The Battle of (the) Berezina (or Beresina) took place from 26 to 29 November 1812, between Napoleon's Grande Armée and the Imperial Russian Army under Field Marshal Wittgenstein and Admiral Chichagov.

On 26 November, 1812, the Battle of Berezina began as Napoleon desperately tried to break through the enemy Russian lines and bring the tattered remnant of his forces back to France. In one of the most dramatic and heroic rearguard actions in history, his men managed to build a bridge across the icy river and hold off the Russians as they did so.

Napoleon’s Grande Armée was able to escape complete destruction via two bridges hastily built by General Eblé and his pontonniers over the swollen, ice-filled river. On November 29, 1812, Napoleon’s forces could no longer hold the crossing and burned the bridges, leaving as many as 10,000 men, women and children behind on the eastern bank.

During Napoleon’s campaign against Russia in 1812, rivers contributed to Napoleon’s decision to retreat, the route of his retreat, and ultimately the destruction of his Grand Army and his power in Europe.

When the retreating French Army and its allies reached the banks of the ice-filled Berezina River on the 23rd of November, 1812, they discovered their sole means of escape blocked by the smoldering ruins of the Borisov bridge.

On the night of June 23, 1812, Napoleon ordered three pontoon bridges to be built across the Nieman river. The following morning, the army began to cross and enter Russian territory. "Immediately after the passage he detched Oudinot, strengthened with one cavalry division, to left against Wittgenstein who, at the moment, was posted near Keidany ...

As the French army retreated from Russia, they were faced with the troubling prospect of crossing the Berezina River. Usually frozen by that time of the year, an unseasonable thaw kept the 100 yard wide river flowing strong, forcing the French to find a bridge.

Nov 26, 2011 · What did the bridges look like when they were done? Alexander Mikaberidze‘s book The Battle of the Berezina: Napoleon’s Great Escape, gives us an idea. There were two bridges: one for infantry and another for the artillery. Effort was concentrated on the infantry bridge first which was completed at 1 pm on the 26th.

Nov 30, 2012 · Napoleon fought off the pursuing Russians under Prince Mikhail Kutuzov at Krasny on 17 November 1812. However, he was forced to continue to retreat to the River Berezina, leaving Orsha on 20 November.

Feb 21, 2025 · During the night of November 25–26, 1812, two bridges were constructed upstream at Studyanka while a feint to the south distracted the Russians’ attention. Oudinot’s 7,000 men crossed on November 26, the main body of the army next day.