[History] Battle of Borodino

[Perikles]

Author: God
Original Thread: Battle of Borodino

Battle of Borodino

Inspired by Napoleonic Total War II, I decided to write about the Battle of Borodino (which I still haven't won on NTWII...)

I would also like to point out that I know little about Napoleonic history or writing articles so this will probably be completely innacurate and badly written.

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"Of all my 50 battles, the most terrible was the one I fought at Moscow (Borodino)" Napoleon


On the 21st November 1806 Napoleon issued the Berlin decree creating the Continental System. With his European foes defeated Napoleon sought a way to silence his British enemy. A military solution was not viable so he decided to try and use trade. The Continental System forbid France and it's allies from trading with Britain in an attempt to destroy it's economy.

Although the Continental System harmed Britain, it was worse for the European countries and Russia that couldn't get British goods. Eventually, in 1812 Russia reopened trade with Britain, angering Napoleon.

In an attempt to scare the Russians into complying, Napoleon gathered the Grande Armée of around 691,500 men.

The threat did not work and the two Russian armies were ordered forward, causing Napoleon to invade.

The invasion started on June 23, 1812. Napoleon gave the order to proceed into Russian Poland. He met little resistance and advanced into Russia's territory. Barclay De Tolly, the Russian commander-in-chief, refused to fight as he knew he wouldn't be able to beat Napoleon. Several times he attempted to establish a defensive position, but each time the French advance was too quick for him to finish preparations and he was forced to retreat once more.

As Barclay De Tolly kept retreating, he was replaced by Mikhail Illarionovich Kutuzov. Kutuzov waited for Napoleon in a defensive position at Borodino, about 70 miles west of Moscow.

Borodino was the largest battle of the Napoleonic wars. Napoleon had 84,500 infantry in 203 battalions, 21,500 cavalry in 230 squadrons and 16,000 gunners and engineers with 500-550 guns. A total of around 120,000 men.

Kutuzov had 115,000 regulars, 9,500 Cossacks and 30,500 militia. A total of 155,000 men and 600 guns. Kutuzov anticipated the main French advance along the new Smolensk road. Kutuzov's forces were divided into two armies: De Tolly's 1st Western Army and Bagration's 2nd Western Army.



While pursuing the Russian rear guard, Napoleon came upon the left flank of the Russian position at Shevardino and moved his army across the Kolocha river. The Russians, not having time to begin a battle, withdrew their left wing and took up a new position which had not been fortified. Kutuzov ordered Bagration to defend the southern part of the front where several v-shaped field fortifications named the 'Bagration Fleches' were built.

North of Bagration Fleches was Raievski Redoubt, or the Great Redoubt.

In front of Bagration Fleches stood the Shevardino Redoubt which had been used to provide an early warning of a French attack.

Napoleon attacked at 6:00am the next day.

"At 6 AM, the French guns opened up, the Russians answered, and as nearly a thousand cannon spewed out their charges, to those present, even those who had been in battle before, it seemed as though all hell had been let loose."

Unusually, Napoleon ordered a simple frontal assault attack instead of trying to flank the Russians, possibly because Napoleon had a fever at the time. Napoleon aimed to destroy the Russian army in one day.



In the north, the village of Boradino, defended by Russian Jager infantry was overrun by the French, who drove the Russians across the river. The French persued the Jagers across the bridge, advancing on Gorki but were counterattacked both frontally and in the flank. They fell back across the Kolocha to reform. The Russians quickly reoccupied the lost ground on their side, destroying the bridge.

In the south, Poniatowski advanced along the road from Elnia to Utitza and through the forest towards the Russians.

Morand's 1st Division advanced directly on the redoubt. Despite being under fire from a 12-pounder cannon they advanced forward past the redoubt's walls. A bayonet battle started, and the French swept through the redoubt, chasing the survivors.



Immediately a counter attack was organised. Barclay sent two battalions forward to turn the and General Yermolov, chief of staff of 1st Army of the West, took command of the Oufa Infantry Regiment.

Most of the French fled before the Russian assault. Those who remained were beaten in minutes.

The French quickly reorganized and more fights for the redoubt began. At the same time, Napoleon ordered Murat to take Latour-Maubourg's IV Cavalry Corps and strike the enemy center. The French artillery opened fire and, flanked by Friant's 2nd Division, Murat's cavalry advanced directly on Semenovskaia.

The Russian resistance inside Semenovskaia itself discouraged the French. One colonel ordered his regiment to withdraw. Murat turned to Friant's men and shouted: "Soldiers, about face! Let's go and get killed!"

Eventually Friant managed to defeat the Russian grenaders creating a breech in the Russian line.



It was expected that Napoleon would use this to his advantage and flank the Russians with his reserves, but he refused, saying "Before I commit my reserves I must be able to see more clearly on my chessboard."

Fighting continued in the South and Bagration was suddenly killed, creating panic in the Russian army.


Death of Bagration

After defending against an attack by Cossacks, the French launched a final assault on the Redoubt. A fierce unorganised battle ensued.

"Inside the redoubt, horsemen and foot soldiers, gripped by a frenzy of slaughter, were butchering each other without any semblance of order..."



"The Raievski Redoubt presented a gruesome sight. 'The redoubt and the area around it offered an aspect which exceeded the worst horrors one could ever dream off,' according to an officer of the Vistula Legion, which had come up in support of the attacking force. 'The approaches, the ditches and the earthwork itself had disappeared under a mound of dead and dying, of an average depth of 6 to 8 men, heaped one upon the other."

After this, the Russians gathered their cavalry for another assault, but were pushed back by the French and the Russians were forced to retreat.

After the battle, Napoleon was in a state of depression. He had won, but his earlier victories had been a lot better and with far fewer casualties. The Russians had not been completely defeated and could regroup far more easily than the French, as they were in their own country. Napoleon was amazed by the Russians' bravery and he feared meeting them again.