On the first day of what is called the battle of Krásnoe, Kutúzov observes the sorry state of their many French prisoners. He tells the Russian troops that the war’s end is near and that they should deal kindly with the French prisoners.
On the first day of what is called the battle of Krásnoe, Kutúzov observes the sorry state of their many French prisoners. He tells the Russian troops that the war’s end is near and that they should deal kindly with the French prisoners.
Book 15, Chapter 6
On the first day of what is called the battle of Krásnoe, Kutúzov observes the sorry state of their many French prisoners. He tells the Russian troops that the war’s end is near and that they should deal kindly with the French prisoners.
Summary:
After the first day of what is called the battle of Krásnoe, (not a battle at all really since the French barely fought), Kutúzov rode with a large suite of discontented generals. He saw enormous numbers of tattered French prisoners, seven thousand in all were captured that day, most in miserable shape, wretched, wrapped and bandaged in anything they had been able to get hold of, many disfigured by frostbite, and nearly all with red, swollen and festering eyes. A Russian general riding alongside Kutúzov was just then attempting to make a report to him, but Kutúzov seemed preoccupied with his own thoughts. He paused in front of a regiment where the commander intended to present him some captured French standards in front of thousands of assembled Russian soldiers. To this crowd Kutúzov said I thank you all for your hard and faithful service. The victory is complete and Russia will not forget you! Hur-r-rah! roared thousands of voices in reply. Then, not in the voice of a commander-in-chief, but like any ordinary old man who wanted to tell his comrades something very important, Kutúzov asked that the French prisoners be treated humanely, even though France had started the war. As Kutúzov galloped off, there remained with the men a feeling of majestic triumph combined with pity for the foe and consciousness of the justice of Russia’s cause, perfectly expressed by that old man’s good-natured speech, expressed in the men’s joyous and long-sustained shouts of appreciation for their great general.
quote from the chapter:
You see, brothers, I know it’s hard for you, but it can’t be helped! Bear up; it won’t be for long now! We’ll see our visitors off and then we’ll rest. The Tsar won’t forget your service. It is hard for you, but still you are at home while they-you see what they have come to, said he, pointing to the prisoners. Worse off than our poorest beggars. While they were strong we didn’t spare ourselves, but now we may even pity them. They are human beings too. Isn’t it so, lads?
He looked around, and in the direct, respectful, wondering gaze fixed upon him he read sympathy with what he had said. His face grew brighter and brighter with an old man’s mild smile, which drew the corners of his lips and eyes into a cluster of wrinkles. He ceased speaking and bowed his head as if in perplexity.
But after all who asked them here? Serves them right, the bloody bastards! he cried, suddenly lifting his head.
And flourishing his whip he rode off at a gallop for the first time during the whole campaign, and left the broken ranks of the soldiers laughing joyfully and shouting Hurrah!
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