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the lion of the russian army - Florida State University

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passing by Prince Bagration, he saluted him with <strong>the</strong> remaining hand.” 48 In an order to<br />

<strong>the</strong> 2 nd Western Army on 25 July 1812, Bagration praised his troops and expressed<br />

gratitude to <strong>the</strong> <strong>of</strong>ficers and soldiers who participated in battle <strong>of</strong> Saltanovka and later<br />

awarded 409 soldiers and <strong>of</strong>ficers. 49<br />

Late in <strong>the</strong> afternoon, Bagration received intelligence, later proved to be false,<br />

that <strong>the</strong> French forces were approaching his positions and Davout would soon attack. 50<br />

He ordered Rayevsky to bivouac at Dashkovka while Platov moved several Cossack<br />

regiments to <strong>the</strong> left bank <strong>of</strong> <strong>the</strong> Dnieper to make a diversion near Moghilev. 51 Bagration<br />

wanted to induce Davout to believe that he was going to renew <strong>the</strong> attack on Moghilev<br />

from <strong>the</strong> east and <strong>the</strong> south. Accordingly, on 25 July, Platov crossed <strong>the</strong> Dnieper at<br />

Vorkolabov and proceeded in <strong>the</strong> direction specified by Bagration. 52 Throughout <strong>the</strong> day,<br />

<strong>the</strong> 7 th Infantry Corps stayed at Dashkovka and feinted preparations for an attack. 53<br />

Davout remained in position waiting for a renewal <strong>of</strong> <strong>of</strong>fensive, unable to pursue <strong>the</strong><br />

48 Russkii Invalid, July 1912, No. 154, based on Polnoe sobranie anekdotov<br />

dostopamiatneishei voini [Complete Collection <strong>of</strong> Stories <strong>of</strong> <strong>the</strong> Memorable War], (Moscow,<br />

1814), II, 9.<br />

49 Russkii Invalid, July 1912, No. 154; Order to Army, 25 July 1812, No. 817, Russkii<br />

Invalid, July 1912, No. 151, 3.<br />

50 Bagration to Alexander, 26 July 1812, No. 444, Headquarters’ Archives, XIV, 132.<br />

51 Bagration to Barclay de Tolly, 24 July 1812, No. 437, Ibid., XIV, 114. After <strong>the</strong> battle,<br />

Bagration received a message from Barclay de Tolly on his movement to Vitebsk. Butenev,<br />

Recollections, 24.<br />

52 Platov to Alexander, 26 July 1812, No. 83, Headquarters’ Archives, XIV, 128. Platov<br />

commanded 11 Don Cossack Regiments, 2 Tatar Regiments, 1 Kalmyk Regiment and 1 Bashkir<br />

Regiment with 2 nd horse artillery company and Major General Dorokhov’s detachment (Izumsk<br />

Hussars and 1 st Jagers). The Baskirs carried <strong>the</strong> jagers on <strong>the</strong>ir horses.<br />

53 Inostrantsev, Operations <strong>of</strong> <strong>the</strong> 2nd Western Army, 353; Fabry, Campaign de Russie, II,<br />

143-45.<br />

711

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