Battle of Saltanovka facts for kids
Quick facts for kids Battle of Saltanovka |
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| Part of the French invasion of Russia | |||||||
 General Rayevski leading his men into combat at the battle of Saltanovka |
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| Belligerents | |||||||
 French Empire |
 Russian Empire |
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| Commanders and leaders | |||||||
| Louis-Nicolas Davout |
Pyotr Bagration Nikolay Raevsky |
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| Units involved | |||||||
| Elements of I Corps | VII Infantry Corps | ||||||
| Strength | |||||||
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21,500–28,000 men
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17,000–20,000 men 90 guns |
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| Casualties and losses | |||||||
| 1,200 killed, wounded and missing | 2,548 killed, wounded and missing | ||||||
The Battle of Saltanovka, also known as the Battle of Mogilev, was an important fight during the early stages of the 1812 French invasion of Russia. It took place on July 23, 1812, near the town of Mogilev in the Russian Empire. This battle was part of a larger plan by the French Emperor Napoleon to stop the Russian armies from joining forces.
Contents
Why Did the Battle Happen?
At the start of Napoleon's invasion, the Russian armies were trying to avoid being surrounded. One of these armies, the Second Western Army led by Prince Pyotr Bagration, was ordered to meet up with another Russian army, the First Western Army, near a city called Vitebsk.
To do this, Bagration's army needed to cross the Dnieper river at Mogilev. However, French Marshal Louis-Nicolas Davout and his troops moved faster. Davout's 28,000 soldiers captured Mogilev on July 20.
When the Russians arrived on July 21, their advance troops pushed back some of Davout's soldiers near a village called Dashkovka. This set the stage for the main battle.
Who Fought in the Battle?
The Russian Side
Prince Bagration had about 45,000 soldiers. But he only sent General Nikolay Raevsky and his 17,000 to 20,000 men from the VII Corps to attack Davout. Bagration wanted Raevsky to scout out the French strength.
Raevsky's mission was to either push the French out of Mogilev or at least delay them. This would give Bagration enough time to cross the Dnieper River safely south of Mogilev.
The French Side
Marshal Davout had between 21,500 and 28,000 soldiers ready for battle at Mogilev. This included about 22,000 infantry (foot soldiers) and 6,000 cavalry (soldiers on horseback). They also had 55 cannons.
Davout set up his defenses at Saltanovka, which was a naturally strong place.
- One side was protected by bogs (swampy land) near the Dnieper River.
- A stream ran through a deep ravine in front of his position.
- The village itself was surrounded by forests.
Davout also built earthworks (dirt walls) to make his lines stronger. He fortified buildings on the main road and placed his artillery (cannons) in good spots. A bridge at a nearby village called Fatova was also destroyed to slow down the Russians.
The Battle Begins
First Attacks
The fighting started at 7:00 AM on July 23. Russian Jäger (light infantry) battalions, led by Colonel Andre Glebov, attacked the French. They managed to capture a bridge on the French left side by 8:00 AM.
However, the French quickly fought back with their 85th Line Regiment and cannons. The Russian attack failed because the French had strong firepower. The Russian soldiers faced heavy fire and suffered many losses.
While this was happening, Bagration sent a new order to Raevsky: storm Mogilev!
Fighting for Fatova
General Ivan Paskevich led the 26th Infantry Division to attack Fatova. They pushed back some French soldiers, but Davout sent more troops and cannons to help. The French then pushed the Russians back.
Paskevich attacked again with 12 cannons, and his troops managed to capture Fatova. But Davout had set a trap. Four French battalions were hiding in the wheat fields behind the village. They launched a surprise attack, causing many losses for the Russians and forcing them to retreat. The French recaptured Fatova.
Paskevich attacked and captured the village a third time. Davout then brought in more soldiers from his reserve. All Russian attacks were pushed back. On the right side, two French battalions even crossed the stream, threatening to surround the Russian troops.
The Main Attack at Saltanovka
The main Russian effort was focused on Saltanovka itself. General Raevsky personally led the Smolensk Infantry Regiment to capture a dam and protect his main force. Other regiments and artillery were supposed to support this attack.
However, Raevsky made a mistake. He didn't hear the signal to advance, so his attack started too late. French cannons caused huge losses among Raevsky's soldiers. Raevsky bravely led a charge himself, even with his two young sons, Nikolai and Aleksandr, reportedly by his side (though Raevsky later said this wasn't true). But the attack still failed.
French prisoners told Raevsky that more French soldiers were on their way. Seeing this, Bagration ordered a full retreat back to Dashkovka. Davout tried to attack the Russian rearguard (the soldiers protecting the retreat) later that day, but he didn't achieve much more.
The famous writer Leo Tolstoy wrote about the storming of the dam in his book War And Peace.
What Happened After the Battle?
After the battle, the Russian Second Western Army built a new bridge south of Mogilev at Novy Bikhov. They crossed the Dnieper River and headed towards Smolensk.
The Battle of Saltanovka stopped Bagration from meeting up with the First Western Army at Vitebsk. This forced Bagration to retreat to Smolensk instead.
Even though the French won the battle, Bagration still achieved his main goal. He managed to join the main Russian forces later at Smolensk, avoiding Napoleon's plan to surround his army.
Casualties
The Russian army lost about 2,584 soldiers who were either killed or wounded. Marshal Davout, the French commander, claimed the Russians lost 1,200 dead and 4,000 wounded.
Davout officially reported that his own French forces had about 900 casualties (killed, wounded, or missing), including 100 prisoners. The Russians, however, claimed that the French lost 4,134 soldiers. Historians generally agree that the actual French losses were around 1,200.
See also
