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This map from the West Point Atlas depicts
the general situation in the theater on 4 October and the movements of
Schwarzenberg and Chichagov from 24 Aug to 6 November. Taking command of the
united Russian forces in Volynia from Tormassov (who joined Kutuzov's main army
as chief of staff) Admiral Chichagov advanced to threaten the French rear area
and Warsaw. Schwarzenberg initially blocked him, but by early November
Chichagov had outmaneuvered the Austrians and slipped around them heading for
Minsk. The small box indicates that Chichagov has 38,000 troops and Sacken has
25,000 more that threaten Schwarzenberg's and Reynier's rear, forcing them to
let Chichagov go. Bronikovski garrisons Minsk and Dombrovski, from
Ponyatovski's corps, is attempting to screen the Allied right rear flank. These
two will mess up royally shortly as Chichagov reaches Minsk. This Russian force
in the deep rear of the French army greatly complicated Napoleon's problems.
Meanwhile Wittgenstein has been fighting St Cyr at Polotsk and Steindall is
ignoring MacDonald's threat to Riga and hurrying south to close the northern
side of a trap. Victor has brought a fresh (IX) Corps (allied) forward from
Konigsberg to Smolensk. Kutuzov has taken the road from Moscow to Kaluga to
block Napoleon from retiring via the Ukraine.
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