Battle of Valutino

The battles of Valutino took place the August 18th 1812, between the troops of the marshal Michel Ney and powerful the Arrière-garde of the general Michel Barclay de Tolly.

Battle fields

The Russians are cut off in a marshy zone , protected by a small brook. The French, attacking resolutely, must face enormous natural difficulties.

The battle

Napoleon hopes to encircle the army of the general Barclay when he discovers that the Russians who await the French constitute in fact only the rear-guard of the Tutchkov general. Three divisions of cavalry and a division of infantry are encircled while trying to attract the French far from the field of Bataille of Smolensk. They then make a turning to face the French on banks of Stragan.

After a massive bombardment, Michel Ney lance an attack against the Russians but it does not manage to take the peak. Cavalry of Murat embourbe while crossing the river.

The division of Junot is near the battle field, but this one remains deaf at the request of reinforcement of Murat and does not move. He will be blamed for that by Napoleon.

A few hours later, Ney lance a last attack. The general Gudin who carries out the attack is wounded by a ball of gun which carries the two legs to him. The French manage to take the peak after a fierce combat, but the majority of the army of Barclay is escaped and moves towards Lubino. The occasion of a decisive victory passed.

Three days after the battle, the Gudin general dies of his wounds.

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