NAPOLEON followed the Russians into Moscow, and established his headquarters in the Kremlin. But Moscow too was deserted. Most residents had been evacuated; many districts were in flames. Shops were empty, and armed partisans patrolled the outskirts, snatching stragglers and sealing in the rest. After five weeks, Napoleon’s army was anxious, rebellious and hungry, and a sudden snap of bitterly cold weather convinced the Emperor that he must return as he had come.
This proved difficult. In the deadly November cold, the Russians harassed the French from the rear, killing and capturing thousands at Krasny;* Napoleon himself barely escaped capture as he crossed the River Berezina near Borisov.* At Vilnius,* he abandoned what remained of the Grand Army to the Russians’ mercy, and fled. Yet back in Paris worse was to come. Alexander resumed his alliance with Austria and Prussia, and after Britain joined the Coalition the combined armies converged on the French capital, forcing Napoleon to abdicate on April 6th, 1814.*
Krasny lies about forty miles west of Smolensk, close to the border with Belarus.
Borisov or Barysaw is just over forty miles northeast of Minsk, capital of Belarus.
Vilnius is the capital of Lithuania.
Napoleon abdicated as Emperor of the French on April 6th, 1814, but remained King of Italy until April 11th. He resumed his Imperial Crown on March 20th, 1815, and resigned it for the last time on June 22nd that year, following defeat at The Battle of Waterloo.