Information about the Battle of Borodino in 1812. The stages and course of the Borodino battle briefly. Prologue of the Battle of Borodino

The main battle of the Patriotic War of 1812 between the Russian army under the command of General M.I. Kutuzov and the French army of Napoleon I Bonaparte took place on August 26 (September 7) near the village of Borodino near Mozhaisk, 125 km west of Moscow.

It is considered the bloodiest one-day battle in history.

About 300 thousand people with 1,200 artillery pieces took part in this grandiose battle on both sides. At the same time, the French army had a significant numerical superiority - 130-135 thousand people against 103 thousand people in the Russian regular troops.

Prehistory

“In five years I will be the master of the world. There is only Russia left, but I will crush it.”- with these words, Napoleon and his 600,000-strong army crossed the Russian border.

Since the beginning of the invasion of the French army into the territory of the Russian Empire in June 1812, Russian troops have been constantly retreating. The rapid advance and overwhelming numerical superiority of the French made it impossible for the commander-in-chief of the Russian army, General of Infantry Barclay de Tolly, to prepare troops for battle. The prolonged retreat caused public discontent, so Emperor Alexander I dismissed Barclay de Tolly and appointed Infantry General Kutuzov as commander-in-chief.

However, the new commander-in-chief chose the path of retreat. The strategy chosen by Kutuzov was based, on the one hand, on exhausting the enemy, on the other, on waiting for reinforcements sufficient for a decisive battle with Napoleon’s army.

On August 22 (September 3), the Russian army, retreating from Smolensk, settled down near the village of Borodino, 125 km from Moscow, where Kutuzov decided to give a general battle; it was impossible to postpone it further, since Emperor Alexander demanded that Kutuzov stop the advance of Emperor Napoleon towards Moscow.

The idea of the commander-in-chief of the Russian army, Kutuzov, was to inflict as many losses as possible on the French troops through active defense, change the balance of forces, preserve Russian troops for further battles and for the complete defeat of the French army. In accordance with this plan, the battle formation of the Russian troops was built.

The battle formation of the Russian army was composed of three lines: the first contained infantry corps, the second - cavalry, and the third - reserves. The army's artillery was evenly distributed throughout the position.

The position of the Russian army on the Borodino field was about 8 km long and looked like a straight line running from the Shevardinsky redoubt on the left flank through the large battery on Red Hill, later called the Raevsky battery, the village of Borodino in the center, to the village of Maslovo on the right flank.

The right flank formed 1st Army of General Barclay de Tolly consisting of 3 infantry, 3 cavalry corps and reserves (76 thousand people, 480 guns), the front of his position was covered by the Kolocha River. The left flank was formed by a smaller number 2nd Army of General Bagration (34 thousand people, 156 guns). In addition, the left flank did not have such strong natural obstacles in front of the front as the right. The center (the height near the village of Gorki and the space up to the Raevsky battery) was occupied by the VI Infantry and III Cavalry Corps under the general command Dokhturova. A total of 13,600 men and 86 guns.

Shevardinsky battle

The prologue to the Battle of Borodino was battle for the Shevardinsky redoubt on August 24 (September 5).

Here the day before a pentagonal redoubt had been erected, which initially served as part of the position of the Russian left flank, and after the left flank was pushed back, it became a separate forward position. Napoleon ordered an attack on the Shevardin position - the redoubt prevented the French army from turning around.

To gain time for engineering work, Kutuzov ordered the enemy to be detained near the village of Shevardino.

The redoubt and the approaches to it were defended by the legendary 27th Neverovsky Division. Shevardino was defended by Russian troops consisting of 8,000 infantry, 4,000 cavalry with 36 guns.

French infantry and cavalry totaling over 40,000 people attacked the defenders of Shevardin.

On the morning of August 24, when the Russian position on the left was not yet equipped, the French approached it. Before the French advanced units had time to approach the village of Valuevo, Russian rangers opened fire on them.

A fierce battle broke out near the village of Shevardino. During it, it became clear that the enemy was going to deliver the main blow to the left flank of the Russian troops, which was defended by the 2nd Army under the command of Bagration.

During the stubborn battle, the Shevardinsky redoubt was almost completely destroyed.

Napoleon's Grand Army lost about 5,000 people in the Battle of Shevardin, and the Russian army suffered approximately the same losses.

The Battle of the Shevardinsky Redoubt delayed the French troops and gave the Russian troops the opportunity to gain time to complete defensive work and build fortifications on the main positions. The Shevardino battle also made it possible to clarify the grouping of forces of the French troops and the direction of their main attack.

It was established that the main enemy forces were concentrating in the Shevardin area against the center and left flank of the Russian army. On the same day, Kutuzov sent Tuchkov’s 3rd Corps to the left flank, secretly positioning it in the Utitsa area. And in the area of the Bagration flushes, a reliable defense was created. The 2nd Free Grenadier Division of General M. S. Vorontsov occupied the fortifications directly, and the 27th Infantry Division of General D. P. Neverovsky stood in the second line behind the fortifications.

Battle of Borodino

On the eve of the great battle

25-th of August There were no active hostilities in the Borodino field area. Both armies were preparing for a decisive, general battle, conducting reconnaissance and building field fortifications. On a small hill to the southwest of the village of Semenovskoye, three fortifications were built, called “Bagration’s flushes”.

According to ancient tradition, the Russian army prepared for a decisive battle as if it were a holiday. The soldiers washed, shaved, put on clean linen, confessed, etc.

Emperor Napoleon Bonoparte on August 25 (September 6) personally reconnoitered the area of the future battle and, having discovered the weakness of the left flank of the Russian army, decided to strike the main blow against it. Accordingly, he developed a battle plan. First of all, the task was to capture the left bank of the Kolocha River, for which it was necessary to capture Borodino. This maneuver, according to Napoleon, was supposed to divert the attention of the Russians from the direction of the main attack. Then transfer the main forces of the French army to the right bank of the Kolocha and, relying on Borodino, which has become like an axis of approach, push Kutuzov’s army with the right wing into the corner formed by the confluence of the Kolocha with the Moscow River and destroy it.

To accomplish the task, Napoleon began to concentrate his main forces (up to 95 thousand) in the area of the Shevardinsky redoubt on the evening of August 25 (September 6). The total number of French troops in front of the 2nd Army front reached 115 thousand.

Thus, Napoleon's plan pursued the decisive goal of destroying the entire Russian army in a general battle. Napoleon had no doubt about victory, the confidence of which he expressed in words at sunrise on August 26 """This is the sun of Austerlitz""!"

On the eve of the battle, Napoleon's famous order was read to the French soldiers: “Warriors! This is the battle you so desired. Victory depends on you. We need it; she will give us everything we need, comfortable apartments and a quick return to our homeland. Act as you acted at Austerlitz, Friedland, Vitebsk and Smolensk. May later posterity proudly remember your exploits to this day. Let it be said about each of you: he was in the great battle near Moscow!”

The Great Battle Begins

M.I. Kutuzov at the command post on the day of the Battle of Borodino

The Battle of Borodino began at 5 a.m., on the day of the Vladimir Icon of the Mother of God, on the day when Russia celebrates the salvation of Moscow from the invasion of Tamerlane in 1395.

The decisive battles took place over Bagration's flushes and Raevsky's battery, which the French managed to capture at the cost of heavy losses.

Battle scheme

Bagration's flushes

At 5:30 am on August 26 (September 7), 1812 More than 100 French guns began shelling the positions of the left flank. Napoleon unleashed the main blow on the left flank, trying from the very beginning of the battle to turn the tide in his favor.

At 6 o'clock in the morning after a short cannonade, the French began an attack on Bagration's flushes ( flushes called field fortifications, which consisted of two faces 20-30 m long each at an acute angle, the corner with its apex facing the enemy). But they came under grapeshot fire and were driven back by a flank attack by the rangers.

Averyanov. Battle for Bagration's flushes

At 8 o'clock in the morning The French repeated the attack and captured the southern flush.
For the 3rd attack, Napoleon strengthened the attacking forces with 3 more infantry divisions, 3 cavalry corps (up to 35,000 people) and artillery, bringing its number to 160 guns. They were opposed by about 20,000 Russian troops with 108 guns.

Evgeny Korneev. Cuirassiers of His Majesty. Battle of the brigade of Major General N. M. Borozdin

After strong artillery preparation, the French managed to break into the southern flush and into the gaps between the flushes. Around 10 o'clock in the morning the flushes were captured by the French.

Then Bagration led a general counterattack, as a result of which the flushes were repulsed and the French were thrown back to their original line.

By 10 o'clock in the morning the entire field above Borodino was already covered with thick smoke.

IN 11 o'clock in the morning Napoleon threw about 45 thousand infantry and cavalry, and almost 400 guns into the new 4th attack against the flushes. The Russian troops had about 300 guns, and were 2 times inferior in number to the enemy. As a result of this attack, the 2nd Combined Grenadier Division of M.S. Vorontsov, which took part in the Battle of Shevardin and withstood the 3rd attack on the flushes, retained about 300 people out of 4,000.

Then within an hour there were 3 more attacks from French troops, which were repulsed.

At 12 noon , during the 8th attack, Bagration, seeing that the artillery of the flushes could not stop the movement of the French columns, led a general counterattack of the left wing, the total number of troops of which was approximately only 20 thousand people against 40 thousand from the enemy. A brutal hand-to-hand battle ensued, which lasted about an hour. During this time, the masses of French troops were thrown back to the Utitsky forest and were on the verge of defeat. The advantage leaned towards the side of the Russian troops, but during the transition to a counterattack, Bagration, wounded by a fragment of a cannonball in the thigh, fell from his horse and was taken from the battlefield. The news of Bagration's injury instantly spread through the ranks of the Russian troops and undermined the morale of the Russian soldiers. Russian troops began to retreat. ( Note Bagration died of blood poisoning on September 12 (25), 1812)

After this, General D.S. took command of the left flank. Dokhturov. The French troops were bled dry and unable to attack. The Russian troops were greatly weakened, but they retained their combat effectiveness, which was revealed during the repulsion of an attack by fresh French forces on Semyonovskoye.

In total, about 60,000 French troops took part in the battles for the flushes, of which about 30,000 were lost, about half in the 8th attack.

The French fought fiercely in the battles for the flushes, but all their attacks, except the last one, were repelled by the significantly smaller Russian forces. By concentrating forces on the right flank, Napoleon ensured a 2-3-fold numerical superiority in the battles for flushes, thanks to which, and also due to the wounding of Bagration, the French still managed to push the left wing of the Russian army to a distance of about 1 km. This success did not lead to the decisive result that Napoleon had hoped for.

The direction of the main attack of the “Great Army” shifted from the left flank to the center of the Russian line, to the Kurgan Battery.

Battery Raevsky

The last battles of the Borodino battle in the evening took place at the battery of the Raevsky and Utitsky mounds.

The high mound, located in the center of the Russian position, dominated the surrounding area. A battery was installed on it, which at the beginning of the battle had 18 guns. The defense of the battery was entrusted to the 7th Infantry Corps under Lieutenant General N.N. Raevsky, consisting of 11 thousand bayonets.

At about 9 o'clock in the morning, in the midst of the battle for Bagration's flushes, the French launched their first attack on Raevsky's battery.A bloody battle took place at the battery.

The losses on both sides were enormous. A number of units on both sides lost most of their personnel. General Raevsky's corps lost over 6 thousand people. And, for example, the French infantry regiment Bonami retained 300 out of 4,100 people in its ranks after the battle for Raevsky’s battery. For these losses, Raevsky’s battery received the nickname “the grave of the French cavalry” from the French. At the cost of huge losses (the commander of the French cavalry, the general and his comrades fell at Kurgan Heights), French troops stormed Raevsky's battery at 4 o'clock in the afternoon.

However, the capture of Kurgan Heights did not lead to a decrease in the stability of the Russian center. The same applies to flushes, which were only defensive structures of the position of the left flank of the Russian army.

End of the battle

Vereshchagin. The end of the Battle of Borodino

After the French troops occupied the Raevsky battery, the battle began to subside. On the left flank, the French carried out ineffective attacks against Dokhturov's 2nd Army. In the center and on the right flank, matters were limited to artillery fire until 7 p.m.

V.V. Vereshchagina. The end of the Battle of Borodino

On the evening of August 26, at 18 o'clock, the Battle of Borodino ended. The attacks stopped along the entire front. Until nightfall, only artillery fire and rifle fire continued in the advanced Jaeger chains.

Results of the Battle of Borodino

What were the results of this bloodiest of battles? Very sad for Napoleon, because there was no victory here, which all those close to him had been waiting in vain for the whole day. Napoleon was disappointed with the results of the battle: the “Great Army” was able to force the Russian troops on the left flank and center to retreat only 1-1.5 km. The Russian army maintained the integrity of the position and its communications, repelled many French attacks, and itself counterattacked. The artillery duel, for all its duration and fierceness, did not give advantages to either the French or the Russians. French troops captured the main strongholds of the Russian army - the Raevsky battery and the Semyonov flushes. But the fortifications on them were almost completely destroyed, and by the end of the battle Napoleon ordered them to be abandoned and the troops to be withdrawn to their original positions. Few prisoners were captured (as well as guns); Russian soldiers took with them most of their wounded comrades. The general battle turned out to be not a new Austerlitz, but a bloody battle with unclear results.

Perhaps, in tactical terms, the Battle of Borodino was another victory for Napoleon - he forced the Russian army to retreat and give up Moscow. However, in strategic terms, it was a victory for Kutuzov and the Russian army. A radical change occurred in the campaign of 1812. The Russian army survived the battle with the strongest enemy and its fighting spirit only grew stronger. Soon its numbers and material resources will be restored. Napoleon's army lost heart, lost the ability to win, the aura of invincibility. Further events will only confirm the correctness of the words of the military theorist Carl Clausewitz, who noted that “victory lies not simply in capturing the battlefield, but in the physical and moral defeat of the enemy forces.”

Later, while in exile, the defeated French Emperor Napoleon admitted: “Of all my battles, the most terrible was the one I fought near Moscow. The French showed themselves worthy of winning, and the Russians showed themselves worthy of being called invincible.”

The number of losses of the Russian army in the Battle of Borodino amounted to 44-45 thousand people. The French, according to some estimates, lost about 40-60 thousand people. The losses in the command staff were especially severe: in the Russian army 4 generals were killed and mortally wounded, 23 generals were wounded and shell-shocked; In the Great Army, 12 generals were killed and died of wounds, one marshal and 38 generals were wounded.

The Battle of Borodino is one of the bloodiest battles of the 19th century and the bloodiest of all that came before it. Conservative estimates of total casualties indicate that 2,500 people died on the field every hour. It is no coincidence that Napoleon called the Battle of Borodino his greatest battle, although its results were more than modest for a great commander accustomed to victories.

The main achievement of the general battle of Borodino was that Napoleon failed to defeat the Russian army. But first of all, the Borodino field became the cemetery of the French dream, that selfless faith of the French people in the star of their emperor, in his personal genius, which lay at the basis of all the achievements of the French Empire.

On October 3, 1812, the English newspapers The Courier and The Times published a report from the English Ambassador Katkar from St. Petersburg, in which he reported that the armies of His Imperial Majesty Alexander I had won the most stubborn battle of Borodino. During October, The Times wrote about the Battle of Borodino eight times, calling the day of the battle "a grand memorable day in Russian history" and "Bonaparte's fatal battle." The British ambassador and the press did not consider the retreat after the battle and the abandonment of Moscow as a result of the battle, understanding the influence on these events of the unfavorable strategic situation for Russia.

For Borodino, Kutuzov received the rank of field marshal and 100 thousand rubles. The tsar granted Bagration 50 thousand rubles. For participation in the Battle of Borodino, each soldier was given 5 silver rubles.

The significance of the Battle of Borodino in the minds of the Russian people

The Battle of Borodino continues to occupy an important place in the historical consciousness of very broad layers of Russian society. Today, along with similar great pages of Russian history, it is being falsified by the camp of Russophobic-minded figures who position themselves as “historians.” By distorting reality and forgeries in custom-made publications, at any cost, regardless of reality, they are trying to convey to wide circles the idea of a tactical victory for the French with fewer losses and that the Battle of Borodino was not a triumph of Russian weapons.This happens because the Battle of Borodino, as an event in which the strength of spirit of the Russian people was manifested, is one of the cornerstones that build Russia in the consciousness of modern society as a great power. Throughout the modern history of Russia, Russophobic propaganda has been loosening these bricks.

Material prepared by Sergey Shulyak

Anniversary of the Battle of Borodino

The date of the Battle of Borodino, August 26, 1812 according to the old style or September 7 (8) according to the new style, will forever remain in history as the day of one of the greatest victories of Russian weapons. It's Russia's Military Glory Day!

The reasons for the battle near Borodino are quite varied. General Mikhail Illarionovich Golenishchev-Kutuzov, appointed commander of the Russian troops, avoided, as far as possible, the battle planned by Napoleon Bonaparte in conditions unfavorable for the Russian army. The reason for this reluctance to give a general battle was the serious superiority of Bonaparte's army in numbers and experience in military operations. Systematically retreating deeper into the country, Kutuzov forced the French to disperse their forces, which contributed to the reduction of Napoleon's Grand Army. However, a retreat to Moscow could seriously undermine the already low morale of Russian soldiers and provoke disapproval in society.

For Bonaparte, it was important to quickly capture key Russian positions as quickly as possible, but at the same time maintain the combat effectiveness of his own army.

Understanding the seriousness of the task and the danger of Napoleon as a commander, Kutuzov carefully chose the location of the battle. And, as a result, he stationed the army on lands near the village of Borodino. This area, covered with a large number of ravines, streams and rivulets, minimized the numerical superiority of the French army and the significant superiority of artillery. In addition, it greatly complicated the possibility of detours and made it possible to block all roads leading to Moscow (Gzhatsky tract, Old and New Smolensk roads).

Kutuzov, when planning the Battle of Borodino, placed the main emphasis on the tactics of wearing out the enemy, and he attached great importance to the reliability of the hastily built fortifications.

Even a brief summary of the Battle of Borodino will take a lot of time. It became the most cruel and bloody in the 19th century. Defeat meant complete capitulation for Russia, and for Napoleon it meant a grueling and long military campaign.
The Battle of Borodino began with French artillery, which opened fire along the entire front at about 6 o'clock in the morning. At the same time, French columns began to take up positions for attack.
The Life Guards Jaeger Regiment was the first to be attacked. And the French immediately encountered stubborn resistance, but, nevertheless, the regiment was forced to surrender its positions and retreat beyond the Koloch River.

Bagration's flushes located on the left flank were occupied by artillery and the 2nd consolidated division of Major General Vorontsov. Chains of rangers were posted in front; the rangers of Prince Shakhovsky covered the fleshes from the bypass. Neverovsky's division, also a major general, was stationed behind. The Semenovsky Heights were occupied by the division of Major General Duka. From the French side, the attack on this sector was carried out by troops of the corps of General Junot, Marshals Murat (cavalry), Davout, and Ney. Their total number reached 115 thousand soldiers.

The flush attacks launched by the French at 6 and 7 a.m. were repulsed. Moreover, the battle in this area was incredibly intense. During the Battle of Borodino, a third attack was launched. Bagration's flushes were reinforced by the Lithuanian and Izmailovsky regiments, the division of Major General Konovnitsyn and cavalry units (1st Cuirassier Division and 3rd Cavalry Corps). But the French, preparing a massive offensive, concentrated considerable forces, including 160 guns. The 3rd attack, launched at about 8 a.m. and the subsequent 4th attack, launched at 9 a.m., also failed. During the 4th attack, Napoleon managed to briefly occupy the flushes, but the French were knocked out of their positions. The dead and wounded soldiers left on the battlefield presented a terrible picture. Further attacks, as well as attempts to bypass the already dilapidated flushes, were unsuccessful.

Only when holding these fortifications ceased to be advisable did the Russian troops, under the command of Konovnitsyn, retreat to Semenovskoye, where a new line of defense was occupied - the Semenovsky ravine. The troops of Murat and Davout were already exhausted, but Napoleon did not take the risk and refused their request to bring the Old Guard, the French reserve, into battle. Even a later attack by heavy cavalry under the command of Nansouty was unsuccessful.
The situation in other directions was also difficult. The Battle of Borodino was still far from over. While the battle for the capture of flushes was going on, the French attacked the Kurgan Heights with the Raevsky battery located on it, one of the many heroes who showed unprecedented courage to defend their homeland. Despite attacks from superior forces under the command of Eugene Beauharnais, Napoleon's stepson, the battery was able to hold the height until reinforcements arrived, and then forced the French troops to retreat.
A description of the Battle of Borodino would not be complete without mentioning the detachment of Lieutenant General Tuchkov, who prevented the Polish units of the Poniatovsky detachment from bypassing the left flank of the Russians. He, having taken positions on the Utitsky Kurgan, covered the Old Smolensk Road. During the battles for this height, Tuchkov was mortally wounded. Polish troops were unable to take the mound during the day. In the evening they were forced to retreat beyond the village of Utitskoye and take a defensive position.

On the right flank events developed just as intensely. Ataman Platonov and Lieutenant General Uvarov at approximately 10 a.m. carried out a diversionary cavalry raid deep into the Great Army, which helped relieve pressure on the Russian defense along the entire front. Ataman Platonov, having reached the rear of the French to the village of Valuevo, forced the French emperor to temporarily suspend the offensive in the center, which gave a respite to the Russian troops. Uvarov's corps operated no less successfully in the area of the village of Bezzubovo.
The actions of the Russian and French troops can be more clearly imagined using the diagram of the Battle of Borodino. From 6 pm the battle gradually began to calm down. The last attempt to bypass the Russian positions was made at 9 pm. But, in the Utitsky forest, the French were met by riflemen from the Life Guards of the Finnish Regiment. Realizing that it would not be possible to break the resistance of Kutuzov’s troops, Napoleon ordered to abandon all captured fortifications and retreat to their original positions. The bloody Battle of Borodino lasted more than 12 hours.

The losses in the Battle of Borodino are enormous. Napoleon's Grand Army lost about 59 thousand wounded, missing and killed, among them 47 generals. The Russian army under the command of Kutuzov lost 39 thousand soldiers, including 29 generals.
The results of the Battle of Borodino, surprisingly, still cause serious controversy. The fact is that both Napoleon Bonaparte and Kutuzov officially declared their victory. But answering the question of who won the Battle of Borodino is not difficult. Kutuzov, despite the huge losses and subsequent retreat, considered the Battle of Borodino an undoubted success of Russian weapons, largely achieved thanks to the resilience and unparalleled personal courage of soldiers and officers. History has preserved the names of many heroes of the Battle of Borodino in 1812. These are Raevsky, Barclay de Tolly, Bagration, Davydov, Tuchkov, Tolstoy and many others.
Napoleon's army suffered huge irreparable losses without achieving any of the goals set by the Emperor of France. The future of the Russian company became very doubtful, the morale of the Grand Army fell. This was the outcome of the battle for Bonaparte.

The Russian historian Mikhnevich reported the following review of Emperor Napoleon about the battle:
“Of all my battles, the most terrible is the one I fought near Moscow. The French showed themselves worthy of victory, and the Russians acquired the right to be invincible... Of the fifty battles I gave, in the battle of Moscow the French showed the most valor and achieved the least success.”

After the enemy captured Smolensk on August 6, a general battle seemed inevitable. Commander-in-Chief Barclay de Tolly no longer tried to avoid him, and all movements of the army from that moment were aimed at finding a convenient position for battle.

On August 17 (29), 1812, both Russian armies (Barclay and Bagration) arrived at Tsarev-Zaimishch, where Barclay decided to stop. On the same day, a new commander-in-chief, Prince Golenishchev-Kutuzov, arrived to the army. He understood the benefits of avoiding a decisive battle, so that, by dragging the French deeper into the country, he could weaken their strength, but, yielding to the public mood, he still decided to take the fight. Kutuzov recognized the position at Tsarev-Zaimishche as inconvenient and on August 22 withdrew his troops to the village of Borodino.

Battle of Borodino. Video

Two days later, Napoleon attacked the Shevardinsky redoubt, which constituted the forward position, and on August 26, 1812, the main position at Borodino. This position stretched from the Moscow River to the village of Utitsa for 7 miles. The Kolocha River flowed in front of the right flank, while the left was completely open. In the center lay the height on which Raevsky’s battery was built; to the south, near the village of Semenovskaya, 3 small fortifications were built (Bagration's flashes). Barclay’s First Army was located on the right flank and in the center of the position up to Raevsky’s battery, and Bagration’s Second Army was located on the left flank. After the Battle of Shevardin, Tuchkov’s corps from the First Army was transferred to the extreme left flank to Utitsa. The 5th Corps of Grand Duke Konstantin Pavlovich constituted the general reserve, and the village of Psarevo had an artillery reserve (about 300 guns).

On August 26 at 6 o'clock in the morning the cannonade began. In the Battle of Borodino, the French attacked almost simultaneously at three points: 1) the troops of Viceroy Eugene Beauharnais quickly attacked Borodino, knocked out the guards rangers from it and crossed the Kolocha River, but there two regiments from Dokhturov’s corps overturned them and destroyed the bridges across Kolocha; 2) Davout with three divisions moved to the Semenov fortifications, but was upset by the strong fire of the Russian batteries; 3) Poniatowski began his actions on the old Smolensk road against the left flank, but managed to advance only to the village of Utitsa. At 7 o'clock Ney's corps moved forward to join Davout's left flank. Behind him was Junot's corps, and Davout's troops were followed by three reserve cavalry corps. Thus, eight infantry divisions and three cavalry corps were preparing to attack one point occupied by the 6th battalions of the combined grenadier division of Count Vorontsov, behind which was another 27th infantry division of Neverovsky.

Despite the terrible fire, the French reached the Semenov fortifications and captured them, destroying Vorontsov’s division. Soon the 27th Infantry Division and Konovnitsyn's division sent by Tuchkov arrived. The fortifications changed hands twice. Their main defender, Bagration, was wounded, and the Russian troops retreated beyond the ravine near the village of Semenovskaya. Having captured the fortifications, the French tried to shoot down our troops positioned behind the ravine, but a number of attacks by Murat’s cavalry were repulsed by volleys from the Izmailovsky and Lithuanian Guards regiments.

At about 11 o'clock they moved within a cannon shot of the ravine. The French, having occupied Semenovskaya, opened strong cannon fire on the Russian troops fighting in the center near the Raevsky battery. Viceroy Eugene crossed the Kolocha River somewhat higher than Borodino and moved his corps to Raevsky’s battery. There were 8 battalions here that successfully repelled the attack. But during the second attack, the Russians did not have enough charges, and the artillery weakened its fire at the decisive moment. Thanks to this, the French captured Raevsky's battery and broke through the center of the Russian army. However, the chief of staff of the 1st Army, Ermolov, with the first battalion he came across, rushed to the lost battery, and it again found itself in Russian hands.

At 1 o'clock in the afternoon, Napoleon decided to strike the final blow in the direction of Raevsky's battery, but an unexpected attack by Platov's Cossacks and Uvarov's cavalry corps on the French left flank slowed down the attack of the battery until 2 o'clock in the afternoon, thanks to which the Russian troops managed to settle in and receive reinforcements. By 3 o'clock in the afternoon, after a stubborn battle, Raevsky's battery fell to the French. Then a large cavalry battle broke out south of the battery, under the cover of which the Russians retreated.

The Battle of Borodino at its different stages. Plan

At 4 o'clock Napoleon himself arrived at the Semenovsky Heights. The order in which the Russians retreated showed him that the Battle of Borodino was far from being decided. He did not dare to bring his last reserve, the guard, into battle; however, the other corps became so exhausted that they could no longer continue the attacks. Having deployed up to 400 guns on occupied heights, the French limited themselves to cannonade, which lasted until 9 pm. By nightfall they retreated back to their previous places, leaving only forward posts on the heights.

None of the battles of those times can compare with Borodino either in the ferocity and tenacity of the battle, or in mutual losses, which reached up to a third of the fighting troops. The Battle of Borodino did not change the course of the war: Napoleon’s movement to Moscow continued. But this battle still gave the Russians significant benefits: the French army, frustrated and weakened by the losses it had suffered, could no longer replenish them, while the Russian troops were only approaching their reinforcements. Napoleon, who dreamed of ending the war with one blow, became convinced that it had only just begun with this battle. The tenacity with which the Russians defended every step showed the French what they had to expect ahead, and instilled in their army such despondency as usually only resulted from complete defeat.

Near the village of Semenovskaya, where Major General Tuchkov 4th fell, his widow built a church in the name of the Image Not Made by Hands and founded a convent with it. Before the revolution of 1917, every year on August 25, a religious procession was held from the village of Borodino to this church, where a memorial service was held in memory of the Russian soldiers who died in the Battle of Borodino. The tsarist government erected a monument on the site of Raevsky's battery.

Each of us still remembers the lines of this wonderful poem by Lermontov, memorized at school: “It’s not for nothing that all of Russia remembers Borodin’s Day!” But what kind of day was it? What happened on this day near the village of Borodino, which is located 125 kilometers from Moscow? And most importantly, who ultimately won the Battle of Borodino? You will learn about this and more right now.

Prologue of the Battle of Borodino

Napoleon invaded Russia with large forces - 600 thousand troops. The commander-in-chief of our army, Barclay, avoided decisive battles because he believed that Russian forces were not yet enough. Under pressure from the patriotic mood in society, the tsar removed Barclay and installed Kutuzov, who, however, was forced to continue the strategy of his predecessor.

But social pressure increased, and Kutuzov finally decided to give the French battle. He himself determined the location of the battle with Napoleon - Borodino Field.

The location was strategically advantageous:

The most important road to Moscow passed through the Borodino field.
On the field there was Kurgan Height (Raevsky’s battery was located on it).
Above the field rose a hill near the village of Shevardino (the Shevardinsky redoubt was located on it) and the Utitsky mound.
The field was crossed by the Kolocha River.

Preparation for the Battle of Borodino

On August 24, 1812, Napoleon and his army approached the Russian troops and immediately identified the weak points of their position. There were no fortifications behind the Shevardinsky redoubt; this was fraught with the danger of a breakthrough to the left flank and general defeat. Two days later, this redoubt was attacked by 35 thousand French, and defended by 12 thousand Russian soldiers under the command of Gorchakov.

About 200 guns fired at the fortifications, the French constantly attacked, but were unable to take the redoubts. Napoleon chose the following battle plan: attack the left flank - the Semyonov flushes (built behind the Shevardinsky redoubts at the last moment), break through them, push the Russians back to the river and defeat them.

All this was to be accompanied by additional attacks on the Kurgan Heights and the offensive of Poniatowski’s troops on the Utitsa Heights.

The experienced Kutuzov foresaw this enemy plan. On the right he placed Barclay's army. Raevsky's corps was placed on Kurgan Heights. The defense of the left flank was under the control of Bagration's army. Tuchkov's corps was stationed near the Utitsky mound to cover the road to Mozhaisk and Moscow. However, the most important thing: Kutuzov left a huge reserve in reserve in case of unexpected changes in the situation.

Beginning of the Battle of Borodino

On August 26, the battle began. First, the opponents spoke to each other in the language of guns. Later, the Beauharnais corps unexpectedly invaded Borodino and from its location organized a massive shelling of the right flank. But the Russians were able to set fire to the bridge over Kolocha, which prevented the French advance.

At the same time, Marshal Davout's troops attacked Bagration's flashes. However, here too the Russian artillery was accurate and stopped the enemy. Davout gathered his strength and attacked a second time. And this attack was repulsed by the infantrymen of General Neverovsky.

In this case, Napoleon, enraged by the failure, sent his main striking force to suppress Bagration’s flushes: the corps of Ney and Zhenya with the support of Murat’s cavalry. Such a force managed to push through Bagration’s flushes.

Concerned by this fact, Kutuzov sent reserves there and the original situation was restored. At the same time, Poniatowski’s French units set out and attacked the Russian troops near the Utitsky Kurgan with the goal of getting behind Kutuzov’s rear.

Poniatowski managed to complete this task. Kutuzov had to weaken the right flank by transferring Baggovut’s units from it to the Old Smolensk Road, which were stopped by Poniatovsky’s troops.

At the same time, Raevsky’s battery passed from hand to hand. At the cost of enormous efforts, the battery was saved. Around noon, seven French attacks were repulsed. Napoleon concentrated large forces at the flushes and threw them into the eighth attack. Suddenly Bagration was wounded, and his units began to retreat.

Kutuzov sent reinforcements to the flushes - the Platov Cossacks and Uvarov’s cavalry, which appeared on the French flank. The French attacks stopped due to the onset of panic. Until the evening, the French attacked and captured all Russian positions, but the cost of losses was so high that Napoleon ordered a halt to further offensive actions.

Who won the Battle of Borodino?

The question arises about the winner. Napoleon declared himself such. Yes, it seems he captured all the Russian fortifications on the Borodino field. But he did not achieve the main goal - he did not defeat the Russian army. Although she suffered heavy losses, she still remained very combat-ready. And Kutuzov’s reserve remained completely unused and intact. The cautious and experienced commander Kutuzov ordered a retreat.

Napoleonic troops suffered terrible losses - about 60,000 people. And there could be no talk of a further offensive. Napoleonic armies needed time to recover. In a report to Alexander I, Kutuzov noted the unparalleled courage of the Russian troops, who won a moral victory over the French that day.

Result of the Battle of Borodino

Reflections about who won and who lost that day - September 7, 1812 do not cease to this day. The main thing for us is that this day will forever go down in the history of our state as the Day of Military Glory of Russia. And literally in a week we will celebrate another anniversary - 204 years since the Battle of Borodino.

P.S. Friends, as you probably noticed, I did not set myself the task of describing this great battle of the Patriotic War of 1812 in as much detail as possible. On the contrary, I tried to condense it as much as possible in order to tell you briefly about that day, which, it seems to me, lasted an eternity for the participants in the battle itself. And now I need your help.

Please give me feedback in the comments to the article about in what format it is better to describe other Days of Military Glory of Russia from now on: briefly or in full, as I did with the battle of Cape Tendra? I look forward to your comments under the article.

Peaceful skies above everyone,

Reserve Sergeant Suvernev.

Tell me, uncle, is it not for nothing that Moscow, burned by fire, was given to the French?
Lermontov

The Battle of Borodino was the main battle in the War of 1812. For the first time, the legend of the invincibility of Napoleon's army was dispelled, and a decisive contribution was made to changing the size of the French army due to the fact that the latter, due to large-scale casualties, ceased to have a clear numerical advantage over the Russian army. In today's article we will talk about the Battle of Borodino on August 26, 1812, consider its course, the balance of forces and means, study the opinion of historians on this issue and analyze what consequences this battle had for the Patriotic War and for the fate of two powers: Russia and France.

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Background of the battle

The Patriotic War of 1812 at the initial stage developed extremely negatively for the Russian army, which constantly retreated, refusing to accept a general battle. This course of events was perceived extremely negatively by the army, since the soldiers wanted to take the battle as quickly as possible and defeat the enemy army. Commander-in-Chief Barclay de Tolly understood perfectly well that in an open general battle the Napoleonic army, which was considered invincible in Europe, would have a colossal advantage. Therefore, he chose a retreat tactic in order to exhaust the enemy troops, and only then accept the battle. This course of events did not inspire confidence among the soldiers, as a result of which Mikhail Illarionovich Kutuzov was appointed commander-in-chief. As a result, several significant events occurred that predetermined the preconditions for the Battle of Borodino:

Napoleon's army advanced deep into the country with great complications. Russian generals refused a general battle, but actively got involved in small battles, and partisans were also very active in fighting. Therefore, by the time Borodino began (late August - early September), Bonaparte’s army was no longer so formidable and significantly exhausted.
Reserves were brought up from the depths of the country. Therefore, Kutuzov’s army was already comparable in size to the French army, which allowed the commander-in-chief to consider the possibility of actually entering the battle.

Alexander 1, who by that time, at the request of the army, had left the post of commander-in-chief, allowed Kutuzov to make his own decisions, insistently demanded that the general take the battle as soon as possible and stop the advance of Napoleon’s army deep into the country. As a result, on August 22, 1812, the Russian army began to retreat from Smolensk in the direction of the village of Borodino, which is located 125 kilometers from Moscow. The place was ideal to take the battle, since excellent defense could be organized in the Borodino area. Kutuzov understood that Napoleon was only a few days away, so she threw all her strength into strengthening the area and taking the most advantageous positions.

Balance of forces and means

Surprisingly, most historians who study the Battle of Borodino still argue about the exact number of troops on the warring sides. The general trends in this matter are such that the newer the research, the more data showing that the Russian army had a slight advantage. However, if we look at Soviet encyclopedias, they present the following data, which presents the participants in the Battle of Borodino:

Russian army. Commander - Mikhail Illarionovich Kutuzov. He had at his disposal up to 120 thousand people, of which 72 thousand were infantrymen. The army had a large artillery corps, numbering 640 guns.
French army. Commander - Napoleon Bonaparte. The French emperor brought a corps of 138 thousand soldiers with 587 guns to Borodino. Some historians note that Napoleon had reserves of up to 18 thousand people, which the French emperor retained until the last and did not use them in the battle.

Very important is the opinion of one of the participants in the Battle of Borodino, the Marquis of Chambray, who provided data that France fielded the best European army for this battle, which included soldiers with extensive experience in warfare. On the Russian side, according to his observations, they were basically recruits and volunteers, who, by their entire appearance, indicated that military affairs was not the main thing for them. Chambray also pointed to the fact that Bonaparte had a large superiority in heavy cavalry, which gave him some advantages during the battle.

Tasks of the parties before the battle

Since June 1812, Napoleon had been looking for opportunities for a general battle with the Russian army. The catchphrase that Napoleon expressed when he was a simple general in revolutionary France is widely known: “The main thing is to force battles on the enemy, and then we’ll see.” This simple phrase reflects the entire genius of Napoleon, who, in terms of making lightning-fast decisions, was perhaps the best strategist of his generation (especially after the death of Suvorov). It was this principle that the French commander-in-chief wanted to apply in Russia. The Battle of Borodino provided such an opportunity.

Kutuzov's tasks were simple - he needed active defense. With its help, the commander-in-chief wanted to inflict the maximum possible losses on the enemy and at the same time preserve his army for further battle. Kutuzov planned the Battle of Borodino as one of the stages of the Patriotic War, which was supposed to radically change the course of the confrontation.

On the eve of the battle

Kutuzov took a position that represents an arc passing through Shevardino on the left flank, Borodino in the center, and the village of Maslovo on the right flank.

On August 24, 1812, 2 days before the decisive battle, the battle for the Shevardinsky redoubt took place. This redoubt was commanded by General Gorchakov, who had 11 thousand people under his command. To the south, with a corps of 6 thousand people, General Karpov was located, who covered the old Smolensk road. Napoleon identified the Shevardin redoubt as the initial target of his attack, since it was as far as possible from the main group of Russian troops. According to the plan of the French emperor, Shevardino should have been surrounded, thereby withdrawing the army of General Gorchakov from the battle. To do this, the French army formed three columns in the attack:

Marshal Murat. Bonaparte's favorite led a cavalry corps to strike Shevardino's right flank.
Generals Davout and Ney led the infantry in the center.
Junot, also one of the best generals in France, moved with his guard along the old Smolensk road.

The battle began on the afternoon of September 5th. Twice the French tried unsuccessfully to break through the defenses. Towards evening, when night began to fall on the Borodino field, the French attack was successful, but the approaching reserves of the Russian army made it possible to repel the enemy and defend the Shevardinsky redoubt. The resumption of the battle was not beneficial for the Russian army, and Kutuzov ordered a retreat to the Semenovsky ravine.

Initial positions of Russian and French troops

On August 25, 1812, both sides carried out general preparations for the battle. The troops were putting the finishing touches on defensive positions, and the generals were trying to learn something new about the enemy's plans. Kutuzov's army took up defense in the form of a blunt triangle. The right flank of the Russian troops passed along the Kolocha River. Barclay de Tolly was responsible for the defense of this area, whose army numbered 76 thousand people with 480 guns. The most dangerous position was on the left flank, where there was no natural barrier. This section of the front was commanded by General Bagration, who had 34 thousand people and 156 guns at his disposal. The problem of the left flank became significant after the loss of the village of Shevardino on September 5. The position of the Russian army met the following tasks:

The right flank, where the main forces of the army were grouped, reliably covered the path to Moscow.
The right flank allowed for active and powerful attacks on the enemy’s rear and flank.
The location of the Russian army was quite deep, which left ample room for maneuver.
The first line of defense was occupied by infantry, the second line of defense was occupied by cavalry, and the third line housed reserves. A widely known phrase

reserves must be maintained for as long as possible. Whoever retains the most reserves at the end of the battle will emerge victorious.
Kutuzov

In fact, Kutuzov provoked Napoleon to attack the left flank of his defense. Exactly as many troops were concentrated here as could successfully defend against the French army. Kutuzov repeated that the French would not be able to resist the temptation to attack a weak redoubt, but as soon as they had problems and resorted to the help of their reserves, it would be possible to send their army to their rear and flank.

Napoleon, who carried out reconnaissance on August 25, also noted the weakness of the left flank of the Russian army's defense. Therefore, it was decided to deliver the main blow here. In order to divert the attention of Russian generals from the left flank, simultaneously with the attack on Bagration’s position, an attack on Borodino was to begin in order to subsequently capture the left bank of the Kolocha River. After capturing these lines, it was planned to transfer the main forces of the French army to the right flank of the Russian defense and deliver a massive blow to the army of Barclay De Tolly. Having solved this problem, by the evening of August 25, about 115 thousand people of the French army were concentrated in the area of the left flank of the defense of the Russian army. 20 thousand people lined up in front of the right flank.

The specificity of the defense that Kutuzov used was that the Battle of Borodino was supposed to force the French to launch a frontal attack, since the general front of the defense occupied by Kutuzov’s army was very extensive. Therefore, it was almost impossible to get around him from the flank.

It is noted that on the night before the battle, Kutuzov strengthened the left flank of his defense with the infantry corps of General Tuchkov, as well as transferring 168 artillery pieces to Bagration’s army. This was due to the fact that Napoleon had already concentrated very large forces in this direction.

Day of the Battle of Borodino

The Battle of Borodino began on August 26, 1812 in the early morning at 5:30 am. As planned, the main blow was delivered by the French to the left defense flag of the Russian army.

An artillery shelling of Bagration's positions began, in which more than 100 guns took part. At the same time, General Delzon’s corps began a maneuver with an attack on the center of the Russian army, on the village of Borodino. The village was under the protection of the Jaeger regiment, which could not resist the French army for long, the number of which on this section of the front was 4 times greater than the Russian army. The Jaeger Regiment was forced to retreat and take up defense on the right bank of the Kolocha River. The attacks of the French general, who wanted to move even further into the defense, were unsuccessful.

Bagration's flushes

Bagration's flushes were located along the entire left flank of the defense, forming the first redoubt. After half an hour of artillery preparation, at 6 o'clock in the morning Napoleon gave the order to launch an attack on Bagration's flushes. The French army was commanded by generals Desaix and Compana. They planned to strike at the southernmost flush, going to the Utitsky forest for this. However, as soon as the French army began to line up in battle formation, Bagration's chasseur regiment opened fire and went on the attack, disrupting the first stage of the offensive operation.

The next attack began at 8 o'clock in the morning. At this time, a repeated attack on the southern flush began. Both French generals increased the number of their troops and went on the offensive. To protect his position, Bagration transported the army of General Neversky, as well as the Novorossiysk dragoons, to his southern flank. The French were forced to retreat, suffering serious losses. During this battle, both generals who led the army in the assault were seriously wounded.

The third attack was carried out by the infantry units of Marshal Ney, as well as the cavalry of Marshal Murat. Bagration noticed this French maneuver in time, giving the order to Raevsky, who was in the central part of the flushes, to move from the front line to the second echelon of defense. This position was strengthened by the division of General Konovnitsyn. The attack of the French army began after a massive artillery preparation. The French infantry struck in the interval between the flushes. This time the attack was successful, and by 10 o'clock in the morning the French managed to capture the southern line of defense. This was followed by a counterattack launched by Konovnitsyn’s division, as a result of which they managed to recapture the lost positions. At the same time, General Junot's corps managed to bypass the left flank of the defense through the Utitsky forest. As a result of this maneuver, the French general actually found himself in the rear of the Russian army. Captain Zakharov, who commanded the 1st horse battery, noticed the enemy and struck. At the same time, infantry regiments arrived at the battlefield and pushed General Junot back to his original position. The French lost more than a thousand people in this battle. Subsequently, historical information about Junot's corps is contradictory: Russian textbooks say that this corps was completely destroyed in the next attack of the Russian army, while French historians claim that the general participated in the Battle of Borodino until its very end.

The 4th assault on Bagration's flushes began at 11 o'clock. In the battle, Napoleon used 45 thousand troops, cavalry and more than 300 guns. By that time Bagration had less than 20 thousand people at his disposal. At the very beginning of this assault, Bagration was wounded in the thigh and was forced to leave the army, which negatively affected morale. The Russian army began to retreat. General Konovnitsyn took over command of the defense. He could not resist Napoleon, and decided to retreat. As a result, the flushes remained with the French. The retreat was carried out to the Semenovsky stream, where more than 300 guns were installed. The large number of the second echelon of defense, as well as a large number of artillery, forced Napoleon to change the original plan and cancel the attack on the move. The direction of the main attack was transferred from the left flank of the Russian army's defense to its central part, commanded by General Raevsky. The purpose of this attack was to capture artillery. The infantry attack on the left flank did not stop. The fourth attack on the Bagrationov flushes was also unsuccessful for the French army, which was forced to retreat across the Semenovsky Creek. It should be noted that the position of the artillery was extremely important. Throughout the Battle of Borodino, Napoleon made attempts to capture enemy artillery. By the end of the battle he managed to occupy these positions.

Battle for Utitsky Forest

The Utitsky forest was of great strategic importance for the Russian army. On August 25, on the eve of the battle, Kutuzov noted the importance of this direction, which blocked the old Smolensk road. An infantry corps under the command of General Tuchkov was stationed here. The total number of troops in this area was about 12 thousand people. The army was positioned secretly in order to suddenly strike the enemy’s flank at the right moment. On September 7, the infantry corps of the French army, commanded by one of Napoleon’s favorites, General Poniatowski, advanced in the direction of the Utitsky Kurgan to outflank the Russian army. Tuchkov took up defensive positions on Kurgan and blocked the French from further progress. Only at 11 o'clock in the morning, when General Junot arrived to help Poniatowski, the French launched a decisive blow on the mound and captured it. Russian general Tuchkov launched a counterattack, and at the cost of his own life managed to return the mound. Command of the corps was taken by General Baggovut, who held this position. As soon as the main forces of the Russian army retreated to the Semenovsky ravine, the Utitsky Kurgan, a decision was made to retreat.

Raid of Platov and Uvarov

At the moment of the critical moment on the left flank of the defense of the Russian army at the Battle of Borodino, Kutuzov decided to let the army of generals Uvarov and Platov into battle. As part of the Cossack cavalry, they were supposed to bypass the French positions on the right, striking in the rear. The cavalry consisted of 2.5 thousand people. At 12 noon the army moved out. Having crossed the Kolocha River, the cavalry attacked the infantry regiments of the Italian army. This strike, led by General Uvarov, was intended to force battle on the French and divert their attention. At this moment, General Platov managed to pass along the flank without being noticed and go behind enemy lines. This was followed by a simultaneous attack by two Russian armies, which brought panic to the actions of the French. As a result, Napoleon was forced to transfer part of the troops that stormed Raevsky’s battery in order to repel the attack of the cavalry of the Russian generals who went to the rear. The battle of the cavalry with the French troops lasted several hours, and by four o'clock in the afternoon Uvarov and Platov returned their troops to their original positions.

The practical significance of the Cossack raid led by Platov and Uvarov is almost impossible to overestimate. This raid gave the Russian army 2 hours to strengthen a reserve position for an artillery battery. Of course, this raid did not bring a military victory, but the French, who saw the enemy in their own rear, no longer acted so decisively.

Battery Raevsky

The specificity of the terrain of the Borodino field was determined by the fact that in its very center there was a hill, which made it possible to control and shell the entire adjacent territory. This was an ideal place to place artillery, which Kutuzov took advantage of. The famous Raevsky battery was deployed in this place, which consisted of 18 guns, and General Raevsky himself was supposed to protect this height with the help of an infantry regiment. The attack on the battery began at 9 am. By striking at the center of Russian positions, Bonaparte pursued the goal of complicating the movement of the enemy army. During the first French offensive, General Raevsky’s unit was deployed to defend Bagrationov’s flushes, but the first enemy attack on the battery was successfully repulsed without the participation of infantry. Eugene Beauharnais, who commanded the French troops in this sector of the offensive, saw the weakness of the artillery position and immediately launched another blow on this corps. Kutuzov transferred all the reserves of artillery and cavalry troops here. Despite this, the French army managed to suppress the Russian defenses and penetrate his stronghold. At this moment, a counterattack by Russian troops was carried out, during which they managed to recapture the redoubt. General Beauharnais was captured. Of the 3,100 French who attacked the battery, only 300 survived.

The position of the battery was extremely dangerous, so Kutuzov gave the order to redeploy the guns to the second line of defense. General Barclay de Tolly sent an additional corps of General Likhachev to protect Raevsky's battery. Napoleon's original plan of attack lost its relevance. The French emperor abandoned massive attacks on the enemy's left flank, and directed his main attack on the central part of the defense, on the Raevsky battery. At this moment, the Russian cavalry went to the rear of the Napoleonic army, which slowed down the French advance for 2 hours. During this time, the battery's defensive position was further strengthened.

At three o'clock in the afternoon, 150 guns of the French army opened fire on Raevsky's battery, and almost immediately the infantry went on the offensive. The battle lasted about an hour and, as a result, Raevsky’s battery fell. Napoleon's original plan hoped that the capture of the battery would lead to dramatic changes in the balance of forces near the central part of the Russian defense. This did not turn out to be the case; he had to abandon the idea of attacking in the center. By the evening of August 26, Napoleon's army had failed to achieve a decisive advantage in at least one sector of the front. Napoleon did not see significant prerequisites for victory in the battle, so he did not dare to use his reserves in the battle. Until the last moment, he hoped to exhaust the Russian army with his main forces, achieve a clear advantage in one of the sectors of the front, and then bring fresh forces into battle.

End of the battle

After the fall of Raevsky's battery, Bonaparte abandoned further ideas of storming the central part of the enemy's defense. There were no more significant events in this direction of the Borodino field. On the left flank, the French continued their attacks, which led to nothing. General Dokhturov, who replaced Bagration, repelled all enemy attacks. The right flank of the defense, commanded by Barclay de Tolly, had no significant events, only sluggish attempts at artillery bombardment were made. These attempts continued until 7 pm, after which Bonaparte retreated to Gorki to give the army a rest. It was expected that this was a short pause before the decisive battle. The French were preparing to continue the battle in the morning. However, at 12 o'clock at night, Kutuzov refused to further continue the battle and sent his army beyond Mozhaisk. This was necessary in order to give the army a rest and replenish it with manpower.

This is how the Battle of Borodino ended. Until now, historians from different countries argue about which army won this battle. Domestic historians talk about the victory of Kutuzov, Western historians talk about the victory of Napoleon. It would be more correct to say that the Battle of Borodino was a draw. Each army got what it wanted: Napoleon opened his way to Moscow, and Kutuzov inflicted significant losses on the French.

Results of the confrontation

The casualties in Kutuzov's army during the Battle of Borodino are described differently by different historians. Basically, researchers of this battle come to the conclusion that the Russian army lost about 45 thousand people on the battlefield. This figure takes into account not only those killed, but also the wounded, as well as those captured. During the battle of August 26, Napoleon's army lost a little less than 51 thousand people killed, wounded and captured. The comparable losses of both countries are explained by many scholars by the fact that both armies regularly changed their roles. The course of the battle changed very often. First, the French attacked, and Kutuzov gave the order to the troops to take up defensive positions, after which the Russian army launched a counteroffensive. At certain stages of the battle, Napoleonic generals managed to achieve local victories and occupy the necessary positions. Now the French were on the defensive, and the Russian generals were on the offensive. And so the roles changed dozens of times during one day.

The Battle of Borodino did not produce a winner. However, the myth of the invincibility of Napoleonic army was dispelled. Further continuation of the general battle was undesirable for the Russian army, since at the end of the day on August 26, Napoleon still had untouched reserves at his disposal, totaling up to 12 thousand people. These reserves, against the backdrop of a tired Russian army, could have a significant impact on the result. Therefore, having retreated beyond Moscow, on September 1, 1812, a council was held in Fili, at which it was decided to allow Napoleon to occupy Moscow.

Military significance of the battle

The Battle of Borodino became the bloodiest battle in the history of the 19th century. Each side lost about 25 percent of its army. In one day, the opponents fired more than 130 thousand shots. The combination of all these facts later led to the fact that Bonaparte in his memoirs called the Battle of Borodino the largest of his battles. However, Bonaparte failed to achieve the desired results. The illustrious commander, accustomed exclusively to victories, formally did not lose this battle, but did not win either.

While on the island of St. Helena and writing out his personal autobiography, Napoleon wrote the following lines about the Battle of Borodino:

The Battle of Moscow is the most important battle in my life. The Russians had an advantage in everything: they had 170 thousand people, an advantage in cavalry, artillery and terrain, which they knew very well. Despite this we won. The heroes of France are generals Ney, Murat and Poniatowski. They own the laurels of the winners of the Moscow Battle.
Bonaparte

These lines clearly show that Napoleon himself viewed the Battle of Borodino as his own victory. But such lines should be studied exclusively in the light of the personality of Napoleon, who, while on the island of St. Helena, greatly exaggerated the events of past days. For example, in 1817, the former Emperor of France said that in the Battle of Borodino he had 80 thousand soldiers, and the enemy had a huge army of 250 thousand. Of course, these figures were dictated only by Napoleon’s personal conceit, and have nothing to do with real history.

Kutuzov also assessed the Battle of Borodino as his own victory. In his note to Emperor Alexander 1 he wrote:

On the 26th, the world saw the bloodiest battle in its history. Never before has recent history seen so much blood. A perfectly chosen battlefield, and an enemy who came to attack but was forced to defend.
Kutuzov

Alexander 1, under the influence of this note, and also trying to reassure his people, declared the Battle of Borodino as a victory for the Russian army. Largely because of this, in the future, domestic historians also always presented Borodino as a victory of Russian weapons.

The main result of the Battle of Borodino was that Napoleon, who was famous for winning all the general battles, managed to force the Russian army to take the fight, but failed to defeat it. The absence of a significant victory in the general battle, taking into account the specifics of the Patriotic War of 1812, led to the fact that France did not receive any significant advantages from this battle.

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