Battle of Smolensk (1812)
Encyclopedia
The Battle of Smolensk, the first major battle of the French invasion of Russia
took place on August 16–18, 1812, between 175,000 men of the Grande Armée
under Napoleon Bonaparte and 130,000 Russians under Barclay de Tolly
, though only about 50,000 and 60,000 respectively were actually engaged. Napoleon attacked Smolensk
occupied by Russian General Bagration
's corps and captured two of the suburbs. During the night the Russians evacuated the burning city.
. Napoleon therefore devised the Smolensk Manoeuvre in an attempt to sweep behind the enemy and inflict a decisive defeat. On August 14, 1812 forces under the command of Joachim Murat
, Marshal Davout
, and Michel Ney crossed the Dnieper River
at Rassna using bridges constructed overnight. The plan was to race toward the city, taking it without a fight, and march north to attack the rear of the main Russian forces under the overall command of General Barclay de Tolly
. Unfortunately for the French, conflicting orders and a breakdown in communication had already led Bagration to disobey orders and instead of marching west, he occupied Smolensk to the south. By August 16, French forces found the city heavily garrisoned by Bagration's troops, further reinforced with the subsequent arrival of Barclay and the main Russian army.
towers and a thick stone wall. The River Dnieper ran through the middle.
The Assumption Cathedral in Smolensk
housed one of the most venerated icons of the Orthodox Church, Our Lady of Smolensk attributed to St Luke, and Napoleon assumed that the Russians would fight outside the city to avoid its destruction.
The main battle was fought on August 16. An initial probing force captured two suburbs but failed to bring the Russians out to battle. Napoleon ordered a general assault with three corps of the Grande Armée, supported by two hundred artillery pieces
. This was initially successful, the intense artillery bombardment setting the city on fire but the French forces lacked ladders or climbing apparatus to scale the city walls and were under counter fire from Russian artillery. By nightfall, most of the city was burning.
Estimates of casualties vary, Alain Pigeard quotes French losses at 4200 and Russian at 4000-6000. Russians put their losses at around 6,000, whilst David Chandler
puts French losses at 10,000 and Russian at 12,000-14,000
To save the army, Barclay de Tolly
abandoned the city destroying all ammunition stores and bridges leaving a small force to hold out for two days to cover his retreat.
French invasion of Russia
The French invasion of Russia of 1812 was a turning point in the Napoleonic Wars. It reduced the French and allied invasion forces to a tiny fraction of their initial strength and triggered a major shift in European politics as it dramatically weakened French hegemony in Europe...
took place on August 16–18, 1812, between 175,000 men of the Grande Armée
La Grande Armée
The Grande Armée first entered the annals of history when, in 1805, Napoleon I renamed the army that he had assembled on the French coast of the English Channel for the proposed invasion of Britain...
under Napoleon Bonaparte and 130,000 Russians under Barclay de Tolly
Michael Andreas Barclay de Tolly
Prince Michael Andreas Barclay de Tolly , was a Russian Field Marshal and Minister of War during Napoleon's invasion in 1812 and War of the Sixth Coalition.-Early life:...
, though only about 50,000 and 60,000 respectively were actually engaged. Napoleon attacked Smolensk
Smolensk
Smolensk is a city and the administrative center of Smolensk Oblast, Russia, located on the Dnieper River. Situated west-southwest of Moscow, this walled city was destroyed several times throughout its long history since it was on the invasion routes of both Napoleon and Hitler. Today, Smolensk...
occupied by Russian General Bagration
Pyotr Bagration
Prince Pyotr Ivanovich Bagration was a general of the Russian army. He was a descendant of the Georgian royal family of the Bagrations.- Life :...
's corps and captured two of the suburbs. During the night the Russians evacuated the burning city.
Prelude
Initially the Russians employed hit and run tactics against the Grande ArméeLa Grande Armée
The Grande Armée first entered the annals of history when, in 1805, Napoleon I renamed the army that he had assembled on the French coast of the English Channel for the proposed invasion of Britain...
. Napoleon therefore devised the Smolensk Manoeuvre in an attempt to sweep behind the enemy and inflict a decisive defeat. On August 14, 1812 forces under the command of Joachim Murat
Joachim Murat
Joachim-Napoléon Murat , Marshal of France and Grand Admiral or Admiral of France, 1st Prince Murat, was Grand Duke of Berg from 1806 to 1808 and then King of Naples from 1808 to 1815...
, Marshal Davout
Louis Nicolas Davout
Louis-Nicolas d'Avout , better known as Davout, 1st Duke of Auerstaedt, 1st Prince of Eckmühl, was a Marshal of France during the Napoleonic Era. His prodigious talent for war along with his reputation as a stern disciplinarian, earned him the title "The Iron Marshal"...
, and Michel Ney crossed the Dnieper River
Dnieper River
The Dnieper River is one of the major rivers of Europe that flows from Russia, through Belarus and Ukraine, to the Black Sea.The total length is and has a drainage basin of .The river is noted for its dams and hydroelectric stations...
at Rassna using bridges constructed overnight. The plan was to race toward the city, taking it without a fight, and march north to attack the rear of the main Russian forces under the overall command of General Barclay de Tolly
Michael Andreas Barclay de Tolly
Prince Michael Andreas Barclay de Tolly , was a Russian Field Marshal and Minister of War during Napoleon's invasion in 1812 and War of the Sixth Coalition.-Early life:...
. Unfortunately for the French, conflicting orders and a breakdown in communication had already led Bagration to disobey orders and instead of marching west, he occupied Smolensk to the south. By August 16, French forces found the city heavily garrisoned by Bagration's troops, further reinforced with the subsequent arrival of Barclay and the main Russian army.
Battle
Smolensk, an historic fortress city of 12,600 inhabitants on the main Western invasion route to Moscow was defended by bastionBastion
A bastion, or a bulwark, is a structure projecting outward from the main enclosure of a fortification, situated in both corners of a straight wall , facilitating active defence against assaulting troops...
towers and a thick stone wall. The River Dnieper ran through the middle.
The Assumption Cathedral in Smolensk
Assumption Cathedral in Smolensk
The Cathedral Church of the Assumption, dominating the city of Smolensk from the lofty Cathedral Hill, has been the principal church of the Smolensk bishopric for 800 years.- Monomakh Cathedral :...
housed one of the most venerated icons of the Orthodox Church, Our Lady of Smolensk attributed to St Luke, and Napoleon assumed that the Russians would fight outside the city to avoid its destruction.
The main battle was fought on August 16. An initial probing force captured two suburbs but failed to bring the Russians out to battle. Napoleon ordered a general assault with three corps of the Grande Armée, supported by two hundred artillery pieces
Artillery
Originally applied to any group of infantry primarily armed with projectile weapons, artillery has over time become limited in meaning to refer only to those engines of war that operate by projection of munitions far beyond the range of effect of personal weapons...
. This was initially successful, the intense artillery bombardment setting the city on fire but the French forces lacked ladders or climbing apparatus to scale the city walls and were under counter fire from Russian artillery. By nightfall, most of the city was burning.
Estimates of casualties vary, Alain Pigeard quotes French losses at 4200 and Russian at 4000-6000. Russians put their losses at around 6,000, whilst David Chandler
David G. Chandler
David G. Chandler was a British historian whose study focused on the Napoleonic era.As a young man he served briefly in the army, reaching the rank of captain, and in later life he taught at the Royal Military Academy Sandhurst. Oxford University awarded him the D. Litt. in 1991...
puts French losses at 10,000 and Russian at 12,000-14,000
To save the army, Barclay de Tolly
Michael Andreas Barclay de Tolly
Prince Michael Andreas Barclay de Tolly , was a Russian Field Marshal and Minister of War during Napoleon's invasion in 1812 and War of the Sixth Coalition.-Early life:...
abandoned the city destroying all ammunition stores and bridges leaving a small force to hold out for two days to cover his retreat.
Conclusion
Around dawn on August 17, Grande Armée Polish forces successfully breached the walls, and in a few hours the main French forces entered the city. Barclay retained forces on the other side of the river preventing a crossing until the night of August the 18th. The city was almost completely destroyed.Ramifications
Technically the battle of Smolensk was a victory for Napoleon as he captured the city. However his soldiers were already running short of food and its destruction denied him a useful supply base, adding to the logistics problems caused later by the Russian scorched earth tactics.External links
See also
- Napoleon's invasion of Russia
- Battle of Smolensk (1941)Battle of Smolensk (1941)The Battle of Smolensk was a largely successful encirclement operation by the German Army Group Centre's 2nd Panzer Group led by Heinz Guderian and the 3rd Panzer Group led by Hermann Hoth against parts of four Soviet Fronts during World War II...
- Jean-Victor PonceletJean-Victor PonceletJean-Victor Poncelet was a French engineer and mathematician who served most notably as the commandant general of the École Polytechnique...