17 APRIL 2004, Page 29

Trapping Napoleon

From Andre Zaluski Sir: It is not true, as Christopher Woodward writes in his review of Adam Zamoyski's book 1812 (Books, 10 April), that the Russian plan to draw Napoleon into the depths of Russia is a state-sponsored myth. According to Michal Oginski, the plan was agreed at a meeting six months earlier. Oginski at the time was Alexander's adviser on matters relating to Poland and Lithuania, and learnt of the plan immediately after the meeting from General Armfeld (Memoires sur la Pologne et les Polonais, Book 10. chapter 1).

Andre Zaluski

Billingham, Teesside