Boney returning from Russia covered with glory--leaving his army in comfortable winter quarters

In the center of this image, Napoleon and one of his officers sit in a small sleigh and glide over a winter plain. The two emaciated horses that pull the sleigh are brutally driven by a soldier who stands on the runners and wields a heavy whip. Sitting with his knees drawn up to his body, Napoleon looks at his secretary, who waits with his pen poised over paper. Despite the desolation of his predicament, Napoleon fabricates a story of French victory in Russia. All three figures in this 'escape sleigh' are pitifully supplied for the winter; they are visibly freezing underneath the large drifts of snow that cover the tops of their cocked caps. Yet Napoleon and his two companions are far better off than the soldiers and horses they leave to starve on the barren field. In the front left corner of the sheet, two famished soldiers tear open the carcass of a horse and ravenously feast on the entrails. Immediately to their left, the arms and legs of two fallen soldiers protrude from underneath their graves of freshly fallen snow. Another heap of human and horse bodies is represented in the bottom right corner of the sheet. One soldier leaning against this mound expresses regret and his desire for death. Another figure, also rendered in profile, stands behind him and raises clasped hands in supplication. In the distance, corpses of horses and soldiers dot the field. The remaining living soldiers can be distinguished huddled in masses or scattered over the field, foraging for food. In the far right distance, the Russian cavalry descends from a slope and attacks the remnants of the French army. In the center of this image, Napoleon and one of his officers sit in a small sleigh and glide over a winter plain. The two emaciated horses that pull the sleigh are brutally driven by a soldier who stands on the runners and wields a heavy whip. Sitting with his knees drawn up to his body, Napoleon looks at his secretary, who waits with his pen poised over paper. Despite the desolation of his predicament, Napoleon fabricates a story of French victory in Russia. All three figures in this 'escape sleigh' are pitifully supplied for the winter; they are visibly freezing underneath the large drifts of snow that cover the tops of their cocked caps. Yet Napoleon and his two companions are far better off than the soldiers and horses they leave to starve on the barren field. In the front left corner of the sheet, two famished soldiers tear open the carcass of a horse and ravenously feast on the entrails. Immediately to their left, the arms and legs of two fallen soldiers protrude from underneath their graves of freshly fallen snow. Another heap of human and horse bodies is represented in the bottom right corner of the sheet. One soldier leaning against this mound expresses regret and his desire for death. Another figure, also rendered in profile, stands behind him and raises clasped hands in supplication. In the distance, corpses of horses and soldiers dot the field. The remaining living soldiers can be distinguished huddled in masses or scattered over the field, foraging for food. In the far right distance, the Russian cavalry descends from a slope and attacks the remnants of the French army. Published by Samuel W. Fores. While criticizing Napoleon's Russian campaign, Cruikshank extends some sympathy to the French soldiers abandoned by their leader. 1813-01-01 Caption: Pubd Jany 1st 1813 by S Wm Fores No 50 Piccadilly corner of Sackville St Dialogue: French general: "Will your majesty write the Bulletin?" Dialogue: Napoleon: "No! you write it! tell them we have left the Army all well, quite gay in excellent Quarters, plenty of provisions__that we travelled in great style__received everywhere with congratulations__and that I have almost completed the repose of Europe." Dialogue: Soldier sitting in snow: "Ah Sire! so dat John Bull says! I wish I could have some repose I'm tired of glory."