Napoleon in Russia

Date Location Comment
June 24 Niemen Napoleon crosses the Niemen and enters Russia with a force of 450,000 men.
June 28 Vilna Napoleon troops reach Vilna and spend two weeks restoring troops order and spirit
July 16 Vilna Army leaves Vilna and heads for Vitebsk
August 13 Vitebsk Army leaves Vitebsk and heads for Smolensk
August 16-17 Smolensk Army arrives at Smolensk, reduced in strength by death and desertion to 160,000 men
September 7Borodino Battle of Borodino
September 14-15Moscow Napoleon arrives in Moscow, finds it burning and Russians not conceding.
October 19MoscowNapoleon begins retreat from Moscow, trying to beat the Russian winter
October 24Maloyaroslavets Battle with the Russians, which forces Napoleon to retreat along the same northern path he used to approach Moscow.
November 16-17Krasnoye One division of the Army sacrifices itself, allowing others to get away.
November 28BerezinaNapoleon troops cross Berezina river and are attacked by Russians. Napoleon loses approximately 25,000 troops.
December 3MolodechnoNapoleon admits the failure of the retreat and blames it on the weather
December 8Smorgoni Napoleon leaves the Army, now only 10,000 men, and heads back to Paris.
December 10?VilnaNapoleon's remaining men return to Vilna, on their way out of Russia.

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Submitted for LIS 385T by Kathy Scott, October 1996
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