Battle of Tarutino facts for kids
Quick facts for kids Battle of Tarutino |
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| Part of the French invasion of Russia | |||||||
 Battle of Tarutino, by Peter von Hess |
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| Belligerents | |||||||
 Russian Empire |
 French Empire Naples |
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| Commanders and leaders | |||||||
| Mikhail Kutuzov L. A. von Bennigsen |
Joachim Murat |
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| Strength | |||||||
| 90,000 in total 36,000 engaged |
20,000–26,000 | ||||||
| Casualties and losses | |||||||
| 1,200–1,500 killed, wounded, captured or missing | 2,000–4,500 killed, wounded, captured or missing 36–38 guns |
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The Battle of Tarutino (Russian: Тарутинское сражение) was an important fight during Napoleon's invasion of Russia in 1812. In this battle, Russian troops led by General Bennigsen defeated French forces. Bennigsen's troops were part of the main Russian army, commanded by General Kutuzov. The French troops were under the command of Joachim Murat.
This battle is sometimes called the Battle of Vinkovo (French: Bataille de Winkowo). It is also known as the Battle of the Chernishnya (Russian: Сражение у реки Чернишни). This last name comes from a local river. Many historians think "Chernishnya" is a better name. This is because the actual fighting happened about 8 kilometers (5 miles) away from the village of Tarutino.
Before the Battle
After the big and bloody Battle of Borodino, General Kutuzov knew his Russian army needed time to recover. He decided not to fight another major battle right away. Instead, he ordered his soldiers to retreat south of Moscow. This allowed them to get more soldiers and supplies.
First, the army moved southeast along the Ryazan road. Then, they crossed the Moskva River and turned west. They followed the Old Kaluga road. The army set up a camp in a village called Tarutino, which was near Kaluga.
At the same time, small groups of Cossacks kept moving along the Ryazan road. This tricked the French troops, led by General Murat. Murat thought the main Russian army was still going that way. When he realized his mistake, he didn't retreat. Instead, he set up his own camp close to Tarutino. He wanted to keep an eye on the Russian army. Meanwhile, Napoleon and his main army had occupied Moscow.
The Battle Begins
On October 18, 1812, General Kutuzov decided it was time to attack. He ordered Bennigsen and Miloradovich to lead the attack on Murat's French forces. Murat had about 20,000 soldiers. The plan was for the Russian troops to move secretly through a forest during the night.
Bennigsen's main attack force had three groups. These groups were led by Vasily Orlov-Denisov, Karl Gustav von Baggehufwudt, and Alexander Osterman-Tolstoy. Another group was meant to help from the side.
However, it was very dark, and most of the Russian troops got lost. By morning, only the Cossack soldiers, led by General Vasily Orlov-Denisov, reached their planned spot. They surprised the French troops with a sudden attack. The Cossacks managed to capture the French camp, along with their supplies and cannons.
French Fight Back
Because the other Russian groups were late, the French had time to get ready. When the rest of the Russian soldiers came out of the forest, the French started firing at them. The Russians suffered some losses. General Murat was forced to retreat to avoid being completely surrounded by the Russian army.
The French forces suffered heavy losses in this battle. They had more than 3,000 soldiers killed or wounded. The Russians also captured 12 cannons, 20 ammunition wagons, and 30 supply wagons. Two French generals were killed. The Russians lost about 500 soldiers.
What Happened Next
General Kutuzov's attack on Napoleon's army was a clear victory for the Russians. Just one day later, on October 19, 1812, Napoleon began his own retreat from Moscow. He started moving south, heading towards Kaluga.
The next major battle in this war was the Battle of Maloyaroslavets.
See also
