Battle of Shevardino

The Battle of Shevardino took place on 5 September 1812 (24 August = old style), between French and Russian troops, with a victory of the French army.^[1]

Battle of Shevardino
Part of the French invasion of Russia
The Attack of the Shevardino Redoubt by Nikolay Samokish, 1910
Date 5 September 1812 (O.S.: 24 August 1812) Location Near Borodino, Russian Empire 55°30′25″N 35°47′48″E Result French victory
Belligerents
French Empire Kingdom of Italy Kingdom of Naples Duchy of Warsaw	Russian Empire
Commanders and leaders
Napoleon[1] Louis-Nicolas Davout E. de Beauharnais Joachim Murat Józef Poniatowski	Pyotr Bagration[1] Andrei Gorchakov
Strength
36,000[1]	20,000[1]
Casualties and losses
4,000[1] § Casualties	6,000[1] § Casualties

French invasion of Russia

330km
205miles

Shevar-
dino

15

Pultusk

14

Gorodeczno

13

Drohiczyn

12

Tauroggen

11

Riga

10

Tilsit

9

Warsaw

8

Berezina

7

Maloyaro-
slavets

6

Moscow

5

Borodino

4

Smolensk

3

Vitebsk

2

Vilna

1

Kowno

   

  Current battle

  Prussian corps

  Napoleon

  Austrian corps

Prelude

The initial Russian position, which stretched south of the new Smolensk Highway (Napoleon's expected route of advance), was anchored on its left by a pentagonal earthwork redoubt erected on a mound near the village of Shevardino. Kutuzov stated that the fortification was manned simply to delay the advance of the French forces.^[2][3]

Battle

The Shevardino redoubt was defended by Prince Gorchakov's troops, part of Pyotr Bagration's Second Western Army.^[3][4] The conflict began on September 5 when Marshal Joachim Murat's French forces met Konovnitsyn's Russians in a massive cavalry clash, the Russians eventually retreating to the Kolorzkoi Cloister when their flank was threatened. Fighting resumed the next day but Konovnitsyn again retreated when Viceroy Eugène de Beauharnais' Fourth Corps arrived, threatening his flank. The Russians withdrew to the Shevardino Redoubt, where a pitched battle ensued. Murat led Nansouty's First Cavalry Corps and Montbrun's Second Cavalry Corps, supported by Compans's Division of Louis Nicolas Davout's First Infantry Corps against the redoubt. Simultaneously, Prince Józef Poniatowski's Polish infantry attacked the position from the south.^[3] The French captured it. The small redoubt was destroyed and covered by the dead and dying of both sides.^[5]

Casualties

The French won the combat at a cost of 4,000^[1] French and 6,000 Russian casualties.^[1] The estimates of 2,000 French casualties refer only to the fighting at the redoubt itself, and do not include Konovnitsyn's actions. Losses of 7,000 were suffered by the Russians in all actions, including the previous 2 days.^[3]

Aftermath

The unexpected French advance from the west and the fall of the Shevardino redoubt threw the Russian formation into disarray. Since the left flank of their defensive position had collapsed, Russian forces withdrew to the east, constructing a makeshift position centered around the village of Utitsa. The left flank of the Russian position was thus ripe for a flanking attack.^[6] The Battle of Borodino would begin two days later.

See also

• List of battles of the French invasion of Russia