Smolensk

Napoleon took Vilna (June 28) and Vitebsk (July 29) practically without battle. Russian generals did not feel organized enough to fight a major battle and kept retreating deeper into Russia. Napoleon was anxious to fight; inaction irritated him. He wanted a short campaign with a decisive victory, which he could not have as long as there was no confrontation between the enemies. He also needed a battle to raise morale among his soldiers, whose discipline had begun to crack on the long exhausting march. Napoleon had high hopes that the long-awaited battle would finally take place at Smolensk.

On August 17, the enemies fought each other for the first time during the campaign. However, after only one day's fighting, the Russians decided to surrender the town and retreat towards Moscow. Napoleon, disappointed by not being able to crush the enemy, decided to press on and follow the Russians further into Russia with the 160,000 men that were left, defying the fact that increasing distance from his depots would make it more difficult for his army to receive supplies. Staying at Smolensk, he thought, would have been considered as a failure.

(Image from Assollant, p.14)