Battle of Czarnowo
On the 14th of October 1806, Napoleon administered a terrible beating to the principal Prussian armies at Jena-Auerstedt. In a single day, French forces captured 25,000 Prussian soldiers and 200 guns. Subsequent operations saw crippling defeats inflicted on adversaries at Erfurt, Halle, Prenzlau, Pasewalk, Stettin, Lübeck, Magdeburg, and Hamelin. By early November, Davout sent General of Division Marc Antoine de Beaumont's 2,500 dragoons to scout east of the Oder River. Napoleon ordered his brother Jérôme Bonaparte to protect his southern flank by operating against Glogau in Prussian-held Silesia. Wishing to deny Warsaw to the approaching Russian army, Napoleon decided to secure a position on the east bank of the Vistula River before winter weather forced a stop to campaigning. In December, the Prussians were able to field only 6,000 men plus garrisons of Danzig and Graudenz.
Field Marshal Mikhail Kamensky led the Russian army in Poland, which numbered about 90,000 men in two wings. Generals Levin August Count von Bennigsen and Friedrich Wilhelm von Buxhoeveden commanded these wings. By now, Kamensky was showing clear signs of mental and physical unfitness to command. Buxhöwden led the 5th Division under Lieutenant General Nikolay Tuchkov, the 7th Division commanded by Lieutenant General Dmitry Dokhturov, the 8th Division of Lieutenant General Peter Kirillovich Essen, and the 14th Division led by Lieutenant General Heinrich Reinhold von Anrep. These divisions were veterans of the Battle of Austerlitz on the 2nd of December 1805 and were under strength. His wing had 29,000 infantry, 7,000 cavalry, 1,200 gunners, and 216 artillery pieces. Bennigsen commanded the 2nd Division of Ostermann-Tolstoy, the 3rd Division led by Lieutenant General Fabian Gottlieb von Osten-Sacken, the 4th Division under Lieutenant General Dmitry Golitsyn, and the 6th Division commanded by Lieutenant General Alexander Karlovich Sedmoratski. The nominal strength of Bennigsen's force included 49,000 infantry, 11,000 regular cavalry, 4,000 Cossacks, 2,700 artillerymen, 900 pioneers, and 276 guns.
On the morning of the 23rd of December, Napoleon personally observed the Russian position near the point where the Wkra emptied into the Bug-Narew. Davout's troops had occupied the island since the night of the 20th of December. At 7:00 PM Morand deployed his troops into three columns, each headed by one battalion. Supported by artillery firing canister, French voltigeur companies boated across the Wkra. The voltigeurs took covering positions on the east bank while engineers quickly built three bridges. Once the bridges were completed, Morand's troops swarmed across. The 17th Light Infantry Regiment and three squadrons of cavalry were among the first units across. General of Brigade Claude Petit led a task force from Gudin's division across the bridge nearest the Bug-Narew and moved up the Wkra's east bank. Ostermann-Tolstoy held the east bank with nine battalions, two squadrons, one regiment of Cossacks, 14 guns, and six light guns. The 17th Light rushed forward and drove the Russians out of Czarnowo. However, their opponents soon rallied and recaptured the village from the French.
Ostermann-Tolstoy admitted losing 500 men, but a work by Alexander Mikhailovsky-Danilevsky stated that 853 Russians were killed and wounded, including three generals wounded. Davout reported losing 807 casualties. The French suffered particularly heavy losses in officers. Historian David G. Chandler estimated losses as 1,400 on both sides. Digby Smith asserted that French casualties were 16 officers and 830 men, while the Russians suffered 41 officers and 1,360 men casualties and five guns captured. Smith's total included 500 prisoners. These conflicting accounts highlight the chaos of battle where official reports often diverge significantly from independent historical analysis. The discrepancy remains a point of study for military historians examining the Battle of Czarnowo.
On the 19th of December Bessières advance guard seized Bieżuń. Anxious to regain control of the town, L'Estocq sent two infantry regiments, a regiment of dragoons, two regiments of hussars, and horse artillery battery to recapture it. This force arrived at Bieżuń on the 23rd to find that Grouchy had been heavily reinforced by Bessières' II Cavalry Corps. Leading his division, Grouchy attacked the Prussians and drove them back toward Soldau. Trapped against a swampy forest, 500 of the Prussian infantry and five guns were captured. As the main action at Czarnowo faded away at dawn on the 24th of December, Augereau attempted to force a passage of the Wkra to the northwest. Kołoząb is about northeast of Plonsk while Sochocin is northwest of Kołoząb. On the 25th of December, Marchand with two regiments attacked the single Prussian battalion at Soldau and drove it out of the town at 2:00 PM. The rest of his division soon arrived. L'Estocq attacked Soldau at about 5:00 PM but was unable to break into the town despite hand-to-hand fighting.
After peaking during the whirlwind campaign west of the Oder, morale of French troops hit a new low point in Poland. Bad weather and approaching winter made Napoleon's troops very reluctant to continue the campaign. Polish roads went from deep mud to frozen ruts as weather grew colder. Emperor forced to dispense bonus in pay and extra shirts and shoes for soldiers. Even so, French military discipline grew worse. At this time, Napoleon first used term les grognards to describe his troops. The emperor determined to mount an offensive led by Murat's cavalry, Davout, Augereau, and Lannes driving north from Warsaw. From Thorn, Ney, Marshal Jean-Baptiste Bernadotte's I Corps, and Bessières pushed east to turn Russian right flank. Marshal Nicolas Soult and IV Corps provided connection between forces. Two major cavalry formations existed including Murat's I Cavalry Corps and Bessières' II Cavalry Corps established on the 16th of December and dissolved on the 12th of January 1807.
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Common questions
What happened during the Battle of Czarnowo on the 23rd of December 1806?
French forces under Marshal Davout crossed the Wkra River to attack Russian positions near the Bug-Narew confluence. The 17th Light Infantry Regiment and cavalry units drove Ostermann-Tolstoy's troops out of Czarnowo before they recaptured the village.
Who commanded the Russian army at the Battle of Czarnowo in 1806?
Field Marshal Mikhail Kamensky led the Russian army in Poland while Generals Levin August Count von Bennigsen and Friedrich Wilhelm von Buxhoeveden commanded its wings. Lieutenant General Nikolay Tuchkov, Lieutenant General Dmitry Dokhturov, Lieutenant General Peter Kirillovich Essen, and Lieutenant General Heinrich Reinhold von Anrep led specific divisions within Buxhoeveden's wing.
How many casualties occurred during the Battle of Czarnowo on the 23rd of December 1806?
Historian David G. Chandler estimated total losses as 1,400 men on both sides while Digby Smith asserted French casualties were 16 officers and 830 men with Russian casualties totaling 41 officers and 1,360 men plus five captured guns. Ostermann-Tolstoy admitted losing 500 men but Alexander Mikhailovsky-Danilevsky stated that 853 Russians were killed and wounded including three generals.
Where did the Battle of Czarnowo take place relative to Warsaw and the Vistula River?
Napoleon decided to secure a position on the east bank of the Vistula River before winter weather forced a stop to campaigning. The battle occurred near the point where the Wkra emptied into the Bug-Narew river system east of Warsaw.
Why did Napoleon order operations against Prussian-held Silesia in late 1806?
Napoleon ordered his brother Jérôme Bonaparte to protect his southern flank by operating against Glogau in Prussian-held Silesia. He wished to deny Warsaw to the approaching Russian army and secure a position on the east bank of the Vistula River before winter weather forced a stop to campaigning.