Crimson Snow

By: Bill Ciccotti

Narrated by: Dave Jackson

I am Mathieu Baptiste or at least what is still left of him. I am Chef de Bataillon, what the British call a Major. But as I walk, horseless through knee deep snow, rank is of no consequence. I started out on a fine ebony stallion commanding the 1st Squadron or the 1st "Elite". We rode on the blacks, 5th company on browns and blacks. But none of us ride now. All the horses are long gone in the army of Little Boney, Napoleon Bonaparte. We are on foot from now on.

This is the story of a small French Calvary unit walking in retreat back out of Russia. Weather, enemy troops and nature herself attempt to kill them at every breath.

We trudge past frozen corpses. Arms akimbo in ridged pleas for salvation. But we are all damned in this frozen hell.

©2019 Bill Ciccotti (P)2020 William M Ciccotti