November 26–29, 1812 · Russia Theater
November 26–29, 1812
As Napoleon's shattered Grande Armée retreated westward through the bitter Russian winter, Russian forces converged from three directions to trap the French at the Berezina River, which had partially thawed making it impassable by foot. In a remarkable feat of improvisation, General Eblé's pontoon engineers worked for three days and nights in freezing water, constructing two bridges under fire. French rear-guard corps fought desperate actions on both banks to hold the crossing open while the remnants of the army staggered across. Thousands of stragglers, camp followers, and wounded who reached the bridges too late were killed or captured when the bridges were destroyed.
Commanders