First Battle of Krasnoi

The First Battle of Krasnoi was fought on 14 August at Krasny between Ney's French troops and Neverovsky's Russian troops. It ended with a victory for the French, but the Russians retreated in good order to Smolensk.

First Battle of Krasnoi
Part of the French invasion of Russia
The crossing of the Dniepr by Christian Wilhelm von Faber du Faur
Date 14 August 1812 Location Krasnoi, southwest of Smolensk, Russian Empire 54°33′22″N 31°25′29″E Result French victory
Belligerents
French Empire	Russian Empire
Commanders and leaders
Michel Ney	Dmitry Neverovsky[1] Pyotr Bagration
Strength
13,000[2]	6,000–7,000[3][2]
Casualties and losses
500 killed, wounded or captured[3][2]	1,500 killed, wounded or captured[3][2]

French invasion of Russia

330km
205miles

Krasnoi

15

Pultusk

14

Gorodeczno

13

Drohiczyn

12

Tauroggen

11

Riga

10

Tilsit

9

Warsaw

8

Berezina

7

Maloyaro-
slavets

6

Moscow

5

Borodino

4

4

3

Vitebsk

2

Vilna

1

Kowno

   

  current battle

  Prussian corps

  Napoleon

  Austrian corps

Battle of Krasnoy on 14 August 1812; painting by Peter von Hess

Prelude

Bagration had reinforced Neverovsky's division with some cavalry and left it at an advance position around Krasnoi (Krasny) to cover westwards in the direction of Orsha.^[1]

Battle

Ney's infantry drove him out of Krasnoi and captured part of his artillery, the first trophies of the entire campaign. Neverovsky assembled his 6,000 to 7,000 men into a huge square Ney's cavalry could not break. The square moved across the field over a palisade fence and Ney's cavalry could not follow. Neverovsky's troops were able to get away in good order but left 1,500 men behind.^[2]

• Battle grafics
• 
  Battle of Krasnoi August 2nd (14) 1812. (Sketch of troup movements)
• 
  Battle of Krasnoi August 2nd (14) 1812. (Map of troup movements)

Aftermath

Neverovsky returned to Smolensk and reported.^[2] The battle of Smolensk started only two days later.

See also

• "Second" Battle of Krasny mid-November 1812
• List of battles of the French invasion of Russia