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With regard to military matters, Napoleon immediately on his
entry into Moscow gave General Sabastiani strict orders to observe
the movements of the Russian army, sent army corps out along the
different roads, and charged Murat to find Kutuzov. Then he gave
careful directions about the fortification of the Kremlin, and
drew up a brilliant plan for a future campaign over the whole
map of Russia.
With regard to diplomatic questions, Napoleon summoned Captain
Yakovlev, who had been robbed and was in rags and did not know
how to get out of Moscow, minutely explained to him his whole
policy and his magnanimity, and having written a letter to the
Emperor Alexander in which he considered it his duty to inform
his Friend and Brother that Rostopchin had managed affairs badly
in Moscow, he dispatched Yakovlev to Petersburg.
Having similarly explained his views and his magnanimity to
Tutolmin, he dispatched that old man also to Petersburg to negotiate.
With regard to legal matters, immediately after the fires
he gave orders to find and execute the incendiaries. And the scoundrel
Rostopchin was punished by an order to burn down his houses.
With regard to administrative matters, Moscow was granted
a constitution. A municipality was established and the following
announcement issued:
INHABITANTS OF MOSCOW!
Your misfortunes are cruel, but His Majesty the Emperor and
King desires to arrest their course. Terrible examples have taught
you how he punishes disobedience and crime. Strict measures have
been taken to put an end to disorder and to re-establish public
security. A paternal administration, chosen from among yourselves,
will form your municipality or city government. It will take care
of you, of your needs, and of your welfare. Its members will be
distinguished by a red ribbon worn across the shoulder, and the
mayor of the city will wear a white belt as well. But when not
on duty they will only wear a red ribbon round the left arm.
The city police is established on its former footing, and
better order already prevails in consequence of its activity.
The government has appointed two commissaries general, or chiefs
of police, and twenty commissaries or captains of wards have been
appointed to the different wards of the city. You will recognize
them by the white ribbon they will wear on the left arm. Several
churches of different denominations are open, and divine service
is performed in them unhindered. Your fellow citizens are returning
every day to their homes. and orders have been given that they
should find in them the help and protection due to their misfortunes.
These are the measures the government has adopted to re-establish
order and relieve youp condition. But to achieve this aim it is
necessary that you should add your efforts and should, if possible,
forget the misfortunes you have suffered, should entertain the
hope of a less cruel fate, should be certain that inevitable and
ignominious death awaits those who make any attempt on your persons
or on what remains of your property, and finally that you should
not doubt that these will be safeguarded, since such is the will
of the greatest and most just of monarchs. Soldiers and citizens,
of whatever nation you may be, re-establish public confidence,
the source of the welfare of a state, live like brothers, render
mutual aid and protection one to another, unite to defeat the
intentions of the evil-minded, obey the military and civil authorities,
and your tears will soon cease to flow!
With regard to supplies for the army, Napoleon decreed that
all the troops in turn should enter Moscow a la maraude* to obtain
provisions for themselves, so that the army might have its future
provided for.
*As looters.
With regard to religion, Napoleon ordered the priests to be
brought back and services to be again performed in the churches.
With regard to commerce and to provisioning the army, the
following was placarded everywhere:
PROCLAMATION!
You, peaceful inhabitants of Moscow, artisans and workmen
whom misfortune has driven from the city, and you scattered tillers
of the soil, still kept out in the fields by groundless fear,
listen! Tranquillity is returning to this capital and order is
being restored in it. Your fellow countrymen are emerging boldly
from their hiding places on finding that they are respected. Any
violence to them or to their property is promptly punished. His
Majesty the Emperor and King protects them, and considers no one
among you his enemy except those who disobey his orders. He desires
to end your misfortunes and restore you to your homes and families.
Respond, therefore, to his benevolent intentions and come to us
without fear. Inhabitants, return with confidence to your abodes!
You will soon find means of satisfying your needs. Craftsmen and
industrious artisans, return to your work, your houses, your shops,
where the protection of guards awaits you! You shall receive proper
pay for your work. And lastly you too, peasants, come from the
forests where you are hiding in terror, return to your huts without
fear, in full assurance that you will find protection! Markets
are established in the city where peasants can bring their surplus
supplies and the products of the soil. The government has taken
the following steps to ensure freedom of sale for them: (1) From
today, peasants, husbandmen, and those living in the neighborhood
of Moscow may without any danger bring their supplies of all kinds
to two appointed markets, of which one is on the Mokhovaya Street
and the other at the Provision Market. (2) Such supplies will
be bought from them at such prices as seller and buyer may agree
on, and if a seller is unable to obtain a fair price he will be
free to take his goods back to his village and no one may hinder
him under any pretense. (3) Sunday and Wednesday of each week
are appointed as the chief market days and to that end a sufficient
number of troops will be stationed along the highroads on Tuesdays
and Saturdays at such distances from the town as to protect the
carts. (4) Similar measures will be taken that peasants with their
carts and horses may meet with no hindrance on their return journey.
(5) Steps will immediately be taken to re-establish ordinary trading.
Inhabitants of the city and villages, and you, workingmen
and artisans, to whatever nation you belong, you are called on
to carry out the paternal intentions of His Majesty the Emperor
and King and to co-operate with him for the public welfare! Lay
your respect and confidence at his feet and do not delay to unite
with us!
With the object of raising the spirits of the troops and of
the people, reviews were constantly held and rewards distributed.
The Emperor rode through the streets to comfort the inhabitants,
and, despite his preoccupation with state affairs, himself visited
the theaters that were established by his order.
In regard to philanthropy, the greatest virtue of crowned
heads, Napoleon also did all in his power. He caused the words
Maison de ma Mere to be inscribed on the charitable institutions,
thereby combining tender filial affection with the majestic benevolence
of a monarch. He visited the Foundling Hospital and, allowing
the orphans saved by him to kiss his white hands, graciously conversed
with Tutolmin. Then, as Thiers eloquently recounts, he ordered
his soldiers to be paid in forged Russian money which he had prepared:
"Raising the use of these means by an act worthy of himself
and of the French army, he let relief be distributed to those
who had been burned out. But as food was too precious to be given
to foreigners, who were for the most part enemies, Napoleon preferred
to supply them with money with which to purchase food from outside,
and had paper rubles distributed to them."
With reference to army discipline, orders were continually
being issued to inflict severe punishment for the nonperformance
of military duties and to suppress robbery.
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