Major General Prince Sherbatov on Challenges Russian army experienced in 1814

In 1814, the Russian armies posed to invade France had been on campaign for more than year and a half. Many regiments were understaffed and both officers and rank-and-file were fatigued. Although reinforcements had been continually raised and delivered, these men were oftentimes hastily trained and unprepared for the rigors of war. Writing to General Barclay de Tolly on 25 January, Major General Prince Sherbatov, thus, explained widespread problems that he had to deal with in his detachment.

I have suffered for a very long time now without troubling Your Excellency with my reports on the conditions in the detachment entrusted to me. But the responsibility, laying heavily on my shoulders, compels me to write you.

My detachment consists of four regiments, of which only two are dependable enough to be employed against the enemy or on various missions. These regiments are Yagodin II’s Cossack and 4th Uralskii regiments: the former consists of just 330 men, including 80 men who have arrived just one month ago and are still too young, weak and inexperienced; the latter regiment has only 150 men. The other two regiments, Teptyarskii and 3rd Orenburgskii are worthless and incapable of undertaking anything, especially the latter unit. I considered using this unit [3rd Orenburgskii] to maintain a flying mail service but they cannot perform even this simplest of tasks. I dread deploying them on outpost or patrol duties, and have reprimanded them on several occasions; overall, I find them impossible to employ in anything. Their regimental commander, Major Stelnov [?] is weak and incompetent, soldiers themselves are indifferent and indolent, and officers are illiterate. [Thus] an enemy spy, who was captured and placed under this regiment’s guard yesterday, has escaped unmolested tonight.

These regiments complicate my mission and deprive me of important means of carrying out instructions that you have entrusted to me. I consider it my duty to inform you of these circumstances.

[RGVIA f. 846, op.16, d. 4120/1]