Neither Caesar Nor Punchinello

The Army of the Kingdom of Italy
in the 1812 Campaign in Russia
Part I

Behaviour of Italian Troops
in Battle: October-November 1812

by Marco Gioannini
Edited by Marc Raiff

Italian Guard Grenadiers retreat from Moscow towards Malo-Jaroslavets. Illustration by Albrecht Adams.

Malo-Jaroslavets (October 24)

In the first phase of the Russian campaign, the Italians were rarely employed as first line troops and consequently gave modest fighting contributions, which, in any case, went relatively unnoticed. The opportunity of showing their military skill and courage did rise during the dramatic retreat from Moscow. The Italians distinguished themselves in many episodes, but especially at the battle of Malo­Jaroslavets. This was a major engagement that took place as Napoleon started his movement from Moscow to Kaluga in search of unspoiled lands to feed his retreating army. On October 24th the Italians sustained most of the burden of fighting and gained a clear victory against overwhelming forces.

As the Grande Armee left Moscow directed southward, Eugene's IV Corps formed the advance guard. On the evening of the 23rd, Delzons' division occupied the town of Malo-Jaroslavets on the road MoscowBorovsk-Kaluga. In 1812, the built-up area lay on a steep height dominating the narrow valley of the Lougia River. The road from Borovsk descended to the valley, crossed the river over a small bridge, tortuously climbed a broken ravine and finally entered the town on the top of the hill. As Filippo Pisani, an Italian artillery officer, wrote in his memoirs, the ridge to the right and to the left of Malo-Jaroslavets offered excellent positions for many artillery batteries that could sweep the valley below, taking any troop by enfilade. [25]

On the contrary, it was very difficult to fire against the town from the northern bank of the Lougia and therefore any infantry climbing up the steep ravine would do so without artillery cover. For the French army, it was another Busaco-like situation.

A large plateau crowned by woods extended southward beyond Malo-Jaroslavets. Delzons left only a couple of battalions to garrison the town for the night and encamped with the rest of his division in a low and decidedly unfavorable position by the riverside.

The battle started at about 4 a.m. as Doctorov's 6th Corps debouched onto the plateau from the Tarutino road. Raevski's VII Corps followed. Russian jaegers easily took control of Malo-Jaroslavets driving Delzons' small garrison back to the bridge. In the following hours Delzons' and Broussier's divisions made several attempts to regain the lost position. In a couple of instances, the French even succeeded in retaking the town. But as they tried to advance into the plain beyond Malo-Jaroslavets they were severely mauled by the Russian artillery and repulsed to the valley below. As further Russian reinforcements, led by Kutozov himself, started appearing from the southern border of the plateau and a violent fire broke out in the wooden town, Eugene's position became increasingly dramatic.

Delzons' and Broussier's exhausted troops needed rest and help: for the first time since the crossing of the Niemen Pino's infantry division was ordered forward into the fight. De Laugier wrote that:

"Led by their general (Pino), the Italians advanced silently in ordered closed columns. They were eager to fight for glory. The Royal Guard infantry was kept in reserve and took position in the valley on the northern bank of the River Lougia; further back, along the forest border, was Ornano's and Villata's cavalry, finally the Guard cavalry, together with the artillery park and train, halted near the village of Malockzina. A battery posted on the top of the hill to the far left of the Russian line not only horribly racked the troops climbing up toward MaloJaroslavets, but it also took the Guard infantry by enfilade causing them to change position many times. The Viceroy ordered some Guard light pieces to counterbattery fire. We could then appreciate the skill and valor of our artillerymen: although in the open, completely exposed to the enemy fire and forced to reply from the bottom upwards, they per-formed their duty with such coolness, order and precision that the enemy battery had to stop firing and retire. Pino's troops, who in the meantime had crossed the bridge and climbed up the hill without firing, succeeded in clearing the cliffs and took position near the church on the slope. After resting and reforming, the first brigade under Generals Pino and Fontana moved to the right and pushed forward into Malo­Jaroslavets to support the 13th Division; the second brigade under Corsican General Levier [26] scrambled up the ravine to the left and attacked the enemy columns that had previously repulsed the l4th Division. ( ... ) The first brigade pressed the Russians back into the streets, where a fierce melee began amidst the flames that already threatened the wooden buildings ( ... ). The second brigade was in the meanwhile trudging along the ravine under a deadly gun and musket fire. Upon routing any troop in their front, they finally retook the suburb of MaloJaroslavets and occupied the heights." [27]

Levier's brigade could not exult at its success for long, because it was invested on its front and left flank by fresh Russian forces and fled back to the bridge in disorder.

"In Malo-Jaroslavets the first brigade did resist. Pino had his horse shot down but he did not cease encouraging his soldiers. A musket ball killed his brother; General Fontana, Colonel Laschess and a number of officers were put out of combat, Pino himself was eventually wounded ( ... ) General with Colonel La Bedoyere took over." [28]

With the left wing retiring, Eugene saw the danger of having his corps split in two and decided that it was time to release his reserve. Therefore he ordered two Guard regiments, the Grenadiers and the Conscripts, to support Pino's division. Colonel Crovi's Grenadiers advanced and took position behind the church. Colonel

Peraldi's Conscripts moved in support of the retiring second brigade: they impetuously attacked the pursuing Russians and rapidly routed them. Their success drove the Italians to pursue well beyond the town. Advancing into the plateau, they soon were exposed to the fire of many batteries.

"Colonel Peraldi ordered the Chasseurs (as Napoleon renamed the Guard Conscripts after this battle) to attack the Russians with lowered bayonets. Shaken by the Italian elan the opponents hastily fled. The Chasseurs pursued the Russians but were abruptly stopped by the canister fire of a battery beyond a ravine. They made every effort to seize it but, exposed in rotten ground as they were, lost their order. Pressed by some cavalry and troops of the VII corps they could hardly take refuge in the suburb." [29]

The street melee in Malo-Jaroslavets continued as fierce as ever:

"Artillery Colonel Millo tried to bring some pieces onto the heights. Finally, with the help of many volunteers of the Guard infantry, he succeeded. ( ... ) The elan of Pino's division had reanimated the dispirited soldiers of Delzons and Broussier. Together with their fellows of the 15th, they rushed forward to drive the Russians out of the built up area once again. ( ... ) Although reduced by 50%, Pino's second brigade and the Guard Conscripts rallied under Colonel Peraldi: the officer formed his soldiers in columns and, abandoning the defensive cover once again, led them against the overwhelming Russian masses ( ... ) springing out of gardens and orchards they pressed the enemy beyond the gully where the former attack had been stopped. This time Peraldi took advantage of a small wood wherein artillery and cavalry could not threaten him. Part of the Italian artillery was by now deployed in the first line and started returning fire. ( ... ) The Russians stopped any offensive action and entrenched themselves behind some earthworks: the Italians barricaded the town exits to consolidate their position.

At this point Colonel Peraldi asked Eugene for the rest of the Royal Guard, but the Viceroy refused to concede his last reserve. In the meantime the French army was approaching the battlefield. The Imperial Guard was in Ghorodnia, while Ney and Davout deployed between Ghorodnia and Malo-Jaroslavets. It was about 9 p.m.. Kutozov, who had most of his army already engaged, decided to make a last effort to seize the town. He formed his reserves in deep massed columns which advanced with artillery support. But Napoleon had sent Gerard's and Compans' divisions of Davout's Corps to take position, respectively, to the right and to the left of Malo­Jaroslavets; the Italians had had time to rest and reform. Kutozov thought it advisable to stop the attack." [30]

The behavior of the troops of the Kingdom of Italy at Malo­Jaroslavets aroused well deserved praise from French generals and the Emperor himself. Eugene wrote to the Minister of War that Pino's division had fought "with courage and skill, while the Guard had displayed considerable coolness." But the enemy comments were even more positive. British General Wilson, attached to Kutozov's staff, wrote: "The heroism of the Italian army at Malo-Jaroslavets astonished me: 16,000 brave soldiers defeated 80,000 of Kutozov's army".

These figures are certainly exaggerated in that they mistakenly assume that Kutozov's army was entirely engaged. According to Pisani, [31] the Russian troops actually poured into the fight were only 20,000 out of 40,000 present in the battlefield area; Nafziger writes that both armies had committed to the battle about 24,000 troops without specifying whether he includes Davout's divisions in the French figures. Be that as it may, Malo-Jaroslavets was actually a French and Italian tactical victory against superior forces deployed in a favorable position.

Colonel Bouturlin, a Russian staff officer and a historian of the campaign, also acknowledged the Italians' merits: "I cannot but say that the battle of Malo-Jaroslavets brought the greatest honor to Eugene's troops, who resisted with astonishing bravery and perseverance the impetuous Russian attacks."

Finally, according to General Benningsen: "The Italian Guard distinguished itself in that slaughter, losing most of its soldiers. The town was lost and retaken eleven times during the day." [32]

At Malo-Jaroslavets, the IV Corps sustained the entire burden of the fighting and suffered severe losses (between 4,000 and 5,000). Pino's division and the Italian Guard had their part in the bloodshed. The percentage of Italian losses is not available, but we know that out of a total of 260 officers dead or wounded, 150 were Italians.

Viazma (November 3)

During the retreat from Malo-Jaroslavets to the Berezina River, via Mojaisk-Smolensk, Eugene's Italian troops had to fight many times as the IV Corps often acted as immediate support to the rearguard (Davout's Corps, later Ney's). Beside several skirmish actions against marauding Cossacks, the IV Corps took part in only two major engagements, at Viazma and Krasnoe.

The battle of Viazma was a rather confused affair. On November 3rd, some Russian cavalry, followed by Miloradovich's advance guard, tried to divide Davout's I Corps from the IV Corps, which was trudging on the road near Fedorewskoie some miles ahead of the former. Although suffering severe losses, the two French corps, supported by Ney in Viazma, managed to maintain their link and withdraw in good order.

The following is Pisani's account of the battle:

"The Russians had taken position on our left deploying on the heights between Forninskia and Viazma; their left wing stretched toward the town and was anchored to a hill. A battery with 12 pieces was posted on the hilltop, while two other batteries of six pieces each supported respectively the right wing and the center. All these guns started striking our marching columns. General Paskewitch, with his division and a couple of dragoon regiments, exploited the small gap behind us and attacked Davout's front and left at Fedorewskoie, while the Karkow Dragoon Regiment and many of Platov's Cossacks charged, respectively, his right and rear. The French, however, resisted firmly."

The Viceroy stopped the march and, after drawing the reserve artillery back in position, ordered a counterbattery fire. The Guard, the l3th and the 14th divisions moved to the right of the road, while the 15th stood alone to sustain the Russian pressure. Emerging from a copse, some Italian light troops almost succeeded in seizing the battery on the center, which fled at full gallop. Infantry columns sent by the Viceroy through the copses against the rear of the Russian left wing forced their second line to face about. Their first line, invested by Pino's division, did the same. Things progressively got worse for the enemy as Davout, covered by our troops, had broken through the Russian troops barring the way and marched past us on the right of the road. At this point the Karkow Regiment was cut off, but Colonel Jusefowicz led his horsemen at full speed through Davout's columns causing them temporary disorder. After passing the IV, the I Corps had to suffer losses from the big battery on the left flank.

Just in front of Viazma there was a ravine opposed to the Russian left: Davout crossed it to come closer to the town and then deployed his men along its bank. Pino's division, which so far had successfully contained the enemy, did the same and took position on Davout's left, together with the two other divisions and the Poles (V Corps). ( ... ) The battle resumed and we fought vigorously, although our artillery and cavalry movements were limited by the weakness of horses. The enemy cavalry advanced to outflank our wings, but the Bavarian cavalry, together with our Chasseurs, bravely resisted. Finally, swarms of voltigeurs hidden in the bushes forced the Russians to retire with their accurate fire." [33]

Later in the afternoon, Ney's artillery repulsed a new attack against Viazma coming from the road to Inkowo. According to Pisani, [34] losses at Viazma were 4,000 (out of 22,000) for the French and 3,000 (out of 25,000 regulars plus 8,000 Cossacks) for the Russians. Thousands of defenceless stragglers, who followed the retreating army, were taken prisoner. A sapper of the Queen's Dragoons, Sergeant Ratta, captured Cavalry General Sweczin.

It was with reference to the battle of Viazma that Colonel Boutorlin made the following comment: "Italian troops resisted firmly, whereas Davout's appeared tired and demoralized by the privations suffered after Malo­Jaroslavets: they no longer had the good looking bearing that had distinguished them throughout the campaign." [35]

It should, of course, be stressed that in the first half of the campaign, from Saltanovka to Borodino, Davout's troops had sustained much more fighting than the Italians. It was probably true, however, that during the first weeks of the retreat from Moscow Eugene's IV Corps had suffered less from strategic consumption and weather conditions than most other units of the Grande Armee.

Krasnoe (November 16)

The last important engagement between the contingent of the Kingdom of Italy and Russian regulars occurred along the road from Korytnia to Krasnoe on November 16th. Thinking that it was not a good place for wintering, Napoleon had left Smolensk some days before Eugene's and Davout's corps. He was already in Krasnoe with his Guard when Miloradovich's advance guard slipped in and split what was left of the Grande Armee in two parts. To rejoin the Emperor, Eugene's IV Corps, by now reduced to 5,000 tired men (stragglers not included), had no choice but to break through an overwhelming foe. It was late afternoon and, refusing to surrender, Eugene led his troops to attack. Some notable episodes of heroism occurred in the ensuing battle. General Guilleminot with about 1,000 men, sappers and marines of the Guard, but also stragglers of different nationality, remained isolated from the main body and took refuge in a small wood. After resting for a while, they formed in square and advanced against the Russian line to rejoin the IV Corps. Though decimated by canister and musket fire, they finally managed to cut through the surprised Russians and embrace their fellows again.

De Laugier wrote that the battle continued for many hours: "The strong Russian cavalry advanced but was repulsed by the divisions formed in square. Not risking an attack the Russians prolonged forward their artillery. Due to shortage of guns, men and ammunition supply, our reply was slow and weak. Worried by the severe losses, Eugene sent the second division, supported by two guns of the Royal Guard, to attack Raevsky's corps on the right flank. But the division was too weak to obtain any success against such overwhelming forces and was terribly mauled by canister fire. In the meantime, the first division had been ordered to seize a wood along the road on Miloradovich's left flank. But this new attempt had the same result as the former." [36]

Another desperate attempt to reach Krasnoe was made by Adjutant Commandant Del Fante with a party of 200 volunteers: they were swept away in an eyeblink and their brave leader was shot down by a cannon ball. However, night was falling and Miloradovich, probably waiting for Kutozov's main army, stopped any aggressive action. This meant safety for the IV Corps, which moved silently in the dark and began a bypassing movement. Led by a Russian speaking Polish officer, who succeeded in baffling the Russian outposts, what was left of Eugene's troops eventually succeeded in rejoining the Emperor in Krasnoe.

SOURCES

Cappello, G., Gli Italiani in Russia nel 1812, CittA di Castello, 1912 (reprinted by Tuttostoria, Parma, 1993)
Chandler, D., The Campaigns of Napoleon, McMillan, London, 1966
De Laugier, C., Gli Italiani in Russia, Milano, 1826 (reprint by G.Bedeschi,ed., Mursia, Milano, 1980)
De Rossi, E. 11 reggimento italiano di cavalleria l'Ussari cisalpino poi Dragoni della Regina dal 1798 al 1814" in Memorie Storico Military, IV, 1910
Nafziger, G., Napoleon's Invasion of Russia, Presidio, Novato, 1988
Pisani, F., Con Napoleone nella campagna di Russia, edited by C.Zaghi, Milano, 1942
Riehn, R., 1812: Napoleon's Russian Campaign, J.Wiley & Sons, New York, 1991
Zanoli, A., Sulla milizia cisalpino-italiana. Cenni storico-statistici dal 1790 al 1814, Milano, 1845

FOOTNOTES


[1] In this paper, I shall not deal with this subject. With respect to Italian uniform patterns and colors, there is plenty of more or less accurate information in English (see Osprey, Rawkins and Nafziger).
[2] See bibliography
[3] Returns of April 25 at Glogaua, from cart. 6291, Milan State Archives. Also in Capello, Gli Italiani in Russia nel 1812, pp.3967
[4] According to Nafziger's orders of battle there was a third brigade formed by the 3rd Line Rgt and led by General Dembrowski. However, according to Cart.6291 from the Milan State Archives, which accurately reports organization, strength and movements of Pino's division, the division was organized on two brigades. General Dembrowski is mentioned in that document as a member of Pino's staff.
[5] After the Battle of Malo-Jaroslavets, they were renamed Guard Chasseurs by the Emperor.
[6] The Queen's Dragoon Rgt was a line regiment and therefore did not belong to the Royal Guard. However, throughout the campaign they were often brigaded together with the Guard Dragoons and acted as a cavalry reserve of the IV Corps.
[7] Due to a shortage of horses, one of the two Italian l2pdrs companies was left behind just after the crossing of River Niemen. It managed to rejoin IV Corps several weeks later, after Borodino.
[8] Zanoli, Sulla Mili7ia cisalpino-italiana. Cenni storico-statistici dal 1790 al 1814, p. 192
[9] See Nafziger, Napoleon's Invasion of Russia, pp. 173-180 for a complete reconstruction of this battle.
[10] De Laugier, Gli italiani in Russia, p.34
[11] Ibid., p.37
[12] Nafziger, op.cit., p. 174
[13] Cappello, op.cit., p. 108
[14] Nafziger, op.cit., p. 176
[15] De Laugier, op.cit., p.36
[16] Zanoli, op.cit., p. 193
[17] De Laugier, op.cit., p.36
[18] Zanoli, op. cit., p. 194
[19] Nafziger, op. cit., pp. 176-7
[20] Cart.45, Milan State Archives, also in Cappello, op.cit., p.383
[21] Cart.45, Milan State Archives, also in Cappello, op.cit., p.393
[22] Nafziger, op.cit., p.244
[23] Cart.45, Milan State Archives, also in Cappello, op.cit., p. 198
[24] De Laugier, op.cit., p.67
[25] Pisani, Con Napoleone nella campagna di Russia., p. 186
[26] The former brigade commander, General Guillaume, fell ill during the march to Moscow and remained in the Smolensk hospital. Levier's career as brigade commander was short; he was killed at Malo­Jaroslavets.
[27] De Laugier, op.cit., p. 104-5
[28] Ibid., p. 106
[29] Pisani, op.cit., pp. 190-191. This quotation adds a grain of knowledge to the huge stack put together by EEL's readership on the subject of pursuit. In EEL 115, pp.27-28, Jean Lochet, discussing an article by David Bonk, quoted Labaume's report on the action at Malo­Jaroslavets involving the Italian Guard Chasseurs. Labaume' s was an eyewitness account and did not mention any reckless pursuing movement performed by the Chasseurs. Here we have another eyewitness at Malo-Jaroslavets, Lieutenant Pisani of the Italian artillery. According to Pisani, the Chasseurs, after routing the Russian infantry that threatened to cut Eugene's corps in two parts, did conducted a pursuing movement into the plateau beyond the town. Pisani does not say whether the Chasseurs had been ordered to do that, but it is clear from his words that this action was a tactical miscue.
[30] De Laugier, op.cit., pp.106-8
[31] Pisani, op.cit., p.
[32] I found these quotations in Cappello, op.cit., p.241. However, I was not able to obtain the original.
[33] Pisani, op.cit., pp.204-5
[34] Ibid., p.206
[35] I found this quotation in Cappello, op.cit., p.260. I was not able to obtain the original.
[36] De Laugier, op.cit., pp. 145 - 6

More Neither Caesar Nor Punchinello Army of Italy in Russia 1812 Part I

Part II: Behaviour of Italian Troops in Battle: October-November 1812

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