Battle of Vitebsk (1812) facts for kids
Quick facts for kids Battle of Vitebsk |
|||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Part of the French invasion of Russia | |||||||
 French infantry repulsing attacks from Russian cavalry at Vitebsk |
|||||||
|
|||||||
| Belligerents | |||||||
 French Empire |
 Russian Empire |
||||||
| Commanders and leaders | |||||||
| Napoleon I |
Pyotr Konovnitsyn von der Pahlen |
||||||
| Strength | |||||||
| 28,000 | 20,000 | ||||||
| Casualties and losses | |||||||
| 3,400 killed, wounded 300 captured |
2,700 killed, wounded 1,100 captured |
||||||
The Battle of Vitebsk was a fight that happened on July 26 and 27, 1812. It was part of Emperor Napoleon's big French invasion of Russia. In this battle, French forces led by Napoleon fought against Russian soldiers. The Russian forces were led by General Petr Konovnitsyn on the first day and General Peter von der Pahlen on the second.
Even though the French won the battle, the main goal for the Russians was to escape. They managed to retreat safely. Napoleon had hoped to trap the main Russian army at Vitebsk and force them into a huge battle. However, the Russian commander, General Michael Andreas Barclay de Tolly, decided to pull his army back. He wanted to join up with another Russian army further away.
Contents
Why the Battle of Vitebsk Happened
During the early part of his invasion of Russia, Emperor Napoleon wanted to win a quick, decisive battle. He hoped to defeat the main Russian army all at once. This would avoid a long and difficult war. So, in mid-July, he sent his troops towards Vitebsk. He aimed to surround the Russian army there.
Before Vitebsk, there was a smaller fight at Ostrovno on July 25. French forces tried to pin down a larger Russian group. The Russians had many casualties but managed to retreat in good order. They also caused losses for the French. Most importantly, they slowed the French down. This gave the Russian army time to gather its forces near Vitebsk.
The Russian army had been retreating for a month. Because of this, their soldiers were starting to lose hope. General Barclay de Tolly felt a lot of pressure to fight. He decided to make a stand at Vitebsk. However, Napoleon had more soldiers. Also, the Russian army's position was not very strong. This meant their chances of winning were quite low.
The Battle of Vitebsk: Two Days of Fighting
Day One: July 26, 1812
After the fight at Ostrovno, the Russian IV Corps moved back about 7 kilometers (4.3 miles). General Petr Konovnitsyn's 3rd Infantry Division took over as the rearguard. A rearguard is a group of soldiers who stay behind to protect the main army as it retreats. Konovnitsyn was very good at this job. He stopped all French attempts to move forward. He managed to delay them for an entire day. This meant the French could not reach the main Russian army on July 26.
That night, an aide from General Pyotr Bagration arrived at Barclay's headquarters. He brought bad news. Bagration's Second Army had been defeated three days earlier. This meant the two Russian armies could not easily meet up. There was a risk that Napoleon could get between them. If that happened, he might reach the important city of Smolensk first.
Because of this news, the Russians had to change their plans. They could no longer plan for a big battle. They needed to quickly break away from the French. Then, they had to move southeast to get closer to Bagration's army. Even with these serious concerns, Barclay still wanted to fight the next day. But his advisors convinced him to retreat. That night, Barclay ordered his army to pull back. However, the French were very close, making a retreat difficult.
Day Two: July 27, 1812
At dawn on July 27, Napoleon moved his troops forward. He was excited, thinking he finally faced the main Russian army ready to fight. But Napoleon didn't know that most of the Russian army was already preparing to leave. They had only left a rearguard behind. This rearguard was led by General Peter Graf von der Pahlen. Their job was to delay the French. This would allow the main Russian army to escape without trouble.
The battlefield at Vitebsk was a wide, flat plain. Only the Dvina River separated the French from the Russians. The Russians were on a slightly higher position on the eastern bank. Napoleon could see the church towers of Vitebsk from his spot. He watched his soldiers cross a small valley towards the enemy.
Napoleon only had two infantry divisions with him. These were from Viceroy Eugène's "Army of Italy." He knew the Russians had more soldiers, about 90,000 men. Some of his cavalry was also nearby. But these forces were not enough for a full battle. So, Napoleon planned to hold the Russians in place. He would wait for his own reinforcements to arrive.
The French 14th division moved forward first. They were suddenly attacked by Russian cavalry. General Pahlen first sent his elite Cossacks. Then, he sent most of his cavalry against the French soldiers. Pahlen's cavalry skillfully bothered the French infantry. They stopped them from moving forward. The Russian cavalry kept attacking for several hours. The French tried to push through, using their cannons. But without their own cavalry, they couldn't break the Russian lines.
A small group of 300 French soldiers, called voltigeurs, were caught in a bad spot. They were surrounded by many more Russian soldiers. But the French fought bravely. Soon, more French infantry arrived. Also, the main French cavalry corps showed up. This convinced Pahlen to pull his forces back across a small river. His main forces waited there, ready for more fighting.
Around 11:00 AM, Napoleon realized he didn't have enough troops for a long battle. He stopped the attack. His soldiers set up camp where they were. Napoleon himself went to check the situation. He was happy to see the Russians in battle positions. He thought this meant they were finally ready for a big fight. Napoleon made plans to continue the battle the next day. He also praised the brave French soldiers who had held their ground.
However, the Russians used this break to their advantage. They began to move out around 4:00 PM. They left behind small groups of Cossacks. These Cossacks kept campfires burning all night. This tricked the French into thinking the Russian army was still there.
What Happened After the Battle of Vitebsk
The Russian army successfully escaped from a dangerous situation. They quickly moved towards Smolensk. General Barclay planned to meet up with Bagration's Second Army there. This meeting later led to the Battle of Smolensk. For a while, Barclay worried that Napoleon might get to Smolensk before him. So, he ordered a very fast retreat. But the retreat was still done in perfect order.
Napoleon was actually not in a position to reach Smolensk before the Russians. His troops were tired and needed rest. Also, he didn't know which way the Russians had gone.
The Battle of Vitebsk was more of a rearguard action than a full battle. The number of French casualties (soldiers killed or wounded) is debated. Some estimates say 400 killed and 900 wounded. Others suggest 3,400 killed and wounded, plus 300 captured. The French lost a respected officer, Colonel Liédot, who was killed. Russian losses were about 3,000 soldiers killed and wounded. The Russians achieved their main goal: to delay the French and allow their army to retreat safely.
General Pahlen received high praise for his actions from General Barclay. Many historians from France see this battle as a missed chance for Napoleon. They believe he should have pushed Pahlen harder. This would have made the Russian retreat much more difficult. Napoleon assumed the Russians would fight the next day. So, he stopped his attack early. He didn't want to risk heavy losses against an enemy that seemed to outnumber his available forces.
See also
