219-225 莫斯科之路-------全部完成

王法拉

更新占坑。

王法拉

219页

To Moscow and Back

         Neither side was willing to concede defeat in this bloody battle. The French considered themselves victors since the Russians retreated from the battlefield. After the battle, Napoleon wrote to his wife Marie Louise, ‘My dear, I write you from the battlefield of Borodino. Yesterday, I beat the Russians, their whole army […] the battle was hot […] and I had many killed and wounded.’ The 18th Bulletin proudly proclaimed the French triumph on the field of Borodino and noted that ‘the victory was never uncertain’. Yet the Russians had a different view.

经历了血腥战斗的双方都不愿承认失败。法国人宣称是由于俄军主动退出了阵地，所以他们才是胜利者，拿破仑给皇后玛丽•露易丝的信中提到，“亲爱的，我在博罗季诺战场上给你写下这封信。昨天，我击败了俄军，他们非死即伤，遭到了彻底毁灭。”第18号大军团公报自豪地宣称法军在博罗季诺取得了“毋庸置疑的伟大胜利”。可是俄国人并不这么看。

         As we have seen above, Kutuzov immediately drafted letters with the news of the Russian victory at Borodino. His report reached the Russian capital on the night of 10/11 September, when it was presented to Tsar Alexander and his close advisors. Alexander certainly saw through Kutuzov’s claims of victory, since he ordered the report to be edited and excluded any reference to the Russian withdrawal. As Joseph de Maistre described, the following day, Kutuzov’s courier, with the revised report in hand, ‘triumphantly arrived’ at St Petersburg, which was celebrating the Tsar’s saint’s day.545 The imperial family was attending a mass at the Alexander of Neva Monastery and, after the liturgy, Kutuzov’s report was announced to a joyous public. The edited version was then released for publication in the newspapers.

就像我们之前看到的，库图佐夫在战斗结束不久便发出博罗季诺捷报。捷迅在9月10或11号夜间达到了俄国首都，报告给沙皇和其顾问。亚历山大明白库图佐夫的用意，因此他命令所有的报道中都不可提及俄军的撤退。Joseph de Maistre提到，几天后，正值沙皇的圣徒节，库图佐夫的信使带着“润色”后的捷报，耀武扬威地到达了圣彼得堡，沙皇一家正在涅瓦河畔的修道院中做弥撒，在礼拜仪式结束后，博罗季诺的捷报也为这个日子增加了光彩。随后，库图佐夫胜利的消息在报纸上广为流传。

         News of the victory was rapturously celebrated throughout St Petersburg, where church bells pealed forth and trumpets blared. The American envoy to Russia, John Quincy Adams, wrote that ‘St Petersburg was illuminated’, while English traveller, Ker Porter, described that ‘with the victory being publicly declared, the Te Deum was chanted, every voice united in the strain which gave glory to the God who had fought, and covered her people with immortal honours.’547 And Mikhailovsky-Danilevsky noted that ‘the Emperor’s saint’s day was never before celebrated with such rapture’.548 The news spread to other towns and provinces and in the process became embellished. Thus Joseph de Maistre informed the Sardinian foreign minister that he had heard from an officer who fought at Borodino that ‘by the end of the battle the French had completely run out of ammunition and were throwing stones’.

圣彼得堡为“博罗季诺大捷”举行了盛大的庆祝活动， 教堂的钟声和乐队的吹奏也为喜悦的气氛增色不少。美国公使John Quincy Adams记录到：“欢乐让圣彼得堡变成了不夜城”，英国游客Ker Porter则说：“捷报传开，赞歌不断，所有的人们都称颂万能的上帝，在这生死存亡的关头，神灵护佑了俄罗斯人民。”Mikhailovsky-Danilevsky写到：“沙皇的主保圣人日从来没有举行过这么隆重庆祝仪式”。胜利的消息在俄罗斯大地飞速传播，随之而生的各种版本也层出不穷。Joseph de Maistre就告诉撒丁外交官，据博罗季诺战地的俄军军官说，“打到最后，弹药用尽的法军甚至抄起了石头还击。“

To commemorate the Russian victory, Tsar Alexander announced that Kutuzov was to be promoted to the rank of field marshal general and awarded a lump sum of 100,000 roubles, while his wife was named a statedame of the court. Every participating soldier received 5 roubles. Officer corps was generously rewarded as well. Bagration was given a lump sum of 50,000 roubles (he died on 24 September 1812), Barclay de Tolly was awarded the Order of St George (2nd class), while Miloradovich and Dokhturov received the diamond signs of the Order of Alexander of Neva. Osterman-Tolstoy and Rayevsky were also awarded the Order of Alexander of Neva but minus the diamond signs. Fourteen generals received the Order of St George (3rd class) and six more were given golden swords with diamonds. Eleven generals received the Order of St Anna (1st class), while seven major generals – Bakhmetyev, Dorokhov, Korf, Mecklenburg, Neverovsky, Stroganov and Vasilchikov – were promoted to lieutenant general.

为了纪念俄军的胜利，亚历山大宣布晋升库图佐夫为元帅，并奖励十万卢布，他的夫人也获得爵位，并以她的名字命名了一座法院。参战的俄军士兵都得到了五个卢布。军官们也得到了丰厚的回报。巴格拉季昂有五万卢布（1812年9月24日重伤而逝，人死了，钱木有花完），巴克莱被授予二级圣乔治勋章，Miloradovich 、Dokhturov、Osterman-Tolstoy 和 Rayevsky获得了亚历山大涅瓦斯基勋章（前两位的有钻石标志，后两位没有）。十四名将军赢取了三级圣乔治勋章其中六人还有镶嵌钻石的金剑。十一名将军得到一级圣安娜勋章。同时，Bakhmetyev, Dorokhov, Korf, Mecklenburg, Neverovsky, Stroganov 和 Vasilchikov七位少将被晋升为中将。

Gustavus

巴格拉季翁（巴格拉季昂）不是钱木有花完的问题……是债没有还完的问题……

王法拉

Gustavus 发表于 2013-10-23 11:20
巴格拉季翁（巴格拉季昂）不是钱木有花完的问题……是债没有还完的问题……

不是库图佐夫家里才有败家娘们儿么

Gustavus

王法拉 发表于 2013-10-23 12:20
不是库图佐夫家里才有败家娘们儿么

他自己就败家……米洛拉多维奇也是……

王法拉

Gustavus 发表于 2013-10-23 13:00
他自己就败家……米洛拉多维奇也是……

真是世事艰险啊

王法拉

220页


The rest of the army was rewarded handsomely as well. Sixty-three officers received promotions. Two senior officers received the prestigious Order of St George (3rd class) while sixty-six (including twenty-seven colonels) earned the St George of the 4th class. Thirty-two officers received the Order of St Vladimir (3rd class), twenty-two – St Vladimir (4th class), and 554 – St Vladimir (4th class with ribbon). Seventeen officers were given the Order of St Anna (3rd class), twenty-seven – St Anna (2nd class with diamonds), while 159 officers received St Anna (2nd class), and 767 – St Anna (4th class). Over 340 officers were awarded with golden swords for courage, while six were commended with citations of the ‘imperial goodwill’.（有木有正式的译名？）

沙皇对其他部队的赏赐也毫不吝啬。六十三名军官得到晋升。两名高级军官得到了代表着名望三级圣乔治勋章，六十六人（中有二十七名上校）拿到四级圣乔治勋章。三十二人被授予三级圣弗拉基米尔勋章，二十二人为四级圣弗拉基米尔勋章，五百五十四人为配缎带的四级圣弗拉基米尔勋章。十七人为三级圣安娜勋章，二十七人为配钻石的二级圣安娜勋章，159名军官拿到二级圣安娜勋章，767人为四级圣安娜勋章。三百四十多名军官得到了金剑奖励，6人被赞为“帝国之魂”。
http://www.museum.ru/museum/1812 ... /1997/Celorungo.pdf
勋章数目仍有争议，感谢装甲掷弹熊提供链接。

         In Moscow, Governor Rostopchin, who had been publishing overly positive and patriotic proclamations for the past few weeks, issued more bulletins proclaiming that ‘the accursed one [Napoleon] and his accomplices will perish through famine, fire and sword’. A Te Deum service was held at the Uspensky Cathedral and the air over the city was shaking from constant pealing of church bells. Yet, after receiving Kutuzov’s new dispatches, Rostopchin found himself in a very awkward position. The Russian Commander informed Rostopchin that he had retreated behind Mozhaisk and desperately needed supplies and transports to evacuate the wounded to Moscow. As thousands of wounded troops and terrified peasants began arriving at the capital, rumours of a French victory rapidly spread and the mood of the populace dramatically changed.

那位莫斯科地方长官Rostopchin，“节录重点，夸大渲染”的好手，在接下来几周内发布了更多的公告，宣称那“遭受诅咒的家伙（拿破仑）和他的喽啰们将会被饥饿、火与剑所毁灭”。 Uspensky大教堂举行了赞颂仪式，整个城市上空回响着祈祷的钟声。不过当收到库图佐夫的最新通报后，他发现自己正处于极度危险之中。库图佐夫告诉Rostopchin，俄军已经撤退到Mozhaisk之后，并让他立即筹措交通补给准备向莫斯科转移伤员。当成千上万的伤兵难民涌入首都时，法军才是胜利者的传言如同野火般迅速蔓延了城市，气氛发生了戏剧性的转变。
        
The Russian Army, meantime, spent 8 September taking new positions behind Mozhaisk. The French remained idle until afternoon, when Murat’s advance guard moved close to the town and fought minor skirmishes with the Russians. The Imperial Guard, Davout and Ney were following in Murat’s wake, while Junot, as notes above, was ordered to remain on the battlefield. Prince Eugène, reinforced by the approaching 15th Division of General Pino, prepared to cross the Moscow river and proceed towards Ruza, while Poniatowski marched to Borisov. That evening Kutuzov reconnoitred the French positions and decided to continue his retreat. Murat’s cavalry made several attacks on the Russian rearguard but failed to break through into Mozhaisk; Murat’s chief of staff, Belliard, was wounded early in this combat. Late in the evening the French light infantry (four voltigeur companies from the 2nd Division) did manage to enter one of suburbs of Mozhaisk but the Russians were clinging on stubbornly. As Ségur noted, ‘Murat fancied himself already in possession of it, and sent to inform the Emperor that he might sleep there.’ As Napoleon and his entourage moved forward to Mozhaisk, they were warned that the town was still in the Russian possession. So the Emperor spent the night at Kukarino, about a mile from Mozhaisk.

9月8日，俄军在Mozhaisk之后进入了新的阵地。法军则按兵不动，直到下午，缪拉的前卫靠近Mozhaisk时发生的小规模战斗才打破了当天的平静。达武和内伊在缪拉之后，朱诺所部则仍然留在战场上。得到Pino将军第15师支援的尤金亲王准备渡过莫斯科河向Ruza进发，Poniatowski则朝Borisov行军。当晚库图佐夫综合了对法军的侦察报告后决定继续撤退。缪拉的骑兵数次突击了俄军后卫，但没能冲进Mozhaisk，他的参谋长Belliard在这次战斗中受了伤。法军的第2师的四个散兵连在夜里设法摸到了郊区，但对城里顽强的俄国人无计可施。Ségur记录到“缪拉认为自己已经拿下了城镇（梦想和现实差距还是不小的），他派出信使，告诉皇帝‘ 缪拉为您找了一个宿营地。’“可是当拿破仑和其随员向城内进发的时候，却被告知俄军仍在那里坚守。于是皇帝只能在离Mozhaisk一英里远的Kukarino过夜了。

王法拉

221页


The very fact the Mozhaisk was not seized that day revealed and Murat’s advance was checked showed that the Russian Army was far from being routed. Furthermore, the successful advance guard action allowed Kutuzov to claim further feats of Russian arms. But his army still had to retreat …

         事实上Mozhaisk仍在俄军手里，缪拉的骑兵侦查结果表明俄军远未到溃不成军的地步。此外，前卫部队（不应该是俄军后卫么？）成功的行动让库图佐夫借此继续鼓舞士气。可是俄军的撤退却是不能改变的。

On 9 September, the Russian Army, in two columns, proceeded to Zhukovo and then Zemlino. Mozhaisk was occupied after a brief combat and, as Dedem informs us, French troops seized a large magazine with ‘eau-de-vie’ (i.e. vodka). Staff officers tried to confiscate the liquor from Dedem’s soldiers, in order to distribute it among the Imperial Guard, but they were quickly overruled and it was given to regular units. Napoleon moved his headquarters to Mozhaisk later that day and remained for the next three days.

         9月9日，俄军分为两个集团，沿着Zhukovo——Zemlino进发。经过小规模战斗后Mozhaisk被法军占领，据Dedem说，法军缴获了大批白兰地。参谋们试图从他的士兵手里没收这些战利品来给近卫军发福利，可是最终没有得逞。拿破仑的指挥部在Mozhaisk安顿下来，度过了接下来的三天时光。

Murat’s cavalry, meantime, continued to harass the Russian rearguard on 10–11 September and at one moment the Russian movement was jeopardized when Platov withdrew his rearguard too soon, allowing Murat to close on the main Russian Army.549 Kutuzov, already dissatisfied with Platov’s performance at Borodino, was furious at this latest slip-up and replaced him at once with Miloradovich.

         缪拉的骑兵在9月10-11日继续突击俄军后卫，由于Platov过早的撤回，俄军一度被法军骑兵接近，处于危险之中。库图佐夫对Platov在博罗季诺的表现早已不满，这次失误更是触及了他的底线，Platov的职位立即就被Miloradovich所代替了。

Publicly, Kutuzov still considered fighting another battle. Many Russian historians claimed that he genuinely wanted to make a second battle before Moscow, but others argued convincingly that Kutuzov simply played to popular sentiments while rationally weighing his options. On 9 September, Kutuzov issued an order thanking his troops for their courage at Borodino and promising ‘with the Lord’s help we will inflict a crushing defeat on our enemy’.550 Three days later, he reiterated, ‘Every commander knows that the Russian Army must have another decisive battle under the walls of Moscow.’ The search for a suitable battlefield finally produced a site near the Poklonnaya Gora, a few miles from the capital. The new battlefield proved to be too expansive for Kutuzov’s weakened force, which still had not received necessary reinforcements. Senior officers voiced their objections to the position, which as Barclay de Tolly noted, presented a cobweb of ravines and gullies. According to Mikhailovsky-Danilevsky, ‘If such a position were found several marches, even one march, from Moscow, it would have been abandoned at the very first glance but now, with Moscow itself in sight, generals deliberated and mulled over their decision, seeking at least some other means to give a battle.’551 It was finally agreed to summon a council of war at the nearby village of Fili.

表面上库图佐夫仍在策划新的会战。许多历史学家声称，库图佐夫在莫斯科城前再度迎战的决心不容置疑，但也有人说他这样仅仅是为了照顾到军队的情绪，冷静而理性的思考一刻也不曾在他脑中停止。在9月9日，库图佐夫发表了对全军在博罗季诺浴血奋战的赞扬令，并保证，在“上帝的护佑下，俄军终归会打垮侵略者。“三天后，俄军撤退了，”每个军官都知道我们应该在莫斯科城下和敌人决一死战。“距离首都数英里的Poklonnaya Gora被选为预定阵地。可是这地方对大战之后，尚未得到增援的俄军来说太宽阔了。高级军官们对新的阵地意见很大，像巴克莱说的，那里布满冲沟和峡谷，就像一张大蜘蛛网。根据Mikhailovsky-Danilevsky的说法，”如果这地方是在我们从莫斯科出发的行军中被发现的，那在第一眼我们就不会考虑，可是现在我们身后就是莫斯科，将军们不能以常理来考虑，他们想得更多“。最后，俄军统帅部决定在Fili村附近召开军事会议，对此进行商讨。

         The council met in a small peasant hut on 13 September and was attended by the Commander-in-Chief and ten senior officers. In a heated debate, Barclay de Tolly, Rayevsky, Osterman-Tolstoy and Toll called for retreat, while Bennigsen, Konovnitsyn, Uvarov, Dokhturov, and Yermolov suggested fighting another battle. Kutuzov, shrewdly allowing everyone to express an opinion, in order to avoid being the first to advocate the abandonment of Moscow, had the last word: declaring his support for those proposing retreat, he stated that ‘the loss of Moscow does not mean the loss of Russia’.

9月13日，在一个农户的小棚中，作战会议召开了，俄军统帅和十名高级军官参加了讨论。经过激烈的讨论，巴克莱、Rayevsky、 Osterman-Tolstoy和Toll赞同撤退，而本尼格森、Konovnitsyn, Uvarov, Dokhturov和Yermolov要求择机再战。库图佐夫精明地让大家首先发表意见，这样他就不必自己提出放弃莫斯科的观点。最后，库图佐夫声明他决定继续撤退，他说“即便莫斯科没了，俄罗斯仍会屹立“。

王法拉

222页

      Over the next day and half the RussianArmy passed through the capital, which was hastily being evacuated. ‘The marchof the Army, while being executed with admirable order considering thecircumstances, resembled a funeral procession more than a military progress …’noted Buturlin, adding that ‘Officers and men wept with rage’.Meanwhile, Dokhturov voiced his indignation at Kutuzov’s the decision ‘toabandon one’s cradle without a single shot and without a fight! I am in a fury…’ And many shared his views. Even more outspoken was Governor Rostopchin, whohad spent the previous weeks convincing the people of Moscow that the Russianswere winning the war: ‘The blood is boiling in my veins,’ he wrote to his wife,‘I think that I shall die of the pain.’

接下来几天，半数的俄军经过首都撤退，市内因紧急疏散乱作一团。“考虑到周围的环境，部队行军的纪律令人钦佩，这更像是进行葬礼，而不是在行军……“，Buturlin还说”官兵们因情绪激愤甚至流下了泪水“。与此同时，Dokhturov更对库图佐夫不放一枪一弹就放弃俄罗斯帝国的摇篮表示愤怒！而这并不是他一个人的想法。曾让人们相信俄国必胜的莫斯科地方长官Rostopchin说得更直接，在给妻子的信中，他写道：”我全身热血沸腾，我想我一定会因丢失莫斯科而痛苦死去。“

     On 14September Napoleon’s troops entered Moscow. The previous day Miloradovich andMurat struck an impromptu armistice to allow the Russian rearguard to withdrawand, as Perovsky recalled, some were stunned to witness French troops allowingthe Russians to march through their ranks.552 But the majority in the FrenchArmy believed that, to all intents and purposes, the war was now over, andthere was no reason to spill more blood. There was hardly any doubt that TsarAlexander would have to make peace with Napoleon.

9月14日拿破仑的军队进入了莫斯科。前几天Miloradovich和缪拉与俄军后卫达成了临时停战协议，允许他们撤退，而且Perovsky回忆道，有些人甚至吃惊地看到俄军从法军队列里穿过！但是大部分法国人都认定，战争结束了，没有必要再流血了。沙皇没有理由不接受和平。

     Forthe Russians, however, the war was far from finished. The French hardlyoccupied the capital when fires began throughout the city and continued to burnfor the next three days, destroying two-thirds of the city. The fires werestarted on the orders of Rostopchin, who preferred to see the capital destroyedrather than in the hands of the triumphant enemy. ‘It was the most grand, themost sublime and the most terrific sight the world ever beheld!’ Napoleonreminisced in exile on St Helena. Yet the great fire had a tremendous impact onthe French Army, which descended into chaos and disorder. Pion des Lochesrecalled that The army had dissolved completely; everywhere one could seedrunken soldiers and officers loaded with booty and provisions seized fromhouses which had fallen prey to the flames. The streets were strewn with books,porcelain, furniture and clothing of every kind.

可是对于俄国人，战争远未结束。法国人艰难地占领了莫斯科，不过一场大火随之而来，三天三夜的燃烧把三分之二的城市化为废墟。Rostopchin下达了纵火命令，他宁可失去这座城市也不愿让敌人享用俄国人民的果实。“世界上最壮观、最极端、最可怕的场景，就此发生了！”在圣赫勒拿岛上，拿破仑回忆道。大火极大的影响了法军秩序，骚乱充斥了莫斯科。Pion des Loches回忆道整个军队已经失去组织，喝醉的官兵随处可见，他们把从失火建筑中找到的补给和战利品大把揣入怀中。街道上散布着书籍、瓷器、家具和各式各样的衣服。

     Whilethe French remained in Moscow, the Russian Army manoeuvred from the Ryazan Roadto the Kaluga Road, where Kutuzov established the TarutinoCamp. Through this manoeuvre, Kutuzov covered the southern provinces withabundant supplies and manufacturing enterprises. The Russians also threatenedNapoleon’s rear and lines of communication. At Tarutino, Kutuzov beganintensive preparations for future operations and increased his army to110,000–120,000 men, with additional militia forces to come. Kutuzov alsoencouraged guerrilla operations against the invaders and organized severalregular cavalry detachments to harass French communications and supply lines.Napoleon made several peace proposals to Alexander, but they were all rejected.

     在法军停留于莫斯科的时候，俄军从Ryazan 大道运动至 Kaluga 大道，库图佐夫在那里设立了Tarutino兵营。通过这次行动，库图佐夫得到了南方省份大量的物资器械补给。俄军同时也对拿破仑的交通补给线造成威胁。在Tarutino，库图佐夫积极地谋划下一步的作战方案，麾下的队伍也增加到十一至十二万人，增援部队还在不断开来。库图佐夫同时号召沦陷区人民组织游击队抗击侵略者，俄军骑兵也不断突击法军交通补给。拿破仑此时数次向沙皇提出议和，可是亚历山大根本不予理会。

王法拉

223页

On 18 October,Marshal Murat’s advance guard suffered a sudden defeat on the Chernishnyariver, north of Tarutino. Hearing this news, Napoleon realized it was time toabandon the devastated Russian capital before he was surrounded, especially asthe Russian winter, with its notorious frost and snow, was due. The retreatcommenced on 19 October, when remnants of the Grand Army left Moscow,accompanied by thousands of non-combatants and an enormous train loaded withloot. The route from Moscow to Smolensk, via Gzhatsk,was devastated during the fighting of August-September, so Napoleon intended tomove his forces via the southwestern provinces, which were unharmed by the warand retained large supply stores.

10月18日，缪拉的前锋在Tarutino北方的Chernishnya河遭到了突袭。当拿破仑收到这个消息的时候，他意识到，如果继续呆在莫斯科，那就要被俄军包饺子了。在一片废墟中想捱过俄罗斯的寒冬无异于痴人说梦。10月19日，联军开始撤退，大军团裹挟这成千上万的非战斗人员，满载着战利品离开了莫斯科。由于莫斯科- Gzhatsk-斯摩棱斯克一线在8-9月已经饱受战火蹂躏，所以拿破仑准备向俄国的南方省份进军。那里并未被战争波及，可以筹措大量的补给保障联军撤退。

     Thestart seemed promising, as Napoleon successfully deceived Kutuzov as to hisintentions, quietly moving his troops onto the Kaluga route. But heavy rainsmade the roads almost impassable and considerably delayed French progress on21–22 October. During the night of the 23rd, Russian scouts finally realizedthat Napoleon was moving southward and Kutuzov immediately marched toMaloyaroslavets, the only point where he could strike the new Kaluga Road andblock the French advance. In a battle on 23–24 October, the French captured thetown but failed to break through the Russian lines. After a council of war onthe evening of 25 October, Napoleon ordered the withdrawal to Smolensk, by theway of Borodino and Gzhatsk. The Battle of Maloyaroslavets had a crucial impacton the Russian campaign, as it prevented Napoleon from reaching the richprovinces in south-eastern Russia and forced him to return to the devastatedroute of his summer advance. The marching and fighting at Maloyaroslavetsconsumed seven crucial days and, a week after the battle, the snow began tofall.

撤退行动的开头看起来不错，拿破仑成功地隐藏自己的真实意图，在瞒过了库图佐夫之后，法军向Kaluga大道急进。可是大雨拖住了法军的步伐，在10月21-22日这个关键的时间段上，法军行动迟缓。直到23日夜，俄军的侦查才明白法军正开往南方。库图佐夫当即领军向Maloyaroslavets进发，那里是唯一的、可在新Kaluga大道上打击封锁法军的地方。在10月22-24日的战斗中，法军夺下了城镇，可是没有击破俄军的阵地。在10月25日夜的作战会议后，拿破仑下令经由博罗季诺和Gzhatsk退回斯摩棱斯克。Maloyaroslavets之战对征俄之役产生了重要的影响，俄军把拿破仑挡在了富庶的东南省份之外，让他只能退回夏季的进军路线，可那里早已化为废墟，无力承担大军的补给。围绕Maloyaroslavets争夺的进军和战斗耗费了七天时间，而一周后，雪，也参战了。（Winter is coming!）

      In early November the Grand Army finallyreached Smolensk, where huge supply depots had previously been established. Butdiscipline broke down and looting became rampant. Napoleon hoped to rally hisforces at Smolensk but Kutuzov’s advance toward Krasnyi threatened to cut hisroute. On 3 November, Miloradovich and Platov attacked Davout near Vyazma andcaptured the town. Napoleon soon abandoned Smolensk and as the French withdrew,superior Russian forces attacked the French corps as they marched from Smolenskto Krasnyi. Each corps was temporarily cut off and Ney’scorps even surrounded, but none of them was forced to lay down their arms andNey made a heroic retreat across the Dnieper, earning the nickname ‘the bravestof the brave’. Nevertheless, French losses were horrendous due to constantskirmishes, cold weather and lack of supplies. The poorly dressed Frenchsoldiers began to freeze and thousands of stragglers were killed or captured.The Russian Army also suffered severely in the harsh winter conditions.

11月上旬，大军团终于抵达了斯摩棱斯克 ，这里事先预备了大量的补给。可是军纪在此时已经荡然无存，盗窃和劫掠屡见不鲜。拿破仑希望在斯摩棱斯克集结军队，可是库图佐夫逼近Krasnyi的前锋已经威胁到了他的行军路线。11月3日，Miloradovich 和 Platov 拿下了Vyazma附近的 Davout。拿破仑随即放弃了斯摩棱斯克，在法军退往Krasnyi的路上，占优势力量的俄军对其发动了进攻。各军短暂的失去了联系，陷入分割，而內伊的部队惨遭包围。可是內伊所部并没有放下武器，他们奇迹般地越过了第聂伯河，这也为內伊赢得了“勇士中的勇士”称号。可是损失如同滚雪球般不断增大，无休无止的小规模战斗、俄罗斯严酷的寒冬、匮乏的后勤补给不断耗费着法军的实力。衣着破烂潦倒的法军士兵在寒风中冻僵，成千上万的掉队者落入死神或者俄国人手里。就算是主场作战的俄军，也为严寒作战付出了高额的代价。