Battle of Valutino

The Battle of Valutino (also called the battle of Lubino) took place on 19 August 1812 near Valutino[ru] and Lubino[ru], between a corps of French and allied troops led by Marshal Ney, about 35,000 strong, and a strong rear-guard of General Barclay de Tolly's Russian army of about 25,000, commanded by the general himself. The Russians were strongly posted in marshy ground, protected by a small stream, about 20 kilometres (12 mi) east of Smolensk. The French, attacking resolutely, captured the Russian position in the face of considerable physical obstacles; the Russian army, however, did not intend to determinately defend this position, because at the time of the battle it was in a general retreat deep into the territory as part of a scorched earth strategy.

Prelude

Napoleon's hopes of trapping General Barclay's army were dashed when he discovered that the Russian force awaiting the French was a rearguard under General Tuchkov. Barclay's main force of three infantry and one cavalry corps was strung out near Smolensk, trying to get away from the French after the Battle of Smolensk. The rearguard then turned around to fight the French on the Stragan river.

Battle

After a heavy bombardment, Ney launched an assault against the Russians, crossing the Stragan but failing to capture the crest. Murat's cavalry attacks were bogged down in marshy ground and accomplished nothing. General Junot's force was close to the battlefield and was urged to attack the Russians by Murat. Junot did not engage, and the opportunity for a decisive victory passed.