En
Ru
Anniversary of the Battle of Berezina, the last major battle of the Patriotic War of 1812
16 (28) November 1812, at the Berezina River (a tributary of the Dnieper) took place a battle between the Russian army and the retreating army of Napoleon.
The action plan of the Russian command was to simultaneously and aggressively pass to the offensive with all the forces acting on the flanks of the main army, so that, having defeated the armies guarding the rear of Napoleon, block his escape route. The main group of the Russian army under the command of Field Marshal M. I. Kutuzov pursued the French army from the east. The corps led by General P. H. Wittgenstein from the north and the third Western Army under Admiral P. V. Chichagov from the south were to take up the defensive position at the Rivers Ulla and Berezina with the front turned to the east, and cut off Napoleon's escape route to the west. 11 (23) November the enemy’s vanguard led by Marshal H. Oudinot approached Borisov. 12 (24) November Chichagov, overestimating the strength of the enemy, drew off the troops (about 30, 000 men) from Borisov and moved to the right bank of the Berezina, between Zembin and Ushi.
Being ordered to hold Borisov, Oudinot began construction of the crossing to the north of Borisov, near the village of Studenka. In attempt to divert attention of the Russians from the ferry, he undertook demonstrative actions downstream. Chichagov, misguided by the actions of the French, withdrew his troops 25 km to the south of Borisov, leaving a small covering force near the ford opposite Studenka. Napoleon's army, having joined the troops of Marshals Oudinot and Victor, 14 (26) November approached the Berezina. The total number of French troops with the stragglers and sick soldiers was about - 85-90 thousand men. As to the battleworthy core of the army, it numbered about 40, 000 soldiers.
Napoleon, having received evidence of moving of the main Russian forces to the south of Borisov, immediately ordered to build the bridges across the Berezina near Studenka. The works began 14 (26) November under the engineering generals J. Ebla and F. Chasseloup. One bridge was intended for infantry and one for the cavalry, artillery and baggage. By evening, over the two bridges built near Studenka, the main forces of Napoleon (about 19, 000 combat-ready soldiers) had crossed the river. 15 (27) November, on the left bank the troops of Wittgenstein (40, 000 men) and the advanced detachments of the main group of Kutuzov (25, 000 men) surrounded near Borisov the division under General L. Partuno (about 4, 000 men) forcing it surrender.
In the morning of 16 (28) November, near the Berezina River a battle took place: the troops of the 3rd Western Army under Admiral Chichagov attacked on the right bank of the Berezina the 2nd Army Corps of the French under Marshal Oudinot. At the same time, General Wittgenstein, commander of the 1st Infantry Corps, launched an attack against the 9th Army Corps led by Marshal K. Victor on the left bank of the Berezina. During the day soldiers of Napoleon fought fiercely, trying to prevent Russians from reaching the bridges. At the beginning of the battle on the right bank, Oudinot was wounded and Napoleon entrusted the command to Marshal M. Ney. The climax of the battle was when Chichagov sent to attack the regiments under the command of Lieutenant-General I. V. Sabaneyev. The area was marshy, making it difficult for cavalry action, so the Russian troops were only able to oust the French. Soon Sabaneyev was forced to stop the attack and begin the artillery fire.
17 (29) November Napoleon realized that artillery and baggage could not be saved, and ordered Victor to leave the left bank. Once a part of the troops crossed to the other side of the river, the Emperor ordered General Ebla to burn the bridges near Studenka. Russians did not manage to encircle and destroy the French army, but it suffered heavy losses, about 50,000 people could not cross the river. The Russian army during this time lost about 6 - 8,000 men.
Lit.: Бородино. Материалы научной конференции. 1993. С. 3-6; Ермолов А. П. Записки. М., 1991. С. 253; Ланжерон А. Ф. Записки // Русская старина. 1907. № 9. С. 273; М. И. Кутузов. Сборник документов. Т. 4. Ч. 2. М., 1995. С. 230; Сочинения Д. В. Давыдова. Т. 2. М., 1895. С. 125; Толстой Ф. П. Записки // Русская старина. 1873. № 2; Фельдмаршал Кутузов. Документы, дневники, воспоминания. М., 1995. С. 202.Чичагов П. В. Переправа через Березину. (Из Записок адмирала Чичагова) // Пер. Н. Ильина // Русский архив. 1869. Вып. 7. Стб. 1147-1178; Щербинин А. А. Записки // Харкевич В. 1812 год в дневниках, записках и воспоминаниях современников. Вып. 1. Вильна, 1900. С.45-46.
Based on the Presidential Library’s materials: