On October 22, Denísov (who was one of the irregulars) was with his group at the height of the guerrilla enthusiasm. Since early morning he and his party had been on the move. All day long he had been watching from the forest that skirted the high road a large French convoy of cavalry baggage and Russian prisoners separated from the rest of the army, which⁠—as was learned from spies and prisoners⁠—was moving under a strong escort to Smolénsk. Besides Denísov and Dólokhov (who also led a small party and moved in Denísov’s vicinity), the commanders of some large divisions with staffs also knew of this convoy and, as Denísov expressed it, were sharpening their teeth for it. Two of the commanders of large parties⁠—one a Pole and the other a German⁠—sent invitations to Denísov almost simultaneously, requesting him to join up with their divisions to attack the convoy.