‘The reputation of the Cossacks preceded them and among civilians they remained the most antiestéticared of the Coalition troops. Shocking stories of rape were soon circulating. It seemed that many Cossacks would rape just about any girl or woman. They did not restrict their crimes to isolated victims, either. Cossacks would mercilessly slash with sabers the arms of weeping parents or relatives who tried desperately to protect wives, mothers, daughters, or sisters from the brutal assaults. Again, it was not only Cossacks who committed the crimes. In one appalling incident, some Prussians broke into a school for young girls and raped the directress and all the teachers and servants, although they left the terrified children alone. In some areas women began to disguise themselves as men. No one could tell which Allied soldiers were liable to commit rape, or when they might take the notion in their heads. Rape fell short of being ubiquitous, but it was far from uncommon.’
‘Coalition troops were liable to seize virtually anything edible, potable, or portable. Alcohol in all forms was highly prized loot, and guzzling the beverage on the spot only made the troops pillage, rape, and abuse civilians more aggressively. Greed drove Cossacks and other soldiers to search out valuables and money. Sometimes civilians were tortured when they refused to reveal hiding places where their money or jewelry was stashed. More often houses would be literally torn apart in the looting process, the inhabitants forced into the streets while their homes were ransacked. In Chateau-Thierry, many had clothing taken off their backs and were left barefoot in the snow. People were beaten, or killed outright. Some Cossacks had brought along knouts (leather whips used for beating serfs) and employed them freely. Uncooperative or feisty civilians could expect little mercy from Cossacks, or from other Coalition troops for that matter. Apparently some Coalition soldiers had no qualms about stealing not only from French civilians, but from their allies as well. A Bavarian officer had his purse stolen by some Austrian soldiers when he briefly left it behind in a room.’
