“Sire, the French troops are brave—courage alone won this field. But
leaving that affair, the question is, whether we shall march upon
Smolensk by way of Kalouga, Medyn or Mojaisk.”
“That is easily settled,” said Murat, quickly. “The Russians are
nothing. Let us pursue the route to Kalouga, and cut our way through
them.”
“Tut—tut! King of Naples, you speak rashly!” said Napoleon, quickly.
“The course you counsel is the violent impulse of your heart.”
“Entirely unwise!” said Bessieres. “The King of Naples is governed by
his all-daring temper.”
“With deference, Sire,” said the stern Davoust, “I would recommend that
we proceed to Medwysick. We can reach that point without loss; and
permit me to remark, sire, that our present circumstances, every man is
of almost indispensable value.”
“But,” interrupted Murat, “it is certain that we shall have to lose men;
and it is better to lose them now, in beating the Russians, than to drop
them upon a march, without having effected any thing. Marshal Davoust is
ever recommending timid, half-way measures.”
A quarrel between Murat and Davoust had occurred some time previous, and
it was only by the interposition of the Emperor himself, that bloodshed
had been prevented. They were always ready to renew the contest.
“Timid and half-way measures!” exclaimed the harsh voice of Davoust. “I
recommend the measures of a general who cares for the safety of his
army, as well as victory. The King of Naples counsels like a mere
hot-headed, inexperienced conscript.”
Here Napoleon, raising his head, extinguished all this fire by saying
that “we had exhibited temerity enough, already; that we had done but
too much for glory, and it was now high time to give up thinking of any
thing but how to save the rest of the army.”
Bessieres, either because his pride revolted at the idea of being put
under the command of the King of Naples, or from a desire to preserve
uninjured the cavalry of the guard, which he had formed, and for which
he was answerable to Napoleon, and which he exclusively commanded, then
ventured to add, that “neither the army nor even the guard had
sufficient spirit left for such efforts. It was already said in both,
that, as the means of conveyance were wholly inadequate, henceforth the
victor, if overtaken, would fall a prey to the vanquished; that of
course every wound would be mortal. Murat would therefore be but feebly
seconded. And in what a position! its strength had just been but too
well demonstrated. Against what enemies! had they not remarked the field
of the previous day’s battle, and with what fury the Russian recruits,
only just armed and clothed, there fought and fell!” The marshal
concluded by giving his opinion in favor of retreat, which the Emperor
approved by his silence.
The Prince of Eckmuhl then immediately said that, “as a retreat had been
decided upon, he proposed that it should be by Medyn and Smolensk.” But
Murat here interrupted him; and, whether from enmity, or from that
discouragement which usually succeeds the rejection of a rash measure,
he declared himself astonished “that any one should dare propose so
imprudent a step to the Emperor. Had Davoust sworn the destruction of
the army? Would he have so long and so heavy a column trail along in
utter uncertainty, without guides, and on an unknown track, within reach
of Kutusoff, presenting its flank to all the attacks of the enemy? Would
he, Davoust, defend it? When in our rear Borowsk and Vereria would lead
us without danger to Mojaisk, why reject that safe route? There
provisions must have been already collected, there everything was known
to us, and we could not be misled by any _traitor_.”
At these words, Davoust, burning with a rage which he could scarcely
repress, replied that “he proposed a retreat through a fertile country,
by an untouched, plentiful, and well-supplied route, where the villages
were still standing, and by the shortest road, that the enemy might not
be able to cut us off, as on the route by Mojaisk to Smolensk,
recommended by Murat. And what a route! a desert of sand and ashes,
where convoys of wounded would increase our embarrassment, where we
should meet with nothing but ruins, traces of blood, skeletons, and
famine!
“Moreover, though he deemed it his duty to give his opinion when it was
asked, he was ready to obey orders contrary to it, with the same zeal as
if they were consonant with his suggestions; but that the Emperor alone
had a right to impose silence on him, and not Murat, who was not his
sovereign, and never should be!”
The quarrel growing warm, Bessieres and Berthier interposed. As for the
Emperor, still absorbed and in the same attitude, he appeared insensible
to what was passing. At length he broke up the council with the words,
“Well, gentlemen, I will decide.”
“Enough, it is well, sirs. I will decide,” said Napoleon calmly, and the
King of Naples resumed his seat, biting his lips from the effects of
passion. “Sirs,” continued the Emperor, “I decide to retreat.” Here he
paused, as if such a decision was costing him a dreadful effort. “I
decide to retreat by way of Mojaisk. We cannot afford to fight, and that
is the road which will lead us most speedily from the enemy.” This
decision was extremely distasteful to Murat; but not more so than it was
to the Emperor, who, after he had announced it, looked as though he
wished that it had not been uttered. However, the resolution, fatal as
it proved, was taken, and nothing could induce the Emperor to revoke it.
Had he but known, that at the moment when this decision was made,
Kutusoff, stunned by the defeat at Malo-Yaroslavetz, was retiring with
his forces by the bridge over the Oka, offering a fair mark for the
French, he might have changed his design, and delivered such a crushing
blow to the enemy, as would have secured his retreat unmolested. But
this knowledge came not to the Emperor’s mind; and as he stretched
himself for repose amid his faithful generals, and by the side of the
blazing fire, he had nothing to relieve the prospect of a disastrous
retreat.
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