Kutuzov gave no orders, but only assented to or dissented from what
others suggested.
"Yes, yes, do that," he replied to various proposals. "Yes, yes: go, dear
boy, and have a
look," he would say to one or another of
those about him; or, "No, don't, we'd better wait!" He listened to the
reports that were
brought him and gave directions when his
subordinates demanded that of him; but when listening to the reports it
seemed as if he
were not interested in the import of the words
spoken, but rather in something else- in the expression of face and tone
of voice of those
who were reporting. By long years of
military experience he knew, and with the wisdom of age understood, that
it is
impossible for one man to direct hundreds of
thousands of others struggling with death, and he knew that the result of
a battle is
decided not by the orders of a commander in
chief, nor the place where the troops are stationed, nor by the number of
cannon or of
slaughtered men, but by that intangible force
called the spirit of the army, and he watched this force and guided it in
as far as that was
in his power.
Kutuzov's general expression was one of concentrated quiet attention, and
his face wore a
strained look as if he found it difficult to
master the fatigue of his old and feeble body.
At eleven o'clock they brought him news that the fleches captured by the
French had been
retaken, but that Prince Bagration was
wounded. Kutuzov groaned and swayed his head.
"Ride over to Prince Peter Ivanovich and find out about it exactly," he
said to one of his
adjutants, and then turned to the Duke of
Wurttemberg who was standing behind him.
"Will Your Highness please take command of the first army?"
Soon after the duke's departure- before he could possibly have reached
Semenovsk- his
adjutant came back from him and told
Kutuzov that the duke asked for more troops.
Kutuzov made a grimace and sent an order to Dokhturov to take over the
command of the
first army, and a request to the duke- whom
he said he could not spare at such an important moment- to return to him.
When they
brought him news that Murat had been taken
prisoner, and the staff officers congratulated him, Kutuzov smiled.
"Wait a little, gentlemen," said he. "The battle is won, and there is
nothing extraordinary
in the capture of Murat. Still, it is better to
wait before we rejoice."
But he sent an adjutant to take the news round the army.
When Scherbinin came galloping from the left flank with news that the
French had
captured the fleches and the village of Semenovsk,
Kutuzov, guessing by the sounds of the battle and by Scherbinin's looks
that the news was
bad, rose as if to stretch his legs and,
taking Scherbinin's arm, led him aside.
"Go, my dear fellow," he said to Ermolov, "and see whether something
can't be done."
HELP