"Russian Austerlitz": Russian battle reports on the
Battle of Austerlitz
Lieutenant General Peter
Bagration’s Report to General Mikhail Kutuzov on Actions at
Austerlitz
No. 209, 10 December 1805, Senitz
Having
received Your Excellency’s disposition to defend my position at
Proedlitz until General of Infantry Count Buxhöwden turned the
enemy right flank, I was firm in my decision to successful carry it
out, but superior enemy columns, both cavalry and infantry, attacked
me early on. I was forced to advance with my entire advance guard to
support my left flank, where ten squadrons of the Mariupol and
Pavlograd hussar regiments and the 6th Jagers regiment were
deployed. The [French], observing my advance, doubled their forces
and engaged me with resolution at all points, but I prevented them
from turning my flanks and both sides became engaged in resolute
fighting. Finally, I received His Imperial Majesty’s order that,
since the center and the Guard were forced to retreat, I was to
support the right flank of Lieutenant General Maliutin; so, under
fierce enemy fire, I began to shift my position gradually to the
right and had changed my lines three lines but always in order.
Finally, I reached the heights near Proedlitz, which I occupied
before the battle, and later [that night] I joined the Guard behind
Austerlitz. The enemy had stopped pursuing me by then.
Having presented to Your Excellency a list of persons
distinguished in the battle, I humbly appeal to you not to deprive
these courageous and indefatigable generals, staff and ober officers
of Your Excellency’s benign attention
Lieutenant General Prince Bagration
Source: Central State Archive of Lithuania, file 378, opis
13, delo 213. Printed version is available in M.I. Kutuzov: sbornik
dokumentov [M.I. Kutuzov: Compilation of the Documents], (Moscow,
1954) volume II.
Lieutenant General
Przhebishevsky’s Report on Actions of the 3rd Column during the
Battle of Austerlitz
To His Imperial Majesty
Lieutenant General Przhebishevsky’s Report
During the Battle of Austerlitz,
following the disposition assigned to the 3rd Columns by the
commander-in-chief General of Infantry Golenischev-Kutuzov and
having defeated the enemy and completely secured the crossing site,
I was completely surrounded despite all my endeavors. Having endured
the fiercest enemy fire for seven hours in a low-lying and
disadvantageous position and losing many subordinates, some killed,
others wounded, while remaining were in confusion from a ferocious
canister fire from three directions and without any ammunition or
hope for reinforcements, [I and my troops] fought to the last, as
required of the subjects of Your Imperial Majesty, before being
finally captured by the enemy.
Unable to report to Your Majesty until now, I consider it my duty
to submit my report on those events, describing for Your Most
Gracious Consideration the perseverance of the troops of Your
Imperial Majesty, who although did not achieve complete success in
the battle, but commemorated it with their steadfast faithfulness to
you.
General Lieutenant Przhebishevsky
July 11/23 1806
Luneville
Report on Actions
of the 3rd Columns
During the Battle of Austerlitz
On 20 November of 1805, around 7:00 in the morning, according to
the disposition of the commander-in-chief General of Infantry
Golenischev-Kutuzov, the entire 3rd Column departed from its camp
near the village of Pratz and, having marched through this village,
it advanced, under guidance of our and Austrian column guides, not
along the road, but across ploughed fields, filled with ditches that
forced us to employ pioneers three times to clear path to move our
artillery.
The 3rd column soon approached the castle [zamok] of Sokolnitz
that was designated by the guides as the crossing point for the
column: castle was located in a valley, protected by stonewall and
surrounded by heights that dominated this location. Advancing to an
artillery fire distance, I soon noticed numerous enemy forces
marching on the right flank across the heights and near marshes at
the bottom adjacent to the Sokolnitz Castle. I immediately
ordered my columns, advancing by sections [otdelenie], to
redeploy by platoons [vzvod] and then arranged regiments in
dense columns to facilitate they movements, if necessary.
I dispatched Major General Muller III, who commanded the advance
guard, with the remaining two battalions of his 7th Jager Regiment
to occupy important points and drive the French out of the Sokolnitz
Castle, which [Muller] accomplished with particular vigor and
courage and succeeded in driving the enemy out of [castle].
However, an enemy battery suddenly appeared on the opposing
heights near the castle and opened an intense fire; Major General
Muller III was wounded but informed me that as he pursued the enemy
he encountered superior enemy forces; I immediately moved there with
the Galitsk Regiment of Major General Schtrick that repulsed the
enemy with particular vigor and greatly facilitated in securing
present positions. But since my column was still exposed on open
grounds and to avoid enemy artillery fire, I ordered troops to move
to the castle itself and personally led the Narva and Butyrsk
Regiments through the castle, observing increasing enemy forces [in
vicinity]; I ordered Lieutenant General Baron Wimpfen to remain with
the Azov and Podolsk Regiments in reserve until further
instructions.
Meanwhile, I learned that the enemy advanced along the high hill
to the village of Pratz and appeared in the rear of my and
Lieutenant General Count Langeron’s columns. I ordered my reserve
to follow the enemy movements and protect our rear, and then sent a
dispatch to the commander-in-chief. Meantime, I attacked the enemy
forces in order to drive them back through the village of Sokolnitz
on the left side of the castle and open communications with the 2nd
Column. As I achieved success in this direction and outdid the
enemy, parts of the 2nd Column and Austrian horse artillery
retreated to the village of Sokolnitz and brought even more enemy
troops from the left side against me.
Thus, I was already surrounded from three sides and my two
reserve regiments were attacked by superior enemy forces from the
rear but still fought resolutely for a long time, suffering heavy
casualties: enemy cavalry finally charged and routed them;
Lieutenant General Baron Wimpfen himself was wounded and captured.
I was hard pressed by the enemy and was constantly under fierce
and continuous canister fire, suffering many killed and wounded
while the remaining [forces] were in confusion. Despite my
dispatches, I received no information at all. Many soldiers, now
incessantly engaged in battle from 7:00 in the morning to 4:00 in
afternoon, had no cartridges left. I could do nothing but to
retreat according to the disposition and was assured by the Austrian
guides that I can find favorable grounds on the right flank to
extricate my troops; I ordered to march along swamps at the bottom
of the hill to conceal how disordered my troops were and to
reorganize them to overcome any future difficulties and join the
main army. However, since the enemy fire kept pursuing us, all
endeavors of my generals, staff and ober-officers to reorganize our
troops proved to be in vain. As we were at some distance from the
Castle, an enemy cavalry charged our troops that became further
disordered and were captured by the enemy.
Lieutenant General Przhebishevsky
11/23 July 1806
Luneville
Source:
Russian State Military Archives (RGVIA), fond VUA, opis 16, delo
3117-2
Lieutenant General
Miloradovich’s Report to General Kutuzov on the Battle of
Austerlitz
No. 76, 15 December 1805
On 20 November [2 December] 1805, I was assigned with the
regiments: Malorossiiskii Grenadier, Apsheron, Smolensk and Novgorod
Musketeer, Colonel Kudryavtsev’s battery company and forty
Elisavetgrad hussar to the Austrian troops in the 4th Column. I
broke the camp according to the disposition at around 8:00 a.m. and
organized column’s advance guard from both musketeer battalions of
the Novgorod regiment and grenadier battalion of the Apsheron
regiments with two guns under command of Lieutenant Colonel
Manakhtin with orders to occupy the village of Schlapanitz, located
one mile from the camp.
As soon as this advance guard passed through Schlapanitz located
at close proximity from the camp, it encountered two enemy columns
advancing directly against it with heavy musket and artillery fire.
Battalions were hastily organized in front [frunt] and,
launching a bayonet attack, they overwhelmed the foremost enemy
column. However, nine enemy columns suddenly appeared and, having
deployed in check board formation, they increased their fire, turned
our flanks and resumed attack, which we could not repulse; both our
guns were already damaged. Facing superior enemy forces protected by
strong artillery and musket fire, I immediately dispatched Major
General Repninsky with the grenadier battalion of the Novgorod
[regiment] to occupy a hill on this side of the village [of
Schlapanitz] so that the retreating musketeer battalions of the
Novgorod regiment could join it there. Two Caesarian [Austrian]
battalions also arrived to this hill. [Meantime], having received
Your Excellency’s orders, I gathered the Malorossiiski Grenadier,
Smolensk [Musketeer] Regiments and the Apsheron [Musketeer] Regiment
with a grenadier battalion and led them in an attack against the
[French] advancing directly at us, with intention either to
overwhelm them or at least to halt their advance and give the
Austrians enough time to occupy position behind me; a battery
company was deployed in the middle of the hill.
Thus began a battle in which four [Russian] regiments mustering
some five thousand men and two Austrian battalions resolutely fought
28,000 enemy troops (as it was later established); the grenadier
battalion of the Apsheron Musketeer made two bayonet attacks and the
last one led by Captain Morozov almost succeeded in capturing two
guns. Taking advantage of their numerous guns, [the French troops]
deployed in four lines, replaced disorganized columns with fresh
troops, directed most of their forces to this direction and passed
on both sides of our small position, occupying heights behind it.
In the meanwhile, General Repninsky fought courageously but was
wounded; Major General Berg was captured. The Austrians, who
occupied position behind us, abandoned it and retreated back. Such
disastrous circumstances, extreme fatigue of troops, lack of
ammunition, difficult terrain and the enemy fire from all directions
had disorganized troops that fought so valiantly before.
But this disorder continued only before we reached His Imperial
Majesty’s battalion of the Life Guard Izmailovsk Regiment, which
held ground in excellent order and exchanged artillery fire with the
enemy. Taking advantage of the respite, I rallied my troops that
adeptly gathered around despite artillery fire. When the Guard
battalion finally retreated, I led my column to the village of
Austerlitz, intending to get ammunition there and reinforce any
regiments still fighting the enemy on the other side of the village;
however I received His Imperial majesty’s order to occupy
Austerlitz and, after the battle was over, His Majesty ordered me to
reinforce the army rear guard on its retreat to Golitzy.
Our casualties were not high since the enemy, content on
occupying the battlefield, did not pursue us, while its artillery
fire was not as effective. Our casualties comprise of: ober
officers - 4 killed, two missing in action; killed and missing 24
non-commissioned officers, 8 musicians, 662 privates, 25 other
troops [nestroevoi]. The [French] suffered much higher
casualties which easily deduced from their necessity to [frequently]
replace fighting columns.
Having mentioned officers who distinguished themselves through
their gallantry, I have the courage to present to Your
Excellency’s particular attention and consideration [the following
officers]: Major General Berg, Major General Repninsky, who was
wounded in the leg and bruised in the side; in the Malorossiisk
Grenadier Regiment, Major Kristafovich, who was wounded in the
abdomen, and Lieutenant Stepanov; In the Apsheron Regiment, Captain
Morozov, who almost succeeded in recapturing guns, Staff Captain
Skalsky I and Ensign Gutkov; in the Smolensk Musketeer Regiment,
Major Chichagov; Staff Captain Miliutinov of the Novgorod Regiment,
Major General Repninsky’s Chef Adjutant Berezovsky, my Chef
Adjutant Arakcheyev and Ensign Bravkov of the Malorosiiski Grenadier
[Regiment], who was assigned to me as an adjutantm; Regimental
Adjutant Glinka of the Apsheron Regiment and Portupey Ensign Tulaev
of the same regiment, who were dispatched to the most dangerous
places [during the battle]
Writing this report, I cannot but remember with sadness His
Imperial Majesty’s Flügel Adjutant Count Tizenhauzen [Kutuzov’s
son-in-law], who was mortally wounded. This excellent officer fought
with remarkable gallantry, was always in the midst of the most
dangerous spots, exceeded himself on this day of battle and was of
great assistance to me. With him, the army had lost an officer of
particular merit.
Lieutenant General Miloradovich
Source: Central State Archive of Lithuania, file 378, opis
13, delo 213. Printed version is available in M.I. Kutuzov: sbornik
dokumentov [M.I. Kutuzov: Compilation of the Documents], (Moscow,
1954) volume II.
|