Thefamousflankmovementmerelyconsistedinthis: aftertheadvanceoftheFrenchhadceased, theRussianarmy, whichhadbeencontinuallyretreatingstraightbackfromtheinvaders, deviatedfromthatdirectcourseand, notfindingitselfpursued, wasnaturallydrawntowardthedistrictwheresupplieswereabundant.
IfinsteadofimaginingtoourselvescommandersofgeniusleadingtheRussianarmy, wepicturethatarmywithoutanyleaders, itcouldnothavedoneanythingbutmakeareturnmovementtowardMoscow, describinganarcinthedirectionwheremostprovisionsweretobefoundandwherethecountrywasrichest.
ThatmovementfromtheNizhnitotheRyazan, Tula, andKalugaroadswassonaturalthateventheRussianmaraudersmovedinthatdirection, , andtheEmperor'sletterindicatedtohimtheverypositionhehadalreadyoccupiednearKaluga.
HavingrolledlikeaballinthedirectionoftheimpetusgivenbythewholecampaignandbythebattleofBorodino, theRussianarmy—whenthestrengthofthatimpetuswasexhaustedandnofreshpushwasreceived—assumedthepositionnaturaltoit.
Kutuzov'smeritlay, notinanystrategicmaneuverofgenius, asitiscalled, 'sinactivity, healonecontinuedtoassertthatthebattleofBorodinohadbeenavictory, healone—whoascommander-in-chiefmighthavebeenexpectedtobeeagertoattack—employedhiswholestrengthtorestraintheRussianarmyfromuselessengagements.
ThebeastwoundedatBorodinowaslyingwherethefleeinghunterhadlefthim; butwhetherhewasstillalive, whetherhewasstrongandmerelylyinglow, .
