Battle of Krasnoi

During the retreat from Russia, several corps of the Grande Armée were attacked separately by the Russians near Krasnoi. Napoleon managed to relieve Eugène and Davout, but Ney's corps was isolated and hard hit. He nevertheless rejoined the army after a legendary march.

The routed Grande Armée approached Smolensk. The Russians laid a series of ambushes along the Krasnoi road. Napoleon tried to save his detachments, engaged one by one. Cold and disorder made maneuvers difficult.

Napoleon attempted to pin the Russians with the Guard and artillery to allow his corps to pass. Cut off, Ney tried a forced passage then a night breakthrough through snowy woods. His column survived miraculously but was very weakened.

This battle further fragmented the French army. Loss of equipment and thousands of men completed the ruin of any operational structure. Ney's heroic resistance was celebrated in France, but the army would not recover from this series of reverses.