War and Peace Volume 3, Part 2, Chapter 27 Summary

Napoleon spends the 25th of August, the day before the battle, riding around giving instructions.
He likes looking like he’s in charge and all-knowing, and like no one else can figure out what’s going on. How does he do this? By not explaining any of his decisions.
He sends out a final set of instructions, which Tolstoy viciously mocks. Why? Here's why:
1. These orders will get to most places too late to actually be carried out.
2. Half the orders contradict the other half.
3. Some of the orders seem to plan for future events that never actually happen.
4. He’s so far away from the battle that he has no way of knowing if any of these instructions actually were followed.
So, yeah. Good planning.