s army had only awaited to begin its flight.
1879
Chapter VIII
Napoleon enters Moscow after the brilliant victory de la
Moskowa; there can be no doubt about the victory for the
battlefield remains in the hands of the French. The Russians
retreat and abandon their ancient capital. Moscow, abounding in provisions, arms, munitions, and incalculable wealth,
is in Napoleon’s hands. The Russian army, only half the
strength of the French, does not make a single attempt to
attack for a whole month. Napoleon’s position is most brilliant. He can either fall on the Russian army with double its
strength and destroy it; negotiate an advantageous peace,
or in case of a refusal make a menacing move on Petersburg, or even, in the case of a reverse, return to Smolensk
or Vilna; or remain in Moscow; in short, no special genius
would seem to be required to retain the brilliant position
the French held at that time. For that, only very simple and
easy steps were necessary: not to allow the troops to loot,
to prepare winter clothingof which there was sufficient in
Moscow for the whole armyand methodically to collect the
provisions, of which (according to the French historians)
there were enough in Moscow to supply the whole army for
six months. Yet Napoleon, that greatest of all geniuses, who
the historians declare had control of the army, took none of
these steps.
He not merely did nothing of the kind, but on the con1880
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trary he used his power to select the most foolish and
ruinous of all the courses open to him. Of all that Napoleon might have done: wintering in Moscow, advancing on
Petersburg or on Nizhni-Novgorod, or retiring by a more
northerly or more southerly route (say by the road Kutuzov
afterwards took), nothing more stupid or disastrous can be
imagined than what he actually did. He remained in Moscow till October, letting the troops plunder the city; then,
hesitating whether to leave a garrison behind him, he quitted Moscow, approached Kutuzov without joining battle,
turned to the right and reached Malo-Yaroslavets, again
without attempting to break through and take the road
Kutuzov took, but retiring instead to Mozhaysk along the
devastated Smolensk road. Nothing more stupid than that
could have been devised, or more disastrous for the army,
as the sequel showed. Had Napoleon’s aim been to destroy
his army, the most skillful strategist could hardly have devised any series of actions that would so completely have
accomplished that purpose, independently of anything the
Russian army might do.
Napoleon, the man of genius, did this! But to say that he
destroyed his army because he wished to, or because he was
very stupid, would be as unjust as to say that he had brought
his troops to Moscow because he wished to and because he
was very clever and a genius.
In both cases his personal activity, having no more force
than the personal activity of any soldier, merely coincided
with the laws that guided the event.
The historians quite falsely represent Napoleon’s facul
1881
ties as having weakened in Moscow, and do so only because
the results did not justify his actions. He employed all
his ability and strength to do the best he could for himself and his army, as he had done previously and as he did
subsequently in 1813. His activity at that time was no less
astounding than it was in Egypt, in Italy, in Austria, and in
Prussia. We do not know for certain in how far his genius
was genuine in Egyptwhere forty centuries looked down
upon his grandeurfor his great exploits there are all told us
by Frenchmen. We cannot accurately estimate his genius
in Austria or Prussia, for we have to draw our information
from French or German sources, and the incomprehensible
surrender of whole corps without fighting and of fortresses without a siege must incline Germans to recognize his
genius as the only explanation of the war carried on in Germany. But we, thank God, have no need to recognize his
genius in order to hide our shame. We have paid for the
right to look at the matter plainly and simply, and we will
not abandon that right.
His activity in Moscow was as amazing and as full of
genius as elsewhere. Order after order order and plan after
plan were issued by him from the time he entered Moscow
till the time he left it. The absence of citizens and of a deputation, and even the burning of Moscow, did not disconcert
him. He did not lose sight either of the welfare of his army
or of the doings of the enemy, or of the welfare of the people of Russia, or of the direction of affairs in Paris, or of
diplomatic considerations concerning the terms of the anticipated peace.
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War and Peace
Chapter IX
With regard to military matters, Napoleon immediately
on his entry into Moscow gave General Sabastiani strict orders to observe the movements of the Russian army, sent
army corps out along the different roads, and charged Murat to find Kutuzov. Then he gave careful directions about
the fortification of the Kremlin, and drew up a brilliant plan
for a future campaign over the whole map of Russia.
With regard to diplomatic questions, Napoleon summoned Captain Yakovlev, who had been robbed and was in
rags and did not know how to get out of Moscow, minutely explained to him his whole policy and his magnanimity,
and having written a letter to the Emperor Alexander in
which he considered it his duty to inform his Friend and
Brother that Rostopchin had managed affairs badly in Moscow, he dispatched Yakovlev to Petersburg.
Having similarly explained his views and his magnanimity to Tutolmin, he dispatched that old man also to
Petersburg to negotiate.
With regard to legal matters, immediately after the fires
he gave orders to find and execute the incendiaries. And the
scoundrel Rostopchin was punished by an order to burn
down his houses.
With regard to administrative matters, Moscow was
granted a constitution. A municipality was established and
1883
the following announcement issued:
INHABITANTS OF MOSCOW!
Your misfortunes are cruel, but His Majesty the Emperor and King desires to arrest their course. Terrible
examples have taught you how he punishes disobedience
and crime. Strict measures have been taken to put an end
to disorder and to re-establish public security. A paternal
administration, chosen from among yourselves, will form
your municipality or city government. It will take care of
you, of your needs, and of your welfare. Its members will
be distinguished by a red ribbon worn across the shoulder,
and the mayor of the city will wear a white belt as well. But
when not on duty they will only wear a red ribbon round
the left arm.
The city police is established on its former footing, and
better order already prevails in consequence of its activity.
The government has appointed two commissaries general,
or chiefs of police, and twenty commissaries or captains of
wards have been appointed to the different wards of the city.
You will recognize them by the white ribbon they will wear
on the left arm. Several churches of different denominations
are open, and divine service is performed in them unhindered. Your fellow citizens are returning every day to their
homes. and orders have been given that they should find
in them the help and protection due to their misfortunes.
These are the measures the government has adopted to reestablish order and relieve youp condition. But to achieve
this aim it is necessary that you should add your efforts and
should, if possible, forget the misfortunes you have suffered,
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should entertain the hope of a less cruel fate, should be certain that inevitable and ignominious death awaits those
who make any attempt on your persons or on what remains
of your property, and finally that you should not doubt that
these will be safeguarded, since such is the will of the greatest and most just of monarchs. Soldiers and citizens, of
whatever nation you may be, re-establish public confidence,
the source of the welfare of a state, live like brothers, render
mutual aid and protection one to another, unite to defeat
the intentions of the evil-minded, obey the military and
civil authorities, and your tears will soon cease to flow!
With regard to supplies for the army, Napoleon decreed
that all the troops in turn should enter Moscow a la maraude* to obtain provisions for themselves, so that the army
might have its future provided for.
*As looters.
With regard to religion, Napoleon ordered the priests to
be brought back and services to be again performed in the
churches.
With regard to commerce and to provisioning the army,
the following was placarded everywhere:
PROCLAMATION!
You, peaceful inhabitants of Moscow, artisans and
workmen whom misfortune has driven from the city, and
you scattered tillers of the soil, still kept out in the fields
by groundless fear, listen! Tranquillity is returning to this
capital and order is being restored in it. Your fellow countrymen are emerging boldly from their hiding places on
finding that they are respected. Any violence to them or to
1885
their property is promptly punished. His Majesty the Emperor and King protects them,
