| Battle of Swolna | |||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Part of the French invasion of Russia | |||||||
 Near Beshenkovichi, on the banks of the Western Dvina, Belarus. July 29, 1812. 1830s | |||||||
| |||||||
| Belligerents | |||||||
 Russian Empire |  French Empire | ||||||
| Commanders and leaders | |||||||
| General d'Auvray | Nicolas Oudinot | ||||||
| Strength | |||||||
| 9,000 [1] | 10,000 [1] | ||||||
| Casualties and losses | |||||||
| 700-800 [1] [2] | 1,500 [1] [2] | ||||||
The Battle of Swolna took place 11 August 1812 near the village of Swolna where Oudinot ran at the river Svolna into the Russians. [1] [2]
Napoleon had sent a Bavarian Corps to reinforce the troops of Oudinot. Although they were hit hard by dysentery Oudinot started a new offensive. [3] Russian troops moved towards the village of Kokhanovichi, since d'Auvray decided that the lateral advance guard of the French was heading there, and his main forces were heading towards the city of Sebezh. In fact, the French are into this for a while they was moving towards Osveya, across from the Russian 1st Separate Infantry Corps. On August 10, Oudinot’s troops advanced to the Svolnyapekh River, the forward detachments occupied the village of Kokhanovichi, the Swolna manor and the village of Ostry Konets (several kilometers upstream the Swolna River), where there were bridges across the Swolna River. [4]
Neither side was able to enforce the crossing of the Svolna. [2]
Oudinot retreated behind the Drissa. [2]
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