Napoleon in 1812

Chapter 20

3. Battles between great powers begin with guns and end with talks – 7

Usually, cities were formed in basin, with a lower altitude than the other places around them, but the city of Hrodna was the opposite. The city center of Hrodna was located on a hill, slightly higher than the nearby grasslands. In other words, the Russian troops had to climb up a sloping road to advance to the French headquarters in the center of Hrodna. The slope was so gentle that strong adult males could not feel much difference from flat ground, but the fast horses were different.

Booooooo! Boooooooo!

French cavalry battalions showed up on the hill with their signature trumpets. Dressed in brillant uniforms with breastplates, they appeared majestically, as if they no longer had to hide that they were French. Joachim Murat,111 the king of Naples and the greatest cavalry commander of this era, was standing at the front. As the Russian officers who confirmed his flag were in chaos, Murat pulled out his saber and shouted.

“When our comrades were fighting in blood and sweat, we had to watch silently! We endured it for too long! Warriors of the Empire, charge! Charge!”

Despite becoming a Marshal of the French Empire and the king of Naples, Joachim Murat’s position was always leading from the front.

“Everyone, follow the Marshal!”

“Long live the French Empire!”

The French armored cavalry drew swords in unison and made a valiant charge down the slope. The Russian infantry trying to climb up and the French cavalry coming down clashed violently in the middle of the slope.

“Argh!”

“Ahhh!”

The power of the cavalry that charged with warhorses as one body was enough to crush humans. The Russian infantry lines, which directly received the impact, were divided. The sabers wielded by the riders split the necks and chests of the Russian soldiers trying to respond with guns. Blood and flesh splashed all over the place, and the screams of horses, humans, and shouts were mixed. It was the French who won this fierce struggle.

“First Division, stop! Second Division, charge!”

Joachim Murat’s cavalry tactics were also outstanding. Murat divided the cavalry and charged sequentially, breaking the formation of the Russian infantry with every impact. The greatly scattered infantry disappeared like melted snow under the blades of the French cavalry coming down the slope. The ground rang with the screams of the Russian soldiers and was stained by their blood. In the meantime, the tricolor flag of France was fluttering vigorously.

“Oh my God! The French cavalry!”

“Where the hell did they come from!”

From the color of their uniforms, it was clearly the Flemish Cuirassiers regiment. Seeing that they were running quickly, wielding their swords, they must have been saving their strength without participating in any battles so far. The Russians could not do anything against the Cuirassiers regiment, which poked and cut down everything that was in their way.

The Russian troops were pushed back by their sequential charge. The Russian infantry soldiers who had marched and attacked yesterday and since this morning were already exhausted. When the cavalry charge passed through the collapsed battle lines, the defeated Russian infantry could no longer hold out.

“We can’t move forward like this! Your Excellency! Please quickly give us your response orders!”

“Form infantry squares! Let them charge!”

General Tuchkov ordered the retreat of the infantry battalions to reorganize them in the rear, and advanced other battalions, using the standard tactics against cavalry. The infantry with bayonets was divided into squads in square formations with a lower posture. These squads were then deployed on the battlefield. This was the best response to stop the cavalry’s quick rush.

However, the enemy’s capabilities should always be taken into account when using tactics. Joachim Murat, who was leading the French cavalry, was a skilled cavalry commander who had experienced this situation dozens of times. When the infantry squares were put in place, he quickly calmed down the excited riders and horses.

And he simply retreated to avoid the squares, making the Russians bewildered. As the dirt and dust settled where the cavalry swept through, the front view became clearer. And they could now see countless cannons waiting in line.

“Oh, my God, my God! Break the squares! Break the squares right now!”

However, the cannon fire came before General Tuchkov’s order. The square-shaped dense formation was the best when dealing with a rushing cavalry, but it was just a huge target in front of the artillery.

Boom boom! Boom boom boom!

The front artillery attack showed a different level of power than the Russian army had ever experienced. The entire square hit by the shells evaporated. The Russian infantry were crushed without preserving their formation. Against infantry in close order, the cannons showed the most devastating destructive power they could exert. More than 100 cannons fired again.

Shells fired with terrible kinetic energy completely devastated the Russian infantry battalions in square formation. The cold and one-sided slaughter, with no blood or tears from the attackers, was something that even the Russian elite soldiers could not endure. Facing this overwhelming devastation, General Tuchkov and the Russian officers were speechless. Looking at the Russian elite soldiers who were losing in disorder, their faces were dyed with immutable despair.

At 10:30 a.m., about 100,000 Polish troops led by Poniatowski arrived at the battlefield of Hrodna. They appeared on the left side of the Bagration Corps, pressing the entire Russian army from the side. Pyotr Bagration launched a preemptive strike before they were ready for battle, but was unable to cope with the Polish tactics as the troops were rushing down like water.

The situation in the Russian army, especially in the Bagration Corps, was serious after the appearance of the Polish Corps. It was good to have taken the north side of the Neman River, including the Krunol Hill, and to have made the Allied Corps retreat to the city center of Hrodna. However, as the bridges over the Neman River were burned down, they were now isolated and separated from the Barclay Corps.

Poland’s great army in the front, and the Neman River in the back. The Bagration Corps was now walking on thin ice.

‘Bagration won’t last long…’

Without even thinking about wiping the sweat off his forehead, General Barclay gave strength to his hand holding his knee. Even though he was applying strength, his hand was shaking. The Bagration Corps was an elite unit known in the entire Russia.

But they had already been fighting fiercely for more than 10 hours since yesterday. Their stamina would be at its bottom. The retreat was blocked. Three times as many Polish troops were pressing ahead. Even if Alexander the Great and Hannibal Barca were reborn, it was impossible to overcome this. Now, Barclay and the other Russian generals were able to admit it. The majestic operation for the occupation of Hrodna was a heroic failure.

‘Oh… Oh God!..

Barclay’s eyes closed tightly.

TL notes

[1] Joachim Murat