the lion of the russian army - Florida State University

Thus, the Russian senior officers gradually formed anti-Barclay opposition aimed
at his dismissal. Barclay’s own staff members, headed by General Alexander Yermolov,
“the sphinx of the modern times” 24 as he was described for the diplomatic skills and
connivance, intrigued against him. 25 Officers taught the rank and file to call Barclay de
Tolly by the nickname “Boltai da i tolko” – “All talk and nothing else.” 26 The rank-andfile
complained about the continual retreat. One of the participants wrote, “The Russians
never retreated before; they were prejudiced against the word ‘retirada’ [retreat],
considering it alien to the dignity of the courageous soldiers, whom [Field Marshals]
Rumyantsev and Suvorov trained to advance and gain victory.” 27 Barclay de Tolly’s
position became precarious from the outset of the campaign. Confidence in the
commander-in-chief was undermined, and every new stage of the retreat intensified the
malicious rumors about him. It was hard for him to parry Bagration’s thrusts. Barclay had
neither a heroic career nor a brilliant reputation as a disciple of Suvorov. 28 He lacked
everything that Bagration had in such abundance. A diligent administrator and reformer,
he gained Alexander’s confidence by his executive ability and firmness. Barclay’s
cautious policy contrasted with the ideas of fire-eating Bagration and his supporters. A
contemporary wrote, that Barclay’s defensive strategy “despite its prudence, brought
extremely negative response for the commander-in-chief: common belief about him was
24 Tartarovsky, Unknown Barclay, 84.
25 Tartarovsky, Ibid., 84; Fabry, Campaign de Russie, IV, 320.
26 Muravyeov, Writings and Letters, 96; Josselson, Barclay de Tolly, 118; Tarle, Napoleon’s
Invasion of Russia, 163-65; Tartarovsky, Barclay de Tolly, 64-66; Palmer, Alan. Napoleon in
Russia (London, 1967), 57; Troitsky, 1812: The Glorious Year of Russia, 121.
27 Pokhodnie zapiski artilerista s 1812 po 1816 god [Gunner’s Campaigns Notes, 1812-
1816], (Moscow, 1835), 37.
28 Timiriazev, “Stranitsy proshlogo,” [Letters of the Past], Russkii arkhiv, 22/1 (1884): 156.
730