War and Peace Volume 3 Book 9 Chapter 2

In which the mighty Emperor Napoleon, amidst the pomp and grandeur of courts and legions, sets forth on his fateful campaign, crossing the Niemen with a blend of resolute command and the turbulent fervour of his troops. As his presence stirs a wild devotion among the ranks—embodied most vividly by the daring Polish Uhlans who plunge recklessly into the river before his eyes—one perceives both the grandeur and heedlessness that accompany the march to war.