Chapter I: Preface

There are few campaigns that, either in point of the immense scale upon which it was undertaken, the completeness of its failure, or the enormous loss of life entailed, appeal to the imagination in so great a degree as that of Napoleon against Russia. Fortunately, we have in the narratives of Sir Robert Wilson, British commissioner with the Russian army, and of Count Segur, who was upon Napoleon's staff, minute descriptions of the events as seen by eye-witnesses, and besides these the campaign has been treated fully by various military writers. I have as usual avoided going into details of horrors and of acts of cruelty and ferocity on both sides, surpassing anything in modern warfare, and have given a mere outline of the operations, with a full account of the stern fight at Smolensk and the terrible struggle at Borodino. I would warn those of my readers who may turn to any of the military works for a further history of the campaign, that the spelling of Russian places and names varies so greatly in the accounts of different writers, that sometimes it is difficult to believe that the same person or town is meant, and even in the narratives by Sir Robert Wilson, and by Lord Cathcart, our ambassador at St. Petersburg, who was in constant communication with him, scarcely a name will be found similarly spelt. I mention this, as otherwise much confusion might be caused by those who may compare my story with some of these recognized authorities, or follow the incidents of the campaign upon maps of Russia.

Yours sincerely,

G.A. HENTY.

CONTENTS

CHAP. PAGE

I. TWO BROTHERS, 11

II. BEFORE THE JUSTICES, 30

III. IN A FRESH SCRAPE, 48

IV. THE SMUGGLER'S CAVE, 67

V. FOLLOWING A TRAIL, 84

VI. A COMMISSION, 103

VII. A FRENCH PRISON, 122

VIII. PISTOL PRACTICE, 140

IX. A DUEL, 158

X. SMOLENSK, 177

XI. WITH THE RUSSIAN ARMY, 195

XII. BORODINO, 213

XIII. WITH THE REAR-GUARD, 242

XIV. NEY'S RETREAT, 263

XV. IN COMFORTABLE QUARTERS, 292

XVI. AN UNEXPECTED MEETING, 309

ILLUSTRATIONS

SERGEANT JULIAN WYATT RECEIVES THE CROSS OF THE LEGION
OF HONOUR, _Frontispiece_, 253

"MARK MY WORDS, YOU YOUNG SCOUNDREL, I WILL BE EVEN
WITH YOU YET," 57

JULIAN FINDS HIMSELF A PRISONER AMONG THE SMUGGLERS, 64

"CAPTAIN MARSHALL'S PISTOL FELL TO THE GROUND, AND HE
STAGGERED BACK A PACE," 162

"ON THE MARCH LITTLE STEPHANIE OFTEN CHOSE TO BE CARRIED
ON JULIAN'S SHOULDER," 260

"I AM THE COUNTESS STEPHANIE WORONSKI. I AM GLAD TO
SEE YOU," 278

THE LAST OF A VETERAN OF NAPOLEON'S _GRANDE ARMÉE_, 310

JULIAN INTRODUCES STEPHANIE TO HIS BROTHER FRANK, 321

Map showing the Route of Napoleon's March to Moscow, 180

Plan of the Battle of Smolensk, 186

Plan of the Battle of Borodino, 214

THROUGH RUSSIAN SNOWS