North of Smolensk, Smolensk Town.
Prince Bagration wiped the ice from his beard and shouted to the commander of the Cossack Cavalry Battalion: "Have you found them?"
The latter's voice came through the swirling snowflakes: "Not yet, General. This damn snow has covered up the Poles' tracks."
"Expand the search area! With so much snow, they can't have gone far!"
The prince from Georgia looked at the snowy world in front of him, his brows furrowed.
The Polish rearguard had suddenly left the Yartsevo Ferry, putting him in a dilemma—according to the information from headquarters, the Polish vanguard had already retreated, so their rearguard was probably heading east to meet them.
Of course, it's also likely the Poles noticed they were in a disadvantaged position and fled directly west to Orsha.
General Kutuzov had ordered him to stay close and harass the Polish Army to deplete their supplies.
