The retreat from Málo-Yaroslávets when he had a free road into a well-supplied district and the parallel road was open to him along which Kutúzov afterwards pursued him⁠—this unnecessary retreat along a devastated road⁠—is explained to us as being due to profound considerations. Similarly profound considerations are given for his retreat from Smolénsk to Orshá. Then his heroism at Krásnoe is described, where he is reported to have been prepared to accept battle and take personal command, and to have walked about with a birch stick and said:

“ J’ai assez fait l’empereur; il est temps de faire le général ,” 128 but nevertheless immediately ran away again, abandoning to its fate the scattered fragments of the army he left behind.