"This absolutely will not do." Kościuszko shook his head reflexively. "Without warhorses, the Madalinski Legion will have no strength whatsoever to fight the enemy blocking them during their retreat!"
In this age, if large armies fought without cavalry, they could easily be pulled apart by the enemy and then sliced up by cavalry. What was more, the Russian Army had most likely already laid its ambushes. The Polish Army's vanguard was about to face a bitter battle.
Yet Saint-Cyr said in a relaxed tone, "Then don't fight the enemy."
"How is that possible? The Russians must be waiting for him on the road back to Yartsevo..."
Saint-Cyr said, "Exactly. The Russians think so too, which is why General Madalinski will not take that road."
Wawrzecki said excitedly, "That's how it should be! We won't retreat at all—we'll keep advancing toward Moscow!"
Halfway through, he saw the officers around him glaring at him fiercely and hurriedly shut his mouth.
Saint-Cyr had an attendant bring over a map. "If General Madalinski abandons all warhorses, as well as most of the artillery, the logistical supplies they carry can be reduced by ninety percent.
"After that, they can advance lightly along here..."
Kościuszko frowned and interrupted him. "Colonel, that way, the Madalinski Legion will immediately encounter enemy interception. You said before that the Russian Army's plan was likely to encircle us from three sides."
Saint-Cyr nodded. "There is great risk, but retreating directly to Yartsevo is even more dangerous.
"And there is another advantage to doing this: we will not need to wait at Yartsevo to receive General Madalinski."
Kościuszko pondered for a moment, then silently nodded.
He still had thirty thousand soldiers here. Together with the nearly ten thousand stationed at Smolensk and Orsha, they too had to withdraw back home as quickly