.

"Soldiers !

This is the battle that you have

looked forward to so much !

... let people say of you:

"He was at that great battle fought

under the walls of Moscow!"

- Napoleon "The Chessmen Are Set Up,

the Game Will Begin Tomorrow !"

- Napoleon While pursuing the Russian rear guard Napoleon's advance guard came at Shevardino. It was on the left flank of the Russian army deployed behind Kolocha River to prevent the French from advancing along the Smolensk road to Moscow. Davout's and Murat's troops attacked the Russian rear guard at Shevardino. Poniatowski drove the Russians out of Yelnia and joined Davout and Murat. Murat, Poniatowski and Compans (of Davout's corps) attacked Russian rear guard and the redoubt the greencoats occupied. They fight was long and bitter. Night fell, but it did not end the battle. The French began to turn the redoubt's flank. By this time the redoubt had been half destroyed by the French artillery. Prince Bagration received the order to withdraw his troops. The withdrawal was made under the cover of a cuirassier division and a single infantry battalion. The Russian battalion raised their voices and beat their drums as loudly as possible in an effort to exaggerate their numbers in the darkness, while the cuirassiers advanced to meet the French. The engagement was fought in total darkness, and in its confusion the Russians managed to complete their withdrawal. March of the French troops to Shevardino (reenactment).

On map below: Battle of Shevardino (5 Sept).

French forces at Shevardino: Marshal Murat with Nansouty's I Cavalry Corps and Montbrun's II Cavalry Corps, Marshal Davout with Compan's 5th Infantry Division (two more infantry divisions came later), and Poniatowski with his V Corps.

Russians: VIII Infantry Corps, 2nd Cuirassier Division, and few cavalry regiments. "Napoleon, riding to Valuievo on the twenty-fourth, did not see (as the history books say he did) the position of the Russians from Utitsa to Borodino (he could not have seen that position because it did not exist), nor did he see an advanced post of the Russian army, but while pursuing the Russian rearguard he came upon the left flank of the Russian position- at the Shevardino Redoubt- and unexpectedly for the Russians moved his army across the Kolocha. And the Russians, not having time to begin a general engagement, withdrew their left wing from the position they had intended to occupy and took up a new position which had not been foreseen and was not fortified. By crossing to the other side of the Kolocha to the left of the highroad, Napoleon shifted the whole forthcoming battle from right to left (looking from the Russian side) and transferred it to the plain between Utitza, Semenovskaia, and Borodino .." ( - Leo Tolstoy) After the Battle of Shevardino, the Russians found themselves

without a position for their left flank, and were forced

to bend it back and hastily entrench it where it chanced to be. After the Battle of Shevardino, the Russians found themselves on the next morning without a position for their left flank, and were forced to bend it back and hastily entrench it where it chanced to be.

On Sep 7th the Battle of Borodino begun. Kutuzov ordered Bagration to defend the southern part of the front. Here were built several v-shaped field fortifications known as the 'Bagration Fleches'. The fourth earthwork was slightly to the north, by Semonovskaia village. The village of Semenovskaia being of totally wooden construction it had been dismantled and burned to provide a clear field of fire. North of Bagration Fleches stood so-called Raievski Redoubt, also called Great Redoubt or Death Redoubt. Tolstoy descrided it: "... on to the high knoll on which militiamen were at work excavating. This was the redoubt, as yet unnamed, afterwards called Raievski's redoubt, or the battery on the mound." and "The redoubt consisted of a mound, with trenches dug out on three sides of it. In the entrenchments stood 10 cannons, firing through the gaps left in the earthworks. In a line with the redoubt on both sides stood cannons." Lieutenant Bogdanov (of pioneers) left us more detailed description of the most known redoubt of the Napoleonic Wars: "At 11 PM, I was ordered to ride to general raievski. I found him at a battery built in consequence of an order he had issued. The battery was completely finished, and artillery pieces were in their places; it comprised almost a straight line, so that its front angle was more than 160 degrees and was pointed to the junction of the Eemenovskii Brook with the Kolocha River. Its right face extended in the direction of two batteries near Gorki village and the artillery of ythe VI Infantry Corps, and on the left face, it dropped to the line of the VII Infantry Corps where it was protected by its artillery pieces and by an open battery of 60 pieces placed near Semonovskoie village; because of all this, the whole space in front of it was protected by a heavy crossfire.

General Raievski met me with the following words: 'We have built this battery ourselves; your commander, visiting me, praised our work and its placement, but as the open and flat terrain can be accessed by cavalry, so he advised us to dig a line of wolf-pits at 50 sazhen in front of the battery; we have done this; now, the one and most important problem remains: the enemy can outflank us and take the battery from the rear; it is necessary to make a strong obstacle to him. Inspect all and tell me what and how to do.

The battery had 19 artillery pieces, the length of the front line was up to 60 sazhen; the width of the moath was 3,5 sazhen; the depth near the counterscarpe up to 1,5 sazhen ... It was necessary, despite the lack of time, to add two epaulments of ramparts and a moat on the flanks, and to cover the rear with double palisade with two passages with palisaded gateways in them; ... the fortification ... was finished by half-past four in the morning." In front of Bagration Fleches stood the Shevardino Redoubt. It was erected to provide early warning of French advance from that direction. During battle of Borodino here was Napoleon's headquarter. Before the battle, on the Russian side, took place a religious ceremony. It was great for the morale of the Russian soldiers. "A church procession was coming up the hill from Borodino. First along the dusty road came the infantry in ranks, bareheaded and with arms reversed. From behind them came the sound of church singing. Soldiers and opolchenie ran bareheaded toward the procession. .... The opolchenie, both those who had been in the village and those who had been at work on the battery, threw down their spades and ran to meet the church procession. Following the battalion that marched along the dusty road came priests in their vestments- one little old man in a hood with attendants and singers. Behind them soldiers and officers bore a large, dark-faced icon with an embossed metal cover. ... Behind, before, and on both sides, crowds of opolchenie with bared heads walked, ran, and bowed to the ground.

At the summit of the hill they stopped with the icon; the men who had been holding it up by the linen bands attached to it were relieved by others, the chanters relit their censers, and service began. The hot rays of the sun beat down vertically and a fresh soft wind played with the hair of the bared heads and with the ribbons decorating the icon. The singing did not sound loud under the open sky. An immense crowd of bareheaded officers, soldiers, and opolchenie surrounded the icon. Behind the priest and a chanter stood the notabilities on a spot reserved for them. ...

Someone, a very important personage judging by the haste with which way was made for him, was approaching the icon. It was Kutuzov, who had been riding round the position and on his way back to Tatarinovo had stopped where the service was being held. ...

With a long overcoat on his his exceedingly stout, round-shouldered body, with uncovered white head and puffy face showing the white ball of the eye he had lost, Kutuzov walked with plunging, swaying gait into the crowd and stopped behind the priest. He crossed himself with an accustomed movement, bent till he touched the ground with his hand, and bowed his white head with a deep sigh. Behind Kutuzov was Bennigsen and the suite. Despite the presence of the commander in chief, who attracted the attention of all the superior officers, the militiamen and soldiers continued their prayers without looking at him.

When the service was over, Kutuzov stepped up to the icon, sank heavily to his knees, bowed to the ground, and for a long time tried vainly to rise, but could not do so on account of his weakness and weight. His white head twitched with the effort. At last he rose, kissed the icon as a child does with naively pouting lips, and again bowed till he touched the ground with his hand. The other generals followed his example, then the officers, and after them with excited faces, pressing on one another, crowding, panting, and pushing, scrambled the soldiers and opolchenie." (Leo Tolstoy - "War and Peace" Book X, Chapter 21) Kutuzov.

"It was as though some kind of power

emanated from the venerable commander,

inspiring all those around him." Kutuzov was in front of the village of Gorki, sitting on a folding chair brought by a Cossack. He could not see the battlefield from where he was, but his mere presence was enough. Officer Mitarevski wrote about Kutuzov: "It was as though some kind of power emanated from the venerable commander, inspiring all those around him."

Among Russian generals Kutuzov has been held second only to his teacher Suvorov. Pushkin addressed the old commander in the famous elegy on Kutuzov's sepulchre, and he also figures as a patient and wise leader in Leo Tolstoy's "War and Peace". In 1941-45, the Soviet government established the Order of Kutuzov which, among several other decorations, was preserved in Russia upon the dissolution of the Soviet Union, thus remaining of the highest military awards in Russia. Napoleon.

He listened to a suggestion from Davout

to outflank the Russian left wing

but said it should not be done. In 1812 Napoleon put on weight, and he developed a paunch. Those close to him noted that his eyes grew less piercing and he spoke more slowly. He also took longer to make decisions. Those used to his fits of fury were surprised to find him growing more pensive. His enemies noted that his victories were no longer as resounding as they had been. Caulaincourt's Itineraire records that the Emperor that day rode three of his horses: Luzelberg, Emir and Courtois. "Napoleon was in the saddle by 3 am in the morning, and rode over to the Shevardino redoubt. The troops were already moving up to their positions, cheering as they passed their Emperor. 'It's the entusiasm of Austerlitz !' Napoleon observed to Rapp. By half past 5, all the units were in their designated positions, drawn up as if on parade. 'Never has there been a finer force than the French army had on that day' - recalled Colonel Seruzier ... The commanding officers of every unit then read out a proclamation penned by Napoleon the night before ... "Soldiers ! This is the battle that you have looked forward to so much ! Now victory depends on you: we need it. ... "

Napoleon had taken up position on the rise at the back of the Shevardino redoubt, from where he could see the entire battlefield. Flize writes: "I moved a little closer to the Emperor who'd not ceased peering at the battlefield through his spyglass. He was wearing his grey uniform and spoke little. Sometime a cannonball came rolling towards his feet, but he merely stepped aside, as we did who were standing behind him." The Imperial Guard was drawn up alongside and behind him. He was brought a folding camp chair, which he turned back to front and sat astride, leaning his arms on its back. Behind him stood Berthier and Bessieres, and behind them a swarm of aides-de-camp and duty officers. Before him he could see a formidable sight." (Zamoyski - "Moscow 1812" pp 265-266) Lejeune writes: "The appearance of all these crack troops, beautiful to behold in their impatience to go into action and secure a victory, made a most imposing spectacle." Despite the devastating losses earlier in the war, French morale remained excellent. Indeed, the battle looked like an easy victory for Napoleon and his Guard being present. Napoleon spent the previous day on horseback inspecting the own troops, considering plans and giving commands to generals. At dawn the Emperor mounted and rode to the front line where he had a good view of the Russian positions. The Emperor reviewed the Russian positions and returned to his staff. He listened to a suggestion from Davout to outflank the Russian left wing but said it should not be done. Napoleon ordered to place all the 16 howitzers of the III and VIII Corps, on the flanks of the 40-gun battery that is to bombard the fleches. He also ordered Sorbier to be ready to advance with all the howitzers of the Guard`s artillery against either one or other of the fleches. On returning from a second inspection of the lines, Napoleon said "The chessmen are set up, the game will begin tomorrow!" In the night he anxiously asked whether the Russians had not withdrawn, and was told that the enemy`s campfires were still in the same place. Satisfied he went to sleep. Thousands of smoking campfires could be seen everywhere.