War and Peace, Book 13: 1812, Chapter 7 summary
Book 13: 1812, Chapter 7 of 365 · 4 min to read the chapter
In Chapter 7, Kutúzov holds back an attack he distrusts, then advances slowly when he learns that Murat’s troops are retreating. The narrator argues that Tarútino achieves important results despite frustrated plans, turning Russian retreat into advance and exposing French weakness through the combined action of many independent forces.
What happens
- Kutúzov refuses requests to attack and treats reports of Polish battalions as evidence that preparations fail.
- Ermólov presses for action, but Kutúzov orders only a slow advance after hearing that Murat’s troops are retreating.
- Orlóv-Denísov’s Cossacks account for the battle’s achievements, while the remaining army loses several hundred men without useful results.
- Commanders receive rewards, staff changes follow, and Russian officers complain about the battle’s management.
- The narrator rejects the belief that battles follow plans, explaining their course through many independent forces.
- Despite unmet individual aims, Tarútino shifts the campaign toward Russian advance and reveals French weakness.
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What prompts Kutúzov to order an advance?
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