GorodetschnaAugust 12, 1812

In the last half of July 1812, General Count Alexander Petrovich Tormassov was ordered north from Kovel to demonstrate against the right flank of Napoleon's Grande Armee. Feinting in the direction of Pinsk, Tormassov then struck west at the isolated first brigade of Reynier's Saxon Twenty-second Division. At Kobrin on 27 July, General de Brigade Klengel1s force was attacked and overwhelmed by Tormassov's Russians. Only three understrength cavalry squadrons, out of a total force of 3,000+ men, managed to escape. Reynier retreated north and sent for Schwarzenberg. Tormassov then advanced on Pruzany and dispatched several raiding parties west, deep into the Grand Duchy of Warsaw. Schwarzenberg, in the meantime, having no desire to follow his orders to join Napoleon's central body, happily counter marched to save Reynier. Worried about his line-of-communications, Napoleon approved Schwarzenberg's dispositions and gave him command of the entire right flank. Through detachments and raiding parties, the Russian Third Army of the West was reduced to 20,000 effective. Facing this force were 42,000 Austrians and Saxons. Arriving in front of Tormassov's position on the evening of the 11th, Reynier and Schwarzenberg realized the futility of a direct assault. Reynier suggested a strong flanking manoeuvre against the Russian left and rear. This movement would cut Tormassov's line of retreat and result in his complete destruction. Reynier wanted to avenge the loss at Kobrin. Schwarzenberg concurred; the flanking march would begin at dawn. During the night, Tormassov received reinforcements from a most unlikely source. A pack of wolves attacked a tethered picket of Austrian Hussar horses. The horses raced away through the forest followed by mounted and dismounted Hussars. By 5 am VII Corps was well on its way supported by Bianchi's Division. Other than a small demonstration by the Austrians across from Gorodetschna, Schwarzenberg was amazingly inactive for most of the day. This allowed Tormassov to shift troops to meet Reynier's threat later in the day. Reynier's Saxon light infantry seized the ford at Podoubny without opposition. Tormassov deployed several batteries to counter the Saxon threat. The rest of Reynier's force crossed the ford near the woods in Tormassov's rear and out of sight of the Russians. Around 11 o'clock, Reynier had started his deployment for battle. The Twenty-second Division was on the far left anchored on the river, then came Bianchi's Division, the Twentyfirst Division, Bianchi's Cavalry, and on the far right touching the wood, Gablenz's Cavalry. By extending his front to the Kobrin-Pruzany road, Reynier had completely compromised Tormassov's position. The surprised Tormassov did not lose his head and calmly set about redeploying his troops. Kamenski was stationed on the right of the new Russian line with his flank refused near the river. Markoff's X Corps was to Kamenski's left. The X Corps cavalry covered the army's left and stretched as far as Zaynice. Tormassov had chosen to stand and fight. He ordered his cavalry to keep the Saxon's at bay while the whole of his artillery maintained a brisk fire upon Reynier's line. The Saxon's advance stalled as they started taking casualties from the Russian spoiling tactics. When the Russians tried their tactics against LeCoq's Division. Bianchi's Cavalry charged them in front and flank, taking several prisoners in the process. Bianchi's Cavalry continued to the main Russian position but were quickly sent packing by Lambert's troopers. The vital Kobrin-Pruzany road was still open. Toward 6 pm Schwarzenberg ordered a final attack on Tormassov's position. The Russians met this attack with massed artillery and small arms fire, forcing the Austrians and Saxons back to their starting line. At this time the inactive Frimont finally stirred and took possession of Gorodetschna. Tormassov sent the last of his reserves to face this Austrian movement. The Russians so overawed Frimont that he ceased his forward movement. This effectively ended the battle. During the night Tormassov slipped away, leaving some 3,000 casualties. The Austro-Saxons losses amounted to 2,200 men. Schwarzenberg had won a victory, but Tormassov was allowed to escape the total destruction that his position warranted. Instead Tormassov retreated south and joined Admiral Tshitshagov's Army of the Danube in mid-October throwing the power balance in the south, firmly in the hands of the Russians for the remainder of the war.