Wikipedia

Battle of Wolkowisk

The Battle of Wolkowisk (Volkovysk) took place 14–16 November 1812 near the village of Wolkowisk, where 35,000 Austrian, Saxon and French soldiers under Karl Philipp, Prince of Schwarzenberg defeated 27,000 Russian soldiers under Fabian Gottlieb von der Osten-Sacken.[1]

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
Strength
27,000[1] 35,000[1]
Casualties and losses
4,000[1] 1,800[1]
French invasion of Russia
Map
About OpenStreetMaps
Maps: terms of use
500km
300miles
Wolkowisk
Osten-Sacken at Wolkowisk 14–16 November 1812
Pultusk
15
Gorodeczno
14
Battle of Gorodechno 12 August 1812: Schwarzenberg's Austrians
Drohiczyn
13
Tauroggen
12
Tauroggen 30 December 1812: Ludwig Yorck's Prussians signed the Convention of Tauroggen
Riga
11
Siege of Riga 24 July – 18 December 1812: Macdonald's Prussians
Tilsit
10
Warsaw
9
Berezina
8
Battle of Berezina 26–29 November 1812: Napoleon, Chichagov, Wittgenstein, Kutuzov only pursuit
Maloyaro-
slavets
7
Battle of Maloyaroslavets 24 October 1812: Kutuzov, Napoleon
Moscow
6
Moscow 14 September to 19 October 1812: Napoleon
Borodino
5
Battle of Borodino 7 September 1812: Kutuzov, Napoleon October 1812: Napoleon's Retreat
Smolensk
4
Battle of Smolensk 16 August 1812: Napoleon November 1812: : Napoleon's retreat
Vitebsk
3
Battle of Vitebsk 26 July 1812: Napoleon
Vilna
2
Kowno
1
  current battle
  Prussian corps
  Napoleon
  Austrian corps

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.[2]

Battle

edit

Sacken had taken Wolkowisk on 14 November and driven off Jean Reynier's troops but could not destroy this part of the French army. 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.[3]

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 Wolkovisk to Borisov and the Beresina led through poor country and increasingly deteriorating weather. He might have been able to block Tshitshagov but instead Schwarzenberg's 40,000 men did not support Napoleon at the Beresina.[3]

See also

edit

Notes

edit
  1. ^ a b c d e Bodart 1908, p. 443.
  2. ^ Riehn 1990, p. 75.
  3. ^ 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
Retrieved from "https://en.wiki.x.io/w/index.php?title=Battle_of_Wolkowisk&oldid=1229143311"