Napoleon's Invasion of Russia

by George F Nafziger

  On 9 August, the main body of the Russian 1st Corps was in Rasizi with its reserves in Babi. The same day the Russian advanced guard crossed the Dvina and occupied Drouia in force. Wittgenstein was still watching Oudinot and was concerned because he had learned that St, Cyr's VI Corps had joined him. Fearing that Oudinot might resume the offensive, he responded by placing his corps along the road to Kokhano-vitsi and against Oudinot5s flank. He feared that Oudinot would move along the road to Sebej, which would open up Wittgenstein's lines of communication to the French.

  On 10 August the French advanced along the road to Volinza and Osevia. General Helfreich and Colonel Rudiger retreated to Kokhanovitsi, which they found occupied by the French. The arrival of Helfreich and Rudiger coincided with the arrival of General Auvray, chief of staff of the Russian 1st Corps, and his column. The French were attacked immediately by the forces of Helfreich and Kastschkovski. The French were pushed back to the heights along the right bank of the Svolna River. The Russian main body and reserve took up positions before Kokhanovitsi. General Hamen was ordered to close up with them.

  The Battle of Svolna

  During the morning of 11 August, General Auvray believed that the French movements were offensive in nature and braced his forces for their attack. When no attack occurred he grew to believe that he was facing only a small detachment which was awaiting reinforcements from either the II or the VI Corps. He ordered a reconnaissance in force. The two combined advanced guards, with the lambourg Dragoons, pushed back the French outposts on the Svolna plain.

  Once they occupied the plain, the Russians observed a major French force, Oudinot”s II Corps, on the far bank of the river. The right bank was occupied by a strong French cavalry force and the villages of Poga-richtchi, Svolna, and Ostroy-Konez were heavily garrisoned with French infantry. The French line was fixed on its right in Pogarichtchi and on its left in Svolna. General Auvray determined to clear the French outposts from his bank of the river and sent the Grodno Hussars and Platov #4 Cossacks to do the job. Behind them came the rest of the Russian forces.

  The two Russian cavalry units pushed the French cavalry on the plain back to the river, but the fire of supporting French artillery stopped their advance. The Russian infantry of the advanced guard and the 5th Division advanced in battalion columns onto the rising ground before Pogarichtchi. Auvray covered his flanks with his cavalry and two squadrons of the converged Guard Cavalry Regiment, which were posted on his right flank. The French withdrew before the larger Russian force.

  The Grodno Hussars, lambourg Dragoons, and two squadrons of the converged cuirassier regiment, which formed the Russian left wing, moved into Pogarichtchi. From there they advanced into the village of Kaprovitzki. The four infantry regiments of the 5th Division (Sievesk, Perm, Kalouga, and Mohilev) and Position Batteries #5 and #28 formed the Russian center. The six squadrons of the Grodno Hussars formed behind the Russian center, and the Russian right was formed with the 23rd and 25th Jagers, Light Battery #26, and two squadrons of converged cuirassiers. The remainder of the Russian forces formed their second line, which was posted behind Mamonovchtchina, and their reserve, which was at Paluikovchtchina.

  As the Grodno Hussars advanced, the three Russian batteries fired to support their advance. The French withdrew from Svolna and Ostroy-Konez because their artillery on the far bank could not support them.

  Several columns were detached from the French main body and moved towards Ostroy-Konez to reinforce its withdrawing defenders and recapture it. Ostroy-Konez was important to the French, as it was the strongpoint closest to the bridge. Auvray sent General Kastschkovski and Colonel Diebitsch, his quartermaster-chief, with the Tenguinsk and Estonia Infantry Regiments, supported by Position Battery #14, to push them out. Kastschkovski deployed the lambourg Dragoons, placing artillery and infantry behind them, to form his left wing. He sent this force forward.

  When they reached short cannon range of the French, the lambourg Dragoons swung clear, opening the field of fire for Position Battery #14. This artillery fire disordered the French attack out of Ostroy-Konez, and the Russians counterattacked with bayonets, taking the village. The Russian skirmishers from the Perm and Estonia Infantry Regiments pursued as far as the river-bank, where they formed on the bank and continued to fire on the French.

  Kastschkovski received orders to detach two squadrons, a battalion from the Estonia and Tenguinsk Infantry Regiments, and six guns of Position Battery #14 and send them to the Svolna farm. The French were putting up a stiff resistance before the farm because Oudinot had been able to move fresh troops across the bridge and reinforce his troops. Diebitsch, sent by Kastschkovski with troops detached from the left, positioned himself near a small copse of woods between Svolna and Ostroy-Konez. The four Russian guns with him began to fire on the French troops that were supporting the French by the bridge. He sent two battalions of the Perm and Mohilev Infantry Regiments under Colonel Lialin to attack the French flank. A musketeer company and the elite company of the Perm Regiment advanced under the command of Major Forbiev, driving back the French. The end of the retiring French column was cut off by Colonel Lialin and taken prisoner. The Russian artillery on the right wing closed up to the river bank and turned its fire on the French nearest the river, forcing them to elongate their position.

  Skirmishers detached from Perm, Mohilev, and 3/Estonia moved forward to profit from the French retreat, passing over the bridge without orders. Some squadrons of Doumerc's cuirassiers, placed nearest the river, fell on them, driving them back in great disorder. The Russian jagers fled over the bridge with the cuirassiers in hot pursuit until the Grodno Hussars struck them in the flank and drove them back. The remainder of Doumerc's cuirassiers counterattacked, but withdrew as soon as the Russian artillery began to play on them.

  Several French columns then moved towards Ostroy-Konez, and Kastschkovski directed the fire of Position Battery #14 on them while he advanced the Navajinsk Infantry Regiment to support the threatened Russians in Ostroy-Konez. This was sufficient to cause the French to withdraw.

  The intensity of the Russian artillery fire made it difficult to expand the position of the advanced guard, so it withdrew and rejoined the main body on the left bank of the Svolna. This position, dominating the entire plain, could only be reached by the two bridges over the Svolna. Since the French positions were too strong for the Russians to force, Auvray stopped the Russian advance at the river's edge.

  Skirmishers from Perm and Estonia, supported by a company from Kalouga and another from Navajinsk, established themselves on the left bank. Those of Perm and Estonia were before Ostroy-Konez. Here they covered the raising of a bridge to permit the Russians to resume the offensive, should the opportunity arise.

  The battle of Svolna was inconclusive. Oudinot, with about 10,000 men, had clashed with about 9,000 men under the command of Auvray and had come out the worst for it. The French had lost 1,200 hors de combat and 300 prisoners, while the Russians lost only 800 hors de combat.

  French Retreat on Polotsk

  The next day the Russians remained in their positions near Svolna while the French withdrew to Volinzi. Their retreat was followed by a cossack patrol, and General Balk was sent to Tobolki to cover the Russian right.

  During the night of 13 August, Wittgenstein was reinforced by nine of the ten battalions forming the garrison of Dinaburg. This force was the 32nd Division, which was formed of depot battalions. The line depot battalions were so weak that they were reorganized into the 1st and 2nd Converged Infantry Regiments. The depot battalions of the 11th, 18th, and 36th Jagers were converged into the Converged Jager Regiment. Though numbering only around 3,000 men, normally an insignificant number, these units assumed a more important role: the French thought they were facing full-strength units instead of the terribly understrength depot battalions actually before them.

  On 14 August, Wittgenstein once again decided to move against Polotsk, and he reorganized his forces. Colonel Vlastov was detached with four
squadrons of the Grodno Hussars, the 24th Jagers, two converged grenadier battalions from the 5th Division, and 200 cossacks. He moved on Kliastitzy and Sivochino to harass the French right.

  Wittgenstein found himself obliged to contend with Oudinot operating an offensive based on interior lines of communication. He also had Macdonald to the north to contend with. Colonel Vlastov's forces were directed to move on Bieloe in order to menace the French right and communications. The French withdrew in the face of this move and moved on Polotsk. The Russians occupied Volinzi as a result.

  The French continued to retreat on Polotsk, and on 16 August they surrendered Ropno to Helfreich. The Bavarian detachment in Bieloe withdrew along the road to Nevel, towards Polotsk, and joined Oudinot there.

  It was on 17 August that Wittgenstein learned that the French II and VI Corps had joined forces, but he still felt he should move forward to observe the French. Despite unfavorable numbers, Wittgenstein was determined to attack the French at Polotsk.

  First Battle of Polotsk

  General Helfreich's advanced guard, supported by the first line of battle, moved to the defile at Ropno with the 25th and 26th Jagers and the Perm and Mohilev Infantry under the command of the Prince of Siberia. They encountered a French advanced guard, pushing it back. A battalion of Perm took a road parallel to the main road to Pressemenitza. By 5:00 A.M. Helfreich and the Prince of Siberia had cleared the French out of the woods before Polotsk and established communications with Vlastov. Vlastov had occupied the woods before the tavern of Borovka with the 23rd and 24th Jagers.

  On 18 August the Russian forces under Wittgenstein consisted of the 1st Corps, the 32nd Reserve Division or Dinaburg garrison, and a detachment of infantry commanded by Prince Repnin. This force totaled about 20,000 men. On 30 August the French II Corps and Doumerc's cuirassier division commanded by Oudinot had about 24,000. He had been joined by the two Bavarian Divisions of VI Corps. This force had suffered heavily during the beginning of the campaign, though entirely from causes other than combat. Its original strength of 26,000 had been reduced to about 20,000 men. This gave Oudinot a total of 44,000, not including artillery and train personnel.

  Oudinot had reason to suspect an attack and positioned his forces around Polotsk to receive it. Polotsk is on the Dvina River. In front of the city, to the northwest, is a plain encircled by heavy forest. The Pelota River runs from the northwest of the city to the west of the city where it joins the Dvina, intersecting this plain for about a mile and a half.

  The Pressemenitza farm stands near the forest, in the center of the plain. The Spass convent stood on the right bank of the Pelota, about a half mile from the Pressemenitza farm. The Bavarians had converted the convent into a strongpoint and occupied it in great strength. Their front line was held by the 20th Division under General Wrede, while the 19th Division, under General Deroy, remained as a reserve behind Spass.

  Oudinot positioned Legrand's division, reinforced by a regiment from Verdier's division and some light cavalry, in front of Polotsk, a total of 7,000 men. On his left, extending to the Spass convent, were the Bavarians, some 11,000 men. All of the Bavarian artillery, except twelve guns, had been organized into a single battery. This battery dominated the center of the field. The remaining twelve guns were a reserve under General Dulauloy and were posted near the river to cover any potential retreat.

  All of II Corps' artillery had been posted on the left bank of the Dvina, with the exception of a few guns left with Legrand. The rest of the II Corps, Doumerc's cuirassiers, Castex's light cavalry, and the 8th and 9th Divisions, remained on the left bank as well.

  Wittgenstein moved his forces forward during the night of the 16th, and on the 17th he began his attack. His initial movement was to advance General Helfreich's forces and the brigade of the Prince of Siberia towards the Spass convent. The Bavarian massed battery took them under heavy fire and drove them back into the woods. This initial Russian attack on Spass consisted of the 23rd, 25th, and 26th Jager Regiments and six guns on the Russian right. The center consisted of three infantry regiments and thirty guns. The left consisted of the Perm and Mohilev Infantry Regiments in the first line and twenty-four guns in the first line. The second line consisted of nine battalions and all the Russian cavalry. Vlastov's five battalions remained on the left flank of this attack.

  General Berg advanced the remaining forces of the Russian first line of battle and formed them in columns before the Pelota. The battle was to be well developed by the time Wittgenstein arrived on the field.

  Wittgenstein stopped his right wing's advance. He directed his left wing to push no further than the convent and to act in support of Vlastov's forces. He then placed his cavalry arid second line of battle behind the first. Count Sievers was detached with the I Corps pioneer company and two battalions to build a bridge over the Dvina three miles below Polotsk to distract the French threatening their flank.

  The Russians were deployed and their first line was positioned as follows: The right wing bordered on the main road to Drissa and started with the 23rd, 25th, and 26th Jagers, six guns from Position Battery #28, Kalouga, Sievesk, and converged infantry regiments. The center consisted of Horse Battery #1, Position Battery #5, and Light Battery #9. This artillery extended to the Pressemenitza farm, where it joined the Russian left. The left consisted of the Perm and Mohilev Infantry, six guns of Position Battery #28, Light Battery #26, and Vlastov's detachment, which was secured on the road to Nevel. The artillery was positioned in front of the infantry, and the Russian reserves were in Ropno, some distance from the battlefield.

  The two battalions of converged grenadiers of the 5th Division, the 24th Jagers, and one battalion of Perm and Mohilev Infantry Regiments began the attack on Spass. General Hamen supported the attack with one battalion of the Estonia, Toula, and Navajinsk Infantry Regiments and a battalion of the 18th Jagers, who positioned themselves to the right of Vlastov's detachment. The goal of this attack was to seize the convent and separate the Bavarians from the French. The Russians succeeded in seizing the closest buildings of the convent, but the Bavarians, supported by their own artillery and that on the left bank, quickly threw them back. As the battle began developing, Legrand's 8th Division crossed over the Dvina from the left bank and took up positions on the ramparts of the city. The 9th Division of General de division Merle remained on the far bank in reserve.

  Prince Jachwill directed the fire of Light Battery #26 and Horse Battery #3, which had only six guns, to cover the retreat of the Russian left and to stop the pursuing Bavarians. The fire disordered the Bavarians and they were quickly counterattacked by the converged grenadiers, 1/Perm, 3/Mohilev, and the 24th Jagers. Their advance was supported on the right by 3/Perm and 1/Mohilev under the command of Colonel Diebitsch. The Bavarians fought bravely, but they were forced back to the buildings of the convent on the French side of the Pelota. Here they reestablished themselves and were reinforced by fresh troops. Two companies of grenadiers and a battalion of the 24th Jagers detached and moved towards the Pelota to strike a Bavarian column, which had crossed the river at a ford, and drove them back.

  The crossfire of Batteries #1 and #28 raked Oudinot's troops as they advanced to make an assault against the Russian center. Oudinot's forces advanced twice, but they were repulsed each time. Oudinot was wounded during these assaults and was forced to turn command of his corps over to General St. Cyr.

  The battle continued around the Spass convent. It dissolved into a skirmish fight, something in which the converged grenadiers of the 5th Division had a particular skill. They had participated in the 1808 campaign in Finland where they had engaged in many such battles against the Swedes.

  As the Bavarians massed strong columns against the convent, Wittgen-Stein advanced part of the second line, sending Kalouga, Sievesk, and the converged infantry, under General Berg, to reinforce his center.

  General Berg did not wish to advance directly, exposing his flank to the French artillery fire, so he moved around Nevel. His a
dvance coincided with the French assault on Colonel Vlastov's front and flank. Vlastov was aided in his defense by the detachment of Position Battery #5, which was also detached from the center.

  General Berg reinforced Colonel Vlastov with all of his skirmishers while he formed his three regiments in attack columns behind them. He was supported on his right by the Prince of Siberia with the Perm and Mohilev Infantry Regiments. He advanced his right flank. The Bavarians counterattacked, but fell back in disorder on the Spass convent. As General Wrede's troops withdrew, they set fire to the convent. The 1st Brigade, 20th Division, under General Vincenti, remained in the village near the convent until General Vincenti was badly wounded. When it withdrew, it obliged the withdrawal of the Bavarian battery posted next to the convent.

  Wrede received reinforcements and attempted to reestablish his initial positions. His columns crossed the Pelota and were greeted by fire from Batteries #3, #5, #9, and #26. He was thrown back time and again with heavy casualties. During one advance his skirmishers actually advanced as far as Battery #3, only to be chased away by two squadrons of the Grodno Hussar Regiment.

  General Berg established his troops near Spass as the skirmishers of Legrand's division of French moved on the Russian center again. General Hamen detached six guns from Position Battery #27, a battalion of the Toula Infantry Regiment, and the depot battalion of the 18th Jager Regiment from the second line and moved them forward. They drove back Legrand's skirmishers, but attracted the attention of the bulk of Legrand's division. The two Russian battalions were unable to stand up to the unequal battle and withdrew to the main line. Their withdrawal cleared the field of fire for Batteries #1 and #27 to fire on Legrand's troops. The skirmishers covering the Russian center were supported by two battalions drawn from the second line, one each from the Estonia and Navajinsk Infantry Regiments.