The battle begins, Bagratión’s calm assurance and Túshin’s initiative prove invaluable.
Summary:
The battle has begun. Murat, humiliated by his blunder at the bridge, has moved his forces to attack the Russian center and outflank both the Russian wings. Murat is hoping he can crush the Russians before Napoleon arrives that evening. The French seem poised to overrun the Russians with sheer numbers, but they are so disorganized that the Russians manage to hold them off for some time. Andrew encounters Bagratión and his aids. They head towards Captain Túshin who is directing his gunners. Andrew observes how Bagratión’s calm, passive, reactive leadership style gives his men confidence in themselves. Behind Prince Bagratión rode an officer of the suite, the prince’s personal adjutant, Zherkóv, an orderly officer, the staff officer on duty, and a state councillor, an auditor, who had come to observe the battle. A Cossack is hit by a canon ball and killed. On the advice of one of his sargents, Captain Túshin sets fire to the Schön Grabern village in front of the French. Immense masses of the French are coming down upon the Russians, who are in disorder and was retreating upon the Kiev grenadiers. Bagratión begins to organize a counterattack by the Russians, leaving no one to defend Túshin’s guns. About Túshin and the battalion that had been in support of his battery all was forgotten.
quote from the chapter:
It has begun! Here it is, dreadful but enjoyable! was what the face of each soldier and each officer seemed to say.
It has begun. Here it is! thought Prince Andrew, feeling the blood rush to his heart. But where and how will my Toulon present itself?
Andrew noticed that:
to his the surprise, found that no orders were really given (by Bagration), but that Prince Bagratión tried to make it appear that everything done by necessity, by accident, or by the will of subordinate commanders was done, if not by his direct command, at least in accord with his intentions.
“Accountant” is a mistranslation. The word used in Russian is ‘auditor’, which in this context means ‘military lawyer’, so he wasn’t a complete stranger.
Thank you for correcting my misunderstanding! In the summary I replaced the incorrect “A civilian accountant is tagging along like a tourist” with the following:
“Behind Prince Bagratión rode an officer of the suite, the prince’s personal adjutant, Zherkóv, an orderly officer, the staff officer on duty, and a state councillor, an auditor, who had come to observe the battle.”
Book 2, Chapter 17
The battle begins, Bagratión’s calm assurance and Túshin’s initiative prove invaluable.
Summary:
The battle has begun. Murat, humiliated by his blunder at the bridge, has moved his forces to attack the Russian center and outflank both the Russian wings. Murat is hoping he can crush the Russians before Napoleon arrives that evening. The French seem poised to overrun the Russians with sheer numbers, but they are so disorganized that the Russians manage to hold them off for some time. Andrew encounters Bagratión and his aids. They head towards Captain Túshin who is directing his gunners. Andrew observes how Bagratión’s calm, passive, reactive leadership style gives his men confidence in themselves. Behind Prince Bagratión rode an officer of the suite, the prince’s personal adjutant, Zherkóv, an orderly officer, the staff officer on duty, and a state councillor, an auditor, who had come to observe the battle. A Cossack is hit by a canon ball and killed. On the advice of one of his sargents, Captain Túshin sets fire to the Schön Grabern village in front of the French. Immense masses of the French are coming down upon the Russians, who are in disorder and was retreating upon the Kiev grenadiers. Bagratión begins to organize a counterattack by the Russians, leaving no one to defend Túshin’s guns. About Túshin and the battalion that had been in support of his battery all was forgotten.
quote from the chapter:
It has begun! Here it is, dreadful but enjoyable! was what the face of each soldier and each officer seemed to say.
It has begun. Here it is! thought Prince Andrew, feeling the blood rush to his heart. But where and how will my Toulon present itself?
Andrew noticed that:
to his the surprise, found that no orders were really given (by Bagration), but that Prince Bagratión tried to make it appear that everything done by necessity, by accident, or by the will of subordinate commanders was done, if not by his direct command, at least in accord with his intentions.
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“Accountant” is a mistranslation. The word used in Russian is ‘auditor’, which in this context means ‘military lawyer’, so he wasn’t a complete stranger.
Thank you for correcting my misunderstanding! In the summary I replaced the incorrect “A civilian accountant is tagging along like a tourist” with the following:
“Behind Prince Bagratión rode an officer of the suite, the prince’s personal adjutant, Zherkóv, an orderly officer, the staff officer on duty, and a state councillor, an auditor, who had come to observe the battle.”
Glad to be helpful! You put a lot of work into these summaries.