The war of 1812. Tarutin maneuver (briefly)

There are no random events in the war . Everything that happens has its serious consequences. But there are events that radically change the course of history. The Tarutino maneuver of the Russian army in the war of 1812 is one of such episodes. It became the second turning point after the battle of Borodino and forced the army of Napoleon I to retreat from the intended goal.

The War of 1812

For all its thousand-year history, Russia has had to defend itself from enemies who want to enslave it more than once. The beginning of the XIX century was no exception. The great French revolution, and then the coming to power in the country of Napoleon Bonaparte, who proclaimed himself emperor, spoiled the relationship between the two once friendly countries. The Russian authorities, in the person of Alexander I, feared the influence of the revolution in France on the situation inside the Russian Empire. But finally the relationship was spoiled by the aggressive policy that Napoleon I began to conduct against the European countries, especially England, which was an old ally of Russia.

In the end, the actions of France led to a war with Russia, which in Russian historiography was called the Patriotic War of 1812 .

Causes of military conflict

By 1812, all of Europe, except for the ancient enemy of France - England, was conquered by the army of Napoleon. Of the other world powers, only the Russian Empire continued to pursue an independent foreign policy, which did not suit the French emperor. In addition, Russia in fact violated the continental blockade, which it had to accept against England as the main condition of the Tilsit agreement between the Russian Empire and France. The blockade caused serious damage to the country's economy, so Russia began to trade with England through neutral states. At the same time, it did not formally violate the conditions of the continental blockade. France was indignant, but could not express a protest.

Russia, through its independent policy, prevented Napoleon's dreams of world domination. Starting with her war, he planned in the first battle to deal a crushing blow to the Russian army and then dictate his peace terms to Alexander I.

Relation of forces

The Russian army numbered from 480 to 500 thousand people, and France - about 600 thousand. Such a number, according to most historians, both countries were able to expose for conducting military operations. In such difficult conditions, knowing that Napoleon hopes to finish off the enemy with one blow, the leadership of the Russian army decided to avoid the decisive battle with the enemy in every possible way. This tactic was approved by Alexander I.

battle of Borodino

Following the approved plan not to enter into a general battle with the enemy, after the invasion in June 1812 of Napoleon's troops, the Russian armies began a slow retreat, seeking to unite with each other. It was possible to do this under Smolensk, where Napoleon again tried to give a decisive battle. But the commander-in-chief of the Russian army, Barclay de Tolly, did not allow this and led the army out of the city.

The general battle was decided to give at the position chosen by the leadership of the army. By that time, Mikhail Kutuzov had accepted the command. It was decided to give the battle near Mozhaisk, on the field near the village of Borodino. Here, one of the fundamental fractures occurred during the war. The subsequent Tarutin maneuver will finally change its history.

Although the battle was not won, and both sides remained in their positions, he inflicted severe losses on the French army, which Kutuzov wanted.

The Council in Fili and the surrender of Moscow

After the Battle of Borodino, the Russian army retired to Mozhaisk. Here, in the village of Fili, Kutuzov held a military council, which was to decide the fate of the Russian capital. The overwhelming majority of the officers were for giving another fight near Moscow. But some generals, who had inspected the future combat position the day before, resolutely voted to preserve the army at the cost of surrendering Moscow to the enemy. Kutuzov gave the order to leave the capital.

Tarutinsky march-maneuver: date and main participants

To realize the complexity and tragedy of the situation, one must understand the following: never before the fall of the capital did the army continue to fight. Napoleon did not fully believe that the loss of Moscow would not force Alexander I to negotiate. But Russia did not lose anything with the surrender of the enemy to the capital, the death of the army meant a final defeat.

For Napoleon from the very beginning of the Russian campaign, it was vital to impose a general battle on the enemy's armies. The leadership of the Russian army did everything possible to avoid this, while the forces were unequal.

Having withdrawn the army from Moscow on September 14 (according to a new style), the field marshal directed her along the Ryazan road first to the village of Krasnaya Pakhra, and a little later chose the village of Tarutino as the location of the army. Here the Russian troops received a brief but necessary rest. At the same time, the army was supplied with food and volunteers.

Kutuzov's ingenious plan

What was Kutuzov's plan? The Tarutino maneuver, which began on September 17 and ended on October 3, was to confuse Napoleon and give the Russian army time for rest. We had to hide our disposition from the enemy. In the implementation of this idea, the Russian rear guard and the Cossacks helped. The Tarutin maneuver can be briefly described as follows.

On September 14, towards evening, when the army of Napoleon was already entering Moscow, the last parts of the Russian army under the command of General Miloradovich only left her. In such a situation, Russian troops, pursued by the vanguard of the French cavalry, had to hide their movement.

Kutuzov led the army along the Ryazan road, but then ordered to turn to the old Kaluga. Here the realization of the plan for concealing Russian forces from Napoleon began - the famous Tarutin maneuver of Kutuzov. A retreat along the new road and crossing the Moskva River was covered by the rear guard of the cavalry under the command of Generals Vasilchikov, Raevsky and Miloradovich. The vanguard of the French watched the crossing of the Russian army. The Russian troops were leaving with two columns.

After crossing the army accelerated the movement and broke away from the French. Leaving among the latter corps Raevsky burned all the bridges on the crossing. So on September 17, the Tarutino maneuver of the Russian army was successfully launched.

Cover operation

It was not enough to break away from the persecution of the French avant-garde. Napoleon immediately after his arrival in Moscow sent his best marshal Murat in search of the Russian army. The Russian rear guard of Raevsky and Miloradovich, as well as the detachments of the Cossacks, created the appearance of the army's retreat to Ryazan, misleading Napoleon. They managed to completely disorient the French about the location of the Russian army on several precious days for Kutuzov. During this time, she safely reached the village of Tarutino and camped there for a rest. So brilliant was the Kutuzov plan.

The army and peasants of the surrounding villages and villages helped to cover the withdrawal. They organized partisan detachments and, together with the Cossacks, attacked the French avant-garde, inflicting considerable damage on them.

Tarutinsky battle

Almost two weeks, Napoleon did not know about the whereabouts of the Russian army, until its location was uncovered by the corps of Murat. This time was used with maximum benefit. The soldiers received a long-awaited vacation, food was delivered, fresh replenishment arrived. From Tula received new weapons, and the rest of the provinces, by order of the commander-in-chief, engaged in the supply of winter uniforms for the army.

Simultaneously, the army of Kutuzov covered roads to the rich southern provinces and to Tula with its military industry. Being in the rear of the French army, Kutuzov posed a serious threat.

The army of Napoleon was in Moscow in a real trap. The road to the rich southern provinces was covered by a strengthened Russian army, and the capital was in fact taken in the ring by partisan detachments of Cossacks and peasants.

September 24, Murat discovered the location of the Russian army and stood near her camp for observation on the river Chernishnev. The strength of his army was about 27 thousand people.

In early October, Napoleon tried to enter into negotiations with Kutuzov, but he refused it. It was decided to attack the Murat group, because, according to the reports of the partisans, he had no reinforcements. On October 18, the French camp was suddenly attacked by Russian troops. It was not possible to defeat the whole army of Murat, he managed to organize a retreat. But Tarutinsky fight showed that the Russian army has become stronger and now poses a serious threat to the enemy.

The meaning of the Tarutinsky march

The Tarutino maneuver of 1812, brilliantly conceived and brilliantly realized by Kutuzov with the help of his generals and officers, was decisive for the victory over the invader. Having managed to break away from the enemy and having won several weeks, the Russian army received the necessary rest, arms, supplies and uniforms were set up. Also, the army was replenished with a new reserve, which amounted to more than 100 thousand people.

The ideally chosen location of the Russian camp did not allow Napoleon to continue the offensive and forced the French army to leave the old Smolensk road, which led through completely looted territories.