by G. A. Henty
CHAPTER XI
WITH THE RUSSIAN ARMY
When Frank arrived at Canterbury he found things in confusion, andreceived the news that two troops had orders to march the next morningfor Portsmouth, where they were to embark for Spain.
"Why, the major said he would write!" he exclaimed. "His letter musthave missed me somehow. I shall have enough to do to get readyto-night."
"You are not going, Wyatt," Wilmington, who was his informant, said."The order expressly stated that Cornet Wyatt was not to accompany histroop, as his services were required in another direction, and thatanother officer was to take his place, and I am going with your troop.Lister has been grumbling desperately. What on earth can they want youfor? However, there is a batch of letters for you in the ante-room, andI daresay you will learn something about it from them."
Frank ran in. There were two letters. One was an official document; thedirection of the other was in Sir Robert Wilson's handwriting. He openedthis first.
"My dear Wyatt, your letter inclosing Strelinski's certificate came inthe nick of time. I had already made an application that you should beattached to me for service, on the ground that you belonged to my oldregiment, and knew something of Russian; but your age and short servicewere against you, and I doubt whether I should have succeeded, as thepost is considered an important one. However, when I went and showedthem the Pole's report as to your knowledge of Russian, and pointed outthat this was a far more important matter in the present case than anyquestion of age or service, the commander-in-chief at once agreed, andyou will no doubt receive an intimation that you are appointed myaide-de-camp. I have been made a brigadier-general. It is not as yetsettled when we shall start. I have only just received my officialappointment, and there is no saying when I may get my finalinstructions; for it is to a certain extent a political affair, and thissort of thing always drags on for a long time before it comes to a head.It is lucky that your matter is arranged now, for I hear at theHorse-guards that your troop is ordered out to Spain. No doubt, just atthe moment, you will be sorry that you are not going with it, but I canassure you that this business will be vastly more useful to you in yourprofession, than anything you would be likely to meet with as a cavalrysubaltern in Spain."
For a moment, indeed, Frank did regret that he was not going toaccompany his troop. He was so sure, however, that Sir Robert Wilson wasacting for the best that he put aside this feeling. The official letterwas a simple notification that he was appointed aide-de-camp to GeneralSir Robert Wilson, but that he was to remain at the depot and continuehis ordinary duties until a further intimation reached him. Theexcitement of departure had, Frank was glad to find, quite thrown thatcaused by his duel into the background. All the officers who were to gowere busy with their preparations, and Frank was occupied until a latehour that night in assisting them in packing not only the baggage thatwas to be taken, but the heavy cases that were to be stored away untiltheir return. Many were the regrets expressed by the officers who weregoing out that Frank was not to accompany them, and much curiosityexpressed as to the reason for which he was kept behind. He felt that,although Sir Robert Wilson had not specially enjoined silence, it wouldbe undesirable that any information as to the probability of hisproceeding to Russia should be given. He therefore said:
"I only know that Sir Robert Wilson, who was a great friend of myfather's, and who obtained my commission for me, is going to have acommand somewhere, and has asked for me as one of his aides-de-camp onthe ground of his friendship for my father, and his former connectionwith our regiment."
"Well, then, very likely we shall see you out there before long, Wyatt,"Captain Lister said. "Of course, it is a compliment to the regiment, butI daresay you feel it as a nuisance at present."
"I should like to be going with you all, Lister; but I suppose this isbest for me in the long run."
"Of course it is. It is always a good thing for a fellow to serve on thestaff. You have ten times as good a chance of getting mentioned in thedespatches, as have the men who do all the fighting. Still, I have nodoubt you will deserve any credit you may get, which is more than is thecase nine times out of ten."
"How is Marshall getting on?"
"He is going on all right. He has sent in his papers, and I suppose hewill be gazetted out by the time he is able to travel. I can assure youthat there was quite as much satisfaction in the Lancers at the turn theaffair took as there was with us."
"Does the major go with you, Lister?"
"No; he remains in command of the depot for the present. Of course, hewill go out if a vacancy occurs above him; but in any case he will gowith the next draft, and the next two troops will be wound up to servicepitch in another couple of months, so I expect by the spring he will beout there. I should not have minded if we too had waited until then,for of course the army have gone into its winter quarters, and therewill be nothing doing for the next three or four months; and I take itwe should be a good deal more comfortable here, than posted in somewretched little Spanish town till operations commence again. No doubtyou will be out there long before the first shot is fired."
Another three months passed, and on the 28th of March, 1812, Frankreceived an official order to join Sir Robert Wilson at once, and aletter from the general, informing him that they were to sail on the 8thof April. The letter was written in haste, and gave no intimationwhatever as to their destination. During this three months Frank hadworked almost incessantly at Russian. He had informed the major inconfidence that he believed Sir Robert Wilson was going as BritishCommissioner to the Russian army when the war broke out with France.
"Ah! that accounts for your working so hard at Russian, Wyatt," themajor said in reply. "I suppose you had received a hint from SirRobert."
"Yes, Major. He told me that as he had been commissioner with theRussians in their last war, it was probable that, if the rumours thatNapoleon intended to invade Russia proved correct, he might be appointedagain, and said that if I could get up enough of the language to speakit pretty fluently, he would apply for me."
"Well, you deserve it, Wyatt; for there is no doubt that you have workedhard indeed; and it will be a capital thing for you. Is there anything Ican do?"
"Yes, sir. I thought, perhaps, that when you knew what I am going to do,you would relieve me of some of the ordinary drills, as I should like tospend as much time as possible before I go, in getting up Russian."
"Certainty," the major said. "After the official information that youwere not to proceed with the draft, as you would be required for specialservice, I have a right to consider you as a supernumerary here, andwill relieve you of all ordinary drills and parades. You must, ofcourse, take your turn as officer of the day, and if there are anyspecial parades ordered, or any field days with the Lancers, you willattend, but otherwise you will be free of all duty. The two next troopsto go have their full complement of officers, so that really you are notwanted."
As soon as Frank received Sir Robert Wilson's letter he went toStrelinski.
"It has come," he said. "I have to go up to town tomorrow, as I embarkon the 8th. I am awfully sorry that our lessons have come to an end.However, they have lasted over the year that we talked of at first."
"I am sorry too, Mr. Wyatt; though really I feel that in no case needyou have continued your studies any longer. The last three months hasmade a great difference, for you have been talking Russian some eight orten hours a day, and are now sufficiently acquainted with the languagefor any purpose whatever, except perhaps writing a book in it. If I hadnot known that you might leave at any time, I should myself have toldyou that I considered there was no advantage to be gained by your goingon with me any longer. I shall, of course, go up to London with youto-morrow."
"I am sorry for your sake, as well as my own, that our lessons are over,Strelinski."
"It cannot be helped," the Pole replied. "It has been a God-send to me.When I first met you, I was well-nigh hopeless. Now I shall begin thebattle again with fresh courage. I have s
aved enough money to keep me,with care, for many months, and doubtless your recommendation that youhave learned Russian from me, will make matters more easy for me thanthey were before."
On arriving in town Frank went at once to Sir Robert Wilson's lodging.He found the general in, and after the first greetings, learned from himthat they were to accompany the newly-appointed ambassador toConstantinople. "Our object there," Sir Robert said, "is to arrange, ifpossible, a peace between Russia and Turkey. There is no doubt whateverthat Napoleon intends war. It is not declared yet, but it is absolutelycertain, and it is of vital importance that Russia should have her handsfree in other directions. As soon as this is arranged,--and I have nodoubt that it will be managed, for it is so necessary to Russia that shewill grant any terms, in reason, that Turkey can ask,--I am to journeynorth and join the headquarters of the Russian army."
This was delightful news to Frank. European travel in those days wasrare, and to have the opportunity of visiting Constantinople, as well asbeing present at the tremendous encounter about to take place, was anunexpected pleasure indeed.
"There is one thing I want to speak to you about, Sir Robert," he saidpresently. "It is about Strelinski. I have been thinking that perhaps,as war is about to break out between Russia and France, you might bekind enough to get a post for him as interpreter at the War Office orForeign Office."
"I have already thought of that," the general said. "You wrote so highlyof him in your letters, that I felt I could thoroughly recommend him,and I spoke about it only the day before yesterday to the Marquis ofWellesley, and he said at once that they should be glad to have such aman, as it would enable me to send over official documents and otherRussian statements without the trouble and loss of time in translatingthem, and as the man is from Russian Poland, he could give informationconcerning the country and the roads and other matters that would helpthem to understand what is going on, especially as, until my arrivalthere, they will have to depend upon Russian documents sent over by ourambassador at St. Petersburg. Tell him to be here at eleven o'clockto-morrow morning, and be here yourself in uniform. I have anappointment with Lord Wellesley at half-past."
Frank had put up at the hotel where the coach stopped, and had invitedStrelinski to stay there with him until he started; and on his return hedelighted the Pole by telling him that there was some chance of SirRobert Wilson obtaining for him an appointment as interpreter. The nextday Frank and Strelinski accompanied Sir Robert Wilson to the WarOffice. They remained in the ante-chamber while the general went in toLord Wellesley's apartments. In half an hour an officer came out andcalled Frank in.
"Sir Robert Wilson has spoken very warmly in your favour, Mr. Wyatt,"Lord Wellesley said, holding out his hand, as Sir Robert introduced him,"and his report is confirmed by your commanding officer, Major Tritton,who gives an excellent account of you. But you must not deprive HisMajesty's army of the services of any more of its officers, Mr. Wyatt.Of course I received full details of that affair, and I am bound to saythat it seems you behaved admirably, and you must be a wonderful shot.You don't look like a fire-eater either. It is a bad practice, Mr.Wyatt, a very bad practice. Well, well," he broke off, seeing a slightsmile on Sir Robert's lips, "I suppose I have no right to say anythingabout it, having been an offender myself. However, from what I havelearned, if ever a duel was justified, yours was. Well, sir, I hope thatyour future career will correspond with the reports that I have receivedof your past conduct. You are very fortunate in having been chosen forso important a service as that upon which you are now embarking, and Ineed hardly say that it will be of great value to you in yourprofession."
Frank expressed his thanks, and then retired. Strelinski was then calledin, and in a few minutes returned radiant.
"What do I not owe to you," he said, "to you and General Wilson? I havebeen appointed interpreter on a salary of two hundred a year. Think ofit! my fortune is made."
"I congratulate you indeed," Frank replied warmly. "I did not like toraise your hopes too high, but I felt sure, by what Sir Robert said,that it was as good as settled. I am almost as pleased as you are, for Ishould have been awfully sorry to go away, without knowing that you werecomfortably settled here."
"What are you going to do, Wyatt, till you start?" General Wilson asked,as they left the War Office.
"It depends whether I can be useful here; if so, I am of course ready todo anything, but if you will not in any way want me, I shall start thisevening by the coach for Weymouth, and join you at Portsmouth. I willsend my baggage off at once by waggon."
"Do so by all means, Wyatt. Direct it 'Care of General Wilson, HisMajesty's ship _Argo_.' You had better be there on the afternoon of the7th, and go on board at once. We shall be down that evening, and shallsleep at the _George_, and go on board the first thing in the morning."
Frank found his aunt in good health. He stayed there three days, andthen posted to Portsmouth, getting there early on the morning of the7th. The _Argo_ was lying at Spithead. Taking a wherry he went out toher at once. He found that all was in readiness, and that a small cabinhad been assigned to him next to that of Sir Robert Wilson. His trunkwas already there, and leaving his small portmanteau in his cabin, hewent ashore and took up his quarters at the _George_. The ambassador,his secretary, and General Wilson arrived together in a post-chaise inthe evening, and at eight o'clock next morning they all went on board.
The voyage was long and tedious, but Frank was very glad of a stay fortwo or three days at Gibraltar, and as long at Malta.
The _Argo_ arrived at Constantinople at the end of June, and they foundthat the treaty of peace between Turkey and Russia had been alreadyarranged. A month was spent in vexatious delays, which were the moreirritating as it was known that Napoleon had arrived at the frontier,and was on the point of crossing the Niemen, if he had not already doneso. At last the British ambassador succeeded in overcoming the inertnessof the Porte; on the 14th of July the treaty was finally ratified, andon the 27th Sir Robert Wilson was sent by our ambassador to Shumla toarrange details with the Grand Vizier. Thence he went to the Congress atBucharest, which was the headquarters of the Russian Admiral,Tchichagow, who commanded their army of the Danube.
After having finally arranged these matters, he started north withFrank, furnished with an order to postmasters on the road to supply theminstantly with relays of horses. Travelling night and day without astop, they arrived at Smolensk on the day before the French attacked theplace. Sir Robert had expected to find the Emperor here, but learnt thathe was still at St. Petersburg. Being personally acquainted with all theRussian generals he was received with the greatest courtesy, and at onceplaced himself at the disposal of the commander-in-chief, while Frankwas introduced to the members of the staff.
Sir Robert Wilson found that a very grave state of things wasprevailing. The generals were in open dissension with Barclay for havingsuffered the enemy to overrun so many provinces, and for not making anydispositions to defend the line of the Dnieper.
Next morning the Englishmen were awakened by a roar of musketry. Theyhad been furnished with horses, and, dressing hastily, mounted, andjoined the commander-in-chief's staff, which was taking up its positionon the hill, whence a general view could be obtained of what was passingon the other side of the river. An aide-de-camp was on the point ofstarting as they rode up to ascertain the exact position of things inthe town, and Sir Robert ordered Frank to accompany him. Frank had beenintroduced to the aide-de-camp on the previous day, and as they dasheddown towards the bridge, he said:
"The fighting seems very heavy."
"It will be heavier before they take Smolensk," the Russian said. "Thereare 20,000 men in the town, and reinforcements can be sent across asrequired. At present the fighting is in the suburbs, but they won'tdrive us out of them as quickly as they expect."
After crossing the bridge they made their way to the headquarters ofGeneral Doctorow, and were at once shown in. The Russian saluted: "Thecommander-in-chief sends his compliments to you, gen
eral, and wishes toknow how things are going on, and whether you need reinforcements. Hedesires that you should send messengers every ten minutes acquaintinghim with the progress of affairs."
"All goes well at present. The troops are everywhere doing their duty.As yet we need no reinforcements. They are making but little way in anyof the suburbs, but of course their attack is not yet fully developed."
"Allow me to introduce to your Excellency this British officer, Mr.Wyatt, aide-de-camp to General Wilson, who arrived in our camp yesterdayafternoon as British commissioner."
"You have come at an opportune moment, sir, to see fighting. If you hadcome sooner you would have seen nothing but running away. If you wouldlike to make a tour of the walls to see what is going on, an officershall accompany you."
Frank accepted the invitation with thanks. He had nothing at present toreport more than the aide-de-camp would take back, and he knew that SirRobert would be glad of further particulars. He therefore asked him totell Sir Robert why he had stayed, and at once proceeded to the walls,accompanied by an officer of Doctorow's staff. From there, little couldbe seen of the fighting. The musketry fire, indeed, had almost ceased,and the French could be seen retiring up the hill, where dense masses oftroops were drawn up. Returning to the general's quarters he mounted androde back to the commander-in-chief's staff.
"The affair has scarcely begun yet," he said to Sir Robert, "but thewhole of the French army is drawn up in line of battle, and, I shouldsay, is about to assault the town in full force."
For some hours there was a lull, but about mid-day heavy masses oftroops were seen descending from the French positions, and as theyapproached the suburbs a roar of musketry broke out. Twice in the courseof the next two hours Frank was sent down into the town. He reportedthat, although resisting with the greatest obstinacy, the Russians werebeing driven out of the suburbs. Just as he returned the second time,Sir Robert Wilson, who was examining the enemy's position with atelescope, observed that ten batteries of artillery were making theirway up the steep hill on the other side of the river. He at oncereported this to the general, adding: "They will very speedily knock thebridges into pieces and isolate the garrison altogether. But I think,sir," he added, "if you place some batteries on the hill on this side,you will take them in flank. The two hills are both about the sameheight, and they will be completely exposed to your fire."
"Very well," General Barclay replied, "I will order eight batteries upthere at once, and you will oblige me if you will accompany them andindicate the best position for them to take up. Colonel Stellitz, youwill at once carry the order to the artillery, and request the officerin command of the batteries to post them as General Wilson may advise."
Sir Robert and the colonel, followed by Frank, at once rode off. Just asthey reached the artillery, the French battery opened fire. Exclamationsof rage burst from the soldiers as the shot splashed into the waterround the bridges and the shell burst over them. The general in commandof the artillery, on receiving the order, directed eight batteries tofollow General Wilson. At a gallop they dashed up the hill, and in tenminutes had unlimbered and opened fire upon the French. The effect wasvisible at once. Much confusion was observed among the artillery-men,and in a short time several of the guns were dismounted, and four orfive powder waggons blown up. Then a loud cheer burst from the Russianartillery-men as they saw the French bring up the horses from behind theshelter of the crest, limber-up and drive off with the guns. But fromother points of vantage 150 guns were now pouring their fire into thetown, and, as the flames broke out from several quarters, exclamationsof grief and fury were heard from the Russian soldiers.
Smolensk was, like Moscow, considered a sacred city, and the soldierswere affected rather by the impiety of the act than by the actualdestruction that was being wrought. As General Wilson and Frank rodeback to the spot where General Barclay was stationed, a mass of Russianinfantry moved down the hill towards the bridges, and at once began tocross.
"Whose division is that?" Sir Robert asked an officer as they joined thestaff.
"It is Prince Eugene's," he replied. "They are pressing us hard now,having driven Doctorow's men out of the covered way, and are massing foran assault on one of the gates."
The fire continued unabated until seven o'clock. Then a messenger cameacross with the news that the French were drawing off, and that thecovered way was being reoccupied. General Wilson was warmly thanked bythe Russian commander-in-chief for having silenced the batteries thathad threatened the bridges. That evening, when he issued the order forthe evacuation of Smolensk, the disaffection with Barclay de Tolly brokeout with renewed force, and during the night a body of generals came toSir Robert Wilson's tent. He was at the time occupied in dictating adespatch to Frank, whom he requested to retire directly he saw the rankof his visitors. As soon as they were alone they said that it had beenresolved to send to the Emperor not only the request of the army for anew chief, but a declaration in their own name and that of the troops"that if any order came from St. Petersburg, to suspend hostilities andgreet the invaders as friends"--for it had all along been believed thatthe retrograde movements were the result of the advice of the minister,Count Romanzow--"such an order would be regarded as one that did notexpress his Imperial Majesty's real sentiments and wishes, but had beenextracted from his Majesty under false representations or externalcontrol, and that the army would continue to maintain its pledge and topursue the contest till the invader was driven beyond the frontier."
"We are here, General Wilson," one of the generals said, "to beg you toundertake the delivery of this message to the Emperor. It would meandeath to any Russian officer who undertook the commission, but, knowingyour attachment to the Emperor, and his equally well-known feelingstowards yourself, no person is so well qualified to lay the expressionof our sentiments before him. Your motives in doing so cannot besuspected; coming from you, the Emperor's self-respect would not sufferin the same way as it would do, were the message conveyed to him by oneof his own subjects."
One after another the generals urged the request.
Sir Robert listened to their arguments, and then said: "This isaltogether too grave a matter for me to decide upon hastily. I knowthoroughly well that there is no thought of disloyalty in the mind ofany of you towards the will of the Emperor, but the act is one of thegravest insubordination, and it is indeed a threat that you will disobeyhis Majesty's commands in the event of his ordering a suspension ofhostilities. As to the conduct of the commander-in-chief, I am notcompetent to express any opinion whatever, but as a soldier I canunderstand that this long-continued retreat and the abandonment of somany provinces to the enemy, without striking a single blow in theirdefence, is trying in the extreme, both to yourselves and your bravesoldiers. I shall not leave the army until I see it fairly on the marchagain, but before I start I will give you my reply."
The generals thanked Sir Robert warmly, and then withdrew.
"I shall write no more to-night, Wyatt," the general said when Frankentered the tent. "I have other grave matters to think about. You hadbest lie down at once, and get a few hours' sleep. To-morrow is likelyto be an eventful day, for the operation of withdrawing the army fromthis position and getting on to the main road again will be full ofperil, and may indeed end in a terrible disaster."
As soon as the Russian army had repulsed the attacks of the French andresumed its march towards Moscow, Sir Robert Wilson left it andproceeded to St. Petersburg, where he had promised the Russian generalsto inform the Czar of the opinion and disposition of the army, theirdissatisfaction with the general, and their determination to continuethe combat and to refuse to recognize any negotiations or armistice thatmight be made with the enemy.
"I shall leave you here, Wyatt," the General said, on the morning afterthe desperate defence of Loubino had saved the army. "There is littlechance of the French pressing the Russians any further. I think itprobable that they may go into winter quarters where they now are; butin any case they cannot hope to outmarch
us, and, if they follow, thebattle will be in the position the Russians may choose. Even were theremore fighting imminent, I should still start to-day for St. Petersburg;I only came round by Smolensk, as you know, because I thought that theEmperor would be found there. My first duty is to see him, and to reportto him the arrangements that have been made on the Danube with the GrandVizier and his people, by which the whole of the Russian army there willbe able to join in the defence against the French. As soon as I havedone so and explained to his Majesty the position here, I shall rejoin;and I hope the Czar will also be coming down here, for his presencewould be most useful--not in the military way, for no men in the worldcould fight better than the Russians are doing,--but the army fears,above all things, that peace will be made before it has an opportunityof wiping out, what it considers its disgrace, in allowing the French tooverrun so many rich provinces without striking a blow.
"In point of fact, the defence of Smolensk, and the way in which some20,000 men yesterday withstood for hours the assault of three or fourtimes their number, would be sufficient to prove to the world theirfighting qualities. In my own mind, I consider that Barclay has actedwisely in declining to hazard the whole fortune of the war upon a singlebattle against an enemy which, from the first, has outnumbered himnearly threefold, but he should never have taken up his position on thefrontier if he did not mean to defend it. Any other army than this wouldhave become a disorganized rabble long ago. There is nothing so tryingto troops as to march for weeks hotly chased by an enemy. Three times inthe Peninsula we have seen what a British army becomes under far lesstrying circumstances. If the Russians did but know it, this retreat oftheirs, and the admirable manner in which they have maintained theirdiscipline, is as creditable as winning a great victory would be; stillone can understand that the sight of this flying population, thedeserted fields, this surrender of provinces to an enemy, is mortifyingin the highest degree to their pride.
"Nevertheless, Barclay's policy, though I think it has been carried agreat deal too far--for with troops who will fight as ours did yesterdayhe might have fought a dozen battles like that of Loubino, and wouldhave compelled the French to advance slowly instead of in hotpursuit--has been justified to a great extent. From all I hear, theinvading army has already suffered very great losses from fever andhardship, the effect of the weather, and from the number of stragglerswho have been cut off and killed by the peasantry. Their transport hasespecially suffered, vast numbers of their horses having died; and in acampaign like this, transport is everything. In the various fights thathave taken place since they entered Russia, they have probably suffereda heavier loss than the Russians, as the latter have always fought onthe defensive; and the French loss has fallen on Napoleon's best troops,while the Russian army is all equally good.
"Lastly, although the Russians are discontented at their continuedretreat, their _morale_ does not seem to have suffered in any way, andit is probable that the long marches, the inability to bring on ageneral engagement, the distance from home, and the uncertainty aboutthe future has told heavily upon that of the French, who are vastly moresusceptible to matters of this kind than are the Russians. You willremain with the headquarter staff, and I wish you, while I am away, toobtain accurate details of the movements of the various columns, and towrite a full report every evening of the march and of all matters ofinterest. I do not want you to forward these to me, but to keep themfor future reference. I hope to rejoin before any further fighting takesplace."
Sir Robert reached St. Petersburg on the 24th of August, but it was notuntil ten days later that he saw the Emperor, who had gone with LordCathcart, the British Ambassador, to meet the King of Sweden, and toconclude the negotiations that secured his co-operation. The informationthat General Wilson had brought of the admirable behaviour of the armydid much to allay the alarm that prevailed in St. Petersburg; and, afterdining with the Emperor on the evening of the arrival of the latter athis capital, he had a long private interview with him. The Emperor hadalready been made acquainted with the dissatisfaction in the army, andMarshal Kutusow had been sent to replace General Barclay, and he askedSir Robert whether he thought the new commander would be able to restoresubordination and confidence in the army. Sir Robert replied that he hadmet the marshal, and had informed him of the exact state of thingsthere: that the latter had conjured him to acquaint the Emperor with thefullest details, and in accordance with that request, and in order toprevent his Majesty having the pain of hearing it from the lips of oneof his own subjects--who perhaps would be less able to convince him ofthe intense feeling of loyalty to himself that still prevailed--he hadconsented to be the mouthpiece of the generals of the army. He thenreported to him the interviews that he had had with the generalofficers, suppressing the names of those present, and the message theyhad desired him to deliver.
The Emperor was greatly moved. However, the manner in which the generalfulfilled the mission with which he was charged, and his assurances thatthe act of seeming insubordination and defiance of the imperialauthority was in no way directed against him, but against his advisers,whom they believed to be acting in the interests of Napoleon, had theireffect, and the Emperor promised to give the matter everyconsideration, and to answer him definitely on the following day. Atthe next meeting he gave Sir Robert his authority to assure the army ofhis determination to continue the war against Napoleon while a Frenchmanremained in arms on Russian soil, and that, if the worst came to theworst, he would remove his family far into the interior, and make anysacrifice rather than break that engagement. At the same time, while hecould not submit to dictation in the matter of his ministers, he couldassure them that these should in no way influence him to break thispromise.
During Sir Robert's stay in St. Petersburg the Emperor took everyoccasion to show him marked favour, as if anxious to assure those whoseviews Sir Robert had represented, that he was in no way displeased withthem for the attitude they had assumed; and upon his leaving to rejointhe army the Emperor directed him to repeat in the most formal mannerhis declaration that he would not enter into or permit any negotiationswith Napoleon; and added that he would sooner let his beard grow to hiswaist, and eat potatoes in Siberia.
Frank had been active during the battle of Loubino. Sir Robert Wilsonhad taken up his post with Touchkoff during the action which was sodesperately fought to cover the retreat of the main army, and Frank hadacted as aide-de-camp, and, having carried orders to various parts ofthe field, had excellent opportunities of seeing the whole of thebattle; and the Russian general in making his report of the engagementhad mentioned his name among those who had rendered distinguishedservices. His horse had been shot under him, his cap had been carriedaway by a bullet, and he had received a slight flesh wound in his leg.Although this was of small consequence, it had caused the insertion ofhis name among those of the officers wounded in the battle. He was tosee no more fighting for a time; for, although the army of Wittgensteinfought two or three severe actions with the divisions of St. Cyr andOudinot, the main army fell back without again fighting until it took upthe position that Marshal Kutusow had selected for giving battle.
