The men got into their places； crossed themselves … “In God’s name； off！”
“Hurrah！” rang out in the wood； and the Cossacks； with spears lowered； flew gaily； one hundred after another； across the stream into the camp； as though they were being shot out of a sack。
One desperate； frightened scream from the first Frenchman who caught sight of the Cossacks； and every creature in the camp； undressed and half…asleep； was running away； abandoning cannons； muskets； and horses。
If the Cossacks had pursued the French without regard to what they left all around and behind them； they could have captured Murat and all there was there。 Their commanding officers tried to make them do so。 But there was no making the Cossacks budge when they had got booty and prisoners。 No one heeded the word of command。 They had taken fifteen hundred prisoners； thirty…eight cannons； flags； and； what was of most consequence in the eyes of the Cossacks； horses； saddles； coverings and various other objects。 All of this they wanted to see after； to secure the prisoners and the cannons； to divide the booty； to shout at and even fight with one another over the spoils； and all this absorbed the Cossacks’ attention。 The Frenchmen； finding themselves not pursued further； began to rally； they formed into companies and began firing。 Orlov…Denisov still expected the other columns to arrive； and did not advance further。
Meanwhile； in accordance with the disposition—“die erste Colonne marschirt；” and so on—the infantry regiments of the belated columns； under the command of Bennigsen and the direction of Toll； had started off in due course； and had； in the usual way； arrived somewhere； but not where they were intended to arrive。 In the usual way too； the soldiers who had set off gaily； began to halt； there were murmurs of dissatisfaction and a sense of muddle； and they were marched back to some point。 Adjutants and generals galloped to and fro； shouting angrily； quarrelling； declaring they had come utterly wrong and were too late； upbraiding some one； and so on； and finally； all washed their hands of the business in despair； and marched on simply in order to get somewhere。 “We must arrive somewhere sooner or later！” And so they did； in fact； arrive somewhere； but not where they were wanted。 And some did even reach their destination； but reached it so late that their doing so was of no use at all； and only resulted in their being fired at for nothing。 Toll； who in this battle played the part of Weierother in the battle of Austerlitz； galloped with unflagging energy from one part of the field to another； and found everything at sixes and sevens everywhere。 So； for instance； he found Bagovut’s corps in the wood； when it was broad daylight； though the corps ought to have been there long before； and to have gone to support Orlov…Denisov。 Disappointed and excited at the failure； and supposing some one must be to blame for it； Toll galloped up to the general in command of the corps； and began sternly reprimanding him； declaring that he deserved to be shot。 Bagovut； a sturdy old general of placid disposition； had been worried too by all the delays； the muddles； and the contradictory orders； and； to the amazement of everybody； he flew into a violent rage； quite out of keeping with his character； and said some very nasty things to Toll。
“I am not going to be taught my duty by anybody； but I can face death with my men as well as any one；” he said； and he marched forward with one division。 The valiant Bagovut； not considering in his excitement whether his advance into action now with a single division was likely to be of use or not； marched his men straight forward into the enemy’s fire。 Danger； shells； and bullets were just what he wanted in his fury。 One of the first bullets killed him； the other bullets killed many of his men。 And his division remained for some time under fire for no object whatever。
Chapter 7
MEANWHILE another column was to have fallen upon the French in the centre； but of this column Kutuzov was in command。 He knew very well that nothing but muddle would come of this battle； begun against his will； and； as far as it was in his power； he held his forces back。 He did not move。
Kutuzov rode mutely about on his grey horse； making languid replies to the suggestions for an attack。
“You can all talk about attacking； but you don’t see that we don’t know how to execute complicated man？uvres；” he said to Miloradovitch； who was begging to be allowed to advance。
“We couldn’t take Murat alive in the morning； nor be in our places in time； now there’s nothing to be done！” he said to another。
When it was reported to Kutuzov that there were now two battalions of Poles in the rear of the French； where according to the earlier reports of the Cossacks there had been none； he took a sidelong glance behind him at Yermolov； to whom he had not spoken since the previous day。
“Here they are begging to advance； proposing projects of all sorts； and as soon as you get to work； there’s nothing ready； and the enemy； forewarned； takes his measures。”
Yermolov half closed his eyelids； and faintly smiled； as he heard those words。 He knew that the storm had blown over him； and that Kutuzov would not go beyond that hint。
“That’s his little joke at my expense；” said Yermolov softly； poking Raevsky； near him； with his knee。
Soon after that； Yermolov moved forward to Kutuzov and respectfully submitted：
“The time has not passed； your highness； the enemy has not gone away。 If you were to command an advance？ Or else the guards won’t have a sight of smoke。”
Kutuzov said nothing； but when news was brought him that Murat’s troops were in retreat； he gave orders for an advance； but every hundred paces he halted for three…quarters of an hour。
The whole battle was confined to what had been done by the Cossacks of Orlov…Denisov； the rest of the troops simply lost a few hundreds of men for nothing。
In consequence of this battle； Kutuzov received a diamond decoration； Bennigsen； too； was rewarded with diamonds and a hundred thousand roubles； and the other generals； too； received agreeable recognition according to their rank； and more changes were made on the staff。
“That’s how things are always done among us； everything topsy…turvy！” the Russian officers and generals said after the battle of Tarutino； just as they say it nowadays； with an assumption that some stupid person had muddled everything； while we would have managed quite differently。 But the men who speak like this either do not understand what they are talking of； or intentionally deceive themselves。 Every battle—Tarutino； Borodino； Austerlitz—fails to come off as those who planned it expected it to do。 That is inevitable。
An innumerable collection of freely acting forces （and nowhere is a man freer than on the field of battle； where it is a question of life and death） influence the direction taken by a battle； and that can never be known beforehand and never corresponds with the direction of any one force。
If many forces are acting simultaneously in different directions on any body； the direction of its motion will not correspond with any one of the forces； but will always follow a middle course； the summary of them； what is expressed in mechanics by the diagonal of the parallelogram of forces。
If in the accounts given us by historians； especially by French ones； we find that wars and battles appear to follow a definite plan laid down beforehand； the only deduction we can make from that is that these accounts are not true。
The battle of Tarutino obviously failed to attain the aim which Toll had in view： to lead the army into action in accordance with his disposition of the troops； or the aim which Count Orlov…Denisov may have had： to take Murat prisoner； or the aim of destroying at one blow the whole corps； which Benningsen and others may have entertained； or the aim of the officer who desired to distinguish himself under fire； or the Cossack； who wanted to obtain more booty than he did attain； and so on。 But if we regard the object of the battle as what was actually accomplished by it； and what was the universal desire of all Russians （the expulsion of the French from Russia and the destruction of their army）； it will be perfectly evident that the battle of Tarutino； precisely in consequence of its incongruities； was exactly what was wanted at that period of the campaign。 It is difficult or impossible to imagine any issue of that battle more in accordance with that object than its actual result。 With the very smallest effort； in spite of the greatest muddle； and with the most trifling loss； the most important results in the whole campaign were obtained—the transition was made from retreat to attack； the weakness of the French was revealed； and the shock was given which was all that was needed to put Napoleon’s army to flight。
Chapter 8
NAPOLEON enters Moscow after the brilliant victory de la Moskowa： there can be no doubt of the victory； since the French are left in possession of the field of battle。 The Russians retreat and leave Moscow—well stocked with provisions； arms； implements； and countless riches—in the hands of Napoleon。 The Russian army； of one…half the strength of the French； during the course of a whole month makes no effort to attack。 Napoleon’s position is most brilliant。 One would have supposed that no great genius was needed with an army of double the strength to fall upon the Russian forces and destroy them； to negotiate an advantageous peace； or； in case of negotiations being refused； to make a menacing march upon Petersburg； or even； in case of failure in this； to return to Smolensk or to Vilna； or to remain in Moscow； to retain； in short； the brilliant position in which the French army now found themselves。 To do all this it was only necessary to take the simplest and easiest measures： to keep the soldiers from pillage； to prepare winter clothes （of which there was a supply in Moscow amply sufficient for the whole army）； and regularly to collect the provisions； of which the supply in Moscow was； on the showing of the French historians； sufficient to feed the whole army for six months。 Napoleon； the greatest of all military geniuses； with absolute power； as historians asse