On this day, Russian troops entered Paris. The Russian army enters Paris

31 On March 1814, Russian and allied troops triumphantly entered Paris.
And the day before, a battle took place that put an end to the era of the Napoleonic Wars. Famous historical period, known as the 100 Days, which ended with the Battle of Waterloo on June 18, 1815. This is another story, which will put an end to Napoleon’s participation in the political life of France and Europe. And on this day, the army of Russia and its allies, having suppressed pockets of resistance, entered Paris... as it happened...

Brief background of events

After a lost campaign in Russia in 1812, Napoleon managed to raise a new army, and hostilities resumed in Europe. The Russian army took in them the most Active participation, and this participation is known in Russian historiography as the Foreign Campaign of the Russian Army. The defeat of the French army in Russia led to the formation of the sixth anti-French coalition. Until the spring of 1813, the war against Napoleonic troops was waged predominantly by the Russian army, but starting in March, European states began to join Russia in the fight against Napoleon: Prussia, England, Austria, Sweden.

After the defeat of Napoleon's army near Leipzig in October 1813, fighting moved to France by 1814.

Individual successes of Napoleon's army in 1813 and 1814, which proved Once again the genius of the commander-emperor of France and the valor of the French troops could no longer turn the tide of events, since the forces were completely on the side of the allied contingent.

On March 29, 1814, the allied forces, most of which were Russian contingents, approached Paris. Marshals Mortier, de Moncey and de Marmont were responsible for the defense of the city under the general leadership of Napoleon's brother Joseph Bonaparte.

The Allied forces were led by Emperor Alexander I and General M.B. Barclay de Tolly (from the Russian Empire), as well as Prussian Field Marshal G.L. von Blücher and Austrian Field Marshal K.F. zu Schwarzenberg.

On March 30, 1814, the battle for Paris began. During the battle, J. Bonaparte left the capital, leaving leadership of the battle and possible capitulation to Marshals de Marmont and Mortier.

The Battle of Paris became one of the bloodiest battles for the Allied armies, as in just one day the Allied army lost over 8,000 people killed, of which more than 6,000 were Russians. By the end of the day, Marshals Mortier and de Marmont realized the obviousness of their defeat and the pointlessness of further resistance.

It is surprising that at the time of the storming of Paris, cafes continued to operate in Montmartre, even during the firefight. The visitors calmly drank wine and discussed the chances of the warring parties. By the way, when the resistance was broken, the truce was celebrated here.

On the night of March 30-31, a capitulation was signed, in which de Marmont managed to defend the possibility of withdrawing French troops from Paris.

On March 31, 1814, at noon, selected units of the allied forces, led by Emperor Alexander I and the commanders of the allied forces, solemnly entered Paris.

Entry of Russian and allied troops into Paris "Entry Russian troops in Paris. March 31, 1814." Painting by an unknown artist from the original by I.F. Yugelya

The capture of Paris, as well as the hesitation of part of the French army corps in terms of readiness to continue resistance, led to the formation of the Provisional Government, Napoleon's abdication of the throne and the restoration of the monarchy.

The Parisians were wary of the Russian army and allies. But they soon realized that there would be no pogroms and became bolder. One Frenchman, probably a supporter of the Bourbons, boldly approached the king and declared: “We have been waiting for you for a long time!” Alexander replied: “Blame the bravery of the French troops for the fact that I did not come to you earlier!”

The Russian emperor knew how to win the hearts of people, and soon crowds of jubilant Parisians shouted “Long live Alexander!” every time he appears. Paris was flooded with our officers, Cossacks and soldiers.

You can see how this was possible in the works of Georg-Emmanuel Opitz (1775-1841). This miniaturist, watercolorist, engraver and lithographer was an eyewitness to the events of 1814.

Razaks were popular with women, especially commoners. That’s when the expression “making love a la Cossack” appeared, which meant unceremoniousness, speed and pressure. The Cossacks called love affairs backgammon.

And the "Bistros" were left here from the Russians. "Quickly! Quickly!" - the Cossacks hurried the waiters and the expression stuck, becoming the name. By the way, the Russian tradition of removing an empty bottle from the table appeared at the same time. The waiters calculated customers based on the number of empty containers on the table. And the Russian warriors quickly realized how they could save money. That’s where it started - if you leave an empty bottle on the table, there will be no money.

Russians were amazed by the presence of frogs in restaurants and the abundance of children begging on the streets. After all, in Russia at that time people begged for alms only on the porch, and there was no youthful begging at all.

General Miloradovich begged the tsar for a salary for three years in advance, but lost everything. However, they made money in Paris easily. It was enough to come to any local banker with a note from the corps commander, which stated that the giver of this was a man of honor and would certainly return the amount.

In addition to cards, wine and girls, Russian officers in Paris had one more entertainment - a visit to the salon of Mademoiselle Lenormand, a famous fortune teller. One day, in the company of colleagues, young Muravyov-Apostol came to the salon. Lenormand readily predicted the future for the officers, while ignoring Muravyov-Apostol. When he began to insist on the prophecy, the fortune teller uttered only one phrase: “You will be hanged!” Muravyov laughed: “You are mistaken! I am a nobleman, and in Russia they don’t hang nobles!”

- “The emperor will make an exception for you!” - Lenormand said sadly. This prediction was a joke among officers for a long time, but everything came true. Together with other Decembrists, after some time, Muravyov-Apostol was hanged.

After the withdrawal of Russian troops cultural values museums and palaces remained intact. No one took anything away or appropriated it.

By the summer, only the occupation corps remained in France, headed by Count Mikhail Vorontsov, who was there until 1818. The government allocated the corps a salary for two years of service, so that the heroes had something to taste all the joys of life. And they tasted... Before being sent home, Vorontsov ordered to collect information about the debts left by the officers.

A considerable sum was accumulated - 1.5 million rubles in banknotes. The count did not turn to the tsar for help, realizing that Russia was in a difficult financial situation. He sold the Krugloye estate, which he inherited from his aunt Ekaterina Dashkova, and, left with almost nothing, paid the debt out of his own pocket.

Alexander clearly showed the whole world the difference between how the French entered Moscow and what they left there, and how the Russians entered Paris and what was left after them... and after this, will anyone talk about the culture and savagery of the Russian people? As we see today, none of this helps. They don’t remember and don’t appreciate it, it’s time to draw the right conclusions)))

The basis of the information is Calend.ru and other Internet, pictures from the Internet, my photos.

This day in history:

And the day before, a battle took place that put an end to the era of the Napoleonic Wars. The famous historical period known as the “100 Days,” which ended with the Battle of Waterloo on June 18, 1815, is another story that will put an end to Napoleon’s participation in the political life of France and Europe. And on this day, the army of Russia and the allies, having suppressed pockets of resistance, entered Paris.

Brief background of events

After a lost campaign in Russia in 1812, Napoleon managed to raise a new army, and hostilities resumed in Europe. The Russian army took an active part in them, and this participation is known in Russian historiography as the Foreign Campaign of the Russian Army. The defeat of the French army in Russia led to the formation of the sixth anti-French coalition. Until the spring of 1813, the war against Napoleonic troops was waged predominantly by the Russian army, but starting in March, European states began to join Russia in the fight against Napoleon: Prussia, England, Austria, Sweden.

After the defeat of Napoleon's army near Leipzig in October 1813, fighting moved to France by 1814.

The individual successes of Napoleon's army in 1813 and 1814, which once again proved the genius of the commander-emperor of France and the valor of the French troops, could no longer turn the tide of events, since the forces were completely on the side of the allied contingent.

On March 30, 1814, the battle for Paris began. During the battle, J. Bonaparte left the capital, leaving leadership of the battle and possible capitulation to Marshals de Marmont and Mortier.

On the night of March 30-31, a capitulation was signed, in which de Marmont managed to defend the possibility of withdrawing French troops from Paris.

On March 31, 1814, at noon, selected units of the allied forces, led by Emperor Alexander I and the commanders of the allied forces, solemnly entered Paris.

Entry of Russian and allied troops into Paris “Entry of Russian troops into Paris. March 31, 1814." Painting by an unknown artist from the original by I.F. Yugelya

You can see how this was possible in the works of Georg-Emmanuel Opitz (1775-1841). This miniaturist, watercolorist, engraver and lithographer was an eyewitness to the events of 1814.

After the withdrawal of troops, cultural property was not removed from museums and palaces. The French issued a draconian bill for the occupiers' stay (for food and drink, troop billets, etc.). And our emperor paid for everything... the worst of the Russian occupiers...)))

Also, on this day in 1889, the Eiffel Tower opened

200 years ago, on March 31, 1814, the allied army led by Russian Emperor Alexander I entered Paris. The French garrison capitulated with the right to leave Paris. The act of surrender was signed by Marshal Auguste Frederic Lou de Marmont. The Battle of Paris became one of the bloodiest for the Allied army in the 1814 campaign. In one day of fighting on March 30, the Allies lost more than 8 thousand soldiers (of which more than 6 thousand were Russian). It was the decisive battle of the French Campaign of 1814.

Napoleon wanted to continue fighting, believing that there was still a chance for success. However, under pressure from his own marshals, taking into account the mood of the population and the balance of forces, he was forced to yield. On April 4, Emperor Napoleon wrote a statement of abdication in favor of his son Napoleon II. His wife Marie-Louise was to become regent. On April 6, when part of the French army went over to the Allies, Napoleon wrote an act of abdication for himself and his heirs. The Senate proclaimed Louis XVIII king. The French Empire collapsed. Napoleon was sent into honorable exile on the island of Elba in the Mediterranean Sea.

Background. Balance of power

On March 24, the Allied command approved the plan for an attack on Paris. On March 25, the allied forces near Fer-Champenoise defeated the corps of Marshals Marmont and Mortier. At the same time, the National Guard divisions under the command of General Pacto were destroyed. On March 29, the allied armies (about 100 thousand soldiers, of which 63 thousand were Russian) came close to the front line of defense. They moved from the northeast in three columns: the right was led by Field Marshal Blücher (Russian-Prussian troops from the Silesian Army); the central one was headed by the Russian general Barclay de Tolly; The left column was commanded by the Crown Prince of Württemberg and advanced along the right bank of the Seine. Overall command in the center and on the left flank of the Allies was entrusted to the commander-in-chief of the Russian-Prussian troops in the Main Army, Barclay de Tolly. The main army was to attack the Romainville plateau, and the Silesian army was to attack Montmartre. Wrede commanded the Austro-Bavarian troops, which covered the main forces from the rear.

Napoleon at this time planned to go behind the allied armies, threatening to cut off their communications. By this he hoped to distract the Allied troops from Paris. In addition, he wanted to reach the northeastern fortresses on the border of France and, by annexing their garrisons, strengthen his army. On March 27, Napoleon learned about the Allied attack on Paris and on March 28, he left Saint-Dizier (about 180 km east of Paris) to save the capital, but was too late.

The French capital was largest city Western Europe with a population of more than 700 thousand people. Most of The city was located on the right bank of the Seine. The city was protected from three directions by the bends of the Seine and its right tributary, the Marne. In the northeast direction, from the Seine to the Marne, there was a chain of hills (of which Montmartre was the most serious). From the northeast ran the Ourcq Canal, which flowed into the Seine in the city itself. The defensive line of the capital ran along partially fortified heights: from Montmartre on the left flank through the villages of Lachapelle, Lavillette and Pantin in the center and to the Romainville hill on the right flank. The distance from the forward fortifications to the center of Paris was about 5-10 km.

On the left wing from the Seine to the Ourcq Canal (including Montmartre and Lavillette) were troops under the command of Marshals Mortier and Moncey (chief of staff of the National Guard). The right flank from the canal to the Marne, including Pantin and Romainville, was defended by Marmont's troops. Formally, Joseph Bonaparte, the emperor's viceroy in Paris, was considered the commander-in-chief. According to various sources, the capital was defended by 28-45 thousand people, including about 6-12 thousand National Guard militia. The French troops had about 150 guns.

The overall mood in Paris was gloomy. Among the ministers there were virtually no decisive and strong people capable of leading the defense of the city in the absence of Napoleon. Talleyrand was on the side of Napoleon's opponents. King Joseph personally was a brave man, but did not have the abilities that could strengthen the defense of Paris in such emergency circumstances. He had long since despaired of protecting the capital. The arrival of the defeated corps of Marmont and Mortier further demoralized the command. The city was poorly fortified and was not prepared for a long siege; only the outposts had palisades. There were no guns to arm tens of thousands of Parisians. Moreover, there was no person who, in the absence of Napoleon, would have taken upon himself the responsibility of arming the common people.

Evgeny Württemberg

Battle

The Allied command wanted to take the city before Napoleon's army arrived, which would have seriously complicated the situation. Therefore, we launched an assault until all forces were concentrated. At 6 a.m. on March 30, the attack on Paris began. Gelfreich's 14th Division from the Württemberg Corps attacked the village of Pantin to get ahead of the French troops, who began to move into position. General Raevsky with the 1st Infantry Corps stormed the heights of Romenville. At the same time, the Russian emperor invited the French to capitulate in order to “prevent the disasters of Paris.” According to Alexander, “willingly or unwillingly, on bayonets or in a ceremonial march, on ruins or in palaces, but today Europe must spend the night in Paris.” However, the Russian envoys were attacked and barely survived.

Panten changed hands several times, but was eventually occupied by Russian troops. As a result, Russian troops were ahead of the French troops moving into position and occupied the villages of Pantin and Romainville. If Blücher's army also managed to launch an offensive before the French took forward positions, the battle could immediately take on a catastrophic scenario for the French.

Marmont, having lined up his troops, launched a counterattack. The troops under the command of the Crown Prince of Württemberg (the future king of Württemberg) did not have time for the start of the battle, which allowed Marmont to concentrate all his forces against the corps of Prince Eugene and Raevsky. Russian troops were attacked by the division of General Compan, supported by the divisions of Ledru and Lagrange (about 5 thousand soldiers in total). The fierce battle lasted about two hours and cost the Russian troops up to 1.5 thousand people. Eugene of Württemberg, who commanded the Russian 2nd Infantry Corps, requested reinforcements from Barclay de Tolly. The Russian commander-in-chief sent two divisions of the 3rd Grenadier Corps. At the same time, he sent the Prussian-Baden Guards Brigade to Panten, and brought the Russian Guard closer to the battlefield, it stood at Noisy-le-Sec.

During the battle between the troops of the Württemberg corps and the French, Mezentsev's 5th division headed for Bagnolet, and Vlastov's brigade reinforced the 2nd corps from the left flank. Palen's light cavalry headed towards the village of Montreul and to the left of it, bypassing the French positions. At the same time, the Russian emperor ordered Langeron to attack Montmartre.

The fight was brutal. The French were able to create local superiority in forces - Marmont threw more than 12 thousand soldiers into battle, he was opposed on the Romainville plateau by only 8.2 thousand soldiers of Prince Eugene of Württemberg and Raevsky (3rd division of Prince Shakhovsky, Vlastov’s brigade, 5th division Mezentsev and Palen's light cavalry). Marmont tried to knock the Russians out of the forest near Romenval and take this village. The French were able to occupy the forest. But then they were attacked from the front and rear. At about 11 o'clock in the morning, the 4th and 34th Jaeger regiments, under the command of Colonel Stepanov and Lieutenant Colonel Rusinov, bypassed the enemy from the left flank and struck the French flank. At the same time, a battalion of the Volyn regiment (about 400 soldiers) struck the French in the rear. Almost all Volyn residents died. The losses of the parties were very significant; one chain after another dropped out. Stepanov and Rusinov died brave deaths ahead of their soldiers. However, the problem was solved. Ledru's French division suffered heavy losses and cleared the Romainville forest.

A stubborn battle raged on the Urk Canal, near the village of Panten. The divisions of Michel and Boyer occupied part of the village of Pantin. General Kretov with several squadrons of cuirassiers launched a counterattack. But the terrain was inconvenient for a cavalry attack, so the French riflemen easily repulsed this attack. Gelfreich's 14th Division, especially the Jaegers, also suffered heavy losses. The brigade commander, Major General Roth, and all the staff officers of the 26th Regiment were wounded.

At noon, reinforcements sent by Barclay de Tolly arrived. The Prussian-Baden Guard of Colonel Alvensleben (3.6 thousand people) moved to Paten; 1st Grenadier Division of Choglokov (4.5 thousand people) to Romenville; Paskevich's 2nd Grenadier Division (4.5 thousand soldiers) to Montreul. Allied troops go on the offensive - they go to Pré-Saint-Gervais, Belleville, and capture Montreul. At one o'clock in the afternoon, Pyshnitsky's division attacked the village of Pre-Saint-Gervais, and several guns were recaptured from the French. The French retreated to Belleville, where they could count on the support of strong artillery batteries. However, soon Prince Eugene received an order from Barclay de Tolly to moderate his ardor until the appearance of the troops of the Crown Prince of Württemberg, which were moving along the right bank of the Seine. For two hours the battle was limited to skirmishing.

Only at Panten, which was occupied by the remnants of Gelfreich’s division, a new fierce battle took place. In the first hour, the Alvensleben brigade arrived and selected Prussian troops, who had not fought during the Campaign of 1814, decided to attack. Prince Eugene tried to dissuade them from this idea. However, the Prussians did not listen. The French had the Secretan brigade and the Curial division stationed here (about 4 thousand people in total). Four French guns were placed on the road and could fire at the exit from Pantin. Two more batteries were located at a height near Saint-Gervais and the Ur Canal. This allowed the French artillerymen to cross-fire along the road.

Lieutenant Colonel Blok with two battalions attacked the French. The advanced French forces were overturned. However, then the Prussian troops ran into powerful rifle and artillery fire. The canister volleys simply mowed down the soldiers. The lieutenant colonel himself was wounded, and the rest of the officers and many soldiers were also wounded or killed. Colonel Alvensleben brought the rest of the brigade into battle. The Prussian-Baden Guards attacked in three columns, but only suffered heavy losses. The location was very favorable for the defenders. The Prussians were forced to go on the defensive.

Advance of Blucher's army. Blucher's army was able to launch an offensive only at 11 o'clock, when Russian troops had already been fighting fiercely for several hours. Lanzheron's Russian corps (about 17 thousand people) was supposed to attack Montmartre, leaving part of the forces for the blockade of Saint-Denis. The Prussian corps of York and Kleist (18 thousand people) were given the task of occupying the villages of Lavillette and LaChapelle (La Villette and La Chapelle). The infantry of the Wintzingerode corps (12 thousand people) under the command of Count Vorontsov was in reserve.

Langeron's corps was located closest to the city, in the Le Bourget area. As soon as Langeron heard the artillery battle in the Pantin area, he, without waiting for orders, led his troops to Paris. At 10 o'clock, the commander of the vanguard, General Emmanuel, started a battle for Oberville, which was defended by Robert's brigade (2 thousand soldiers). At 1 o'clock in the afternoon, Robert's brigade was knocked out and retreated to Lachapelle. Count Langeron sent the 9th and 10th infantry corps under the command of Kaptsevich to Saint-Denis. He, having discovered that the fortified city could not be taken on the move, left three regiments with Saint-Denis under the command of Kornilov. The French garrison began a battle with Kornilov's detachment, which lasted until the evening. The Prussian corps began moving at 11 o'clock from Grand-Drancy (Drancy). They moved slowly, so the Russian troops had to move at a snail's pace and stop several times to wait for their neighbors.

During the battle, the headquarters of King Joseph (Joseph) Bonaparte was located in Montmartre. From this commanding height one could see the entire battlefield. The formal commander of the French defense was able to make sure that the main forces of the allied armies, under the personal command of the monarchs, were standing against Paris. King Joseph convened meetings to decide on the retreat of the troops. During it, Marmont's report arrived about the impossibility of continuing the battle for more than a few hours and saving the capital from the disasters that could accompany the battle in the city itself. At the same time, the Silesian Army completed its deployment. Fearing that the allies would cut off his escape route and he would be captured, the former king of Spain suddenly decided to leave Paris. He also ordered all ministers and chief dignitaries to go to Blois, where the empress and her son had already left. Marshals Marmont and Mortier received full authority to negotiate with the allied command and retreat from Paris. Thus, the army's main headquarters "evaporated."

Defense of the Clichy outpost in Paris in 1814. Painting by O. Vernet

Advance of the Corps of the Crown Prince of Württemberg. At about 3 o'clock in the afternoon the column of the Crown Prince of Württemberg also approached the capital. The crown prince's troops pushed back a small detachment of the enemy from Nogent. The troops then moved in two columns. The right column moved along the road through the forest to Vincennes, and the left - to Saint-Maur. The commander of the right column, General Stockmayer, took the blockade, which was defended by a small detachment of regular troops and the national guard, and sent one battalion to monitor the castle of Vincennes. He sent the rest of his forces to help the left column. The left column under the command of Prince Hohenlohe quite easily captured Saint-Maur, which was defended by 400 recruits with 8 guns. The French were scattered and their guns captured. The remnants of the French detachment with one gun retreated to Charenton.

Then the Crown Prince of Württemberg sent part of his forces to besiege the castle of Vincennes, and the remaining forces were sent to Charenton. The village was defended by up to 500 people with 8 guns. Allied artillery suppressed the French guns, and Prince Hohenlohe with two Württemberg battalions pushed the enemy to the bridge. The Austrian grenadiers attached to the Württemberg corps captured 5 guns and prevented the bridge to the other side of the Marne from being blown up. The French were knocked out of the bridgehead and captured 3 more guns.

The Crown Prince sent a detachment to the right bank of the Marne, he was supposed to follow the other bank to the confluence of the river with the Seine. The Austrian corps of Giulai, which followed the Württemberg corps, arrived at the battlefield only at about 4 o'clock. When the outcome of the battle for Paris was already decided by Russian troops in the center of the enemy position. Therefore, the entire participation of the Austrian army in the capture of Paris was limited to the investment of the Vincennes castle along with the Württemberg troops.

Plan of the battle for Paris in 1814

Continuation of the offensive of Barclay de Tolly's troops. There was an operational pause in the Romainville area until three o'clock. The opponents exchanged fire, regrouping forces upset by the battle. Reinforcements were brought up. At three o'clock, when the Silesian army had already stormed the positions of Mortier's forces, and Württemberg troops had arrived on the left flank, Barclay de Tolly decided to continue the offensive in the center. General Lambert received an order with the Grenadier Corps to support the troops fighting on the Romainville plateau, and General Ermolov with the Life Grenadier and Pavlovsky Regiment moved to Pantin. Behind them came the entire remaining guard under the command of Miloradovich.

Mezentsev's 5th division, under the command of Raevsky and Prince Gorchakov, drove Arrighi's division out of Bagnolet. The French retreated to Sharonne. Marmont, fearing that Arrighi's division would be cut off from the rest of the forces, ordered it to move to the left. Prince Gorchakov occupied Sharonne. Russian troops reached the Fontarabia outpost, which was defended by a battalion of the National Guard with 4 guns. At the same time, part of Palen's cavalry reached Vincennes and in a surprise attack captured 25 guns from the artillery column (28 guns), which came from the Throne Outpost. The weak cover of the guns was killed or captured. However, it was not possible to hold all the guns. Colonel Ordener with the 30th Dragoons and a strong detachment of the National Guard came to the rescue of the guns. Palen could not throw all his forces into battle, and retreated, taking away 9 guns.

Other Russian troops were also advancing. The 4th division of Pyshnitsky, with the support of the grenadier Choglokov and the cuirassier Stahl, advanced on Pre-Saint-Gervais. Compan's division was overturned. As a result of all of Marmont’s troops, only Ricard’s small division remained in columns at the Brier park; the remaining troops were frustrated and scattered in rifle chains. Marmont, trying to stop the advance of the Russian troops, tried to counterattack with one of the brigades of Ricard's division. However, when his troops emerged from the park, they were frustrated by grapeshot fire. The marshal's horse was killed. General Pellepoort was wounded. The cuirassier attack completed the rout. General Clavel and up to the infantry battalion were captured. Marshal Marmont was saved by the courage of Colonel Genezer. He with 200 soldiers came out of the park and launched a surprise attack on the Russian troops. This saved the marshal; he took the remaining troops to Belleville.

At the last French position near Belleville, Marmont had about 5 thousand soldiers left. It should be noted that during this battle the French cavalry on the right flank was practically inactive. The terrain was rugged with an abundance of forests and parks. Apparently, in the Saint-Denis Valley, the French cavalry could be used with great success.

Barclay de Tolly, after capturing the Brier park, prepared the last decisive blow, which was supposed to shoot down the remaining French troops and go directly to the city. Mezentsev's division, despite heavy enemy artillery fire, broke into the village of Menilmontagne. Paskevich's grenadiers attacked from Farzho Park and captured 7 guns. The French cavalry was forced to retreat into the city. Count Palen drove back the French who occupied Petit Charonne. Prince Eugene of Württemberg with Shakhovsky's division and Vlastov's brigade occupied the Mont-Louis cemetery and captured 8 guns that were located there.

The French division of Boyer, defending Pré-Saint-Gervais, began to retreat. She was attacked from the front and rear. The attack of the Polish lancers allowed the French to retreat to Belleville. However, 17 guns went to the 4th Division. Russian troops reached Belleville and began to bypass Marmont's flanks. Ermolov installed a battery and began to destroy Parisian neighborhoods. Marmont, seeing that he was surrounded, gathered the remaining troops and, at the head of the shock column, together with generals Ricard, Boudin and Meinadier, moved to break through. Ricard was wounded, the marshal's clothes were pierced by bullets in several places, but he survived. The French were able to break through the line of skirmishers and retreated to the plateau behind Belleville. The Russians installed batteries on the heights directly near the city and hit the nearest suburbs with grenades. The Prussian-Baden Alvensleben Brigade also advanced successfully. The Prussians captured 10 guns and reached the Panten outpost. It was a difficult day for the brigade, it lost up to half personnel.

Battle of Paris in 1814. Hood. B. Villevalde (1834)

Actions of Blucher's army. On the left flank, the French position was also hopeless. Blucher sent part of the forces of his left flank to assist the Russian troops at Panten. Initially they came under heavy artillery fire and stopped, but then broke the enemy's resistance. The Prussians defeated part of Boye's division, capturing 5 guns.

Mortier occupied Lavillette with Curial's division (1.8 thousand soldiers), and Lachapelle with Charpentier's division (1.5 thousand people). The Prussian hussars overthrew the French dragoons, capturing 14 guns. At 4 o'clock the Russian 13th and 14th Jaeger regiments broke into Lavilette. They were supported by the 1st Bug Cossack Regiment and other units. From the direction of the Urk Canal, soldiers of the Brandenburg Reserve Regiment and the 14th Silesian Landwehr Regiment burst into the village. The French were driven out of Lavillette. General Christiani counterattacked, trying to recapture Lavilette, but he was hit in the rear by riflemen of the Prussian Guard, who crossed the canal. Christiani retreated to the outpost, but recaptured 4 guns.

Horn's division, followed by Kleist's corps, captured Lachapelle. The troops of Charpentier and Robert retreated to the city. The French cavalry also retreated to the city. Langeron's troops advanced on Montmartre, which was defended by motley detachments of different legions of the National Guard, conscript recruits, disabled people, etc. The height was covered by up to 30 guns. The French still held the dominant heights, but the fate of the battle was decided in this direction as well.

The Russian army enters Paris

Negotiation

At 4 o'clock Marmont informed Mortier about the situation on the right flank and asked to be informed about the situation on the left flank. He also said that he intends to begin negotiations. Mortier, whom the king's envoy did not reach, said that it was necessary to obtain permission from King Joseph. However, he had not been there for several hours. Marmont, knowing about the king’s departure and having the authority to open negotiations, sent envoys with a proposal for a truce.

General Langrange reached the allied monarchs. Emperor Alexander I gave the following answer: “He will order to stop the battle if Paris is surrendered: otherwise by the evening they will not know the place where the capital was.” Alexander refused to stop the offensive, but sent his adjutant, Colonel Orlov, to Marmont. The Russian envoy informed the marshal that the Russian emperor wanted to save Paris for France and the whole world. The French troops had to retreat behind the outposts. And the command to form a commission for the surrender of Paris.

At about 5 o'clock the fire stopped along the entire line of the Main Army; the Silesian Army still continued its offensive. On the Allied side, negotiations were conducted by Count Nesselrode, Colonel Orlov, and Schwarzenberg's adjutant Count Parr.

At this time, Langeron's troops - the 8th Corps of Rudzevich, the 10th Corps of Kaptsevich, attacked the heights of Montmartre. As Langeron wrote: “the fearlessness, order and speed of the columns attacking Montmartre are beyond all praise, and in the course of the 19 campaigns he made, he saw nothing like this except the Izmail assault...” The French only managed to fire two shots before the lower battery was captured. The upper battery fired a salvo from all guns, but also failed. The French cavalry tried to counterattack but were repulsed. Within a few minutes, 29 guns, 60 charging wagons and 150 people were captured; the rest of the French died or fled to the city.

After the capture of Montmartre, Langeron received an order from Alexander to stop the fighting. The good news that the surrender of Paris was near spread throughout the troops. Langeron also posted guards at city outposts, positioned troops on the heights and installed 84 guns on them, directing them at city blocks. Rudzevich was awarded the Order of St. George, 2nd class, for the storming of Montmartre, and Langeron was awarded the Order of St. Andrew the First-Called.

At 2 a.m. on March 31, the capitulation of Paris was signed in the village of Lavillette. By morning the French army had to leave the capital. At noon on March 31, 1814, parts of the allied army, mainly the Russian and Prussian guards, led by Emperor Alexander I, triumphantly entered the French capital. IN last time enemy troops were in Paris in the 15th century during the Hundred Years' War.

Auguste Frederic Louis Viesse de Marmont

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The Battle of Paris was one of the bloodiest in the 1814 campaign: the Allied forces lost more than 8 thousand people. Of these, more than 6 thousand people were Russians, more than 2 thousand people were Prussians. The Württemberg corps lost about 180 people. According to other sources, the Allies lost more than 9 thousand people. The exact French losses are unknown. Sources report about 4 thousand people. The Allies captured 114 guns, of which 70 were captured by Russian soldiers. Barclay de Tolly was promoted to field marshal, and Prince Eugene of Württemberg was promoted to infantry general. Blücher received princely dignity, General York received the title of Count of Wartenburg, etc.

The Battle of Paris led to the collapse of Napoleon's empire. On March 25 (April 6) at Fontainebleau, the French emperor, under pressure from his marshals, abdicated the throne. He was exiled to the island of Elba off the Italian coast. The French throne was transferred to the Bourbon dynasty. On May 30, 1814, the Treaty of Paris was signed between the participants of the sixth anti-French coalition (Russia, England, Austria and Prussia), on the one hand, and France, on the other. France returned to its 1792 borders.

Entry of Emperor Alexander I with his allies into Paris. 1814 Chromolithograph. Based on watercolor drawings by the artist A. D. Kivshenko

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On March 9 (31), 1814, Russian troops led by Emperor Alexander I triumphantly entered Paris. The capture of the French capital was the final battle of the Napoleonic campaign of 1814, after which the French Emperor Napoleon I Bonaparte abdicated the throne.

The Napoleonic army, defeated near Leipzig in October 1813, could no longer offer serious resistance. At the beginning of 1814, Allied forces, consisting of Russian, Austrian, Prussian and German corps, invaded France with the aim of overthrowing the French emperor. The Russian Guard, led by Emperor Alexander I, entered France from Switzerland, in the Basel region. The Allies advanced in two separate armies: the Russian-Prussian Silesian Army was led by Prussian Field Marshal G.L. von Blücher, and the Russian-German-Austrian army was placed under the command of the Austrian Field Marshal K. F. zu Schwarzenberg.

In battles on French territory, Napoleon won victories more often than his allies, but none of them became decisive due to the numerical superiority of the enemy. At the end of March 1814, the French emperor decided to march to the northeastern fortresses on the border of France, where he hoped to break the blockade of enemy troops, liberate the French garrisons, and, having strengthened his army, force the allies to retreat, threatening their rear communications. However, the allied monarchs, contrary to Napoleon's expectations, approved the plan for an attack on Paris on March 12 (24), 1814.

On March 17 (29), the allied armies approached the front line of defense of Paris. The city at that time numbered up to 500 thousand inhabitants and was well fortified. The defense of the French capital was led by Marshals E.A.K. Mortier, B.A.J. de Moncey and O.F.L.V. de Marmont. The supreme commander of the city's defense was Napoleon's elder brother, Joseph Bonaparte. The Allied troops consisted of three main columns: the right (Russian-Prussian) army was led by Field Marshal Blücher, the central one by Russian General M.B. Barclay de Tolly, the left column was led by the Crown Prince of Württemberg. The battle for Paris became one of the bloodiest battles for the allied forces, which lost more than 8 thousand soldiers in one day, 6 thousand of whom were soldiers of the Russian army.

The offensive began on March 18 (30) at 6 a.m. At 11 o'clock, Prussian troops with the corps of M.S. Vorontsov approached the fortified village of Lavilette, and the Russian corps of General A.F. Langeron launched an attack on Montmartre. Seeing the gigantic size of the advancing troops from Montmartre, the commander of the French defense, Joseph Bonaparte, left the battlefield, leaving Marmont and Mortier with the authority to surrender Paris.

During March 18 (30), all suburbs of the French capital were occupied by the allies. Seeing that the fall of the city was inevitable and trying to reduce losses, Marshal Marmont sent a truce to the Russian emperor. However, Alexander I presented a harsh ultimatum to surrender the city under the threat of its destruction. On March 19 (31), at 2 a.m., the surrender of Paris was signed. By 7 a.m., according to the terms of the agreement, the French regular army was supposed to leave Paris. At noon, the Russian guard, led by Emperor Alexander I, solemnly entered the capital of France.

"THE SWEEP WILL END EVERYTHING"

Military critics find the campaign of 1814 one of the most remarkable parts of the Napoleonic era from the point of view of the emperor's strategic creativity.

The Battle of Chateau-Thierry on February 12 ended in another great victory for Napoleon. If it had not been for the erroneous movement and delay of Marshal MacDonald, the matter would have ended in the complete extermination of the allied forces fighting at Chateau-Thierry. On February 13, Blucher defeated and drove back Marshal Marmont. But on February 14, Napoleon, who came to the aid of Marmont, defeated Blucher again at the Battle of Vauchamps. Blucher lost about 9 thousand people. Reinforcements approached Napoleon, and the allies suffered a series of defeats, and yet the emperor’s position remained critical; the allies had much more forces available than he did. But these unexpected victories of Napoleon, which followed each other every day, so embarrassed the allies that Schwarzenberg, who was considered the commander-in-chief, sent an adjutant to Napoleon’s camp asking for a truce. Two new battles - at Morman and at Villeneuve, which also ended in victory for the French - prompted the allies to take this unexpected step - a request for a truce. Napoleon refused Schwarzenberg's envoy (Count Parr) a personal meeting, and accepted Schwarzenberg's letter, but postponed his response. “I took from 30 to 40 thousand prisoners; I took 200 guns and a large number of generals,” he wrote to Caulaincourt and stated that he could reconcile with the coalition only on the basis of leaving behind France its “natural borders” (Rhine, Alps, Pyrenees). He did not agree to a truce.

February 18th occurred new battle at Montero, and again the allies lost 3 thousand killed and wounded, and 4 thousand prisoners, and were driven back.

Napoleon, according to even enemy observers and memoirists, surpassed himself in this seemingly completely hopeless campaign of 1814. But there were few soldiers, and the marshals (Victor, Augereau) were extremely tired and made a number of mistakes, so Napoleon could not make full use of your unexpected and brilliant victories at that moment. Napoleon angrily and impatiently reprimanded the marshals and hurried them. “What pathetic excuses you give me, Augereau! I destroyed 80 thousand enemies with the help of recruits who were barely dressed... If your 60 years are a burden to you, give up command!..” “The Emperor did not want to understand that not all of his subordinates were Napoleons,” he later said, remembering about this time, one of his generals.<…>

On March 20, the Battle of Arcy-sur-Aube took place between Napoleon, who at that moment had about 30 thousand people on the battlefield, and the Allies (Schwarzenberg), who had up to 40 thousand at the beginning of the battle and up to 90 thousand at the end. Although Napoleon considered himself the winner and indeed drove back the enemy at several points, in fact the battle should be considered undecided based on its results: Napoleon could not pursue Schwarzenberg with his army after the battle; he crossed back across the Ob River and blew up the bridges. Napoleon lost 3 thousand people in the battle of Arcy-sur-Aube, his allies up to 9 thousand, but Napoleon, of course, this time failed to achieve the defeat of the allied armies. The Allies were afraid people's war, a general militia, like the one in heroic times The French Revolution saved France from the interventionists and from the Bourbon restoration... Alexander, Friedrich Wilhelm, Franz, Schwarzenberg and Metternich would have calmed down if they had overheard what Napoleon and General Sebastiani were talking about in the evening after the battle of Arcy-sur-Aube. “Well, general, what do you say about what’s happening?” - “I will say that Your Majesty undoubtedly has new resources that we do not know.” - “Only those that you see before your eyes, and no others.” - “But then why don’t Your Majesty think about raising nation? - “Chimeras! Chimeras borrowed from memories of Spain and the French Revolution. To raise a nation in a country where the revolution destroyed the nobles and clergy and where I myself destroyed the revolution!<…>

After the Battle of Arcy-sur-Aube, Napoleon tried to go behind the Allies' rear and attack their communications with the Rhine, but the Allies had finally decided to go straight to Paris. From letters accidentally intercepted by Russian Cossacks from Empress Marie-Louise and Minister of Police Savary to Napoleon, Alexander became convinced that the mood in Paris was such that popular resistance could not be expected and that the arrival of the allied army in Paris would immediately decide the whole war and end it with the overthrow of Napoleon.<…>The only people blocking the path were Marshals Marmont and Mortier and Generals Pacteau and Ame; they had a total of about 25 thousand people. Napoleon with his main forces was far behind Allied lines. The Battle of Fer-Champenoise on March 25 ended in an Allied victory over the marshals. They were driven back to Paris, and the 100,000-strong Allied army approached the capital. Already on March 29, Empress Marie-Louise with her little heir, the Roman king, left Paris for Blois.

The French had about 40 thousand people to defend Paris. The mood in Paris was panicky, and the troops were also in decline. Alexander did not want bloodshed near Paris and generally played the magnanimous winner. “Paris, deprived of its defenders and its great leader, is unable to resist; I am deeply convinced of this,” the Tsar told M.F. Orlov, authorizing him to stop the battle whenever there was hope for the peaceful surrender of the capital. The fierce battle lasted several hours; The allies lost 9 thousand people during these hours, of which about 6 thousand Russians, but, oppressed by the fear of defeat, under the influence of Talleyrand, Marshal Marmont capitulated on March 30 at 5 pm. Naroleon learned of the unexpected Allied movement towards Paris in the midst of the fighting he was waging between Saint-Dizier and Bar-sur-Aube. “This is an excellent chess move. Now, I would never have believed that any Allied general was capable of doing this,” Napoleon praised when he learned about what was happening on March 27. The specialist strategist showed in him primarily in this praise. He immediately rushed with the army to Paris. On the night of March 30, he arrived in Fontainebleau and then learned about the battle that had just taken place and the capitulation of Paris.

He was always full of energy and determination. Having learned about what had happened, he was silent for a quarter of an hour and then outlined a new plan to Caulaincourt and the generals who were around him. Caulaincourt will go to Paris and, on behalf of Napoleon, offer peace to Alexander and his allies on the terms they set at Chatillon. Then Caulaincourt, under various pretexts, will spend three days traveling from Paris to Fontainebleau and back, during these three days all the forces that still exist (from Saint-Dizier) with which Napoleon has just operated behind Allied lines will arrive, and then the Allies will be thrown out from Paris. Caulaincourt hinted: maybe not in the form of a military stratagem, but in fact offer peace to the allies on Chatillon terms? "No no! - the emperor objected. - It is enough that there was a moment of hesitation. No, the sword will end everything. Stop humiliating me!”

MEDAL "FOR THE CAPTURE OF PARIS"

On the first day of the new year, 1814, Russian troops crossed the Rhine River near the city of Basel (in Switzerland) and, having entered the lands of France, began to fight their way (through Beliyar, Vesoul, Langres) into the interior of the country, to its heart - Paris. K.N. Batyushkov, who was destined to reach Paris with his troops, wrote to N.I. on March 27, 1814. Gnedich: “...We fought between Nanjins and Provins... from there we went to Arsis, where there was a fierce battle, but not long, after which Napoleon disappeared with the entire army. He went to cut off our road from Switzerland, and we, wishing him a good journey, moved towards Paris with all our might from the city of Vitry. On the way we met several buildings covering the capital and... swallowed it. The spectacle is wonderful! Imagine a cloud of cavalry crashing into the infantry on both sides on an open field, and the infantry in a thick column retreating with quick steps without firing shots, occasionally releasing battalion fire. In the evening the French were persecuted. Guns, banners, generals, everything went to the winners, but even here the French fought like lions.”

On March 19, the Allied troops entered Paris in a solemn march. The French were quite surprised by the humane treatment of the Russians who came from the east. They expected Russian revenge for Moscow, for the blood shed in this war by the destruction of the French capital. But instead we were met with Russian generosity. The life of Paris continued in the same measured rhythm as before the arrival of Russian troops - shops were trading, theatrical performances were taking place; crowds of smartly dressed townspeople filled the streets, they looked at the bearded Russian soldiers and tried to communicate with them.

The Allied forces behaved completely differently. A striking example of this is given by the future Decembrist K.N. Ryleev, reporting on his conversation with a French officer in Paris: “...We are as calm as we can, but your allies will soon drive us out of patience... - I am Russian (says Ryleev) , and you are in vain telling me. - That's why I say that you are Russian. I tell my friend, your officers, your soldiers treat us like this... But the allies are bloodsuckers!

But be that as it may, the war is over. Napoleon was exiled to the island of Elba in the Mediterranean Sea, and the power of the Bourbons, overthrown by the French Revolution, was again restored.

Summer was coming. Russian troops were returning to Russia on a march. And on August 30 of the same 1814, by the manifesto of Emperor Alexander I, an award silver medal was established, on the front side of which there is a chest-length, right-facing image of Alexander I in a laurel wreath and in the radiance of the radiant “all-seeing eye” located above him. On the reverse side, along the entire circumference of the medal, in a laurel wreath, there is a straight five-line inscription: “FOR - THE TAKEN - OF PARIS - MARCH 19 - 1814.”

The medal was intended to reward all participants in the capture of the French capital - from soldier to general. But it was not given to them. With the restoration of the Bourbon dynasty, the Russian emperor considered it inhumane to release this medal, which would remind France of the past collapse of its capital. And only 12 years later it was distributed to participants in the 1814 campaign at the behest of the new Emperor Nicholas I, who “... on the eve of the anniversary of the Russians’ entry into Paris, March 18, 1826, ordered this medal to be consecrated on the tomb of his brother (Alexander 1).”

The issuance of its participants began on March 19, 1826 and lasted until May 1, 1832. In total, more than 160 thousand medals were issued. Naturally, in the portraits of the heroes of the Patriotic War of 1812, which were painted before 1826, this medal is absent among other awards.

There were basically three varieties of it in size: combined arms - with a diameter of 28 and 25 mm and for awarding cavalrymen - 22 mm. There was a transverse eyelet with a ring threaded through it for hanging the award on a ribbon. A similar medal, belonging to the famous 1812 partisan Denis Davydov, is kept in the Leningrad Military History Museum.

There are also many varieties of this medal in reduced sizes - 12, 15, 18 mm. These are tails medals for wearing on civilian clothes. They wore a medal on the chest on the first introduced combined St. Andrew's and St. George's ribbon. It was of normal width, but consisted of two narrow ribbons: St. Andrew's - blue and St. George's - orange with three black stripes.

Kuznetsov A., Chepurnov N. Award medal. in 2 vols. 1992

A RUSSIAN OFFICER'S VIEW OF PARIS IN 1814

The solemn day for all of Europe is March 19, 1814, the day the Allies entered Paris, fraternal troops will divulge the glory of the Russians to later descendants, and the Chroniclers will put in the first row of monuments Russian invincibility, crowned with patriotic unanimity and immovable firmness. The very slanderous, gnashing envy petrified at the sounds of the immortal glory of the Russians, who accomplished the most important era in History with unfading laurels. They proved to the universe the power of the strength of the people's spirit and raised the price of the courage of the ancient Slavs.

The most magnificent entrance of our troops into Paris was illuminated by the purest radiance of the sun - an image of the righteousness of the Russians! He was accompanied by a countless crowd of people.

As soon as Emperor ALEXANDER and the Prussian King Frederick William with their invincible Heroes approached the walls of the city, loud exclamations were heard from all sides: “Long live ALEXANDER and Wilhelm, liberators of Europe!” Millions of voices filled the air, joyful echoes were repeated everywhere; Sun rays represented the Finger of the Divine, blessing the solemn procession of the Kings, who trampled upon the arrogant pride of treachery! Everyone was intoxicated with lively delight: some tried to outshout others, crowded under the horses, as if they considered it a blessing to be trampled by the horses of the victorious army!

A thousand questions: Where is the Russian Emperor? drowned out the whole city! Humility and attractive meekness were the hallmarks of the majesty of our Monarch. Everyone greedily fixed their eyes on the Emperor and devoured the tenderness of his glances; they threw hats and caps into the air; blocked the streets; they grabbed onto His horse, which, apparently, was proud of such a sacred burden and, suppressing stones with arrogant steps, looked around in all directions, without causing the slightest harm to the surrounding crowded space! Bucephalus himself would have given way to his important step - just like Alexander the Great, of course, would have given the advantage to ALEXANDER of Russia!

The houses were filled and the rooftops were dotted with spectators! From the windows, decorated with the richest carpets, the streets were strewn with flowers, they splashed their hands, fluttered scarves and exclaimed with delight: “Long live the Emperor ALEXANDER, resurrector of the Bourbons!” The peace-loving color of Lily, with its purest whiteness, finally eclipsed the bloody banner of the tyrant’s vanity! Many brave French women persistently begged for horses - they took off on them and rushed after the Emperor!

This unlimited frenzy is hardly characteristic of a great people. How long ago was Buonaparte, revered by them as God, greeted with similar exclamations during his brazen escape from Russia? Rash transitions from one emergency to another mean frivolity of character. Everyone was in amazement, seeing the extraordinary freshness and perfect organization in our army, which, according to Napoleon, was all broken, scattered, and only the remnants of it wandered around France! The cleanliness of weapons, ammunition, clothing and order in the ranks amazed everyone to the point of madness.

No one could believe that this most wonderful army from the Russian borders, fighting at every step, passing over the corpses of daring enemies with forced marches, rushed like an eagle's flight across the entire space from Moscow to Paris without any exhaustion! We can say that nature itself was a participant in our victories... God forbid! A king cannot be saved by much strength, and a giant cannot be saved by the abundance of his strength.

With astonished gazes, everyone exclaimed: “This brave army is like Angels sent down from God to free us from the yoke of an autocratic tyrant!”

Cockades in honor of the natural Kings were painted white everywhere! The bloody cypress has turned into a humble Lily! The idol of Napoleon, erected in honor of his greedy love of fame on an obelisk 133 in height and 12 pounds in diameter on Place Vendome - was entangled in ropes in the blink of an eye! - The frenzied people were already trying to overthrow her from the heights; but by the will of our magnanimous Monarch, such frantic impudence was stopped! The white banner has taken the place of the colossal Giant!

Everyone congratulated each other on the resurrection of the descendants of Henry IV and exclaimed with applause: “Long live Louis XVIII!” The old song in honor of Henry (Vive Henri IV) was revived on the lips of milestones! Music was booming everywhere! The imaginary amusements in all the streets became agitated! Everyone's desires turned to a friendly alliance. God Himself overshadowed with pure joy the happy successes of general prosperity!

The exemplary piety of our Orthodox Tsar was not in the least shaken by His brilliant glory. Daydreaming is characteristic of some atheists. He places the radiant crown placed on Him by all nations before the foot of the throne of God; He gives his glory to the Almighty and recognizes the All-Seeing Eye as a companion in all His undertakings, imprinting this God-inspired thought on the chests of the sons of the Fatherland in memory of the unforgettable year 1812. Let those who seek my soul be ashamed and disgraced; Let them turn back and be ashamed of those who think evil!..

At the end of the thanksgiving service with kneeling, the Sovereign Emperor went to the Palace, where the most noble nobles had the happiness of being presented to him.

So, the foreign campaign of the Russian army and the capture of Paris!

Colleagues, a short excursion into history!
We must not forget that we took not only Berlin (a couple of times), but also Paris!

The capitulation of Paris was signed at 2 a.m. on March 31 in the village of Lavillette on the terms drawn up by Colonel Mikhail Orlov, who was left hostage by the French during the truce. The head of the Russian delegation, Karl Nesselrode, followed the instructions of Emperor Alexander, which required the surrender of the capital with its entire garrison, but Marshals Marmont and Mortier, finding such conditions unacceptable, negotiated the right to withdraw the army to the northwest.

By 7 o'clock in the morning, according to the terms of the agreement, the French regular army was supposed to leave Paris. At noon on March 31, 1814, cavalry squadrons led by Emperor Alexander I triumphantly entered the capital of France. “All the streets along which the allies had to pass, and all the streets adjacent to them, were filled with people who occupied even the roofs of the houses,” recalled Mikhail Orlov.

The last time enemy (English) troops entered Paris was in the 15th century during the Hundred Years' War.

Storm!

On March 30, 1814, Allied troops began to storm the French capital. The very next day the city capitulated. Since the troops, although they were allied, consisted mainly of Russian units, Paris was flooded with our officers, Cossacks and peasants.

Checkmate to Napoleon

In early January 1814, Allied forces invaded France, where Napoleon gained superiority. Excellent knowledge of the terrain and his strategic genius allowed him to constantly push back the armies of Blucher and Schwarzenberg to their original positions, despite the numerical superiority of the latter: 150-200 thousand against 40 thousand Napoleonic soldiers.

In the 20th of March, Napoleon went to the northeastern fortresses on the border of France, where he hoped to strengthen his army at the expense of local garrisons and force the allies to retreat. He did not expect further advance of the enemies towards Paris, counting on the slowness and intractability of the allied armies, as well as the fear of his attack from the rear. However, here he miscalculated - on March 24, 1814, the allies urgently approved a plan for an attack on the capital. And all because of rumors about the fatigue of the French from the war and unrest in Paris. To distract Napoleon, a 10,000-strong cavalry corps under the command of General Wintzingerode was sent against him. The detachment was defeated on March 26, but this no longer affected the course of further events. A few days later the assault on Paris began. It was then that Napoleon realized that he had been fooled: “This is an excellent chess move,” he exclaimed, “I would never have believed that any Allied general was capable of doing this.” With a small army, he rushed to save the capital, but it was already too late.

In Paris

Major General Mikhail Fedorovich Orlov, one of those who signed the surrender (while still a colonel), recalled his first trip through the captured city: “We rode on horseback and slowly, in the deepest silence. All that could be heard was the sound of the horses’ hooves, and from time to time several faces with anxious curiosity appeared in the windows, which quickly opened and quickly closed.”

The streets were deserted. It seemed that the entire population of Paris had fled the city. Most of all, citizens feared the revenge of foreigners. There were stories that Russians loved to rape and play barbaric games, for example, in the cold, driving people naked for flogging. Therefore, when a proclamation of the Russian Tsar appeared on the streets of houses, promising residents special patronage and protection, many residents rushed to the north-eastern borders of the city to get at least a glimpse of the Russian Emperor. “There were so many people in the Place Saint-Martin, the Place Louis XV and the avenue that the divisions of the regiments could hardly pass through this crowd.” Particular enthusiasm was expressed by the Parisian young ladies who grabbed the hands of foreign soldiers and even climbed onto their saddles in order to get a better look at the conqueror-liberators entering the city.
The Russian emperor fulfilled his promise to the city, Alexander suppressed any robbery, punished looting, and any attacks on cultural monuments, in particular the Louvre, were especially strictly prohibited.

(The mood is just like during the Second World War, when everyone was afraid of the Red Army and revenge from its soldiers and officers, then the current lampoons about the allegedly raped 2,000,000 German women)

About future Decembrists

Young officers were gladly accepted into the aristocratic circles of Paris. Other pastimes included visits to the fortune-telling salon of the fortune-teller known throughout Europe, Mademoiselle Lenormand. One day, eighteen-year-old Sergei Ivanovich Muravyov-Apostol, famous in battle, came to the salon with his friends. Addressing all the officers, Mademoiselle Lenormand twice ignored Muravyov-Apostol. In the end, he asked himself: “What will you tell me, madam?” Lenormand sighed: “Nothing, Monsieur...” Muravyov insisted: “At least one phrase!”

And then the fortune teller said: “Okay. I’ll say one phrase: you will be hanged!” Muravyov was taken aback, but did not believe it: “You are mistaken! I am a nobleman, and in Russia they don’t hang nobles!” - “The emperor will make an exception for you!” – Lenormand said sadly.

This “adventure” was heatedly discussed among officers until Pavel Ivanovich Pestel went to see a fortune teller. When he returned, he said, laughing: “The girl has lost her mind, afraid of the Russians, who occupied her native Paris. Imagine, she predicted a rope with a crossbar for me!” But Lenormand’s fortune-telling came true in full. Both Muravyov-Apostol and Pestel did not die a natural death. Together with other Decembrists, they were hanged to the beat of a drum.

Cossacks

Perhaps the brightest pages of those years in the history of Paris were written by the Cossacks. During their stay in the French capital, Russian cavalrymen turned the banks of the Seine into a beach area: they swam themselves and bathed their horses. “Water procedures” were taken as in their native Don - in underwear or completely naked. And this, of course, attracted considerable attention from the locals.

The popularity of the Cossacks and the great interest of Parisians in them is evidenced by the large number of novels written by French writers. Among those that have survived to this day is the novel by the famous writer Georges Sand, which is called “Cossacks in Paris.”

The Cossacks themselves were captivated by the city, although mostly by beautiful girls, gambling houses and delicious wine. The Cossacks turned out to be not very gallant gentlemen: they squeezed the hands of Parisian women like bears, ate ice cream at Tortoni's on the Boulevard of Italians and stepped on the feet of visitors to the Palais Royal and the Louvre.

The Russians were seen by the French as gentle, but also not very delicate giants in their treatment. Although the brave warriors still enjoyed popularity among ladies of simple origin. So the Parisians taught them the basics of gallant treatment of girls: do not squeeze the handle too much, take it under the elbow, open the door.

Impressions from Parisians!

The French, in turn, were frightened by the Asian cavalry regiments in the Russian army. For some reason they were horrified at the sight of the camels that the Kalmyks brought with them. French young ladies fainted when Tatar or Kalmyk warriors approached them in their caftans, hats, with bows over their shoulders, and with a bunch of arrows on their sides.

But the Parisians really liked the Cossacks. If Russian soldiers and officers could not be distinguished from Prussians and Austrians (only by uniform), then the Cossacks were bearded, wearing trousers with stripes, exactly the same as in the pictures in French newspapers. Only real Cossacks were kind. Delighted flocks of children ran after the Russian soldiers. And Parisian men soon began to wear beards “like the Cossacks”, and knives on wide belts, like the Cossacks.

About "bistro", or more precisely about "fast"

The Parisians were amazed by their communication with the Russians. French newspapers wrote about them as scary “bears” from a wild country where it is always cold. And the Parisians were surprised to see tall and strong Russian soldiers, who in appearance did not differ at all from the Europeans. And the Russian officers, moreover, almost all spoke French. There is a legend that soldiers and Cossacks entered Parisian cafes and hurried food peddlers - quickly, quickly! This is where a network of eateries in Paris called “Bistros” later appeared.

What did you bring home from Paris?

Russian soldiers returned from Paris with a whole baggage of borrowed traditions and habits. It has become fashionable in Russia to drink coffee, which was once brought by the reformer Tsar Peter I along with other colonial goods. For a long time aromatic drink remained unrecognized among the boyars and nobles, but having seen enough of the sophisticated French who began their day with a cup of invigorating drink, Russian officers considered the tradition extremely elegant and fashionable. From that moment on, drinking the drink in Russia began to be considered one of the signs of good manners.

The tradition of removing an empty bottle from the table also came from Paris in 1814. Only this was done not because of superstition, but because of banal economy. In those days, Parisian waiters did not take into account the number of bottles given to the client. It is much easier to issue a bill - to count the empty containers left on the table after the meal. One of the Cossacks realized that they could save money by hiding some of the bottles. That’s where it came from: “If you leave an empty bottle on the table, there will be no money.”

Some lucky soldiers managed to get French wives in Paris, who in Russia were first called “French”, and then the nickname turned into the surname “French”.

The Russian emperor also did not waste time in the pearl of Europe. In 1814 he was presented with a French album with drawings various projects in the new Empire style. The emperor liked the solemn classicism, and he invited some French architects to his homeland, including Montferrand, the future author of St. Isaac's Cathedral.

Results and consequences of the capture of Paris

Campaigner and historian Mikhailovsky-Danilevsky, in his work on the foreign campaign of 1814, reported the following losses of the allied troops near Paris: 7,100 Russians, 1,840 Prussians and 153 Württembergers, a total of over 9 thousand soldiers.

On the 57th wall of the military glory gallery of the Cathedral of Christ the Savior, more than 6 thousand Russian soldiers who were out of action during the capture of Paris are indicated, which corresponds to the data of the historian M. I. Bogdanovich (more than 8 thousand allies, of which 6100 were Russian).

French losses are estimated by historians at more than 4 thousand soldiers. The allies captured 86 guns on the battlefield and another 72 guns went to them after the capitulation of the city; M. I. Bogdanovich reports 114 captured guns.

The decisive victory was generously celebrated by Emperor Alexander I. The commander-in-chief of the Russian troops, General Barclay de Tolly, received the rank of field marshal. 6 generals were awarded the Order of St. George, 2nd degree. An exceptionally high score, considering what a victory in biggest battle During the Napoleonic wars near Leipzig, 4 generals received the Order of St. George, 2nd degree, and for battle of Borodino only one general was awarded. In just 150 years of the order’s existence, the 2nd degree was awarded only 125 times. Infantry General Langeron, who distinguished himself during the capture of Montmartre, was awarded the highest Order of St. Andrew the First-Called.

Napoleon learned of the capitulation of Paris at Fontainebleau, where he awaited the approach of his lagging army. He immediately decided to gather all available troops to continue the fight, but under pressure from the marshals, who took into account the mood of the population and soberly assessed the balance of forces, Napoleon abdicated the throne on April 4, 1814.

On April 10, after Napoleon's abdication, the last battle of this war took place in the south of France. Anglo-Spanish troops under the command of the Duke of Wellington attempted to capture Toulouse, which was defended by Marshal Soult. Toulouse capitulated only after news from Paris reached the city's garrison.

In May, a peace was signed, returning France to the borders of 1792 and restoring the monarchy there. The era of the Napoleonic Wars ended, only breaking out in 1815 with Napoleon's famous short-lived return to power (the Hundred Days).

On board the Bellerophon (en route to Saint Helena)

Napoleon's last refuge!

On this day, Russian troops entered Paris. The Russian army enters Paris

"THE SWEEP WILL END EVERYTHING"

MEDAL "FOR THE CAPTURE OF PARIS"

A RUSSIAN OFFICER'S VIEW OF PARIS IN 1814

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