Where did Napoleon cross the Berezina?
The Battle of (the) Berezina (or Beresina) took place from 26 to 29 November 1812, between the French army of Napoleon, retreating in chaos after the aborted occupation of Moscow and trying to cross the Berezina (near Borisov, Belarus), and the Russian armies under Peter Wittgenstein and Admiral Pavel Chichagov.
Who won the Battle of Borodino in 1812?
The Battle of Borodino took place near the village of Borodino on 7 September [O.S. 26 August] 1812 during Napoleon’s French invasion of Russia. The Grande Armée won the battle against the Imperial Russian Army with casualties in a ratio 2:3, but failed to gain a decisive victory.
Where is the Berezina River?
Belarus
Byarezina River, also spelled Berezina, river in Belarus, a tributary of the Dnieper, which it joins near Rechytsa. Its 381-mile (613-km) length drains 9,450 square miles (24,500 square km). It rises north of the Minsk Elevation and flows south-southeast in a meandering course through a swampy forested basin.
Who won the Battle of Eylau?
Napoleon
The French held the field, but only just. The French suffered 20,000 casualties – the Russians lost a similar number – making this one of the 19th century’s bloodiest battles. Napoleon claimed victory, but only because his army held the field.
Who was the Russian general at Borodino?
General M.I. Kutuzov
The Russians were commanded by General M.I. Kutuzov, who had halted the Russian retreat at the town of Borodino and hastily built fortifications, to block the French advance to Moscow. Napoleon feared that an attempt to outflank the Russians might fail and allow them to escape, so he executed a crude frontal attack.
What happened in the Battle of Berezina?
French invasion of Russia. The Battle of Berezina (or Beresina) took place from 26 to 29 November 1812, between the French army of Napoleon, retreating after his invasion of Russia and crossing the Berezina (near Borisov, Belarus), and the Russian armies under Mikhail Kutuzov, Peter Wittgenstein and Admiral Pavel Chichagov.
How big was the Russian army at the Berezina?
Miloradowitch had more than 25,000. By that the Russian army had approximately 86,000 troops at the Berezina. Kutuzov with another 39,000 was approaching the river but was 40 mi (64 km) to the east and not involved in the fighting.
What was Napoleon’s plan for the Battle of Berezina?
Napoleon’s plan was to cross the Berezina River and head for Poland, but the usually frozen waterway had thawed and was now impassable. Chichagov, Wittgenstein and Miloradowitch wanted to trap and eliminate him at the Berezina.
What does C’est la Bérézina mean?
The phrase “c’est la Bérézina” is an expression used in the French language with the sense of “it’s a humiliating defeat” or “it’s a disaster”. The Beresinalied, song of the Berezina, became a symbol of the sacrifices of Swiss mercenaries in foreign service.