First Battle of Krasnoi

First Battle of Krasnoi
Part of the French invasion of Russia

The crossing of the Dniepr
by Christian Wilhelm von Faber du Faur
Date14 August 1812
Location
Krasnoi, southwest of Smolensk, Russian Empire
54°33′22″N 31°25′29″E / 54.55611°N 31.42472°E / 54.55611; 31.42472
Result French victory
Belligerents
French Empire Russian Empire
Commanders and leaders
Michel Ney[1]
Joachim Murat		 Dmitry Neverovsky[2]
Pyotr Bagration[a]
Strength
approx. 20,000[b] 6,000–7,000[1][3]
14 cannon[1]
Casualties and losses
500[1][3] 700 killed or wounded
800 captured[1][3]
7 cannon[1]
French invasion of Russia
330km
205miles
Krasnoi
15
Pultusk
14
Gorodeczno
13
Drohiczyn
12
Tauroggen
11
Riga
10
Tilsit
9
Warsaw
8
Berezina
7
Maloyaro-
slavets
6
Moscow
5
Borodino
4
4
3
Vitebsk
2
Vilna
1
Kowno
  current battle
  Prussian corps
  Napoleon
  Austrian corps

The First Battle of Krasnoi was fought on 14 August [O.S. 2 August] 1812 at Krasny between Ney and Murat's French troops and Neverovsky's Russian division, which consisted largely of fresh conscript soldiers.[3] It ended with a victory for the French, but the Russians retreated in good order to Smolensk. It was part of the French invasion of Russia.

Prelude

Bagration had reinforced Neverovsky's division with some cavalry and left it at an advance position around Krasnoi (Krasny) to cover westwards in the direction of Orsha.[2]

Battle

Ney's infantry drove him out of Krasnoi and captured part of his artillery, the first trophies of the entire campaign. Neverovsky assembled his 6,000 to 7,000 men into a huge square Murat's cavalry could not break. The square moved across the field over a palisade fence and Murat's cavalry could not follow. Neverovsky's troops were able to get away in good order but left 1,500 men behind.[3]

  • Battle maps
  • Battle of Krasnoi August 2nd (14) 1812. (Sketch of troop movements)
  • Battle of Krasnoi August 2nd (14) 1812. (Map of troop movements)

Aftermath

Neverovsky returned to Smolensk and reported.[3] The battle of Smolensk started only two days later.

See also

Explanatory notes

  1. ^ Strategic control
  2. ^ Including Murat's 15,000 cavalry. Bodart claimed ca. 20,000 total for Ney and Murat.[1][2]

Notes

  1. ^ a b c d e f g Bodart 1908, p. 435.
  2. ^ a b c Riehn 1990, p. 212.
  3. ^ a b c d e f Riehn 1990, p. 213.

References

  • Bodart, Gaston (1908). Militär-historisches Kriegs-Lexikon (1618-1905). Retrieved 9 April 2021.
  • Riehn, Richard K. (1990). 1812 : Napoleon's Russian campaign. McGraw-Hill. ISBN 9780070527317. Retrieved 9 April 2021.
  • Media related to First Battle of Krasnoi at Wikimedia Commons


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