Bagration flèches
Encyclopedia
Bagration flèches are certain historic military earthworks named after Pyotr Bagration
who ordered their construction. They were the pivotal Russian
strongholds on the left flank during the Battle of Borodino
in 1812. Located south-west of Semyonovskoye village, flèches consisted of two lunettes
and one redan
, which were stormed eight times in the course of the battle. The flèches were erected by infantry divisions of the 2nd Army and militiamen to give an opportunity to the artillery of firing not only to the French
front, but also the flank. Five hundred men were detailed to construction from each division, except the 27th, which sent six hundred. The left work was erected by the 26th Infantry Division, the right by the 2nd Grenadier Division and the middle one by the 2nd Combined Grenadier. The construction was finished on August 25, 1812 (O.S., used by the Russians) (September 6, N.S., used by the French).
, Napoleon launched the fight for the flèches according to plan. Two infantry divisions of Joseph Marie, Count Dessaix
and Jean Dominique Compans
, supported by 102 guns, assaulted the flèches directly. The first attack was repelled by fire and Jäger
.
In the second attempt, the French dragged the artillery closer to the Kamenka Brook and strengthened the troops with three extra infantry divisions from Michel Ney
's corps, three from Joachim Murat
's cavalry corps and additional artillery. After the attack at about 7 a.m. Compans' troops burst into the left flèche. However the storm was repelled again, by Russian infantry, Akhtyr hussars and Novorossiya
n dragoon
s. Bagration ordered Nikolay Raevsky
to move the entire line of his 7th Infantry Corps (eight battalions) to the left flank works. In the aftermath, several French generals were wounded, and Louis-Nicolas Davout received a concussion after falling from a horse killed under him.
Before the third attack, Lieutenant-General Aleksandr Tuchkov was ordered to send a backup, the 3rd Infantry Division of Pyotr Konovnitsyn. Circa 8 a.m., after the bombardment, the French stormed the flèches again, some were eliminated with canister shot. Compans' infantry retook the left flèche, while Francois Roch Ledru des Essarts' troops rushed into the spaces between flèches. The offensive was repulsed by bayonet thrust of soldiers of the 2nd Combined Grenadier and 27th Infantry Divisions.
At about 9 a.m. Napoleon ordered the fourth assault. The French succeeded in taking the flèches one hour later, but were driven out soon after.
During the fifth attempt, at 11 a.m., the French took the right and the left fortifications, and Tuchkov was killed. However, Konovnitsyn's division managed to counter-attack and repelled the French again.
An attempt to gain the flèches' rear through the forest failed.
After regrouping, Jean Andoche Junot's infantry gained the rear of the troops defending the flèches, but it was overthrown shortly after, and Ney's and Davout's frontal attacks were also parried.
The seventh assault was made futile by the Brest, Ryazan, Minsk and Kremenchug Infantry Regiments, while Ney's and Davout's offensives were warded off once more.
The last storming was so powerful, that Russian artillery failed to stop the French columns. Bagration ordered infantry to counter-attack and not to wait till the French approached the flèches. The fierce combat lasted about an hour. Bagration was badly wounded and evacuated from the battlefield. From 60,000 men assembled for storming the flèches, up to 30,000 were lost. Historians have marked the slaughter as the "grave of the French infantry".
Pyotr Bagration
Prince Pyotr Ivanovich Bagration was a general of the Russian army. He was a descendant of the Georgian royal family of the Bagrations.- Life :...
who ordered their construction. They were the pivotal Russian
Russian Empire
The Russian Empire was a state that existed from 1721 until the Russian Revolution of 1917. It was the successor to the Tsardom of Russia and the predecessor of the Soviet Union...
strongholds on the left flank during the Battle of Borodino
Battle of Borodino
The Battle of Borodino , fought on September 7, 1812, was the largest and bloodiest single-day action of the French invasion of Russia and all Napoleonic Wars, involving more than 250,000 troops and resulting in at least 70,000 casualties...
in 1812. Located south-west of Semyonovskoye village, flèches consisted of two lunettes
Lunette (fortification)
In fortification a lunette was originally an outwork of half-moon shape; later it became a redan with short flanks, in trace somewhat resembling a bastion standing by itself without curtains on either side...
and one redan
Redan
Redan is a term related to fortifications. It is a work in a V-shaped salient angle toward an expected attack...
, which were stormed eight times in the course of the battle. The flèches were erected by infantry divisions of the 2nd Army and militiamen to give an opportunity to the artillery of firing not only to the French
First French Empire
The First French Empire , also known as the Greater French Empire or Napoleonic Empire, was the empire of Napoleon I of France...
front, but also the flank. Five hundred men were detailed to construction from each division, except the 27th, which sent six hundred. The left work was erected by the 26th Infantry Division, the right by the 2nd Grenadier Division and the middle one by the 2nd Combined Grenadier. The construction was finished on August 25, 1812 (O.S., used by the Russians) (September 6, N.S., used by the French).
Attacks
The Bagration flèches were occupied by the 11th and the 32nd Russian Battery Companies. The left work had twelve guns, the middle one had seven and the right five. Each work also had one battalion from the 2nd Combined Grenadier Division. Twenty eight guns were stationed near the flèches. On August 26 / September 7, about 6 a.m.12-hour clock
The 12-hour clock is a time conversion convention in which the 24 hours of the day are divided into two periods called ante meridiem and post meridiem...
, Napoleon launched the fight for the flèches according to plan. Two infantry divisions of Joseph Marie, Count Dessaix
Joseph Marie, Count Dessaix
Joseph Marie, Count Dessaix was a French general.He was born at Thonon in Savoy...
and Jean Dominique Compans
Jean Dominique Compans
Count Jean Dominique Compans was a French Divisional General from 1811 and a participant of Napoleonic Wars....
, supported by 102 guns, assaulted the flèches directly. The first attack was repelled by fire and Jäger
Jäger (military)
Jäger is a term that was adopted in the Enlightenment era in German-speaking states and others influenced by German military practice to describe a kind of light infantry, and it has continued in that use since then....
.
In the second attempt, the French dragged the artillery closer to the Kamenka Brook and strengthened the troops with three extra infantry divisions from Michel Ney
Michel Ney
Michel Ney , 1st Duc d'Elchingen, 1st Prince de la Moskowa was a French soldier and military commander during the French Revolutionary Wars and the Napoleonic Wars. He was one of the original 18 Marshals of France created by Napoleon I...
's corps, three from Joachim Murat
Joachim Murat
Joachim-Napoléon Murat , Marshal of France and Grand Admiral or Admiral of France, 1st Prince Murat, was Grand Duke of Berg from 1806 to 1808 and then King of Naples from 1808 to 1815...
's cavalry corps and additional artillery. After the attack at about 7 a.m. Compans' troops burst into the left flèche. However the storm was repelled again, by Russian infantry, Akhtyr hussars and Novorossiya
Novorossiya
Novorossiya is a historic area of lands which established itself solidly after the annexation of the Crimean Khanate by the Russian Empire, but was introduced with the establishment of Novorossiysk Governorate with the capital in Kremenchuk in the mid 18th century. Until that time in both Polish...
n dragoon
Dragoon
The word dragoon originally meant mounted infantry, who were trained in horse riding as well as infantry fighting skills. However, usage altered over time and during the 18th century, dragoons evolved into conventional light cavalry units and personnel...
s. Bagration ordered Nikolay Raevsky
Nikolay Raevsky
Nikolay Nikolayevich Raevsky was a Russian general and statesman who achieved fame for his feats of arms during the Napoleonic wars. His family left a lasting legacy in Russian society and culture.-Early life:Nikolay Raevsky was born in Saint Petersburg...
to move the entire line of his 7th Infantry Corps (eight battalions) to the left flank works. In the aftermath, several French generals were wounded, and Louis-Nicolas Davout received a concussion after falling from a horse killed under him.
Before the third attack, Lieutenant-General Aleksandr Tuchkov was ordered to send a backup, the 3rd Infantry Division of Pyotr Konovnitsyn. Circa 8 a.m., after the bombardment, the French stormed the flèches again, some were eliminated with canister shot. Compans' infantry retook the left flèche, while Francois Roch Ledru des Essarts' troops rushed into the spaces between flèches. The offensive was repulsed by bayonet thrust of soldiers of the 2nd Combined Grenadier and 27th Infantry Divisions.
At about 9 a.m. Napoleon ordered the fourth assault. The French succeeded in taking the flèches one hour later, but were driven out soon after.
During the fifth attempt, at 11 a.m., the French took the right and the left fortifications, and Tuchkov was killed. However, Konovnitsyn's division managed to counter-attack and repelled the French again.
An attempt to gain the flèches' rear through the forest failed.
After regrouping, Jean Andoche Junot's infantry gained the rear of the troops defending the flèches, but it was overthrown shortly after, and Ney's and Davout's frontal attacks were also parried.
The seventh assault was made futile by the Brest, Ryazan, Minsk and Kremenchug Infantry Regiments, while Ney's and Davout's offensives were warded off once more.
The last storming was so powerful, that Russian artillery failed to stop the French columns. Bagration ordered infantry to counter-attack and not to wait till the French approached the flèches. The fierce combat lasted about an hour. Bagration was badly wounded and evacuated from the battlefield. From 60,000 men assembled for storming the flèches, up to 30,000 were lost. Historians have marked the slaughter as the "grave of the French infantry".