Battle of Borodino reenactment

[MZKT]

The Battle of Borodino (Russian: Бородинская битва Borodinskaja bitva, French: Bataille de la Moskowa) (September 7, 1812, or August 26 in the Julian calendar then used in Russia), was the largest and bloodiest single-day battle of the Napoleonic Wars, involving more than a quarter of a million soldiers and resulting in at least 70,000 casualties.

It was fought by the French Grande Armée under Napoleon I and the Imperial Russian army of General Mikhail Kutusov near the village of Borodino, west from the town of Mozhaysk. The battle ended with frustrated tactical results, although the French captured the main positions on the battlefield. Strategic considerations and the poor condition of the army forced the Russians to withdraw. The clash at Borodino was a pivotal point in the campaign as it was the last offensive battle fought by Napoleon in Russia.

[MZKT]

[Bryson C]

Great pics thx for posting.

[HardThunder]

Great post. The Russian commander, and his troops did a great job. I have simd this many times, and have always enjoyed it.

The Russians did their job exquisitely. Delay the enemy, and do not become decisively engaged. Truly a classic of that concept.

[[WDW]Megaraptor]

I remember reading about this battle in War and Peace...

[darowden]

Amazing that they were able to do battle in such elaborate dress.

[HardThunder]

Originally Posted by darowden

Amazing that they were able to do battle in such elaborate dress.

They really did not have to do that much. March, stand in line, fire, get fired at. Until they had to make a bayonet attack it was all very simple movements. Also the dress helped commander, and your fellow troops to know who you are.

Unless of course as in this battle two units with similar dress from opposite sides start mixing it up in close.

[Lokos]

The Russians did their job exquisitely. Delay the enemy, and do not become decisively engaged.

I hope you're talking about the re-enactment, because the Battle of Borodino was certainly not a case of 'delaying the enemy and not becoming decisively engaged'. The Russians managed to successfully disengage, after a very bloody and stalemated tactical meatgrinder, however. Is this what you're referring to?

Lokos

[lightfire]

Hey, I know this guy He's a head of Kaunas Military history club, quite a respected person, and participates in most of such kind of reenacement.

I would wonder what could have happened after decisive french victory in Borodino. (for instance, if Poniatowskis attack had been successfull). Any changes from that?

[Engine Mech]

Excellent pictures. It looks like every body had a fun day out. The uniforms look great but getting enough of the correct muskets must be a challenge. Does any one make a reproduction of the russian muskets.

[HardThunder]

Delaying operation

An operation in which a force under pressure trades space for time by slowing down the enemy's momentum and inflicting maximum damage on the enemy without, in principle, becoming decisively engaged.

Delaying operation - An operation in which a force under pressure trades space for time by slowing down the enemy's momentum and inflicting maximum damage on the enemy without, in principle, becoming decisively engaged. (Army) - Usually conducted when the commander needs time to concentrate, preserve, or withdraw forces; to establish defenses in greater depth; to economize in an area; to cover a defending or withdrawing unit; to protect a friendly unit's flank; or to complete offensive actions elsewhere. In the delay, the destruction of the enemy force is secondary to slowing his advance to gain time.


Decisively Engage
To reduce an opposing force, making it incapable of current, or future operations.

[JJason]

We had the opportunity while traveling threw Russia back in May to visit the site just outside Minsk, Belarus. Very highly recommended tour. Here are some pics.

[Stonewall71]

Awesome!

I wish I could be part of one of those re-enactements

[Lokos]

Delaying operation

An operation in which a force under pressure trades space for time by slowing down the enemy's momentum and inflicting maximum damage on the enemy without, in principle, becoming decisively engaged.

Delaying operation - An operation in which a force under pressure trades space for time by slowing down the enemy's momentum and inflicting maximum damage on the enemy without, in principle, becoming decisively engaged. (Army) - Usually conducted when the commander needs time to concentrate, preserve, or withdraw forces; to establish defenses in greater depth; to economize in an area; to cover a defending or withdrawing unit; to protect a friendly unit's flank; or to complete offensive actions elsewhere. In the delay, the destruction of the enemy force is secondary to slowing his advance to gain time.


Decisively Engage
To reduce an opposing force, making it incapable of current, or future operations.

Yah, thanks for the definitions - 'cause I had no idea what a 'decisive engagement' or a 'delaying operation' was prior to the enlightenment you so graciously extended to yours truly.

Can we count Prince M. S. Vorontsov's Grenadier division 'decisively engaged'? With more than 3,700 out of 4,000 effectives lost by eight o'clock. What about Davout's assault on the fleches? The French assaulted, were counterattacked, and then assaulted once more Bagration's southern positions (an engagement drawing in some 70,000 men on both sides and over 300 guns), only to be counterattacked once more - a process repeated thrice. The entire Russian army (including reserves) was under the guns of the French throughout the day. Prince Eugene of Wurttemberg's brigade lost 289 effectives in thirty minutes of standing at ease in reserve due to artillery fire...

You contend that the Russians intended to 'delay', and 'not become decisively engaged'. That is fallacious. A 'decisive' engagement is precisely what the Russian leadership intended. Allow me to quote Adam Zamoyski:

The Russian losses were crippling. The army... had lost half of its fighting effectives - the dead and wounded were overwhelmingly from the front-line regiments, not cossack or militia.

The Shirvansk regiment was down to 99 men out of 1,300 by three o'clock. Neverovsky's entire division could summon no more than seven hundred men to the standard by that evening.

Kutuzov's decision to use the battle as a 'delaying operation' came after the battle was done, following the survey of the army's capacity to give Napoleon further battle before extensive rest and recouperation. The only truly fortuituous result of the battle (which all up cost the Russians some 45,000 men and the French roughly 28,000) was the virtual destruction of the French cavalry arm...

Lokos

[HardThunder]

Thats a twist no one seems to know of, that all of the Russian troops, and units had been destroyed Lokos.

FYI : People, and units die in war, and more so in Battles.

1.The French could not use the units at Borodino because they were at Borodino.

2.The Russians at Borodino, and the battle of Borodino, kept the French from being some place other then Borodino.

3.The Russians at Borodino conducted a Orderly withdraw, preserving the majority of their forces.

4.The Russians at Borodino completed the mission given to them, and in good order.

This one operation was the turning point for France. Not as drastic as the one for Germany almost 150 years later at a place called Stalingrad, but then again many, many Russian units praised there.