第89章

第89章kutuzovhad,onthe1stofnovember,receivedfromoneofhisspiesinformationthatshowedthearmyhecommandedtobeinanalmosthopelessposition.thespyreportedthatthefrench,aftercrossingthebridgeatvienna,weremovinginimmenseforceonkutuzov’slineofcommunicationswiththereinforcementsmarchingfromrussia.ifkutuzovweretodeterminetoremainatkrems,napoleon’sarmyofahundredandfiftythousandmenwouldcuthimofffromallcommunications,andwouldsurroundhisexhaustedarmyoffortythousand,andhewouldfindhimselfinthepositionofmackbeforeulm.ifkutuzovdecidedtoleavetheroadleadingtoajunctionwiththerussianreinforcements,hewouldhavetomakehiswaywithnoroadthroughunknowncountrytothemountainsofbohemia,pursuedbythecreamoftheenemy’sforces,andtogiveupallhopeofeffectingajunctionwithbuxhevden.ifkutuzovdecidedtomarchbytheroadfromkremstoolm？tztojointheforcesfromrussiaherantheriskoffindingthefrench,whohadcrossedtheviennabridge,inadvanceofhimonthisroad,andsobeingforcedtogivebattleonthemarch,encumberedwithallhisstoresandtransport,withanenemythreetimesasnumerousandhemminghiminonbothsides.kutuzovchosethelastcourse.

thefrench,aftercrossingtheriver,had,asthespyreported,setoffataquickmarchtowardznaim,whichlayonkutuzov’slineofroutesmorethanahundredverstsinfrontofhim.toreachznaimbeforethefrenchofferedthebesthopesofsavingthearmy.toallowthefrenchtogettoznaimbeforehimwouldmeanexposingthewholearmytoadisgracelikethatoftheaustriansatulm,ortocompletedestruction.buttoarrivetherebeforethefrenchwiththewholearmywasimpossible.theroadofthefrencharmyfromviennatoznaimwasshorterandbetterthantherussians’roadfromkremstoznaim.

onthenightofreceivingthenewskutuzovsentbagration’sadvanceguardoffourthousandsoldierstotherightoverthemountainsfromthekrems-znaimroadtotheviennaandznaimroad.bagrationwastomakeaforcedmarch,tohaltfacingtowardsviennaandwithhisbacktoznaim,andifheeededingettingontheroadinadvanceofthefrench,hewastodelaythemaslongashecould.kutuzovhimselfwithallthetransportwasmakingstraightforznaim.