Chapter 2

           

           Thefamousflankmovementmerelyconsistedinthis:aftertheadvanceoftheFrenchhadceased,theRussianarmy,whichhadbeencontinuallyretreatingstraightbackfromtheinvaders,deviatedfromthatdirectcourseand,notfindingitselfpursued,wasnaturallydrawntowardthedistrictwheresupplieswereabundant.

           IfinsteadofimaginingtoourselvescommandersofgeniusleadingtheRussianarmy,wepicturethatarmywithoutanyleaders,itcouldnothavedoneanythingbutmakeareturnmovementtowardMoscow,describinganarcinthedirectionwheremostprovisionsweretobefoundandwherethecountrywasrichest.

           ThatmovementfromtheNízhnitotheRyazán,Túla,andKalúgaroadswassonaturalthateventheRussianmaraudersmovedinthatdirection,anddemandsweresentfromPetersburgforKutúzovtotakehisarmythatway.AtTarútinoKutúzovreceivedwhatwasalmostareprimandfromtheEmperorforhavingmovedhisarmyalongtheRyazánroad,andtheEmperor’sletterindicatedtohimtheverypositionhehadalreadyoccupiednearKalúga.

           HavingrolledlikeaballinthedirectionoftheimpetusgivenbythewholecampaignandbythebattleofBorodinó,theRussianarmy—whenthestrengthofthatimpetuswasexhaustedandnofreshpushwasreceived—assumedthepositionnaturaltoit.

           Kutúzov’smeritlay,notinanystrategicmaneuverofgenius,asitiscalled,butinthefactthathealoneunderstoodthesignificanceofwhathadhappened.

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