Battle of Mesoten
1812 battle during the French invasion of Russia
56°26′N 24°03′E / 56.433°N 24.050°E / 56.433; 24.050
Russian Empire
Prussia Fabian Steinheil Ludwig von Yorck- v
- t
- e
French invasion of Russia
- Grodno
- Mir
- Ekau
- Saltanovka
- Riga
- Ostrovno
- Kobrin
- 1st Vitebsk
- Klyastitsy
- Inkovo
- Swolna
- Gorodechno
- 1st Krasnoi
- Smolensk
- 1st Polotsk
- Valutino
- Dahlenkirchen
- Shevardino
- Borodino
- Mozhaysk
- Zvenigorod
- Moscow
- Mesoten
- Ustyluh
- Tarutino
- 2nd Polotsk
- Maloyaroslavets
- Chashniki
- Vyazma
- 2nd Vitebsk
- Liaskowa
- Nowo Schwerschen
- Smoliani
- Wolkowisk
- Kaidanowo
- 2nd Krasnoi
- Borisov
- Loschniza
- Berezina
- Pleshchenitsy
 |
500km
300miles
300miles
Mesoten
Pultusk
15
Gorodeczno
14
Drohiczyn
13
Tauroggen
12
Riga
11
Tilsit
10
Warsaw
9
Berezina
8
Maloyaro-
slavets
slavets
7
Moscow
6
Borodino
5
Smolensk
4
Vitebsk
3
Vilna
2
Kowno
1
current battle
Prussian corps
Napoleon
Austrian corps
The Battle of Mesothen took place from 26-30 September to 1 October 1812, between the Russian Corps of Finland and the French-allied Prussian Auxiliary Corps. It was fought near the Latvian town of Mežotne (German: Mesothen), then part of the Courland Governorate.[1]
Background
In September 1812, Russian troops of General Steinheil entered Mitau, Gross Eckau and Bauska without a fight. However, they were spread out and vulnerable to enemy counterattacks. The Prussian command deployed its forces to defend the artillery stationed at the Bauska Castle and sent small squads to the ford across the river Lielupe.
Battle
On September 29, the Prussians launched a counterattack against the advancing Russian forces and attacked their vanguard at 5 pm. The struggle lasted until late at night and pushed the Russian troops back. On the same night, Ludwig von Yorck sent forces under the command of Friedrich Kleist against the troops of Alexander Belgard, which were chasing a retreating Prussian squad on the left bank of the Lielupe. The resulting battle was fought in darkness and involved only infantry units. Vastly outnumbering the enemy, the Prussians forced the Russian troops back and, after having received substantial reinforcements, went on the offensive.[2]
Aftermath
As a result of the battle, Steinheil called off the advance and returned to Riga. Although a defeat, the battle eased some of the pressure on the Russian army of Peter Wittgenstein, helping it to eventually capture the city of Polotsk on October 20.[3]
See also
Notes
- ^ a b c d e Bodart 1908, p. 439.
- ^ Отечественная война 1812 года (2004), p. 13
- ^ Отечественная война 1812 года (2004), p. 615.
References
- Отечественная война 1812 года: Энциклопедия (Patriotic War of 1812: an Encyclopedia) (in Russian). Moscow: РОССПЭН. 2004.
- Bodart, Gaston (1908). Militär-historisches Kriegs-Lexikon (1618-1905). Retrieved 7 April 2021.
External links
Media related to Battle of Mesoten at Wikimedia Commons
| Preceded by Battle of Valutino | Napoleonic Wars Battle of Mesoten | Succeeded by Battle of Borodino |
