N & E
Napoléon & Empire

Battle of Berezina

Date and place

  • November 27th and 28th, 1812 near the Berezina river (now Belarus).

Involved forces

  • French army (49,000 men fighting and 40,000 late) under Emperor Napoleon the First. 
  • Russian army under Tzar Alexander the First, Generals Mikhail Illarionovich Golenishchev-Kutuzov and Peter Wittgenstein, and Admiral Pavel Vasilievich Chichagov. 

Casualties and losses

  • Grande Armée: 30,000 to 45,000 men (Most of them have not been direct victims of the fighting or even have not participated). 
  • Russian Army: more than 10,000 soldiers. 

Map of the battle of Berezina

Napoleonic Battles - Map of the battle of Berezina

Picture - "Przejscie wojsk Napoleona przez Berezyne - Napoleon crossing the Berezina river". Painted 1866 by January Suchodolski.

Napoleonic Battles - Picture of the battle of Berezina -

Photos Credits

 Photo of Lionel A. Bouchon Photos by Lionel A. Bouchon.
 Photo of Marie-Albe Grau Photos by Marie-Albe Grau.
 Photo of Floriane Grau Photos by Floriane Grau.
 Photo of Michèle Grau-Ghelardi Photos by Michèle Grau-Ghelardi.
 Photo of Didier Grau Photos by Didier Grau.
 Photo of various authors Photos made by people outside the Napoleon & Empire association.

Video credits