Battle of Shevardino

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Battle of Shevardino
Part of the French invasion of Russia
SamokishBorodinoLitograf.jpg
The Attack of the Shevardino Redoubt
by Nikolay Samokish, 1910
Date5 September 1812 (O.S.: 24 August 1812)
Location 55°30′25″N35°47′48″E / 55.50694°N 35.79667°E / 55.50694; 35.79667
Result French victory
Belligerents
Flag of France (1794-1815).svg French Empire
Flag of the Napoleonic Kingdom of Italy.svg Kingdom of Italy
Flag of the Kingdom of Naples (1811).svg Kingdom of Naples
Banner of the Duchy of Warsaw.svg Duchy of Warsaw
Flag of Russia.svg Russian Empire
Commanders and leaders
Strength
36,000 [1] 20,000 [1]
Casualties and losses
4,000 [1] 6,000 [1]
Battle of Shevardino
Invisible Square.svg
Invisible Square.svg
Mapscaleline.svg
500km
300miles
Shevar-
dino
Pultusk
15
Gorodeczno
14
Invisible Square.svg
Drohiczyn
13
Tauroggen
12
Invisible Square.svg
Riga
11
Invisible Square.svg
Tilsit
10
Warsaw
9
Berezina
8
Invisible Square.svg
Maloyaro-
slavets
7
Invisible Square.svg
Moscow
6
Invisible Square.svg
Borodino
5
Invisible Square.svg
Smolensk
4
Invisible Square.svg
Vitebsk
3
Invisible Square.svg
Vilna
2
  Current battle
  Prussian corps
  Napoleon
  Austrian corps

The Battle of Shevardino took place on 5 September 1812 (24 August = old style), between French and Russian troops, with a victory of the French army. [1]

Contents

Prelude

The initial Russian position, which stretched south of the new Smolensk Highway (Napoleon's expected route of advance), was anchored on its left by a pentagonal earthwork redoubt erected on a mound near the village of Shevardino. Kutuzov stated that the fortification was manned simply to delay the advance of the French forces. [2] [3]

Battle

The conflict began on September 5 when Marshal Joachim Murat's French forces met Konovnitzyn's Russians in a massive cavalry clash, the Russians eventually retreating to the Kolorzkoi Cloister when their flank was threatened. Fighting resumed the next day but Konovnitzyn again retreated when Viceroy Eugène de Beauharnais' Fourth Corps arrived, threatening his flank. The Russians withdrew to the Shevardino Redoubt, where a pitched battle ensued. Murat led Nansouty's First Cavalry Corps and Montbrun's Second Cavalry Corps, supported by Compans's Division of Louis Nicolas Davout's First Infantry Corps against the redoubt. Simultaneously, Prince Józef Poniatowski's Polish infantry attacked the position from the south. [3] The French captured the redoubt, at a cost of 4,000  [1] French and 6,000 Russian casualties. [1] The small redoubt was destroyed and covered by the dead and dying of both sides. [4]

Aftermath

The unexpected French advance from the west and the fall of the Shevardino redoubt threw the Russian formation into disarray. Since the left flank of their defensive position had collapsed, Russian forces withdrew to the east, constructing a makeshift position centered around the village of Utitsa. The left flank of the Russian position was thus ripe for a flanking attack. [5] The Battle of Borodino would begin two days later.

See also

Notes

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References