Battle of Smolensk (1812)

The First Battle of Smolensk took place on August 17 1812, between 175,000 French under Napoleon Bonaparte and 130,000 Russians under Prince Bagration, of whom about 50,000 and 60,000 respectively were actually engaged. Bagration's corps occupied the town of Smolensk, which Napoleon attacked, carrying two of the suburbs. During the night the Russians set fire to the place and evacuated it, having lost in the action about 11,000 killed and wounded. The French lost 9,000.

Conclusion

Around dawn of August the 17th Polish forces within the Grandee Armee successfully breached the walls, and in a few hours the main French forces entered the city.

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Barclay retained forces on the other side of the river preventing a crossing until the night of August the 18th. The city of Smolensk was almost completely destroyed.

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