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{{Short description|1812 battle during the French invasion of Russia}}{{Use shortened footnotes|date=May 2021}}

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Klyastsitsy>Klyastitsy, Vitebsk Governorate, Russian Empire55N36|E}}Smithp= 383}}Russian Empire}} Russian EmpireFirst French Empire}} French EmpireRussian Empire}} Yakov Kulnev{{KIA}}{{Flagicon|Russian Empire}} Peter WittgensteinFirst French Empire}} Nicolas OudinotVelichkoSchwarz1913}}23,000 in total{{sfn1908Riehnpp= 275-276}}108 guns{{sfnNovitskyApushkin|1913}}Bodartp= 434}}{{sfn1990VelichkoSchwarz1913}}{{sfn1990VelichkoSchwarz1913}}Bodartp= 434}}Bodartp= 434}}}}{{Campaignbox French invasion of Russia}}{{OSM Location map54.6|29.5}}| zoom = 4| float = right| nolabels = 1| width = 304| height = 120| title = French invasion of Russiablackolivemaroonnavy|Austrian corps}}| label16 = Klyastitsy55.88|28.6}}| mark-title16 = Oudinot in Klyastitsy 29 July – 1 August 1812| shape16 = diamond| shape-color16 = black| label-color16 = black| label-offset-x16 = 12| label-offset-y16 = 2| label-pos16 = top| shapeD=n-circle| shape-colorD=navy| label-colorD=navy| shape-outlineD=white| label-sizeD = 12| label-posD = right| mark-sizeD=12| label-offset-xD = 0| label-offset-yD = 0| label1 = Kowno54.90|23.90}}| mark-title1 = Kowno 24 June 1812: Napoleon crossed the border| label-pos1 = left| label-offset-y1 = 7| label-offset-x1 = 10| shape-color1 = dark red| label-color1 = dark red| label2 = Vilna54.69|25.28}}| mark-title2 = Vilnius June 1812: Napoleon Retreat 5 December 1812: Napoleon| label-pos2 = top| label-offset-x2 = 10| label-offset-y2 = 4| shape-color2 = dark red| label-color2 = dark red| label3 = Vitebsk55.19|30.17}}Battle of Vitebsk (1812)>Battle of Vitebsk 26 July 1812: Napoleon| label-pos3 = top| label-offset-y3 = 3| shape-color3 = dark red| label-color3 = dark red| label4 = Smolensk54.77|32.034}}Battle of Smolensk (1812)>Battle of Smolensk 16 August 1812: NapoleonNovember 1812: : Napoleon’s retreat| label-offset-x4 = -10| label-offset-y4 = 10| shape-color4 = maroon| label-color4 = maroon| label5 = Borodino55.52|35.82}}| mark-title5 = Battle of Borodino 7 September 1812: Kutuzov, NapoleonOctober 1812: Napoleon’s Retreat| label-pos5 = top| label-offset-x5 = -10| label-offset-y5 = 3| shape-color5 = maroon| label-color5 = maroon| label6 = Moscow55.75|37.63}}French occupation of Moscow>Moscow 14 September to 19 October 1812: Napoleon| shape-color6 = maroon| label-color6 = maroon| label7 = Maloyaro-| labela7 = slavets55.02|36.46}}| mark-title7 = Battle of Maloyaroslavets 24 October 1812: Kutuzov, Napoleon| shape-color7 = maroon| label-color7 = maroon| label8 = Berezina54.32|28.35}}| mark-title8 = Battle of Berezina 26–29 November 1812: Napoleon, Chichagov, Wittgenstein, Kutuzov only pursuit| label-offset-x8 = -10| label-offset-y8 = 10| shape-color8 = maroon| label-color8 = maroon| label9 = Warsaw52.24|21.01}}| mark-title9 = Warsaw December 1812: Napoleon’s retreat| label-pos9 = bottom| label-offset-y9 = -6| shape-color9 = maroon| label-color9 = maroon| label10 = Tilsit| label-pos10 = left55.08|21.88}}| mark-title10 = Tilsit 24 June 1812: Macdonald’s Prussians crossed the border| shape-color10 = olive| label-color10 = olive| shape-outline10 = white| label11 = Riga56.95|24.1}}Siege of Riga (1812)>Siege of Riga 24 July – 18 December 1812: Macdonald’s Prussians| shape-color11 = olive| label-color11 = olive| shape-outline11 = white| label12 = Tauroggen55.25|22.29}}Ludwig Yorck von Wartenburg>Ludwig Yorck’s Prussians signed the Convention of Tauroggen| shape-color12 = olive| label-color12 = olive| shape-outline12 = white| label-pos12 = top| label-offset-y12 = 3| label13 = Drohiczyn52.40|22.65}}| mark-title13 = Drohiczyn June 1812: Schwarzenberg’s Austrians crossed the border| shape-color13 = navy| label-color13 = navy| label14 = Gorodeczno53.62|25.87}}| mark-title14 = Battle of Gorodechno 12 August 1812: Schwarzenberg’s Austrians| shape-color14 = navy| label-color14 = navy| label-pos14 = left| label-offset-x14 = 5| label-offset-y14 = -2| label15 = Pultusk52.70|21.08}}| mark-title15 = Pultusk December 1812: Retreat of Schwarzenberg’s Austrians| shape-color15 = navy| label-color15 = navy| label-pos15 = left| label-offset-x15 = 4| label-offset-y15 = -2}}The Battle of Klyastitsy, also called the Battle of Yakubovo or the Battle of Oboiarszina,{{sfn|Bodart|1908|p=434}} was a series of military engagements that took place on 30 July–1 August 1812 near the village of Klyastitsy on the road between Polotsk and Sebezh. In this battle, the Russian vanguard under the command of Yakov Kulnev and the whole corps of Peter Wittgenstein stood up to the French corps under the command of Marshal Nicolas Oudinot with heavy losses on both sides.{{sfn|Bodart|1908|p= 434}} The result was a minor Russian victory, their forces managing to capture the disputed village of Klyastitsy. The French partially retreated along their communication lines after the battle, and fended off Russian pursuers.{{sfn|Riehn|1990|pp= 275-276}}

The battle

On 30 July 12, French cavalry squadrons were surprised and attacked by eight Russian Hussar and Cossack squadrons under Gen. Yakov Kulnev.{{sfn|Riehn|1990|pp= 275-281}}At that time, Oudinot occupied the village of Klyastitsy on his advance towards St. Petersburg. There were 28,000 French troops, while the Russian Corps numbered 17,000. In spite of being outnumbered, Wittgenstein decided to fight. The battle started on 30 July at 2:00 pm. The Russian vanguard led by Kulnev (approximately 4,000 men) fought the French vanguard for the whole day near the village of Yakubovo (). Kulnev managed to press the French but they kept the village under their control.{{sfn|Riehn|1990|pp= 275-281}}The next day, after several attacks and counterattacks, the Russian advance forced Oudinot to retreat to Klyastitsy. In order to continue their advance, the Russian troops had to cross the River Nishcha. Oudinot ordered his troops to set fire to the only bridge. While the Russian cavalry was wading across the Nishcha, the 2nd Battalion of the Pavlovsk Grenadier Regiment rushed the burning bridge. This was depicted by Peter Hess in his painting, illustrated to the right.{{sfn|Riehn|1990|pp= 275-281}}Kulnev continued to chase the French Corps with several cavalry regiments and one infantry battalion. After crossing the Drissa River on 1 August, his unit ran into an ambush and suffered heavy casualties from French artillery. Kulnev was badly wounded (he had both his legs severed by a cannonball) and died that same day. Wittgenstein has finalised the victory and Oudinot retreated to Polotsk; the French advance on St. Petersburg failed.{{sfn|Riehn|1990|pp= 275-281}}

Aftermath

Wittgenstein was awarded the Order of St. George of the Second Degree. Alexander I is reported to have called him “the savior of St. Petersburg”. Capt. Krylov, whose unit was the first to cross the river over the burning bridge, received the Order of St. George of the Fourth Degree.

See also

• List of battles of the French invasion of Russia

Notes

{{reflist}}

References

• BOOK, Bodart, Gaston, 1908, Militär-historisches Kriegs-Lexikon (1618-1905),archive.org/details/bub_gb_A0kNAAAAYAAJ, 5 April 2021,
• BOOK, Riehn, Richard K., 1990, 1812 : Napoleon’s Russian campaign, 9780070527317,archive.org/details/isbn_9780070527317, 5 April 2021,
• BOOK, Smith, Digby, 1998, The Greenhill Napoleonic Wars Data Book, Greenhill Books, London,
• BOOK, Velichko, Konstantin, Novitsky, Vasily, Schwarz, Alexey von, Apushkin, Vladimir, Schoultz, Gustav von,archive.org/details/bmk-brz-12/page/602/mode/2up, Sytin Military Encyclopedia, Типография Т-ва И. Д. Сытина, 12: Кальяри – Коалиционные войны, 1913, 602—605, ru, 27 June 2023,

External links

• {{in lang|ru}} Battle of Klyastitsy
• {{commons-inline}}

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