Through Russian Snows

A Story of Napoleon's Retreat from Moscow

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There are few campaigns that, either in point of the immense scale upon which it was undertaken, the completeness of its failure, or the enormous loss of life entailed, appeal to the imagination in so great a degree as that of Napoleon against Russia. Fortunately, we have in the narratives of Sir Robert Wilson, British commissioner with the Russian army, and of Count Segur, who was upon Napoleon's staff, minute descriptions of the events as seen by eye-witnesses, and besides these the campaign has been treated fully by various military writers. I have as usual avoided going into details of horrors and of acts of cruelty and ferocity on both sides, surpassing anything in modern warfare, and have given a mere outline of the operations, with a full account of the stern fight at Smolensk and the terrible struggle at Borodino. I would warn those of my readers who may turn to any of the military works for a further history of the campaign, that the spelling of Russian places and names varies so greatly in the accounts of different writers, that sometimes it is difficult to believe that the same person or town is meant, and even in the narratives by Sir Robert Wilson, and by Lord Cathcart, our ambassador at St. Petersburg, who was in constant communication with him, scarcely a name will be found similarly spelt. I mention this, as otherwise much confusion might be caused by those who may compare my story with some of these recognized authorities, or follow the incidents of the campaign upon maps of Russia.

Unlike most novels about Napoleonic wars, Henty gives a vivid picture of the horrors of war, sufferings of people who take part in the battles at the extreme weather conditions, whether it is a severe Russian winter or a burning heat of the Sahara Desert. Thus, a reader gets to know the real price of victory and defeat. "Through the Russian Snows" gives a detailed account of the battles near Smolensk and Borodino. Yet, the reader is entertained by surprising plot curves and a happy ending with a taste of bitter engrossment. The story tells about two separated brothers who meet at the battlefield. One of them, an English gentleman imprisoned in France, was offered to join the army in the war against Moscow in exchange for freedom. The other brother was sent to Russia with the allied army to fight against Napoleon's troops. "At Aboukir and Acre" tells about the defense of the two Egyptian cities from an unexpected viewpoint. The main character saves the life of the son of the Arab chief and joins the tribe to help them fight against the French army. Both stories are far from the beaten path and will be attractive to anyone seeking an objective picture of the epoch.

Through Russian Snows, by G. A. Hentydetails Napoleon's retreat from Moscow.

An illustrated historical adventure novel by G.A. Henty, ?Through Russian Snows: A Story of Napoleon's Retreat From Moscow was first published in 1895

Through Russian Snows