War & Peace Podnotes, A Study Guide

Andrei embarks on his mission to “save the army,” by getting back to Kutuzov. He secures a Cossack horse and attendant and travels from Brünn to Krems. He finds himself among thousands of soldiers, who are weary. The roads were jammed with carts, horses and carriages. Soldiers found themselves deprived of food, supplies and weapons promised by the Austrians. This led to a situation where soldiers would ravage the countryside and return from local villages with plunder.The road remained a mess much of the way, with commanders yelling, whips cracking and soldiers in poor spirits. The side of the road was littered with dead horses, broken wagons and the sick or injured. Andrei had occasion to reflect on Napoleon’s words: “That Russian army which English gold has brought from the ends of the Universe; we shall cause it to share the same fate as the army at Ulm.” However, Andrei senses the next battle could be his Siege of Toulan, the conflict (1793) where Napoleon made a name for himself.  Amidst the chaos, Andre