Battle of Borisov facts for kids
Quick facts for kids Battle of Borisov |
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| Part of the French invasion of Russia | |||||||
 Kalmyks and Bashkirs attacking French troops at the Berezina |
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| Belligerents | |||||||
 Duchy of Warsaw French Empire |
 Russian Empire |
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| Commanders and leaders | |||||||
| Jan Dombrowsky |
Charles de Lambert |
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| Strength | |||||||
| 3,000 | 3,500 | ||||||
| Casualties and losses | |||||||
| 3,000 | 2,000 | ||||||
The Battle of Borisov was a fight that happened on November 21, 1812. It was part of a bigger war called the French invasion of Russia. In this battle, the Russian army, led by Charles de Lambert, won against the French troops. The French forces were led by Dombrowsky.
What Led to the Battle?
The French army, led by Napoleon, had faced a big defeat earlier. This happened during the Battle of Krasnoi just two weeks before. Napoleon's main army had shrunk to about 20,000 soldiers.
However, other French groups joined them. These groups were led by generals like Victor, Oudinot, and Dombrowsky. This brought the total number of French soldiers, known as the Grande Armée, up to about 49,000. There were also about 40,000 other people following the army.
Meanwhile, Russian forces had taken over the city of Minsk. This happened on November 16, 1812. The Russian general Chichagov reached the Berezina River with about 31,500 soldiers.
The Battle of Borisov
On November 21, the Russian army made a move. General Lambert's troops took control of Borisov early in the morning. They surprised the French guards. This happened before another French general, Oudinot, could arrive to help.
At this point, General Dombrowsky had only about 2,000 men left. The fighting was tough for both sides. The Russian army had about 2,000 soldiers who were hurt or killed. General Lambert himself was badly wounded in the leg during the battle.
What Happened Next?
After the battle, the Russians quickly destroyed the bridge at Borisov. This happened on November 22. Destroying the bridge stopped the French from using it. This action led to another battle, known as the Battle of Loschniza.
See also
