Book 13, Chapters 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15

CHAPTER 9

The pillaging in Moscow had gone too far and Napoleon tries to put a stop to it. Decrees are written, encouraging the people to return to Moscow and work again. Napoleon even gives out forged Russian money for the Russian people to buy food instead of rob it.

CHAPTER 10

 None of the decrees Napoleon ordered have come to pass. None of the Russians want to return to Moscow and the French army continues to misbehave and loot. Napoleon has no control over his own men and the French army starts to deteriorate more.

Important Quotes

"That army, like a herd of cattle run wild and trampling underfoot the provender which might have saved it from starvation, disintegrated and perished with each additional day it remained in Moscow. But it did not go away."

"The plight of the whole army resembled that of a wounded animal which feels it is perishing and does not know what it is doing."

CHAPTER 11

Pierre inquires as to what is happening with the French army. He is told to talk to the educated Monsieur Kiril. Nearby, a French soldier asks Pierre's friend, Platon, to sew him a shirt.

CHAPTER 12

Pierre comes to the conclusion that happiness means going through struggles and suffering. His happiest months are in captivity.

Important Quotes

"[Pierre] had long sought in different ways that tranquillity of mind, that inner harmony which had so impressed him in the soldiers at the battle of Borodino. He had sought it in philanthropy, in Freemasonry, in the dissipations of town life, in wine, in heroic feats of self-sacrifice, and in romantic love for Natásha; he had sought it by reasoning—and all these quests and experiments had failed him. And now without thinking about it he had found that peace and inner harmony only through the horror of death, through privation, and through what he recognized in Karataev. "


"The absence of suffering, the satisfaction of one's needs and consequent freedom in the choice of one's occupation, that is, of one's way of life, now seemed to Pierre to be indubitably man's highest happiness."

" The very qualities that had been a hindrance, if not actually harmful, to him in the world he had lived in—his strength, his disdain for the comforts of life, his absent-mindedness and simplicity—here among these people gave him almost the status of a hero. And Pierre felt that their opinion placed responsibilities upon him."

CHAPTER 13

The French soldiers that captured Pierre are on the move to retreat. One of the sickly soldiers asks Pierre what is to be done with him and Pierre asks a corporal who tells him to forget about the sick. One the way out, they all gaze at a dead man they found on the road.

Important Quotes

"in the stirring and deafening noise of the drums, he recognized that mysterious, callous force which compelled people against their will to kill their fellow men—that force the effect of which he had witnessed during the executions."

CHAPTER 14

The soldiers make their way past Moscow and Pierre and the other captives see the destruction and pillaging taking place. The French threaten to beat and kill anyone lagging behind. At the campsite, Pierre laughs at the fact that he's mortal and yet the French care so much about keeping him a prisoner although he is destined to die.

Important Quotes

 "All that [Pierre] now witnessed scarcely made an impression on him—as if his soul, making ready for a hard struggle, refused to receive impressions that might weaken it."

Pierre: " They hold me captive. What, me? Me? My immortal soul? Ha-ha-ha! Ha-ha-ha!..." and he laughed till tears started to his eyes."

CHAPTER 15

The Russians hear of the French retreat in Moscow and want to take action. The less than capable Dokhturov and a small detachment, is sent out with the mission of attacking Broussier.