Key Facts
- Dates
- 14–16 November 1812
- Allied force size
- 35,000–40,500 troops
- Russian force size
- 27,000–32,000 troops
- Allied commander
- Karl Philipp, Prince of Schwarzenberg
- Russian commander
- Fabian Gottlieb von der Osten-Sacken
Strategic Narrative Overview
On 14–16 November 1812, Osten-Sacken's Russian force attacked near Wolkowisk. He succeeded in pushing back Jean Reynier's Saxon corps initially but could not dislodge it from the commanding heights. The decisive turning point came when Austrian forces under Schwarzenberg arrived and launched an offensive that overwhelmed the Russian effort, stabilizing the Allied southern flank.
01 / The Origins
During Napoleon's catastrophic invasion of Russia in 1812, the southern flank of the Grande Armée was protected by an Austrian and Saxon corps under Prince Schwarzenberg. As the French began their disastrous retreat from Moscow, Russian forces under Osten-Sacken moved to threaten this flank near Wolkowisk, seeking to cut off and destroy Allied units and pressure the wider French withdrawal.
03 / The Outcome
The Allied coalition force defeated the Russians, forcing Osten-Sacken to withdraw. The victory secured the southern flank of the retreating French army temporarily, preventing Russian encirclement from that direction. However, the broader French invasion of Russia had already collapsed, and Napoleon's forces continued their devastating retreat westward with massive losses.
Belligerents & Mobilization Analysis
Side A
1 belligerent
Karl Philipp, Prince of Schwarzenberg, Jean Reynier.
Side B
1 belligerent
Fabian Gottlieb von der Osten-Sacken.
Kinetic Engagement Axis
Scroll horizontally to view full axis. Events plotted relatively.