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This section from a map in the West Point
Atlas depicts two situations - in the box is a general view of Napoleon's
initial attempt at retreat via the Kaluga road on which he was stopped by
Kutusov at Maloyaroslavets and forced back to the Smolensk road. Details of the
actions in the box are shown in the maps for Maloyaroslavetsk and Tarutino. On
the left side is the situation on 2 November by which time the French army is
strung out along that Smolensk road in the vicinity of Vyazma. Kutuzov has sent
Ozherovski west to intercept the French west of Smolensk at Krasnoi and is
moving his main force along a route parallel with the French. At Vyazma
Napoleon first learned from accumulated dispatches of the situation to the
west, in his former rear areas into which he was moving. He learned that
Wittgenstein had taken Polotxk from St. Cyr and that Schwarzenberg was letting
Chichagov through. At Viazma Napoleon changed the march order ordering Davout
to advance and Ney to remain and take over rear guard tactics.
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