For which the non-commissioned officer was granted immediately with all degrees of the St. George Cross.

The Order of St. George, or the St. George Cross, was the highest award for privates and non-commissioned officers of the tsarist army. It could only be obtained for exceptional merit and valor. The award had several degrees, and the full Knight of St. George was not often met.

In 1915, Aleksey Danilovich Makukha, a telephone operator of the 148th Caspian Infantry Regiment, was awarded all degrees at once, and his name appeared on the pages of newspapers and magazines. For many soldiers, he became an example of resilience and a true national hero.

On the fronts of the First World

There was an exhausting positional war. For several months now, Russian troops have held the territories occupied during the Battle of Galicia. The Austrians repeatedly stormed the fortifications of the Caspian regiment. Among the defenders was Private Alexei Makukha.

On March 21, 1915, during the fighting in Bukovina, the enemy carried out massive artillery preparation and launched an offensive. The Austrians managed to capture one of the Russian fortifications. The wounded Alexei Makukha was captured and interrogated.

The Austrians hoped that the telephone operator, who heard the conversations of the command, had important information about the location of the Russian troops. Threats failed to force the captured soldier to give out military secrets, and the Austrian officers turned to physical torture.

“The officers threw him to the ground on his face and twisted his arms behind his back. Then one of them sat down on him, and the other, turning his head back, opened his mouth with a dagger-bayonet and, stretching out his tongue with his hand, cut him twice with this dagger. Blood gushed from Makukha’s mouth and nose,” the Iskra weekly magazine described what happened in 1915.

Liberation and glory

The cut-up telephone operator could no longer tell his captors anything, and they lost interest in him. At this time, the counteroffensive of the Russian troops began. With a bayonet attack, the Austrians were driven out of the newly occupied fortification. Private Makukha was found lying in blood and handed over to the orderlies. In the infirmary, they sewed his tongue, hanging on a thin piece of skin, and then sent him to the hospital.

It was precisely such cases that the front-line press was looking for in order to inspire the soldiers. When the newspapers wrote about the exploit of Alexei Makukha, a wave of popular indignation arose. The people were indignant at the atrocities committed by representatives of a cultured nation. Glory came to the telephone operator.

Grand Duke Nikolai Nikolaevich promoted him to junior non-commissioned officer and ordered him to be awarded all degrees of the St. George Cross.

In addition, the Grand Duke asked Emperor Nicholas II to assign a double pension to the telephone operator as an exception. The sovereign supported the proposal, and Makukha, after being dismissed from service, was entitled to a pension of 518 rubles and 40 kopecks a year.

The Petrograd clergy presented the hero with an icon of St. Alexis the Man of God, and photographers from popular publications asked him to pose with crosses on his chest and his tongue hanging out. Gradually, the telephone operator recovered and after a few months he could talk in a whisper. How his future fate turned out, history is silent.

However, Makukha was not the only hero who survived captivity and a terrible interrogation. Newspapers of that time report on the corporal of the Kharkov escort team Vasily Vodyany, who was captured by the Germans in April 1915. During interrogation, his ears and tongue were cut off. Junior sergeant Ivan Pichuev had stripes cut out on his legs with a knife and his tongue was also cut off. Senior constable Ivan Zinoviev was tortured by the Germans with electric current and red-hot iron.

THE COMMANDER WHO DID NOT LOSE A SINGLE BATTLE

Russia has always been famous for its generals. But the name of Ivan Paskevich stands apart. During his life he won four military campaigns (Persian, Turkish, Polish and Hungarian) without losing a single battle.

minion of fate

In 1827, a commemorative medal "For the Capture of Tabriz" was cast. On it, a group of Persian foremen bows with respect to a Russian warrior, holding a spear in his right hand, and a shield in his left. So the sculptor Fyodor Tolstoy depicted Ivan Fedorovich Paskevich, who in the 19th century was a symbol of the valor and invincibility of Russian weapons.

Last but not least, Paskevich's character traits helped to achieve recognition: on the one hand, slowness and prudence, on the other, decisiveness and ruthlessness. They seemed to balance each other, creating the image of an ideal commander.

Fortune smiled at the young officer from the first days of his service. Ranks and orders stuck to him, and bullets and cannonballs flew past. During the Patriotic War of 1812, luck and talent helped the 30-year-old major general to distinguish himself in the most important battles at Borodino, near Saltanovka, Maloyaroslavets and Smolensk.

After the war, Paskevich was given command of the First Guards Division, where Grand Dukes Mikhail Pavlovich and Nikolai Pavlovich, later Emperor Nicholas I, were among his subordinates. This played a role in the later career of the military leader and his relationship with the tsar.

Paskevich first met Nikolai Pavlovich in defeated Paris. During the review of the troops, Alexander I unexpectedly introduced the commander to his younger brother: "Meet one of the best generals in my army, whom I have not yet had time to thank for his excellent service." In correspondence, until the end of his life, Nicholas I would respectfully call Paskevich "father-commander."

Count of Erivan

The year 1826 prepares new trials for Ivan Paskevich. Sending a loyal general to the Caucasus, Nicholas I officially asks him to assist Alexei Yermolov, but in fact plans to remove the wayward "proconsul". The management of the Caucasus and the outbreak of war with Persia required a person with such characteristics as Paskevich.

September 3, 1826 Valerian Madatov occupies Elizavetpol. Paskevich hurries to help him, as the huge army of Abbas-Mirza moved to liberate the city. The general battle began on September 14 with an artillery skirmish.

Under the cover of artillery, the Persian infantry battalions moved forward towards the grenadier regiments, while pushing back the ranks of the Cossack and Azerbaijani militias. They retreated, and the inspired Persians did not notice how they fell into a trap - a large ravine where they were forced to stop.

The main forces of the Russians immediately attacked the Persians and finally defeated them by evening.

The brilliant victory of the 10,000th corps under the command of Paskevich over the 35,000th army of Abbas Mirza put this battle in a series of legendary victories for Suvorov.

Later, Paskevich took a stronghold - the Erivan fortress, which did not submit to either Gudovich or Tsitsianov. “The destruction of hell would not have the same price for sinners as the capture of the Erivan fortress for the Armenians,” Khachatur Abovyan sings of the feat of the Russian general.

Before the Russian-Persian battles had died down, the newly minted Count Paskevich-Erivansky was preparing for a new challenge - the war with the Ottoman Porte. In June 1828, he was forced to besiege the fortress of Kars, under the walls of which he defeated the Turkish cavalry. Considered impregnable by the British, the fortress surrenders with large quantity guns and gunpowder.

When Paskevich approached Erzerum, the city of 100,000 chose to open the gates in a panic. And then the fortresses of Akhalkalaki, Poti, Khertvis, Akhaltsikhe fell. During the capture of Akhaltsikhe, even the 30,000th Turkish corps, which came to defend its walls, did not help.

The state did not remain in debt and marked Paskevich with the orders of St. Andrew and St. George, 1st degree.

Rebel Europe

Poland rebelled in 1830. The Polish elite wanted to return to the borders of the Commonwealth, and the people protested against foreign power. The constitution granted earlier by Alexander I allowed the Poles to have their own army, and now the good intentions of the tsar became an indirect cause of the ongoing Russian-Polish war.

An attempt by General Dibich to suppress the uprising did not give the desired result. A harsh winter and Diebitsch's death from cholera allowed the rebellion to grow. Predictably, Paskevich was thrown to suppress the rebellion.

The field marshal, in the spirit of his best victories, impeccably laid siege to Warsaw, and a day later, on August 26, 1831, the Polish capital capitulated - exactly on the day of the 19th anniversary of the Battle of Borodino.

The field marshal quickly restores order: “Warsaw is at your feet, the Polish army, on my orders, is retreating to Polotsk,” he reports to the emperor. The war soon ended, but it took 8 whole months to restore the destroyed Polish cities.

“There is a law, there is strength, and even more there is a constant strong will,” he wrote another time to Nikolai. This rule is guided by Paskevich - the new governor of the Kingdom of Poland - in the arrangement of the post-war country. He is concerned not only with the army, but also with civil problems - education, the situation of the peasants, the improvement of roads.

A new wave of revolutions swept across Europe in the late 1840s. Now Paskevich is needed in Hungary - the Austrian government turned to him with such a request.

Having made a difficult transition through the Carpathians, on June 5, 1849, Paskevich was preparing to put an end to the rebels in one maneuver. “Do not spare the canals!” Nicholas I admonished him.

The denouement came quickly, and the 30,000-strong Hungarian army surrendered to the mercy of the winner. Karl Nesselrode wrote: "Austria must forever remember the service rendered to her by Russia in 1849." Paskevich then received the rank of Field Marshal of Prussia and Austria.

In beams of glory

In the Crimean War that broke out in 1853, in which Russia was confronted by several states at once, Paskevich no longer took such an active part as before, but his balanced position and strategic foresight helped the empire retain its eastern possessions.

“Everywhere is Russia, where Russian weapons rule,” Paskevich said. He not only declared, but also proved with his military victories. The popularity of the commander was huge - both among the people and among the military and civilian ranks.

“Well done, Erivan grip! Here is a Russian general! These are Suvorov manners! Resurrection Suvorov! Give him an army, then he would surely take Tsargrad, ”Griboedov conveyed the enthusiastic reaction of the masses.

Paskevich's influence on Russia's military policy can hardly be overestimated. Any selection of candidates for positions from the commander of the regiment to the commander of the corps was coordinated with him. By the 1840s, under the command of Paskevich were four infantry corps - the core of the empire's ground forces. At the behest of Nicholas I, the general received from the troops the same honors as he himself.

He was held in high esteem not only at home. As the historian V. A. Potto wrote, “the Shah of Persia sent Paskevich diamond signs of the Order of the Lion and the Sun on a diamond chain worth sixty thousand rubles, so that this order would be hereditarily transferred to the names of Paskevich.”

Paskevich became the fourth and last cavalier in the history of Russia, awarded all four degrees of the Order of St. George, and his military path was so long that he managed to capture four emperors. Paskevich was in the rays of glory. Even the aging commander enjoyed the unlimited trust of the emperor. When at the beginning of 1856 Ivan Paskevich passed away throughout the army and a 9-day mourning was declared in the Kingdom of Poland.

This is how the “downtrodden” Russian soldiers fought, defending the “rotten tsarism”, until the revolution decomposed the exhausted and tired army. It was they who held back the terrible blow of the German military machine, preserving the very possibility of the country's existence. And not only his own. “If France was not wiped off the face of Europe, then we owe this primarily to Russia,” Marshal Foch, the Supreme Commander of the Allied Forces, later said.

In the then Russia, the names of the defenders of the Osovets fortress were known to almost everyone. That's on whose feat to educate patriotism, isn't it? But under Soviet rule, only army engineers were supposed to know about the defense of Osovets, and even then, only in a utilitarian way. technical section. The name of the commandant of the fortress was deleted from history: not only was Nikolai Brzhozovsky a “royal” general, he also later fought in the ranks of the Whites. After the Second World War, the history of the defense of Osovets was completely transferred to the category of taboos: comparisons with the events of 1941 were too unflattering.

Russian soldier on duty.

By the end of August 1915, due to changes on the Western Front, the strategic need for the defense of the Osovets fortress lost all meaning. In connection with this, the supreme command of the Russian army decided to stop defensive battles and evacuate the garrison of the fortress. In 1918, the ruins of the heroic fortress became part of independent Poland. Starting from the 1920s, the Polish leadership included Osowiec in their system of defensive fortifications. A full-scale restoration and reconstruction of the fortress began. The restoration of the barracks was carried out, as well as the dismantling of the rubble that hindered the further progress of work.
When sorting out the rubble, near one of the forts, the soldiers stumbled upon a stone vault of an underground tunnel. The work went on with passion and a wide hole was quickly punched. Encouraged by his comrades, a non-commissioned officer descended into the gaping darkness. A burning torch tore out of the pitch darkness the damp old masonry and pieces of plaster underfoot.
And then something incredible happened.
Before the non-commissioned officer could take a few steps, from somewhere in the dark depths of the tunnel, a firm and menacing shout resounded loudly:
- Stop! Who goes?
Unther was dumbfounded. “Uterus Bosca,” the soldier crossed himself and rushed upstairs.
And as it should be, at the top, he received a proper thrashing from an officer for cowardice and stupid inventions. Having ordered the non-commissioned officer to follow him, the officer himself went down into the dungeon. And again, as soon as the Poles moved along the damp and dark tunnel, from somewhere in front, from the impenetrable black haze, a shout sounded just as menacing and demanding:
- Stop! Who goes?
Following that, in the ensuing silence, the bolt of a rifle clearly clanged. Instinctively, the soldier hid behind the officer. Thinking and rightly judging that the evil spirits would hardly have armed themselves with a rifle, the officer, who spoke Russian well, called out to the invisible soldier and explained who he was and why he had come. In the end, he asked who his mysterious interlocutor was and what he was doing underground.
The Pole expected everything, but not such an answer:
- I, the sentry, and put here to guard the warehouse.
The officer's mind refused to accept such a simple answer. But, nevertheless, pulling himself together, he continued the negotiations.
“Can I come over,” the Pole asked excitedly.
- Not! came a stern voice from the darkness. "I can't let anyone into the dungeon until I'm relieved of duty."
Then the stunned officer asked if the sentry knew how long he had been here, underground.
“Yes, I know,” came the reply. “I took over nine years ago, in August 1915. It seemed like a dream, an absurd fantasy, but there, in the darkness of the tunnel, was a living person, a Russian soldier who had been on guard for nine years. And most incredible of all, he did not rush to people, perhaps enemies, but still, people of society with whom he had been deprived for nine whole years, with a desperate plea to release him from terrible imprisonment. No, he remained faithful to his oath and military duty and was ready to defend the post entrusted to him to the end. Carrying out his service in strict accordance with the military regulations, the sentry declared that he could only be removed from his post by a divorcee, and if he was not there, then “the Emperor”.
Long negotiations began. They explained to the sentry what had happened on earth during these nine years, they said that the tsarist army, in which he served, no longer exists. There is not even the king himself, not to mention the breeder. And the territory he guards now belongs to Poland. After a long silence, the soldier asked who was in charge in Poland, and, having learned that the president, demanded his order. Only when Pilsudski's telegram was read to him did the sentry agree to leave his post.
The Polish soldiers helped him to climb up to the summer land filled with bright sun. But before they could see the man, the sentry shouted loudly, covering his face with his hands. Only then did the Poles remember that he had spent nine years in complete darkness and that they had to blindfold him before taking him outside. Now it was too late - the soldier, unaccustomed to sunlight, was blind.
Somehow they calmed him down, promising to show him to good doctors. Closely surrounding him, the Polish soldiers looked at this unusual sentry with respectful surprise.
Thick dark hair fell in long, dirty tufts over his shoulders and back, descending below the waist. A broad black beard fell to his knees, and on his face, overgrown with hair, only sightless eyes stood out. But this underground Robinson was dressed in a solid overcoat with shoulder straps, and on his feet he had almost new boots. One of the soldiers drew attention to the sentinel's rifle, and the officer took it from the hands of the Russian, although he parted with the weapon with obvious reluctance. Exchanging exclamations of surprise and shaking their heads, the Poles examined this rifle.
It was an ordinary Russian three-line model of 1891. Only her appearance was amazing. It seemed as if it had been taken from a pyramid in a model soldier's barracks just a few minutes ago: it was carefully cleaned, and the bolt and barrel were carefully oiled. In the same order were clips with cartridges in the pouch on the sentry's belt. The cartridges also shone with grease, and there were exactly as many of them as the guard commander had given them to the soldier nine years ago, when he took up his post. The Polish officer was curious about what the soldier was lubricating with his weapons.
- I ate canned food, which is stored in the warehouse, - he answered, - and oiled the rifle and cartridges.
The soldier was offered to stay in Poland, but he eagerly rushed to his homeland, although his homeland was no longer the same, and was called differently. The Soviet Union met the soldier of the tsarist army more than modestly. And his feat remained unsung, because, according to the ideologists of the new country, there was no place for feats in the tsarist army. After all, only a Soviet person could perform a feat. The real feat of a real person turned into a legend. In a legend that did not retain the main thing - the name of the hero.

SOCIO-CULTURAL PROJECTS / REVIVAL OF HISTORICAL SELF-CONSCIOUSNESS AND PRESERVATION OF TRADITIONS OF RUSSIAN MEDALLIER ART

THE GREAT PATRIOTIC WAR

(About the 100th anniversary)

Compiled
Full member of the Imperial Russian Military Historical Society
P.M. Andrianov

Awarded the Prize of the Imperial Russian Military Historical Society

St. Petersburg.

Society R. Golike and A. Vilborg. Zvenigorodskaya, №11

The Council of the Imperial Russian Military Historical Society made the necessary changes and corrections to the author's manuscript during its printing.

The feat of the Russian people.

A great deed was accomplished in Russia a century ago. The year 1812 was marked in the history of the Russian people by a gigantic struggle. On the one hand, Western Europe took up arms, led by the greatest commander, the Emperor of France, Napoleon, on the other hand, the lonely, but great Russian people became. Like a formidable cloud, a huge enemy army shrouded our homeland. From the banks of the Neman to the white-stone mother Moscow, a wave of enemy invasion has reached. The ancient capital of the Russian Tsars blazed with a bright flame, and the glow of the Moscow fire illuminated the entire Russian land. The Russian people rose from all sides to defend their homeland. Then the enemies of the people's wrath were frightened and pulled out of the burning Moscow back to the west, and Russian soldiers rushed at them from all sides to punish the Moscow fire. And then the great conqueror realized what a formidable force the Russian land conceals. This great power is hidden in the hearts of the Russian people. Nothing speaks of this power in the ordinary years of a peaceful life: then this great power is dormant. But if a careless enemy dares to touch Russia, to look deep into our vast country, to laugh, to desecrate our shrines, then woe to the enemy. The hidden power of the Russian people will wake up and cruelly punish the daring enemy... The remnants of Napoleon's "great" army were slain with terrible blows. The black ribbon of corpses stretched from the burnt-out Moscow to the wide Neman. In wild horror, the enemies fled from Russia, which was terrible for them, and those who were lucky enough to return to their homeland told the world about the formidable power of the Russian people.

The great, amazing event in the history of the Russian people is the war of 1812, the Patriotic War. In this war, the indestructible strength of the Russian people, its boundless selfless love for the Motherland, devotion to the Throne, spiritual unity, solidarity in a time of trials flared up with bright lights.

For the enemies of Russia, the memory of the 12th year is terrible because it testifies to the power of our Fatherland. For the glorious descendants of the heroes of the 12th year, the memory of this event should be precious. In the glorious pages of our history, which captured the event of 1812, we can find comfort in the days of anxiety and adversity, we can draw hope for the glorious and happy future of our Fatherland.

In the unforgettable year of 1812, the entire Russian people accomplished a feat, everyone served the Fatherland, everyone made sacrifices. All hearts in Russia were imbued with the same feelings, all minds were filled with the same thoughts. These feelings were - love for the Fatherland, these desires - the crushing of a daring enemy. And inspired by such feelings and thoughts, the Russian people emerged victorious.

A whole century separates us from the amazing and glorious events of the Patriotic War. The hundredth anniversary of the glorious year of Russian life has come, the great historical holiday in Russia has come. With dignity we must celebrate a significant anniversary. In reverent admiration for the exploits of the ancestors, which amazed and delighted the whole world a century ago, the whole Russian land must now merge.

Let us honor the memory of those who wrote a glorious page in the book of the life of the Russian people.

Let us recall the hero of the soldier of Alexander's time, who marched with his victorious feet all over Europe to Paris; let us remember the gray militiaman in a sermyaga, bast shoes, with a cross on his hat, who appeared on the warlike world at the Tsar's call; let us remember the unanimous noble impulse and impulse of all sections of the population of our great birth, rich and poor, noble and simple, young and old, merged into one, rallied into one mighty and invincible force to defend their homeland from the enemy. Let us pay due tribute of admiration to the leaders of the Russian army, immortal in the memory of the people, glorious eagles, who led the Russian army to victories. Let us bow in reverence before blessed memory Emperor Alexander I, the Blessed, who took upon himself a heavy cross, who put a lot of work and effort into the cause of liberation from a formidable enemy, who merged spiritually with his great people in days of severe trials, in days of intense struggle.

Let us live through, in thought and heart, what happened in Russia a century ago, and in a fit of joyful admiration, let us offer up a prayer of thanksgiving to the Creator of heaven, who poured out His grace on the Russian land. Let, as a century ago, the solemn song of the jubilant Russian people rush to the throne of the Lord of Glory: “God is with us, understand, Gentiles, and submit, as God is with us.”

The struggle of Russia with France until 1812.

In 1812, not for the first time, we had to face the French and their brilliant commander, Napoleon Bonaparte.

Even Emperor Paul, wishing to help Austria in its fight against mighty France in 1799, sent his troops under the command of our great commander Suvorov to Italy and Switzerland.

A whole series of remarkable victories by Suvorov this year, having covered the banners of our valiant regiments with immortal glory, brought great benefits to Austria, but did not give anything to Russia. The hostility, envy, deceit and duplicitous behavior of our ally forced Emperor Paul to break with her and withdraw his troops.

Meanwhile, Napoleon Bonaparte, taking advantage of the turmoil in France, seized power into his own hands, proclaimed himself Emperor and, not knowing himself dangerous rivals in Western Europe, began to dispose of it as a sovereign master, conquering various lands and even entire states.

Russia could not look with indifference at Napoleon's ambitious willfulness, and Sovereign Alexander Pavlovich considered it necessary to put an end to the seizures of the Emperor of the French and liberate Europe from the violence of a cruel conqueror.

In 1805, Russia, in alliance with other states, entered the fight against Napoleon. The war of this year was unfortunate for us, and our troops, after the failure in the battle of Austerlitz in Bohemia, abandoned by their ally, had to temporarily stop hostilities.

The following year, 1806, we were forced to fight Napoleon one on one. Several stubborn bloody battles took place on the fields of our neighboring East Prussia, which for the first time did not end in a complete victory for Napoleon. The battle of Preussisch-Eylau was especially stubborn. Never in his life did Napoleon meet such terrible resistance on the battlefield, never did the troops led by him bear such terrible losses. After the battle, the great commander of our army was imbued with an involuntary feeling of respect. A Russian warrior appeared before him in all his wondrous beauty. “It’s not enough to kill him,” Napoleon said about the Russian soldier, “he, who was killed, must be thrown down.”

The stubborn struggle in East Prussia did not give the usual success to the great commander: in front of him was a hard-to-find and persistent enemy, who could not be finished off with one formidable blow. Therefore, despite the fact that in the end in the same year in the battle near Friedland Napoleon won an indisputable victory over our troops, he nevertheless willingly agreed to the peace, which was concluded in Tilsit. The meeting of Emperor Alexander with Napoleon took place here, and for some time friendly relations were established between the most powerful monarchs in the world. They came to a complete agreement and entered into a close alliance among themselves.

But the Russian army and the Russian people, accustomed to seeing Napoleon as a dangerous enemy of Russia, reacted severely to the Peace of Tilsit. In the ranks of our army, they could not come to terms with the idea that the defeats suffered would no longer be redeemed by new victories. The army was aware of its strength, its ability to fight a dangerous enemy, and harbored a desire to measure itself against him on the battlefield.

Causes of the Patriotic War.

The peace of Tilsit only temporarily stopped the bloody struggle between Russia and France. There were many reasons that made it difficult for a sincere agreement between the most powerful states of Europe.

At the western border of Russia, Napoleon created the Duchy of Warsaw from the lands taken from Prussia and Austria, and, in order to persuade the Poles to his side, supported in them the hope of restoring Poland as an independent state. These promises, however, were not sincere, but they aroused the Poles and greatly prevented the close merger of the former Polish regions with the native Russian lands, and after all, most of the Polish lands that ceded to Russia were Russian regions in ancient times.

England was Napoleon's sworn enemy. This country, located on the islands, was invulnerable to the victorious regiments of Napoleon, since the strong English fleet prevented the crossing of the French army to the English coast. Then Napoleon, seeking to undermine the power of England, demanded that the European states refuse to trade through the commercial fleet of England. Napoleon also addressed Russia with the same demand, but it was extremely disadvantageous for us: without having its own commercial fleet, Russia had to reduce the export of goods abroad. Therefore, Emperor Alexander ordered not to reckon with the embarrassing demands of the Emperor of the French. This angered Napoleon.

Unceremoniously hosting in Western Europe, Napoleon grossly violated the rights of many monarchs, seizing the lands that often belonged to them. Among such rulers destitute by Napoleon was the uncle of our Sovereign, the Duke of Oldenburg. Emperor Alexander protested ardently against the seizure of the duke's possessions, but was not satisfied.

Having become the sovereign of a great country, Napoleon wanted to secure the throne of France for his family. Meanwhile, from his wife, Josephine, he had no children. Then Napoleon decided to divorce his wife and remarry a person of a royal family. His choice fell on Grand Duchess Anna Pavlovna, sister of Emperor Alexander. The sovereign, however, rejected Napoleon's proposal, which he was very offended by.

All these circumstances prepared the gap between the allies. But still, the main reason for the armed clash was Napoleon's enormous lust for power, his indomitable desire to be the sole master in Europe, the sovereign ruler of the peoples. Exalted by the war, the great commander had no doubt that the coming campaigns would give him new glory and further strengthen him on the throne. Only at times did the thought of the danger of a campaign against Russia vaguely arise in his mind. I recalled the iron regiments of the Russian army, which, even under the most terrible circumstances, could look into the eyes of death, recalled the minutes of terrible battles with the Russians near Austerlitz, at Preussisch-Eylau and in other battles. But these memories could not overcome Napoleon's passionate desire to defeat Russia.

Preparation for war, forces and means of the parties.

Already in 1810, Napoleon began to prepare for war in the east, but at that time he still did not break off relations with Russia. Only in 1811, when extensive preparations for the planned campaign were completed, did relations between France and Russia take on a clearly hostile character. Napoleon recalls his envoy, Caulaincourt, a supporter of friendship with Russia, from Petersburg, and replaces him with General Lauriston, whom he instructs to reconnoiter our military preparations.

For Emperor Alexander, Napoleon's intentions were clear, and the Sovereign already foresaw the inevitability of war. Parting with Caulaincourt, the Sovereign said to him the following significant words: “I don’t have such generals as yours; I myself am not such a commander and administrator as Napoleon, but I have good soldiers, people loyal to me, and we would rather die with weapons in our hands than let us be treated like the Dutch and Hamburgers. But I assure you with honor that I will not fire the first shot. I will let you cross the Neman, and I will not cross it myself; be sure that I will not declare war on you, and I do not want war; my people, although offended by the attitude of your Emperor towards me, but like me, do not want war because they are familiar with its dangers. But if he is attacked, he will be able to stand up for himself.

These significant words expressed all the greatness of the Russian Sovereign, the father of his people, who cares exclusively about the welfare of his subjects. The Russian Tsar valued the life of each of his soldiers and therefore took all measures in his power to avoid a war that was unnecessary for Russia.

Meanwhile, in the summer of 1812, Napoleon decided to start hostilities.

The forces and means of the warring parties were not equal before the start of the great struggle.

After conquering almost all of Western Europe, Napoleon could attract hundreds of thousands of soldiers under his banner. The armed forces of France, Italy, the states of the Confederation of the Rhine and the Duchy of Warsaw were at his complete disposal. In addition, Austria, Prussia, Denmark and Switzerland were forced to attach their armed forces to Napoleon's army. Thus, almost all the peoples of the West were to take part in the planned campaign against Russia. "Gauls and with them twenty languages" took up arms against our lonely homeland.

Only England, as the sworn enemy of Napoleon, was ready to give us help, but, not having a large army, she limited herself to providing financial support.

In the means for waging war, Napoleon also had a large advantage. Successful wars enriched France. Napoleon levied huge war taxes from the defeated states, and now, having large funds at his disposal, long before the start of the war, he collected large stocks of food and military supplies for the army assigned to march on Russia.

By the summer of 1812, up to 600 thousand with 1,300 guns of diverse tribes gathered on the banks of the Oder and the Vistula, which formed the so-called "great army" of Napoleon.

The mood was different various peoples, which constituted a large army gathered at the western border of the Russian land. The French, who were only slightly more than half, went on the campaign with joy, with a proud consciousness that a new victorious glory awaited them. They believed in their great leader, they had no doubt that he, as in previous years, would emerge victorious from this new great struggle he had conceived. All the foreigners attracted by Napoleon to fight Russia went without enthusiasm, reluctantly leaving their native lands. Many of them even harbored hostile feelings towards the tyrant, and only because of fatal necessity carried out his orders. This part of Napoleon's army could be held in hands only on days of military success, but on days of adversity, this whole mass, harboring unfriendly feelings towards the Emperor of the French, could easily get out of obedience.

At the end of April, Napoleon arrived at his army. Full of strength and energy, he delved into all the details of the upcoming war: he studied the theater of military operations on maps, collected information about the Russian army, reviewed the troops, took care of collecting food and carts for his huge army. It seemed that everything was thoroughly thought out, everything was prepared and adjusted, and yet, despite this, the campaign ended in failure. Could the great commander, before whom all the peoples of Europe bowed, before whom the gates of all European capitals opened, foresee what a terrible fate awaits him in unknown Russia? Could he know what indestructible power lurks in the depths of the Russian land? If the great conqueror had known all this in advance, he would not have dared to cross the border of the Russian Tsardom. But his thoughts were far from the terrible reality. Like a darling of fate, who did not know the refusal of his ambitious plans, he was now full of confidence that there, beyond the Vistula and the Neman, Russia was waiting for him with trepidation, which he would easily subordinate to his iron will.

Our country was also preparing for the forthcoming great struggle. The Russian people treated their valiant army with full confidence. The combat work of our army during the whole century of its existence has glorified and glorified our homeland.

Before World War II, there were still a lot of veteran heroes in the ranks of the Russian army who participated in the conquest of Turkish and Polish lands, who visited Italy and Switzerland with Suvorov. The Russian army was proud of its recent glorious victories, but, of course, it remembered the failures that it had to experience in recent years. Memories of Austerlitz and Friedland aroused the desire to take revenge on the enemy. Nothing shameful for the Russian army happened in these battles, yet they were successful for our enemy, and therefore, jealous of its glory, our valiant army was burning with the desire to meet the enemy again and wash away even the very memory of defeats with blood. Our soldiers, everywhere fighting with lions in Suvorov style, did not recognize the victories of Napoleon. Ours honorably got out of the most difficult situations - even being surrounded by enemies, they cleared their way with bayonets and rifle butts. The commanding officials of our army were aware of what a difficult task the Russian army would have to solve in the coming war. Who could deny that, at the head of an army of 600,000, such a great master of military affairs as Napoleon was a terrible, formidable opponent. It was clear that victory over him would not be easy, but nevertheless, faith in success lived in the ranks of our troops. The mood of the officers of the Russian army before the war was upbeat, cheerful. Everyone worked tirelessly, everyone tried to acquire more knowledge in military affairs, they were interested in military books, studied the campaigns of the great commanders.

There were 480,000 soldiers in the ranks of our army before the war. Of this number, however, only 220 thousand could be moved to the western border to meet the enemy. The rest of our troops were partly on the Danube, where at that time we were at war with the Turks, partly occupied the outlying regions of our great Fatherland: the Caucasus, Finland, Novorossia.

The Russian army was not great in number, but strong in spirit and strong in combat experience. In courage, endurance and devotion to the Tsar and the motherland, the Russian soldier knew no rivals in the whole world.

Among the chiefs of the Russian army there were many experienced combat generals and officers. Were on the face of the associates of the great Suvorov, his favorite students. At the head of the army, corps and divisions were outstanding commanders who were up to the task of fighting the greatest commander in the world and his brilliant assistants. The names of the glorious unforgettable heroes of the twelfth year will remain forever memorable for our country.

Russia did not have such huge resources as Napoleon for preparing for war, but still our army did not lack anything, and over time, when abundant donations from the entire Russian people flowed to the needs of the war, our funds for waging war became plentiful.

The plans of the warring parties. The mood of Russia before the invasion of Napoleon.

Arriving in April 1812 to his army, Napoleon moved it to the Neman. Finding out the location of our forces, Napoleon divided his troops into three groups. The northern group of 220 thousand, under the direct command of the Emperor, gathered against Kovno. middle group in 85 thousand, under the command of Viceroy Eugene, concentrated between Kovno and Grodno. The southern group of 75 thousand, under the command of the King of Westphalia, Jerome, approached Grodno. In addition to these forces, corps were left to cover the flanks: on the left flank - MacDonald, on the right - Schwarzenberg.

Napoleon's original plan was to capture Vilna and drive a wedge into the location of the Russian forces. The goal of the whole campaign was the occupation of Moscow. Napoleon believed that, having lost its ancient capital, Moscow, stubborn Russia would humbly ask for mercy.

Before the war we had a long discussion about how to act against Napoleon. Since we did not have much strength for an offensive war, we decided to lure the enemy deep into Russia, exhaust him first with a difficult campaign, and then measure strength with a weakened enemy. They remembered that Peter the Great acted this way when he fought with the Swedes.

The location of our forces on the western border on the eve of Napoleon's invasion was as follows: 1 Western Army (127 thousand and 550 guns) stretched from Rossien to Lida. This army was commanded by the Minister of War, General Mikhail Bogdanovich Barclay de Tolly. Despite his foreign origin, Barclay was devoted to Russia with all his heart. In previous wars with the Turks, Swedes and French, Barclay advanced with knowledge of military affairs, courage and diligence. Occupying the post of Minister of War since 1810, Barclay was actively preparing for war with France. The sovereign fully appreciated his conscientiousness and outstanding abilities, and at a moment dangerous for Russia entrusted him with the first army.

The 2nd Western Army (40 thousand with 216 guns) was located between the Neman and the Bug. The army was commanded by General Prince Pyotr Ivanovich Bagration. Suvorov's favorite student and associate, Prince Bagration, enjoyed enviable, well-deserved fame and love in the country and in the army. Especially outstanding feats were performed by Bagration during the Italian and Swiss campaigns of Suvorov, when the great commander entrusted the most difficult tasks to his favorite. Officers and soldiers adored this brave and resolute leader, who knew how to lead troops to victory and glory.

The 3rd Western Army (43 thousand with 468 guns) was located in Volhynia and Podolia. The army was commanded by General Tormasov, an experienced, cautious and independent leader.

In addition to the three armies that were in the first line near the border, reserve corps were located in the rear: near Toropets - Meller Zakomelsky and in Mozyr - Ertel, and Neverovsky's division was formed in Moscow.

It was assumed that in the event of an invasion by Napoleon, the 1st Army would begin to retreat through Sventsiany to the city of Drissa and occupy a pre-fortified camp here; The 2nd and 3rd armies will operate in the rear of the French.

Before the start of the war, Emperor Alexander arrived to the army in Vilna.

War was already inevitable, but our Sovereign, true to his word, did not want to be the first to draw his sword. Having prepared the army for the great struggle, he waited for the appearance of the enemy in order to repulse him, in order to punish him terribly for his daring campaign against Russia.

With tense attention, the whole country was waiting for the coming events. The name of Bonaparte was repeated with hatred everywhere. Russia saw in him an adventurer, disturbing the peace of Europe, preventing the peaceful prosperity of peoples.

All segments of the population, animated by love for the motherland, seriously prepared for the struggle. The impending danger of the invasion of foreigners rallied the entire Russian people together. It can be boldly said that never before in the life of the Russian state has there been such a unanimous fusion of the entire people, embraced by the same feelings and wishes, as before the invasion of the peoples of the West into Russia in 1812. And this unanimous mood of our great people was not slow to bring the most beneficial fruits. From the very first days of the invasion of the Russian land, the enemy felt that he was dealing not only with the valiant Russian army, but with the entire Russian people.

All Russian people had a lot of worries and worries on the eve of Napoleon's invasion, but no one had as many of them as the sovereign owner of the Russian land, the God-given Tsar. The burden of tsarist power is heavy in ordinary years of peaceful life, but in years of terrible trials, in years of military upheavals, this burden of power becomes a heavy cross.

Emperor Alexander I meekly raised this cross. With his penetrating mind, our Sovereign saw that as long as the fate of the peoples of Europe will be envy from the arbitrariness and caprice of an ambitious conqueror, until then neither Europe nor Russia will know peaceful prosperity. But all the states of Western Europe have already fallen into the dust, everyone is groveling before the formidable Napoleon. Thus, only Russia alone could uproot the evil that had seized Europe. The Russian Tsar understood this and calmly accepted the challenge of a proud enemy.

Emperor Alexander was clearly aware of the terrible responsibility he takes upon himself by drawing his sword, but the Russian Tsar saw the mood of his people, saw the strength of his country and believed in its power; The Russian Tsar realized that by the will of the Almighty Creator, the Russian people should act as a formidable judge over the insatiable conqueror of Europe. In the unanimity of the people and the army, our Sovereign found consolation before the great struggle. The huge forces and means at the disposal of the enemy did not bother the Russian Tsar. God is not in power, but in truth! Calling on the army to fulfill its duty to the homeland, the Sovereign said: “We have no choice but to call on the help of the Witness and Defender of Truth - the Most High Creator of heaven, to put our forces against the forces of the enemy. I do not need to remind the leaders, generals and our warriors of their duty and courage. Since ancient times, the loud victories of the blood of the Slavs have been flowing in them. Warriors, you defend faith, fatherland, freedom; I'm with you. For a beginner, God.

Taking out the sword, the Sovereign irrevocably decided not to put it in until complete victory: “I will not lay down my arms until not a single enemy soldier remains in My Kingdom.” And the Russian Tsar kept his word... Emperor Alexander contrasted the bold self-confidence of Napoleon with the calm faith in the devotion to the Fatherland of the entire Russian people.

The beginning of the war. From the Neman to Smolensk.

Without declaring war on Russia, Napoleon approached the Neman in early June.

Early in the morning of June 11, Napoleon personally reconnoitered the river bank against Kovna and outlined a very convenient place for crossing near the village of Ponemuni.

In the evening, under the cover of darkness, without noise, without lights, the head units of the great army began to cross. At night, strong bridges already connected both banks, and enemy troops poured into the Russian land in a continuous stream. For two days the crossing of the main forces of the great army continued non-stop. Our troops did not interfere with the crossing. Only the Cossacks watched the enemy.

Emperor Alexander calmly accepted the news of the enemy invasion. He saw great Russia behind him, knew her inexhaustible strength, believed in her indestructible might.

The Russian army began the war with a retreat, but this was not a flight in front of a formidable enemy, but a calm, strictly deliberate temporary evasion from the battle. It was advantageous for Napoleon to meet the Russian army on the border when his forces were large and fresh, but it was more advantageous for the Russian army to lure the enemy into the country and accept a decisive battle only after the enemy forces were exhausted by a difficult campaign. Moving east after crossing the Neman, Napoleon could not overtake our army. She slipped out of his grasping hands. Only solitary, elusive Cossacks, like ominous ghosts, circled in the distance, hiding behind hillocks and copses, and devastated villages and devastated fields testified that the Russian army had passed through here.

Meanwhile, our 1st Army, having first concentrated at Sventsyan, then reached out to Drissa. Drissa was away from direct routes to the most important Russian cities - St. Petersburg and Moscow, and the enemy could easily cut off our 1st Army from the most important directions. But before that happened, our main quarters realized the disadvantage of having an army at Drissa and abandoned the original plan of action with two armies. An important decision was made at the military council convened in Driss: the 1st and 2nd armies could unite as soon as possible and stand together on the way to Moscow in order to shield the heart of Russia from the enemy. From the Dris fortified camp, which was inconvenient for defense, our 1st army reached out to Vitebsk, where at first it intended to join up with the 2nd army.

From the very first days of the war, the position of our 2nd Army turned out to be very difficult. From the rear, the corps of King Jerome advanced against her; after the occupation of Vilna by the French, Napoleon sent another 40,000-strong corps of Marshal Davout against Bagration, who intercepted all the routes leading from the 2nd Army to the north. As a result, Bagration had to withdraw to the east, trying to connect with the 1st Army by more circular roads. Retreating to the east, Bagration successfully repulsed the attacks of the French cavalry pursuing him. In this he was helped a lot by the Cossacks under the command of Platov. In order to quickly connect with the 1st Army, Bagration made reinforced transitions. In his army there were warriors hardened in campaigns, drawn into the labors, and they, despite the terrible Polish heat, the scarcity of food, made fifty-verst crossings without a day's work for almost two weeks.

The 2nd army went to Bobruisk, and to the north, to Minsk-Mogilev, Davout advanced. Meanwhile, Barclay safely reached Vitebsk on July 11 and stopped here, waiting for the approach of the 2nd Army. Napoleon tried to warn our 1st army near Vitebsk, but he failed.

Barclay's situation near Vitebsk was terrible. There was no news from Bagration; the main forces of the French were approaching from the west. With an army of 80,000, Barclay could not accept a decisive battle; but, not knowing anything about the fate of Bagration, he could not also retreat to the east, so as not to endanger the separate defeat of the 2nd army.

In order to gain time, Barclay for three days, from July 13 to 15, puts forward detachments to the side of the enemy. On the 13th, the corps of Osterman-Tolstoy conducts a stubborn battle with the advanced units of the enemy near the village of Ostrovno; the next day he was relieved at the village of Kakuvyachino by Konovnitsyn's division and, finally, on the 15th, near Vitebsk, the army was blocked by the vanguard of Count Palen. Our troops have been fighting valiantly for three days, gaining time, giving up every inch of land only after a stubborn battle. The main forces of the 1st Army, located near Vitebsk across the Luchesa River, strengthened their positions, preparing, in the event of the approach of Bagration's army, to take a decisive battle. But on July 15, news was received in Vitebsk that the 2nd Army, unable to break through to Vitebsk through Mogilev, was now marching towards Smolensk. Barclay decided to immediately move also to Smolensk. Napoleon, already counting on victory over the weak forces of the Russians, was amazed on July 16 by the disappearance of the Russian army. Skillfully covering his tracks, Barclay on the evening of 15 moved his troops to Smolensk. On July 20, our 1st army was already under the walls of Smolensk, and two days later the 2nd army also arrived here. There was no longer a dangerous division of forces: both armies, merged together, stood on the main road to the heart of Russia - Moscow. All the plans of the great commander to crush, to break our forces into parts - failed. Both our armies, avoiding the still completely undesirable collision with a more numerous enemy, retreated deep into the depths of vast Russia, dragging the enemy with them. The pursuit of the Russian armies cost Napoleon dearly. A third of his forces that had crossed the Neman had already been lost. Retreating to the east, the Russian troops destroyed all food supplies along the way, so the French had to go along the devastated edge. The convoys of the French army fell far behind, and the troops were forced to starve. Discipline fell rapidly in the ranks of Napoleon's army. Large parties of fugitives broke away from the corps every day. The inner worm was already eating away at the gigantic organism of the "great" army. Only a brilliant victory could improve matters, but the Russians stubbornly avoided the fight.

Having reached the Surazh - Vitebsk - Mogilev line, Napoleon decided to make a long stop to put his army, which was upset by the campaign, in order.

Having suspended the forward movement of the main mass of his army, Napoleon ordered the flank corps to go on a decisive offensive.

Our 1st Army, retreating from Drissa, left Wittgenstein's 1st Corps with a strength of 25,000 to cover the roads in Petersburg. Napoleon left the corps of MacDonald and Oudinot on the left wing, only about 80 thousand. MacDonald moved against Riga with most of his corps; Oudinot, with the rest of his forces, was to advance against Wittgenstein, trying to cut him off from Petersburg; but the French failed. Wittgenstein, acting very skillfully, successfully repulsed the larger enemy forces. With his victories at Klyastitsy and Golovchitsy, he defended a huge region north of the river. Dvina and covered the paths to the capital of the Empire, St. Petersburg, and to the ancient Russian city, Pskov.

During the retreat of our two armies from the Neman, the 3rd army of General Tormasov remained in Volhynia, which was supposed to operate in the rear of Napoleon's troops when they went deep into Russia. In early July, Tormasov moved from Lutsk to Kobrin, where on July 15 he completely destroyed the 4,000th enemy detachment. Napoleon ordered the corps of Rainier and Schwarzenberg to move against the 3rd Army. Tormasov settled down in a strong position near Gorodechna and here, having 25 thousand against 40, he accepted the battle on July 31. All enemy attacks were repulsed. But, fearing to be cut off from Volhynia, Tormasov retreated beyond the river. Styr, waiting for the approach of the Danube army of Admiral Chichegov, which at that time followed from the Danube to Russia. After these events, there was a long break in actions in Volhynia. So, our weak forces, left on the flanks, managed to attract large enemy forces and thereby significantly weaken him by the time of a decisive clash with the main Russian forces.

near Smolensk.

After the connection of our armies near Smolensk, by mutual agreement between Barclay and Bagration, Barclay took over the general command of the armies.

When it became known that Napoleon had suspended the movement of his forces, we began to discuss what to do next. Now that the two armies had united, further retreat might cause displeasure, both in the army and in the whole country. Bagration, and after him almost all the senior commanders, expressing the general mood of the army, spoke in favor of going over to the offensive against the stopped and scattered enemy. But Barclay did not sympathize with the offensive. Cautious and experienced, he believed that the time was not yet ripe for going on the offensive and for a decisive battle with the enemy. A further retreat of our forces will force the enemy to stretch even further into the depths of vast Russia, will further exhaust and weaken the great army. But Barclay's arguments were drowned out by the heated speeches of the supporters of the offensive. On July 25, Barclay convened a council of war and here, after much debate, it was decided to go on the offensive. On July 26, both of our armies, having left Smolensk, stretched to the west. To cover Smolensk, a detachment of General Neverovsky was sent to Krasnoy.

At first, our offensive was successful. On July 27, Platov's Cossack Corps defeated a strong detachment of French cavalry near Molev-Bolot, but our success was limited to this.

Having learned about the offensive we had undertaken, Napoleon decided to quickly pull his troops to the right flank and, crossing the left bank of the Dnieper, capture Smolensk in the rear of the Russians. This bold and terrible plan for our armies was not carried out only because the vanguard of the French army was detained on the way to Smolensk near Krasnoy by Neverovsky's division.

The 27th division consisted mainly of young soldiers who had not yet been in battle, but it was led by an experienced combat commander! located behind the city behind the ravine. At 3 o'clock in the afternoon, Murat's non-partisan cavalry appeared in front of Krasnoy, followed by numerous infantry.

Huge forces of the French from the front and flanks fell on the lone battalion of rangers, which occupied the city, and pushed it back, capturing 2 guns. Then! at the head of a 15,000-strong detachment, Murat rushed to the battle formation of the Russians. Horse flanks of Neverovsky were quickly crushed, the dragoons lost 5 guns. Left with one infantry, Neverovsky decided to slowly retreat to Smolensk, repelling enemy attacks. He built the infantry in battalion squares and, driving around the ranks of the troops, said to the soldiers: “Guys, remember what you were taught: do this - and no cavalry can defeat you; do not rush to shoot, shoot accurately at the enemy’s front, third rank, pass the guns without embarrassment, and no one dares to start without my command. The chief's peppy speech reassured the soldiers. Kare took the guns "under the trigger" and began to wait. Here comes the motley mass of the French cavalry. It seemed that a hurricane of horses would sweep away the frozen infantry. At the alarm signal, friendly volleys are heard. Horses and riders fall. Those who survived the bullet die on bayonets. Attack repulsed. Our battalions are slowly withdrawing along a wide road with ditches and trees on the sides! .. Murat sends one regiment after another after the Russians, but friendly volleys repel the enemy onslaught. So the heroic division of Neverovsky slowly withdrew with a fight to the bridge near Smolensk, occupied in advance by our huntsmen.

The steadfastness of the Neverovsky detachment rendered an enormous service to our army. The French approach to Smolensk slowed down for the whole day. Three corps of enemy cavalry could not break the resistance of Neverovsky's young soldiers. Napoleon was annoyed by the slowdown in the offensive. When he was informed about the capture of Russian guns, he said: "I expected the entire Russian division, and not the guns recaptured from it."

As soon as Bagration learned about the French advance to Smolensk and about the dangerous situation of the Neverovsky detachment, he orders Raevsky's corps, which is closer than others to Smolensk, to move to support. On the morning of August 3, Raevsky, having passed Smolensk, advanced beyond the Dnieper towards the enemy. Both our armies at that time were 30-40 versts from Smolensk. By evening, enemy forces began to grow up in front of Raevsky's lonely corps. In the morning the fight was inevitable. Then Raevsky decided to retreat to Smolensk and stubbornly defend himself until the army approached.

The ancient Russian fortress, Smolensk, lies on the left bank of the Dnieper. From the east and west the city is bordered by ravines. On the outskirts of the city, fortress walls with loopholes have been preserved. Suburbs adjoined the city and fortress walls from all sides. In the center of the city there were stone buildings, on the outskirts and on the outskirts - wooden.

At dawn on August 4, Napoleon, believing that the same detachment of Neverovsky was in front of him near Smolensk, ordered his advanced units to immediately attack the Russians.

The French infantry famously moved on the attack and came close to our position, despite the fire of 70 guns. Our regiments rushed at the French with hostility and forced them to retreat along the entire front. The first onslaught of the enemy was repulsed, but the main forces of the great army were already approaching the battlefield. The entire horizon was covered with columns of infantry and cavalry. At 9 o'clock in the morning, huge batteries rose up in front of Smolensk and began to smash the old walls of the city. The enemy infantry was preparing for the assault. The position of Raevsky's weak corps was extremely difficult. It was difficult to resist the numerous enemy. News was received from Bagration that he was in a hurry to help. Indeed, at about 11 o'clock dust appeared behind the Dnieper - it was our 2nd army approaching. Having made a 30-verst march at night, Bagration's troops were now rushing to the rescue of their comrades under the walls of Smolensk.

Napoleon was very happy to see the approach of Russian reinforcements. He now considered a decisive battle inevitable. "Finally, the Russians are in my hands," he told his associates. Having canceled the already established attack, he began to concentrate his forces to the battlefield. Only hundreds of guns smashed the walls of Smolensk before dusk. On the morning of August 5, the French army, ready for battle, deployed on the plain in front of Smolensk.

All night our troops approached the Petersburg suburb. On the morning of August 5, both armies concentrated behind the Dnieper. The ardent prince Bagration offered to immediately take a decisive battle under the walls of Smolensk, but the cold, prudent Barclay believed that the time had not yet come for a meeting with the enemy in open field. He feared that Napoleon would cut off our forces from the paths to Moscow, and suggested moving the troops in advance in the direction of the ancient capital. According to Barclay's plan, the 2nd Army was to move immediately; The 1st army was supposed to occupy Smolensk itself with one corps in order to hold the enemy here, while the rest of the forces temporarily, until the withdrawal of the 2nd army, remained to the north of it. Bagration agreed to fulfill this plan.

By the morning of August 5, Raevsky's corps was replaced in Smolensk by Dokhturov's corps with the divisions of Neverovsky and Konovnitsyn.

Seeing that the Russian army did not go into the field, Napoleon ordered at 8 o'clock in the morning to storm Smolensk. For about two hours, enemy batteries continuously bombarded our positions with cannonballs. Then the infantry went on the attack, but it was repelled by well-aimed friendly volleys of the defenders of Smolensk. Napoleon hesitated for a long time to bring the entire army into battle, hoping that the Russians would accept a decisive battle. Around noon, he was informed that the Russian army was moving away from Smolensk in the direction of Moscow. It was the army of Bagration. Napoleon wanted to move his troops across the Russians, but the French failed to find fords across the river. Then the angry Emperor ordered to storm Smolensk. Thick columns of French infantry simultaneously attacked from three sides. Despite heavy losses, the French bravely marched forward. The hot rattle of guns spilled over the entire front. Under the onslaught of the triple superior French forces, our troops cleared the suburbs and established themselves on the walls of the ancient fortress. A particularly hot battle was in full swing at the Moscow Gates. Marshal Davout stubbornly repeated the attacks, but the Konovnitsyn division, which was defending here, offered heroic resistance. The head of the division, wounded, remained in the ranks and inspired people. Barclay, who was watching the course of the battle from the right bank of the Dnieper, reinforced Dokhturov with the division of Prince Eugene of Württemberg. Led by its valiant commander, this division rushed at the enemy, who had settled behind the walls at the Malakhov Gates, and threw the French back into the field. The valiant division of Neverovsky on the left flank steadfastly held out under the pressure of the Polish corps of Poniatovsky. The day was already drawing to a close, and the efforts of the three French corps could not break the stubbornness of the defenders of Smolensk. Then Napoleon pushes forward a terrible 100-gun battery. Taking off from the limbers at close range, this huge battery began to bombard the walls and defenders of the city with cannonballs and grapeshot. The wooden buildings on the outskirts were on fire. The wind carried the flames. But under the terrible roar of battle in Smolensk churches, as in normal times, services were performed. With the last rays of the setting sun, the French from all sides rushed to the assault. A brutal hand-to-hand fight takes place on the walls and among the burning buildings of the outskirts. The French are rapidly rushing forward, but they cannot defeat the brave defenders of ancient Smolensk. Finally, the impulse of the enemy was broken and he receded. The dark night creeps in. Only fires, like bonfires, illuminate the battlefields. The cannonade rumbles until midnight and gradually subsides. At night, the French remained on the outskirts, our troops on the city walls. The battle on August 5 under the walls of Smolensk cost the French dearly: up to 12 thousand fighters were out of action; our losses were three times less.

The attack was brilliantly repulsed, but still Barclay, true to his decision, ordered to clear the city and cross the Dnieper. Together with our retreating troops, many residents left their dilapidated hometown. The highly revered miraculous image of the Smolensk Mother of God was taken out of the Annunciation Cathedral and transferred to the protection of Christ-loving Russian soldiers.

On the evening of the same day, our army began to withdraw from Smolensk. The French pursued, but our troops steadfastly repulsed all the onslaughts of the enemy.

After the fighting at Smolensk, Napoleon stopped the pursuit of our armies and stayed in Smolensk for several days. The huge decline and disorder of the great army already inspired serious fears in the Emperor of the French regarding the further course of the war. The elusive Russian army, not accepting a decisive battle, escaped from under the blows, and the Russian land was already boiling with great anger: a people's war began, against which all the brilliant plans of the great commander were powerless. The thought of the world increasingly occupied Napoleon. But Emperor Alexander, seeing the patriotism shown by all sections of the population of his vast power, was now thinking not about peace, but about how to punish the impudent enemy who had climbed into the bowels of the Russian land.

The beginning of the people's war.

From the very first days of the war, the Sovereign saw that it was difficult for our small army to cope with a threefold strongest enemy, and that it was necessary to call on the entire Russian people to fight Napoleon.

On July 6, the Emperor signed a manifesto to convene a general militia. The manifesto, among other things, said: “May the enemy find at every step the faithful sons of Russia, striking him with all means and strength, not heeding any of his cunning and deceit. Yes, he can be found in every nobleman Pozharsky, in every spiritual person - Palitsyn, in every citizen - Minin. Noble nobility! You have always been the savior of the fatherland. Holy Synod and Clergy! You have always invoked grace on the head of Russia with your warm prayers. Russian people! Brave offspring of the brave Slavs! You have repeatedly crushed the teeth of the lions and tigers that rushed at you; unite all: with a cross in your heart and with a weapon in your hands, no human forces will overcome you ... ".

As a spark ignites a fire, so the royal words ignited the hearts of all Russian people. All were ready to sacrifice property and life. Millions of rubles and many thousands of fighters were collected in the shortest possible time.

In order to unite the aspirations of the Russian people in the fight against a formidable enemy, the Sovereign left Polotsk on July 7 for the capital. Everywhere along the way the Monarch was greeted with unanimous enthusiasm. In Smolensk, the nobles submitted a petition to the Sovereign, in which they asked for permission to arm themselves and arm their peasants, including 20 thousand people. On the way to Moscow, everywhere the people met the Tsar with ardent love, with inexpressible delight. The strength of the people's spirit was especially powerful in the capital of the capital.

On July 11, a manifesto on the nationwide militia and a special appeal of the Sovereign to the capital were made public to Muscovites. The joyful news that the Tsar was coming to Moscow was passed from mouth to mouth. “And now Moscow,” says a contemporary, “lost her temper: she went all to meet her Tsar. Without any persuasion, trading establishments, workshops, and houses instantly began to be locked everywhere; and waves of people, entering the open churches for a moment, or only having prayed with them, rushed beyond the outpost, onto the Smolensk road, towards the Sovereign. For 15 miles beyond Moscow, this whole road was flooded with people. Slowly, through the dense crowds, the carriage of the Sovereign moved. On the way in the villages, the rural clergy in vestments with crosses came out to meet him. At midnight the Sovereign drove up to Moscow. On Poklonnaya Hill he was met by clergy from a nearby church. The emperor stopped the horses, got out of the carriage, bowed to the ground and kissed the cross with a deep sigh. In response to this sigh, the priest exclaimed: “May God rise again and scatter His enemies…”. The surrounding people, seized with a deep feeling, quietly spoke: “Napoleon will not defeat us ... For this, you need to kill us all.”

At dawn on July 12, people's waves flooded the Kremlin and the streets adjacent to it. At 9 o'clock the Sovereign appeared on the Red Porch and bowed to the people. There was such a "cheers" that drowned out the ringing of bells on Ivan the Great. On each step of the famous porch, many kneeling hugged the feet of the Sovereign, kissed the hems of his clothes, pouring tears over her. At the foot of the porch an old man in peasant clothes said: “Cheer up, Sovereign, you see how many of us there are in Moscow alone. Lead us where you know, our dear father. We will give everything to you, we will all die or win.”

The touched Sovereign could hardly move through the crowded people. The retinue tried to clear the way, but the Sovereign said: "Do not touch, I will pass anyway." At the entrance to the Dormition Cathedral, Archbishop Augustine said in deep insight: “The Lord of hosts is with you, King; He will turn the storm into silence and the flood waves will be silent. God is with us, understand, Gentiles, and submit, as God is with us.

After praying at the relics of the Moscow hierarchs and at the tombs of his sovereign ancestors, the Sovereign went to the Sloboda Palace, where the nobility and urban estates were gathered.

After reading the manifesto among the nobles, they started talking: “Now is not the time to argue, we must act as soon as possible; an extraordinary war is brewing. It requires emergency measures. We will move with the peasants in hundreds of thousands, we will arm ourselves with what we can. With our retinues we will cut off the way back to Napoleon, we will show that Russia is rising for Russia, in its defense.

But here comes the Sovereign's profit, and dead silence instantly settled in. Here he is telling the nobles: “Following the example of your ancestors, you will not tolerate the alien yoke, and the enemy will not triumph in his daring plans. This is what the Fatherland and the Sovereign expect from you.”

“Ready to die. Everything we have, we will give to you, ”was heard around the hall and immediately they began to say how much to arm the warriors as soon as possible at the expense of the nobility; first of all, it was decided to equip 80 thousand and donate 3 million money. The sovereign wept with excitement; no one could hold back the tears. Having calmed down somewhat, he said: “I expected a lot from the Moscow nobility, but it exceeded my expectations. I thank you in the name of the fatherland." Then the Sovereign moved to the merchant's hall, and here also to the depths of his soul, he was shocked by the general enthusiasm and multimillion-dollar donations. With astonishing speed, the Muscovites gathered together 10 million for the war.

Excited and touched, the Sovereign repeated many times: “I will never forget this day” ...

Following Moscow, all of Russia responded to the tsar's call. Wherever the manifesto was read, the people revolted and donations flowed in abundant rivers. Everyone aspired to become in the ranks of the troops; people of a wide variety of occupations quit their service, left business and hurried to enroll in the militia. Women plucked lint, prepared bandages. Mothers sent their children to war, wives sent their husbands, brides sent grooms; the girls looked with envy at the men who had the opportunity to fight for the fatherland.

There was no place in Russia where militias were not formed, donations were not collected.

Russia, despite several recruiting sets made on the eve of the war, and despite the devastation of many regions of the Empire by the enemy, volunteered 320 thousand soldiers at the call of the Tsar and donated at least 100 million rubles for the needs of the war. Foreign writers did not want to believe in the huge numbers of these people's donations, considering such donations "impossible for a poor country." But in the anxious year of the Patriotic War, the Russian people had no time to deal with calculations. Everyone then thought only about how to sacrifice all his wealth and himself as a sacrifice to his motherland.

As soon as the French entered the natural Russian lands, having passed the former Polish regions, they felt that they were in a hostile country with a population embittered against them. An ominous glow of fires blazed everywhere, the inhabitants took away or destroyed supplies, attacked single people who had strayed from the columns. Already in that period of the war, when the great army approached Smolensk, the nature of the future people's war was determined. Armed residents gathered in detachments, attacked French spies, marauders, scouring the areas captured by the enemy. Many landlords with their peasants gave an armed rebuff to small parties and detachments of the French, sent to forage in search of supplies, so necessary for the enemy army. Two Smolensk landowners, Engelhardt and Shubin, captured by the enemy, were sentenced to death. Before the execution of the sentence, the French offered the captives to serve Napoleon; then they will be given life. This proposal was rejected with the deepest indignation. Valiant Russian people fell from enemy bullets. Engelhardt did not even want to put a bandage on his eyes before the execution.

The Russian land was waking up, and this awakening was terrible for the presumptuous enemy.

From Smolensk to Borodino.

Having avoided the danger of being cut off from the road to Moscow near Smolensk, our combined forces continued their retreat to the capital.

There was a terrible heat. The rivers have dried up. Clouds of dust hung in the air above the columns of troops and convoys that stretched for tens of miles.

After a four-day stop in Smolensk, having made orders to send new reinforcements, Napoleon moved his troops to Moscow.

The campaign in the summer heat was hard for our retreating troops, it was even harder for the French to move. During the retreat, our troops devastated the region, destroyed everything that could be of benefit to the enemy.

In front of Napoleon's troops, the desert unfolded like an endless ribbon. They passed through villages and villages abandoned by the inhabitants, walked along mowed fields.

Approaching Dorogobuzh, Barclay suspended the army for two days. No matter how firm he was in his conviction that the retreat must be continued, that in this retreat the salvation of the army and Russia, nevertheless he could no longer fight the mood of the troops and the people. Everyone demanded a fight. The soldiers, angry at the long, incomprehensible retreat for them, were sternly silent and unfriendly, gloomily met Barclay. The whole country shared the mood of the army. The huge western strip of the state has already been surrendered to the enemy without a fight, the enemy is already trampling the primordial Russian lands with his feet; Smolensk has already been given to the enemy, Moscow is close. After the surrender of Smolensk, the terrible word "treason" was first uttered in the army. Those who did not understand the commander-in-chief's plan wanted to explain our retreat as Barclay's agreement with the enemies.

The position of commander-in-chief was difficult. Everyone was against him. Even his closest assistants and employees severely, without hesitation, condemned his actions.

Barclay's firm will was broken, and he finally bowed to fight.

We began to look for a suitable position where our army could take the fight with a formidable enemy.

Such a position was found near Tsarev-Zaimishch.

They began to strengthen their positions, but in the midst of work, a new commander-in-chief, Mikhail Illarionovich Kutuzov, arrived at the troops, who, by the inscrutable Providence of God, was destined to drive the enemy out of the borders sacred land Russian.

Kutuzov.

When the long retreat of our army greatly alarmed the entire people, it became obvious that neither the army nor the Russian people trusted Barclay. Under such serious and difficult circumstances, it was necessary to transfer power over the troops into the hands of such a commander, whom everyone would believe. Such a leader was Kutuzov, a brave associate of Suvorov, who had just brilliantly completed a stubborn, long-term war with Turkey.

Kutuzov was born in 1745. In his youth he served in the artillery and engineering troops. In 1770, Kutuzov was appointed to the army of Rumyantsev, which was operating against the Turks. Here Kutuzov had a chance to become a participant in our famous victories over the Turks at Larga and Cahul and distinguish himself in these battles.

Then Kutuzov was transferred to the Crimean army of Prince Dolgoruky. In 1774, in a battle with the Turks near the village of Shumy near Alushta, Kutuzov was seriously wounded: a bullet, piercing his left temple, came out near his right eye.

During the 2nd Turkish War, Kutuzov took part in the siege of Ochakov. When repulsing one sortie, he was again dangerously wounded: a bullet hit his cheek and flew into the back of his head. Barely recovering from a serious wound, Kutuzov is back in service. On the glorious day of the Suvorov assault on Izmail, Kutuzov was in the forefront of those who climbed the formidable walls of the Turkish stronghold. Suvorov wrote about him: “Kutuzov walked on my left wing, but was mine. right hand". For the feat near Ishmael, he was awarded the Order of St. George 3rd grade. A year later, Kutuzov distinguished himself in the battle near Machin and received George 2nd class.

The first war between Russia and Napoleon, which broke out in 1805, promoted Kutuzov to the high post of commander of the Russian army, and then commander-in-chief of the allied forces. The successful victorious start of the campaign glorified the name of Kutuzov, but the unsuccessful outcome of the battle of Austerlitz provoked the accusation that he, realizing that the battle plan drawn up by the Austrian generals, was not good, did not frankly tell the Sovereign what a dangerous situation our army was in.

Before the Patriotic War, Russia fought Turkey on the banks of the Danube for 6 years. Many commanders-in-chief were replaced, but no one could force the Turks to conclude a peace favorable to us. Meanwhile, Napoleon was preparing to march on Russia, and we needed to end the war with Turkey as soon as possible. Under such circumstances, the Sovereign appointed Kutuzov commander-in-chief of the Danube army. Kutuzov forced Turkey to conclude a peace that was very beneficial for Russia, through which we received a flourishing, rich Bessarabia. Success in the fight against the Turks glorified the name of Kutuzov. In the difficult days of the retreat of our armies in 1812, the eyes of all turned to the aged leader. His appointment as commander-in-chief was accepted everywhere as good news.

Instructed by the blessing of the entire Russian people, Kutuzov on August 17 arrived at the army in Tsarevo-Zaimishche. The soldiers cheered up: “Kutuzov came to beat the French,” a successful saying invented by someone was passed from mouth to mouth. The troops enthusiastically greeted the new leader. He appeared before the troops on a small Cossack horse in an old frock coat without an epaulette, in a cap and with a whip over his shoulder. His simple, friendly speech delighted the soldiers; with his simple appearance and courteous speech, he resembled Suvorov. Napoleon, having learned about the appointment of Kutuzov, said about him that he was an "old fox." “I will try to prove to the great commander that he is right,” Kutuzov remarked when he learned about this nickname. Kutuzov countered the swiftness and impulse of Napoleon by evading the battle as far as possible, slowly exhausting the enemy and, finally, destroying him by the joint efforts of the army and the people. The terrible picture of the enemy invasion did not shake the majestic calmness of our leader, and at the moment of the enemy’s triumph he knew how to unravel the enemy’s impending doom with his penetrating mind.

After examining the position at Tsarev-Zaimishch, Kutuzov found it unsuitable and ordered the retreat to continue. The new commander-in-chief, like Barclay, considered a decisive battle still untimely, but Moscow was already close behind the shoulders of our army. And in order to please the general demand, Kutuzov decided to take the fight in order to inflict a serious wound on the triumphant enemy. A suitable place for the battle was planned near the village of Borodino, on the road from Smolensk to Moscow. On August 22, Kutuzov examined and approved the intended position.

Battle of Borodino.

Among the outstanding events of the unforgettable Great Patriotic War, the Battle of Borodino makes a particularly strong impression. This terrible battle of two great armies is a battle of giants, bloody, stubborn, amazing. From the puffs of powder smoke, an indestructible Russian warrior grows to his full mighty height. With his chest, he shielded the heart of Russia, the capital of the capital, Mother Moscow, white stone with her shining golden-domed churches, with her shrines dear to the Russian heart; and the enemy of the Russian fighter could not bring down here. The army was ready to lie down to the last man on the battlefield, and it retreated not by force of the enemy, but by the imperious order of its wise leader ...

Battlefield.

The Borodino field, where one of the bloodiest battles ever took place, is located 108 versts from Moscow. The position rested on the right flank on the steep bank of the Moskva River, near the village of Maslova, and on the left, it reached the village of Utitsa, near the old Smolensk road. The right flank was covered by the river. Kolochey; in front of the center flowed the Semenovsky stream. The position stretched for 7 miles. In the center of it rose a separate large height. To the south of this height, beyond the Semenovsky stream, there were heights called Semenovsky; behind these heights lay the Semyonovsky ravine, and behind it - with. Semenovskoe. The most dangerous part of the position was its left flank, where the forest and bushes made it difficult to shoot and hid the approach of the enemy. Advancing along the old Smolensk road that passed here, the enemy could easily go to the rear of the Borodino position and cut off our army from Moscow.

Before the battle, earthen fortifications were built on the position: 3 flushes were poured near the village of Maslova; In the center near the village of Gorki, they arranged two batteries for 3 and 9 guns; a large battery for 18 guns was erected at the central height; she received the name of the Raevsky battery. On the Smolensk heights, 3 flushes were built, called Semenov or Bagration. Outskirts with. Borodino was adapted for defense. All fortifications were small in size, with small ditches, and could not seriously impede the enemy. 2 versts in front of the Semyonovsky flushes, near the village of Shevardino, there was a large mound, which was temporarily occupied by troops under the command of Prince Gorchakov, and on which a strong redoubt was poured.

Forces and disposition of the Russian army.

When approaching the Borodino field on August 22, the Russian army had 120,000 soldiers and 640 guns in its ranks. Among these fighters there were 95 thousand well-trained, experienced soldiers and Cossacks; in addition, up to 15 thousand hastily trained young soldiers were in the ranks; as for the 10,000 warriors who were in the army, most of them were armed only with pikes.

According to the order given on August 24, the troops settled down for battle as follows: from the village of Maslova to the village. Semenovsky - 1 army; from s. Semenovsky to the village of Utitsa - 2nd army. The chasseur regiments of Prince Shakhovsky settled in the Utitsky forest; 1 reserve cavalry corps of Uvarov and 9 Cossack regiments of Platov became behind the right flank of the 1st army; Cossack regiments were located at both ends of the positions. Two corps and two cavalry divisions were placed in reserve near the village of Knyazkova; a special artillery reserve of up to 300 guns - near the village of Psareva.

Shevardinsky battle.

Around noon on August 24, advanced units of the French appeared in front of our troops at Shevardin. A fierce battle ensued, which ended late at night, thanks to the numerical superiority of the enemy, in favor of the French.

The stubborn defense of the Shevardinsky redoubt by our troops made a strong impression on the French. It became clear to everyone in Napoleon's army, from the first marshal to the last soldier, what an enemy, unprecedented in perseverance and courage, blocked their path to Moscow. It is difficult to defeat the Russian army. "The Russians are dying but not surrendering," they said in the ranks of the French troops.

Preparing for battle.

It's August 25th. A small strip of terrain, 2-3 versts wide, separated the bivouacs of the warring armies.

From the village of Valueva, in the faint light of the illuminating day, Napoleon saw the Russian troops. Having reconnoitered the positions of the Russians, accompanied by several generals, and convinced that this time the general decisive battle he had long desired was inevitable, Napoleon proceeded to the last preparations for battle.

On the day of the Battle of Borodino in the ranks of the French army there were about 130 thousand soldiers with 587 guns. The troops that approached the Borodino field were the color of the army; everything unreliable fell away during the long march. There were the most prominent marshals and generals.

To raise the spirit of the troops before the upcoming heavy bloody test, Napoleon gave a wonderful order: “Warriors,” he called out to his tried and tested soldiers, “this is the battle you so desired. Victory is up to you. It is necessary for us; she will provide us with everything we need: comfortable apartments and a speedy return to the fatherland. Act as you did at Austerlitz, Friedland, Vitebsk and Smolensk. May later posterity proudly remember your exploits in this day. Let them say about each of you: he was in the great battle near Moscow.

Napoleon's plan was to deliver the main blow to the left flank of the Russian position, in the area from the Semenov Heights to the village of Utitsa.

By evening, the French troops occupied their assigned places. The mood in the enemy camp was joyful. Napoleonic soldiers gathered around the blazing fires to talk about the great day ahead. Until late at night, Napoleon's soldiers sang songs, talked merrily and feasted, many of whom were already guarded by death on the Borodino field, and almost all were expected by the harsh fate of death in a country alien to them.

August 25 in the camp of the Russian army also passed in preparation for battle. The battle of Shevardinsky, the course of which was closely watched by the commander-in-chief, indicated that the enemy was grouping large forces against the left flank of the Russian army. Therefore, Kutuzov made an order to move one corps from the general reserve and 7000 of the Moscow militia to the village of Utitsa. The main apartment of the army is located in the village. Gorki.

They dug fortifications, inspected and put in order guns, sharpened bayonets, released sabers. The soldiers were serious and focused. Prayers were served in front of the regiments built in a square. A highly revered shrine was carried along the ranks of the troops: the image of the Smolensk Mother of God. The clergy walked in robes, censers smoked, candles glowed, the air resounded with singing. An army of a hundred thousand fell to its knees and fell on its forehead to the ground, which it was ready to intoxicate to the full with its blood. Everywhere the sign of the cross was made. Kutuzov, surrounded by headquarters, met the icon, bowed to her to the ground. After the prayer, the aged commander-in-chief traveled around the regiments and in simple, unsophisticated words called on the Russian soldiers to fulfill their duty to the Tsar and the Motherland. It was evident from the enthusiastic faces of the soldiers that each of them was ready to accept death for the dear Fatherland. The enemy, accustomed to victories, was preparing a terrible rebuff.

It was quiet in the evening in the Russian camp. Our soldiers refused even the usual glass of wine - “Tomorrow is not such a day,” they said. Warriors, preparing for death, put on clean linen in the evening. The eyes of pious Russian people ascended to heaven, their lips reverently whispered prayers. Tomorrow, at a high price of blood, these people will sell the capital of the capital, the enemy will know the power of Russian weapons, he will see how Russian soldiers die for the Fatherland. A dark, cold August night enveloped the quiet camp of the Russian army, but few slept that night. Like a sentry on guard, the valiant Russian army stood on the way to Moscow.

It began to get light. Fog was creeping over the Borodino field. They stirred at the bivouacs. The regiments were built at the indicated places. In the east, the morning dawn lit up with a bright stripe. A retinue gathered at Napoleon's headquarters in anticipation of the Emperor's exit. He came out pale, concentrated. His face bore traces of deep emotions experienced in an almost sleepless night. He is wearing a gray frock coat, a witness to glorious victories. A huge fireball appeared in the east, gilding the Borodino field with caressing rays. “This is the sun of Austerlitz,” the Emperor said to those around him, wishing to raise the spirits of the fighters with a reminder of the glorious victory. Mounting his horse, he went to the Shevardinsky redoubt and, having taken a comfortable place, prepared to watch the picture of a bloody battle.

At 6 o'clock the first cannon shot disturbed the peace of the morning. At this signal, the French columns began to stir. One by one, the guns roared, spewing heavy cannonballs. Russian batteries answered the call. The cannonade flared up. The sharp rattle of guns and the whistle of bullets were added to the dull thuds of the guns, to the hiss of the cannonballs. The whole field began to speak with a terrible roar. The troops were enveloped in gunpowder smoke. The Russian army, in anticipation of the enemy, froze in its positions. The French were advancing briskly. The narrow strip of terrain separating the warring armies was quickly passed by the French warheads. Here they are already 200-300 paces from the Russian line. A lively shooting battle is in full swing.

Attack with. Borodino and Raevsky batteries.

The troops of Viceroy Eugene were the first to attack our guards rangers, who occupied the village of Borodino. After stubborn resistance, the huntsmen cleared the village. At 10 o'clock the French rushed to attack the central battery of Raevsky, but were repulsed by the fire of our artillery and infantry. After this unsuccessful attack, the French bombarded our battery with deadly artillery fire and at 11 o’clock again rushed to the attack. This time, the enemies managed to break into the fortification. The defenders retreated. At such a dangerous moment for us in the battle, the Chief of Staff of the 1st Army, General Yermolov, drove behind Raevsky's battery. Seeing that the French broke into Raevsky's battery, Yermolov rushes to the nearby battalion of the Ufa regiment, becomes at the head of it and leads to the battery. Rangers from the reserve are attached to the Ufa residents, and defenders of the battery, who retreated, are growing on both sides. This "crowd in the form of a column," as Yermolov called it, swiftly rushed at the French. A new bayonet battle and the enemy, having thickly covered the battery and slope of the mound with corpses, retreated to the ravine. The hero-leader of the column, General Yermolov, was wounded.

Again the impulse of the enemy was broken. Again the infantry lay low and its 100-gun battery rumbled. Fresh units arrived at our fortification: the division of Likhachev and Prince Eugene of Württemberg. The approaching troops merged with the remnants of Raevsky's corps and, bearing losses, were preparing to repel new attacks. But the enemy did not consider it possible, after a double failure, to launch a new assault on the terrible mound. He decided earlier to cover his square with a cast-iron rain of cannonballs.

Attacks on Semyonov's flushes.

Simultaneously with the battle at Borodino, a hot affair began at the Semenov Heights. With the roar of a 100-gun battery, the French approached the Semenov Heights. Suffering huge losses, they broke into the flushes located here and started hand-to-hand combat. Neverovsky's division arrived to help the defenders of the flushes. A short bayonet fight and the French cleared the flushes. Having retreated to the forest, the French settled down and again went on the attack. Neither thick buckshot nor friendly volleys of guns can stop Napoleon's battle-tested troops. They are again on the heights, and the fortifications pass into their hands. But the valiant regiments of the 2nd Grenadier Division run towards the enemy with bayonets at the ready. The French cannot hold back their onslaught and again, densely covering the slopes of the Semyonov Heights with the fallen, they retreat to the forest. This success is costly for the Russian troops. The shelves melted away. Divisions are like battalions. There are very few defenders left on the Semyonov Heights.

Kutuzov also vigilantly observed the course of the battle at the Semenov Heights, being at the village of Gorki. Noticing that huge enemy forces had gathered against the Semenov flushes, the commander in chief ordered to strengthen the 2nd army from the reserve. The assigned reinforcements had not yet had time to gather at the dangerous place, when, at about 9 o'clock in the morning, a new French attack on the Semyonov fleches followed.

Again, the French break into the fortifications, but, just as in the first two attacks, they cannot withstand a powerful blow to the bayonets of the Russian reserves that came to the rescue. Having drawn the cavalry to the place of the battle to help the infantry, the stubborn French at 10 o'clock in the morning make a fourth blow to the flushes. Enraged enemy columns with loud cries of "Long live the Emperor!" flushes are rapidly attacking. This time the defenders were rescued by Konovnitsyn's division, which hit with bayonets on the right flank of the French. The fourth attack is repulsed.

Then the French concentrated about 400 guns against the fleches, which bombarded them with hundreds of shells. On our side, the artillery vigorously responded to the enemy. At 11 o'clock, columns of French infantry again loomed from the clouds of powder smoke. Without a shot, in the leg, as in a parade, the French were approaching with bayonets at the ready. Buckshot and rifle bullets tear their closed ranks, but the intervals are immediately replenished by those marching behind them, and the columns are gradually approaching. The French are brave, but do not embarrass the Russian heroes. Enemies clashed on the ramparts of the fortifications. The blow of the French is terrible, but the faceted Russian bayonet is also terrible. Fifth attack repulsed. Reinforcing themselves with new reserves, half an hour later, the French attacked for the sixth time. Like an avalanche from high mountains, a mass of enemies rolls onto lonely flushes. We have few soldiers left. But still, when the enemy approached, our heroes rushed to meet him. There is a terrible long fight. They fight with bayonets, butts, stones, fists, banners. In a terrible hand-to-hand fight, infantrymen, cavalrymen, and artillerymen mixed up. Here the enemy core crushed the leg of the commander of the left wing, Prince Bagration. Scarlet blood flows in a wide stream. The noble face turned pale, clear eyes closed. The mortally wounded prince was carried away, his brave soldiers were orphaned. Few of them are left, not to hold back the enemy.

At 11.30 after the sixth attack, the fleches were occupied by the French. The remnants of the Russian troops who fought on the Semenov Heights retreated in perfect order to the village of Semenovskaya and stood behind the Semenov Ravine, again ready for battle. The last reserves appointed by the commander-in-chief arrived: the Life Guards Izmailovsky, Finland and Lithuanian regiments and several regiments of cavalry. The hero of Smolensk, General Dokhturov, entered the Command of the Left Wing Troops.

Having installed artillery in the occupied flashes, the French began to fire at point-blank search niches behind the Semenovsky ravine. After a short but extremely strong artillery fire, the enemies rushed across the ravine to attack the village of Semenovskaya, occupied by the remnants of Vorontsov's grenadiers. Their cavalry moved ahead of the French infantry. Bypassing vil. Semenovskaya, the enemy cavalry rushed at our infantry, which was stationed in the 2nd line behind the ravine. Formed in a square, the guards regiments met the enemy with friendly volleys.

The sight of the formidable, calm infantry, bristling with bayonets, made such a terrible impression that the brilliant French cavalry, heated up by the battle, could not reach our infantry. Our cavalry, helping out their infantry, repeatedly rushed to the attack on the French cavalry.

The French infantry, following their cavalry, broke into the village of Semenovskaya and pressed its defenders. Our troops of the left wing withdrew deep into their positions about half a verst from the Semyonovsky ravine; only the guard regiments, having repelled the attacks, remained at the edge of the forest, near the ravine.

The French, exhausted by six hours of stubborn fighting, could not move forward behind the Russians. For a further offensive, fresh forces were needed. The marshals asked the Emperor to support them. Reluctantly, Napoleon fulfilled their request. From his last reserve of his beloved guards, Napoleon ordered only one division to move to the Semenov heights, but this division did not reach its destination: a sudden attack by Platov's Cossacks and Uvarov's cavalry on the left flank of the French forced the cancellation of the order to move the guards division to the village of Semenovskaya. Only a strong cannonade continued here continuously until dusk.

The third attack of the Rayevsky battery.

Rejected by Yermolov from the Raevsky battery, the French withdrew to the ravine of the river. The bells are stuck here too. Hundreds of cannons rumbled again: a rain of cannonballs and grenades poured incessantly, shots merged into an incessant roll of thunder. The columns were arranged; the cavalry joined the infantry. By noon, the success of the French at the Semyonov Heights was clearly revealed. The time has come to repeat the strike on Raevsky's battery, now advanced forward.

Everything was ready for the enemy to repeat the strike, but meanwhile our reserves, appointed by the commander-in-chief, had not yet had time to gather at the battery; to buy the time needed for the approach of the reserves. Kutuzov ordered Platov and Uvarov to rush with our cavalry to the left flank of the French army. This dashing attack of our cavalry, which rushed behind enemy lines, alarmed the French. The viceroy, having suspended the attack on Raevsky's battery, rushed to the left flank to find out what was the matter. Time has been won. New reinforcements managed to approach the Raevsky barrow.

Only at two o'clock in the afternoon the suspended attack on Raevsky's battery was resumed. The French cavalry rushed forward, which was the first to break into the battery.

Behind the living wall of the cavalry, the infantry rushed at a run and poured into the battery in an unstoppable stream. There was the last terrible bayonet fight. The infantry mixed with the cavalry. Soldiers and generals fought side by side in hand-to-hand combat. The defenders of the battery were not knocked out, they were all killed, they all lay down, protecting the battery. Mountains of corpses and several broken guns - that's what the French got. To the north of the battery, our troops repulsed the attacks of the enemy cavalry. The French surrounded our infantry squares and tried to split them. To rescue the infantry, Barclay moved the Cavalier Guard and Cavalry Regiments from the reserve. They swiftly attacked the French cavalry and threw it behind the battery. Numerous French artillery followed in the footsteps of the assaulting columns of infantry and cavalry. A huge battery quickly grew on the Raevsky mound and began to smash the center of the Russian army. Our troops, having cleared the mound, moved back a little and again stopped in a formidable waiting position. But the French did not have the strength to continue the fight. Only the guns thundered furiously, as if expressing the impotent rage of the enemy.

Fight on the left flank near the village of Utitsa.

On the old Smolensk road near the village of Utitsa, an enemy offensive was discovered early in the morning against the Tuchkov corps stationed here. Fighting off the superior forces of the enemy, our corps withdrew to the heights near the village of Utitsa and, having taken an advantageous position here, stubbornly held on to it.

When the Konovnitsyn division was detached from Tuchkov's corps to the Semyonovsky flushes, at the request of Bagration, the French pushed our left flank and captured the height near the village of Utitsa. At noon, a division from the 2nd corps arrived to help Tuchkov, and with it the corps commander, General Boggovut. The valiant Tuchkov went on the offensive and again captured the Utitskaya height, but at the same time was mortally wounded. General Boggovut took command of the troops on the extreme left flank. His detachment steadfastly held on to its position, but when the Semyonovskaya heights were cleared by us, Boggovut also withdrew his troops a verst back and settled down on the same line with the whole army, to the right and left of the old Smolensk road.

End of the fight.

By 4 o'clock in the afternoon, the French army along the entire line occupied approximately the same strip of terrain that the Russian army occupied at the beginning of the battle. Our troops retreated no more than a verst, and here they stopped, again ready for battle. Hundreds of guns continued to rumble along the entire front from both sides, but neither side was already preparing for an attack. The long battle equally tired the enemies and at least a short rest was needed to gather strength. Napoleon, who had been watching the course of the battle all the time from the Shevardino redoubt, now drove up to the village of Semenovskaya. His marshals are asked to put the guards into action in order to decide the fate of the battle. Listening to them, the great commander looks to the east with a penetrating gaze. Behind a smoky curtain, he sees the Russian army stretched out in a line, not broken, not defeated, ready, as in the morning, for battle.

Sad great commander. Where are the thousands of prisoners, where are the hundreds of guns, where are the blood-drenched, chopped, torn enemy banners? Where is all this that caressed the gaze of the winner so many times in all previous wars? They are gone now, they cannot be obtained from the Russians even at the cost of blood streams, at the cost of the lives of a whole third of the army. In the hands of the Emperor there was still a guard, his last reserve, but can she win luck over to the side of the French, can she do before sunset what the whole army could not do in a whole day. And deep doubt crept into the soul of the commander. “No, three thousand miles from Paris, you can’t risk your last reserve,” he angrily answered his marshals and galloped to his headquarters.

On the mound near the village of Gorki, continuing to watch the battle, Kutuzov was sitting on a folding chair. His face is calm and only retains traces of fatigue. All day he gave orders, listened to reports. The nervous anxiety of the orderlies and commanders, who arrived from the places of terrible fights, is not transmitted to the commander in chief, as if he had foreseen everything he was told before. Only the news of Bagration's grave injury made him gasp. The withdrawal of the army to the second position did not upset Kutuzov; he praised the heroism of the units, the diligence of the chiefs. After the capture of the Rayevsky battery by the French, Colonel Wolzogen arrived from Barclay with an alarming report: "The troops have withdrawn, they are upset, the losses are huge." This report annoyed Kutuzov. “Tell Barclay that I know better the real course of the battle. The French are repulsed everywhere, for which I thank God and our brave army. The enemy is defeated and tomorrow we will drive him out of the sacred Russian land. On behalf of the commander-in-chief, orderlies galloped along the front of the army with orders to prepare for an attack the next day. This news infused vivacity in the ranks of the army. The mood of the commander-in-chief, calm and confident, was transmitted to everyone to the last soldier.

Twilight descended. The cannonade gradually subsided. In some places there were still small skirmishes of the cavalry. With the last rays of the sun, the battle subsided.

The Russian army was preparing for a new battle until late at night. Only around midnight, when the terrible losses suffered during the day became clear, did the commander-in-chief change his mind. His deep penetrating mind already foresaw the terrible fate that would inevitably overtake the enemy in the bowels of the Russian land. After a terrible blow inflicted on the enemy on the Borodino field, he will not recover. Let him continue on his way to where death is prepared for him.

Truly terrible were the losses suffered by both sides in the Battle of Borodino. About 42.5 thousand fighters dropped out of the Russian army killed and wounded; the French lost about 32 thousand. Trophies were the same. We took 13 French guns, the French - 15 of ours.

Many years later, Napoleon said about the Battle of Borodino: “Of the fifty battles I have given, the French showed the most valor in the battle near Moscow and won the least success.”

The hero of Borodin, Yermolov, said that in this battle "the French army was crushed against the Russian."

The main reason for the failure of the French in this unprecedented battle was the stamina of our army. On it, as on a strong rock, the enemy force broke.

Every Russian soldier on the Borodino field was a hero. From the first general to the last private, everyone competed in courage and perseverance. It is difficult to say which of the military units distinguished itself the most, it is even more difficult to name individuals who distinguished themselves in this battle. The generals, side by side with the rank and file, participated in hand-to-hand combat; the wounded, hastily bandaging their wounds, returned to duty. Orderlies, clerks, non-combatants, seizing their guns, rushed to the front lines. Warriors with lances rushed in dense crowds at the enemy, regardless of the buckshot that tore them. Excited by the battle, the infantrymen rushed at the enemy cavalry with bayonets and overturned it. In this impetuous impulse of the Russian army, both the ardent love for the motherland and the thirst for revenge on the enemy who had climbed deep into Russia were reflected.

Napoleon was very happy when he learned about the voluntary retreat of the Russian army. "Victory", he announced to all Europe; but the great commander was aware that he was deceiving the world by calling the great battle near Moscow a victory for French arms.

For the valiant Russian army, the battle of Borodino was an inevitable atoning sacrifice for leaving Moscow. Having suffered terrible losses in battle, our army inflicted the same losses on its enemy. However, our losses could be quickly replenished, since the army was at the heart of their country, while the losses of the French, who swam into the middle of the "ocean" of Russian land, were unrequited.

In our heroic history, the Battle of Borodino is imprinted for eternity, as a great feat of our army, as a vivid indicator of the invincible power of the Russian people, nourishing the valiant Russian army, formidable for enemies, with its life-giving juices.

Feeling behind itself such a great feat in the past, the Russian army in the future will always be able to fulfill its duty to the motherland in the same way as our glorious ancestors fulfilled it on the day of the Battle of Borodino.

Moscow before Napoleon's invasion.

We have already seen what the mood of Moscow was during the days of Emperor Alexander's stay in it. The ancient capital fully justified the hopes of the Sovereign. The outbreak of popular patriotism, which refreshed Moscow, lit up the whole Russian land. As in bygone times, in the years of hard times, the whole country looked at Moscow and listened to its voice, so now Moscow has chained the minds and hearts of all Russian people to itself. After the occupation of Smolensk by the French, Muscovites became agitated. Wealthy people began to leave the city and take out their property. The closer the French approached Moscow, the more anxious the mood of the inhabitants became. At this troubled time, Count Rostopchin was the Governor-General of Moscow. He was a faithful, devoted servant of the Sovereign, an intelligent, honest, but ardent and enthusiastic person. Until his last days, he was convinced that Moscow would not be the property of the enemy. In troubled days, he tried to maintain silence, calm and order in the capital. His energy was inexhaustible; he personally observed everything, encouraged and supported everyone. In the difficult days that followed, he turned to the inhabitants with appeals, and these appeals brought peace to the people. With the development of hostilities in the western regions, Moscow was filled with the wounded. Muscovites treated the wounded with great foresight. A lot of donations went to hospitals. The merchants offered their goods to the wounded for free, saying: "You shed blood for us, it is a sin for us to take money from you."

The rumble of the Battle of Borodino with gusts of wind reached Moscow. The population was in awe. A religious procession was made from the Sretensky Gate to the Nikolsky Gate. On this day, the elderly Metropolitan Platon arrived in Moscow and blessed the people who had gathered for a prayer service.

From the Borodino field, first came the joyful news of the successful reflection of the enemy. However, the joy was short-lived: soon began to receive alarming news about the retreat of our army, about the approach of the enemy to Moscow. Confusion in the capital quickly spread.

Meanwhile, after the Battle of Borodino, our army retreated with the hope that Moscow would once again rebuff the enemy. Indeed, in front of Moscow itself, a position for battle was outlined. On September 1, Kutuzov examined her, but recognized her as unreliable.

On the same day, in the village of Fili, near Moscow, in the hut of the peasant Andrei Sevastyanov, our military leaders gathered to decide the important question of whether to accept the battle near Moscow or clear the ancient capital of Russia without a fight. Opinions were shared: some offered to fight to the last soldier, others advised to give Moscow without a fight. A heated debate ensued. Then the aged leader of the Russian army, who had remained silent for a long time, addressed those present with the following words: “Gentlemen, I heard your opinions ... With the loss of Moscow, Russia is not lost. My first duty is to preserve the army and get closer to those troops that are coming to us for reinforcements. By the very concession of Moscow, we will prepare the death of the enemy. I know that responsibility will fall on me, but I sacrifice myself for the good of the Fatherland. I order you to retreat."

It was hard for the old leader to make this decision, but he was deeply convinced that now it was more important for Russia to preserve the army, and not the capital. And this wise decision brought good results.

Late in the evening, Rostopchin received a notification from the commander-in-chief that the army was leaving Moscow without a fight.

The news quickly spread everywhere. Everyone who still had the opportunity left the city. The remnants of state and church property, as well as thousands of wounded, were taken out on prepared carts. Many residents, in order not to leave the wounded to the mercy of the enemy, dumped valuable property from loaded carts and crews and replaced it with the wounded.

The retreat took place in order and dreary silence. Warriors with contrite hearts looked at the Kremlin left to the enemy with its towers and high chambers of the ancient Russian tsars, the golden-domed Ivan the Great, and other Moscow shrines ...

Enemy in Moscow. Moscow fire.

Around noon on September 2, the vanguard of the great army approached Moscow. Before the eyes of the admiring French, a majestic city spread out, shining with the golden domes of its churches. “Moscow, Moscow,” the French shouted enthusiastically and quickened their pace in order to quickly achieve this cherished goal of the great campaign.

Napoleon with his retinue entered Poklonnaya Hill. In front of him, as if in the palm of his hand, stretched Moscow with the ancient Kremlin, with golden-domed cathedrals, with stone chambers, “Here it is, finally, this famous city,” exclaimed the Emperor of the French. Here in front of him is his cherished dream - the capital of the vast Russian kingdom. Now the end of deprivation will come, the end of an unprecedentedly difficult campaign. The Russians will no longer persist and continue to fight him. Emperor Alexander will humbly ask for mercy from him, the great winner. This is what Napoleon thought, because until now this has happened exactly when occupying the capitals of those states with which he had to fight. But this time the great commander was mistaken. Before him was an extraordinary enemy. Before him was the Russian people, who knew how to defend their homeland in a different way than the former enemies of Napoleon.

Having approached the Kamer-Kollezhsky shaft with the jubilant cries of the soldiers, Napoleon dismounted from his horse and, walking back and forth, awaited a deputation with the keys of the city. Time passed, but no one appeared. Anger and annoyance distorted the face of the Emperor. Those sent for the deputation returned and reported that Moscow had been abandoned by the inhabitants, that government offices were closed, and the authorities had left the city. This news shocked and excited Napoleon. He refused to go to the city that day and stopped for the night in a tavern in Dorogomilovskaya Sloboda.

Meanwhile, the entry of the great army into Moscow continued. At first, the columns marched harmoniously through the deserted streets of the city. Guards posted everywhere maintained order. But as soon as evening twilight descended, robbery began everywhere. Hungry French greedily pounced on everything abandoned by the Russians in Moscow. The well-ordered regiments, which so recently struck with their prowess on the Borodino field, have now turned into disgusting gangs of marauders. The soldiers broke into houses and looked for food, and, having had their fill, proceeded to plunder. At the height of the robbery, fires broke out in two or three places, these were formidable harbingers of the coming terrible fire in Moscow.

On the morning of September 3, Napoleon entered Moscow. The desertedness of the city struck him. “Not a single person. What kind of people? It's incredible," he repeated. Only at the entrance to the Kremlin did the Emperor cheer up: “Here are these proud walls, finally, I am in the ancient palace of the Tsars, in the Kremlin,” he exclaimed. The great army was overwhelmed by a deserted and deathly silence. How all this did not resemble the triumphant entry of the French into the capitals of Western Europe, when their inhabitants enthusiastically greeted the winners.

The fire that began at night flared up more and more. On the morning of September 3, the huge city was already on fire in several places. The Gostiny Dvor was on fire, government stores with bread were busy on the banks of the Moscow River, flames spread throughout Zamoskvorechye. A fresh wind fanned fiery streams. There was nothing and no one to put out the fire. The French were absorbed in robbery, and the inhabitants who remained in Moscow looked indifferently at their burning houses. Many, seeing the looting of property, preferred to destroy it rather than leave it for the benefit of the enemies. By nightfall, the fire had already assumed enormous proportions, and by the morning of September 4, all of Moscow was a continuous sea of ​​fire. The fire threatened the Kremlin. Napoleon's peaceful sleep was interrupted. Approaching the window, Napoleon stopped in a daze in front of a stunning picture of the Moscow fire. All of Zamoskvorechye burned like a gigantic bonfire. Waves of flame, shrouded in black smoke, like the waves of a raging sea, approached the Kremlin from all sides. Fiery tongues licked the reddened sky. A myriad of sparks plowed through the air. The crack of collapsing buildings merged with the furious whistle of the wind. The picture of the fire struck Napoleon, “What a terrible sight!” He exclaimed. “They set it on fire themselves. How many beautiful buildings! What extraordinary determination! What kind of people: these are the Scythians!

The fire grew and threatened the Kremlin, where the artillery charging boxes were located. Napoleon, however, hesitated to leave the Kremlin. Finally, those close to him managed to persuade the Emperor to leave the Kremlin. With great difficulty and danger to life, Napoleon managed to get through the sea of ​​​​fire to the suburban Petrovsky Palace. An anxious night was spent by the Emperor of the French in the Petrovsky Palace. Heavy thoughts crushed him. Silently, he looked out of the window at the raging fiery sea and, finally, said: “This portends great disasters for us.” On September 7, after a terrible downpour, the fire died out and Napoleon decided to return to the Kremlin. Along the way, he contemplated the disgusting scenes of the debauchery of his troops. The bivouacs of the military units were located in fields covered with sticky and cold mud; bonfires were burning everywhere, in which the fire was maintained by mahogany furniture, window frames and gilded doors from rich houses. Soldiers crowded around the fires on mats of wet straw, while the officers, covered with mud and sooty from smoke, sat on armchairs or lay on luxurious sofas covered with silk fabrics. Their legs were wrapped in cashmere shawls, expensive Siberian furs and expensive Persian fabrics. On silver platters they ate some black stew sprinkled with ashes, with blood and half-roasted horse meat. A strange mixture of abundance and scarcity, wealth and filth, luxury and poverty!

In the following days, robberies and violence continued. Numerous German allied troops lured deep into Russia by Napoleon were distinguished by special greed, cruelty and inhumanity. Indifferent to the glory of their leader, they were eager to reward themselves with the riches of Moscow for the hardships suffered during the campaign.

Discipline was terribly shaken in the ranks of the great army. The power of the chiefs and even the power of the Emperor could no longer curb the unbridled soldiers drunk with robbery and fury.

The situation of the inhabitants who remained in Moscow was truly terrible. Their property was looted or destroyed by fire. Robbers-soldiers tore off Muscovites' clothes, took off their boots, ripped off women's shawls, scarves, dresses, pulled earrings out of their ears, took away the last piece of bread, drove them out into the streets, forced them to carry weights and work themselves.

Embittered by the cruelty of the enemy, Muscovites took revenge on the villains. Many enemy soldiers died at night in wells, cellars, ponds and cellars. At the morning roll call, the French did not count many comrades.

Having heard about the wealth of Moscow churches and monasteries, the enemies, having occupied the capital, began to rob church property. The robbers did not believe that a significant part of the church things had been taken out of the city, and cruel torture they tormented the remaining clergy to find out where the jewels were hidden. Bursting in gangs into churches and monasteries, the blasphemers pounced on everything of value: they tore off the robes and chalices from the icons, seized the sacred vessels.

Moscow shrines suffered severely from enemy fury.

Violence, robbery and devastation took place not only in Moscow, but also in the vicinity, since all the villages near Moscow and rich estates were occupied by Napoleon's army.

The cruelty of the enemy foragers, who roamed everywhere in the vicinity of Moscow, angered the peasants. From the first days of the French stay in Moscow, peasant squads appeared in the vicinity of the capital, entering into a struggle with marauders and foragers. Attacking small parties of the French, the peasants pursued them and destroyed them. The French, in turn, caught dozens of peasants near Moscow, shot them in Moscow. Once a French detachment was sent to the villages for supplies and received orders to bring some peasants. Having captured 20 innocent peasants, the detachment delivered them to Moscow. The field court sentenced them to death, which was done to intimidate the surrounding population. The unfortunate calmly listened to the verdict and went to the place of execution. They were placed next to the WALL and shot one by one. Everyone, seeing that the turn had reached him, crossed himself and said: “Have mercy on me, Lord! I'm sorry, good people." Without complaints and groans, the victims fell at the feet of the executioners. Such amazing calmness of the Russian people in the face of death made a terrible impression on the enemies present. Here one could feel the innermost indestructible strength of the spirit of the Russian people.

Experiencing difficult days in burned Moscow amid robbery, violence, wild revelry, bitterness, Napoleon finally realized what a terrible fate awaited his army, lured deep into Russia. At the glow of the Moscow fire, he finally saw Russia, great, immense, formidable, punishing. What can he do against the growing all-destroying popular anger? His army, shattered, greatly thinned, now seemed to him a small boat among the waves of a raging ocean. Only peace, immediate peace at all costs can save the remnants of his army from collapse. And from the very first days of his stay in Moscow, the persistent persistent thought about the world began to drill into the brain of the great conqueror.

In the camp of Russian soldiers.

When the triumphant enemy entered the capital on September 2, our army retreated along the Ryazan road. After a two-day movement in this direction, the army turned west and, hiding behind the Pakhra River, crossed to the old Kaluga road, to Krasnaya Pakhra. The French lost track of the Russian army for a while. The cavalry reported to Napoleon that the Russian army had scattered, and that it consisted of only Cossacks. Only on September 14, the French discovered that the Russian army was located near the village. Tarutina. Then, 4 versts to the North of our forces, he settled down beyond the river. Black enemy vanguard under the command of Murat.

The terrible news about the occupation of Moscow by Napoleon was received in St. Petersburg on September 8 and caused general excitement. Kutuzov, reporting this sad event to the Sovereign, said that “the entry of the enemy into Moscow is not yet the conquest of Russia ... Now, at a short distance from Moscow, having gathered my troops, I can expect the enemy with a firm foot, and while the army of Your Imperial Majesty whole and driven by a certain courage and our zeal, hitherto the returnable loss of Moscow is not yet the loss of the Fatherland "...

Having learned that Moscow had been abandoned and turned into a heap of ashes and ruins, the Sovereign could not refrain from tears.

However, the sad news of the death of Moscow did not shake the decision of Emperor Alexander to continue the fight. The more painful the state of affairs became, the more the energy and determination of the Russian Tsar increased. Severe trials hardened him, and he found in himself more and more strength for the further bearing of the cross.

In Tarutino, our troops recovered from the shocks experienced, rested, and began to receive new reinforcements.

Cheerfulness and confidence in success returned to the ranks of our troops. Convoys with various supplies were drawn to the army, detachments of militia were in a hurry. 30 Cossack regiments came from the Don, replenished with old Cossacks who had already served their legal term of service and now rose to the rescue of their sons and grandchildren.

Realizing that every day the enemy army was decomposing more and more in burned Moscow, Kutuzov wanted to extend the stay of the remnants of Napoleon's troops in it. To achieve this, he spread a rumor about the plight of our army, about the unwillingness of the troops to measure themselves against a formidable enemy, about the growing unrest among the troops and people. Couriers with such disturbing reports from the commander-in-chief to the Sovereign deliberately fell into the hands of the French, the reports became known to Napoleon and supported in him the hope that the Russian Tsar was about to turn to him with peace proposals.

Finally, Napoleon's patience ran out, and he himself decided to start peace negotiations. General Loriston arrived at the camp of the Russian army with a letter from the Emperor to Kutuzov in his own hand. The field marshal received Loriston and talked with him for a long time, but when Loriston spoke about Napoleon’s desire to put an end to disagreements between the two great and noble peoples, Kutuzov said: “I would be cursed by posterity if they knew that I had given the first reason for any was reconciliation.

Napoleon's attempt to summon Emperor Alexander to peace negotiations ended in failure. The sovereign did not even respond to a letter sent to him by Napoleon from Moscow. The pride of the great conqueror was dealt a terrible blow. Napoleon realized that the case was irrevocably lost. Spending languid autumn days in burning Moscow, he dreamed of shaking the vast Russian empire to its foundations; split Russia into former specific principalities. But all the intrigues plotted by the enemy against our homeland could not be realized; the Russian people were preparing to cruelly punish the enemy for all the great evil, for the desecration of the shrines, for the destruction of property, for the streams of shed blood. The formidable hero woke up - the Russian people - and it was terrible for the enemy, who had climbed deep into the vast Russian land, this awakening.

People's anger.

The deeper Napoleon penetrated into the reserved bowels of the Russian land, the more the anger of the Russian people flared up. Residents rose from all sides to defend the fatherland, and detachments of militia were formed everywhere. The number of those wishing to defend the homeland was so great that it was impossible to pour everyone into the detachments being formed. Armed with anything, the Russian people, the inhabitants of our villages and villages, entered into a fierce struggle with numerous marauders who fought off the great army and plundered the country. Smolensk province was the first to start up, captured by the enemy during his rapid movement. Peasants on the way of the enemy destroyed their property and hid in forests and remote places, remote from the route of the enemy army. Cities that were not occupied by the enemy: Roslavl, Yukhnov, Sychevka, Belaya, became centers of a popular uprising. In the Belsky district, the inhabitants rebelled against the enemy under the command of the leader of the nobles, Kolenov, and the mayor Adamovich. Sychevsky district took up arms led by the leader of the nobles, Nakhimov, and police officer Boguslavsky. Smolyan gathered a retired Lieutenant Colonel Dibich to fight the enemy. Especially in these places, retired major Yemelyanov became famous.

Sometimes the parties of the insurgent people suddenly attacked even large detachments of the enemy. On August 30, the inhabitants of the village of Tesova, and the Sychevsky district, defeated a completely enemy detachment of 200 people. Among the Sychevsk warriors-settlers, the burgomaster of the village of Levshina was especially distinguished by his courage and extraordinary strength. Once an enemy party of 30 people entered this village and settled down in a hut to rest. Having learned about this, the burgomaster sent to call the people, and with the help of one peasant he went up to the hut occupied by the French and locked the doors. The enemies opened fire and mortally wounded the burgomaster, but at that time the peasants surrounded the hut and forced the French to surrender. Feeling his near death, the burgomaster bequeathed to his comrades not to avenge his death and to spare the captured French.

In the Yukhnovsky district, the leader of the nobility Khrapovitsky gathered a detachment of two thousand and with him all the time covered Kaluga from large enemy forces.

The inhabitants of the city of Roslavl made up a cavalry militia of one hundred people and, acting under the leadership of the mayor Polozov, exterminated many marauders in their own and in the neighboring Yelninsky district. Roslavl police officer Semichev, who blocked the enemy's access to Bryansk, was killed. Prince Tenishev, elected head of the cordon, caught up to 400 marauders and donated all his property to the establishment of a hospital for the wounded.

In the Gzhatsk district, a wonderful leader appeared, the hussar of the Elisavetgrad regiment, Samus. The detachment he composed, acting with extraordinary success, exterminated up to 3 thousand enemies.

In the difficult time of the enemy invasion, the Smolensk province, as the first region with a native Russian population captured by the enemy, showed a majestic example of selflessness and devotion to the precepts of their native land. A worthy example of the Smolensk people was not left without imitation. As soon as the French entered the Moscow province, a people's war began here. Peasants and philistines left their homes and destroyed everything that could become the prey of the enemy; ambushes were set up in the forests and small parties of the enemy were exterminated. The slightest obsequiousness to the enemy was considered treason. It happened once that the peasants of a village near Moscow, frightened by an enemy detachment that had come to them, met him with bread and salt. When, after this incident, the peasants, who showed honor to the enemy, came to the nearest church for worship and began to approach the cross with other parishioners, the priest met them with a stern reproach: “Why did you come here? - he said. You are not ours. You, having betrayed the Orthodox, received our enemies as welcome guests.”

After the Zvenigorod district was occupied by the enemy, the inhabitants of Voskresensk formed a large detachment and successfully repulsed the enemy, who was trying to get into their city. Among the leaders of this detachment, the following were especially distinguished: the head of the Velyaminovskaya volost, Ivan Andreev, and the centurion of the village of Luchinsky, Pavel Ivanov, who fought along with his sons.

The Tver province did not lag behind its neighbors either. Residents of Zubtsovo, Kashin and Ostashkov fielded special armed detachments. The Zubtsovsk militia increased to 2.5 thousand foot and horse warriors. This detachment was commanded by the landowner Tsyzyrev, who gave his detachment six small cannons.

The wave of popular anger, having stirred up from Smolensk to Moscow, along the path of the enemy army, now after the fire of Moscow, after desecration of shrines, robberies and violence, spread in all directions, captured not only the nearest to Moscow, but also the most remote areas. The fire of Moscow was one of the main reasons for the development of the people's war. The people, convinced that the French had burned down our capital, longed to take revenge on the impious enemies who had not spared Moscow's shrines. The whole Russian land became like a huge military camp. No one cared about his property, no one indulged in his usual activities, everyone tried to take some part in the sacred cause of the liberation of the motherland. Women looked with contempt on those who hesitated to sacrifice the comforts of life for the common good. The common danger and common hopes made all Russian people members of one family: people who were completely unfamiliar with each other, when they received favorable news from the army, hugged like brothers and congratulated each other. Personal and family misfortunes were imperceptible. Many sacrificed all their wealth, not seeing any feat in this. In St. Petersburg one often met people who had lost hundreds of thousands in Moscow and who had come from there on foot in sermyagas and bast shoes; these people rejoiced that their property perished in the fire, and did not go to the hated enemy.

The Russians can be proud of the fact that in a difficult time of trial they did not humiliate themselves with cowardice and that the enemy did not find accomplices anywhere. Neither of famous people did not glorify himself by servility to the enemy; none of the Moscow clergy prayed for Napoleon. Several village elders were shot for not wanting to obey the French; the peasants, forced to serve as guides to the enemy, deliberately led the enemy into the jungle of forests and swamps and died, sacredly observing their duty to the fatherland. The Russian clergy, following the high hierarchal example of the Metropolitan of Moscow, Platon, supported among their spiritual flock a high impulse towards selfless service to the motherland. Instead of fighting our armies, Napoleon's great army had to fight a people in great anger. The French tried, it was, by cruel measures to suppress the outburst of popular anger. They shot dozens of arsonists and captured armed residents, but this only added fuel to the fire. Instead of dozens of those executed, hundreds and thousands of new volunteers appeared, seized with a thirst for revenge.

The sea of ​​popular anger raged stronger and stronger. The terrible hour of retribution has come.

Our partisans.

An invaluable service to Russia in the difficult time of the Patriotic War was rendered by our partisans - small detachments, composed mainly of cavalry. These detachments were separated from the army, but acted quite independently. Their main purpose was to disturb with constant attacks the enemy army, which had climbed far into the depths of our vast country; attack enemy carts, exterminate small enemy detachments sent to collect food from devastated Moscow. Entrepreneurial officers, imbued with the desire to bring as much harm to the enemy as possible, became at the head of the partisan detachments.

happy thought to start guerrilla war belonged to lieutenant colonel of the Akhtyrsky hussar regiment, Denis Vasilyevich Davydov. Appearing before the Battle of Borodino to Prince Bagration, Davydov drew him a picture of the work of a small cavalry detachment in the rear of the enemy army. Bagration liked the idea; Kutuzov also approved it and ordered that a detachment of 80 Cossacks and 50 hussars be allocated to Davydov. With this tiny detachment, the brave hussar did not hesitate to rush to the rear of the great army, where large enemy forces scurried everywhere. With the help of the local population, Davydov began combat work, first attacking small enemy units. Soon his small detachment was strengthened by volunteers adjoining it. At Yukhnov, he attached to himself the remnants of two Cossack regiments that had strayed from our army. Having strengthened, Davydov began to act more boldly. He was already attacking large enemy detachments, recapturing transports, capturing hundreds of prisoners. Kutuzov, pleased with the work of Davydov, reinforced his detachment with two Cossack regiments. Then the dashing partisan began to act even more courageously and decisively. Soon they started talking about him in the army and throughout the country. The name of Denis Davydov has become dear to every Russian heart, has become dear not only to his contemporaries, but also to posterity, who proudly recalls the dashing partisan along with the outstanding leaders of 1812.

Kutuzov, convinced by the experience of Davydov, of what benefit the combat work of small detachments behind enemy lines can bring, after Napoleon occupied Moscow, sent small partisan detachments in all directions, ordering them to attack together and separately on small detachments and parties of the enemy, to destroy and beat back the carts, to cause all sorts of harm to the enemy. These detachments surrounded Moscow in a tight ring and occupied all the roads between Moscow and Smolensk. They were headed by: Prince Kudashev, Efremov, Prince Vadbolsky, von Vizin, Vintsengerode, Chernozubov and Prendel.

Among the glorious heroes of the partisans of the Patriotic War, along with Davydov, Alexander Samoilovich Figner and Alexander Nikitich Seslavin are especially distinguished. After the occupation of Moscow by the enemy, Figner, fluent in French, went to the camp of enemies. Returning from there, he delivered interesting information about the enemy to the commander-in-chief.

The commander-in-chief, appreciating Figner's enterprise, gave him a detachment of 150 hussars and Cossacks. Then the amazing activity of Figner began. His exploits aroused universal admiration. Having sheltered near Moscow itself, Figner now and then attacked small enemy detachments, seized guns, shells, and destroyed food and fodder.

Disguising himself as a French officer, he repeatedly visited Moscow and enemy bivouacs, talked with the French and learned everything from them. necessary information. Then at night he attacked a mistaken enemy and exterminated the soldiers of the great army by dozens. Figner's name was pronounced with fear in the enemy camp. His head was valued at a large sum.

The bright image of this tireless partisan hero is forever imprinted in the memory of posterity.

Seslavin was distinguished by courage and enterprise. He undertook the most difficult assignments and did not know failure, exterminating entire detachments of the enemy, capturing thousands of prisoners.

Together with the partisans, a detachment of General Ivan Semenovich Dorokhov acted in the vicinity of Moscow. The commander-in-chief, during the retreat to Tarutin, sent Dorokhov with 2 thousand hussars, dragoons and Cossacks to the Moscow road, ordering them to search behind enemy lines. Brave and enterprising Dorokhov coped with the difficult task perfectly. On September 10, at Perkhushkov, he destroyed a large enemy convoy, blew up 80 charging boxes, and intercepted couriers with important dispatches. From that day began his bold raids on the Moscow road. The name of Dorokhov soon became terrible for enemies. Napoleon sent large detachments against him, but Dorokhov was elusive.

Not only experienced dashing officers became at the head of light detachments operating against the enemy, it happened that the lower ranks, who for some reason fought off their units, formed squads and crushed marauders and small enemy parties with them.

Sometimes talented and courageous leaders emerged among the rebellious peasants, who, imitating the partisans, formed large detachments and crushed the enemy. Of these leaders, the peasant Gerasim Kurin gained great fame and glory.

A great service to the Fatherland was rendered by partisan detachments. Enveloping the enemy army, which had climbed into Moscow, in a tight ring, the partisans did not give the enemy peace for a minute.

Only a few glorious names of the leaders of the partisans and the insurgent people are named here. There is no way to draw in every detail a stunning picture of the people's war, to describe all the feats of individuals of societies: like stars in the sky, these feats shone throughout the Russian land, formidable, punishing a daring enemy. We can be proud that all Russian people participated in the great work of saving Russia.

Speech by Napoleon from Moscow.

At the beginning of October, our commander-in-chief finally decided to resume hostilities with the main forces of the Russian army.

On October 6, our troops suddenly attacked an enemy detachment near the village. Tarutino and defeated him, Napoleon, having received news of this, finally decided to leave Moscow, where the further stay of his army became impossible.

On the night of October 6-7, the great army began to march from Moscow. There were about 107 thousand in its ranks. A strange sight was presented by the movement of the great army from Moscow. The worn-out soldiers wrapped themselves in looted robes, in women's coats, jackets, church robes, blankets, and blankets. Exhausted by hunger, the horses fell every minute; most of the cavalry were without horses; behind the army stretched endless carts with loot. Every Frenchman, from the Emperor to the last soldier, sought to take away or carry away as much treasure from Moscow as possible. There were many carriages and carriages in the convoy; not only the transport wagons, but even the artillery wagons and ammunition boxes were littered with booty. Between these huge treasures there was only bread, so necessary for the French at that time. Many sick and wounded followed the army, straining their exhausted forces.

It is difficult to imagine the disorder that seized Napoleon's army from the very first days of the retreat. Napoleon looked gloomily at the motley crowd of people into which his troops turned, at the carts with the loot, but he did not have the determination to order the abandonment of all this booty, since with this booty he himself beckoned his soldiers to distant Moscow.

On October 8, from the village of Troitskoye, Napoleon, seized with a thirst for revenge, sent an order to Marshal Mortier to blow up the Kremlin and burn all public buildings with the exception of the Orphanage. Mines were laid everywhere in the Kremlin, and everything was prepared to turn Moscow and its surviving shrines into a heap of ruins. But the Almighty Lord did not allow the evil deed to be committed. Terrible explosions shook the ancient Moscow Kremlin, the legacy of ancient Russia, but its walls did not collapse. Nevertheless, however, the next day, Napoleon announced to Europe that “the Kremlin, the arsenal and shops, everything is destroyed, that the ancient capital of Russia and the ancient palace of its Tsars no longer exist, that Moscow has been turned into a heap of ruins, into an unclean and fetid cesspool. that it has lost all military and political significance.

Maloyaroslavets. Along the devastated Smolensk road.

Leaving Moscow, Napoleon moved south along the new Kaluga road, obviously wanting to bypass our army, which was at Tarutin, on the left, in order to then retreat west to places that had not yet been devastated by the war.

But our commander-in-chief received timely information about the true direction of the enemy's movement and managed, having moved his army to the city of Maloyaroslavets, to stand in the way of Napoleon.

On October 12, a stubborn battle took place near Maloyaroslavets. The city changed hands several times. The battle was indecisive.

After the battle, Napoleon settled down for the night in Gorodnya. Sitting at a dirty table in front of a spread out map of Russia, leaning his hands on the table, Napoleon plunged into deep thought about what he should do: whether to attack the Russian army gathered in front of him or retreat in front of it and retreat to the war-ravaged Smolensk road. Having made no decision on October 12, Napoleon the next day twice personally reconnoitred our position and, after consulting with the marshals, on October 14 ordered his troops to withdraw to the Smolensk road. The fatal retreat for the French began.

Meanwhile, our commander-in-chief also had to decide the important question of what to do next, whether to rush with the army to the French and immediately end the war in a decisive battle, or to continue the war, slowly, drop by drop, exhausting the enemy. Many of those around the field marshal advised him to attack the enemy, but the old leader decided to continue his wise plan. "All this will fall apart without me," he told the excited advisers.

Having found out that Napoleon was retreating along the Smolensk road, Kutuzov takes measures to pursue the retreating enemy. Platov with the Cossacks was ordered to pursue the French along the Smolensk road from the rear; the main forces of the army moved to cut across the enemy army to Vyazma; Miloradovich's vanguard went between the Smolensk road and the route of the main forces. Partisan detachments they surrounded the French in a tight ring, disturbing them on the campaign and during overnight stays.

In the early days of the retreat, the weather favored the French. The days were clear. The sun gilded the withering nature; only at night the cold made itself felt.

The mood of the retreating army was gloomy, depressed.

The soldiers, who had seen before the glorious days of victories, now walked with bowed heads, realizing the unheard-of humiliation that had befallen them and their leader. The disorder that had begun with the march from Moscow increased. Discipline was shattered. Napoleon was gloomy. He now treated his troops with indifference, rarely mounted a horse, and kept urging his generals.

A terrible picture of ruin unfolded before the retreating French army. Everywhere traces of violence, everywhere the kingdom of death. Cities and villages in ruins, abandoned by the inhabitants, fields and fields trampled down, burned out. No supplies could be obtained anywhere.

When the army was still food supplies captured from Moscow, but they were unevenly divided between military units. Some companies were already in dire need, while others still had a lot of everything. The soldiers robbed and beat each other's supplies, and it came to armed clashes between parts of the troops. Horses fell in masses at every crossing. I had to blow up the charging boxes and leave the trucks with the loot. I had to leave the wounded to their fate. These unfortunates called out to their comrades, begging them not to leave them, but due to the lack of wagons, help was impossible.

On the very first crossings, unarmed men appeared among the retreating army. Those without horses were the first to drop their weapons, and other soldiers followed suit. Crowds of unarmed people grew every day and hampered the movement of the army.

In Vyazma and Dorogobuzh, the French were attacked by our troops and suffered heavy losses.

Napoleon continued his non-stop retreat towards Smolensk, and the Russian army followed south of it, threatening to constantly intercept the French retreat route.

After Vyazma, the disorder of the remnants of the great army increased every day. Cold days have come; the blizzards started. At Dorogobuzh, the enemies were captured by a terrible blizzard. Lightly dressed, in tattered shoes, the fugitives quickly stiffened. The fierce wind took my breath away. Soldiers driven by the wind fell into the ditches, bordering the roads, and, being unable to rise any more, died.

A terrible trace pointed to the path of flight of the great army. Everywhere are the corpses of people and horses, abandoned tools, wagons. A fierce death from deprivation mowed down the enemy ranks along the Smolensk road, but a terrible fate awaited those who rushed to the side. As soon as the fugitives deviated a little from the main road in search of warmth and food, suddenly in front of them, as if from the ground, the squads of the enraged Russian people grew up. Terrible scythes, horns, and clubs were used, and cruel death put an end to the terrible suffering of the fugitives. And in the distance, the figures of the Cossacks, crouching on their saddles, guarding the prey, did not hide from the eyes ... From terrible suffering, cold and hunger, many enemy soldiers went crazy, and at night the wild laughter of the madmen resounded the dull bivouacs of the French army.

The French hoped to alleviate their suffering in Smolensk, they hoped to get supplies here, to satisfy their excruciating hunger. On October 28, the head units of the French army reached Smolensk, but all the French hopes for rest collapsed. Devastated and burned by the French during the offensive, Smolensk could not give them shelter during their flight. In addition, Kutuzov's army was moving to Krasny and could cut off the French retreat, so Napoleon decided not to stay long in Smolensk and continue moving to Orsha.

Red. Berezina. The collapse of the great army.

On October 31, the performance of the French army from Smolensk began. She performed from Smolensk in parts. This was necessary to enable the troops to camp at night in apartments, since camping in the field for the night was disastrous for the soldiers. But such a measure led the French to disperse their forces over many miles.

Meanwhile, Kutuzov's army, like a formidable hammer, again hung over the fugitives. On October 27, in Yelnya, the commander-in-chief received joyful news from the tireless fighter of the whirlwind-ataman Platov about the victory over the corps of the Viceroy of Italy when crossing the river. Vop, about the capture of Augereau's brigade. Preparing for decisive action against the enemy, Kutuzov encouraged his troops with the following order: “After such extraordinary successes, gained by us daily and everywhere over the enemy, all that remains is to quickly pursue him, and then, perhaps, the Russian land, which he dreamed of enslaving, will be littered with bones his. So we will pursue tirelessly. Frosts are coming, but should you be afraid of them, children of the north?! Your iron chest fears neither the severity of the weather nor the anger of enemies: it is reliable wall fatherland, about which everything laments. You will also be able to tolerate short-term disadvantages if they happen. Good soldiers are distinguished by firmness and patience, old servicemen will set an example for the young. Let everyone remember Suvorov, who taught us to endure cold and hunger when it came to the victory and glory of the Russian people. Let's go ahead. God is with us. Before us is a defeated enemy. Behind us, let there be peace and tranquility.”

At Krasnoe, the Russian army approached the French route and attacked them. From November 4 to November 6, battles take place here.

During the days of these battles near Krasnoe, the French lost 6 thousand killed, 26 thousand prisoners (including 7 generals and 300 officers); we took 228 guns, several eagles and the baton of Marshal Davout. Corps Marshal Ney was almost completely destroyed. For the battles near Krasnoe, Field Marshal Kutuzov was most mercifully granted the title of the Most Serene Prince of Smolensk, and the indefatigable valiant leader of the Don Cossacks, Platon, was elevated to the dignity of a count.

On November 7, the remnants of Napoleon's army arrived in Orsha. There were some supplies and several hundred fresh horses. The corps of the great army were reorganized into regiments and battalions. The cavalry is already almost all dead.

While the French army was making the disastrous transition from Moscow to the west, our troops, scattered in the vast theater of war, carried out the wise plan of Emperor Alexander I, which provided for the complete encirclement of Napoleon. It was assumed that while our main forces would push the enemy to the west, our flank armies should stand in the way of the retreat of the remnants of the Napoleonic troops.

When Napoleon reached Orsha, his further route was already captured by our army of Admiral Chichagov, located along the river. Berezina. Wittgenstein's corps was approaching from the north, pushing back the French who were against him.

After a short stop in Orsha, Napoleon continued on to Borisov.

On November 10, on the way to Borisov, Napoleon received terrible news that Chichagov had taken the route of the great army. The position of Napoleon was terrible. The danger of captivity or death hung over him and over all his surviving associates, but the great commander was not lost. He resolutely rushed forward to break through the vise, ready to crush him. Marshal Oudinot was ordered to move on Borisov and try to throw Chichagov over the Berezina. Oudinot almost unawares attacked our detachment, which occupied the city, and threw it back across the river. Retreating, the Russians managed to destroy the bridge.

There were very few fords and places convenient for crossing on the Berezina, and thanks to the onset of thaw and rains, the water in the river rose to a great height. The width of the river near Borisov reached 50 fathoms.

Oudinot planned a crossing at the village of Studyanka, 16 versts above Borisov, but in order to distract Chichagov's attention from this place, the marshal took very skillful measures. Preparations for building bridges at Studyanka were made very secretly, but below Borisov, near the village of Ukhaloda, masses of the French appeared and began to cut wood here, knit rafts and openly prepare for the crossing. Through the Jews of Borisov, Oudinot spread the rumor that the French army intended to march on Minsk. Chichagov succumbed to the deception and moved his main forces down from Borisov by 30 versts to metro station Shabashevichi; Borisov and Studyanka had only a few of our detachments left. Then the French began building bridges.

On the morning of November 14, Napoleon arrived at Studyanka. Encouraged by the presence of the Emperor, the French pontoons worked with superhuman effort. Plunging chest-deep into the water, they tossed logs among the floating ice floes. After building the bridge, Oudinot's troops crossed to the right bank and pushed back our weak detachment, General Kornilov, who was on the right bank of the Berezina. The crossing went on all night. Under the weight of convoys and artillery, the bridge broke twice, but it was quickly repaired. The next day the crossing continued unhindered. At one o'clock in the afternoon, Napoleon with the old guard was already on the right bank out of danger. By evening, only Victor's corps remained on the left bank, covering the crossing, and crowds of unarmed, wounded, women and children following the army.

On the morning of November 16, our troops on both banks finally arrived in time for the crossing. On the left bank, Wittgenstein attacked Victor's corps, on the right, Chichagov attacked the crossing corps of Oudinot and Ney. A stubborn battle went on all day long. Under the roar of guns, the crossing of convoys and unarmed people continued. Chichagov's attacks could not knock down the strong barrier put up by Napoleon from the position, and the units that had crossed freely retreated west to Zembin. By evening, Wittgenstein managed to squeeze Victor to the river itself. Seeing the impossibility of further resistance, Victor crossed to the right bank at night, clearing the way to the bridges through a dense crowd of unarmed people with weapons in his hands. On the morning of November 17, when many more unarmed people crowded on the left bank, waiting in line for the crossing, the bridges were lit. Wild cries of despair resounded on the left bank. Many of the rest threw themselves through the flames and died in the fire, others tried to swim to escape, but drowned or froze. The coast of the Berezina presented a terrible sight. The entire space near the bridges was covered with broken carriages, wagons, piles of things looted in Moscow. The bodies of the dead and crushed lay in piles, the wounded crawled between them, hungry half-frozen people wandered. The river was dammed with a huge number of drowned people. “Here, on the banks of the Berezina, ended the fate of the great army, which made Europe tremble; it ceased to exist in the military sense; she no longer had any other way but to escape. Under Berezina, Napoleon lost 25,000 out of 36, now he has 9,000 armed people left, and 20,000 unarmed wild crowds fled after the armed. But the Emperor, his marshals and generals escaped capture.

Kutuzov did not arrive in time for the crossing with the main forces. Our leader still believed that everything must collapse without him. Indeed, for the great army after the Berezinsky crossing, the last terrible days came. Severe cold has come. Frosts reached 25 degrees. In disorder, the French fled along the roads, snowy fields, leaving their weapons and booty.

Realizing the impossibility of further struggle with the Russian army, Napoleon decided to leave the miserable remnants of his forces and rush to Paris in order to gather a new army there to continue the fight against a terrible enemy for him. On November 23, in Smorgon, he said goodbye to his marshals and generals, handed over command of the remnants of the troops to his son-in-law Murat, and rushed to Paris with a small retinue.

With horror, the soldiers learned of the flight of their Emperor. From that time on, everyone began to think only about his own salvation; the army no longer existed: it disintegrated into a mass of fugitives. Our light detachments relentlessly pursued the remnants of the great army; behind the advanced cavalry were the armies of Chichagov, Wittgenstein, and then the main forces of Kutuzov.

Upon reaching Vilna, the remnants of the Napoleonic army did not exceed 4,300 people. Here the French tried to resist, but, having learned about the movement of our troops around the Kovno road, they fled. On November 28, our troops occupied Vilna. Kutuzov decided to stop the main forces here, also terribly exhausted by the campaign, and entrusted the further pursuit of the enemy to the Cossacks and the vanguards of the army of Chichagov and Wittgenstein.

On December 2, in Kovna, the last battle took place between our Cossacks and the French rearguard under the command of Ney. The French, having fired several shots at the Cossacks, abandoned their cannons and fled from the city; the Cossacks chased after them, hacked and stabbed the fleeing.

Scattered in a wide border strip, the remnants of the great army crossed the Neman in disorderly crowds in different places. No more than 30 thousand of those who invaded Russia made their way back abroad.

On December 3, in the border Kovna, where half a year ago the soldiers of the great army enthusiastically greeted the ruler of Europe, now the fervent prayers of the Russian soldiers, who had driven the last enemy out of Russia, ascended to heaven, shots rattled, and a mighty Russian “hurray” was carried in the frosty air in honor of Emperor and his associates.

Having occupied Vilna, Kutuzov reported to the Sovereign: “The words of Your Imperial Majesty have been fulfilled: the road is littered with the bones of the enemy. May every Russian offer thanksgiving prayers to the Almighty, and I consider myself the happiest of subjects that I was chosen by a beneficent fate, the executor of the will of Your Imperial Majesty.

The triumph of the Russian people.

For the soldiers who had experienced the brunt of the unprecedentedly harsh campaign, a happy day came when they saw in front of their ranks the One who inspired them to fight, Who, with his unbending will, led the great Russian people to a victorious triumph. Prince Kutuzov, surrounded by his glorious associates, met the Sovereign at the threshold of the Vilna castle. The Tsar tightly embraced the old field marshal and made him happy with a long gracious conversation. The highest military award is the Order of St. George 1st degree - adorned the chest of the hero.

On December 12, the Sovereign's birthday, all the generals gathered in the castle, and the supreme leader, on behalf of the fatherland, thanked in their person the valiant, long-suffering army that had accomplished a great feat. "Gentlemen," the Emperor said to his superiors, "you saved more than one Russia, you saved Europe."

Remaining in Vilna, the Sovereign prepared everything for the foreign campaign of our army, as he firmly and irrevocably decided to continue the struggle until the overthrow of Napoleon.

The great feast of the Nativity of Christ has arrived. Not a single enemy was left within the boundaries of the Russian kingdom. The Sovereign announced this joyful event to his people with a special manifesto.

The joyful news of the expulsion of the enemy, of the complete triumph of Russia, rolled in a wide wave from west to east. This news flew into the most remote corners of our vast country, and everywhere caused universal triumph. And in almost burned-out Moscow, and in all cities and villages across the wide bosom of the Russian land, church bells solemnly hummed, calling on the Orthodox to pray in the temples of God, to thank the Almighty for the salvation of the fatherland from the invasion of the French and with them “twenty languages”.

And everywhere in the churches flooded with fires, the excitedly joyful song of the jubilant people was heard: “God is with us, understand, Gentiles, and submit, as God is with us.”

In this joyful prayer, the whole vast Russian land merged into one majestic choir, invigorating ... powerful. In the waves of sounds, one could feel that indestructible force against which the onslaught of the enemy invasion had broken.

Full of hope, full of confidence in new victories and glory, he entered the Russian land in the summer of 1812 and ... full of heavy, bitter thoughts, he fled, six months later, from the limits of Russia, which was terrible for him. From the Neman to Moscow, the elusive, indestructible Russian army drew him along; and from Moscow to the Neman the remnants of his troops were driven by the same army and the entire Russian people. In all its marvelous, heroic might, Russia swung at the enemy. She severely punished the self-appointed, uninvited guests. A bloody feast was noisy in Russia. Red blood flowed like a river instead of wine, abusive cries, terrible groans and curses were heard instead of table speeches, beds for guests were covered with downy snow cover. Little remains of the hundreds of thousands of fighters who invaded Russia to tell the world how the Russian people honor uninvited guests

Among the raging waves of the Atlantic Ocean, on the dull desert island of St. Helena, the great commander Napoleon lived out the last years of his life. What brought him here? What made the ruler of Europe, before whom the monarchs trembled, while away here in the wilderness, alone, among the heartless jailers the last days of a fading life? Why, this campaign against Russia brought him to a sad end! And remembering his brilliant wars, remembering his amazing victories, Napoleon sadly experienced mentally his fatal campaign in distant, cold, terrible Russia.

And more than once, afterwards, vast Russia, the invincible Russian army and the formidable punishing Russian people grew up before the eyes of Napoleon.

The success achieved by Russia in the fight against the great commander was not a mere accident - this success was the result of many reasons, many conditions that accompanied the grand struggle of 1812.

The fight against Napoleon was based on the wise plan of luring the enemy deep into our vast country: this led to the exhaustion of the enemy's forces. A huge army, stretching for many hundreds of miles, turned out to be insufficient; the ocean of the Russian land swallowed her up.

The war ended, the Great Patriotic War, which excited, stirred up all of Russia. On the vast plains of our homeland, hundreds of thousands of fighters perished, brought here from all over Europe by the great conqueror, who still did not know the prohibition of his desires, who did not experience the bitterness of defeat until the fateful 1812. Neither the grandiose forces of the militia of Europe, nor the richest funds, nor thoughtful calculations saved Napoleon from a terrible collapse.

Remarkable is the restraint with which the leaders of the Russian army conducted the war. Our commanders, Barclay and Kutuzov, managed to carry out a wise plan to fight the enemy to the end, destroyed the enemy, preserving Russia's valiant army. Barclay was not embarrassed by sharp reproaches for the non-stop retreat, and Kutuzov did not stop at surrendering to the enemy of Moscow when he considered it necessary to save the army and Russia.

In all its wondrous glory, the valiant Russian army flashed in the year of the Patriotic War. She was not embarrassed by the days of adversity at the beginning of the campaign. Under formidable circumstances, she, strong in spirit, retained her composure, retained her readiness to look into the eyes of death to the end. Neither heat, nor cold, nor the fierce attacks of the enemy during the days of military clashes could undermine the strength of our heroes. In this extremely difficult war, all the distinguishing properties of the Russian army were clearly and convexly affected: its patience in trouble, unlimited endurance, ability to selfless self-sacrifice, courage without enthusiasm and courage without bragging - those are the very properties that for many centuries have happily distinguished Russian warrior from his rivals and adorned his name with victorious glory. The family of Russian military leaders shines with the glorious names of heroes who knew how to lead troops into battle, who are always ready for self-sacrifice, who, when necessary, show their initiative and take responsibility.

The death of the enemy was facilitated not only by the army, but by the entire Russian people. Driven by love for the motherland, the people sacrificed everything for the good of the country. The Russian nobility, in a time of grave trials, fulfilled its duty to the Fatherland to the end, sacrificing its property, joining the ranks of the army and nominating from among its ranks the leaders of the insurgent people. The glorious, unforgettable names of Davydov, Dorokhov, Figner, Seslavin, Engelhardt and Shubin are indicators of the selfless mood of the Russian nobility in the year of the Patriotic War. The Russian Orthodox clergy, imbued with deep patriotism, admonished the church sons of Russia from the ambos to fight the enemy. From Elder Platon, Metropolitan of Moscow, to a modest village priest who blessed the peasants to fight for the Fatherland, all church pastors were the inspirers of the people in serving the motherland. Merchants and citizens, with abundant donations and personal labor, contributed to the success of the fight against the enemy. The simple Russian people, in a gray homespun crowd, were not afraid to go out against the enemy, crush and scatter him. In the majestically stunning picture of the Patriotic War, one can see Russia united, terrible to enemies, betraying the precepts of its antiquity.

The feat of the Russian people in the glorious year of the Patriotic War is crowned with the feat of the Russian Tsar, the unforgettable Emperor Alexander I. Like a heavy cross, the Sovereign bore the burden of war, sacrificing everything for the good of the people, ready to endure any hardships in the name of saving the power entrusted to Him by God. The triumph of Russia was the result of the unshakable determination of the Sovereign. Nothing could break his inflexible will: neither the long retreat of the army, nor the capture by the enemy of a huge strip of the Empire, nor his entry into Moscow. The fire of Moscow burned with a painful flame the loving heart of the Monarch, the ruin of the fatherland caused the Sovereign inexpressible suffering, but he, trusting in God, in His mercy, did not bow to the enemy’s crafty proposals and did not make peace until the complete triumph of his homeland. Having taken out the sword under compulsion, the Sovereign did not put it without glory. And this glory of the savior of the Fatherland from the formidable conqueror surrounded the name of Alexander the Blessed with a bright halo and forever.

Russia's victory over Napoleon put our homeland in first place among the great powers that decide the fate of mankind.

How many nations, looking back at their lives, can see such a great deed as the feat of the Russian people in the year of the Patriotic War? This feat should also serve as a guiding star for us in the future, unknown and foggy, in days of adversity and upheaval, be a source of spiritual strength and confidence in victory.

A century ago, Russia, having accomplished a great deed, having rallied together around the throne of its Tsar, offered up prayers to the throne of the Lord of Forces for the granted victory, for deliverance from the invasion of enemies.

May the great Russian people, the descendant of the heroes of 1812, united in one mighty close family around the throne of their beloved Tsar, lift up a prayer of thanksgiving to the Lord God, our Defender and Patron, and exclaim in tenderness of the heart: “ Who is a great God, like our God, You are God, work miracles!

REN TV: Elena Manikhina

"The blue splashed, splashed, spilled over the vests into the berets." Blue berets, vests, parachutes and the blue sky - these are all irreplaceable attributes of the fighters who have already become elite troops - the airborne.

August 2 is celebrated as the day of the Airborne Forces throughout Russia. This year, the airborne troops are celebrating their 85th anniversary. Celebrations will be held in all cities of Russia on the day of the Airborne Forces.

In Moscow, the main action will unfold in Gorky Park: concerts, exhibitions, a field kitchen, meetings of former colleagues and, of course, military equipment of the landing. Festive events will begin with a divine liturgy in the church of Elijah the Prophet at the headquarters of the Airborne Forces and the laying of a flower at the memorials.

On this day, thousands of men different ages in blue berets, vests and with turquoise flags, they will bathe in fountains and remember the army years with colleagues, and we will remember the immortal feats of Russian paratroopers.

Battle of the Pskov paratroopers in the Argun Gorge

Speaking of the exploits of the Russian landing, it is impossible not to recall the incredibly tragic and equally heroic battle of the Pskov paratroopers in the Argun Gorge in Chechnya. On February 29 - March 1, 2000, soldiers of the 6th company of the 2nd battalion of the 104th Guards Airborne Regiment of the Pskov division fought a hard battle with militants under the command of Khattab at height 776 in the vicinity of the city of Argun in the central part of Chechnya. Two and a half thousand militants were opposed by 90 paratroopers, 84 of whom fell heroically in battle. Only six soldiers survived. The company blocked the way for Chechen fighters who were trying to break through from the Argun Gorge to Dagestan. Information about the death of an entire company was kept secret for a long time.

One can only guess what the soldiers had to endure in this terrible battle. The soldiers blew themselves up, already wounded, they rushed at the militants, not wanting to give up. "It's better to die than to surrender," said the soldiers of the company.

This follows from the protocol records: "When the ammunition ran out, the paratroopers went into hand-to-hand combat and blew themselves up with grenades in a crowd of militants."

One such example is Senior Lieutenant Alexei Vorobyov, who destroyed field commander Idris. Splinters of mines broke Vorobyov's legs, one bullet hit in the stomach, the other in the chest, but he fought to the last. It is known that when the 1st company broke through to the heights on the morning of March 2, the lieutenant's body was still warm.

Our guys paid a big price for the victory, but they managed to stop the enemy, who could not escape from the gorge. Of the 2,500 militants, only 500 survived.

22 fighters of the company received the title of Hero of Russia, 21 of them - posthumously, the rest became holders of the Order of Courage.

Mozhaisk landing

An example of the greatest courage and valor of the Russian landing force is the feat of the Siberian soldiers who died in 1941 near Mozhaisk in an unequal battle with the Nazi troops.

It was cold winter 1941. A Soviet pilot on a reconnaissance flight saw that a column of enemy armored vehicles was moving towards Moscow, and there were no detachments or anti-tank weapons on its way. The Soviet command decided to drop troops in front of the tanks.

When the commander came to the airborne company of Siberians, who were brought to the nearest airfield, they were offered to jump from aircraft directly into the snow. Moreover, it was necessary to jump without parachutes at low level flight. It is noteworthy that this was not an order, but a request, but all the servicemen took a step forward.

German soldiers were unpleasantly surprised to see low-flying planes, and then completely succumbed to panic when people in white coats rained down from them one after another. And this stream had no end. When it seemed that the Germans had already destroyed everyone, new planes appeared with new fighters.

The author of the novel "Prince's Island" Yuri Sergeev describes these events in this way. "The Russians were not visible in the snow, they seemed to grow out of the ground itself: fearless, furious and holy in their retribution, unstoppable by any weapon. The battle boiled and bubbled on the highway. The Germans killed almost everyone and were already rejoicing at the victory when they saw a new column of tanks catching up with them and motorized infantry, when again a wave of planes crawled out of the forest and a white waterfall of fresh fighters gushed out of them, hitting the enemy even in the fall ...

The German columns were destroyed, only a few armored cars and vehicles escaped from this hell and rushed back, carrying mortal horror and mystical fear of the fearlessness, will and spirit of the Russian soldier. After it turned out that when falling into the snow, only twelve percent of the landing force died.
The rest took an unequal fight."

There is no documentary evidence for this story. Many believe that for some reason it is still classified for some reason, while others consider it a beautiful legend about the feat of the paratroopers. However, when skeptics asked the famous Soviet intelligence officer and paratrooper, the record holder for the number of parachute jumps Ivan Starchak, about this story, he did not question the reality of this story. The fact is that he himself, with his fighters, also landed in Moscow in order to stop the motorized column of opponents.

On October 5, 1941, our Soviet intelligence discovered a 25-kilometer German motorized column, which was moving at full speed along the Warsaw highway in the direction of Yukhnov. 200 tanks, 20 thousand infantry in vehicles, accompanied by aviation and artillery, posed a mortal threat to Moscow, which was 198 kilometers away. There were no Soviet troops on this path. Only in Podolsk there were two military schools: infantry and artillery.

In order to give them time to take up defense, a small airborne assault was dropped under the command of Captain Starchak. Of the 430 people, only 80 were experienced paratroopers, another 200 were from front-line air units and 150 were newly arrived replenishment of Komsomol members, and all without guns, machine guns and tanks.

The paratroopers took up defense on the Ugra River, mined and blew up the roadbed and bridges along the Germans' route, setting up ambushes. There is a case when one of the groups attacked an airfield captured by the Germans, burned two TB-3 aircraft, and took the third to Moscow. It was led by paratrooper Pyotr Balashov, who had never flown such aircraft before. He landed safely in Moscow on his fifth attempt.

But the forces were not equal, reinforcements came to the Germans. Three days later, out of 430 people, only 29 survived, including Ivan Starchak. Later, help came to the Soviet military. Almost everyone died, but they did not allow the Nazis to break through to Moscow. All were presented to the Order of the Red Banner, and Starchak - to the Order of Lenin. Budyonny, commander of the front, called Starchak a "desperate commander."

Then Starchak repeatedly entered the battle during the Great Patriotic War, was wounded several times, but survived.

When one of his British colleagues asked him why the Russians do not give up even in the face of death, although sometimes it is easier, he replied:

"In your opinion, this is fanaticism, but in our opinion, love for the land on which he grew up and which he exalted with labor. Love for a country where you are the complete master. And the fact that Soviet soldiers fight for their Motherland to the last bullet, to the last drop of blood, we consider the highest military and civil prowess."

Later, Starchak wrote an autobiographical story "From the sky - into battle", in which he spoke about these events. Starchak died in 1981 at the age of 76, leaving behind an immortal feat worthy of legend.

Better death than captivity

Another famous episode in the history of the Soviet and Russian landings is the battle in the Old City of Herat during the war in Afghanistan. When on July 11, 1985, a Soviet armored personnel carrier was blown up by a mine, only four people survived, led by junior sergeant V. Shimansky. They took up all-round defense and decided not to surrender under any circumstances, while the enemy wanted to capture Soviet soldiers.

Surrounded soldiers took an unequal battle. They had already run out of ammunition, the enemy was squeezing into a tight ring, but there were still no reinforcements. Then, in order not to fall into the hands of enemies, the commander ordered the soldiers to shoot themselves.

They gathered under the burning armored personnel carrier, hugged, said goodbye, and then each fired a machine gun at himself. The commander fired last. When Soviet reinforcements arrived, four of the dead soldiers were lying next to the armored personnel carrier, where they were dragged by the enemy. The surprise of the Soviet soldiers was great when they saw that one of them was alive. The machine gunner Teplyuk had four bullets that passed a few centimeters above his heart. It was he who later spoke about the last minutes of the life of the heroic crew.

The death of the Maravar company

The death of the so-called Maravar company during the war in Afghanistan on April 21, 1985 is another tragic and heroic episode in the history of the national landing force.

The 1st company of the Soviet special forces under the command of Captain Tsebruk was surrounded in the Maravar Gorge in the province of Kunar and was destroyed by the enemy.

It is known that the company carried out a training exit to the village of Sangam, located at the beginning of the Maravar gorge. There was no enemy in the village, but Mujahideen were seen in the depths of the gorge. When the soldiers of the company began to pursue the enemy, they were ambushed. The company divided into four groups and began to go deeper into the gorge.

The dushmans who saw the enemy entered the rear of the 1st company, blocked the way for the soldiers to Daridam, where the 2nd and 3rd companies were located, they set up posts armed with DShK heavy machine guns. The forces were not equal, and the ammunition load that the special forces took with them to the training exit was only enough for a few minutes of the battle.

At the same time, a detachment was hastily formed in Asadabad, which went to help the company that was ambushed. Reinforced with armored vehicles, the detachment could not quickly cross the river and had to take a detour, which took additional time. Three kilometers on the map turned into 23 on mine-laden Afghan soil. Of the entire armored group, only one vehicle broke through towards Maravar. This did not help the 1st company, but saved the 2nd and 3rd companies, which repulsed the attacks of the Mujahideen.

In the afternoon of April 21, when the consolidated company and the armored group entered the Maravar Gorge, the surviving soldiers walked towards them, bringing out and carrying out the wounded comrades. They told about the terrible massacre of the enemies enraged by the furious rebuff over those who remained on the battlefield: they ripped open their stomachs, gouged out their eyes, burned them alive.

The bodies of the dead soldiers were collected for two days. Many had to be identified by tattoos and clothing details. Some bodies had to be transported along with wicker couches, on which the fighters were tortured. In the battle in the Maravar Gorge, 31 Soviet servicemen were killed.

12-hour battle of the 9th company

The feat of Russian paratroopers, immortalized not only by history, but also by cinema, was the battle of the 9th company of the 345th Guards Separate Parachute Regiment for the dominant height of 3234 in the city of Khost during the war in Afghanistan.

A company of paratroopers, consisting of 39 people, entered the battle, trying to keep the Mujahideen out of their positions on January 7, 1988. The enemy (according to various sources, 200-400 people) intended to bring down the outposts from the dominant height and open access to the Gardez-Khost road.

The enemy opened fire on the positions of the Soviet troops with recoilless rifles, mortars, small arms and grenade launchers. Just a day before three in the morning, the Mujahideen launched 12 attacks, the last of which was critical. The enemy managed to get as close as possible, but at that time, a reconnaissance platoon of the 3rd parachute battalion, which delivered ammunition, made its way to the aid of the 9th company. This decided the outcome of the battle, the Mujahideen, suffering serious losses, began to retreat. As a result of the twelve-hour battle, it was not possible to capture the height.

In the 9th company, 6 servicemen were killed, 28 were injured.

This story formed the basis of the famous film by Fyodor Bondarchuk "9th Company", which tells about the valor of Soviet soldiers.

Vyazemskaya operation of the Soviet landing

Every year in Russia they remember the feat of Soviet front-line paratroopers. Among them is the so-called Vyazemskaya airborne operation. This is the operation of the Red Army to land troops in the rear of the German troops during the Rzhev-Vyazemskaya offensive operation, which was carried out from January 18 to February 28, 1942 with the aim of assisting the troops of the Kalinin and Western fronts, surrounded by part of the forces of the German Army Group Center.

No one conducted airborne operations of this magnitude during the Great Patriotic War. For this, the 4th Airborne Corps, numbering more than 10 thousand people, was parachuted near Vyazma. The corps was commanded by Major General A.F. Levashov.

On January 27, an advanced landing detachment under the command of Captain M.Ya. Karnaukhov was thrown behind the front line on dozens of aircraft. Then, over the next six days, the 8th airborne brigade with a total strength of about 2,100 people was landed behind enemy lines.

However, the general stop at the front for the Soviet troops was difficult. Part of the landing paratroopers merged with the active units, and the landing of the remaining fighters was postponed.

A few weeks later, the 4th battalion of the 8th airborne brigade, as well as parts of the 9th and 214th brigades, landed behind enemy lines. In total, in January-February 1942, over 10 thousand people, 320 mortars, 541 machine guns, 300 anti-tank rifles were landed on Smolensk land. All this happened with an acute shortage of transport aircraft, in difficult climatic and weather conditions, with strong opposition from the enemy.

Unfortunately, it was not possible to solve the tasks assigned to the paratroopers, since the enemy was very strong.

The soldiers of the 4th Airborne Corps, which had only light weapons and a minimum of food and ammunition, had to fight behind enemy lines for five long months.

After the war, the former Nazi officer A. Gove in the book "Attention, paratroopers!" was forced to admit: “The landed Russian paratroopers held the forest in their hands for many days and, lying in 38-degree frost on pine branches laid directly on the snow, repelled all German attacks, which at first were improvised in nature. Only with the support of those who arrived from Vyazma German self-propelled guns and dive bombers managed to clear the road from the Russians.

These are just a few examples of the exploits of Russian and Soviet paratroopers, which not only inspire pride among compatriots, but also the respect of enemies who bow before the bravery of "these Russians in vests."

Outside the 21st century. But, despite this, military conflicts do not subside, including with the participation of the Russian army. Courage and valor, courage and bravery are qualities characteristic of the soldiers of Russia. Therefore, the exploits of Russian soldiers and officers require separate and detailed coverage.

How ours fought in Chechnya

The exploits of Russian soldiers today do not leave anyone indifferent. The first example of boundless courage is the tank crew headed by Yuri Sulimenko.

The exploits of the Russian soldiers of the tank battalion began in 1994. During the First Chechen War, Sulimenko acted as a crew commander. The team showed good results and in 1995 took an active part in the storming of Grozny. The tank battalion was defeated by 2/3 of the personnel. However, the brave fighters led by Yuri did not run away from the battlefield, but went to the presidential palace.

Tank Sulimenko was surrounded by Dudaev. The team of fighters did not surrender, on the contrary, began to conduct aimed fire at strategic targets. Despite the numerical superiority of the opponents, Yuri Sulimenko and his crew were able to inflict colossal losses on the militants.

The commander received dangerous leg injuries, burns to his body and face. Viktor Velichko, in the rank of foreman, was able to provide him with first aid in a burning tank, after which he carried him to a safe place. These exploits of Russian soldiers in Chechnya did not go unnoticed. The fighters were awarded the title of Hero of the Russian Federation.

Yuri Sergeevich Igitov - a hero posthumously

Very often the exploits of Russian soldiers and officers today become well known after the death of heroes. This is exactly what happened in the case of Yury Igitov. Private was awarded the title of Hero of the Russian Federation posthumously for the performance of duty and a special assignment.

Yuri Sergeevich took part in the Chechen war. The private was 21 years old, but, despite his youth, he showed courage and valor in the last seconds of his life. Igitov's platoon was surrounded by Dudayev's fighters. Most of the comrades died under numerous enemy shots. The gallant private, at the cost of his life, covered the retreat of the surviving soldiers to the last bullet. When the enemy attacked, Yuri blew up a grenade without surrendering to the enemy.

Evgeny Rodionov - faith in God until the last breath

The exploits of Russian soldiers today cause boundless pride of fellow citizens, especially when it comes to young boys who gave their lives for a peaceful sky above their heads. Boundless heroism and unshakable faith in God was shown by Yevgeny Rodionov, who, under threat of death, refused to take off his pectoral cross.

Young Eugene was called to serve in 1995. He served on a permanent basis in the North Caucasus, at the border point of Ingushetia and Chechnya. Together with his comrades, he joined the guard on February 13. In carrying out their direct task, the soldiers stopped an ambulance carrying weapons. After that, the privates were captured.

For about 100 days the soldiers were tortured, severely beaten and humiliated. Despite the unbearable pain, the threat of death, the fighters did not take off their pectoral crosses. For this, Yevgeny was beheaded, and the rest of his colleagues were shot on the spot. For martyrdom Rodionov Evgeny was awarded posthumously.

Yanina Irina - an example of heroism and courage

The exploits of Russian soldiers today are not only the heroic deeds of men, but also the incredible valor of Russian women. A sweet, fragile girl was a member of two military operations as a nurse during the First Chechen war. 1999 was the third test in Irina's life.

August 31, 1999 was fatal. At risk to her own life, nurse Yanina saved more than 40 people by making three trips in an APC to the line of fire. Irina's fourth trip ended tragically. During the counter-offensive of the enemy, Yanina not only organized the lightning-fast loading of wounded soldiers, but also covered the retreat of her colleagues with automatic fire.

Unfortunately for the girls, two grenades hit the armored personnel carrier. The nurse rushed to the aid of the wounded commander and the 3rd private. Irina saved the young soldiers from certain death, but did not have time to get out of the burning car herself. The armored personnel carrier ammunition detonated.

For his valor and courage, he was awarded the title of Hero of the Russian Federation posthumously. Irina is the only woman who has been awarded this title for operations in the North Caucasus.

Maroon takes posthumously

The exploits of Russian soldiers today are known not only in Russia. The story of Sergei Burnaev does not leave anyone indifferent. Brown - that's what his comrades called the commander - was in the "Vityaz", a special division of the Ministry of Internal Affairs. In 2002, the detachment was sent to the city of Argun, where an underground weapons warehouse with numerous tunnels was discovered.

It was possible to reach opponents only by going through an underground hole. Sergei Burnaev went first. The opponents opened fire on the fighter, who was able to answer the call of the militants in the darkness. The comrades hurried to help, it was at this moment that Bury saw a grenade that was rolling towards the fighters. Without hesitation, Sergei Burnaev closed the grenade with his body, thereby saving his colleagues from certain death.

For the accomplished feat, Sergei Burnaev was awarded the title of Hero of the Russian Federation. The school where he studied was open so that young people could remember the exploits of Russian soldiers and officers today. The parents were presented with a maroon beret in honor of the memory of the brave soldier.

Beslan: no one is forgotten

The exploits of Russian soldiers and officers today are the best confirmation of the boundless courage of men in uniform. September 1, 2004 became a black day in the history of North Ossetia and all of Russia. The seizure of the school in Beslan left no one indifferent. Andrey Turkin was no exception. The lieutenant took an active part in the operation to free the hostages.

At the very beginning of the rescue operation, he was injured, but did not leave the school. Thanks to his professional skills, the lieutenant took an advantageous position in the dining room, where about 250 hostages were placed. The militants were eliminated, which increased the chances for a successful outcome of the operation.

However, a militant with an activated grenade came to the aid of the terrorists. Turkin, without hesitation, rushed to the bandit, holding the device between himself and the enemy. Such an action saved the lives of innocent children. The lieutenant posthumously became a Hero of the Russian Federation.

Combat Sun

In ordinary everyday life of military service, the feats of Russian soldiers are also often performed. or the battalion commander Sun, in 2012 during the exercises he became a hostage of the situation, the way out of which became a real feat. Saving his soldiers from death, the battalion commander covered the activated grenade with his own body, which flew off from the edge of the parapet. Thanks to Sergey's dedication, tragedy was avoided. The battalion commander was posthumously awarded the title of Hero of the Russian Federation.

Whatever the exploits of Russian soldiers today, every person should remember the valor and courage of the military personnel of the army. Only the memory of the deeds of each of these heroes is a reward for the courage that cost them their lives.

Every year on the third Sunday of August, Russian Air Force Day is celebrated. The binding to the month of August has historical roots. At the dawn of its development, Russian aviation was not an independent branch of the armed forces, but was considered, together with aeronautics, an integral part of engineering. And only on August 12, 1912, the management of aviation and aeronautics was transferred to the newly organized aeronautical part of the General Staff. This is how the Imperial Air Force was born.

In general, although today's holiday is a professional holiday for all pilots and aviation workers, it arose as a holiday for military aviators. Let us remember on this day the heroes-pilots who glorified Russian aviation during the First World War and the Great Patriotic War.

Petr Nesterov

The founder of aerobatics, the famous test pilot, the first performer of the "dead loop". On August 25, 1914, in the midst of the first Battle of Galicia, the commander of the 11th aviation detachment, staff captain P. N. Nesterov, for the first time in the practice of combat aviation, rammed an enemy aircraft. Seeing the Austrian airplane "Albatross", conducting aerial reconnaissance of our positions, Nesterov decided to engage him in battle and, rising into the air, attacked him. Russian and Austrian pilots fired revolvers at each other for a long time until Nesterov ran out of cartridges. Then Nesterov decided to ram the Albatross with his Moran. At an altitude of 2000 meters, he directed the airplane from above at the enemy. Having caught up with him, he fell on the enemy vertically, nose down. The Albatross capsized and began to fall. Nesterov's airplane was unharmed and continued flying safely, but the impact from the impact was so strong that Nesterov died from a fracture of the spine.

Nesterov's courage was appreciated not only in Russia, but also by the enemy. Wilhelm II said in those days: "I want my aviators to stand at the same height of art as the Russians do."

Alexander Kazakov

An outstanding Russian ace fighter, the second pilot in history to use an air ram, and the first to survive after a ram. During the three years of the war, Kazakov personally shot down 17 and in group battles another 15 enemy aircraft and was recognized as the most productive Russian fighter pilot during the First World War. had 16 awards, including the Order of St. George, the British Order of Military Merit, the Military Cross and the French Order of the Legion of Honor. On August 20, Kazakov was appointed commander of the 19th squadron of the Air Corps. In 1917 - commander of the 1st fighter group. Without accepting Bolshevism with all his heart, Kazakov took part in the Civil War, commanding the Slavic-British squadron. When the British decided to leave Russia, Kazakov, on August 3, 1919, got into his plane, soared into the sky and dived into the center of the airfield.

Alexander Prokofiev-Seversky

The first disabled combat pilot in history, whose story later inspired Alexei Maresyev, the prototype of the protagonist of Boris Polevoy's book The Tale of a Real Man. Seversky graduated from the naval school, and then studied at the military flight school. In 1915 he was sent to the 2nd bomber squadron of the Baltic Fleet. On July 2, 1915, during his first night bombing mission, the pilot was shot down over the Gulf of Riga. The explosion tore him off right leg. Nevertheless, Seversky turned to the Sovereign with a request to remain in the ranks, and such permission was received. He flew 1600 hours, participated in 57 air battles, scored 13 victories, had many military awards, including the St. George weapon - for fighting alone with seven German aircraft, and the Order of St. George 4th degree.

The plane is a reconnaissance aircraft "Voisin", armed with a machine-gun mount.

Leonid Osipov

He came to aviation from the infantry, graduating from aviation school during the war. On April 16, 1916, Leonid Osipov on his "Voisin" at an altitude of 2000 meters met with the German "Albatross". Attacking the German, the pilot forced him to glide down sharply and at an altitude of 1000 meters, under enemy artillery fire, attacked him again. A stubborn battle began. The Albatross machine gun and German cannons literally riddled the Russian aircraft with fire. The officer-observer Lieutenant Kalinovsky was seriously wounded and lost consciousness. Lieutenant Osipov himself was wounded in the leg and lost the ability to control the aircraft by foot. And yet the brave pilot managed to shoot down an enemy airplane. After that, his "Voisin" with broken gasoline and oil tanks, going at an altitude of 300 meters above the positions of the Germans under their hurricane fire, glided to his airfield. Barely able to land the plane, Osipov gathered his last strength and pulled the wounded and unconscious Kalinovsky out of the burning cabin. And then - even put out the plane with the help of soldiers who ran up. For this feat, Osipov received the Order of St. George, 4th degree.

Victor Jankovius

He fought as part of an infantry regiment, was twice wounded in battle, after which he transferred to aviation. He flew on the famous Ilya Muromets airship, which became the ancestor of heavy and strategic bombers in world military aviation. On April 13, 1916, the Ilya Muromets, on which Jankovius was assistant commander, conducted aerial reconnaissance in the Friedrichstadt area. The winged giant did not manage to go unnoticed. The plane came under heavy fire from German anti-aircraft guns. Shrapnel and bullets hit three of its four engines and the commander who was flying the aircraft was seriously wounded in the chest. The airship began to plummet. At a critical moment, Captain Yankovius, without losing his presence of mind, took the place of the insensible and bleeding commander, leveled the plane and, on one engine, took him out of the zone of fierce fire. Having managed to reach his airfield and land safely, Victor Jankovius saved both the plane and five of its crew from imminent death. In "Ilya Muromets" then they counted about 70 holes. For his feat, the pilot received the golden St. George weapon.

Special hardened armor

Our cars are ready. Wonder how good! The armor is chromium-nickel, of special hardening... God willing, let's fight!

From the diary of Captain Pavel Gurdov. October 1914. World War I.

wonder machines

On October 19, 1914, the personnel of the Automobile Machine Gun Company lined up on the Semenovsky parade ground of Petrograd. There were also eight armored Russo-Balts. A parting prayer service was served, vehicles were consecrated - and the company went to the North-Western Front. The combat path of the world's first armored army unit began. Staff Captain Pavel Gurdov commanded the 4th platoon: 25 men and 5 vehicles. Two armored "Russo-Balt", two ordinary cars and a truck. November 7 arrived in Lovich, in the 16th Infantry Division. They were asked, they were surprised: what kind of miracle machines are these? However, very soon the enemies began to be surprised. At dawn on November 11, on the Strykov-Zegrzh highway, a Russian detachment was fired upon from German trenches. Gurdov in an armored car came close to the trenches and covered them at speed with machine-gun fire. The Germans were frightened, many simply fled. By nine o'clock in the morning the road was clear. Ten days later, on November 21, Gurdov's platoon took part in the Lodz operation. The award order stated: “The staff captain Gurdov with armored cars moved forward along the highway without cover and, approaching 150 steps to the advancing enemy column, inflicted heavy damage on it and led it to complete frustration, continuing to act, despite being wounded ...”. After this battle, Gurdov became the hero of a poem popular at the front, where he was called the "thunderstorm of the Prussians."

Intensive fire support

A graduate of the Nikolaev Engineering School, Pavel Gurdov began his service in 1905, in the mine company of the Sveaborg fortress. Reliable, cheerful, fearless - this is how his comrades remembered him. He himself volunteered to participate in diving work in the stormy Baltic, raised a sunken ship. He volunteered for the training detachment of the Maritime Department and received the title of "Diving Officer". He dreamed of creating an automobile assault squad. The war suddenly turned the dream into reality. In 1914, a talented engineer and combat officer Gurdov was connected to the creation of an "armored mobile machine-gun battery." The new unit was headed by Colonel Dobzhansky. At the Izhora plant, 8 Russo-Balt vehicles were covered with armor. Later, the company's "vehicle fleet" increased, new vehicles and even "autocannons" were adopted. But for now, they were content with what they have - and very successfully: “An armored company provides the most intense fire assistance to the outer flanks of our troops, fires at the enemy occupying a fortified position to facilitate the approach of our attacking units to it ... Combat vehicles crash into the retreating columns of the enemy and relentlessly pursue them with fire ... "

twenty steps

In January 1915, after treatment in the hospital, Pavel Vasilievich again went to the front. On February 12, near the village of Dobzhankovo, Gurdov attacked a huge German detachment. Came very close, 20 paces. The enemy covered the platoon with an avalanche of fire. Six people were killed and many wounded. The cars were badly damaged. However, the incredible happened - Gurdov's platoon (two armored cars) held back the advance of the enemy regiments for several hours. The 1st platoon, which was in the rear guard, arrived in time to help. Soon our troops occupied the village. Staff Captain Pavel Gurdov was mortally wounded in this battle and died soon after. “Fulfilling the task of capturing a fortified enemy position that defended the crossing, Staff Captain Gurdov led his cars 20 steps to the enemy trenches and, walking personally in the first car, opened fire from his machine guns, shot down the calculation of enemy artillery and at the same time he himself died a heroic death”. The entire personnel of the 4th platoon was awarded the St. George Cross. Pavel Vasilyevich Gurdov was buried in the Alexander Nevsky Lavra as a national hero. He was a man of special hardening, as was the armor of his machines.

Ekaterina SHEVELEVA, site Bulletin of the military and naval clergy