The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1915-08-22
THE KAISER MEET NAPOLEONS FAT IN RUSSIA
Possibility That Grand
Duke Nicholas Is Fol.
lowing Old Russian
Tactics in Leading On
Germans

whOm Napoleon nau urlVen out OF
Prussia.
Advance was now out OF the cues.
ton; retreat the only thing possible
This was accepted and the withdrawal
began October 10. los, 900 men march.
ing on the famous retreat. Napoleon
in the lead, the Grand Army started
west, while Kutusoff simultaneously
sprang to block his way. II nature
hindered the advance ON Moscow, she
did more to obstruct the retreat. All
that the French suffered in the frs,
instance was multiplied tenfold now.
Rains and bad roads made progress,
slower than before.
At Morotaroslavetz the vanguard
of the French gained a partial victory
over the enemy. but at a loss OF 5000.
Turning north. to avoid the main
body Of Kutusoff's army. Napoleon
made of in the direction of Moshaisk
in full retreat. His idea was to reach
Smolensk. where he expected reen-
forcements from Marshal Victor, and
also provisions for his army. Between
the two rivers the army was to winter
and rest. BY November the suffering
became almost unbearable. The pro.
visions brought were exhausted, fuel
was scarce and death by freezing
common.
All This time Kutusoff had been
marrying the retreating French. BY
forced marches over a shorter route
he was at Viasma and cut off the rear
guard, killing 1000 and capturing
5000. With more determination he
might have smashed the entire army.
The French, now thoroughly demoral-
lied, broke into rout. All discipline
was cast to the winds. With the cold
at 10 degrees below zero and in a
binding snowstorm II became each
one for himself. Exhausted, they sank
to freeze to death. Around one camp
fire, Fourier says, 900 were found
frozen. On the rear and on the tanks
pressed the Cossacks, killing wherever
they could. The Russians did not stop
to take prisoners. They went on, leav-
ing winter to attend TO the fugitlves
who had offered TO surrender.
When the French arrived al the
place where the winter was To- have
been spent Napoleon learned that Vic.
tor and tain Cyr had both boon de-
feated by the Russians under Wlttger-
stein, and that he could not hope ~
aid from that quarter. Worse, a larc.
force had advanced on M!nsk from the
south. He therefore ordered the with
drawal from Smolensk, the town he-
ing blown up at his command without
regard for thousands of his sick and
wounded there. Stragrlers who fell
behind were set upon by the enraged
peasants and slaughtered. The snow
of Russia was Redeemed by some OF the
best blood of the French and Their
allies.
Everywhere lay the unburied dead.
and as the r%etreating army passed u.
battlefield OF Borodino the victims
bodies still remained stark and fearf.'
monuments of the fiasco OF Napp,cur
campaign.
More h once the fear OF Napoleon
caused the Russians TO lose the chtn.a
of a%nnihilating a French army corps
I although they outnumbered Pho
: french on one occasion three to u,e
! In such straits Ney was left bch.nI
n after n battle lost 2.l00 out Of his
! 5000 men. The retreating army d.
, rectly under Napoleon now numbered
! but 5000 and some Of these cas-, away
? their muskets. There was lit,'r az.
! tempt to carry away the art.',crv
r,As, - q, -
a.. hau aIreaoE heen ahah''Nfa
90 oon u Tue iuS't.Pes tota'l'd "''F
mere they OBTAINED som" ''.a
nv sol rest
- Nhpo.eon heard that T .'-
SnHon' WIN the forcc from Ml.Sb
, nau Hharched so RAPIDLY that he bad
,eucheu the heres!na River, where ~.
u,encn had expected to cross. ard thar
".'sens,e'h had defeated ho'h 'n1
nut anu Nlcto'' Pursued by kl''s'f
Wv hurried on inc HANKS 10y N''='r'
SUI ana Iohitchasor' the Fr'n.H
noleon must pre''Fto.5 ~"
Nor 70 ho, ~ r.'.''' W.
lake rho Rorostna r.n.t,'as, ave-.
rnne, W,,,aon.. "'.'S' ana ,','u'
word cor1n 49,, ;, '', '',''
hrrned tha '' ""'''N '''
orl,, ~ n,i,G,
rrenc, ,' st"'"N W
orrias 'iS eNtrI'a'cu 'A''
,icrIo,,s -, e''ua''o". Inc mo-
into ,bo caa'. t"nt,''"',' i.''''
marcboa Co.. ~" "',
the corsica, -" ["'u"N" ,'h'
s,tuo,ion n.ho '"Ini'i'"" w "
s,rovad ,ho .'"'" INV
, uoba,,, a ''"," army "''
HHl'''''E vs. NJ.