Carrying among other despatches the report he had himself compiled, Tolstoy was sent as Courier to Petersburg; and this terminated his personal experience of war. He was still only Sub-Lieutenant, his hopes of promotion had come to nothing in consequence of a suspicion that he was the author of some soldiers' songs which were sung throughout the army at this time. No translation can do justice to these slangy, topical satires; but that the reader may have some idea of them, my wife has put into English the following stanzas: In September, the eighth day,[22] From the French we ran away, For our Faith and Tsar! For our Faith and Tsar! Admiral Alexander,[23] he Sank our vessels in the sea In the waters deep, In the waters deep. 'Luck to all I wish,' he said then. To Baktchiseráy[24] he sped then; 'May you all be blowed! 'May you all be blowed!' Saint Arnaud[25] got out of sight; And in manner most polite, Came round to our back, Came round to our back. And on Tuesday, I'm afraid Had no saint come to our aid, He'd have bagged us all, He'd have bagged us all. Our Liprandi, it is true Captured 'trenchments not a few, But to no avail! But to no avail! Out of Kishinéf a force Was expected: Foot and Horse, And at last they came, And at last they came. Dannenberg was in command: Strictly told to understand Not to spare his men, Not to spare his men. * * * * * Two Grand Dukes a visit paid: But the French, quite undismayed, Blazed away with shells, Blazed away with shells. Some ten thousand men were shot: From the Tsar _they_ never got Any great reward! Any great reward! Then the Prince[26] in anger spoke: 'Oh! our men are wretched folk: 'Why, they've turned their backs! 'Why, they've turned their backs!' And in this great battle's flare Heroes only two there were: The two Royal Dukes! The two Royal Dukes!