The battle of Tarútino was very different than planned, but the end results were good, since this battle shifted the Russian army from retreating to attacking, and it shocked Napoleon’s army into beginning its flight out of Russia.
The battle of Tarútino was very different than planned, but the end results were good, since this battle shifted the Russian army from retreating to attacking, and it shocked Napoleon’s army into beginning its flight out of Russia.
Book 13, Chapter 7
The battle of Tarútino was very different than planned, but the end results were good, since this battle shifted the Russian army from retreating to attacking, and it shocked Napoleon’s army into beginning its flight out of Russia.
Summary:
Kutúzov accompanied another column that was to attack the French. But Kutúzov did not like the plan, so he intentionally held the troops back and did not advance, despite urgings from Ermólov’s and others that he attack. Kutúzov only ordered an advance after Murat’s troops had already started to retreat, and even then Kutúzov advanced very, very slowly. So the whole battle consisted in what Orlóv-Denísov’s Cossacks had done: the rest of the army merely lost some hundreds of men uselessly, although afterwards Kutúzov and many others received generous rewards and recognitions. And, as always seems to be the case with carefully planned battles, what actually happened at the battle of Tarútino was nothing like what the plan said was supposed to happen. Nonetheless, the results were just what Russia needed at that point in the war. With a minimum of effort and insignificant losses, the Russian army transitioned from retreat to advance, the weakness of the French was exposed, and this battle shocked Napoleon’s army to begin its flight away from Moscow.
quote from the chapter:
But if the aim of the battle was what actually resulted and what all the Russians of that day desired-to drive the French out of Russia and destroy their army-it is quite clear that the battle of Tarútino, just because of its incongruities, was exactly what was wanted at that stage of the campaign. It would be difficult and even impossible to imagine any result more opportune than the actual outcome of this battle. With a minimum of effort and insignificant losses, despite the greatest confusion, the most important results of the whole campaign were attained: the transition from retreat to advance, an exposure of the weakness of the French, and the administration of that shock which Napoleon’s army had only awaited to begin its flight.
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