Аннотация: MMMCCXCV. The history of the marshal's baton. A story. - June 13, 2023.
The history of the marshal's baton. A story.
Denis Grigoriev was born into a peasant family, grew up in the fresh air, ate healthy food. From childhood, he was distinguished by a heroic build of a body and a good health.
The time has come, he went into the soldiers.
Usually Alexander Vasilievich Suvorov looked at Denis and said: "Russian miracle heroes!" The inspirational words were following further.
Victory was coming after them.
Once, during the Italian campaign, Denis captured the French soldier Henri Dubois.
After the battle, Denis and Henri sat by the campfire, eating porridge.
Denis asked:
- How is it? Serve in the French army?
- Every soldier carries a marshal's baton in his knapsack! Henri replied.
- What is the "Marshal's baton"? Denis asked.
- Recently at night your battalion attacked our camp. So, I ... - Henri began to answer Denis's question.
At that moment, an officer came and took Henri away to participate in the exchange of prisoners.
After that, when once Alexander Vasilievich came up to the campfire to eat soldier's porridge, Denis asked him:
- What does it mean: "Every soldier carries a marshal's baton in his knapsack"?
- This is a words of Emperor Napoleon - those words meant that every soldier can become a marshal. If he shows himself, if he proves himself ...
Alexander Vasilievich looked at Denis attentively.
When Emperor Paul the First arrived at the military parade, Alexander Vasilievich showed him Denis and said: 'Russian heroes are interested in whether Napoleon said correctly that every soldier carries a marshal's baton in his knapsack'?
Pavel the First carefully looked at Denis and asked:
- And you, Denis, read Suvorov's "The Science of Victory"?
- No, I'm not literate.
- So you have to learn to read. You must to read this book.
Alexander Vasilievich after this meeting said to Denis:
- There will be another convenient moment, we will come up to him again!
But soon Alexander Vasilievich died, and then Paul the First himself died.
Denis continued to serve in the Army.
The Patriotic War of 1812 came.
Denis showed himself perfectly both during the movement of Napoleon's Army to Moscow, and during its retreat from Moscow.
Mikhail Illarionovich was informed about Denis.
During the military review, Mikhail Illarionovich showed Emperor Alexander the First Denis and said:
- He is the Suvorov miracle hero. He wonders: what does it mean: "Every soldier carries a marshal's baton in his knapsack"? He knows that these are the words of Napoleon, but he is interested in how it looks in practice.
Alexander the First looked at Denis and asked:
- And you, Denis, read "War and Peace" by Leo Tolstoy?
- I learned to read, Your Imperial Majesty, but I haven't read 'War and Peace' yet.
- When you will read (in whole) this book, we'll talk then.
Mikhail Illarionovich said to Denis after this meeting:
- There will be a convenient moment, we will came up to the Emperor again!
However, Mikhail Illarionovich soon died. Without him, it was almost impossible to approach the Emperor. And the Emperor himself, after some time, left for Taganrog and died there.
Time passed, the The Eastern War (The Crimean War of 1853-1856) began.
Denis Grigoriev arrived in Sevastopol. He told the soldiers and sailors about Suvorov, encouraged them, went to the bastions and to the lunettes.
Admiral Nakhimov said Denis:
- When Emperor Nicholas the First will arrive, I will bring you to him. We will ask him how to understand this: "Every soldier carries a marshal's baton in his knapsack"?
However, Admiral Nakhimov was hit by an enemy bullet, and soon Emperor Nicholas the First also died.
Out of respect for the merits of Denis Grigoriev, he was left in the Army, regardless of age.
So he saw the War of 1877-1878.
General Skobelev somehow rode up to Denis Grigoriev on horseback and and promised to present Denis to Emperor Alexander the Second. And - at the same time - to ask: How to understand Napoleon's statement "Every soldier carries a marshal's baton in his knapsack"?
However, something happened to General Skobelev, and then unpleasant events happened to Emperor Alexander II.
Denis retired, he was respected. He did not achieve great ranks, but he gained unexpected fame: as the person, longest living on the Earth.
His life was going well. Even under Soviet Power, he received a good pension and told schoolchildren about Suvorov.
Once Denis saw a newspaper. He already was able to read.
The newspaper contained the terrible words "Fascist military conspiracy." And the newspaper also talked about "Marshal Tukhachevsky". "Marshal"!!!
Denis started to worry. And at his age, it was very dangerous - to worry.
After his death, an old knapsack was found in Denis' chest [coffer]. An inscription in French was found on the knapsack: "Henri Dubois". In the knapsack was an unknown, but beautiful, short, thick stick-like object. Perhaps Henri wanted to tell Denis about this subject when he mentioned the night attack of the Suvorov battalion on the camp of French troops? Could it be that Henri picked up this object during a time of panic and confusion and intended to return it to its owner? Henri, after the exchange of prisoners, returned to France, and the knapsack remained with Denis.
The experts were called. They explained, that it was a marshal's baton.
The knapsack of Henri Dubois and the marshal's baton were transferred for storage to the Museum of Military Glory.
Now these items show [to, for] modern visitors interested in military history.
June 13, 2023 01:09
Translation from Russian into English: June 13, 2023 02:52
Владимир Владимирович Залесский ' История маршальского жезла. Рассказ '.
{ 3324. История маршальского жезла. Рассказ. - 13 июня 2023 г.
MMMCCXCV. The history of the marshal's baton. A story. - June 13, 2023.
Vladimir Zalessky Internet-bibliotheca. Интернет-библиотека Владимира Залесского. }