Napoleon’s Eagles (Part 2)
Russia 1812

Sideshow: Oudinot's Dvina Campaign

by Kevin Birkett, FINS, Eire

15th July to 22nd August 1812

While the eyes of the world were focused on the events unfolding along the road to Moscow other equally important events were developing along the banks of the Dvina. Having crossed the Niemen at Kovno Oudinot’s II Corps had advanced with the intention of isolating its immediate adversary, Wittgenstein’s First Corps.

Narrowly missing its quarry at Keidany it finally ran it down at Vilkomir on the 28th June. Although successful on that occasion Oudinot’s troops were unable to prevent Wittgenstein from retreating, as envisaged in Russia’s pre-war plan, to Dünaburg on the Dvina.

Oudinot arrived before Dünaburg, an old walled town whose fortifications were in bad repair, on the 15th July and immediately set about planning to force a passage across the bridge into the town, which lay on the right bank of the Dvina. Unfortunately Wittgenstein, who was at that time positioned with his main force around at Balin, on leaving Dünaburg, had left behind a strong garrison with numerous pieces of artillery.

Although able to take the Russia bridgehead on the left bank Oudinot’s efforts to storm the bridge were beaten back with some loss. Unable to cross the river the II Corps settled down to blockade the fortress but not for long. On the 19th July orders arrived from the Emperor instructing Oudinot to move upstream.

Leaving Merle’s division at Drissa to demolish works abandoned by Barclay, a task he was soon forced to relinquish through lack of equipment, Oudinot crossed the river at Polotsk and on the 28th advanced on Sebej along the main road to St. Petersburg. By that night Oudinot’s advance guard had reached the River Drissa, a tributary of the Dvina, with the divisions of Legrand, Verdier and Doumerc echeloned to the rear while Merle’s division was positioned a little to left to guard the flank.

The following day the II Corps had crossed the river at Sivochina, leaving Merle to guard that important post, and advanced on Kliastitzy. As the day wore on increasing Russian cavalry activity heralded the arrival of Wittgenstein. Retiring ahead of Oudinot the Russian commander had crossed the little river Nitschtscha at Kliastitzy and concealed some 21,000 men in the woods beyond with the intension of assailing the exposed left flank of the French column as it passed by on the road to Sebej.

Alerted to the impending attack by his advance guard Oudinot ordered Legrand’s division to cross the river and occupy the little village of Jakobovo in the plain beyond. Wittgenstein’s advance guard arrived before Jakobovo in the late afternoon and immediately attempted to storm the village. This attack was easily beaten off by the French and by nightfall the action had petered out into a series of skirmishes in front of the village.

At 3 a.m. on the 30th the Russian attack began in earnest. Debouching under cover of darkness the Russians briskly attacked and penetrated the village. Oudinot had confided the defence of this post to General Albert with the 26eme Régiment d’Infanterie de Légère. Perceiving the danger two companies of the regiment counter-attacked driving the Russians back with some loss.

As the morning wore on the 26eme accompanied by the rest of Legrand’s division succeeded in driving the Russians back to the surrounding woods however confronted by the Russians’ numerous, well-served artillery they were unable to make further progress. By this time however Oudinot was, with good reason, becoming seriously alarmed for his flanks and rear.

Profiting from his numerical superiority Wittgenstein had ordered General Berg to advance. By simultaneously turning the French flanks and attacking the centre, Berg soon forced the French to retreat towards a new position half way between Jakobovo and Kliastitzy. This position, too, was soon attacked forcing the French to retire across the river into Kliastitzy.

As dawn broke on the 31st the French could clearly see a Russian column attempting to work its way around their right flank. Unwilling to attack the French head on Wittgenstein had ordered the column to regain the St. Petersburg road some way from Kliastitzy thereby turning the French, in the meantime a strong frontal attack would be made to prevent any attempts at retreat. Reacting to the threat Oudinot immediately ordered his troops to form up but before this could be done Wittgenstein’s frontal assault, in the guise of a strong column of Russian Grenadiers, struck home sending the French centre back in disarray.

With his defences breached Oudinot was left with no choice but to accelerate his withdrawal, abandoning some of his baggage in the process.

By that evening Oudinot had once again crossed the Drissa at Sivochina and, posting his light troops alone its banks, concealed Legrand’s and Verdier’s divisions so as to be able to fall on anyone imprudent enough to attempt a passage of the river.

The attempt was not long in coming. Sensing the chance of a decisive victory Wittgenstein had ordered his advance guard to aggressively pursue the retreating French. Crossing the river at dawn on the 1st August the Russians quickly drove off Oudinot’s screening troops but were then taken in the flanks by Legrand and Verdier. The Russians were driven back across the river with great loss, however elements of Verdier’s division, over-pursuing, also suffered greatly.

Exhausted and diminished in numbers, the French had lost around 4,000 men in the past few days while the Russians had lost 5,000, Oudinot deemed that his II Corps had done enough to deter any further Russian advances from this quarter. Informing the Em-peror of his deliberations Oudinot ordered his troops back to Polotsk, where they arrived on the 3rd August, leaving Wittgenstein to occupy the line of the Drissa.

After several days rest Wittgenstein led part of his troops towards the lower Dvina, from where Macdonald was threatening his right. Oudinot followed, crossing the Drissa in his pursuit of Wittgenstein to the left of Sivochina before finally catching him near the monastery of Valensoui, on the banks of the River Svolna.

The muddy banks of the river prevented either commander from launching a direct attack so both contented themselves with a lively cannonade. In the event it was the French who had the worst of this inconclusive encounter. To protect his men Wittgenstein had kept the bulk of his forces out of range of the French guns, lining the banks of the river with light troops only, however Oudinot’s first line had come under fire from the heavier Russian licornes.

Faced with a stalemate on the Svolna and with the possibility of the Russians advancing along the Sebej - Polotsk road to his right, Oudinot once again ordered his troops to retire. On the 15th of August the II Corps arrived dejectedly at Polotsk, where it was met by St. Cyr’s VI Corps, which, having been left in Biechenkowski, had arrived in answer to Oudinot’s pleas for help.

The following day, having establishing himself in the environs of Polotsk, Oudinot ordered a council of war. Should he withdraw the bulk of his forces, believing himself to be outnumbered by the Russians, across the Dvina or should he stand his ground?

St. Cyr, irked at having lost his independence, was little help in these deliberations, spending much of the time in a brooding silence. The arguments swung first one way and then the other but were finally abandoned when the sound of cannon fire announced the arrival of the Russians. Throughout the 17th August a bloody but indecisive battle raged along the banks of the River Polota, which dissects the plain in which the city stands, with neither side gaining an advantage, but in which the indecisive Oudinot was severely wounded.

Overnight St. Cyr assumed command devising a plan for the 18th that was the direct opposite of Oudinot’s defensive strategy. Secretly moving the bulk of his troops from the left to the right bank of the river, as dawn broke the French counter-attacked and, not-withstanding an obstinate defence which lasted much of the day, drove the Russians from the field.

Defeated Wittgenstein was left with no option but to retreat. By the 22nd August he had crossed the Drissa and was erecting field fortifications around Sivochina, his new centre of operations. Meantime St. Cyr was also busily erecting earthworks, around Polotsk.

Napoleon's Eagles (Part 2) Invasion of Russia 1812

Napoleon's Eagles (Part 1) Invasion of Russia 1812

Napoleon's Eagles (Part 3) Invasion of Russia 1812

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