Briggs: Correspondence between Napoleon and Kutuzov. Changes in strength.
Translation:
II.
The famous flank march consisted only in that the Russian army, all stepping back backwards by the reverse direction of the offensive, after the offensive of the French stopped, deviated from the adopted first direct direction and, not seeing behind themselves the pursuit, naturally served on that side where it was attracted by the abundance of food.
If one would represent to themselves not ingenious generals at the head of the Russian army, but simply one army without chiefs, then this army could not do anything other, besides reverse movements to Moscow, described as an arc with that part with which was more food and the edge was more abundant.
This movement with Nizhny Novgorod to Ryazan, Tula and the Kaluga roads was to such an extent natural, that in this very direction ran back the marauders of the Russian army, and that in this very direction demanded from Petersburg, so that Kutuzov led across his army. In Tarutin Kutuzov received almost a reprimand from the sovereign for that he took the army somewhere on the Ryazan road, and indicated to him that very position against Kaluga, in which he was already found out, in that time as he received the letter of the sovereign.
Rolling back by the direction of the push, of this time throughout the campaign and at the Borodino battle, the orb of the Russian troops, in the destruction of the forces of the push and did not receive new aftershocks, accepted that position which was natural to him.
The merit of Kutuzov consisted not in something ingenious, as this is called, strategic maneuver, but in that he alone understood the matters of the committed events. He alone understood already then the matters of the inaction of the French army, he alone continued to affirm that the Borodino battle was a victory; he alone — then, who it would seem, by his position as commander in chief, should be situated to the offensive — he alone used all his forces so to hold the Russian army from useless battles.
The shot down animal under Borodino lied there somewhere, where it was left to run away from the hunter; but whether it was alive, whether it was strong, or it was only lurking, the hunter did not know this. Suddenly was heard the moan of this beast.
This moan of the wounded beast of the French army, exposing its destruction, was the sending of Lauriston to the camp of Kutuzov with a request about peace.
Napoleon with his certainty of what was not okay, what was okay, but that what had come in his head, wrote to Kutuzov the words that first came to his head, not having any sense.
"Prince Kutuzov, I send to you a single of my general-adjutants, for negotiations with you about many important subjects. I ask your lordship to believe all of what he will say to you, especially when he will begin to express to you the feelings of respect and of the particular respect, fed by me to you with the long-standing time. For this pray to God about preserving you under his sacred roof. Moscow, 30 October, 1812. Napoleon."938
"I would be damned, if I would look, as the first instigator of what would then neither be made: such is the will of our people."939 — was the response of Kutuzov and he continued to use all his forces in that, so to hold troops from an offensive.
In the month of the robbery by the French troops in Moscow and the calm station of the Russian troops under Tarutin, was subjected a change in regarding the forces of both troops (the spirit and the number of), owing to which the advantage of the forces manifested on the side of the Russians. Despite that the position of the French troops and its number were unknown to the Russians, as soon as the attitude changed, the miserable offensive immediately again was put in a countless quantity of signs. These signs were: the sending of Lauriston, the abundance of the food in Tarutin, the intelligence which came with all parties about the inaction and the disorder of the French, the acquisition of our regiments of recruits, the nice weather, the continuous rest of the Russian soldiers, the usually emerging in troops owing to recreation impatience to enforce that business for which all were gathered, the curiosity about what was being done in the French army, for such a long time lost from view, the courage with which now dug the Russian advance posts about the standing at Tarutin French, the news about easy victories above the French by the peasants and partisans, the envy, excited by this, the feeling of revenge, lying in the soul of each man while the French were at Moscow, and — the main thing — the obscure, but emerging in the soul of each soldier the consciousness that the attitude of the forces were changed now, and the advantage was located on our side. The essential attitude of the forces changed, and the offensive had become necessary. And immediately again, so the same rightly, as begins the beat and playing in a clock chime, when the arrow is committed to the full circle, in the higher sphere, according to the essential change of forces, reflected an enhanced move, the hissing and game of chimes.
938 "Monsieur le prince Koutouzov, he wrote, j’envoie près de vous un de mes aides d camps généraux pour vous entretenir de plusieurs objets intéressants. Je désire que votre Altesse ajoute foi à ce qu’il lui dira, surtout lorsqu’il exprimera les sentiments d’estime et de particulière considération quej’ai depuis longtemps pour sa personne.. Cette lettre n’étant à autre fin, je prie Dieu, Monsieur le prince Koutouzov, qu’ ll vous ait en Sa sainte et digne garde.
Moscou, le 30 Octobre, 1812. Signé:
Napoléon".
("Mr. Prince Kutouzov, he wrote, I am sending one of my general aides to you to talk to you about several interesting objects. I want your Highness to believe in what he says to him, especially when he will express feelings of esteem and of the peculiar consideration that I have had for a long time for him. This letter having no other purpose, I pray to God, Mr. Prince Kutuzov, may He have you in His holy and worthy care. Moscow, October 30, 1812. Signed:
Napoleon".)
939 "Je serais maudit par la postérité si l’on me regardait comme le premier moteur d’un accommodement quelconque. Tel est l’esprit actuel de ma nation", ("I would be cursed by posterity if I was regarded as the primary driver of any accommodation. This is the current spirit of my nation,")
Locations: Tarutino
Mentioned: Russian, French, Moscow (Moscou in the French), Nizhni-Novgorod, Ryazan, Tula, Kaluga, St. Petersburg, Borodino
Pevear and Volokhonsky Notes: Continuing the discussion of the flanking march in a way that really didn't merit a chapter break, Tolstoy again makes the point that the soldiers moved to where they did because that is where the provisions were, even claiming "This movement...was so natural that the looters of the Russian army ran back in that same direction."
"Kutuzov's merit consisted not in some strategic maneuver of genius...but in that he alone understood the significance of what was happening....he alone used all his powers to keep the Russian army from useless battles."
Napoleon and Kutuzov exchange letters, with Kutuzov saying he would be "cursed" if he appeared to be the "prime mover". Tolstoy puts a lot of emphasis on the signs the French gave to Kutuzov that he should finally attack, which included the letter and the sending of Lauriston. Like a clock, the need for revenge by the Russians grew to a point that an attack could not be stopped, just as, though it made no strategic sense, the battle of Borodino was necessary.
Characters (characters who do not appear, but are mentioned are placed in italics. First appearances are in Bold. First mentions are underlined. Final appearance denoted by *):
Prince Kutuzof (also "commander-in-chief" and the French version of "Koutouzov")
Alexander ("sovereign")
Lauriston
Napoleon
Abridged Versions: No break in Bell.
Seemingly a line break after "the Tsar's letter reached him" in Edmonds.
Gibian: line break instead of chapter break.
Fuller: Entire chapter is cut.
Komroff: Entire chapter is cut.
Kropotkin: Start of Part Thirteenth. After the introduction: "France is threatened everywhere; the European nations are rising against Napoleon, the grande armee is harried by the stubborn Russian defenders and is in serious danger of annihilation by cold and hunger. Napoleon's vast empire is crumbling, though he does not know it yet.", we pick up with the Russian army rolling like a ball, leading into the the discussion about Kutuzof's merit and follow the rest of the chapter.
Simmons: Entire chapter is cut.
Additional Notes:
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