THROUGH RUSSIAN SNOWS

A STORY OF
NAPOLEON'S RETREAT FROM MOSCOW

BY

G.A. HENTY

Author of "Beric the Briton," "One of the 28th," "Condemned as a Nihilist,"
"For Name and Fame," "In the Heart of the Rockies," etc.

WITH EIGHT ILLUSTRATIONS BY W.H. OVEREND
AND THREE MAPS

NEW YORK
CHARLES SCRIBNER'S SONS
1902

COPYRIGHT, 1895, BY
CHARLES SCRIBNER'S SONS

THE CAXTON PRESS
NEW YORK.

PREFACE

There are few campaigns that, either in point of the immense scale upon which it was undertaken, the completeness of its failure, or the enormous loss of life entailed, appeal to the imagination in so great a degree as that of Napoleon against Russia. Fortunately, we have in the narratives of Sir Robert Wilson, British commissioner with the Russian army, and of Count Segur, who was upon Napoleon's staff, minute descriptions of the events as seen by eye-witnesses, and besides these the campaign has been treated fully by various military writers. I have as usual avoided going into details of horrors and of acts of cruelty and ferocity on both sides, surpassing anything in modern warfare, and have given a mere outline of the operations, with a full account of the stern fight at Smolensk and the terrible struggle at Borodino. I would warn those of my readers who may turn to any of the military works for a further history of the campaign, that the spelling of Russian places and names varies so greatly in the accounts of different writers, that sometimes it is difficult to believe that the same person or town is meant, and even in the narratives by Sir Robert Wilson, and by Lord Cathcart, our ambassador at St. Petersburg, who was in constant communication with him, scarcely a name will be found similarly spelt. I mention this, as otherwise much confusion might be caused by those who may compare my story with some of these recognized authorities, or follow the incidents of the campaign upon maps of Russia.

Yours sincerely,

G.A. HENTY.

CONTENTS

• Two Brothers,
• Before the Justices,
• In a Fresh Scrape,
• The Smuggler's Cave,
• Following a Trail,
• A Commission,
• A French Prison,
• Pistol Practice,
• A Duel,
• Smolensk,
• With the Russian Army,
• Borodino,
• With the Rear-guard,
• Ney's Retreat,
• In Comfortable Quarters,
• An Unexpected Meeting,

ILLUSTRATIONS

Sergeant Julian Wyatt receives the Cross of the Legion of Honour,

"Mark my words, you young scoundrel, I will be even with you yet,"

Julian finds himself a Prisoner among the Smugglers,

"Captain Marshall's pistol fell to the ground, and he staggered back a pace,"

"On the march little Stephanie often chose to be carried on Julian's shoulder,"

"I am the Countess Stephanie Woronski. I am glad to see you,"

The Last of a Veteran of Napoleon's Grande Armée,

Julian introduces Stephanie to his Brother Frank,

Map showing the Route of Napoleon's March to Moscow,