The Birmingham age-herald., 1914-09-06

ndoscow who were fleeing from the wraun cf inc Muscovites And willing captives of the everywhere irresistible wooers Of France. there were even Russian girls, in their paint, in their pilfered furs, gowns jewels and carriages, disportng Themselves as gairly as if out for an afternoon drive.
 There were 2000 army wagons and 510 cannons to be dragged over the long, weary road ahead and all manner Of other vehicles loaded down with the spells of Moscow. Some foolish looters had piled their booty on wheelbarrows, and were starting to push it 2o0O miles afoss Europe
 No army ever was so heavily encum- bered with baggage. It was plunder poor at the outset Count Tolstoi has likened it to monkey whose hand is caught In the narrow neck of a jar of nuts but who refuses to open his fist and draw 1t out for fear of dropping his loot.
 A sergeants diary spreads before us the contents of his knapsack on leaving Moscow: Several pounds of sugar some rice, some crackers, a bottle of liquor Chinese silk dress, several gold and sil- Yer ornaments, q womans riding cloak, two silver pictures in relief, several lock ets and q Russian princes cuspidor set with brillants, while he wore over ms shoulders an ermine-lined cape, and car tied a pouch containing d crucifx and vase.
 Weighted down with gold and silver. with rich stores of rare wines and lqueurs, with great stocks of beautiful gowns and gold laced coats the mob started on a march of many hundreds of miles and many weeks through par ren wilderness in a Russian wnter-with worn out boots and summer uniforms and food enough for only 10 days,
 
 Backing Out of Russia
 Napoleon had hoped to throw the en- emy off the scent. But when kutusoi overlook him, he Was only five days from Moscow. Thenceforth he had t. back out of Russia, with his pursuer pressing upon him at every step. Night hnd day his soldiers were forever beset by Cossack cavalry. They had to fighl eot only for roads and bridges, but flso take turns in warding off the swarmlns pests while their comrades slept or stopped to cook a meal.
 After passing by the field of Borodino. pn which 40,c0O of the battle slain lay nnburied where they had fallen seven weeks before, another energy more grim than any foe in arms closed in upon the fetreating band Hunger now pitilessly hssailed and swiftly thinned it's ranks. There was hardly grain of wheat within Do miles of the road on either side. For
 
 through the country in August and Sep tember had eaten it bare and burned the Villages, giving the poor peasantry an inn bressive illustration of the expressive Russian saying: When wolves fight, the sheep lose their wool"
 In the presence of starvation, the gaudy md useless spells of Moscow were cast hside in disgust. The Russians, as they followed along, found the highway strewn with discarded treasures and abandoned hagons and cannons Comrades and mess mates began to hide their flour, rice or potatoes from one another as something too precious to be shared. Look here" the sergant who kept diary exclaimed ln burst of -candor If l met any one ln the woods. with loaf of bread l thouM force bim to give he half.N But be corrected himself, NO. l should kill him and have it all'
 Tn the primal passion for self-pres- ervation men canceled ,hcir obligations ko the sick and wounded, and not few of the helpless were left behind with the other incumbrances that were thrown Off day by day. Unfed horses sank in their traces, only to be seized upon as fcod/ Other pursuers as greedy as the Cossack were now following after< the brmy A black cloud of vultures hovercd tn the rear like gulls in -he wake of a Ship at sea. while packs of bowling wolves hlso took up the chase.
 Nearly half the army was lost in the nrst two weeks of the retreat on the first t5o miles of the march, And not more than fourth of them had fallen before the human foe and met soldiers death.