Note 17 — Front matter (continued 2)

Note by a French officer.—It is too ridiculous to suppose that the Russian army, without artillery, without baggage, and without provisions, would have preferred a retreat by its flank (which exposed it to the danger of being surrounded by the French army) to that upon Olmutz: but, in the course of this day, it lost its line of operation, which was the high road to Olmutz, and nothing remained for it but to move upon Goeding; and it did not gain much by that; for, had it not been for the too great clemency of the Emperor, and the armistice, which was concluded, the remains of the Russian army would have been entirely destroyed; as may be perceived from what the Austrian officer lets fall a little farther on.—The loss of a battle is no proof of want of talent in a general: but the loss of his artillery and baggage, of his line of operations, and his retreat, are positive evidence that he is ignorant of the art of war.

An army, so commanded, never could make head against a French army in so great and difficult a warfare. The emperor took advantage of the faults committed by the enemy, who would have committed yet greater errors had the emperor retired behind Brunn: the latter would have been in greater force; and had already planned new combinations, in the course of which, the general who possessed most experience, and the greatest genius for the art of war, must naturally have taken his adversary at a disadvantage.