An infantry regiment halts in a village on the high road to set up camp for the night. It’s the night of the last day of Krásnoe battles. The men are in good spirits and work in teams to get ready their camp for the night.
An infantry regiment halts in a village on the high road to set up camp for the night. It’s the night of the last day of Krásnoe battles. The men are in good spirits and work in teams to get ready their camp for the night.
Book 15, Chapter 7
An infantry regiment halts in a village on the high road to set up camp for the night. It’s the night of the last day of Krásnoe battles. The men are in good spirits and work in teams to get ready their camp for the night.
Summary:
Arriving in a village on the highroad, the men at once set to work to prepare their camp for the night. Everything was done without any orders being given. One group waded through knee-deep snow and entered a nearby birch forest to gather firewood. From there could be heard the sounds of axes and swords, the crashing of branches, and merry voices. Another group got busy getting out caldrons and rye biscuit, and feeding the horses. A third group scattered through the village finding quarters for the staff officers, carrying out the French corpses that were in the huts, and dragging away boards and dry wood. Many men worked together cheerily hauling in a wooden fence for shelter against the wind. The men sang and joked as they worked, interlarding their talk with aimless expletives and merry senseless words of abuse. Stores of wood were brought for the night, shelters were rigged up for the officers, caldrons were being boiled, and everything put in good order for the cold night ahead. The men of the Eight Company settled in behind a wattle fence, took roll, had supper, and settled down round the fires for the night – some repairing their footgear, some smoking pipes, and some stripping themselves naked to steam the lice out of their shirts. Meanwhile, the chief officers gathered in a hut and talked over plans for next day. It was proposed to make a flank march to the left, cut off the Vice-King (Murat) and capture him.
quote from the chapter:
Some fifteen men with merry shouts were shaking down the high wattle wall of a shed, the roof of which had already been removed.
Now then, all together-shove! cried the voices, and the huge surface of the wall, sprinkled with snow and creaking with frost, was seen swaying in the gloom of the night. The lower stakes cracked more and more and at last the wall fell, and with it the men who had been pushing it. Loud, coarse laughter and joyous shouts ensued.
Now then, catch hold in twos! Hand up the lever! That’s it…. Where are you shoving to?
Now, all together! But wait a moment, boys… With a song!
All stood silent, and a soft, pleasant velvety voice began to sing. At the end of the third verse as the last note died away, twenty voices roared out at once: Oo-oo-oo-oo! That’s it. All together! Heave away, boys!… but despite their united efforts the wattle hardly moved, and in the silence that followed the heavy breathing of the men was audible.
Here, you of the Sixth Company! Devils that you are! Lend a hand… will you? You may want us one of these days.
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