Battle of Wolkowisk

  1. Home
  2. Wiki

Battle of Wolkowisk
Part of the French invasion of Russia

Napoleon's retreat by Vasily Vereshchagin
Date14–16 November 1812
Location
Wolkowisk (Volkovysk), Grodno Governorate, Russian Empire
53°10′N 24°28′E / 53.167°N 24.467°E / 53.167; 24.467
Result Austrian victory
Belligerents
Russian Empire Russian Empire Austrian Empire Austrian Empire
Kingdom of Saxony
First French Empire French Empire
Commanders and leaders
Russian Empire Osten-Sacken Austrian Empire Schwarzenberg
First French Empire Reynier
Strength
32,000: 27,000[1][2] plus 5,000 Cossacks[2]
152 cannon[2]		 35,000–40,500[1][a]
Casualties and losses
4,000[1]
10,000 with retreat all the way to Brest[2]		 1,800[1]
French invasion of Russia
Map
About OpenStreetMaps
Maps: terms of use
330km
205miles
Wolkowisk
Osten-Sacken at Wolkowisk 14–16 November 1812
Osten-Sacken at Wolkowisk 14–16 November 1812
15
Pultusk
14
Gorodeczno
14 Battle of Gorodechno 12 August 1812: Schwarzenberg's Austrians
14 Battle of Gorodechno 12 August 1812: Schwarzenberg's Austrians
13
Drohiczyn
12
Tauroggen
12 Tauroggen 30 December 1812: Ludwig Yorck's Prussians signed the Convention of Tauroggen
12 Tauroggen 30 December 1812: Ludwig Yorck's Prussians signed the Convention of Tauroggen
11
Riga
11 Siege of Riga 24 July – 18 December 1812: Macdonald's Prussians
11 Siege of Riga 24 July – 18 December 1812: Macdonald's Prussians
10
Tilsit
9
Warsaw
8
Berezina
8 Battle of Berezina 26–29 November 1812: Napoleon, Chichagov, Wittgenstein, Kutuzov only pursuit
8 Battle of Berezina 26–29 November 1812: Napoleon, Chichagov, Wittgenstein, Kutuzov only pursuit
7
Maloyaro-
slavets
7 Battle of Maloyaroslavets 24 October 1812: Kutuzov, Napoleon
7 Battle of Maloyaroslavets 24 October 1812: Kutuzov, Napoleon
6
Moscow
6 Moscow 14 September to 19 October 1812: Napoleon
6 Moscow 14 September to 19 October 1812: Napoleon
5
Borodino
5 Battle of Borodino 7 September 1812: Kutuzov, Napoleon October 1812: Napoleon's Retreat
5 Battle of Borodino 7 September 1812: Kutuzov, Napoleon October 1812: Napoleon's Retreat
4
Smolensk
4 Battle of Smolensk 16 August 1812: Napoleon November 1812: : Napoleon's retreat
4 Battle of Smolensk 16 August 1812: Napoleon November 1812: : Napoleon's retreat
3
Vitebsk
3 Battle of Vitebsk 26 July 1812: Napoleon
3 Battle of Vitebsk 26 July 1812: Napoleon
2
Vilna
1
Kowno
  current battle
  Prussian corps
  Napoleon
  Austrian corps

The Battle of Wolkowisk (Volkovysk) took place 14–16 November 1812 in the course of the French invasion of Russia near the village of Wolkowisk, where 35,000–40,500 Austrian, Saxon and French soldiers under Karl Philipp, Prince of Schwarzenberg defeated 27,000–32,000 Russian soldiers under Fabian Gottlieb von der Osten-Sacken.[1][2] Osten-Sacken managed to push back Jean Reynier's corps, but failed to dislodge it from the staging area. The decisive offensive was carried out by the Austrians, who arrived later.[2]

Background

[edit]

Prince Schwarzenberg was under the constraints of secret agreements between Vienna and St. Petersburg to give as little help as possible to Napoleon.[3]

Battle

[edit]

Sacken had taken Wolkowisk on 14 November and driven off Jean Reynier's troops in a night attack but could not destroy this part of the French army, which took up positions on the heights north of Wolkowisk. Schwarzenberg on the 15 November marched to Wolkowisk and left 6,500 men to protect Slonim. The Austrians attacked Sacken's troops on the 16 November. Now the Russians were attacked on three sides but they were able to extricate themselves and Sacken finally withdrew toward Brest.[4]

Aftermath

[edit]

Schwarzenberg followed Sacken but Maret ordered him to go to Minsk at once. Schwarzenberg obeyed reluctantly but later on he even did not continue his march to Minsk as the more than 300 km from Wolkowisk to Borisov and the Berezina led through poor country and increasingly deteriorating weather. He might have been able to block Chichagov but instead Schwarzenberg's 40,000 men did not support Napoleon at the Berezina.[4]

See also

[edit]

Notes

[edit]
  1. ^ 47,000 including unengaged troops.[2]
  1. ^ a b c d e Bodart 1908, p. 443.
  2. ^ a b c d e f g Riehn 1990, pp. 365–366.
  3. ^ Riehn 1990, p. 75.
  4. ^ a b Riehn 1990, p. 365-366.

References

[edit]
  • Bodart, Gaston (1908). Militär-historisches Kriegs-Lexikon (1618-1905). Retrieved 10 April 2021.
  • Riehn, Richard K. (1990). 1812 : Napoleon's Russian campaign. McGraw-Hill. ISBN 9780070527317. Retrieved 10 April 2021.
[edit]