432 ANNUAL REGISTER, 1SI3. 



Russians !■ — Rely on j'our em- 

 peror and the commanders whom 

 be has appointed. He knows the 

 ardent and indignant valour which 

 burns in the bosoms of his soldiers 

 at the boasts of the enemy. He 

 knows that they are eager for bat- 

 tle; that they grieve at its being 

 deferred, and at the thought of re- 

 tiring. This cruel necessity will 

 not exist long. Even now the 

 period of its duration lessens. 

 Already are our allies preparing to 

 menace the rear of the invader : 

 while he, inveigled too far to 

 retreat with impunity, shall soon 

 have to combat with the seasons, 

 with famine, and with innumerable 

 armies of Russians. Soldiers, when 

 the period for offering battle ar- 

 rives, your emperor will give the 

 signal, will be an eye-witness of 

 your exploits, and reward your 

 valour. 



(Signed) Alexander. 



Proclamation of the Emperor 

 Alexander on the Russian Army 

 breaking up from Drissa. 



Beloved subjects ! — In pursuance 

 of the policy advised by our mi- 

 litary council, the armies -will, for 

 the present, quit their positions, 

 and retire further into the interior, 

 in order the more readily to unite. 

 The enemy may possibly avail him- 

 self of this opportunity to advance ; 

 he has announced this intention. 

 Doubtless, in spite of his boast, he 

 begins to feel all the difficulties of 

 his menaced attempt to subjugate 

 us, and is anxious therefore to en- 

 gage ; he is desperate, and would 

 therefore put every thing upon the 

 issue of a battle. The honour of 

 oyr crown, the interests of our 



subjects, prescribe, however, a 

 diflerent policy : it is necessary that 

 he should be made sensible of the 

 madness of his attempt. If, urged 

 by the desire of obtaining provisions 

 and forage, or goaded by an in- 

 satiable cupidity for plunder, he 

 should be blind to the danger of 

 further committing himself at such 

 an immense distance from his ter- 

 ritories, it would become the duty 

 of every loyal Russian — every true 

 friend to his country, — to co- 

 operate cheerfully with us in im- 

 peding equally his progress or his 

 retreat, by destroying his supplies, 

 his means of conveyance ; in short, 

 every thing which can be service- 

 able to him. We, therefore, order 

 that such of our subjects in the 

 provinces of Vitepsk and Pskov, as 

 may have articles of subsistence, 

 either for man or beast, beyond their 

 immeditate want, to deliver tiieni 

 to officers authorised to receive 

 them, and for which they shall be 

 paid the full value out of the 

 Imperial treasury. The owners 

 of growingcrops within the distance 

 of the line of the enemy's march, 

 are commanded to destroy them, 

 and they shall be reimbursed their 

 loss. The pro|)rietors of maga- 

 zines, either of provisions or cloth- 

 ing, are required to deliver them 

 to the commissaries for the use of 

 the army, and they will be liberally 

 remunerated. In general, the spi- 

 rit of this order is to be carried 

 into execution in regard to all 

 articles, whether of subsistence, of 

 clothing, or of conveyance, which 

 lUiiy be considered useful to the 

 invaders ; and the magistrates are 

 made responsible for the due ful- 

 filment of these our commands. 

 Alexandeb. 



