The Battle of Borodino

Revisiting Napoleon's Bloodiest Day

4: Utitza Village

by LTC Villahermosa and Matt DeLaMater
artwork by Mark Churms and Steven Palatka

Prince Poniatowski's Polish forces were charged with the task of turning the far Russian left flank held by General Tutchkov's 3rd Corps.

According to Christopher Duffy in Borodino: Napoleon Against Russia, 1812, Kutuzov originally intended for this heavily wooded portion of the field to be used to set an ambush by hiding a force to fall upon any French attacks. Here again, Bennigsen's meddling was costly - he ordered Tutchkov's men out of concealment and into a condensed defense of the open areas in front of Utitza.

Poniatowski opened his attacks at about the same time as the assaults against the fleches. Proceeded by a bombardment by his corps' artillery, the Polish infantry engaged General Strogonov's large 1st Grenadier Division. General Tutchkov ordered the Grenadiers to fall back, burning the village of Utitza to provide cover. Poniatowski used the respite to regroup his forces.

Poniatowski's next push began sometime after the fleches were secured the second time (10:30 a.m.). Supported by the Westphalian 8th Corps on his left, and now facing a diminished Russian defense (Tutchkov was forced to detach units to the flehes), Poniatowski launched another assault following a more intense preparatory artillery bombardment. After bitter fighting, the Poles succeeded in securing the Utitza mound and adjacent village.

However, the Poles' success was short-lived. Tutchkov, now reinforced by Baggovout's 2nd Corps which had been sent from the far right flank by Barclay in response to the growing crisis that morning, drove the Poles back. During this counter-attack, Tutchkov was fatally wounded as he led the elite Pavlov Grenadier Regiment forward.

The timely arrival of Baggovout's corps secured the Russian left flank from a gallant Polish assault that very nearly turned the Russian position. Had Poniatowski been reinforced, the attack might have yielded dramatic results. As it turned out, Poniatowski ended the battle clinging to the area around Utitza in a situation that became a fairly quiet stalemate by early afternoon.

More Battle of Borodino

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