Borodino
7 September 1812
Documentary
on the battle
Russia's
armies had led the French Grande Armee on a merry dance
during its invasion of
his homeland but, fewer than 120 kilometres from Moscow,
the new commander General
Mikhail Kutusov turned and got ready to fight at Borodino.
The
ground he chose was excellent for defence, but he added
to its strength by building centrally placed earthen redoubts
and arrow-head shaped fleches.
These
positions were garrisoned with some of the 640 cannons available
to him and Kutusov and his 120,000 men settled in to await
the French.
Napoleon Bonaparte arrived
with more men (133,000) but fewer guns (587) and while Marshal
Davout urged him to send in a strong flanking attack,
he ignored the good advice and instead embarked upon one
of the most bloody frontal assaults of the era.
The
emperor's plan was to smash the Russians in one great battle
and so he threw his men at them with little tactical thought.
Initially
the attack went well, but as more Russian reserves were
committed the French found themselves in a bloody battle
of attrition.
Late
in the morning, a bold attack by Marshal
Murat's cavalry overwhelmed the fleches and around 2pm
a joint assault by infantry and cavalry finally seized but
the crucial Raevski Redoubt, but lacking reinforcements
Prince Eugene de Beauharnais' men could not exploit their
success.
Meanwhile, the Russians were moving to counterattack in
the centre, but the Guard infantry was pounded out of the
action by massed artillery.
Exhaustion
led to both sides winding down their efforts by 5pm and
the Russians retreated during the night having suffered
44,000 casualties.
The French had 33,000 men killed and wounded but were only
days off capturing the enemy capital.
Ahead
lay that achievement and a horrendous retreat from Russia
that would kill most of them.
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