Battle of Smolensk (1812) | |||||||
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Part of the French invasion of Russia | |||||||
![]() Battle of Smolensk on 18 August 1812, by Albrecht Adam | |||||||
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Belligerents | |||||||
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Commanders and leaders | |||||||
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Strength | |||||||
45,000 of 180,000[1] | 30,000 of 120,000[1] | ||||||
Casualties and losses | |||||||
9,000-10,000 killed, wounded or captured[2][1][3] | 6,000-14,000 killed, wounded or captured[1][3] | ||||||
Location within Europe |
The Battle of Smolensk was the first major battle of the French invasion of Russia. It took place on 16–18 August 1812 and involved about 45,000 men of the Grande Armée under Emperor Napoleon I against about 30,000 Russian troops under General Barclay de Tolly.[1][4] Napoleon occupied Smolensk by driving out Prince Pyotr Bagration's Second Army. The French artillery bombardment burned the city to the ground. Of 2,250 buildings, 84% were destroyed with only 350 surviving intact. Of the city's 15,000 inhabitants, about 1,000 were left at the end of the battle inside the smoking ruins. With over 15,000 casualties, it was one of the bloodiest battles of the invasion.[5]