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the lion of the russian army - Florida State University

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Naturally, <strong>the</strong>se answers did not satisfy Bagration. On 24 June, he sent ano<strong>the</strong>r<br />

letter to Barclay badgering him to inform Alexander I about <strong>the</strong> situation <strong>of</strong> 2 nd Western<br />

Army and <strong>the</strong> necessity to carry out immediate measures to prevent <strong>the</strong> Russian armies<br />

from being attacked separately. Stressing <strong>the</strong> disadvantages <strong>of</strong> his position, Bagration<br />

again pointed out <strong>the</strong> overextended disposition <strong>of</strong> <strong>the</strong> 2nd Western Army, which was<br />

compelled to occupy a ninety-mile-wide front with only two corps and insufficient<br />

cavalry. 88 His <strong>army</strong> was unable to prevent <strong>the</strong> French from moving on Grodno and<br />

Belostoc. He pointed out <strong>the</strong> large gap between <strong>the</strong> 2 nd and 3 rd Western Armies<br />

complicated communication between <strong>the</strong>m. Therefore, Bagration proposed to move <strong>the</strong><br />

3 rd Western Army closer to <strong>the</strong> 2 nd Western Army by concentrating it around Kovlya,<br />

with its right flank at Kobryn. “With such deployment <strong>of</strong> <strong>the</strong> 3 rd and 2 nd Armies,” wrote<br />

Bagration, “we shall be able to repulse <strong>the</strong> enemy, while separately we are incapable <strong>of</strong><br />

supporting each o<strong>the</strong>r.” 89<br />

Bagration also contended that <strong>the</strong> 2 nd Reserve Corps <strong>of</strong> Lieutenant General Ertel,<br />

located at Mozyr, was too remote to support <strong>the</strong> 2nd Western Army. The summer <strong>of</strong> 1812<br />

was unusually hot and in consequence, Bagration indicated that moving this corps to <strong>the</strong><br />

2 nd or 3 rd Armies would take up to ten days. Therefore, he suggested moving <strong>the</strong> 2 nd<br />

Reserve Corps to Pynsk so it could support both armies. In his letter, Bagration also<br />

informed <strong>the</strong> Minister what he perceived as <strong>the</strong> most likely French goals. In his opinion,<br />

<strong>the</strong>y would attack and route Russian troops separately preventing <strong>the</strong>m from uniting.<br />

“Their [French] purpose is to split our forces and I am sure <strong>the</strong>y will certainly attempt to<br />

accomplish this…. “ 90 He also wrote that “maybe my suggestions would contradict with<br />

88 Bagration to Barclay de Tolly, 24 June 1812, Correspondence <strong>of</strong> Bagration, 157-160.<br />

After detachment <strong>of</strong> <strong>the</strong> 6 th Corps, Bagration commanded <strong>the</strong> 7 th and 8 th Corps, with Cossack<br />

regiments.<br />

89 Ibid., 158<br />

90 Ibid., 159.<br />

634

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