The book of the famous military historian and writer A.V. Shishov is dedicated to the secrets and mysteries of the Patriotic War of 1812. In the history of this war, there remains a lot of controversial, ambiguous and polemical. These are the images of Napoleon Bonaparte and Alexander I, commanders M.I. Golenishchev-Kutuzov, M.B. Barclay de Tolly, P.I. Bagration, P, V. Chichagov, a number of French marshals, their deeds on the battlefield and deeds in life, their difficult relationships. These are the Battle of Borodino and the crossing of the Berezina, the Battle of Smolensk and the withdrawal of the Bagrationov 2nd Western Army from the border, partisanship and burned Moscow. This is the ratio of the fortitude of the Russian and French armies, the will of the military leaders, the clash of two strategies and two schools of military art. Finally, these are the military-political and moral lessons of the inglorious campaign against Moscow and the flight of the Great Army of Napoleon I from Russia.