Battle of Smoliani

Battle of Smoliani
Part of the French invasion of Russia
The night bivouac of Napoleon's army during the retreat from Russia.
Date 13–14 November 1812 Location Bol'shiye Smolyantsy, Governorate of Vitebsk, Russian Empire 54°50′N 29°11′E / 54.833°N 29.183°E / 54.833; 29.183 Result Russian victory
Belligerents
Russian Empire	French Empire
Commanders and leaders
Peter Wittgenstein	Claude Victor Nicholas Oudinot
Strength
30,000 troops: more than 6,000 involved on the 1st day; unknown number involved on the 2nd day.	approx. 25,000 troops available: 6,000 involved on the 1st day; 5,000 involved on the 2nd day.
Casualties and losses
3,000	3,000

French invasion of Russia

330km
205miles

Smoliani

15

Pultusk

14

Gorodeczno

13

Drohiczyn

12

Tauroggen

11

Riga

10

Tilsit

9

Warsaw

8

Berezina

7

Maloyaro-
slavets

6

Moscow

5

Borodino

4

Smolensk

3

Vitebsk

2

Vilna

1

Kowno

   

  current battle

  Prussian corps

  Napoleon

  Austrian corps

At the Battle of Smoliani (November 13–14, 1812), the Russians under General Peter Wittgenstein defeated the French forces of Marshal Claude Victor and Marshal Nicholas Oudinot. This battle was the last effort of the French to reestablish their northern flank in Russia, known as the "Dwina Line". Previously, the French had been defeated in this sector at the Second battle of Polotsk (October 18–20, 1812) and at the Battle of Czasniki (October 31, 1812)