The Somerset herald. [volume] (Somerset, Pa.) 1870-1936, 1884-12-17

AwAR WHICH WAS BEGUN IN wANToS'
NESS AND ENDED IN DESTRUCTION.

Seventy-two wears ago Napoieon
mounted his cream-colored horse
and left the Kremlin, and the retreat
from Moscow was begun. OF all
the blunders in that campaign the
great blunder was the campaign IT
self. Napoleon admitted at st. Hel.
ena that it was unproyoked. All
the charges made against Alex
ander ware pretexts. The war was
begun in wantonness and ended in
disaster the most stupendous.
Napoleon was one of those whom
elevation spoils. From the time
when he assumed the crown he had
been insufferably vain and insult
ferably overbearing and insolent.
He could not brook advice. To an
objection offered by one OF his mar
shslls his answer was storm OF
curses and obscenity. 1t was sug-
gested that it would be immensely
difficult to subsist large army In
a country so sterile and SO i'll sup
piled with water, he replied with
oaths. He seemed to think that a
tempest of imperial profanity would
intimidate the elements.
In June, 1912, Napoleon's armies
comprised more than ! 10000 men
He led nearly 100000 across the
Niemen. How many returned /?
1t is conced by military critics that
The campaign was feebly managed.
Napoleon's mind seems to have been
constantly lethargic. Besides, he
seems to have been almost incapa-
BILE of coming to a decision. But
lethargy and indecision were not
vices Of Napoleon's earlier career.
The next day after the battle OF
Smolensk a battle was fought at
Valutino, village three miles from
Smolensk. 1t was battle of such
importance that it left 1000 French
troops on the field dead and wound
ed. The circumstances were such
that it was Napoleon's duty to be
on the field. Yet, though he listen
ed from dawn of day to the roar OF
artillery, and though he could have
galloped to the field in thirty min
utes, this greatest of military lead
ers staid away. This is surely
queer conduct in the general of an
invading army.
In the battle of Borodina the
Russian army occupied a position
within about a mile of the unforda-
BILE river Moskwas and nearly par
allel with it, its right resting on a
little stream called Koloteha, having
high banks and emptying into the
Moskwa at nearly right angles.
Kutosof, with his back TO the Mosk,
wa had 10000. Napoleon in his
front, and, of course, further from
the river, had 10000. The battle
began at daybreak. Napoleon
took position in the rear of his
center, and spent most of the day
walking to and fro with his hands
behind his back. About 10 O'Clock
Murat and Ney, having by terrible
fighting driven back Kutusoff's left
wing and got it into an awkward
position. joined in message to Ma
poleon saying that if he would send
them re-enforcements they could
drive the enemy back to the angle
of the rivers and capture the whole
army. Napoleon refused, and even
failed himself to go and inspect the
field. Kutusoff soon recovered, and
the opportunity was lost. Again al
3 d. no. the same marshals jointly
reported like advantage, asked
immediate re-enforcements, and
promised a like result The empe-
ror questioned and doubted and
dawdled and finally consented to
send re-enforcements, but was go
slow, whether purposely or not
that again the opportunity was lost
What was the consequence? Boro-
dino was a drawn battle. True, Ma
poleon gained technical victory
in the fact that Kutusoff resumed
his march. But atechnical victory
especially to an invading army, is
sorry thing. The carnage on both
sides was awful. At night eighty
Thousand men lay upon the field
Napoleon's admirers apologize for
his admitted feeble management on
that day by saying that he was sick
He was not sick. He had a bad
cold, but no man, merchant, lawyer,
farmer or mechanic stops work OF
calls himself sick for bad cold
The emperor was up. and command.
ed the army all day. About 4 p. M
he rode over to his left center, dis
lance of some three miles to recon
noiter a position. The statement
that he was sick was an after
thought.
After he occupied Moscow his be-
havier showed pusillanimity.
Naughty, overbearing and insolent
as he had before been, he had the
meanness to make advances to Alex
ander for peace He begs. In re-
turn he is snubbed. Oct. 13, snow
fell. Again he begs, and again is
snubbed. fIe is irresolute. The
case calls for instant decision. He
does not decide. Every day that
passes is a day full of threats, OF
unimaginable horror to his army.
Never before was there a more pres.
sing duty for prompt decision and
prompt action.
Napoleon sits in the Kremlin
moody, angry, finding fault with
everybody, and overwhelming with
curses all who come near him. The
burning of Moscow ceased on the
18th of September. Napoleon, dur
ing the days when the confagration
was going on, had leisure to refec,
and to advise with his marshals.
On September 10Th he should have
decided. In the terrible strait to
which his insane and wicked ambi-
ton had brought him to expect
anything from Alexander was idiot
ic. If he had begun his retreat on
September 20th, he would have
saved his army. But. surrounded
by perils more terrible than ever be-
fore menaced military chief, he
spent one whole Month in irresolu-
ton and inaction. The horrors OF
the retreat can not now be recount
ed. But il is worth while to add