| Battle of Shevardino | |||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Part of theFrench invasion of Russia | |||||||
 The Attack of the Shevardino Redoubt byNikolay Samokish, 1910 | |||||||
| |||||||
| Belligerents | |||||||
 French Empire Kingdom of Italy Kingdom of Naples Duchy of Warsaw |  Russian Empire | ||||||
| Commanders and leaders | |||||||
| Strength | |||||||
| 36,000[1] | 20,000[1] | ||||||
| Casualties and losses | |||||||
| 4,000[1] § Casualties | 6,000[1] § Casualties | ||||||
 | |||||||
TheBattle 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]
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]
The Shevardino redoubt was defended by PrinceGorchakov's troops, part ofPyotr Bagration'sSecond Western Army.[3][4] The conflict began on September 5 when MarshalJoachim Murat's French forces metKonovnitsyn'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 ViceroyEugène de Beauharnais' Fourth Corps arrived, threatening his flank. The Russians withdrew to the Shevardino Redoubt, where a pitched battle ensued. Murat ledNansouty's First Cavalry Corps andMontbrun's Second Cavalry Corps, supported byCompans's Division ofLouis Nicolas Davout's First Infantry Corps against the redoubt. Simultaneously, PrinceJózef 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]
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]
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] TheBattle of Borodino would begin two days later.
Media related toBattle of Shevardino at Wikimedia Commons