The Battle of Borodino in the history of the war of 1812. Borodino: a discussion of two centuries. Alignment of forces at the beginning of the battle

THEM. Zherin. Injury of P.I. Bagration in the Battle of Borodino. 1816

Napoleon, wanting to support the attacking efforts at the Semyonov flushes, ordered his left wing to strike the enemy at Kurgan Heights and take it. The battery on the heights was defended by the general's 26th Infantry Division. The troops of the corps of the Viceroy of Beauharnais crossed the river. Koloch and began an attack on the Great Redoubt, which was occupied by them.

C. Vernier, I. Lecomte. Napoleon, surrounded by generals, leads the Battle of Borodino. Colorized engraving

At this time, generals and. Having taken command of the 3rd battalion of the Ufa Infantry Regiment, Ermolov regained the heights with a strong counterattack at about 10 o'clock. The “fierce and terrible battle” lasted half an hour. The French 30th Line Regiment suffered terrible losses, its remnants fled from the mound. General Bonnamy was captured. During this battle, General Kutaisov died unknown. French artillery began a massive shelling of Kurgan Heights. Ermolov, having been wounded, handed over command to the general.

At the southernmost tip of the Russian position, the Polish troops of General Poniatowski launched an attack on the enemy near the village of Utitsa, got stuck in the battle for it and were unable to provide support to those corps of the Napoleonic army that fought at the Semyonovsky flashes. The defenders of the Utitsa Kurgan became a stumbling block for the advancing Poles.

At about 12 noon, the sides regrouped their forces on the battlefield. Kutuzov helped the defenders of Kurgan Heights. Reinforcement from the army of M.B. Barclay de Tolly received the 2nd Western Army, which left the Semyonov flushes completely destroyed. There was no point in defending them with heavy losses. The Russian regiments retreated beyond the Semenovsky ravine, taking up positions on the heights near the village. The French launched infantry and cavalry attacks here.

Battle of Borodino from 9:00 to 12:30

Battle of Borodino (12:30-14:00)

At about 1 p.m., the Beauharnais corps resumed its attack on Kurgan Heights. At this time, by order of Kutuzov, a raid by the Cossack corps of the ataman and the cavalry corps of the general began against the enemy left wing, where the Italian troops were stationed. The Russian cavalry raid, the effectiveness of which historians debate to this day, forced Emperor Napoleon to stop all attacks for two hours and send part of his guard to the aid of Beauharnais.

Battle of Borodino from 12:30 to 14:00

During this time, Kutuzov again regrouped his forces, strengthening the center and left flank.

F. Rubo. "Living Bridge". Oil on canvas. 1892 Panorama Museum “Battle of Borodino”. Moscow

Battle of Borodino (14:00-18:00)

A cavalry battle took place in front of Kurgan Heights. The general's Russian hussars and dragoons attacked the enemy cuirassiers twice and drove them “all the way to the batteries.” When the mutual attacks here stopped, the sides sharply increased the force of artillery fire, trying to suppress the enemy batteries and inflict maximum damage on them in manpower.

Near the village of Semenovskaya, the enemy attacked the guards brigade of the colonel (Life Guards Izmailovsky and Lithuanian regiments). The regiments, forming a square, repelled several attacks by enemy cavalry with rifle salvoes and bayonets. The general came to the aid of the guards with the Ekaterinoslav and Order Cuirassier regiments, which overthrew the French cavalry. The artillery cannonade continued throughout the field, claiming thousands of lives.

A.P. Shvabe. Battle of Borodino. Copy from a painting by the artist P. Hess. Second half of the 19th century. Oil on canvas. TsVIMAIVS

After repelling the Russian cavalry raid, Napoleon's artillery concentrated a large force of its fire against the Kurgan Heights. It became, as the participants in the battle put it, the “volcano” of Borodin’s day. At about 15 o'clock in the afternoon, Marshal Murat gave the order for the cavalry to attack the Russians at the Great Redoubt with its entire mass. The infantry launched an attack on the heights and finally captured the battery position located there. The cavalry of the 1st Western Army bravely came out to meet the enemy cavalry, and a fierce cavalry battle took place under the heights.

V.V. Vereshchagin. Napoleon I on the Borodino Heights. 1897

After this, the enemy cavalry for the third time strongly attacked a brigade of Russian guards infantry near the village of Semenovskaya, but was repulsed with great damage. The French infantry of Marshal Ney's corps crossed the Semenovsky ravine, but its attack with large forces was not successful. At the southern end of the position of the Kutuzov army, the Poles captured the Utitsky Kurgan, but were unable to advance further.

Desario. Battle of Borodino

After 16 hours, the enemy, who had finally captured Kurgan Heights, launched attacks on Russian positions to the east of it. Here the general's cuirassier brigade, consisting of the Cavalry and Horse Guards regiments, entered the battle. With a decisive blow, the Russian guards cavalry overthrew the attacking Saxons, forcing them to retreat to their original positions.

North of the Great Redoubt, the enemy tried to attack with large forces, primarily with cavalry, but had no success. After 5 p.m., only artillery was active here.

After 16 hours, the French cavalry tried to deliver a strong blow from the village of Semenovskoye, but ran into the columns of the Life Guards of the Preobrazhensky, Semenovsky and Finland regiments. The guards moved forward with the beating of drums and overthrew the enemy cavalry with bayonets. After this, the Finns cleared the edge of the forest from enemy shooters, and then the forest itself. At 19:00 in the evening the gunfire here subsided.

The last bursts of battle in the evening occurred at the Kurgan Heights and the Utitsky Kurgan, but the Russians held their positions, themselves more than once launching decisive counterattacks. Emperor Napoleon never sent his last reserve into battle - the divisions of the Old and Young Guards to turn the tide of events in favor of French weapons.

By 6 pm the attacks had ceased along the entire line. Only the artillery fire and rifle fire in the forward lines, where the Jaeger infantry acted bravely, did not subside. The sides did not spare artillery charges that day. The last cannon shots were fired at about 10 pm, when it became completely dark.

Battle of Borodino from 14:00 to 18:00

Results of the Battle of Borodino

During the battle, which lasted from sunrise to sunset, the attacking “Grand Army” was able to force the enemy in the center and on his left flank to retreat only 1-1.5 km. At the same time, Russian troops preserved the integrity of the front line and their communications, repelling many attacks by enemy infantry and cavalry, while at the same time distinguishing themselves in counterattacks. The counter-battery fight, for all its ferocity and duration, did not give any advantage to either side.

The main Russian strongholds on the battlefield - Semenovsky flushes and Kurgan Heights - remained in the hands of the enemy. But the fortifications on them were completely destroyed, and therefore Napoleon ordered the troops to leave the captured fortifications and retreat to their original positions. With the onset of darkness, mounted Cossack patrols came out onto the deserted Borodino field and occupied the commanding heights above the battlefield. Enemy patrols also guarded the enemy's actions: the French were afraid of attacks in the night by Cossack cavalry.

The Russian commander-in-chief intended to continue the battle the next day. But, having received reports of terrible losses, Kutuzov ordered the Main Army to retreat to the city of Mozhaisk at night. The withdrawal from the Borodino field took place in an organized manner, in marching columns, under the cover of a strong rearguard. Napoleon learned about the enemy’s departure only in the morning, but he did not dare to immediately pursue the enemy.

In the “battle of the giants,” the parties suffered huge losses, which researchers are still discussing today. It is believed that during August 24-26, the Russian army lost from 45 to 50 thousand people (primarily from massive artillery fire), and the “Grand Army” - approximately 35 thousand or more. There are other figures, also disputed, that require some adjustment. In any case, the losses in killed, died from wounds, wounded and missing were equal to approximately a third of the strength of the opposing armies. The Borodino field also became a veritable “cemetery” for the French cavalry.

The Battle of Borodino in history is also called the “battle of the generals” due to the large losses in the senior command. In the Russian army, 4 generals were killed and mortally wounded, 23 generals were wounded and shell-shocked. In the Grand Army, 12 generals were killed or died from wounds, one marshal (Davout) and 38 generals were wounded.

The fierceness and uncompromising nature of the battle on the Borodino field is evidenced by the number of prisoners taken: approximately 1 thousand people and one general on each side. Russians - approximately 700 people.

The result of the general battle of the Patriotic War of 1812 (or Napoleon’s Russian Campaign) was that Bonaparte failed to defeat the enemy army, and Kutuzov did not defend Moscow.

Both Napoleon and Kutuzov demonstrated the art of great commanders on the day of Borodin. The “Grand Army” began the battle with massive attacks, starting continuous battles for the Semenovsky flushes and Kurgan Heights. As a result, the battle turned into a frontal clash of sides, in which the attacking side had minimal chances of success. The enormous efforts of the French and their allies ultimately proved fruitless.

Be that as it may, both Napoleon and Kutuzov, in their official reports about the battle, declared the result of the confrontation on August 26 as their victory. M.I. Golenishchev-Kutuzov was awarded the rank of field marshal for Borodino. Indeed, both armies showed the highest heroism on the Borodin field.

The Battle of Borodino did not become a turning point in the campaign of 1812. Here we should turn to the opinion of the famous military theorist K. Clausewitz, who wrote that “victory lies not simply in capturing the battlefield, but in the physical and moral defeat of the enemy forces.”

After Borodin, the Russian army, whose fighting spirit had strengthened, quickly regained its strength and was ready to expel the enemy from Russia. Napoleon’s “great” “army,” on the contrary, lost heart and lost its former maneuverability and ability to win. Moscow became a real trap for her, and the retreat from it soon turned into a real flight with the final tragedy on the Berezina.

Material prepared by the Research Institute (military history)
Military Academy of the General Staff
Armed Forces of the Russian Federation

Raevsky's battery is a key point in the Battle of Borodino. The artillerymen of the infantry corps of Lieutenant General Raevsky showed miracles of bravery, courage and military art here. The fortifications on Kurgan Heights, where the battery was located, were called by the French “the grave of the French cavalry.”

French cavalry grave

Raevsky's battery was installed on Kurgan Heights the night before the Battle of Borodino. The battery was intended to defend the center of the battle formation of the Russian army.

The firing position of the Raevsky Battery was equipped in the form of a lunette (a lunette is a field or long-term defensive structure open from the rear, consisting of 1-2 frontal ramparts (faces) and side ramparts to cover the flanks). The front and side parapets of the battery had a height of up to 2.4 m and were protected in front and on the sides by a ditch 3.2 m deep. In front of the ditch at a distance of 100 m in 5-6 rows there were “wolf pits” (camouflaged recesses-traps for enemy infantry and cavalry).

The battery was the object of repeated attacks by Napoleonic infantry and cavalry with Bagration's flashes. Several French divisions and almost 200 guns were involved in its assault. All the slopes of the Kurgan Heights were strewn with the corpses of the invaders. The French army lost more than 3,000 soldiers and 5 generals here.

The actions of the Raevsky Battery in the Battle of Borodino are one of the most striking examples of the heroism and valor of Russian soldiers and officers in the Patriotic War of 1812.

General Raevsky

The legendary Russian commander Nikolai Nikolaevich Raevsky was born in Moscow on September 14, 1771. Nikolai began his military service at the age of 14 in the Preobrazhensky Regiment. He takes part in many military companies: Turkish, Polish, Caucasian. Raevsky established himself as a skilled military leader and at the age of 19 he was promoted to lieutenant colonel, and at the age of 21 he became a colonel. After a forced break, he returned to the army in 1807 and actively participated in all major European battles of that period. After the conclusion of the Peace of Tilsit, he took part in the war with Sweden, and later with Turkey, at the end of which he was promoted to lieutenant general.

Nikolai Nikolaevich Raevsky. Portrait by George Dow.

The commander’s talent was especially evident during the Patriotic War. Raevsky distinguished himself in the battle of Saltanovka, where he managed to stop the divisions of Marshal Davout, who intended to prevent the unification of Russian troops. At a critical moment, the general personally led the Semenovsky regiment into the attack. Then there was the heroic defense of Smolensk, when his corps held the city for a day. In the Battle of Borodino, Raevsky’s corps successfully defended Kurgan Heights, which the French attacked especially fiercely. The general took part in the Foreign Campaign and the Battle of the Nations, after which he was forced to leave the army for health reasons. N. N. Raevsky died in 1829.

Raevsky's battery in 1941

In October 1941, the Raevsky Battery again became one of the key defense points on the Borodino field. On its slopes there were positions of anti-tank guns, and at the top there was an observation post. After Borodino was liberated and the fortifications of the Mozhaisk defense line were put in order, Kurgan Height was left as a key stronghold. Several new bunkers were erected on it.

Fortifications at the Raevsky Battery in 1941 (below, center). Fragment of the map of the 36th fortified area of ​​the Mozhaisk defense line.

A bunker on the slope of Kurgan Heights.

This article uses a fragment of the plan of the Raevsky Battery from the wonderful book by N. I. Ivanov “Engineering work on the Borodino Field in 1812”. Highly recommended for anyone interested in the history of the Battle of Borodino.

The history of this war is tragic, like the history of any other war, but events of 1812 had their own peculiarity.

Napoleon Bonaparte did not take into account the mentality of the Russian people, who in the war with the invader show extraordinary courage and heroism, and 1812 - year of the Battle of Borodino- confirmation of this.

Causes of the Patriotic War of 1812

If we write briefly about the causes of the war, then the main reason was Napoleon’s ambitions, the rivalry between France and England, in which Russia, under a peace treaty with France, had to support a trade blockade against England, while losing huge profits from trade with England. The official cause of the War of 1812 was Russia’s systematic violation of the peace treaty.

Beginning of the War of 1812

On the night of June 24, 1812, Napoleon’s “Great Army” invaded Russia in four streams. The central group led by Napoleon moved towards Kovno and Vilna, special corps in the direction of Riga - Petersburg and Grodno-Nesvizh, and corps under the command of the Austrian General K. Schwarzenberg attacked the Kiev direction.

280 thousand Russian soldiers from four armies were fielded against Napoleon's 600,000-strong army. The first army under the command of M.M. Barclay de Tolly in the Vilna region, the second army under the command of P.I. Bagration near Bialystok, near Riga the corps of P.H. Wittgenstein was covered by the direction to St. Petersburg, the third army under the command of A.P. Tormasova and the fourth under the command of P.V. Chichagov was covered by the southwestern borders.

Progress of the Patriotic War of 1812

Napoleon's calculation boiled down to defeating the dispersed Russian armies on Russia's western borders one by one. Under these conditions, the Russian command decided to withdraw and unite the first and second armies, bring up reserves and prepare for a counter-offensive. Thus, on August 3, after heavy fighting, the armies of Barclay de Tolly and Bagration united in Smolensk.

Battle of Smolensk 1812

The battle for Smolensk took place on August 16-18. Napoleon brought 140 thousand people to the city, but the defenders of Smolensk were only 45 thousand. After selflessly repelling enemy attacks, in order to preserve the Russian army, the commander-in-chief of the Russian army, Barclay de Tolly, decided to leave Smolensk, despite the fact that General Bagration was against leaving the city. At the cost of great losses, the French occupied the burned and destroyed city.

Napoleon wanted to complete the campaign of 1812 in Smolensk and through the captured Russian general P.L. Tuchkova sent Alexander I a letter offering peace, but there was no response. Napoleon decided to attack Moscow.

On August 20, under pressure from public opinion, Alexander I signed a decree on the creation of a unified command of all active Russian armies and on the appointment of M.I. as commander-in-chief. Kutuzova.

In general, it is worth noting some features of the commanders of 1812.

Generals of 1812

Mikhail Bogdanovich Barclay de Tolly came from a burgher German family, so at the court of Alexander I they saw him as a “German”. The nobles, society and the army condemned him for his retreats. He himself wrote in his memoirs that he should have been shown other ways to save the army and the Fatherland as a whole. Mikhail Bogdanovich was a truly smart and talented commander, although his actions were never fully appreciated.

Pyotr Ivanovich Bagration, as Napoleon said about him, is the best general of the Russian army. During the battle of Borodino he was wounded in the leg and died three weeks later.

Mikhail Illarionovich Kutuzov is a brilliant strategist and commander. After Mikhail Illarionovich was appointed commander-in-chief, he chose a position near the village for a general battle with the enemy. Borodino is 130 km from Moscow. Kutuzov and the Battle of Borodino- these are two complementary words.

Battle of Borodino

If you write about The Battle of Borodino briefly, then you can use the words of Napoleon, who often repeated that it was beautiful and formidable, in it the French showed themselves worthy of victory, and the Russians deserved to be invincible.

The battle began on September 7, 1812 at half past five in the morning with a diversionary attack by the French division on Borodino. An hour later, Napoleon's main attack was delivered on the left flank - Bagration's flushes (field fortifications in the form of sharp corners directed at the enemy). Napoleon's goal was to break through them, get behind the Russian army and force it to fight with an "inverted front." Despite the fierce attacks of the French on the Russian left flank, Napoleon failed to fulfill his plan.

The Battle of Borodino lasted 12 hours and is considered one of the bloodiest one-day battles.

Napoleon's goal to defeat the Russian army was not achieved, and the losses suffered by the Russian army did not allow a new battle, so M.I. Kutuzov gave the order to retreat to Moscow.

Then M.I. Kutuzov decided to cede Moscow to the enemy, since it was an unfavorable position from a military point of view.

Having left Moscow, the Russian army moved first along the Ryazan road, and then turned sharply to the west - to Starokaluzhskaya. Along the Kaluga road, 80 km from Moscow, the famous Tarutino camp was created, which played a decisive role in the war against Napoleon.

Having plundered Moscow, Napoleon and his army began to move towards Kaluga, where Kutuzov’s army blocked the way. A major battle took place, as a result of which Napoleon was forced to turn onto the Smolensk road. No more than half of the “Great Army” reached Smolensk, and after crossing the Berezina River, a significant part of the retreating army still died. Played an important role in the defeat of Napoleon's army partisan movement of 1812.

Results of the Patriotic War of 1812

On January 7, 1813, the last French soldier left Russia and on the same day a decree was issued to end the war.

The main result of the war was the virtual complete destruction of Napoleon’s army, to be precise, 550 thousand French soldiers were destroyed in a year, and historians still cannot comprehend this figure.

“The RUSSIANS HAVE THE GLORY OF BEING UNDEFEATED”

After the battle of Smolensk, the retreat of the Russian army continued. This caused open discontent in the country. Under pressure from public opinion, Alexander I appointed commander-in-chief of the Russian army. Kutuzov’s task was not only to stop Napoleon’s further advance, but also to expel him from Russian borders. He also adhered to retreat tactics, but the army and the whole country expected a decisive battle from him. Therefore, he gave the order to look for a position for a general battle, which was found near the village. Borodino, 124 kilometers from Moscow.

The Russian army approached the village of Borodino on August 22, where, at the suggestion of Colonel K.F. Tolya, a flat position with a length of up to 8 km was chosen. On the left flank, the Borodino field was covered by the impenetrable Utitsky forest, and on the right, which ran along the bank of the river. Kolochi, Maslovsky flashes were erected - arrow-shaped earthen fortifications. In the center of the position, fortifications were also built, which received different names: Central, Kurgan Heights, or Raevsky’s battery. Semenov's (Bagration's) flushes were erected on the left flank. Ahead of the entire position, on the left flank, near the village of Shevardino, a redoubt also began to be built, which was supposed to play the role of a forward fortification. However, the approaching army of Napoleon, after a fierce battle on August 24, managed to take possession of it.

Disposition of Russian troops. The right flank was occupied by the battle formations of the 1st Western Army of General M.B. Barclay de Tolly, on the left flank there were units of the 2nd Western Army under the command of P.I. Bagration, and the Old Smolensk Road near the village of Utitsa was covered by the 3rd Infantry Corps of Lieutenant General N.A. Tuchkova. Russian troops occupied a defensive position and were deployed in the shape of the letter “L”. This situation was explained by the fact that the Russian command sought to control the Old and New Smolensk roads leading to Moscow, especially since there was a serious fear of the enemy’s outflanking movement from the right. That is why a significant part of the corps of the 1st Army was in this direction. Napoleon decided to deliver his main blow to the left flank of the Russian army, for which on the night of August 26 (September 7), 1812, he transferred the main forces across the river. I pound, leaving only a few cavalry and infantry units to cover my own left flank.

The battle begins. The battle began at five o'clock in the morning with an attack by units of the corps of the Viceroy of Italy E. Beauharnais on the position of the Life Guards Jaeger Regiment near the village. Borodin. The French took possession of this point, but this was their diversionary maneuver. Napoleon launched his main blow against Bagration's army. Marshal Corps L.N. Davout, M. Ney, I. Murat and General A. Junot were attacked several times by Semenov flushes. Units of the 2nd Army fought heroically against an enemy superior in numbers. The French repeatedly rushed into flushes, but each time they abandoned them after a counterattack. Only by nine o'clock did Napoleon's armies finally capture the fortifications of the Russian left flank, and Bagration, who at that time tried to organize another counterattack, was mortally wounded. “The soul seemed to fly away from the entire left flank after the death of this man,” witnesses tell us. Furious rage and a thirst for revenge took possession of those soldiers who were directly in his environment. When the general was already being carried away, cuirassier Adrianov, who served him during the battle (giving him a telescope, etc.), ran up to the stretcher and said: “Your Excellency, they are taking you to treatment, you no longer need me!” Then, eyewitnesses report, “Adrianov, in sight of thousands, took off like an arrow, instantly crashed into the ranks of the enemy and, having hit many, fell dead.”

The fight for Raevsky's battery. After the capture of the flushes, the main struggle unfolded for the center of the Russian position - Raevsky's battery, which at 9 and 11 a.m. was subjected to two strong enemy attacks. During the second attack, E. Beauharnais' troops managed to capture the heights, but soon the French were driven out of there as a result of a successful counterattack by several Russian battalions led by Major General A.P. Ermolov.

At noon, Kutuzov sent the Cossacks cavalry general M.I. Platov and the cavalry corps of Adjutant General F.P. Uvarov to the rear of Napoleon's left flank. The Russian cavalry raid made it possible to divert Napoleon's attention and delayed a new French assault on the weakened Russian center for several hours. Taking advantage of the respite, Barclay de Tolly regrouped his forces and placed fresh troops on the front line. Only at two o'clock in the afternoon did Napoleonic units make a third attempt to capture Raevsky's battery. The actions of Napoleonic infantry and cavalry led to success, and soon the French finally captured this fortification. The wounded Major General P.G., who led the defense, was captured by them. Likhachev. The Russian troops retreated, but the enemy was unable to break through the new front of their defense, despite all the efforts of two cavalry corps.

Results of the battle. The French were able to achieve tactical successes in all main directions - the Russian armies were forced to leave their original positions and retreat about 1 km. But Napoleonic units failed to break through the defenses of the Russian troops. The thinned Russian regiments stood to the death, ready to repel new attacks. Napoleon, despite the urgent requests of his marshals, did not dare to throw in his last reserve - the twenty thousandth Old Guard - for the final blow. Intense artillery fire continued until the evening, and then the French units were withdrawn to their original lines. It was not possible to defeat the Russian army. This is what the domestic historian E.V. wrote. Tarle: “The feeling of victory was absolutely not felt by anyone. The marshals were talking among themselves and were unhappy. Murat said that he did not recognize the emperor all day, Ney said that the emperor had forgotten his craft. On both sides, artillery thundered until the evening and bloodshed continued, but the Russians did not think not only of fleeing, but also of retreating. It was already getting very dark. A light rain began to fall. “What are the Russians?” - asked Napoleon. - “They are standing still, Your Majesty.” “Increase the fire, it means they still want it,” the emperor ordered. - Give them more!

Gloomy, not talking to anyone, accompanied by his retinue and generals who did not dare to interrupt his silence, Napoleon drove around the battlefield in the evening, looking with inflamed eyes at the endless piles of corpses. The emperor did not yet know in the evening that the Russians had lost not 30 thousand, but about 58 thousand people out of their 112 thousand; He also did not know that he himself had lost more than 50 thousand of the 130 thousand that he led to the Borodino field. But that he had killed and seriously wounded 47 (not 43, as they sometimes write, but 47) of his best generals, he learned this in the evening. French and Russian corpses covered the ground so thickly that the imperial horse had to look for a place to put its hoof between the mountains of bodies of people and horses. The groans and cries of the wounded came from all over the field. The Russian wounded amazed the retinue: “They did not emit a single groan,” writes one of the retinue, Count Segur, “perhaps, away from their own, they counted less on mercy. But it is true that they seemed more steadfast in enduring pain than the French.”

The literature contains the most contradictory facts about the losses of the parties; the question of the winner is still controversial. In this regard, it should be noted that none of the opponents solved the tasks set for themselves: Napoleon failed to defeat the Russian army, Kutuzov failed to defend Moscow. However, the enormous efforts made by the French army were ultimately fruitless. Borodino brought Napoleon bitter disappointment - the outcome of this battle was in no way reminiscent of Austerlitz, Jena, or Friedland. The bloodless French army was unable to pursue the enemy. The Russian army, fighting on its territory, was able to restore the size of its ranks in a short time. Therefore, Napoleon himself was most accurate in assessing this battle, saying: “Of all my battles, the most terrible is the one I fought near Moscow. The French showed themselves worthy of victory. And the Russians have gained the glory of being undefeated.”

RESCRIPT OF ALEXANDER I

“Mikhail Illarionovich! The current state of military circumstances of our active armies, although it was preceded by initial successes, the consequences of these do not reveal to me the rapid activity with which it would be necessary to act to defeat the enemy.

Considering these consequences and extracting the true reasons for this, I find it necessary to appoint one general commander-in-chief over all active armies, whose election, in addition to military talents, would be based on seniority itself.

Your well-known merits, love for the fatherland and repeated experiences of excellent feats acquire you a true right to this power of attorney of mine.

Choosing you for this important task, I ask Almighty God to bless your deeds for the glory of Russian weapons and may the happy hopes that the fatherland places on you be justified.”

KUTUZOV'S REPORT

“The battle of the 26th was the bloodiest of all those known in modern times. We completely won the battlefield, and the enemy then retreated to the position where he came to attack us; but an extraordinary loss on our part, especially due to the fact that the most necessary generals were wounded, forced me to retreat along the Moscow road. Today I am in the village of Nara and must retreat further to meet the troops coming to me from Moscow for reinforcements. The prisoners say that the enemy loss is very great and that the general opinion in the French army is that they lost 40,000 people wounded and killed. In addition to Divisional General Bonami, who was captured, there were others killed. By the way, Davoust is wounded. Rearguard action occurs daily. Now, I learned that the corps of the Viceroy of Italy is located near Ruza, and for this purpose the detachment of the Adjutant General Wintzingerode went to Zvenigorod in order to close Moscow along that road.”

FROM CAULAINCUR'S MEMOIRS

“Never before have we lost so many generals and officers in one battle... There were few prisoners. The Russians showed great courage; the fortifications and territory which they were forced to cede to us were evacuated in order. Their ranks were not disorganized... they faced death bravely and only slowly succumbed to our brave attacks. There has never been a case where enemy positions were subjected to such furious and systematic attacks and that they were defended with such tenacity. The Emperor repeated many times that he could not understand how the redoubts and positions that were captured with such courage and which we defended so tenaciously gave us only a small number of prisoners... These successes without prisoners, without trophies did not satisfy him... »

FROM THE REPORT OF GENERAL RAEVSKY

“The enemy, having arranged his entire army in our eyes, so to speak, in one column, walked straight to our front; Having approached it, strong columns separated from its left flank, went straight to the redoubt and, despite the strong grapeshot fire of my guns, climbed over the parapet without firing their heads. At the same time, from my right flank, Major General Paskevich with his regiments attacked with bayonets into the left flank of the enemy, located behind the redoubt. Major General Vasilchikov did the same thing to their right flank, and Major General Ermolov, taking a battalion of rangers from the regiments brought by Colonel Vuich, struck with bayonets directly at the redoubt, where, having destroyed everyone in it, he took the general leading the columns prisoner . Major Generals Vasilchikov and Paskevich overturned the enemy columns in the blink of an eye and drove them into the bushes so hard that hardly any of them escaped. More than the action of my corps, it remains for me to describe in a nutshell that after the destruction of the enemy, returning again to their places, they held out in them until against repeated attacks of the enemy, until the killed and wounded were reduced to complete insignificance and my redoubt was already occupied by the General. -Major Likhachev. Your Excellency himself knows that Major General Vasilchikov gathered the scattered remnants of the 12th and 27th divisions and, with the Lithuanian Guards Regiment, held until the evening an important height, located on the left limb of our entire line ... "

GOVERNMENT NOTICE ABOUT LEAVING MOSCOW

“With extreme and crushing heart of every son of the Fatherland, this sadness announces that the enemy entered Moscow on September 3rd. But let the Russian people not lose heart. On the contrary, let each and every one swear to be inflamed with a new spirit of courage, firmness and undoubted hope that all the evil and harm inflicted on us by our enemies will ultimately turn on their head. The enemy occupied Moscow not because he overcame our forces or weakened them. The commander-in-chief, in consultation with the leading generals, decided that it would be useful and necessary to give in for the time of necessity, in order, with the most reliable and best methods, to turn the short-term triumph of the enemy into his inevitable destruction. No matter how painful it is for every Russian to hear that the capital city of Moscow contains within itself the enemies of its fatherland; but it contains them empty, naked of all treasures and inhabitants. The proud conqueror hoped, having entered it, to become the ruler of the entire Russian kingdom and prescribe to it such peace as he saw fit; but he will be deceived in his hope and will not find in this capital not only ways to dominate, but also ways to exist. Our forces, gathered and now increasingly accumulating around Moscow, will not cease to block all his paths, and the detachments sent from him for food were exterminated daily, until he sees that his hope of defeating the minds of the capture of Moscow was vain and that, willy-nilly, he will have to open a path for himself from her by force of arms..."

R. Volkov "Portrait of M.I. Kutuzov"

You will never see such battles!..
Banners were worn like shadows,
The fire sparkled in the smoke,
Damask steel sounded, buckshot screamed,
The soldiers' hands are tired of stabbing,
And prevented the cannonballs from flying
A mountain of bloody bodies... (M.Yu. Lermontov “Borodino”)

Background

After the invasion of the French army under the command of Napoleon into the territory of the Russian Empire (June 1812), Russian troops regularly retreated. The numerical superiority of the French contributed to the rapid advance into the depths of Russia; this deprived the commander-in-chief of the Russian army, Infantry General Barclay de Tolly, of the opportunity to prepare troops for battle. The long retreat of the troops caused public outrage, and therefore Emperor Alexander I appointed Infantry General Kutuzov as commander-in-chief. However, Kutuzov continued his retreat. Kutuzov's strategy was aimed at 1) exhausting the enemy, 2) waiting for reinforcements for the decisive battle with the Napoleonic army.

On September 5, the battle took place at the Shevardin Redoubt, which delayed the French troops and gave the Russians the opportunity to build fortifications in the main positions.

V.V. Vereshchagin "Napoleon on the Borodino Heights"

The Battle of Borodino began on September 7, 1812 at 5:30 a.m. and ended at 6:00 p.m. Fighting throughout the day took place in different areas of the position of the Russian troops: from the village of Maloe in the north to the village of Utitsy in the south. The heaviest battles took place for Bagration's flushes and at Raevsky's battery.

On the morning of September 3, 1812, having begun to concentrate in the area of ​​​​the village of Borodino, M.I. Kutuzov carefully examined the surrounding area and ordered the construction of fortifications to begin, because concluded that this area was most suitable for a decisive battle - it was impossible to postpone it further, since Alexander I demanded that Kutuzov stop the advance of the French towards Moscow.

The village of Borodino was located 12 kilometers west of Mozhaisk, the terrain here was hilly and crossed by small rivers and streams that formed deep ravines. The eastern part of the field is higher than the western part. The Koloch River, which flowed through the village, had a high, steep bank, which provided good cover for the right flank of the Russian army. The left flank, approaching a swampy forest, overgrown with bushes, was poorly accessible to cavalry and infantry. This position of the Russian army made it possible to cover the road to Moscow, and the wooded area made it possible to shelter reserves. It was impossible to find a better place for the decisive battle. Although Kutuzov himself realized that the left flank was a weak point, he hoped to “correct the situation with art.”

Start of the battle

Kutuzov’s idea was that, as a result of the active defense of Russian troops, French troops would suffer as many losses as possible in order to change the balance of forces and subsequently defeat the French army. In accordance with this, the battle formation of the Russian troops was built

In the village of Borodino there was one battalion of Russian guards rangers with four guns. To the west of the village there was a military guard of rangers from army regiments. East of Borodino, 30 sailors guarded the bridge over the Kolocha River. After the Russian troops retreated to the eastern bank, they were supposed to destroy it.

A corps under the command of E. Beauharnais, Viceroy of Spain, entered the battle near Borodino, who sent one division from the north and the other from the west.

The French, unnoticed, under the cover of the morning fog, approached Borodino at 5 am, and at 5-30 they were noticed by the Russians, who opened artillery fire. The guards moved towards the French with bayonets, but the forces were not equal - many of them died on the spot. Those who remained retreated beyond Kolocha, but the French broke through the bridge and approached the village of Gorki, where Kutuzov’s command post was located.

But Barclay de Tolly, having sent three regiments of rangers, drove off the French, and the bridge over Kolocha was dismantled.

The French who survived and retreated to Borodino established an artillery battery here, from which they fired at Raevsky’s battery and at the battery near the village of Gorki.

Battle for Bagration's flushes

J. Doe "Portrait of P.I. Bagration"

Bagration had at his disposal about 8 thousand soldiers and 50 guns (the 27th infantry division of General Neverovsky and the consolidated grenadier division of General Vorontsov) to protect the flushes.

Napoleon had 43 thousand people and more than 200 guns (seven infantry and eight cavalry divisions under the command of Marshals Davout, Murat, Ney and General Junot) to attack the flushes. But these troops were not enough, additional reinforcements came, as a result, Napoleonic army fought for Bagration’s flushes consisting of 50 thousand soldiers and 400 guns. During the battle, the Russians also brought up reinforcements - 30 thousand soldiers and 300 guns made up the number of Russian troops.

During the 6 hours of battle, the French launched eight attacks: the first two were repulsed, then the French managed to temporarily capture three flushes, but they were unable to gain a foothold there and were driven back by Bagration. This defeat worried Napoleon and his marshals, since the French had a clear numerical superiority. The French troops were losing confidence. And so the eighth attack of the flushes began, which ended with its capture by the French, then Bagration put forward all his available forces for a counterattack, but he himself was seriously wounded - Lieutenant General Konovnitsyn took command. He raised the spirit of the army, broken by Bagration's wound, withdrew the troops from the flushes to the eastern bank of the Semenovsky ravine, quickly installed artillery, built infantry and cavalry, and delayed the further advance of the French.

Semyonovskaya position

10 thousand soldiers and artillery were concentrated here. The task of the Russians in this position was to delay the further advance of the French army and close the breakthrough that formed after the French occupied the Bagration flushes. This was a difficult task, since the bulk of the Russian army were those who had already been fighting for Bagration's flushes for several hours, and only three guards regiments (Moscow, Izmailovsky and Finlyandsky) arrived from reserve. They lined up in a square.

But the French did not have reinforcements either, so Napoleonic marshals decided to attack in such a way as to hit the Russians on both sides with artillery crossfire. The French attacked fiercely, but were constantly repulsed, most of them dying from Russian bayonets. Still, the Russians were forced to retreat east of the village of Semenovskoye, but soon Kutuzov gave the order to attack the cavalry of the Cossack regiments of Platov and Uvarov, which diverted part of the French troops from the center. While Napoleon was regrouping his troops on the left wing, Kutuzov gained time and pulled his forces to the center of the position.

Battery Raevsky

J. Doe "Portrait of General Raevsky"

Lieutenant General Raevsky's battery had a strong position: it was located on a hill, where 18 guns were installed, there were 8 infantry battalions and three Jaeger regiments in reserve. The French tried to attack the battery twice, but were unsuccessful, but there were heavy losses on both sides. At three o'clock in the afternoon, the French again began to attack Raevsky's battery and two regiments managed to bypass it from the north and break into it. A fierce hand-to-hand fight began, Raevsky’s battery was finally taken by the French. Russian troops retreated in battle and organized a defense 1-1.5 kilometers east of Raevsky’s battery.

Fighting on the Old Smolensk Road

After a long break, the battle began again on the Old Smolensk Road. It was attended by regiments of the 17th division, the approaching Wilmanstrad and Minsk regiments of the 4th division and 500 people of the Moscow militia. The French could not withstand the attacking actions of the Russian troops and retreated, but then Poniatowski’s infantry and cavalry forces struck from the left flank and rear. Russian troops initially successfully resisted, but then retreated along the Old Smolensk Road and settled east of the Utitsky Kurgan, in the upper reaches of the Semenovsky Stream, joining the left flank of the 2nd Army.

The end of the Battle of Borodino

V.V. Vereshchagin "The end of the Battle of Borodino"

The French army fought with Russian forces for 15 hours, but could not achieve success. Its physical and moral resources were undermined, and with the onset of darkness, Napoleonic troops retreated to the starting line, leaving Bagration's flushes and Raevsky's battery, for which there was a stubborn struggle. Only the advanced detachments of the French remained on the right bank of the Kolocha, and the main forces retreated to the left bank of the river.

The Russian army was firmly in position. Despite significant losses, her morale did not drop. The soldiers were eager to fight and were eager to completely defeat the enemy. Kutuzov was also preparing for the upcoming battle, but the information collected at night showed that half of the Russian army was defeated - the battle could not be continued. And he decides to retreat and surrender Moscow to the French.

The significance of the Battle of Borodino

Under Borodino, the Russian army under the command of Kutuzov dealt a severe blow to the French army. Its losses were enormous: 58 thousand soldiers, 1600 officers and 47 generals. Napoleon called the Battle of Borodino the bloodiest and most terrible of all the battles he fought (50 in total). His troops, who won brilliant victories in Europe, were forced to retreat under the pressure of Russian soldiers. The French officer Laugier wrote in his diary: “What a sad sight the battlefield presented. No disaster, no lost battle can compare in horror to the Borodino Field. . . Everyone is shocked and crushed."

The Russian army also suffered heavy losses: 38 thousand soldiers, 1500 officers and 29 generals.

The Battle of Borodino is an example of the military genius of M.I. Kutuzova. He took everything into account: he successfully chose positions, skillfully deployed troops, provided strong reserves, which gave him the opportunity to maneuver. The French army conducted a mainly frontal offensive with limited maneuvers. In addition, Kutuzov always relied on the courage and perseverance of Russian soldiers, soldiers and officers.

The Battle of Borodino was a turning point in the Patriotic War of 1812 and was of great international significance, influencing the fate of European countries. Defeated at Borodino, Napoleon was never able to recover from his defeat in Russia, and later suffered defeat in Europe.

V.V. Vereshchagin "On the high road - the retreat of the French"

Other assessments of the Battle of Borodino

Emperor Alexander I announced the Battle of Borodino as victory.

A number of Russian historians insist that the outcome of the Battle of Borodino was uncertain, but the Russian army won a “moral victory” in it.

F. Roubaud "Borodino. Attack on the Raevsky battery"

Foreign historians, as well as a number of Russian ones, consider Borodino as an undoubted Napoleon's victory.

However, everyone agrees that Napoleon failed defeat the Russian army. To the French failed destroy the Russian army, force Russia to capitulate and dictate peace terms.

Russian troops inflicted significant damage on Napoleon's army and were able to preserve their strength for future battles in Europe.