Chapter VII The Second Battle of Polotsk th th October 18 to 20 1812 ven before the second battle of free themselves and took refuge Polotsk begins, a clash will behind the walls of the cemetery of E announce the ferocity of the Ropno. After a heroic defense, their future fighting: 300 Swiss grenadiers, ammunition exhausted, they charged mostly belonging to the 1st regiment, with the bayonet to break had been detached to Ropno to encirclement through the Russians observe the arrival of the ennemy. and join Polotsk. They arrived there, Around 7 pm on October 17th, they leaving half of them, either killed or were attacked by the infantry of too much wounded to support the Vlastov Vanguard (23rd and 24th Jäger), march towards Polotsk. Of the 150 who had taken advantage of the night survivors, 50 were also injured but and the proximity of the forest to supported by the other 100. They approach the enemy without being finally arrived in Polotsk despite the 3 seen. The Swiss, however, managed to miles they had to make. First day: October 18th In order to comply with the marshal could only order a precipitate Czar’s will, Wittgenstein’s plan was to and therefore hazardous retreat of his fix the French on the right bank of the forces behind the river and leave Dwina, while Alexseiev would pass Polotsk in the hands of the Russians. quietly on the left bank, near But things will go differently because Gorianoui, at the mouth of the Obol. of the heavy rains of the previous days. By setting the enemy on Polotsk, St. Cyr, meanwhile, was waiting Wittgenstein also wanted to protect for the arrival of the enemy on the Steinheil's advance on the left bank of right bank of the Dwina, from the the river. With this plan, Wittgenstein west, especially from the St. considered following the general Petersburg and Nevel road, as in the instructions received in September: he first battle of Polotsk. The violent will cut Gouvion St Cyr from the attack on the Swiss at Ropno Grande Armée. Threatened on both sides and on his rear, the French reinforced him in this opinion. In addition, as the autumn rains made the dirt roads tricky underfoot, the only roadd that could easily be taken by artillery and logistics were those of Nevel, St. Petersburg and Disna, all on the right bank of the Polota. At 6:00 am, the 6th and 8th divisions were order of battle on the left bank of the Polota, but facing west, and thus protected behind the Polota, against an attack coming from the west. General Nicolas-Joseph Maison (1771-1840) The 6th division Legrand was on (lithography from Alois Senefelder, before 1834) He joined the army in 1789; was Captain in 1792, the right, relying on Redoubt distinguished himself at Jemmapes and Fleurus. He was #7. The 9th division Merle was wounded and left for dead near Mons in 1794. Recovered deployed on the right bank of from his injuries, he was employed at the division the Polota, in front of its Bernadotte in 1795. Then, employed in 1796 under cantonments. Merle had been General Jourdan, he distinguished himself and was appointed chief of battalion. Aide-de-camp of Bernadotte, ordered to withdraw as soon as he served in Italy in 1797-98. He was appointed Adjutant- the enemy appeared and set up Commandant, in the 1st Corps Bernadotte in 1805, where behind redoubts #4 and #5, he remained until 1808. He was at Austerlitz. Appointed occupied by the Bavarians. This General de Brigade in 1806, he served at Schleiz, Halle, 9th division was to be used to Lübeck. Chief of Staff of Bernadotte in November 1806, he served at Friedland in June 1807. He then served in Spain attract the Russians on these an was wounded in Madrid in December 1808. Employed redoubts. Gouvion St Cyr hoped in the 8th corps of Junot in Germany, he passed to the that cannonade from these division Legrand in 1810 and served in Russia. He redoubts would stop the distinguished himself at the first battle of Polotsk. General st th Russians with the help of the de division on August 21 , he commanded the 8 division in place of Verdier, wounded. He served brilliantly at the artillery unlimbered on the left second battle of Polotsk. He distinguished himself during bank of the Polota. the retreat under Ney. Commanded the 19th division of But Wittgenstein had the 5th Corps in Germany in 1813, he served at Bautzen, another plan: he decided to but was surprised and defeated at Haynau on 26th May. provide the main attack on the He served at Leipzick on 16 October. In the campaign of France, he defended Courtrai in March 1814 as leader of left bank of Polota after crossing the 1st Corps of the army of the North. He followed Louis the river the day before at XVIII in 1815. Member of the council of war for Ney, he Jourevitchi. In their forward adjucated himself incompetent. Later, chief of the Morea march, the Russians repelled expedition, he was appointed Marshal of France in 1829. Castex’s cavalry and a battalion He rallied to Louis-Philippe, and was Minister of War in 1835-36. He was wounded a dozen times in his career.. of the 26th light infantry which guarded a ford at this place. This clash alerted the French and that’s why St the regiment of Sievesk was sent to Cyr was not totally surprised to be this sector as reinforcement and to attacked on the left bank of the Polota. cover the retreat on this point. The Moreover, he had protected this left other part of the vanguard (25th Jäger, bank, by some defensive constructions battalion of the Kexholm Regiment oriented to the east, including the and four pieces of the light battery redoubt called Tuileries (redoubt # 9), #45) took the main road towards as we have seen. Polotsk, which passed near the Wolowoi pond. The Mohilev and On the left bank of the Polota Perm regiments followed a little further to the left. A little more to the As soon as the alert was given of left, the other two squadrons of the the massive arrival of the Russians on Grodno hussars and Rodianov’s Polotsk by the northeast, St. Cyr Cossacks took a path to take the ordered to divisions Legrand and French line on its flank. It seems that Maison to make a half turn. The at that moment Marshal Gouvion St division Legrand continued to rely on Cyr went to Wolowoi Pond to better the redoubt #7, while Maison came to judge the situation and was then rely on the ‘Tuileries’redoubt. It was injured by a musket’s shot in his left th the Valaisan battalion of the 11 light foot. regiment which had to occupy this The rest of the Russian forces redoubt. At the outset, the two followed behind these first units and divisions left their artillery facing the leaving the Gromy wood, the Russians west to support the Swiss against the were able to deploy their artillery: the enemy who was to arrive by the roads position battery #5 unlimbered of Nevel and St. Petersburg. opposite the ‘Tuileries’ redoubt, The first contact on the left bank another battery on its left, and the of the Polota occurred between the light battery #27 on a height in front little French post in Gromy and the of the Russian line and to the left of vanguard of Balk which repulsed the other two batteries. easily the French and pursued them into the wood between Gromy and the Wittgenstein, then wishing to th th French line, formed by the 6 and 8 recognize the enemy’s right wing, divisions. made his way to the Vitebsk road This Russian vanguard divided along the Dwina, accompanied by the in two groups at the approach of this Kaluga regiment and the Guard th enemy line. The 26 Jäger, two squadrons. Seeing this troop squadrons of the Grodno hussars, half movement, the excellent chef of the horse battery #3 formed the d’escadron Curély, at the head of two right and advanced against the French light squadrons (one from the 20th line by the road which bordered chasseurs à cheval and one from the Polota. Near the village of Amernia (or 8th chevau-légers) did not hesitate to Hamernia), the Russians were charge the Russian left and put the repulsed by the men of Legrand and disorder in the enemy who just began to emerge from the wood. He even hussars and those of the Guard. Curély provisionally took possession of the 12 took refuge behind the two squadrons guns of light battery #27. According to of the 14th cuirassiers, the only other Russian prisoners, Wittgenstein French cavalry in this sector. Nearly would have been a moment in the half of the men who took charge of hands of the French, who did not Curély were missing and the light recognize him. Very quickly, however, battery #27 was freed. the French cavalry was brought back The Russian reserve of Beguiczef Map 12: Position of the forces in the clash on the left bank of the Polota, at Polostk in October 18th.le 18 octobre 1812 (author collection) by the squadrons of the Grodno arrived then and was immediately deployed: the converged cuirassiers, cavalry. The Russian artillery followed the two battalions of the converged and unlimbered in front of the new grenadiers of the 14th division and the position which was leaned on the 2nd battalion formed by the depots of redoubt freshly conquered.