Action at the Losvinka
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The limited close-quarters combat that did occur on this day unfolded throughout the morning and early afternoon around Uvarovo. The Imperial Guard attacked Uvarovo to cover Davout's crossing of the Losvinka and entering Krasny.
Uvarovo, at a distance of half an hour walking, was held by two battalions of Golitsyn's infantry, which formed a weak forward outpost in advance of the rest of the Russian army. The Russians were soon driven from Uvarovo, as Kutuzov forbade Golitsyn from reinforcing his troops. Golitsyn reacted by commencing a devastating artillery barrage on Uvarovo, which took a terrible toll on the Young Guardsmen.[1]
Kutuzov, in order to mass as much strength as possible behind Golitsyn, at this point ordered Miloradovich to shift his position west, so that it linked with Golitsyn's lines.[1] Kutuzov's decision to realign Miloradovich's troops is remarkable, as the bulk of the Russian army—Golitsyn's and Tormasov's commands—were already merged in a powerful defensive position. Miloradovich was thus denied the chance to complete the destruction of Davout.
Meanwhile, to the north, Davout's troops began streaming into Krasny, harassed by swarms of Cossacks who made no serious attempt to stop them. The Russian artillery continued to pound Davout's corps with grapeshot, inflicting ruinous casualties on the I Corps. Most of Davout's baggage train was lost, but a significant number of his infantrymen had been saved, and they were rallied by their officers in Krasny.[2]
Next, General Bennigsen, second in seniority only to Kutuzov among Russian generals, ordered Golitsyn to recapture Uvarovo. Golitsyn's attack was met by a simultaneous counterattack by two bataillons of the Guard's voltigeurs and tirailleurs.[1] Golitsyn attacked them on the main road with two regiments of cuirassiers. A second line of Dutch Grenadiers on foot, supported by the Dutch regiment of Red Lancers, then fell back under heavy Russian cannon fire.[4] The Grenadiers (fusiliers belonging to Imperial Guard under Ricard) were driven from a critical defensive position with massive casualties.[1] Roguet attempted to support the Dutch by attacking the Russian artillery batteries with Young Guards, but this offensive was broken up by Russian grapeshot and cavalry charges. Only 25 soldiers and eleven officers of the Grenadiers survived this encounter.[5][6]
Leaving their bivouac, on an excessively cold morning,[7] the rearguard (the 33rd Regiment under Marguerye's command[8]) was attacked by Cossacks, cuirassiers and infantry, became encircled and out of ammunition.
The 33rd regiment tried desperately to connect with the I Army Corps but was forced to carre. Russian guard cuirassiers attacked the regiment and shelled it with scrap fire. In the next attack, the carre of the 33rd succumbed. Dutch and Russian officers, who were Freemasons, made contact with each other, after which the fighting ended. The surviving soldiers and officers (78 men) went into captivity.[9]
The Dutch 33rd regiment (chasseurs) formed squares and repelled the attack. During the third Russian attack, they became trapped and soon the entire regiment was killed by sword or captured; 75 men survived.[10] The loss of this regiment ended the battle of Krasnoi.[11]
- ^ a b c d Wilson, p. 270.
- ^ Cate, p. 361.
- ^ "Siméon Jean Antoine Fort | La Division Ricard au combat de Krasnoe le 18 novembre 1812, 9 h. du matin | Images d'Art".
- ^ Nafziger, G.F. (1988) Napoleon's invasion of Russia, p. 309
- ^ De veldtocht naar Rusland in 1812 onder keizer Napoleon by G. A. Geerts
- ^ Segur, p. 205.
- ^ Human voices from the Russian campaign of 1812 by Arthur Chuquet (1912)
- ^ Marguerye, Henri de
- ^ Rieksen, E.J. (2020) Voetstappen zonder echo, p. 99-100
- ^ Carnets et journal sur la campagne de Russie : extraits du Carnet de La Sabretache, années 1901-1902-1906-1912. Baron Jean Jacques Germain Pelet; M.E. Jordens; Guillaume Bonnet; Henri-Pierre Everts. Paris : Librairie Historique F. Teissèdre, 1997, p. 698-699.
- ^ THE CAMPAIGN OF 1812 IN RUSSIA by CARL VON CLAUSEWITZ, p. 79