the lion of the russian army - Florida State University

Turkish cavalry as “the best cavalry in the world” so he also needed well-trained and
equipped cavalry. Yet, Bagration wrote, “My cavalry and artillery horses are starving
because of lack of fodder and exhaustion.” The Turks were supported by a series of
strong fortresses and magazines. Meanwhile, Bagration lived in a barren country, where
there was “nothing, except for blue sky and bare land, in the entire territory from Tulcea
and Isaccea to Silistra, Bazardjik and Cavarna; moreover, there are no residents,
settlements or means to procure supplies for the men and cattle.” The Principalities were
exhausted by three years of war and could not sustain the army south of the Danube. The
Russian troops were literally half naked, complained Bagration, “Three of my divisions
have no coats, pants [pantaloons] or boots.” He described the dreadful conditions of the
soldiers, who were starving and suffering from various diseases. “The number of sick
officers and the rank-and-file continuously increases. The battalions are half of their
original strength. There is a danger of diseases because of damp dugouts, old tents and
worn-out coats, uniforms and boots. It is impossible to set up an effective infirmary in
such an isolated and barren place, while transporting the sick and wounded across the
Danube in wintertime would increase their death rate… The terrain is barren and the
troops do not have wood to warm themselves and prepare meals.” 103 If the situation did
not improve, Bagration anticipated “half of these troops would died by the spring, while
the remaining would be hardly alive.” 104
Bagration criticized ineffective supply system that his predecessors had set up in
the Principalities. “The magazines, except for Galati, are far away from the Danube
because Prince Prozorovsky was reluctant to advance across the Danube and he did not
bother to gather supplies. I assumed command [of the army] in August and did not have
time to store provisions and transport them to the Danube. With the approach of winter,
the supply trains are stuck in deep mud and marshes.” Prince Peter also acknowledged
the daunting logistical problems he faced. “Snow had fallen and the ice appeared on the
Danube, threatening to cut communications with the left bank. Transporting forage
103 Bagration to Alexander, 29 November 1809, Ibid., 88-94.
104
Bagration acknowledged less than 20,000 men in his main army. Bagration to
Arakcheyev, 4 December 1809, Voennii sbornik, 1 (1865): 50.
546