28. Napoleon, Berthier, Murat, and Rapp (in the order named) round camp fire 354 29. General Baron Eblé 360 30. Crossing the Berezina 370 31. Marshal Ney Supporting the Rear-guard during the Retreat from Moscow 376 32. Napoleon’s Travelling Kitchen 384 MAPS AND PLANS PAGE Plan of Battle of Saltanovka 95 ” ” Smolensk 133 ” ” Lubino 151 ” ” Gorodeczna 167 ” ” Borodino _folding to face_ 218 ” ” Vinkovo 257 ” ” Maloyaroslavetz 277 ” ” Polotsk (2nd) 301 ” Order of French Retreat, October 31 313 ” Battle of Viasma 317 ” ” Krasnoï 339 ” Passage of the Berezina 369 ” Battle of Polotsk (1st) 391 Map of Theatre of War, showing positions of opposing forces at opening of campaign and movements on both sides up to occupation of Moscow (_folding, at end of volume_) Map of Theatre of War, showing positions of opposing forces at the evacuation of Moscow and movements on both sides to the end of the campaign (_folding, at end of volume_) NAPOLEON’S RUSSIAN CAMPAIGN OF 1812 CHAPTER I THE PRELIMINARIES The Russian Campaign of 1812 was the last and greatest of Napoleon’s efforts to impose his dominion upon Continental Europe; and it resulted in perhaps the most tremendous overthrow that any world-conqueror has ever sustained. A review of the immediate causes of the mighty struggle is necessary and not without interest, but it is difficult, as one studies Napoleon’s character, to resist the conclusion that it was inevitable. The career of the Corsican adventurer whom genius and good fortune had made Emperor of France, resembles the fateful development of a Greek tragedy. By 1812 his pride had reached its height. Whatever set itself in opposition to his will must be trodden under foot. Russia, impelled partly by a natural sense of independence, partly by economic causes, made up her mind to resist him, and the consequence was an attack upon her by the tyrant of south-western Europe.