The State Hermitage Museum: Exhibitions

The Crossing of the Berezina

Peter von Hess

1843

Oil on canvas

This painting belongs to a series devoted to the major encounters of the Patriotic War of 1812. When withdrawing from Russia, Napoleon did all he could to avoid battles and moved rapidly westwards along the Smolensk road that was devastated by the war and subject to attacks by partisans. The French Emperor hastened for the town of Borisov on the River Berzina in Byelorussia. The threat of a rout and capitulation hung over him, as Russian forces were closing in from all sides: Chichagov's Danube army was advancing from the south; Count Wittgenstein was coming from the north; Ataman Platov and his Cossacks were at his rear, constantly harrying the French with surprise attacks, while further back on that same road from Orsha the main body of the forces was advancing under Kutuzov.

Yet by remaining on the right, western bank of the Berezina and placing his advance guard in Borisov itself, Chichagov permitted Marshal Oudinot to capture the town. This opened up the way to the Berezina for the main French forces. Through a series of manoeuvres Napoleon managed to persuade Chichagov that the crossing would take place south of Borisov. On 14 November Chichagov withdrew southwards from Borisov; that same day Napoleon himself was north of the town, by the village of Studianka, which is where he gave orders to begin constructing bridges. Despite the heavy frosts, the river was still not covered with ice. The French had to build their bridges on trestles and, in order to do so, to drive piles into the riverbed using the limited tools available. The soldiers performed this work with exceptional heroism.

After midday on 14 November the bridges were ready and the crossing began. All the following day the exodus continued. The large bridge broke several times and had to be repaired. There was a great confused press of men on the bank, as Hess's painting shows.

On the right Wittgenstein is depicted on a bay horse. Around him are Russian Cossacks and infantrymen picking their way through the vehicles abandoned by the French, as well as mounted Bashkirs and Kalmyks. In the centre two Russian officers offer a group of enemy soldiers the chance to surrender. In the background are the burning bridges across the Berezina. On the height to the right the village of Studianka is on fire. Alongside the Russian artillery is shooting at the enemy on the right bank. This is the final episode in the tragic crossing.

For two days the French continued crossing, repulsing attacks from uncoordinated detachments of Wittgenstein's and Chichagov's forces. On 15 November the advance units sent by Kutuzov under Ataman Platov and General Yermolov burst into Borisov. Kutuzov himself did not hurry to reach the Berezina, believing that without him there were already sufficient forces to annihilate the French army. When Chichagov returned to Borisov, Napoleon's forces had already established a bridgehead on the right bank. On 16 November a bitter struggle flared up on both sides of the Berezina. Chichagov tried to push back the French units on the right bank who were shielding the crossing. Wittgenstein attacked Marshal Victor's corps who were valiant defending the escape route on the left bank. The heavily forested terrain hampered cavalry manoeuvres. All day, until 11 in the evening, there were stubborn face-to-face exchanges of small arms fire that cost both sides many casualties and became the culmination of the battle.

Due to the low capacity of the bridges, the immense conglomeration of men and vehicles, panic and the increasing pressure from the Russians, only one third of the force (25,000 men) managed to break out westwards towards Wilno. The remaining 50,000 or so died in fighting, froze to death, drowned or were captured. Fearing that the Russians would capture the bridges, Napoleon gave orders for them to be destroyed, abandoning the bulk of his forces on the left bank. Witnesses said that in places the river was full to the surface with the corpses of men and horses. General Yermolov who saw the Berezina in the aftermath of the battle recalled that across the entire expanse of water, beneath the clear ice, one could see the frozen remains of men and horses, carts and the like. The Russians lost 4,000 men in the battle. After the Berezina, the main elements of Napoleon's army in Russia ceased to exist.