when frank arrived at canterbury he found things in confusion, and received the news that two troops had orders to march the next morning for portsmouth, where they were to embark for spain.
"why, the major said he would write!" he exclaimed. "his letter must have missed me somehow. i shall have enough to do to get ready to-night."
"you are not going, wyatt," wilmington, who was his informant, said. "the order expressly stated that cornet wyatt was not to accompany his troop, as his services were required in another direction, and that another officer was to take his place, and i am going with your troop. lister has been grumbling desperately. what on earth can they want you for? however, there is a batch of letters for you in the ante-room, and i daresay you will learn something about it from them."
frank ran in. there were two letters. one was an official document; the direction of the other was in sir robert wilson's handwriting. he opened this first.
"my dear wyatt, your letter inclosing strelinski's certificate came in the nick of time. i had already made an application that you should be attached to me for service, on the ground that you belonged to my old regiment, and knew something of russian; but your age and short service were against you, and i doubt whether i should have succeeded, as the post is considered an important one. however, when i went and showed them the pole's report as to your knowledge of russian, and pointed out that this was a far more important matter in the present case than any question of age or service, the commander-in-chief at once agreed, and you will no doubt receive an intimation that you are appointed my aide-de-camp. i have been made a brigadier-general. it is not as yet settled when we shall start. i have only just received my official appointment, and there is no saying when i may get my final instructions; for it is to a certain extent a political affair, and this sort of thing always drags on for a long time before it comes to a head. it is lucky that your matter is arranged now, for i hear at the horse-guards that your troop is ordered out to spain. no doubt, just at the moment, you will be sorry that you are not going with it, but i can assure you that this business will be vastly more useful to you in your profession, than anything you would be likely to meet with as a cavalry subaltern in spain."
for a moment, indeed, frank did regret that he was not going to accompany his troop. he was so sure, however, that sir robert wilson was acting for the best that he put aside this feeling. the official letter was a simple notification that he was appointed aide-de-camp to general sir robert wilson, but that he was to remain at the dep?t and continue his ordinary duties until a further intimation reached him. the excitement of departure had, frank was glad to find, quite thrown that caused by his duel into the background. all the officers who were to go were busy with their preparations, and frank was occupied until a late hour that night in assisting them in packing not only the baggage that was to be taken, but the heavy cases that were to be stored away until their return. many were the regrets expressed by the officers who were going out that frank was not to accompany them, and much curiosity expressed as to the reason for which he was kept behind. he felt that, although sir robert wilson had not specially enjoined silence, it would be undesirable that any information as to the probability of his proceeding to russia should be given. he therefore said:
"i only know that sir robert wilson, who was a great friend of my father's, and who obtained my commission for me, is going to have a command somewhere, and has asked for me as one of his aides-de-camp on the ground of his friendship for my father, and his former connection with our regiment."
"well, then, very likely we shall see you out there before long, wyatt," captain lister said. "of course, it is a compliment to the regiment, but i daresay you feel it as a nuisance at present."
"i should like to be going with you all, lister; but i suppose this is best for me in the long run."
"of course it is. it is always a good thing for a fellow to serve on the staff. you have ten times as good a chance of getting mentioned in the despatches, as have the men who do all the fighting. still, i have no doubt you will deserve any credit you may get, which is more than is the case nine times out of ten."
"how is marshall getting on?"
"he is going on all right. he has sent in his papers, and i suppose he will be gazetted out by the time he is able to travel. i can assure you that there was quite as much satisfaction in the lancers at the turn the affair took as there was with us."
"does the major go with you, lister?"
"no; he remains in command of the dep?t for the present. of course, he will go out if a vacancy occurs above him; but in any case he will go with the next draft, and the next two troops will be wound up to service pitch in another couple of months, so i expect by the spring he will be out there. i should not have minded if we too had waited until then, for of course the army have gone into its winter quarters, and there will be nothing doing for the next three or four months; and i take it we should be a good deal more comfortable here, than posted in some wretched little spanish town till operations commence again. no doubt you will be out there long before the first shot is fired."
another three months passed, and on the 28th of march, 1812, frank received an official order to join sir robert wilson at once, and a letter from the general, informing him that they were to sail on the 8th of april. the letter was written in haste, and gave no intimation whatever as to their destination. during this three months frank had worked almost incessantly at russian. he had informed the major in confidence that he believed sir robert wilson was going as british commissioner to the russian army when the war broke out with france.
"ah! that accounts for your working so hard at russian, wyatt," the major said in reply. "i suppose you had received a hint from sir robert."
"yes, major. he told me that as he had been commissioner with the russians in their last war, it was probable that, if the rumours that napoleon intended to invade russia proved correct, he might be appointed again, and said that if i could get up enough of the language to speak it pretty fluently, he would apply for me."
"well, you deserve it, wyatt; for there is no doubt that you have worked hard indeed; and it will be a capital thing for you. is there anything i can do?"
"yes, sir. i thought, perhaps, that when you knew what i am going to do, you would relieve me of some of the ordinary drills, as i should like to spend as much time as possible before i go, in getting up russian."
"certainty," the major said. "after the official information that you were not to proceed with the draft, as you would be required for special service, i have a right to consider you as a supernumerary here, and will relieve you of all ordinary drills and parades. you must, of course, take your turn as officer of the day, and if there are any special parades ordered, or any field days with the lancers, you will attend, but otherwise you will be free of all duty. the two next troops to go have their full complement of officers, so that really you are not wanted."
as soon as frank received sir robert wilson's letter he went to strelinski.
"it has come," he said. "i have to go up to town tomorrow, as i embark on the 8th. i am awfully sorry that our lessons have come to an end. however, they have lasted over the year that we talked of at first."
"i am sorry too, mr. wyatt; though really i feel that in no case need you have continued your studies any longer. the last three months has made a great difference, for you have been talking russian some eight or ten hours a day, and are now sufficiently acquainted with the language for any purpose whatever, except perhaps writing a book in it. if i had not known that you might leave at any time, i should myself have told you that i considered there was no advantage to be gained by your going on with me any longer. i shall, of course, go up to london with you to-morrow."
"i am sorry for your sake, as well as my own, that our lessons are over, strelinski."
"it cannot be helped," the pole replied. "it has been a god-send to me. when i first met you, i was well-nigh hopeless. now i shall begin the battle again with fresh courage. i have saved enough money to keep me, with care, for many months, and doubtless your recommendation that you have learned russian from me, will make matters more easy for me than they were before."
on arriving in town frank went at once to sir robert wilson's lodging. he found the general in, and after the first greetings, learned from him that they were to accompany the newly-appointed ambassador to constantinople. "our object there," sir robert said, "is to arrange, if possible, a peace between russia and turkey. there is no doubt whatever that napoleon intends war. it is not declared yet, but it is absolutely certain, and it is of vital importance that russia should have her hands free in other directions. as soon as this is arranged,—and i have no doubt that it will be managed, for it is so necessary to russia that she will grant any terms, in reason, that turkey can ask,—i am to journey north and join the headquarters of the russian army."
this was delightful news to frank. european travel in those days was rare, and to have the opportunity of visiting constantinople, as well as being present at the tremendous encounter about to take place, was an unexpected pleasure indeed.
"there is one thing i want to speak to you about, sir robert," he said presently. "it is about strelinski. i have been thinking that perhaps, as war is about to break out between russia and france, you might be kind enough to get a post for him as interpreter at the war office or foreign office."
"i have already thought of that," the general said. "you wrote so highly of him in your letters, that i felt i could thoroughly recommend him, and i spoke about it only the day before yesterday to the marquis of wellesley, and he said at once that they should be glad to have such a man, as it would enable me to send over official documents and other russian statements without the trouble and loss of time in translating them, and as the man is from russian poland, he could give information concerning the country and the roads and other matters that would help them to understand what is going on, especially as, until my arrival there, they will have to depend upon russian documents sent over by our ambassador at st. petersburg. tell him to be here at eleven o'clock to-morrow morning, and be here yourself in uniform. i have an appointment with lord wellesley at half-past."
frank had put up at the hotel where the coach stopped, and had invited strelinski to stay there with him until he started; and on his return he delighted the pole by telling him that there was some chance of sir robert wilson obtaining for him an appointment as interpreter. the next day frank and strelinski accompanied sir robert wilson to the war office. they remained in the ante-chamber while the general went in to lord wellesley's apartments. in half an hour an officer came out and called frank in.
"sir robert wilson has spoken very warmly in your favour, mr. wyatt," lord wellesley said, holding out his hand, as sir robert introduced him, "and his report is confirmed by your commanding officer, major tritton, who gives an excellent account of you. but you must not deprive his majesty's army of the services of any more of its officers, mr. wyatt. of course i received full details of that affair, and i am bound to say that it seems you behaved admirably, and you must be a wonderful shot. you don't look like a fire-eater either. it is a bad practice, mr. wyatt, a very bad practice. well, well," he broke off, seeing a slight smile on sir robert's lips, "i suppose i have no right to say anything about it, having been an offender myself. however, from what i have learned, if ever a duel was justified, yours was. well, sir, i hope that your future career will correspond with the reports that i have received of your past conduct. you are very fortunate in having been chosen for so important a service as that upon which you are now embarking, and i need hardly say that it will be of great value to you in your profession."
frank expressed his thanks, and then retired. strelinski was then called in, and in a few minutes returned radiant.
"what do i not owe to you," he said, "to you and general wilson? i have been appointed interpreter on a salary of two hundred a year. think of it! my fortune is made."
"i congratulate you indeed," frank replied warmly. "i did not like to raise your hopes too high, but i felt sure, by what sir robert said, that it was as good as settled. i am almost as pleased as you are, for i should have been awfully sorry to go away, without knowing that you were comfortably settled here."
"what are you going to do, wyatt, till you start?" general wilson asked, as they left the war office.
"it depends whether i can be useful here; if so, i am of course ready to do anything, but if you will not in any way want me, i shall start this evening by the coach for weymouth, and join you at portsmouth. i will send my baggage off at once by waggon."
"do so by all means, wyatt. direct it 'care of general wilson, his majesty's ship argo.' you had better be there on the afternoon of the 7th, and go on board at once. we shall be down that evening, and shall sleep at the george, and go on board the first thing in the morning."
frank found his aunt in good health. he stayed there three days, and then posted to portsmouth, getting there early on the morning of the 7th. the argo was lying at spithead. taking a wherry he went out to her at once. he found that all was in readiness, and that a small cabin had been assigned to him next to that of sir robert wilson. his trunk was already there, and leaving his small portmanteau in his cabin, he went ashore and took up his quarters at the george. the ambassador, his secretary, and general wilson arrived together in a post-chaise in the evening, and at eight o'clock next morning they all went on board.
the voyage was long and tedious, but frank was very glad of a stay for two or three days at gibraltar, and as long at malta.
the argo arrived at constantinople at the end of june, and they found that the treaty of peace between turkey and russia had been already arranged. a month was spent in vexatious delays, which were the more irritating as it was known that napoleon had arrived at the frontier, and was on the point of crossing the niemen, if he had not already done so. at last the british ambassador succeeded in overcoming the inertness of the porte; on the 14th of july the treaty was finally ratified, and on the 27th sir robert wilson was sent by our ambassador to shumla to arrange details with the grand vizier. thence he went to the congress at bucharest, which was the headquarters of the russian admiral, tchichagow, who commanded their army of the danube.
after having finally arranged these matters, he started north with frank, furnished with an order to postmasters on the road to supply them instantly with relays of horses. travelling night and day without a stop, they arrived at smolensk on the day before the french attacked the place. sir robert had expected to find the emperor here, but learnt that he was still at st. petersburg. being personally acquainted with all the russian generals he was received with the greatest courtesy, and at once placed himself at the disposal of the commander-in-chief, while frank was introduced to the members of the staff.
sir robert wilson found that a very grave state of things was prevailing. the generals were in open dissension with barclay for having suffered the enemy to overrun so many provinces, and for not making any dispositions to defend the line of the dnieper.
next morning the englishmen were awakened by a roar of musketry. they had been furnished with horses, and, dressing hastily, mounted, and joined the commander-in-chief's staff, which was taking up its position on the hill, whence a general view could be obtained of what was passing on the other side of the river. an aide-de-camp was on the point of starting as they rode up to ascertain the exact position of things in the town, and sir robert ordered frank to accompany him. frank had been introduced to the aide-de-camp on the previous day, and as they dashed down towards the bridge, he said:
"the fighting seems very heavy."
"it will be heavier before they take smolensk," the russian said. "there are 20,000 men in the town, and reinforcements can be sent across as required. at present the fighting is in the suburbs, but they won't drive us out of them as quickly as they expect."
after crossing the bridge they made their way to the headquarters of general doctorow, and were at once shown in. the russian saluted: "the commander-in-chief sends his compliments to you, general, and wishes to know how things are going on, and whether you need reinforcements. he desires that you should send messengers every ten minutes acquainting him with the progress of affairs."
"all goes well at present. the troops are everywhere doing their duty. as yet we need no reinforcements. they are making but little way in any of the suburbs, but of course their attack is not yet fully developed."
"allow me to introduce to your excellency this british officer, mr. wyatt, aide-de-camp to general wilson, who arrived in our camp yesterday afternoon as british commissioner."
"you have come at an opportune moment, sir, to see fighting. if you had come sooner you would have seen nothing but running away. if you would like to make a tour of the walls to see what is going on, an officer shall accompany you."
frank accepted the invitation with thanks. he had nothing at present to report more than the aide-de-camp would take back, and he knew that sir robert would be glad of further particulars. he therefore asked him to tell sir robert why he had stayed, and at once proceeded to the walls, accompanied by an officer of doctorow's staff. from there, little could be seen of the fighting. the musketry fire, indeed, had almost ceased, and the french could be seen retiring up the hill, where dense masses of troops were drawn up. returning to the general's quarters he mounted and rode back to the commander-in-chief's staff.
"the affair has scarcely begun yet," he said to sir robert, "but the whole of the french army is drawn up in line of battle, and, i should say, is about to assault the town in full force."
for some hours there was a lull, but about mid-day heavy masses of troops were seen descending from the french positions, and as they approached the suburbs a roar of musketry broke out. twice in the course of the next two hours frank was sent down into the town. he reported that, although resisting with the greatest obstinacy, the russians were being driven out of the suburbs. just as he returned the second time, sir robert wilson, who was examining the enemy's position with a telescope, observed that ten batteries of artillery were making their way up the steep hill on the other side of the river. he at once reported this to the general, adding: "they will very speedily knock the bridges into pieces and isolate the garrison altogether. but i think, sir," he added, "if you place some batteries on the hill on this side, you will take them in flank. the two hills are both about the same height, and they will be completely exposed to your fire."
"very well," general barclay replied, "i will order eight batteries up there at once, and you will oblige me if you will accompany them and indicate the best position for them to take up. colonel stellitz, you will at once carry the order to the artillery, and request the officer in command of the batteries to post them as general wilson may advise."
sir robert and the colonel, followed by frank, at once rode off. just as they reached the artillery, the french battery opened fire. exclamations of rage burst from the soldiers as the shot splashed into the water round the bridges and the shell burst over them. the general in command of the artillery, on receiving the order, directed eight batteries to follow general wilson. at a gallop they dashed up the hill, and in ten minutes had unlimbered and opened fire upon the french. the effect was visible at once. much confusion was observed among the artillery-men, and in a short time several of the guns were dismounted, and four or five powder waggons blown up. then a loud cheer burst from the russian artillery-men as they saw the french bring up the horses from behind the shelter of the crest, limber-up and drive off with the guns. but from other points of vantage 150 guns were now pouring their fire into the town, and, as the flames broke out from several quarters, exclamations of grief and fury were heard from the russian soldiers.
smolensk was, like moscow, considered a sacred city, and the soldiers were affected rather by the impiety of the act than by the actual destruction that was being wrought. as general wilson and frank rode back to the spot where general barclay was stationed, a mass of russian infantry moved down the hill towards the bridges, and at once began to cross.
"whose division is that?" sir robert asked an officer as they joined the staff.
"it is prince eugene's," he replied. "they are pressing us hard now, having driven doctorow's men out of the covered way, and are massing for an assault on one of the gates."
the fire continued unabated until seven o'clock. then a messenger came across with the news that the french were drawing off, and that the covered way was being reoccupied. general wilson was warmly thanked by the russian commander-in-chief for having silenced the batteries that had threatened the bridges. that evening, when he issued the order for the evacuation of smolensk, the disaffection with barclay de tolly broke out with renewed force, and during the night a body of generals came to sir robert wilson's tent. he was at the time occupied in dictating a despatch to frank, whom he requested to retire directly he saw the rank of his visitors. as soon as they were alone they said that it had been resolved to send to the emperor not only the request of the army for a new chief, but a declaration in their own name and that of the troops "that if any order came from st. petersburg, to suspend hostilities and greet the invaders as friends"—for it had all along been believed that the retrograde movements were the result of the advice of the minister, count romanzow—"such an order would be regarded as one that did not express his imperial majesty's real sentiments and wishes, but had been extracted from his majesty under false representations or external control, and that the army would continue to maintain its pledge and to pursue the contest till the invader was driven beyond the frontier."
"we are here, general wilson," one of the generals said, "to beg you to undertake the delivery of this message to the emperor. it would mean death to any russian officer who undertook the commission, but, knowing your attachment to the emperor, and his equally well-known feelings towards yourself, no person is so well qualified to lay the expression of our sentiments before him. your motives in doing so cannot be suspected; coming from you, the emperor's self-respect would not suffer in the same way as it would do, were the message conveyed to him by one of his own subjects."
one after another the generals urged the request.
sir robert listened to their arguments, and then said: "this is altogether too grave a matter for me to decide upon hastily. i know thoroughly well that there is no thought of disloyalty in the mind of any of you towards the will of the emperor, but the act is one of the gravest insubordination, and it is indeed a threat that you will disobey his majesty's commands in the event of his ordering a suspension of hostilities. as to the conduct of the commander-in-chief, i am not competent to express any opinion whatever, but as a soldier i can understand that this long-continued retreat and the abandonment of so many provinces to the enemy, without striking a single blow in their defence, is trying in the extreme, both to yourselves and your brave soldiers. i shall not leave the army until i see it fairly on the march again, but before i start i will give you my reply."
the generals thanked sir robert warmly, and then withdrew.
"i shall write no more to-night, wyatt," the general said when frank entered the tent. "i have other grave matters to think about. you had best lie down at once, and get a few hours' sleep. to-morrow is likely to be an eventful day, for the operation of withdrawing the army from this position and getting on to the main road again will be full of peril, and may indeed end in a terrible disaster."
as soon as the russian army had repulsed the attacks of the french and resumed its march towards moscow, sir robert wilson left it and proceeded to st. petersburg, where he had promised the russian generals to inform the czar of the opinion and disposition of the army, their dissatisfaction with the general, and their determination to continue the combat and to refuse to recognize any negotiations or armistice that might be made with the enemy.
"i shall leave you here, wyatt," the general said, on the morning after the desperate defence of loubino had saved the army. "there is little chance of the french pressing the russians any further. i think it probable that they may go into winter quarters where they now are; but in any case they cannot hope to outmarch us, and, if they follow, the battle will be in the position the russians may choose. even were there more fighting imminent, i should still start to-day for st. petersburg; i only came round by smolensk, as you know, because i thought that the emperor would be found there. my first duty is to see him, and to report to him the arrangements that have been made on the danube with the grand vizier and his people, by which the whole of the russian army there will be able to join in the defence against the french. as soon as i have done so and explained to his majesty the position here, i shall rejoin; and i hope the czar will also be coming down here, for his presence would be most useful—not in the military way, for no men in the world could fight better than the russians are doing,—but the army fears, above all things, that peace will be made before it has an opportunity of wiping out, what it considers its disgrace, in allowing the french to overrun so many rich provinces without striking a blow.
"in point of fact, the defence of smolensk, and the way in which some 20,000 men yesterday withstood for hours the assault of three or four times their number, would be sufficient to prove to the world their fighting qualities. in my own mind, i consider that barclay has acted wisely in declining to hazard the whole fortune of the war upon a single battle against an enemy which, from the first, has outnumbered him nearly threefold, but he should never have taken up his position on the frontier if he did not mean to defend it. any other army than this would have become a disorganized rabble long ago. there is nothing so trying to troops as to march for weeks hotly chased by an enemy. three times in the peninsula we have seen what a british army becomes under far less trying circumstances. if the russians did but know it, this retreat of theirs, and the admirable manner in which they have maintained their discipline, is as creditable as winning a great victory would be; still one can understand that the sight of this flying population, the deserted fields, this surrender of provinces to an enemy, is mortifying in the highest degree to their pride.
"nevertheless, barclay's policy, though i think it has been carried a great deal too far—for with troops who will fight as ours did yesterday he might have fought a dozen battles like that of loubino, and would have compelled the french to advance slowly instead of in hot pursuit—has been justified to a great extent. from all i hear, the invading army has already suffered very great losses from fever and hardship, the effect of the weather, and from the number of stragglers who have been cut off and killed by the peasantry. their transport has especially suffered, vast numbers of their horses having died; and in a campaign like this, transport is everything. in the various fights that have taken place since they entered russia, they have probably suffered a heavier loss than the russians, as the latter have always fought on the defensive; and the french loss has fallen on napoleon's best troops, while the russian army is all equally good.
"lastly, although the russians are discontented at their continued retreat, their morale does not seem to have suffered in any way, and it is probable that the long marches, the inability to bring on a general engagement, the distance from home, and the uncertainty about the future has told heavily upon that of the french, who are vastly more susceptible to matters of this kind than are the russians. you will remain with the headquarter staff, and i wish you, while i am away, to obtain accurate details of the movements of the various columns, and to write a full report every evening of the march and of all matters of interest. i do not want you to forward these to me, but to keep them for future reference. i hope to rejoin before any further fighting takes place."
sir robert reached st. petersburg on the 24th of august, but it was not until ten days later that he saw the emperor, who had gone with lord cathcart, the british ambassador, to meet the king of sweden, and to conclude the negotiations that secured his co-operation. the information that general wilson had brought of the admirable behaviour of the army did much to allay the alarm that prevailed in st. petersburg; and, after dining with the emperor on the evening of the arrival of the latter at his capital, he had a long private interview with him. the emperor had already been made acquainted with the dissatisfaction in the army, and marshal kutusow had been sent to replace general barclay, and he asked sir robert whether he thought the new commander would be able to restore subordination and confidence in the army. sir robert replied that he had met the marshal, and had informed him of the exact state of things there: that the latter had conjured him to acquaint the emperor with the fullest details, and in accordance with that request, and in order to prevent his majesty having the pain of hearing it from the lips of one of his own subjects—who perhaps would be less able to convince him of the intense feeling of loyalty to himself that still prevailed—he had consented to be the mouthpiece of the generals of the army. he then reported to him the interviews that he had had with the general officers, suppressing the names of those present, and the message they had desired him to deliver.
the emperor was greatly moved. however, the manner in which the general fulfilled the mission with which he was charged, and his assurances that the act of seeming insubordination and defiance of the imperial authority was in no way directed against him, but against his advisers, whom they believed to be acting in the interests of napoleon, had their effect, and the emperor promised to give the matter every consideration, and to answer him definitely on the following day. at the next meeting he gave sir robert his authority to assure the army of his determination to continue the war against napoleon while a frenchman remained in arms on russian soil, and that, if the worst came to the worst, he would remove his family far into the interior, and make any sacrifice rather than break that engagement. at the same time, while he could not submit to dictation in the matter of his ministers, he could assure them that these should in no way influence him to break this promise.
during sir robert's stay in st. petersburg the emperor took every occasion to show him marked favour, as if anxious to assure those whose views sir robert had represented, that he was in no way displeased with them for the attitude they had assumed; and upon his leaving to rejoin the army the emperor directed him to repeat in the most formal manner his declaration that he would not enter into or permit any negotiations with napoleon; and added that he would sooner let his beard grow to his waist, and eat potatoes in siberia.
frank had been active during the battle of loubino. sir robert wilson had taken up his post with touchkoff during the action which was so desperately fought to cover the retreat of the main army, and frank had acted as aide-de-camp, and, having carried orders to various parts of the field, had excellent opportunities of seeing the whole of the battle; and the russian general in making his report of the engagement had mentioned his name among those who had rendered distinguished services. his horse had been shot under him, his cap had been carried away by a bullet, and he had received a slight flesh wound in his leg. although this was of small consequence, it had caused the insertion of his name among those of the officers wounded in the battle. he was to see no more fighting for a time; for, although the army of wittgenstein fought two or three severe actions with the divisions of st. cyr and oudinot, the main army fell back without again fighting until it took up the position that marshal kutusow had selected for giving battle.