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Napoleon's Russian Campaign
Campaign Name : Napoleon's Russian Campaign
Date(s) : 18 June 1812 - 14 December 1812
Part of : The French Revolutionary and Napoleonic Wars ,
Summary
Napoleon had thought of attacking Russia and either crushing her army or occupying Moscow, forcing her into capitulation.
He crossed the Niemen with over 600,000 troops, but Russia absorbed them completely. Battle, cold, hunger, disease and Cossacks took a heavy toll, particularly once they had reached Moscow on 14/09/1812. Although the French possessed the capital, the Russians refused to agree terms. Napoleon had lost too many men getting there and winter was closing in. 4 weeks after arriving in Moscow, he decided to retreat back to Germany.
By January, when the last of McDonald's command arrived in Konigsberg there were only around 93,000 troops left. Further, of the around 400,000 he crossed the Russian border with, he only left Russia with about 34,000.
This massive defeat signaled the beginning of the end for Napoleon's continental system and his dominance over Europe.
Also includes the following
- Occupation of Vilna 28 June 1812
- Occupation of Minsk 08 July 1812
- Korelitchi 09 July 1812
- Mir 1 10 July 1812
- Romanovo 15 July 1812
- Mohilev 18 July 1812
- Ostronovo 18 July 1812
- Eckau 19 July 1812
- Saltanovka [Mohilev] 23 July 1812
- Riga [Blockade] 24 July 1812 - 18 December 1812
- Ostronovno 25 July 1812 - 27 July 1812
- Kobryn 27 July 1812
- Jakubovo 28 July 1812
- Kliastitzy [1] 28 July 1812
- Occupation of Vitebsk 28 July 1812
- Kliastitzy [2] 30 July 1812 - 01 August 1812
- Golovchtchitzy 02 August 1812
- Schlock 05 August 1812
- Wolgund 07 August 1812
- Inkovo 08 August 1812
- Swolna 11 August 1812
- Gorodeczna 12 August 1812
- Krasnoe, First battle of 14 August 1812
- Polotsk 1 16 August 1812 - 18 August 1812
- Smolensk 17 August 1812 - 18 August 1812
- Valutina-Gora [Lubino] 19 August 1812
- Dahlenkirchen 22 August 1812
- Olai 22 August 1812
- Schewardino 05 September 1812
- Borodino, or The Moskva 07 September 1812
- Moshaisk 10 September 1812
- Neswitsch 20 September 1812
- Eckau 2 27 September 1812
- Mesoten 29 September 1812
- Gräfenthal 29 September 1812
- Lautschkruge 30 September 1812
- River Muchaviec 11 October 1812
- Polotsk 2 18 October 1812 - 20 October 1812
- Winkowo 18 October 1812
- Slonim 20 October 1812
- Maloyaroslavets 24 October 1812
- Tschaschniki 31 October 1812
- Wiasma 03 November 1812
- Mir 2 13 November 1812
- Axenzi 13 November 1812
- Novo Swerschen 13 November 1812
- Smoljäntzi 14 November 1812
- Krasnoe, Second battle of 14 November 1812 - 18 November 1812
- Wolkowysk [Izabelin] 14 November 1812 - 16 November 1812
- Kaidanowo 15 November 1812
- Minsk [Capture] 17 November 1812
- Crossing the Beresina 21 November 1812 - 29 November 1812
- Kalisz 13 February 1813
- Thorn 16 February 1813 - 16 April 1813
- Wrietzen 17 February 1813
- Spandau 01 April 1813 - 21 April 1813
- Lüneburg 02 April 1813
- Schwarzhausen 13 April 1813
- Langensalza 16 April 1813 - 17 April 1813
- Wanfried 18 April 1813
