Battle of Swolna

Battle of Swolna
Part of the French invasion of Russia
Near Beshenkovichi, on the banks of the Western Dvina, Belarus. July 29, 1812. 1830s
Date 11 August 1812 Location Swolna, Russian Empire 55°43′0″N 28°2′0″E Result Inconclusive
Belligerents
Russian Empire	French Empire
Commanders and leaders
General d'Auvray	Nicolas Oudinot
Strength
9,000[1]	10,000[1]
Casualties and losses
700–800[1][2]	1,500[1][2]

French invasion of Russia

500km
300miles

Swolna

Pultusk

15

Gorodeczno

14

Drohiczyn

13

Tauroggen

12

Riga

11

Tilsit

10

Warsaw

9

Berezina

8

Maloyaro-
slavets

7

Moscow

6

Borodino

5

Smolensk

4

Vitebsk

3

Vilna

2

Kowno

1

  

  current battle

  Prussian corps

  Napoleon

  Austrian corps

The Battle of Swolna took place 11 August 1812 near the village of Swolna where Oudinot ran at the river Svolna into the Russians.[1][2]

Prelude

Napoleon had sent a Bavarian Corps to reinforce the troops of Oudinot. Although they were hit hard by dysentery Oudinot started a new offensive.[3] Russian troops moved towards the village of Kokhanovichi, since d'Auvray decided that the lateral advance guard of the French was heading there, and his main forces were heading towards the city of Sebezh. In fact, the French are into this for a while they was moving towards Osveya, across from the Russian 1st Separate Infantry Corps. On August 10, Oudinot’s troops advanced to the Svolnyapekh River, the forward detachments occupied the village of Kokhanovichi, the Swolna manor and the village of Ostry Konets (several kilometers upstream the Swolna River), where there were bridges across the Swolna River.[4]

Battle

Svolna river near Valyasy village (Belarus)

Neither side was able to enforce the crossing of the Svolna.[2]

Aftermath

Oudinot retreated behind the Drissa.[2]

See also

• List of battles of the French invasion of Russia

Notes

1. Bodart 1908, p. 434.
2. Riehn 1990, p. 277.
3. Riehn 1990, p. 276.
4. Отечественная война 1812 года: Энциклопедия (Patriotic War of 1812: an Encyclopedia) (in Russian). Moscow: РОССПЭН. 2004, p. 644

References

• Bodart, Gaston (1908). Militär-historisches Kriegs-Lexikon (1618-1905). Retrieved 7 April 2021.
• Riehn, Richard K. (1990). 1812 : Napoleon's Russian campaign. McGraw-Hill. ISBN 9780070527317. Retrieved 7 April 2021.

External links

• Media related to Battle of Swolna at Wikimedia Commons