Battles & Campaigns · 1812
Battle of Ostrovno
Ostrovno, near Vitebsk, Belarus
What happened
Napoleon was trying to cut off the main Russian army near Vitebsk. Nansouty's cavalry met the Russian vanguard near Ostrovno, and a French charge drove it back. Ostermann-Tolstoy tried to surround both French wings, but called off the attack when French infantry arrived, and withdrew.
Why it matters
Why it matters: It was a French victory and the first big clash of Napoleon's move toward Vitebsk. The Russians left the field.
What came next
The fighting moved on toward Vitebsk, where Napoleon hoped to catch the main Russian army.
Did you know?
Napoleon described the fight as only 'a vanguard action'.
Timeline
- 20 July 1812Davout reaches Mogilev.
- 23 July 1812Battle of Saltanovka.
- 25 July 1812Battle of Ostrovno.