Battle of Chashniki facts for kids
Quick facts for kids Battle of Czasniki |
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| Part of the French invasion of Russia | |||||||
 Napoleon's withdrawal from Russia, painting by Adolph Northen |
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| Belligerents | |||||||
 Russian Empire |
 French Empire |
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| Commanders and leaders | |||||||
| Peter Wittgenstein Lev Yashvil |
Claude Victor |
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| Strength | |||||||
| 30,000, of whom 11,000 were involved | 36,000, of whom 10,000 to 18,000 were involved | ||||||
| Casualties and losses | |||||||
| 400 | 1,200 | ||||||
The Battle of Chashniki (also known as the Battle of Czasniki) was a fight during Napoleon's invasion of Russia. It happened on October 31, 1812. The battle was between the Russian army, led by General Wittgenstein, and the French army, led by Marshal Victor. The French tried to get back control of an important area called the "Dvina Line." But they failed because the Russians had won a big victory there earlier.
What Led to the Battle?
After the French lost a battle at Polotsk, Marshal Victor, a French commander, moved his troops. He had about 22,000 soldiers with him. His goal was to get back control of the "Dvina Line." This was an important area for the French army.
Victor's army met up with other French soldiers who were retreating. Together, they had about 36,000 troops. Meanwhile, General Wittgenstein, the Russian commander, had 30,000 soldiers. He marched to Chashniki to face Victor's army.
How the Battle Unfolded
The main fighting at Chashniki was done by the Russian advance guard. These were 11,000 troops led by General Yashvil. On the French side, the II Corps was heavily involved.
The battle started with the Russians attacking the French II Corps. These French soldiers were positioned ahead of the rest of Victor's army. The Russians pushed the French back towards Victor's main lines.
When they reached Victor's main position, General Wittgenstein stopped his troops. He then ordered a strong artillery attack against the French. Marshal Victor seemed worried by the Russian success. He decided not to continue the fight. Instead, he pulled his troops back to Senno, which was about 25 miles away. The Russian army did not chase after them.
In this battle, the French lost about 1,200 soldiers. The Russians had fewer losses, with about 400 troops.
What Happened Next?
Even though the Russian victory at Chashniki wasn't a huge, decisive win, it was still bad news for Napoleon.
- French Goal Failed: Marshal Victor's main goal was to get back control of the Dvina Line. He failed to do this.
- Napoleon's Retreat in Danger: Victor's new position at Senno was close to where Napoleon planned to retreat from Moscow. This meant General Wittgenstein's army was now a threat to Napoleon's main army.
- Russian Armies Could Join Up: Wittgenstein's success made it more likely that his army could join forces with other Russian armies. If this happened, Napoleon's army could get trapped between three different Russian forces.
Also, because of his wins at Polotsk and Chashniki, Wittgenstein sent some troops to capture a large French supply base. This base was in Vitebsk. On November 7, after a short fight, the French soldiers in Vitebsk gave up. This meant a huge amount of food and war supplies fell into Russian hands.
Losing Vitebsk was a big problem for Napoleon. He had planned for his tired army to spend the winter there. He wanted his main army to join Victor's forces at Vitebsk. There, they would get new supplies before starting the fight again in the spring. But now, this plan was ruined.
When Napoleon heard about the Russian victory at Chashniki, he ordered Victor to attack Wittgenstein again. He wanted Victor to take back Polotsk. This led to another French defeat, the Battle of Smoliani, on November 14, 1812.
See also
