Where did the Battle of Borodino take place? Battle of Borodino (1812). From the report of General Raevsky
Battle of Borodino / Image: fragment of a panorama of the Battle of Borodino
September 8 is celebrated in Russia Day of Military Glory of Russia - Day of the Battle of Borodino Russian army under the command of M.I. Kutuzov with the French army (1812). It was established by Federal Law No. 32-FZ of March 13, 1995 “On the days of military glory and memorable dates of Russia.”
The Battle of Borodino (in the French version - “battle on the Moscow River”, French Bataille de la Moskowa) is the largest battle of the Patriotic War of 1812 between the Russian and French armies. The battle took place (August 26) on September 7, 1812 near the village of Borodino, located 125 kilometers west of Moscow, writes Calend.ru.
Battle of Borodino 1812
The main battle of the Patriotic War of 1812 between the Russian army under the command of General M.I. Kutuzov and the French army of Napoleon I Bonaparte took place on August 26 (September 7) near the village of Borodino near Mozhaisk, 125 km west of Moscow.
It is considered the bloodiest one-day battle in history.
About 300 thousand people with 1,200 artillery pieces took part in this grandiose battle on both sides. At the same time, the French army had a significant numerical superiority - 130-135 thousand people against 103 thousand people in the Russian regular troops.
Prehistory
“In five years I will be the master of the world. There is only Russia left, but I will crush it.”- with these words, Napoleon and his 600,000-strong army crossed the Russian border.
Since the beginning of the invasion of the French army into the territory of the Russian Empire in June 1812, Russian troops have been constantly retreating. The rapid advance and overwhelming numerical superiority of the French made it impossible for the commander-in-chief of the Russian army, General of Infantry Barclay de Tolly, to prepare troops for battle. The prolonged retreat caused public discontent, so Emperor Alexander I dismissed Barclay de Tolly and appointed Infantry General Kutuzov as commander-in-chief.
However, the new commander-in-chief chose the path of retreat. The strategy chosen by Kutuzov was based, on the one hand, on exhausting the enemy, on the other, on waiting for reinforcements sufficient for a decisive battle with Napoleon’s army.
On August 22 (September 3), the Russian army, retreating from Smolensk, settled down near the village of Borodino, 125 km from Moscow, where Kutuzov decided to give a general battle; it was impossible to postpone it further, since Emperor Alexander demanded that Kutuzov stop the advance of Emperor Napoleon towards Moscow.
The idea of the commander-in-chief of the Russian army, Kutuzov, was to inflict as many losses as possible on the French troops through active defense, change the balance of forces, preserve Russian troops for further battles and for the complete defeat of the French army. In accordance with this plan, the battle formation of the Russian troops was built.
The battle formation of the Russian army was composed of three lines: the first contained infantry corps, the second - cavalry, and the third - reserves. The army's artillery was evenly distributed throughout the position.
The position of the Russian army on the Borodino field was about 8 km long and looked like a straight line running from the Shevardinsky redoubt on the left flank through the large battery on Red Hill, later called the Raevsky battery, the village of Borodino in the center, to the village of Maslovo on the right flank.
The right flank formed 1st Army of General Barclay de Tolly consisting of 3 infantry, 3 cavalry corps and reserves (76 thousand people, 480 guns), the front of his position was covered by the Kolocha River. The left flank was formed by a smaller number 2nd Army of General Bagration (34 thousand people, 156 guns). In addition, the left flank did not have such strong natural obstacles in front of the front as the right. The center (the height near the village of Gorki and the space up to the Raevsky battery) was occupied by the VI Infantry and III Cavalry Corps under the general command Dokhturova. A total of 13,600 men and 86 guns.
Shevardinsky battle
The prologue to the Battle of Borodino was battle for the Shevardinsky redoubt on August 24 (September 5).
Here the day before a pentagonal redoubt had been erected, which initially served as part of the position of the Russian left flank, and after the left flank was pushed back, it became a separate forward position. Napoleon ordered an attack on the Shevardin position - the redoubt prevented the French army from turning around.
To gain time for engineering work, Kutuzov ordered the enemy to be detained near the village of Shevardino.
The redoubt and the approaches to it were defended by the legendary 27th Neverovsky Division. Shevardino was defended by Russian troops consisting of 8,000 infantry, 4,000 cavalry with 36 guns.
French infantry and cavalry totaling over 40,000 people attacked the defenders of Shevardin.
On the morning of August 24, when the Russian position on the left was not yet equipped, the French approached it. Before the French advanced units had time to approach the village of Valuevo, Russian rangers opened fire on them.
A fierce battle broke out near the village of Shevardino. During it, it became clear that the enemy was going to deliver the main blow to the left flank of the Russian troops, which was defended by the 2nd Army under the command of Bagration.
During the stubborn battle, the Shevardinsky redoubt was almost completely destroyed.
Napoleon's Grand Army lost about 5,000 people in the Battle of Shevardin, and the Russian army suffered approximately the same losses.
The Battle of the Shevardinsky Redoubt delayed the French troops and gave the Russian troops the opportunity to gain time to complete defensive work and build fortifications on the main positions. The Shevardino battle also made it possible to clarify the grouping of forces of the French troops and the direction of their main attack.
It was established that the main enemy forces were concentrating in the Shevardin area against the center and left flank of the Russian army. On the same day, Kutuzov sent Tuchkov’s 3rd Corps to the left flank, secretly positioning it in the Utitsa area. And in the area of the Bagration flushes, a reliable defense was created. The 2nd Free Grenadier Division of General M. S. Vorontsov occupied the fortifications directly, and the 27th Infantry Division of General D. P. Neverovsky stood in the second line behind the fortifications.
Battle of Borodino
On the eve of the great battle
25-th of August There were no active hostilities in the Borodino field area. Both armies were preparing for a decisive, general battle, conducting reconnaissance and building field fortifications. On a small hill to the southwest of the village of Semenovskoye, three fortifications were built, called “Bagration’s flushes”.
According to ancient tradition, the Russian army prepared for a decisive battle as if it were a holiday. The soldiers washed, shaved, put on clean linen, confessed, etc.
Emperor Napoleon Bonoparte on August 25 (September 6) personally reconnoitered the area of the future battle and, having discovered the weakness of the left flank of the Russian army, decided to strike the main blow against it. Accordingly, he developed a battle plan. First of all, the task was to capture the left bank of the Kolocha River, for which it was necessary to capture Borodino. This maneuver, according to Napoleon, was supposed to divert the attention of the Russians from the direction of the main attack. Then transfer the main forces of the French army to the right bank of the Kolocha and, relying on Borodino, which has become like an axis of approach, push Kutuzov’s army with the right wing into the corner formed by the confluence of the Kolocha with the Moscow River and destroy it.
To accomplish the task, Napoleon began to concentrate his main forces (up to 95 thousand) in the area of the Shevardinsky redoubt on the evening of August 25 (September 6). The total number of French troops in front of the 2nd Army front reached 115 thousand.
Thus, Napoleon's plan pursued the decisive goal of destroying the entire Russian army in a general battle. Napoleon had no doubt about victory, the confidence of which he expressed in words at sunrise on August 26 """This is the sun of Austerlitz""!"
On the eve of the battle, Napoleon's famous order was read to the French soldiers: “Warriors! This is the battle you so desired. Victory depends on you. We need it; she will give us everything we need, comfortable apartments and a quick return to our homeland. Act as you acted at Austerlitz, Friedland, Vitebsk and Smolensk. May later posterity proudly remember your exploits to this day. Let it be said about each of you: he was in the great battle near Moscow!”
The Great Battle Begins
M.I. Kutuzov at the command post on the day of the Battle of Borodino
The Battle of Borodino began at 5 a.m., on the day of the Vladimir Icon of the Mother of God, on the day when Russia celebrates the salvation of Moscow from the invasion of Tamerlane in 1395.
The decisive battles took place over Bagration's flushes and Raevsky's battery, which the French managed to capture at the cost of heavy losses.
Battle scheme
Bagration's flushes
At 5:30 am on August 26 (September 7), 1812 More than 100 French guns began shelling the positions of the left flank. Napoleon unleashed the main blow on the left flank, trying from the very beginning of the battle to turn the tide in his favor.
At 6 o'clock in the morning after a short cannonade, the French began an attack on Bagration's flushes ( flushes called field fortifications, which consisted of two faces 20-30 m long each at an acute angle, the corner with its apex facing the enemy). But they came under grapeshot fire and were driven back by a flank attack by the rangers.
Averyanov. Battle for Bagration's flushes
At 8 o'clock in the morning
The French repeated the attack and captured the southern flush.
For the 3rd attack, Napoleon strengthened the attacking forces with 3 more infantry divisions, 3 cavalry corps (up to 35,000 people) and artillery, bringing its number to 160 guns. They were opposed by about 20,000 Russian troops with 108 guns.
Evgeny Korneev. His Majesty's Cuirassiers. Battle of the brigade of Major General N. M. Borozdin
After strong artillery preparation, the French managed to break into the southern flush and into the gaps between the flushes. Around 10 o'clock in the morning the flushes were captured by the French.
Then Bagration led a general counterattack, as a result of which the flushes were repulsed and the French were thrown back to their original line.
By 10 o'clock in the morning the entire field above Borodino was already covered with thick smoke.
IN 11 o'clock in the morning Napoleon threw about 45 thousand infantry and cavalry, and almost 400 guns into the new 4th attack against the flushes. The Russian troops had about 300 guns, and were 2 times inferior in number to the enemy. As a result of this attack, the 2nd Combined Grenadier Division of M.S. Vorontsov, which took part in the Battle of Shevardin and withstood the 3rd attack on the flushes, retained about 300 people out of 4,000.
Then within an hour there were 3 more attacks from French troops, which were repulsed.
At 12 noon , during the 8th attack, Bagration, seeing that the artillery of the flushes could not stop the movement of the French columns, led a general counterattack of the left wing, the total number of troops of which was approximately only 20 thousand people against 40 thousand from the enemy. A brutal hand-to-hand battle ensued, which lasted about an hour. During this time, the masses of French troops were thrown back to the Utitsky forest and were on the verge of defeat. The advantage leaned towards the side of the Russian troops, but during the transition to a counterattack, Bagration, wounded by a fragment of a cannonball in the thigh, fell from his horse and was taken from the battlefield. The news of Bagration's injury instantly spread through the ranks of the Russian troops and undermined the morale of the Russian soldiers. Russian troops began to retreat. ( Note Bagration died of blood poisoning on September 12 (25), 1812)
After this, General D.S. took command of the left flank. Dokhturov. The French troops were bled dry and unable to attack. The Russian troops were greatly weakened, but they retained their combat capability, which was revealed during the repulsion of an attack by fresh French forces on Semyonovskoye.
In total, about 60,000 French troops took part in the battles for the flushes, of which about 30,000 were lost, about half in the 8th attack.
The French fought fiercely in the battles for the flushes, but all their attacks, except the last one, were repelled by the significantly smaller Russian forces. By concentrating forces on the right flank, Napoleon ensured a 2-3-fold numerical superiority in the battles for flushes, thanks to which, and also due to the wounding of Bagration, the French still managed to push the left wing of the Russian army to a distance of about 1 km. This success did not lead to the decisive result that Napoleon had hoped for.
The direction of the main attack of the “Great Army” shifted from the left flank to the center of the Russian line, to the Kurgan Battery.
Battery Raevsky
The last battles of the Borodino battle in the evening took place at the battery of the Raevsky and Utitsky mounds.
The high mound, located in the center of the Russian position, dominated the surrounding area. A battery was installed on it, which at the beginning of the battle had 18 guns. The defense of the battery was entrusted to the 7th Infantry Corps under Lieutenant General N.N. Raevsky, consisting of 11 thousand bayonets.
At about 9 o'clock in the morning, in the midst of the battle for Bagration's flushes, the French launched their first attack on Raevsky's battery.A bloody battle took place at the battery.
The losses on both sides were enormous. A number of units on both sides lost most of their personnel. General Raevsky's corps lost over 6 thousand people. And, for example, the French infantry regiment Bonami retained 300 out of 4,100 people in its ranks after the battle for Raevsky’s battery. For these losses, Raevsky’s battery received the nickname “the grave of the French cavalry” from the French. At the cost of huge losses (the commander of the French cavalry, the general and his comrades fell at Kurgan Heights), French troops stormed Raevsky's battery at 4 o'clock in the afternoon.
However, the capture of Kurgan Heights did not lead to a decrease in the stability of the Russian center. The same applies to flashes, which were only defensive structures of the position of the left flank of the Russian army.
End of the battle
Vereshchagin. The end of the Battle of Borodino
After the French troops occupied the Raevsky battery, the battle began to subside. On the left flank, the French carried out ineffective attacks against Dokhturov's 2nd Army. In the center and on the right flank, matters were limited to artillery fire until 7 p.m.
V.V. Vereshchagina. The end of the Battle of Borodino
On the evening of August 26, at 18 o'clock, the Battle of Borodino ended. The attacks stopped along the entire front. Until nightfall, only artillery fire and rifle fire continued in the advanced Jaeger chains.
Results of the Battle of Borodino
What were the results of this bloodiest of battles? Very sad for Napoleon, because there was no victory here, which all those close to him had been waiting in vain for the whole day. Napoleon was disappointed with the results of the battle: the “Great Army” was able to force the Russian troops on the left flank and center to retreat only 1–1.5 km. The Russian army maintained the integrity of the position and its communications, repelled many French attacks, and itself counterattacked. The artillery duel, for all its duration and fierceness, did not give advantages to either the French or the Russians. French troops captured the main strongholds of the Russian army - the Raevsky battery and the Semyonov flushes. But the fortifications on them were almost completely destroyed, and by the end of the battle Napoleon ordered them to be abandoned and the troops to be withdrawn to their original positions. Few prisoners were captured (as well as guns); Russian soldiers took with them most of their wounded comrades. The general battle turned out to be not a new Austerlitz, but a bloody battle with unclear results.
Perhaps, in tactical terms, the Battle of Borodino was another victory for Napoleon - he forced the Russian army to retreat and give up Moscow. However, in strategic terms, it was a victory for Kutuzov and the Russian army. A radical change occurred in the campaign of 1812. The Russian army survived the battle with the strongest enemy and its fighting spirit only grew stronger. Soon its numbers and material resources will be restored. Napoleon's army lost heart, lost the ability to win, the aura of invincibility. Further events will only confirm the correctness of the words of the military theorist Carl Clausewitz, who noted that “victory lies not simply in capturing the battlefield, but in the physical and moral defeat of the enemy forces.”
Later, while in exile, the defeated French Emperor Napoleon admitted: “Of all my battles, the most terrible was the one I fought near Moscow. The French showed themselves worthy of winning, and the Russians showed themselves worthy of being called invincible.”
The number of losses of the Russian army in the Battle of Borodino amounted to 44-45 thousand people. The French, according to some estimates, lost about 40-60 thousand people. The losses in the command staff were especially severe: in the Russian army 4 generals were killed and mortally wounded, 23 generals were wounded and shell-shocked; In the Great Army, 12 generals were killed and died of wounds, one marshal and 38 generals were wounded.
The Battle of Borodino is one of the bloodiest battles of the 19th century and the bloodiest of all that came before it. Conservative estimates of total casualties indicate that 2,500 people died on the field every hour. It is no coincidence that Napoleon called the Battle of Borodino his greatest battle, although its results were more than modest for a great commander accustomed to victories.
The main achievement of the general battle of Borodino was that Napoleon failed to defeat the Russian army. But first of all, the Borodino field became the cemetery of the French dream, that selfless faith of the French people in the star of their emperor, in his personal genius, which lay at the basis of all the achievements of the French Empire.
On October 3, 1812, the English newspapers The Courier and The Times published a report from the English Ambassador Katkar from St. Petersburg, in which he reported that the armies of His Imperial Majesty Alexander I had won the most stubborn battle of Borodino. During October, The Times wrote about the Battle of Borodino eight times, calling the day of the battle "a grand memorable day in Russian history" and "Bonaparte's fatal battle." The British ambassador and the press did not consider the retreat after the battle and the abandonment of Moscow as a result of the battle, understanding the influence on these events of the unfavorable strategic situation for Russia.
For Borodino, Kutuzov received the rank of field marshal and 100 thousand rubles. The tsar granted Bagration 50 thousand rubles. For participation in the Battle of Borodino, each soldier was given 5 silver rubles.
The significance of the Battle of Borodino in the minds of the Russian people
The Battle of Borodino continues to occupy an important place in the historical consciousness of very broad layers of Russian society. Today, along with similar great pages of Russian history, it is being falsified by the camp of Russophobic-minded figures who position themselves as “historians.” By distorting reality and forgeries in custom-made publications, at any cost, regardless of reality, they are trying to convey to wide circles the idea of a tactical victory for the French with fewer losses and that the Battle of Borodino was not a triumph of Russian weapons.This happens because the Battle of Borodino, as an event in which the strength of spirit of the Russian people was manifested, is one of the cornerstones that build Russia in the consciousness of modern society as a great power. Throughout the modern history of Russia, Russophobic propaganda has been loosening these bricks.
Materials prepared by Sergei Shulyak, fragments of paintings by Russian artists and panoramas of the Battle of Borodino were used.The Russian army under the command of M.I. Kutuzov with the French army (1812).
The Battle of Borodino is the largest battle of the Patriotic War of 1812. In France, this battle is called the Battle of the Moscow River.
Starting the war, Napoleon planned a general battle along the border, but the retreating Russian army lured him far from the border. After leaving the city of Smolensk, the Russian army retreated to Moscow.
The commander-in-chief of the Russian army, Mikhail Golenishchev-Kutuzov, decided to block Napoleon’s path to Moscow and give a general battle to the French near the village of Borodino, located 124 km west of Moscow.
The position of the Russian army on the Borodino field occupied 8 km along the front and up to 7 km in depth. Its right flank adjoined the Moscow River, the left - to a difficult forest, the center rested on the Kurganaya heights, covered from the west by the Semenovsky stream. The forest and bushes in the rear of the position made it possible to secretly position troops and maneuver reserves. The position provided good visibility and artillery fire.
Napoleon later wrote in his memoirs (translated by Mikhnevich):
“Of all my battles, the most terrible is the one I fought near Moscow. The French in it showed themselves worthy of winning, and the Russians acquired the right to be invincible... Of the fifty battles I fought, in the battle near Moscow [the French] showed the most valor and the least success was achieved."
Kutuzov in his memoirs assessed the Battle of Borodino as follows: “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 in which he came to attack us.”
Alexander I declared the Battle of Borodino as a victory. Prince Kutuzov was promoted to field marshal with an award of 100 thousand rubles. All lower ranks who were in the battle were granted 5 rubles each.
The Battle of Borodino did not lead to an immediate turning point in the course of the war, but it radically changed the course of the war. To successfully complete it, it took time to make up for losses and prepare a reserve. Only about 1.5 months passed when the Russian army, led by Kutuzov, was able to begin expelling enemy forces from Russia.
The material was prepared based on information from open sources
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 chasseurs, 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 flashes 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.
is a near-Earth object with a diameter of about 30 meters. It was discovered on August 29, 2006, when it was at a distance of 4.5 million km. from our planet. Scientists observed the celestial body for 10 days, after which the asteroid was no longer visible through telescopes.Based on such a short observation period, it is impossible to accurately determine the distance at which asteroid 2006 QV89 will approach Earth on 09/09/2019, since the asteroid has not been observed since then (since 2006). Moreover, according to various estimates, the object may approach our planet not on the 9th, but on another date in September 2019.
As for whether 2006 QV89 will collide with Earth on September 9, 2019 or not - the likelihood of a collision is extremely low.
Thus, the Sentry System (developed by the JPL Center for NEO Studies) shows that the probability of a body colliding with the Earth is 1:9100 (those. about one ten thousandth of a percent).
The European Space Agency (ESA) estimates the chance of an asteroid crossing its orbit with our planet as 1 in 7300 (0,00014 % ). ESA placed 2006 QV89 in 4th place among celestial bodies posing a potential danger to Earth. According to the agency, the exact time of “flight” of the body on September 9, 2019 is 10:03 Moscow time.
In both Orthodoxy and Catholicism, Easter always falls on Sunday.
Easter 2020 is preceded by Lent, which begins 48 days before the Holy Day. And after 50 days they celebrate Trinity.
Popular pre-Christian customs that have survived to this day include dyeing eggs, making Easter cakes and curd Easter cakes.
Easter treats are blessed in the church on Saturday, the eve of Easter 2020, or after the service on the day of the Holiday itself.
We should greet each other on Easter with the words “Christ is Risen,” and respond with “Truly He is Risen.”
This will be the fourth game for the Russian team in this qualifying tournament. Let us remind you that in the previous three meetings, Russia “at the start” lost to Belgium with a score of 1:3, and then won two dry victories - over Kazakhstan (4:0) and over San Marino (9:0). The last victory was the largest in the entire existence of the Russian football team.
As for the upcoming meeting, according to bookmakers, the Russian team is the favorite in it. The Cypriots are objectively weaker than the Russians, and the islanders cannot expect anything good from the upcoming match. However, we must take into account that the teams have never met before, and therefore unpleasant surprises may await us.
The Russia-Cyprus meeting will take place on June 11, 2019 In Nizhniy Novgorod at the stadium of the same name, built for the 2018 FIFA World Cup. Start of the match - 21:45 Moscow time.
Where and what time do the national teams of Russia and Cyprus play:
* Venue of the match - Russia, Nizhny Novgorod.
* Game start time is 21:45 Moscow time.
The Battle of Borodino in 1812 is one of the most glorious pages of Russian history. A lot has been written about him, which is quite fair and deserved. Napoleon recognized the right of Russian soldiers to be considered invincible; all his life, according to the testimony of his comrades, he considered the Battle of Borodino of 1812 (in the French version Bataille de la Moskova) the most glorious of all the fifty that he fought during his military career.
"Borodino" as a poetic chronicle of events
L.N. Tolstoy and Honore de Balzac, A.S. Pushkin and Prosper Merimee (and not only French and Russian classics) wrote brilliant novels, stories, essays dedicated to this legendary battle. But the poem “Borodino” by M. Yu. Lermontov, familiar from childhood, given all its poetic genius, ease of reading and intelligibility, can rightfully be considered a chronicle of those events and be called “The Battle of Borodino 1812: a summary.”
Napoleon invaded our country on June 12 (24), 1812 in order to punish Russia for its refusal to participate in the blockade of Great Britain. “We retreated silently for a long time...” - each phrase contains a fragment of the history of this enormous national victory.
Retreat as a brilliant decision of Russian commanders
Having survived bloody and longer subsequent wars, we can say that it was not so long to retreat: the Battle of Borodino in 1812 (the month is indicated depending on the style) began at the end of August. The patriotism of the entire society was so high that the strategically justified withdrawal of troops was perceived by the majority of citizens as treason. Bagration called the then commander-in-chief a traitor right to his face. Retreating from the borders into the interior of the country, M.B. Barclay de Tolly and M.I. Golenishchev-Kutuzov, who replaced him in this post - both infantry generals - wanted to preserve the Russian army and wait for reinforcements. In addition, the French were advancing very quickly, and there was no way to prepare troops for battle. And the goal of exhausting the enemy was also present.
Aggressive discontent in society
The retreat, of course, caused discontent among both the old warriors and the civilian population of the country (“...the old men grumbled”). In order to temporarily dampen the indignation and military fervor, the talented commander Barclay de Tolly was removed from his post - as a foreigner, in the opinion of many, completely devoid of a sense of patriotism and love for Russia. But the no less brilliant Mikhail Illarionovich Kutuzov continued his retreat, and retreated all the way to Smolensk, where the 1st and 2nd Russian armies were supposed to unite. And these pages of the war are full of exploits of both Russian military leaders, especially Bagration, and ordinary soldiers, because Napoleon did not want to allow this reunification. And the fact that it did happen can already be regarded as one of the victories in this war.
Unification of two armies
Then the united Russian army moved to the village of Borodino, which is 125 km from Moscow, where the famous Battle of Borodino of 1812 took place. It became impossible to continue further retreat; Emperor Alexander demanded to stop the advance of the French army towards Moscow. There was also the 3rd Western Army under the command of A.P. Tormasov, located significantly south of the first two (its main task was to prevent the capture of Kyiv by Austrian troops). In order to prevent the reunification of the 1st and 2nd Western armies, Napoleon sent the cavalry of the legendary Murat against Barclay de Tolly, and sent Marshal Davout, who had 3 columns of troops under his command, against Bagration. In the current situation, retreat was the most reasonable decision. By the end of June, the 1st Western Army under the command of Barclay de Tolly received reinforcements and the first rest in the Drissa camp.
Army favorite
Pyotr Ivanovich Bagration, a representative of one of the glorious military dynasties of Russia, aptly described by M. Yu. Lermontov as “a servant to the Tsar, a father to soldiers,” had a more difficult time - he fought his way through the battles, inflicting significant damage on Davout near the village of Saltanovka. He managed to cross the Dnieper and link up with the 1st Army, which was fighting tough rearguard battles with Marshal of France Joachim Murat, who was never a coward and covered himself with glory in the Battle of Borodino. The Patriotic War of 1812 named the heroes of both sides. But Russian soldiers defended their Motherland. Their fame will live forever. Even during the containment of Murat’s cavalry, General Osterman-Tolstoy ordered his soldiers to “stand and die” for Russia, for Moscow.
Legends and real exploits
Legends shrouded the names of famous commanders. One of them, passed down from mouth to mouth, says that Lieutenant General Raevsky raised his young children in his arms, leading the soldiers into the attack by personal example. But the actual fact of extraordinary courage is captured in A. Safonov’s chromolithography. Bleeding and wounded, General Likhachev, brought under the arms of Napoleon, who was able to appreciate his courage and wanted to personally hand him a sword, rejected the gift of the conqueror of Europe. What is so great about the Battle of Borodino in 1812 is that absolutely everyone - from the commander to the common soldier - performed incredible feats on that day. So, sergeant major of the Jaeger regiment Zolotov, who was on the Raevsky battery, jumped from the height of the mound onto the back of the French general Bonamy and carried him down, and the soldiers, left without a commander and confused, fled. As a result, the attack was thwarted. Moreover, the sergeant-major delivered the captive Bonami to the command post, where M.I. Kutuzov immediately promoted Zolotov to officer.
Unfairly persecuted
The Battle of Borodino (1812) can undoubtedly be called a unique battle. But there is one negative feature in this uniqueness - it is recognized as the bloodiest among one-day battles of all times: “... and a mountain of bloody bodies prevented the cannonballs from flying.” However, most importantly, none of the commanders hid behind the soldiers. So, according to some evidence, five horses were killed under the full holder of the Order of St. George, war hero Barclay de Tolly, but he never left the battlefield. But you still had to endure the dislike of society. The Battle of Borodino in 1812, where he showed personal courage, contempt for death and amazing heroism, changed the attitude of the soldiers towards him, who had previously refused to greet him. And, despite all this, the clever general, even at the council in Fili, defended the idea of surrendering the current capital to Napoleon, which Kutuzov expressed with the words “let’s burn Moscow and save Russia.”
Bagration's flushes
A flash is a field fortification, similar to a redan, smaller in size, but with a large angle with its top facing the enemy. The most famous flashes in the history of wars are the Bagrationov flashes (originally “Semyonovsky”, after the name of a nearby village). The Battle of Borodino of 1812, the date of which according to the old style falls on August 26, has become famous throughout the centuries for the heroic defense of these fortifications. It was then that the legendary Bagration was mortally wounded. Refusing amputation, he died of gangrene, 17 days after the Battle of Borodino. It is said about him: “... struck down by damask steel, he sleeps in damp ground.” A warrior from God, a favorite of the entire army, he was able to raise troops to attack with one word. Even the hero’s surname was deciphered as God-rati-on. The forces of the “Grand Army” outnumbered the defenders of Russia in numbers, training, and technical equipment. An army of 25 thousand people, supported by 102 guns, was thrown onto the flushes. She was opposed by 8 thousand Russian soldiers and 50 guns. However, the fierce attacks of the French were repulsed three times.
The power of the Russian spirit
The Battle of Borodino in 1812 lasted 12 hours, the date of which rightfully became the Day of Russian Military Glory. From that moment on, the courage of the French army was lost forever, and its glory began to fade steadily. Russian soldiers, including 21 thousand unfired militias, remained undefeated for centuries by the united army of all of Europe, therefore the center and left flank occupied by the French immediately after the battle were withdrawn by Napoleon to their original positions. The entire war of 1812 (the Battle of Borodino in particular) incredibly united Russian society. In the epic of Leo Tolstoy, it is described how high society ladies, who, in principle, did not care about everything originally Russian, came to the “society” with baskets for making dressings for the wounded. The spirit of patriotism was fashionable. This battle showed how high the military art of Russia is. The choice of the battlefield was ingenious. The field fortifications were built in such a way that they could not serve the French in the event of capture.
Sacramental phrase
The Shevardinsky redoubt deserves special words, the battle for which began two days earlier, not on August 26, 1812 (Battle of Borodino), but on August 24 (old style). The defenders of this forward position surprised and puzzled the French with their steadfastness and courage, because 10,000 cavalry, 30,000 infantry and 186 guns were sent to capture the redoubt. Attacked from three sides, the Russians held their positions until the start of the battle. One of the attacks on the French was led personally by Bagration, who forced the superior forces of the “invincibles” to roll back from the fortification. This is where the phrase came from in response to Emperor Napoleon’s question: “Why hasn’t the Shevardinsky redoubt been taken yet?” - “The Russians are dying, but they are not giving up!”
Heroes of War
The Battle of Borodino 1812 (September 8, new style) demonstrated to the whole world the high professionalism of Russian officers. The Winter Palace has a Military Gallery, which contains 333 portraits of heroes of the Battle of Borodino. The amazing work of the artist George Dow and his assistants V.A. Golike and A.V. Polyakov captured the color of the Russian army: the legendary Denis Davydov and A.P. Ermolov, Cossack atamans M.I. Platov and F.P. Uvarov, A. A. Tuchkov and N. N. Raevsky - all these handsome men in magnificent uniforms, with insignia, evoke admiration among museum visitors. The military gallery makes a very strong impression.
A worthy memory
The Battle of Borodino of 1812 (the month will forever remain double: Military Glory Day is celebrated in September, although the battle took place in August according to the old style) will forever remain in the memory of the descendants of those who gave their lives defending the Fatherland. Literary works and architectural masterpieces remind of him: the Triumphal Arch in Moscow, the Narva Gate and the Alexandria Column in St. Petersburg, the Cathedral of Christ the Savior and the Battle of Borodino Panorama Museum, the monument to the defenders of Smolensk and the stele on the site of the Raevsky battery, the Cavalier estate - Durova’s maidens and the immortal “War and Peace” by Leo Tolstoy... There are countless monuments throughout the country. And this is correct, because the date and month of the Battle of Borodino in 1812 changed the self-awareness of Russian society and left a mark on all its layers.