Battle of Valutino

Battle of Valutino
Part of French invasion of Russia (1812)
Battle of Valutino, by Peter von Hess
Date 18 August 1812 Location Near Smolensk, Russia Result French tactical victory Strategic Russian retreat
Belligerents
First French Empire	Russian Empire
Commanders and leaders
Michel Ney Jean-Andoche Junot	Michael Andreas Barclay de Tolly
Strength
30,000	40,000
Casualties and losses
7,000	6,000

The Battle of Valutino took place on 18 August 1812, between a corps of French and allied troops led by Marshal Ney, about 30,000 strong, and a strong rear-guard of General Barclay de Tolly's Russian army of about 40,000, commanded by the general himself. The Russians were strongly posted in marshy ground, protected by a small stream, about 20 Kilometers east of Smolensk. The French, attacking resolutely, carried the Russian position in the face of enormous natural difficulties.

The battle

Napoleon's hopes of trapping General Barclay's army were dashed when he discovered that the Russian force awaiting the French was a rearguard under General Tutchkov. Barclay's main force of three infantry and one cavalry corps was strung out near Smolensk, trying to get away from the French after the Battle of Smolensk. They then turned around to fight the French on the Stragan river. After a heavy bombardment, Ney launched an assault against the Russians, crossing the Stragan but failing to capture the crest. Murat's cavalry attacks were bogged down in marshy ground and accomplished nothing either. General Junot's force was close to the battlefield and was urged to attack the Russians by Murat, but Junot did nothing and the opportunity for a decisive victory passed.

A few hours later, Ney launched the last attack. General Gudin led the assault and was killed when a cannonball removed his legs. The French managed to capture the crest after hard fighting, but by that point the majority of Barclay's army had escaped and was heading towards Lubino.

Aftermath

French casualties stood at around 7,000; the Russians had lost about 6,000. Napoleon was furious after the battle, realizing that another good chance to trap and destroy the Russian army had been lost.

Sources

• Palmer, Alan (1967). Napoleon in Russia. New York: Carrol & Graf Publishers. ISBN 0-7867-1263-5.

External links

• Map of Battle of Valutina Gora (Valutino, Loubino)