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the lion of the russian army - Florida State University

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only from <strong>the</strong> 1 st Western Army, but also from my line <strong>of</strong> retreat… A survey<br />

<strong>of</strong> <strong>the</strong> map proves that after <strong>the</strong> retreat <strong>of</strong> <strong>the</strong> 1st Army to Swentsiany, <strong>the</strong><br />

enemy, having occupied Vilna can anticipate <strong>the</strong> retreat <strong>of</strong> <strong>the</strong> 2nd Western<br />

Army to Minsk and arrive <strong>the</strong>re before me. 97<br />

In addition, Bagration implied that this course <strong>of</strong> actions would sever<br />

communication between <strong>the</strong> 2 nd and 3 rd Western Armies and exclude any chance <strong>of</strong> <strong>the</strong>ir<br />

union. 98 The next day he sent a report to Barclay informing him <strong>the</strong> current situation <strong>of</strong><br />

<strong>the</strong> <strong>army</strong>. He emphasized that any attempt to act on <strong>the</strong> flank <strong>of</strong> <strong>the</strong> French would<br />

threaten <strong>the</strong> concentration <strong>of</strong> <strong>the</strong> armies. He asked for <strong>the</strong> permission to re-deploy <strong>the</strong> 2 nd<br />

Western Army to <strong>the</strong> Shara River and <strong>the</strong>n retreat to Minsk. 99 To ensure joint action <strong>of</strong><br />

<strong>the</strong> 2 nd Western Army and <strong>the</strong> Cossacks Corps, Bagration sent a letter to Ataman Matvei<br />

Platov, specifying:<br />

You are informed about <strong>the</strong> crossing by enemy <strong>of</strong> <strong>the</strong> Nieman at Kovno and<br />

intention <strong>of</strong> <strong>the</strong> 1 st Western Army to concentrate behind Vilna. Therefore,<br />

<strong>the</strong> adversary can easily occupy Vilna and move his right flank on <strong>the</strong> road<br />

to Minsk … Your Excellency would be compelled to avoid separation from<br />

<strong>the</strong> 1 st Western Army and follow <strong>the</strong> right bank <strong>of</strong> <strong>the</strong> Nieman, through Lida<br />

to Minsk bearing in mind that <strong>the</strong> enemy can occupy Vilna by 16 or 17 and<br />

be at Minsk by 24 June. 100<br />

Bagration told Platov, that in case <strong>the</strong> Cossack corps moved in <strong>the</strong> specified<br />

direction (on <strong>the</strong> right bank <strong>of</strong> <strong>the</strong> Nieman, through Lida to Minsk), <strong>the</strong> 2 nd Western Army<br />

would concentrate at Slonim and retreat to Nesvizh covering <strong>the</strong> Cossacks <strong>of</strong> Major<br />

General Nikolay Ilovaisky. Bagration also wrote Platov, that after reaching Nesvizh, <strong>the</strong>se<br />

97 Bagration to Barclay de Tolly, 25 June 1812, Correspondence <strong>of</strong> Bagration, 162.<br />

98 Bagration to Barclay de Tolly, 25 June 1812, Ibid., 162.<br />

99 Bagration to Barclay de Tolly, 26 June 1812, Ibid., 163.<br />

100 Bagration to Platov, 26 June 1812, Ibid., 165. The dates in this letter are given according<br />

to old calendar used in Russia till 1917. These dates match 28-29 June and 4 July.<br />

637

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