Narrow Escape in Russia

Rear-guard Action at the Berezina Crossing

Excerpt from George Nafziger's
Napoleon's Invasion of Russia


For a purer military perspective on the rear-guard action at the Berezina crossing, this excerpt comes from George Nafziger's Napoleon's Invasion of Russia (Presidio Press, 1988). As usual, Mr. Nafziger provides a fresh, detailed look at the action. His approach serves as a sharp comparison with the style and perspective of Mr. Austin's work. Taken together, the two works offer a rich view of the Berezina Crossing.

It was on the plateau of Studianka that Victor placed his troops. Girard's left flank was unable to secure itself against the woods to the east of the plain and hung in the open as a result. Behind the left, on a low ridge, was a reserve of fourteen guns. Spread ahead of the main battle line was a thin skirmish line that acted as an advanced picket. On the far bank, Napoleon placed a battery of artillery from his reserve to support the Baden brigade with a flanking fire [please refer also to the Orders-of-Battle].

In the beginning of the battle, the Russians quickly engaged the allied [Grande Armee] right. Vlastov, followed by Berg's corps, had quickly taken position on the heights along the edge of the forest that overlooked the allied positions. He ordered Colonel Herngross to attack the allied left with the converged hussars and the Rudinov #2 Don Cossack Regiment. The Cossack's attack was turned back by Fournier and the Baden and Hessian cavalry, who were in turn driven back by the Russian hussars.

While this cavalry battle was going on, Vlastov established a twelve-gun battery to fire on the Baden brigade on the allied right. This battery began to shell the Berezina bridges. The Russians also began a skirmish fire all along the line. Next, the Russians launched a major assault against the Baden brigade in order to push between the Badeners and the Berezina and get to the bridges. A hard-fought battle began, and the French battalion and the Lingg Jaegers were pushed back after they had exhausted their ammunition. General Lingg was wounded, but ordered the 2nd Battalion of the 3rd Baden Infantry Regiment forward to fill the gap. As the Baden infantry approached the Russians they advanced with lowered bayonets, driving the Russians back into the woods. The Baden infantry attacked without any artillery support, yet, despite this, were successful.

While this fighting was occurring, the Russians continued their heavy cannonade on the allied left. The Russian line extended itself towards the allied right and began redeploying their artillery to threaten the most exposed portion of the allied line. In response to this threat, Victor ordered General Damas and his Berg infantry to attack the Russian artillery on the heights.

The Berg brigade advanced in two columns, each with the approximate strength of a battalion, from the plateau, with the support of the Baden Hussar regiment and the Guard battery on the far bank of the Berezina. As they reached the bottom of the valley, they paused and took shelter behind the bank of a small stream. This offered some cover from the plunging artillery fire. As they resumed their advance, the Russian skirmish line gave way. The Russians quickly reestablished their skirmishers several hundred paces behind their original line. The skirmishers stood before a defile through the woods. The 24th Jaeger Regiment stood in column in this defile. They engaged the assaulting Berg infantry with musketry.

Twice the Berg infantry attacked them and failed with great losses. They were faced by the Russian General Berg who commanded thirty-six guns, the Sievsk Infantry Regiment, the 1st Marine Regiment, and the 10th Cohort of St. Petersburg Opolchnie. As this forced was reinforced by the Perm Infantry Regiment, it went over to the attack.

As the first column of Berg infantry fell back, the second column advanced in its turn. It had been deployed for such a contingency, but it too failed in its attack. Both columns fell back in disorder to their original positions near Studianka.

During this attack the Baden brigade underwent another heavy barrage of artillery and musketry fire on its extreme flank. Hochberg rotated his infantry battalions into the firing line, relieving each as it expended its ammunition. The Russian cannon fire was, by this time, reaching the masses of the unformed stragglers that swarmed about the two bridges.

The fire raised them to a panic, and they stampeded the bridges in terror. Some attempted to swim the freezing Berezina.

The withdrawal of the Berg brigade forced the Poles to fill in the gap. They did not recognize the Baden infantry and almost fired upon it. As the fire of the Russian Horse Battery #23 intensified, the 24th Jaeger Regiment as well as the Nisov and Vorohenz Infantry Regiments advanced. They engaged the 7th and 9th Polish Infantry Regiments in a lively fusillade. The Hessian Chevaulegers and Baden Hussars moved forward to the attack. They totaled no more than 350 men. Fournier, their commander, was wounded, and command passed to Colonel de LaRoche. These brave men threw themselves against the flank of the advancing Russian column and, after a short fight, broke it. They captured 500 men of the 24th Jaeger Regiment and drove the other two regiments back.

Two squadrons of the Russian converged cuirassiers and the Pavlov Grenadier Depot Battalion advanced to counterattack LaRoche's forces, supported by fire from Russian Position Battery #11. The Hessian and Baden cavalry charged them. LaRoche, already wounded by a bayonet thrust in the first attack, was wounded a second time and taken prisoner. After that he was hit by another musket ball and received a saber cut to his shako. The two German cavalry regiments were forced back. Once reformed and rallied it was found that there remained only 50 men. Though a costly attack, it had reestablished the center of the French lines. The Russian General Fock brought up his reserves and moved against the allied left. The Saxons and the 4th Polish Infantry Regiment fought off this last Russian attack.

As Victor's 9th Corps moved back, the Russians contented themselves with renewing their artillery and skirmish fire on the French lines. In the lull after the active attacks, the main French forces continued their retreat across the bridge. The press was so great, however, that it was still impossible to bring over the Baden artillery. The effort was eventually abandoned. Losses were heavy on both sides. The Baden brigade lost about 1,200 men, leaving a total of 900 men remaining under arms. The Berg brigade was reduced to only 60 men, the Poles 250.

At midnight the weakened forces from the 9th Corps began withdrawing across the bridges. The grenadier company of the 1st Baden Infantry Regiment, under Captain von Zech, formed the rear guard. Behind them, on the eastern of the Berezina, they left a mass of despondent and resigned stragglers.

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