Resumo de On The Eve Of Battle Royal

The news of General Kutuzov's appointment as Commander-in-Chief of the Russian army sent the troops' spirits up. His arrival ended a bitter dispute between the acting Commander-in-Chief Mikhail Barclay de Tolly and the second in command General Pyotr Bagration, and dispelled brewing distrust of the efficiency of command. Inspecting a guard of honour, Mikhail Kutuzov said: "How can one retreat with clever lads like you!" His words quickly spread through the army. Kutuzov was fully aware that everyone expected him to take decisive moves to check the enemy's advance on Moscow. Yet, after a closer look at the situation, he saw that the army was still unfit for a major battle. Its strength was obviously insufficient. Of the promised 60-thousand reserve, he received just 15 to 16 thousand poorly trained soldiers. Besides, there were almost no back-up defenses to support the army. As things stood, Kutuzov was compelled to order a retreat. At the same time, he was planning a heavy counterstrike designed to wear the enemy down, exhaust his best troops and curb his advance. In a letter to the czar, Kutuzov wrote: "No matter what happens, we must defend Moscow". A huge field near the village of Borodino 124 km west of Moscow was chosen for the strike. Kutuzov personally examined it and ordered to fortify defenses. The field, overlooking the surrounding area and providing a perfect view of the enemy, was very good from an artillery standpoint. Rivers and gorges offered little room for the enemy to maneuver. The French army was in a clearly disadvantageous position. Sure, Napoleon was aware of that, but under the circumstances the best he could do was to deliver a frontal blow along a narrow passage. This time it was Kutuzov who dictated the terms, and Napoleon had to accept them. On the eve of the battle Kutuzov wrote to his wife: "The troops' morale is high. For three days we've been standing close to the French, so close we even saw Napoleon in his gray frock-coat. He is so cautious that one can hardly recognize him. Now we are digging in up to our ears". Both armies were preparing for the crucial engagement. "The day before the battle Kutuzov lined up his troops and ordered to bring the icon of the Mother of God of Smolensk, - wrote in his memoirs the Russian officer Fyodor Glinka. - The icon was carried along the troop lines, and, as it was sailing by, 100 thousand soldiers were kneeling down, one by one, and bending their heads to the ground they were prepared to wash with their blood. The Commander-in-Chief, surrounded by staff officers, came up to the icon and bowed to it. When the service was over, there appeared an eagle in the skies above. That was a good sign. Kutuzov bared his gray-haired head, and the same moment a thunderous "hurrah" rolled through the troops".
Napoleon was also preparing for the battle. In the early hours of September 6th, the emperor, accompanied by his marshals, took a ride along Russian outposts and spent all day studying the terrain and Russian positions. In the evening he drew up a battle plan. The attack was fixed for the next morning. The same night Napoleon addressed his fatigued army with the following words: "Soldiers! Here is the battle you've been waiting for! Now the victory depends upon you! We need it! The victory means plenty of trophies, good winter quarters and a soon return home. Fight as you did at Austerlitz, at Friedland, at Vitebsk and Smolensk, and later your descendants will commemorate your feat and say proudly: they fought a great battle near the walls of Moscow!" Fifteen years earlier, when he took command of the French army, Napoleon promised his troops: "I will steer you to fertile lands..." And he led them to Italy and plundered its cities. That night at Borodino he struck the same chords. Napoleon promised a victory and his soldiers believed him. Many were never to see their homeland and never tell their relatives how heroically they fought. But back then, they didn'tabout that. They were prepared to wage a fierce battle for the promised wealth

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