The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1915-08-22

numbered for battle. retreated in a
heavy mist. The failure Of Napoleon
to attack with full force before the
coup was accomplished has never
been satisfactorily explained. Now
one-third of his army was destroyed
and no real battle had been fought.
Depleted by 1870. 900 men, his force was
Tar into a hostile and barren terri
tory. without supplies and suffering
from hunger and disease. The main
body and the wings were far apart.
Determined to secure a battle Ma
poleon planned TO advance on Smo-
lensk and then Moscow. He brought
Davout's army in and with 200, 900 ne
passed, the Dnieper August 10. and
Jour days later crossed the old Rus
sian frontiers at Krasnoi. The united
Russian armies, under great pressure
at Vono. now had TO give battle and
hurried to Smobnsk. August Is the
French attack on the town failed, and
while Napoleon waited for more troops
lie Russians strengthened their posi-
ton and prepared TO block the way
to Moscow. Half the town was de-
stroyed by the French fire, and al
though the Russians retreated the en-
gagement was a barren victory for the
French.
Then, as before. Napoleon's judg-
ment went wrong. He was encounter
ing a wholly new mode of warfare,
something nc IN his plan of campaign.
He became ratified, apparently, and dis
regarding the advice and requests of
his Generals he neglected AT least
two first class opportunities by which
he might have crushed one or both
Of the Russian Generals. These lat
ter, with their vastly inferior forces,
were showing consummate tactics to
!ntict losses on the French. which.
however, were as nothing compared
with those which the elements, disease
and lack of provisions were accom-
plishing. The p~rivations were almost
unbelievable. and thrre is no doubt
that the reports of his staff did much
to contribute to his indecislon at this
time.
The only plan which presented itself
10 him was to attack the Russian left
wing and centre, turning the front
south instead of west, and drive il to
the Mosko. He put 1t to the test, and
Ney, Davout, Eugene, Murat and Junot
attacked successively. The fight was
a desperate one. both armies display
ing the greatest valor. Back and forth
victory swung, the Russians gradually
r~etreating, and this only after they had
lost $4,000 in ~obstinately holding their
ground all night, At that. they claimed
the battle as theirs. and It was SO re-
.garded by the Government. The French
loss was 10000. 1t has been said that
at Borodlno Napoleon gained not a
hattie but only a battlefield. But he
pressed on now along the Dad to the
city Of his desire.
The day he came in sight of Moscow
the Russian army evacuated II. When
the French entered the town Il was
discovered TO be on fire, All provisions
were destroyed and only one quarter
OF the city was untouched by III
flames. The army tried to subsist by
foraging on the country, but this did
not suffice 10 feed the troops. Three
thousand foraghg troops were cap
tured In n instance. Garrisons left
by Napoleon were surprised and killed
and roads held by the French were lost
to them. But worse threatened. for
kutuson, who led the Russian retreat
from Moscow. assembled no less than
$4,000 infantry, 500 guns and 10000
Cossacks south OF the city. while
another force OF 40, 900, under Witt
genstein, was heard from on the
Dwina and $4,000 were moving on
schwarzenberg's Austro-Saxon army.
fp this situation Napoleon tried to
treat with the Car, but the latter
ignored hin His position was further
made ~precarious by the approach of
winter, news of gathering trouble in
Prussia, and the return to tho Car ~
10000 Russian troops which had been
helping Bernadotte In Sweden. At