The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1915-03-28

enough of a shock to inspire Inn tn
libellous inference. In 1872 Alexander
proved his possession OF sound. not
sensational craftsmanship. courage,
stcadfast determination and ability IA
manage men and large affairs.
Desiring peace. the surrender of in
dependence was too great a price for
him To- pay. Napoleon's unqualified
requirement Vas full submission. Ne
gotiatigGs wen IN while both sides
prepared for the inevitable struggle.
AS they went into the war. neither
sid fully appreciated the difficult $
of it's situation and task. The Rus
sian forces were spread out loosely
along the frontier; Napoleon by the
middle If May mad his Prussians 1T
kocnigsberg. his .Austrians at Lem
berg: the Fourth Corps in reserve Il;
KaliSch. with the Imperial Guard
marching across Germany-aad pill
laying as II went. The Emperor con-
tcmplated his army AZ three masses,
of which Jerome commanded the
right. with the Fifth. Seventh and
Eighth Corps: Eugene had the cen-
ire. with the t'ourth md sixth, while
Nv illlilNfli Ma0 w Ndu w = .
the Guard, the First. Second and
Third Corps and the new Tenth. COM
posed Of Davout's foreign troops and
the l'russians.
Alexander was at wilma. nominally
in chief command. but already ham
pered by the la tx of cooperation among
his generals, which was to continue
more or less mischievously through
out the war. Mikhail B~osdanovich.
Baron Barclay de folly. a Livonian 10y
birth and ultimately Of Scottish PIX
traction" hence always regarded 10y
the ultra Russian" generals with
something of the suspicion that in
variap,y attaches to the foreigner IN
any national service. had risen slowly
to high rank and an exalted place IN
the confidence and esteem III the Car.
He was Industrious, energetic. a scien-
titic soldier. accomplishing under the
burden of combined field and Office
duty. As Minister of War and COM
mandcr of the First Army of the Yves;
he carried "A heavy load.
Gen. Prince Peter ~Ivanbvich Ragra-
ton. commander of the Second Army
If the West. was a soldier of the
"dashins' type, fiery. impulslve, reck-
less; perhaps "A better strateg!st than
his colleague. but as a tactician a
thought less happy. If Barclay was
the man to resist the Napoleonic In
vasiun Tlagration was supremclv
fitted for the harassing pursuit of
the French army on its wretched re-
treat. His death from a wound re-
Ceivcd at Borodu no was a misfortune
=. p..,, " 4, I~Aa-l IL
at is difficult no; to feel a sense "
decline in passing from Barclay, the
simple. devoted servant Of his
try. and Blgration. the chivalrous de-
Scendant Of kings tArmenian1, To- the
caution and cunning Of the pleasure
loving old autocrat. Kutusoff, and the
hardly disguised se,f-seeking Of the
soldier Of fortune Bennigsen.' II
Bagration had lived Marshal Ney. the
hero Of the retreat" might MT have
come off 20 well.
The student IF ~campaiLns will find
in Mr.. Foord's book an abundance
Of detail. . faithful following Of tAa
: of attack and defence, Skin
mish, battle. charge and retreat. an
aiysis of strategy, tactics and forces
engaged. and a clear description Of III"
LAY f the lard" the roads. !iver- and
Bridges. waste iand and farm land and
the marshes that Played no small part
in the war. But these things do not
ven in master hands make literature.
and the techn!cLans. professional or
amateur. who delight t. stick coiored
pins in maps are busy now with other
movements than those Of a century
ago. II IS the personal al melt that
makes the rrcord go; the hstKian
might proftrbiy have spared some of
the scientific military detail To make
room Cor NOR Of the picturesque
side Of the struggle. But it j. not Ia
he thought that his narrative Is wholly
devoid Of the anecdutc that satisfies
curiosity.
Bagration. wounded at Borodino and
suffering from gingrene. induced o!
aggravated hy tray Hing over bad
roads. lies dying At a mansion on the
road t. Vladimir, ,Mr. Fcord gives
the date Of his de th as September a
without translating it into the Octo-
hey : If M caleudar.l To him comes
=. Sir Robert Wilson. British Military
Commissioner, returning from a visit
to the car. Alexander. wisely over
looking tho antdgunisms OF his gen
era :. h-d asked Sr Robert To- CONVEY
to them H. the heid this message: iI'
would let h.- beard grow vast long
and ct putiJuoS in Siberia before II.
would negotiate. 50 IunG a" II arm ,
Frcnchmln rem ,in"d in EussiH. TIL.
terms Of 'lC message. highnowr
3 though they seem. were III for Rus,
sian ears. they brought comfort t,
, the dying e ncrIl. Grasping the Eng,
. lishman'S hlnd BagTttion exc aimed
= Dear general. you have made mo III,
happy, for now Russia will assured,
not hc d shunrred Accipio solatiun
norris Yrrmnloft, who had been on,
Of Iagratiun'S most iel lous rivals. &C
tually she'd tears on bidding him fare
We'll. and the Prince Tctcr. il Is pleas
ing To note. had expressed admiration
ana esteem for Barclay.
Mr.. Foords II the opera
1 tiuns about Smolensk is stirring
+, There is a story about Barclay:
4 on tho StragIn Tho battle ragged viii
- ulahatod fuzzy. Barclay lie Tol'y va
doing his uttcrmost, and though the lin
was often shaken # was always rcformc
and s'"adiod some Of l.cdru's and Sche
= !or's troops cndctvorcd 70 get round III
r Russian righ'. but thor attempt had n
} result, Tho Rov"l regiment and She Body
e. guard Gr"nddicr,. Nghting Locgediy wit
. tn" hdyon"', hold thcm IN, whic 10