The Battle of Borodino in 1812 is a battle that lasted only one day, but is preserved in the history of the planet among the most important world events. Napoleon took this blow, hoping to quickly conquer the Russian Empire, but his plans were not destined to come true. It is believed that it was the battle of Borodino that became the first stage of the fall of the famous conqueror. What is known about the battle that Lermontov glorified in his famous work?
Battle of Borodino in 1812: background
It was a time when Bonaparte's troops had already managed to subjugate almost all of continental Europe, the emperor’s power even spread to Africa. He himself emphasized in conversations with close associates that in order to gain world domination, he only needed to gain control over the Russian lands.
To conquer Russian territory, he gathered an army, the number of which amounted to approximately 600 thousand people. The army was rapidly moving inland. However, Napoleon’s soldiers died one by one under the blow of peasant militias, their health deteriorated due to the unusually difficult climate and poor nutrition. Nevertheless, the advance of the troops continued, the goal of the French was the capital.
The bloody battle of Borodino in 1812 became part of the tactics used by the Russian generals. They weakened the enemy army in minor battles, waiting for time for a decisive blow.
Main stages
The battle of Borodino of 1812 was actually a chain consisting of several clashes with the French troops, resulting in huge losses on both sides. The first was a battle for the village of Borodino, which is located about 125 km from Moscow. From the side of Russia the jaeger regiments of de Tolly participated in it, from the side of the enemy the corps of Beauharnais.
The battle of Borodino in 1812 was in full swing when the battle for the Bagration flushes took place . It was attended by 15 divisions of French marshals and two Russian, controlled by Vorontsov and Neverovsky. At this stage, Bagration received a severe wound, which forced him to entrust the command to Konovnitsyn.
By the time the Russian soldiers left the flushes, the Battle of Borodino (1812) was already going on for about 14 hours. Summary of further events: the Russians are located behind the Semenovsky ravine, where the third battle takes place. Its participants are people who attacked flushes and defended them. The French received reinforcements, which became the cavalry, under the leadership of Nansuti. Uvarov’s cavalry hastened to help the Russian troops, and the Cossacks came under the command of Platov.
Raevsky Battery
Separately, it is worth considering the final stage of such an event as the Battle of Borodino (1812). Summary: battles for the Raevsky battery, which went down in history as the "grave of the French cavalry," lasted about 7 hours. This place really became a grave for many Bonaparte soldiers.
Historians still wonder why the forces of the Russian army left the Shevadinsky redoubt. It is possible that the commander-in-chief deliberately opened the left flank in order to divert the enemy's attention from the right. His goal was to protect the new Smolensk road, taking advantage of which, Napoleon’s army would quickly approach Moscow.
A lot of documents important for history have been preserved that shed light on such an event as the war of 1812. The Battle of Borodino is mentioned in a letter that was sent by Kutuzov to the Russian emperor even before it began. The commander informed the tsar that the terrain features (open fields) would provide the Russian troops with optimal positions.
One hundred a minute
The Battle of Borodino (1812) is briefly and extensively covered in so many historical sources that it seems that it was very long in time. In fact, the battle, which began on September 7 at half past five in the morning, lasted less than a day. Of course, it was one of the bloodiest of all the short battles.
It is no secret to anyone how many lives the Patriotic War of 1812 took. The Battle of Borodino made its bloody contribution. The exact number of killed historians could not be established, they call 80-100 thousand dead on both sides. Counting shows that every minute at least hundreds of soldiers were sent to the next world.
Heroes
Patriotic war of 1812 gave deserved glory to many commanders. The battle of Borodino, of course, immortalized such a man as Kutuzov. By the way, Mikhail Illarionovich at that time was not yet a gray-haired old man who does not open one eye. At the time of the battle, he still remained an energetic, albeit aging man, and did not put on his signature dressing.
Of course, Kutuzov was not the only hero whom Borodino glorified. Together with him, Bagration, Rayevsky, de Tolly entered history. It is interesting that the last of them did not enjoy authority in the troops, although he was the author of a brilliant idea to set up partisan forces against the enemy army. According to legend, during the battle of Borodino, the general three times lost horses that died under a barrage of shells and bullets, but he remained unharmed.
Who the victory was for
Perhaps this question remains the main intrigue of the bloody battle, since both parties involved in it have their own opinion on this matter. French historians are convinced that Napoleon’s troops won a great victory that day. Russian scientists insist on the opposite, their theory was supported in due time by Alexander the First, who proclaimed the Battle of Borodino an absolute victory for Russia. By the way, it was after him that Kutuzov was awarded the title of Field Marshal.
It is known that Bonaparte was not satisfied with the reports that his military leaders provided. The number of Russian guns recaptured was minimal, as was the number of prisoners that the retreating army took with them. It is believed that the conqueror was finally suppressed by the morale of the enemy.
What to read about the Battle of Borodino
The large-scale battle that began on September 7 near the village of Borodino for two centuries inspired writers, poets, artists, and then the directors who covered it in their works. You can recall the painting "Hussar Ballad", and the famous creation of Lermontov, which is now taught at school.
What actually was and what turned out to be the battle of Borodino for the Russians and the French in 1812? Rebel, Aidelman - historians who created a concise and accurate text, highlighting in detail the bloody battle. Critics praise this work for its impeccable knowledge of the era, vivid images of the heroes of the battle (both on the one and the other), thanks to which it is easy to imagine all events in the imagination. The book is definitely worth reading to those who are seriously interested in history and military affairs.