the lion of the russian army - Florida State University

Indeed, the Quartermaster-General of the 2 nd Western Army, Mikhail Vistitskii,
stated that Bagration “was encouraged to gather generals of both armies and replace
Barclay [by force]” 53 To his credit, Bagration rejected such treasonous suggestions and
refused to openly intrigue against Barclay de Tolly. He did not complain of Barclay de
Tolly in his correspondence with the Tsar, but referred to him with due respect and
deference. But in private letters to Arakcheyev, Rostopchin and others, he did not hide
feelings and his passionate temper often burst forth. ”I have no power over the minister
even though I am senior [in rank]. When the Tsar departed, he did not leave any
instructions as to who should be in command in case the two armies united, and hence
Barclay, ostensibly because a Minister…. ” 54 Bagration renewed his complains in a
letter to Admiral Paul Tchichagov. He emphasized that “I am senior in rank, but His
Majesty does not want to give overall command to one person; meanwhile he [Barclay] is
allowed to do everything…. I call for the offensive, he, for the retreat.” 55 His friend,
Yermolov, kept urging Bagration to write directly to the Tsar and boldly suggest that he
be named supreme commander of the Russian armies. “Please write to His Majesty [and
appeal for the command]. You must fulfill your duty…. I will write to the Tsar and
describe your deeds and impediments you have overcome. Take overall command of the
armies….” 56
53 Iz zapisok Vistitskogo [From Vistitskii’s Recollections, hereafter cited as Vistitskii’s
Memoirs] V. Kharkevich, 1812 god v dnevnikakh, zapiskakh i vospominaniakh sovremennikov
[1812 Campaign in Diaries, Memoirs and Correspondence of the Contemporaries] (Vilna, 1900)
184.
54 Bagration to Rostopchin, July 1812, (no date shown), Dubrovin, Patriotic War in Letters
of Contemporaries, 72-73.
55 Bagration to Tchichagov, 15 August 1812, Secret Correspondence, 168.
56 Yermolov to Bagration, 1 August 1812, Secret Correspondence, 178; also see Yermolov
to Bagration, 31 July 1812, Ibid., 177; Fabry, Campaign de Russie, IV, 320, 356; Muravyeov,
Writings and Letters, 96.
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