Allthismustbedoneingoodorder (letoutseferaavecordreetmethode) asfaraspossibleretainingtroopsinreserve.
TheImperialCampnearMozhaysk,
September, 6, 1812.
Thesedispositions, whichareveryobscureandconfusedifoneallowsoneselftoregardthearrangementswithoutreligiousaweofhisgenius, relatedtoNapoleon'sorderstodealwithfourpoints—, orcouldbe, carriedout.
InthedispositionitissaidfirstthatthebatteriesplacedonthespotchosenbyNapoleon, withthegunsofPernettiandFouche; whichweretocomeinlinewiththem, 102gunsinall, , asfromthespotsselectedbyNapoleontheprojectilesdidnotcarrytotheRussianworks, andthose102gunsshotintotheairuntilthenearestcommander, contrarytoNapoleon'sinstructions, movedthemforward.
ThesecondorderwasthatPoniatowski, movingtothevillagethroughthewood, , becausePoniatowski, advancingonthevillagethroughthewood, metTuchkovtherebarringhisway, andcouldnotanddidnotturntheRussianposition.
Thethirdorderwas: 'sdivisiondidnotseizethefirstfortificationbutwasdrivenback, foronemergingfromthewoodithadtoreformundergrapeshot, ofwhichNapoleonwasunaware.
Thefourthorderwas: Thevice-Kingwilloccupythevillage (Borodino) andcrossbyitsthreebridges, advancingtothesameheightsasMorand'sandGibrard'sdivisions (forwhosemovementsnodirectionsaregiven), whichunderhisleadershipwillbedirectedagainsttheredoubtandcomeintolinewiththerestoftheforces.
Asfarasonecanmakeout, notsomuchfromthisunintelligiblesentenceasfromtheattemptsthevice-Kingmadetoexecutetheordersgivenhim, hewastoadvancefromtheleftthroughBorodinototheredoubtwhilethedivisionsofMorandandGerardweretoadvancesimultaneouslyfromthefront.
Allthis, liketheotherpartsofthedisposition, -KingwasdrivenbacktotheKolochaandcouldgetnofarther; whilethedivisionsofMorandandGerarddidnottaketheredoubtbutweredrivenback, andtheredoubtwasonlytakenattheendofthebattlebythecavalry (athingprobablyunforeseenandnotheardofbyNapoleon).Sonotoneoftheordersinthedispositionwas, orcouldbe, , afterthefighthascommencedinthismanner, orderswillbegiveninaccordancewiththeenemy'smovements, , forduringthewholebattleNapoleonwassofarawaythat, asappearedlater, hecouldnotknowthecourseofthebattleandnotoneofhisordersduringthefightcouldbeexecuted.
