General Mikhail Kutuzov: One-eyed defender of Moscow

General Mikhail Kutuzov was a charismatic Russian general, most remembered for his defense of Moscow against Napoleon. He was in and out of favor with the emperor, Alexander I, but in times of crisis, on more than one occasio n he was called back to lead the Russian Forces. From the standpoint of oph thalmology, it is of interest that while fighting the Turks, Kutuzov sustai ned two separate severe head wounds that ultimately led to loss of sight in his right eye. A portrait of General Kutuzov hangs in the Hermitage Museum in St. Petersburg, Russia, Kutuzov's birthplace. In the portrait Kutuzov i s standing with his left side facing forward, presumably to hide his disfig ured right eye. He lost the Battle of Austerlitz against Napoleon and at be st gained a draw at the Battle of Borodino. Nevertheless, the latter battle was the beginning of the end for Napoleon's Grand Armee. They entered a de serted Moscow, part of Kutuzov's scorched earth policy that left no food or housing for the enemy, and with the Russian winter rapidly approaching, Na poleon began his long retreat from Russia. As with the German army, the har sh winter claimed many casualties while Kutuzov added to the French misery by harassing the retreating army from the rear. Of 450,000 French soldiers, only 10,000 returned to France.