Battle of Ostrovno facts for kids

Quick facts for kids Battle of Ostrovno
Part of the French invasion of Russia
Battle of Ostrovno by Albrecht Adam
Date 25 July 1812 Location Astroŭna, Mogilev Governorate, Russian Empire 55°08′20″N 29°51′19″E / 55.1390°N 29.8554°E / 55.1390; 29.8554 Result French victory
Belligerents
Russian Empire	Kingdom of Naples French Empire
Commanders and leaders
A. Ostermann-Tolstoy	Joachim Murat Étienne de Nansouty
Strength
2 infantry divisions 1 cavalry 66 guns 14,000	1 infantry division 2 battalions 32 squadrons 23,000
Casualties and losses
2,500	3,000

The Battle of Ostrovno was a fight that happened on July 25, 1812. It was part of the French invasion of Russia. French forces, led by Joachim Murat, fought against Russian forces under General Alexander Ivanovich Ostermann-Tolstoy. The battle ended with the Russian forces leaving the area.

The Start of the Battle

In June 1812, Emperor Napoleon I began his invasion of Russia. His huge army, called the Grande Armée, tried to surround the Russian armies. Napoleon's first attempt near Vilna didn't work.

He then tried to surround the main Russian army near Vitebsk. As French troops moved towards Vitebsk, they met Russian forces. The first big fight happened on July 25 near Ostrovno. This town is about 30 kilometers (18 miles) west of Vitebsk.

Here, General Etienne de Nansouty's French cavalry met the Russian troops led by General Alexander Ivanovich Ostermann-Tolstoy.

The Battle Unfolds

On the morning of July 25, General Nansouty's troops started moving towards Ostrovno. Meanwhile, Murat, who was in charge of the French forces in this area, also headed towards Nansouty. He brought two battalions of infantry with him.

Behind Murat came more French troops, including a division led by General Delzons.

Before Murat arrived, Nansouty's men met the front part of the Russian army. This included two Russian divisions, some cavalry, and 66 cannons. Nansouty had his own cavalry divisions. Even though the Russians had more soldiers, Nansouty sent his cavalry forward.

They charged and pushed back the Russian front line. They captured 150 Russian soldiers and 8 cannons.

Soon, Murat arrived with more soldiers. He took charge of a group of heavy cavalry called cuirassiers. These soldiers wore metal chest armor. When Russian Dragoons (cavalry soldiers) attacked, the French cuirassiers charged back and pushed them away.

Murat realized his position was risky. He sent a message to General Delzons to hurry his troops to the battle. Both sides attacked each other several times. The French used their cavalry and infantry, but the Russians held their ground.

General Ostermann-Tolstoy, seeing he had more soldiers, tried to attack both sides of the French army. He wanted to trap them. But then, General Delzons' fresh French division arrived. Seeing these new troops, the Russian commander decided to stop his attack and pull back. Murat chose not to chase them because his forces were smaller.

What Happened After

The Russian forces decided to leave the battlefield. Murat claimed that the Russians lost many soldiers, but the actual numbers were lower. The Russian army likely lost about 2,500 soldiers who were killed or wounded.

The French army lost about 3,000 soldiers. One French general, General Roussel, was accidentally killed by a French guard during the fight. Napoleon called this battle a "vanguard action," meaning it was a fight between the front parts of the armies.

See also

• List of battles of the French invasion of Russia