Feats of the Patriotic War of 1812. History and us

War is an extremely terrible thing, even the word itself evokes the most terrible associations.

Patriotic War of 1812

The War of 1812 took place between Russia and France due to violations of the Tilsit Peace Treaty signed by both parties. And although it lasted only a short time, almost every battle was extremely bloody and ruinous for both sides. The initial balance of forces was as follows: six hundred thousand soldiers from France and two hundred and forty thousand from Russia. The outcome of the war was obvious from the very beginning. But those who believed that the Russian Empire would lose were deeply mistaken. On December 25, 1812, Emperor Alexander the First signed an appeal to his subjects, which announced the victorious end of the war.

Heroes of the past

The heroes of the War of 1812 look at us from the pages of history textbooks. No matter who you look at, there are all majestic portraits, but what’s behind them? Behind the pompous poses and magnificent uniforms? To boldly go into battle against the enemies of the Fatherland is a real feat. In the war against Napoleonic troops in 1812, many worthy and wonderful young heroes fought and died. Their names are honored to this day. Portraits of the heroes of the War of 1812 are the faces of those who spared nothing for the common good. Taking responsibility for commanding troops, as well as for successes or, conversely, defeats on the battlefield and ultimately winning the war is the highest feat. This article talks about the most famous participants of the year, their deeds and achievements.

So, who are they - the heroes of the War of 1812? Photos of portraits of famous personalities presented below will help fill in the gaps in knowledge of our native history.

M. I. Kutuzov (1745-1813)

When the heroes of the War of 1812 are mentioned, the first one that comes to mind, of course, is Kutuzov. The most famous student of Suvorov, a talented commander, strategist and tactician. Golenishchev-Kutuzov (real name) was born into a family of nobles whose roots went back to the Novgorod princes. Mikhail’s father was a military engineer, and he largely influenced his son’s future choice of profession. From a young age, Mikhail Illarionovich was in good health, inquisitive in mind and courteous in his manners. But the main thing is still his undeniable talent in military affairs, which his teachers noted in him. He received an education, of course, with a military bias. He graduated from the artillery and engineering school with honors. For a long time he even taught at his alma mater.

However, about his contribution to the victory: Count, Kutuzov was already at an advanced age at the time of the war. He was elected commander first of the St. Petersburg and then of the Moscow militia. It was he who came up with the idea of ​​giving up Moscow, thereby performing a gambit, like in chess. Many generals who participated in this war were practically raised by Kutuzov, and his word in Fili was decisive. The war was won largely thanks to his cunning and skill in military tactics. For this act, he was granted the rank of Field Marshal on behalf of the Tsar, and also became the Prince of Smolensk. He didn’t live long after the victory, only a year. But the fact that Russia did not submit in this war is entirely the merit of M.I. Kutuzov. It is most appropriate to start listing the list of “People's Heroes of the War of 1812” with this person.

D. P. Neverovsky (1771 - 1813)

A nobleman, but not from the most famous family, Neverovsky began to serve as a private in the Semenovsky regiment. By the beginning of the war of 1812, he was already Pavlovsky’s chief. He was sent to defend Smolensk, where he met the enemy. Murat himself, who led the French near Smolensk, wrote in his memoirs that he had never seen such dedication. These lines were dedicated specifically to D.P. Neverovsky. Having waited for help, Dmitry Petrovich made the transition to Smolensk, which made him famous. Then he took part in the Battle of Borodino, but was shell-shocked.

In 1812 he received the rank of lieutenant general. Even after being wounded, he did not stop fighting; his division suffered the heaviest losses in the war. Only this is not from unreasonable command, but rather from dedication and dedication in the most difficult positions. Like a true hero, Neverovsky died from his wounds in Halle. Later he was reburied like many heroes of the Patriotic War of 1812.

M.B. Barclay de Tolly (1761 - 1818)

During World War II, this name was long associated with cowardice, treason and retreat. And very undeservedly.

This hero of the Patriotic War of 1812 came from an ancient Scottish family, but at an early age his parents sent the boy to study in Russia, where his uncle lived and served. It was he who in many ways helped the young man get Mikhail Bogdanovich independently rose to the rank of officer at the age of sixteen. By the beginning of the war with Napoleon, he was appointed commander of the first Western Army.

This commander was an interesting person. Completely unpretentious, he could sleep in the open air and dine with ordinary soldiers, and was very easy to handle. But due to his character and, perhaps, origin, he behaved coldly towards everyone. In addition, he was very careful in military affairs, which explains his numerous retreating maneuvers. But this was necessary: ​​he did not want to waste human lives thoughtlessly and, as he himself noted, he did not have the right to do so.

He held the position of Minister of War, and all the “bumps” from military failures fell on him. Bagration will write in his memoirs that during the Battle of Borodino, Mikhail Bogdanovich seemed to be trying to die.

Nevertheless, the idea to retreat from Moscow will come from him, and Kutuzov will support it. And, be that as it may, Barclay de Tolly will be right. He personally participated in many battles, showing by his example to soldiers how to fight for their country. Mikhail Bogdanovich Barclay de Tolly was a real son of Russia. It is not without reason that the gallery of heroes of the War of 1812 was replenished with this name.

I. F. Paskevich (1782-1856)

The son of very wealthy landowners living near Poltava. Everyone predicted a different career for him, but from childhood he saw himself only as a military leader, and that’s how it all happened. Having proven himself in the best way in the wars with Persia and Turkey, he was ready for the war with France. Kutuzov himself once introduced him to the Tsar as his most talented young general.

He participated in Bagration’s army, wherever he fought, he did it conscientiously, sparing neither himself nor the enemy. He distinguished himself near Smolensk and in the Battle of Borodino. He was subsequently awarded the Order of St. Vladimir, second degree. It was Saint Vladimir who were mostly awarded to the heroes of the Patriotic War of 1812.

P. I. Bagration (1765-1812)

This hero of the Patriotic War of 1812 came from an ancient royal Georgian family; in his youth he served in a musketeer regiment. And he even took part in the battles of the Russian-Turkish war. He studied the art of war from Suvorov himself, and was extremely loved by the commander for his valor and diligence.

During the war with the French, he led the Second Western Army. He also attended a retreat near Smolensk. At the same time, he was extremely against retreating without a fight. He also took part in Borodino. Moreover, this battle became fatal for Pyotr Ivanovich. He was seriously wounded, and before that he fought heroically and twice with the soldiers drove the enemy back from their positions. The wound was extremely serious; he was transported to a friend’s estate, where he quickly died. Twenty-seven years later, his ashes will be returned to the Borodino field to be buried with honors in that land for which he spared nothing.

A. P. Ermolov (1777-1861)

This general was known to literally everyone at that time; all of Russia followed his successes, and they were proud of him. Very brave, strong-willed, talented. He participated in not one, but three wars with Napoleonic troops. Kutuzov himself valued this man very much.

He was the organizer of the defense near Smolensk, personally reported to the tsar about all the details of the battles, he was very sad about the retreat, but understood its necessity. He even tried to reconcile two opposing generals: Barclay de Tolly and Bagration. But in vain: they will quarrel to death.

Most clearly during this war he showed himself in the battle of Maloyaroslavtsev. He left Napoleon no choice but to retreat along the already devastated Smolensk route.

And although relations with the command, due to his ardent character, went wrong at the end of the war, no one dared to diminish the importance of his actions and courage in battles. General Ermolov took his rightful place in the list listing the generals - heroes of the War of 1812.

D. S. Dokhturov (1756-1816)

Another hero of the War of 1812. The future general was born into a family where military traditions were highly revered. All of his male relatives were military men, so he did not have to choose his life’s work. And in fact, in this field only luck accompanied him. The Great Empress Catherine the First herself presented him with a sword for his achievements during the Russian-Swedish war with a pompous inscription: “For bravery.”

He fought at Austerlitz, where, again, he showed only courage and courage: he broke through the encirclement with his army. Personal courage did not save him from wounds during the War of 1805, but his wounds did not stop this man and did not prevent him from joining the ranks of the Russian army during the War of 1812.

Near Smolensk, he fell very seriously ill with a cold, but this did not distract him from his direct duties. Dmitry Sergeevich treated each of his soldiers with great care and sympathy, and knew how to restore order in the ranks of his subordinates. This is exactly what he demonstrated near Smolensk.

The surrender of Moscow was extremely difficult for him, because the general was a patriot. And he did not want to give even a handful of land to the enemy. But he endured this loss steadfastly, continuing to try for the sake of his Motherland. He showed himself to be a real hero near Maloyaroslavets, fighting alongside the troops of General Ermolov. After one of the battles, Kutuzov greeted Dokhturov with the words: “Let me hug you, hero!”

N. N. Raevsky (1771 - 1813)

A nobleman, a hereditary military man, talented from the cavalry. This man’s career began and developed so rapidly that in the middle of his life he was ready to retire, but was unable to. The threat from France was too great for talented generals to sit at home.

It was the troops of Nikolai Nikolayevich who had the honor of holding the enemy army until other units united. He fought at Saltanovka, his units were driven back, but time was still gained. He fought near Smolensk and Borodino. In the last battle, it was his flank that received the main blow, which he and his soldiers steadfastly held back.

Later he would operate very successfully under Tarutin and Maloyaroslavets. For which he will receive the Order of St. George, third degree. Unfortunately, he will soon fall very seriously ill, so much so that he will finally have to give up military work.

P. A. Tuchkov (1769 - 1858)

Not much is known about him. He came from a military dynasty and served under his father for a long time. Since 1800 he served with the rank of major general.

He fought zealously near the small village of Valutina Gora, then personally took command near the Strogan River. He boldly went into battle against the army of the French Marshal Ney, but was wounded and captured. He was introduced to Napoleon as a Russian general, and the emperor, admiring the courage of this man, ordered the sword to be returned to him. Unfortunately, he met the end of the war, victorious for Russia, in captivity, but received freedom in 1814 and continued to work for the good of the Fatherland.

A. A. Skalon (1767 - 1812)

A hero of the War of 1812, he was from an old French family, but his ancestors had long since moved to Russia, and he did not know any other Fatherland. For a long time he served in the Preobrazhensky and then in the Semenovsky regiment.

Scalon began military operations against France only in 1812, when there was an extreme shortage of generals, and until now the emperor, knowing about his roots, removed Anton Antonovich from interfering in the war with France. Participated in and this day was the last for the major general. He was killed, Scalon's body fell to the enemy, but was buried with honors at the behest of Napoleon himself.

Real heroes

Of course, these are not all heroes of the War of 1812. The list of glorious and worthy people could be continued indefinitely. And much more can be said about their exploits. The main thing is that they all spared neither their strength, nor their health, and many even their lives for the sake of the main task - to win the war. It is so amazing to understand that once upon a time the real heroes were not on the pages of books, but actually performed feats just so that the Fatherland would prosper. And it is not surprising that monuments to the heroes of the War of 1812 have been erected throughout the country. Such people must be honored and remembered; they must live for centuries. Honor and glory to them!

Secondary school Fortitude, courage, heroism of a Russian warrior in the War of 1812 The work was carried out by the head history teacher of a school in Krasnoyarsk, 1996 Plan 1. Introduction 2. Russia and France before the war 3. From Neman to Borodino 4. Great day of Borodino 5. Partisan actions after Borodino 6. Conclusion The causes of the events of the War of 1812 were the clash of Napoleon's claims to world domination with the desire of Alexander I to lead European politics.

By 1812, Napoleon had only Russia to capture for complete domination in Europe; only Russia stood on the road to becoming, as the Emperor himself put it, the Lord of the World. Napoleon learned that Russia had violated the treaty on the continental blockade. Russia traded with England under the American flag. Conflict in the Polish and German principalities. Napoleon rashly annexed the Duchy of Oldenburg to France, and the duke was the uncle of Alexander I, personal grievances and insults.

Napoleon inadvertently reminded Alexander I of his personal participation in the conspiracy against his father. The Russian emperor in response did not accept Napoleon's matchmaking with Grand Duchess Anna Pavlovna. He brought his troops to Warsaw and from there moved towards Russia. Thus began the War of 1812. At this time, Russia was already fighting two wars with Turkey and Iran. Thus, Russia could not oppose Napoleon with a large army. France was only occupied with a naval war with England; for France, Russia was the main and only goal on land, and it could concentrate all its forces on the war with Russia.

In addition, there were very bad roads in Russia, which complicated the communication of the army and the delivery of everything necessary for the front, fortunately, this was also a problem for Napoleon when he entered Russia. In an economic sense, France was more than a prosperous country. Capitalist relations were developed in France, so France had more than enough money for the war. Russia was almost the complete opposite of France - there were almost no capitalist relations, feudal relations dominated, serfdom was preserved, money came to the treasury from taxes and duties, everything What Russia had, it achieved through the oppression of the masses and the efforts of rich patriots. Russia had huge reserves of resources, and they were developed, but mainly in the Urals and in the center of Russia.

The Peace of Tilsit, concluded between Russia and France, after the defeat of Russian troops at Austerlitz in 1807, joining the continental blockade led to the fact that in 1808 - 1812 Russia's foreign trade decreased by 43. France could not compensate for this damage, since economic ties with Russia were superficial.

At first glance, Russia had little chance of winning the war with France. Since 1810, Alexander I began to pull up troops to the western borders of the empire, counting on a strike in Poland, and not on Russian territory. In general, there can be no talk of a surprise attack by Napoleon on Russia, since the military command of the Russian troops prepared more than 40 plans for a campaign against France .

Napoleon already began preparations for the East in 1809. However, he did not take into account that Russia had already saved Europe once, standing as a wall in the 13th and 14th centuries on the path of countless waves of nomads from Central Asia. Between the commanders-in-chief of the armies Kutuzov and Napoleon there was a lot in common; they both loved their homeland, they were loved in the army. Napoleon, because he was hitherto invincible, Kutuzov, because he was the successor of Suvorov, they were talented commanders who knew their job well. Before this, Napoleon had won their head-to-head bets, so he had an advantage over Kutuzov, and besides, he was younger and more energetic than Kutuzov.

Kutuzov and Napoleon achieved success through their own work, both of them started as junior officers. During this time, they gained not only military, but also civilian experience. Both of them were subtle diplomats. How ready were the armies for war? The French army was much better equipped than the Russian army.

The Russian army has always been famous for its lack of good officers and courageous ordinary soldiers. The lack of good officers was explained by the fact that although Peter's law existed, the nobility circumvented it. The soldiers were taken from the common people from serfs. The Russian army was famous for its artillery, besides artillery there was another pride - the Russian Imperial Guard, it consisted of hefty men two meters tall and was used only as a last resort.

In the French army, officer ranks were not given away so easily - they had to be earned. There were courageous, disciplined soldiers in the army. They showed these qualities in every battle. In addition, they had a special reserve, the Old Guard, which consisted of old, seasoned soldiers. The advantage of the French army was also characterized by the fact that it was larger and united. The Russian army was scattered throughout the country and was divided into four parts.

True, in addition to the army, there were also partisan detachments that played a big role in the war. As mentioned above, Napoleon entered Russia on June 10, 22, 1812. In the shortest possible time, the pontoon boats of the French engineer General Eblenaveli built three bridges. Russian Life Cossacks under the command of Staff Captain Rubashkin were unable to detain them. Napoleon decided to deliver the main blow to Moscow and thereby hit Russia in the heart. Napoleon’s tactics did not change, he wanted to give a general battle and, having won it, he had no doubt about this, destroy the Russian army.

What was the Grand Army? It consisted of more than 600 thousand people with 1372 guns. It included the elite of the French troops - the imperial guard under the command of Marshals Lefebvre, Mortier, Bessières, Dutch infantrymen, Polish lancers. In addition to the French, there were Poles, Prussians, and Germans of the Rhineland Union, Spaniards and others. Napoleon's main forces were deployed in two echelons, the first crossed the Neman, the second remained in the rear, between the Vistula and the Order.

This immediately marked the lag between the troops of the center and the right wing. In an effort to encircle the Russian army, Napoleon demanded a rapid advance to disorganize the Russian command. And what was the Russian army on the western border of the Russian Empire? The total number of border armies was 220 - 240 thousand people with 942 guns. The 1st Western Army, under the command of the Minister of War, General of Infantry M.B. Barclay de Tolly, numbered 110-127 thousand people with 558 guns and was located on a line from Russia to Lida, that is, it stretched for 200 kilometers. 2nd Western Army under the command of Infantry General P.I. Bagration, consisting of 45 - 48 thousand people with 216 guns. The 3rd Western Army, stationed in Volyn near Lutsk under the command of cavalry general A.P. Tormakov - 46 thousand people with 168 guns.

The goal pursued by Napoleon was not to allow the armies to unite, but to defeat them individually or to force a decisive battle on the Russian army.

However, Napoleon's strategic plan was cracked from the very beginning. The Russians were not going to go to a general battle, reasonably believing that the time was ahead for him. At Smolensk the 1st and 2nd Western armies united. On August 18, a battle took place where the courage and heroism of the Russian soldiers was clearly demonstrated. First, they detained the enemy at the walls of the city, and then, undefeated, they crossed to the Moscow road, preparing for new inevitable battles. The capture of Smolensk cost Napoleon 20 thousand soldiers, and then over time more and more militias joined the Russian army.

The stormy events of 1812 stirred up the broad masses of Russia, aroused unprecedented energy of the people, awakened the people's consciousness and people's pride. The national liberation nature of the war of 1812 showed that the people did everything to support the army, its combat effectiveness, its morale. From the very beginning of hostilities, the majority of peasants in Lithuania and Belarus advocated disobedience to the invaders.

Peasant partisan detachments arose spontaneously, during the retreat of the Russian army. The Belarusian land, covered with forests and swamps, burned under the feet of the invaders. As we moved deeper into Russia, the people's resistance grew. The just and defensive nature of the war caused the active participation of the broad masses of Russia. Seeing the active resistance of the peasants, Napoleon began to spread provocative rumors about the upcoming liberation of the peasants from serfdom.

But in reality, his war against Russia was exclusively aggressive in nature, and his army suppressed anti-serfdom protests. Lithuanian and Polish landowners supported Napoleon, but the peasants of Lithuania and Belarus began partisan actions against enemy troops. At the beginning, the peasants acted passively, refused to supply fodder and food to the French army, left their villages and went into the forests. But soon the peasantry switched to more active forms of partisan warfare, attacks on individual enemy units, and active assistance to the Russian army. The uprisings against the Polish and Lithuanian khans were now directed against the Napoleonic army.

In Mogilev, Vitebsk and other cities of Lithuania and Belarus, the French command was forced to leave entire military units to fight the peasants. The broad masses of the Russian peasantry rose to partisan warfare as soon as Napoleonic troops entered the Smolensk province.

The partisan movement arose in Poresensky, Krasinsky and Smolensky districts, since the population of these districts primarily suffered from the invaders. But as the enemy army advanced deeper into Russia, the entire population of the Smolensk province rose up to fight. In August 1812, a number of peasant partisan detachments were created in the Smolensk province. Sychevsky zemstvo police officer Boguslavsky, the leader of the Sychevsky nobility Nakhimov, Major Emelyanov, retired captain Timashev and others took part in their organization.

In just half a month, these detachments had about 15 major skirmishes with the French. The partisans of the Smolensk province dealt a significant blow to the enemy, and also greatly helped the Russian army. In particular, the detachment of the merchant of the city of Porechye Nikita Minchenkov helped the army detachment to liquidate the French detachment under the command of General Pino. Just as in the Smolensk province, Napoleon was greeted in other areas. The popular partisan movement took on an increasingly widespread character.

Peasants rose up everywhere to fight the enemy. After Smolensk, the State Council considered candidates for the post of commander-in-chief. Many names were called. The world decided to appoint the 67-year-old infantry general M.I. Kutuzov. Documents show what a huge amount of work M.I. Kutuzov did after his appointment. He paid attention to literally the entire plan of military operations and reserves, supplying the army and the condition of roads, organizing the militia and partisan detachments, medical care and treatment of prisoners, and so on.

Only such an understanding of all problems could be the key to future success. While Kutuzov was traveling to the army, it was fighting back to the east. Napoleonic troops captured a significant part of the Russian Empire. Having become familiar with the affairs in the army, it was no longer possible to postpone the general battle, and Kutuzov made the final decision to give it. The people and the army cannot wait any longer.

He gives the corresponding order to the acting chief of the main staff, L. L. Bennschsen, to find a suitable position. The command stopped at the Borodino field, which the army began to approach on the morning of August 22. Kutuzov, having carefully examined the area, ordered the construction of fortifications to begin. The peculiarity of Borodino. Why it was here that the commander-in-chief of the Russian army decided to give a general battle. The area in the Borodino region, located 12 kilometers west of Mozhaisk, is very hilly and crossed by a significant number of rivers and streams that have formed deep ravines.

The eastern part of the field is more elevated than the western. The Koloch River flows through the village, which flows into the Moscow River 4 kilometers from the village. The river had a high and steep bank, which well covered the right flank of the Russian army's positions. The left flank came close to a small forest, heavily overgrown with small bushes and swampy in places. Most of the tributaries of the Kolocha were densely overgrown with bushes; two Smolensk roads, Novaya and Staraya, passed through the village.

Having taken a position at Borodino, the Russian army had many advantages. Choosing a place is one of Kutuzov’s general arts. Difficulty in moving enemy cavalry and infantry, blocking roads leading to Moscow. Napoleon's goal was to defeat the Russian army and achieve Russia's surrender. Kutuzov wanted to weaken the enemy and inflict damage on manpower and equipment. The balance of forces was still on Napoleon's side, but Kutuzov had superiority in artillery.

Kutuzov tried to take advantage of this superiority and positioned the army in such a way that Napoleon could not bypass it and attack and rear. Kutuzov placed the battery on a height right in the center of the army, infantry regiments were placed next to the battery to repel French attacks on the battery. On the first wing of the Russian armies, Kutuzov placed the 1st Army of Barclay - de Tolly, on the left wing there were earthen fortifications in the form of flushes corner, they were occupied by Bagration's 2nd Army.

Also, the Shevardinsky redoubt was placed several kilometers ahead on the left flank, and even further to the left was Tuchkov’s corps. On August 24, the French attacked the Shevardinsky redoubt. This allowed us to gain time and strengthen our main positions. The Battle of Borodino began a day after this, on August 26, 1812. Early in the morning, the first shot was heard, then another and another - this is how the battle of the giants began. Napoleon, using proven tactics, moved the main forces to the left flank.

He hoped to quickly defeat them and take advantage of the confusion to attack from the flank and rear. Napoleon pulled almost all the artillery to the left flank. French attacks followed continuously, to which the Russians responded with counterattacks. The Russians fought to the death, the fight lasted 7 hours. Only in the middle of the day, after 8 attacks, the French took flushes, but the Russians did not give up their positions, they only retreated behind the ravine. Napoleon failed to break through in the center either. The French stubbornly tried to capture the battery, but each time they were driven back by bayonet attacks. Only at the end of the day did the French, at the cost of huge losses, manage to capture the central battery, but the Russians did not give up their positions, they only retreated 800 meters.

The Russians fought as best they could, but it was clear that they would not hold out for long. Then Kutuzov did a thing that decided the outcome of the battle. Kutuzov sent two cavalry units of generals M.I. Platov and F.P. Uvarov to bypass Napoleon’s army. The units appeared so unexpectedly that they panicked the French.

Napoleon did not dare to bring the Old Guard into battle. Experts suggest that if he brought the Old Guard into battle, the Russians would not have survived. The battle lasted 15 hours and calmed down only late in the evening. Kutuzov carried out his plan and practically won the battle. Napoleon failed to break the heroic resistance of Russian soldiers defending their native land. Napoleon's actions were like an attack, where the fortress was the strong chest and firm will of the Russians. The proud feeling of being the defenders of Holy Rus' has never shown more glorious examples.

Europe, through the eyes of its sons, was convinced in Borodino that the Russians could rather fall with weapons in their hands than remain undefeated - this is how A. I. Mikhailovsky spoke about the battle. The Russian army on this day has crowned itself with immortal glory - said A.P. Ermolov. When assessing the Battle of Borodino, military historian P.A. Nellin notes that 3 main results should be noted. The Napoleonic army did not break the resistance of the Russians, it was not possible to defeat it, thereby opening the road to Moscow The Russian army snatched half of his troops from the enemy on the Borodino field; the French army suffered an irreparable moral shock, while the Russian troops had increased confidence in victory.

In the battle, the Russian soldiers showed tremendous steadfastness, heroism, and courage, as evidenced by numerous reports and reports. M. I. Kutuzov gave a high assessment of the feat of the Russian soldiers on the Borodino field. This day will remain an eternal monument to the courage and excellent bravery of the Russian soldiers, where all the infantry, The cavalry and artillery fought well, everyone’s desire was to die on the spot and not give in to the enemy.

The French army, led by Napoleon himself, being in superior forces, could not overcome the fortitude of the Russian soldier, who cheerfully sacrificed his life for his fatherland. In preparation for the counter-offensive, Commander-in-Chief M.I. Kutuzov launched a small war with the forces of army and peasant partisan detachments. A number of militias were also involved in the partisan struggle. The tsarist government was afraid of the development of the peasant partisan movement, as it feared that the peasants might begin to fight against the feudal landowners.

Therefore, it was decided to create army partisan detachments that would fight the French and at the same time control the actions of the peasants. The army partisan detachments acted in close contact with the peasant partisans, whose movement grew and expanded. The partisan movement of peasants in the Moscow, Smolensk and Kaluga provinces developed especially widely.

The forms of movement were very diverse. Often the peasants of a number of villages, hiding in the forests, set up sentry posts and, when the enemy appeared, attacked him. The peasants protected their villages from destruction, set up ambushes, captured carts, etc. In addition, they provided the Russian command with valuable information about the enemy, served as guides, and escorted prisoners. More and more new peasant partisan detachments were organized in the territory occupied by the enemy.

In the Bogorodsky district, the leaders of the partisan movement were the serf peasant Gerasim Kurin, the Vokhnovsky head Egor Sutulov, the centurion Ivan Chushkin and the head of the Amerovskaya volost Emelyan Vasiliev. The detachment of G. M. Kurin, numbering 5 thousand foot and 500 mounted partisans, captured a large number of enemy soldiers, captured 3 cannons and many other weapons. In the Boronnitsky district, the actions of 2 thousand partisans from different villages were led by the headman of the village of Konstantinova Semyon Tikhonov, the headman of the village of Selvachevoy Egor Vasilyev, the headman of the village of Pochinok Yakov Petrov and several peasants from the village of Durnikhi. On September 22, the peasant partisans of the Boronnitsky district quickly began and defeated the French detachment, which was on the way to the village of Myaskov.

In the Zelinograd district, which was almost occupied by the enemy, the peasants actively fought against the invaders. Their actions were led by the head of the Venyaminovskaya volost, Ivan Andreev, and the centurion of the village of Luchinsky, Pavel Ivanov.

The burghers N. Ovchinnikov and I. Goryainov, the merchant Pentyukhov, the servant Alexey Abrosimov, the servants of the landowner Koloshin A. Dmitriev and P. Ignatiev, the peasants Fyodor Sergeev and Egor Yakovlev also actively participated in the partisan actions. In the Volokolamsk district, armed peasants stood guard at their villages day and night, courageously repelling the attacks of Napoleonic soldiers. Retired non-commissioned officer Novikov and private Nemchinov played a major role in leading the partisan movement in the Volokolamsk region.

The leaders of the peasant partisan detachments were also the volost head of the village of Sereda Boris Borisov with his son Vasily, the volost headman of the village of Burtsovo Ivan Ermolaev, the volost clerk Mikhail Fedorov, the peasants of the village of Sereda Akim Fedorov and Philip Mikhailov, the peasants of the village of Podsukhina Kuzma Kuzmin and Gerasim Semenov. In the Serpukhov district, the peasants launched a merciless fight against the Napoleonic troops. The headman of the village of Semenovskoye Akim Dementyev, the clerk of the village of Katuni Ivan Ilyin, the headman of the village of Gorok Nikita Savelyev, having heard about the movement of enemy troops along the Kashirskaya road, gathered the peasants, armed them with spears, pitchforks, axes and hunting guns, and set up an ambush near the village of Panushkina.

But the French detachment, having learned about the armament of the peasants, turned aside. In every village of the Russian district, peasant partisans installed bells for signaling. Unexpectedly attacking the enemy, the partisans of the Russian district destroyed and captured more than a thousand French soldiers.

The peasants of Vereisky district also acted amicably and unitedly. When at the end of August detachments of the Napoleonic army attacked the Vyshegorodskaya volost, the peasants gave them a decisive rebuff. The leaders of the rural partisan detachments in the Vereisky district were patrimonial elders Nikita Fedorov and Gavrila Mironov, clerks Alexey Kirpishnikov and Nikolai Usakov, who, at the head of the peasant partisan detachments, repelled the detachments enemy during the entire time that Napoleon's troops were in Moscow. In the district, the peasant partisan detachments especially distinguished themselves under the command of the burgomasters - peasants from the village of Krutitsy Ignatius Nikitin and Galaktion Maksimov, who were later awarded the Crosses of St. George for their active partisan activities.

Hussar of the Elizavetinsky Regiment Fyodor Potapov, nicknamed Samus, organized a detachment of up to 2 thousand people. His detachment was even armed with cannons captured from the enemy. A private of the Moscow Infantry Regiment, Stepan Eremenko, also turned out to be a good organizer of the partisan detachment.

He organized a detachment of 300 people and began a successful fight against the invaders. Here, in the Smolensk province, a detachment operated under the command of Ermolai Vasilyevich Chetvershakov. In Sychevsky district, a large partisan detachment was organized by retired major Semyon Emelyanov. His detachment had good order and discipline. Successfully operating against the enemy, the detachment inflicted great damage on him. In addition, other detachments operated in Sychevsky district, led by A. Ivanov, S. Mironov, M. Vasiliev, A. Stepanov, A. Fedorov and the volost head V. Nikitin.

Among the active organizers of peasant partisan detachments were the names of peasant women. The most famous of them is Vasilisa Kozhina, the head of the Gorshkova farm. Her detachment, consisting of women and teenagers, operated in Sychevsky district and accomplished many feats. In just 5 weeks after the Battle of Borodino, Napoleon’s army lost 30 thousand people from partisan actions.

The command of the French army brutally dealt with the partisans, trying to frighten Russian patriots with cruelty. The partisans also played a major role during the counter-offensives of the Russian troops. They took part in battles and prevented Napoleonic troops from replenishing food supplies. The Patriotic War of 1812 ended in victory for the Russian people. The merit of the partisans is not small in this. The rise of the masses to fight the enemy was determined by the fact that the war for the Russian people was fair, defensive in nature; the peasants fought for the national independence of their Motherland.

At all stages of the struggle of the Russian people against the aggressive invasion of the French, the partisan movement played a huge role and provided powerful support to the regular army. In 1812, the Russian people showed their characteristic fortitude, endurance, dedication and heroism. Despite the class struggle and serfdom, the people found the strength to defeat one of the strongest armies of those times - Napoleon's army.

The fight against Napoleon's army was a difficult military challenge. A strong and cruel enemy tried to enslave Russia. He threatened its very existence as an independent and sovereign state. That is why the war shook up wide sections of society. The working masses, and first of all the Russian peasantry, bore the brunt of the struggle. The active participation of the people in the liberation war was manifested primarily in the fact that the Russian people, dressed in soldiers' greatcoats, selflessly fought the enemy as part of the regular troops. In the Patriotic War of 1812, the superiority of Russian art over the military art of the enemy was clearly demonstrated.

One of the most striking manifestations of the popular character of the War of 1812 was the partisan movement. The peasants created partisan detachments and launched an armed struggle against the invaders. With their courageous and selfless struggle, they provided significant assistance in defeating the enemy.

Russian military historian N. S. Golitsyn noted that our partisans, in their fairness, half shared with the line troops the glory of expelling the French army from Russia. The people's militia made a great contribution to the defeat of Napoleonic troops. Russian warriors showed high patriotism and courage. The militias were powerful reserves of the army. The Russian population who worked in the rear made a great contribution to the victory. Peasants, artisans, and factory workers produced weapons, uniforms, and food.

Thousands of workers at a variety of enterprises - from a large factory to a small workshop - worked for the needs of the army, noted academician M.V. Neskina. Wanting to achieve the defeat of the enemy, the Russian people sacrificed everything. Everywhere, the collection of money, clothing, and food for the needs of the army took place with great success. For example, residents of the Moscow province collected 3,293,790 rubles and 16 kopecks during the period from July 20 to August 31 alone. In total, in 1812, the Moscow province collected 4,456,006 rubles and 16 kopecks.

The Pskov province collected 14,252,334 rubles. The Patriotic War of 1812 showed the decisive role of the masses. The Russian people were the true heroes of this war. In 1812, the Fatherland showed the whole world what great feats the Russian people were capable of. The feat of the Russians in Borodino was repeated during the Great Patriotic War of 1941 - 1945, in completely different historical conditions, worthy of the most sincere respect and high veneration of descendants. Used literature 1. Babkin V. I. People's militia in the Patriotic War of 1812 M Sotsekgiz, 1962. 2. Beskrovny L.G. Partisans in the Patriotic War of 1812, questions of history, 1972, 1,2. 3. Bogdanov L.P. Russian army in 1812. Organization, management, weapons.

M Voenizdat, 1979. 4. Borodino. Documents, letters, memories. M Soviet Russia, 1962. 5. Borodino, 1812. B. S. Abalikhin, L. P. Bogdanov, V. P. Buchneva and others. P. A. Zhilin rep. Ed M Mysl, 1987. 6. Zhilin P. A. Mikhail Illarionovich Kutuzov.

Life and military leadership. M Voenizdat, 1979. Used literature.

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Should we now sleep in peace?

Loyal sons of Russia?

Let's go, let's form a military formation,

Let's go, and in the horrors of war

Friends, Fatherland, people

Let's find glory and freedom...

F. Glinka 1812

The events of 1812 have a special place in our history. More than once the Russian people rose up to defend their land from invaders coming from both the west and the east. But never before has the threat of enslavement given rise to such a unity of forces, such a spiritual awakening of the nation, as it did during the days of Napoleon's invasion.

200 years have passed, but the theme of the Patriotic War of 1812 is relevant today: firstly, knowledge of history allows subsequent generations to navigate the present time and look optimistically into the future; secondly, the year 1812 was marked by the highest rise in the spirit of the Russian people, the growth of national self-awareness, strength, talents, bravery, courage, selfless service to the Fatherland of people of all classes, nationalities, religions in the face of danger, and this should not and cannot be consigned to oblivion ; thirdly, the generation of great-grandfathers who defended our land, saved it at the cost of their lives, through their feat instill in the younger generation a love for the Motherland, freedom, independence and call upon them to stand firmly and decisively to guard the integrity and security of the Fatherland.

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Svetlograd branch of the Institute of Friendship of the Peoples of the Caucasus

Conference “Current problems of modern youth”.

The work “Mass heroism of the Russian people in the war of 1812”

8th grade student of MBOU Secondary School No. 4

Svetlograd

Scientific supervisor: Muskhazhieva Lyudmila Vagarshakovna

History teacher, Municipal Budgetary Educational Institution Secondary School No. 4, Svetlograd

year 2012

The feat of the Russian people in the War of 1812

Should we now sleep in peace?

Loyal sons of Russia?

Let's go, let's form a military formation,

Let's go, and in the horrors of war

Friends, Fatherland, people

Let's find glory and freedom...

F. Glinka 1812

The events of 1812 have a special place in our history. More than once the Russian people rose up to defend their land from invaders coming from both the west and the east. But never before has the threat of enslavement given rise to such a unity of forces, such a spiritual awakening of the nation, as it did during the days of Napoleon's invasion.

200 years have passed, but the theme of the Patriotic War of 1812 is relevant today: firstly, knowledge of history allows subsequent generations to navigate the present time and look optimistically into the future; secondly, the year 1812 was marked by the highest rise in the spirit of the Russian people, the growth of national self-awareness, strength, talents, bravery, courage, selfless service to the Fatherland of people of all classes, nationalities, religions in the face of danger, and this should not and cannot be consigned to oblivion ; thirdly, the generation of great-grandfathers who defended our land, saved it at the cost of their lives, through their feat instill in the younger generation a love for the Motherland, freedom, independence and call upon them to stand firmly and decisively to guard the integrity and security of the Fatherland.

History does not make itself, it is made by people.

At the beginning of the 19th century, Emperor Napoleon openly sought dominance in Europe. He considered England to be his main enemy. In 1807, in Tilsit, a peace was concluded between Alexander I and Napoleon, according to which Russia was forced to participate in a continental blockade against England. But Alexander I himself wanted to influence European politics. And in 1810, Russia actually no longer complied with the terms of the Tilsit Peace.

In August 1811, at a diplomatic reception in Paris, a meeting took place between Napoleon and the Russian ambassador A. B. Kurakin. “Napoleon said: “I don’t want war, I don’t want to restore Poland, but you yourself want the Duchy of Warsaw and Danzig to join Russia... until the secret intentions of your court become open, I will not stop increasing the army stationed in Germany.” (Anisimov E.V., Kamensky A.B. Russia in the 18th-first half of the 19th century. M., 1994, p. 265)

After this scene, no one in Europe doubted that war between France and Russia was inevitable.

Next steps for France and Russia: France enters into alliances with Austria and Prussia, and Russia signs peace with Turkey and an alliance with Sweden.

At dawn on June 12, 1812, Napoleon’s “grand army”, having crossed the Neman River, invaded Russia.

For almost 200 years, since the Time of Troubles, no foreign conqueror has set foot on Russian soil.

Napoleon's army, unprecedented in power, numbered over 600 thousand people, of which about 450 thousand took part directly at the beginning of the war. The French made up half of the invading army, the other half included Belgians, Dutch, Hanoverians, Piedmontese and Romanians, Italians, Spaniards, Germans, Saxons, Thuringians, Mecklenburgers, Poles. It was truly an army of “twelve languages,” as it was called in Russia. (Rambo A. Picturesque history of Ancient and Modern history of Russia. Moscow “Sovremennik” 1994. P. 357)

The quality of French weapons was better than Russian: guns were better repairable, gun parts were interchangeable. The carriage in the artillery pieces rested on metal axles, which allowed the French to move them at high speed. The “grand army” was commanded by experienced marshals: Beauharnais, Oudinot, Davout, Ney, Murat and others.

All of Europe, led by its idol, moved towards Russia to conquer it.

By the beginning of the war, 3 armies were located on the western border of Russia. The largest of them - the First - under the command of M.B. Barclay de Tolly, covered a front approximately 200 km long with a center in Vilna and numbered about 120 thousand people; The second, under the command of Prince P.I. Bagration, occupied a front of less than 100 km between the Neman and the Bug, and numbered approximately 40 thousand people. The Third Army under the command of A.P. was the same in size. Tormasova, located in Polesie. Unlike the French, the Russian army was recruited on the basis of recruitment kits. Russian industry produced more ammunition and weapons than French industry. But the quality was inferior to French weapons. Having a significant superiority in artillery, Russian soldiers experienced many difficulties in moving guns on wooden axles, which often broke. Russian soldiers were distinguished by their military training, valor and perseverance. The command staff was no less experienced than the French. Among the talented military leaders one should name M.B. Barclay de Tolly, N.N. Raevsky, P.I. Bagrationa, D.S. Dokhturova and others.

The war, which went down in our history as the Patriotic War of 1812, did not last long: from June to December 1812. From the Russian side, it was a war of liberation, so the morale of the Russian army from the first to the last day remained invariably high. A patriotic upsurge swept all of Russia. People from different localities and classes accomplished a feat that shocked their contemporaries both in Russia and in Europe. The symbols of this war evoke pride: Borodino, the Moscow fire, the “small war” and, of course, Kutuzov, Bagration, Raevsky...

On August 26, a general battle took place - the Battle of Borodino. Napoleon's goal is to defeat the Russian army and force Russia to conclude a peace beneficial to him. Kutuzov's goal is to stop the French advance and protect Moscow.

The opposing forces were to some extent equal: 150 thousand on the Russian side, 134 thousand on the French side.

To this day there are disputes: who won this battle. It is safe to say that both sides did everything they could and suffered heavy losses: from 20 to 40 thousand for the French; from 30 to 50 thousand for Russians.

It is obvious that neither Napoleon nor Kutuzov achieved their main goals in this “battle of the giants.” And if we consider the strategic side, then after the battle the French went forward and took Moscow, and the Russians retreated. So, Napoleon’s victory in the battle, which led to the death of the army and defeat in the war, and the defeat of Kutuzov, which preserved the Russian army and led to the complete expulsion of the conquerors.

Borodino is a legend. The following will forever remain in history and people's memory: 1) Shevardinsky redoubt, which during the day of August 24 was captured by the enemy, recaptured and recaptured; 2) Semenov flushes, covered by Bagration’s army; 3) Kurgan battery under the command of General Raevsky.

Soldiers, officers and generals of the Russian army stood shoulder to shoulder in this battle and died for Russia.

Napoleon's army entered Moscow in victorious stride. Here Napoleon intended to “take up winter quarters,” make peace with Russia, and in the spring either return to his homeland or go to India with the Russians. But Moscow did not greet him the way Rome, Milan, Vienna, Madrid, Berlin, and Warsaw once greeted their idol.

The huge city was almost empty: out of 200 thousand inhabitants, no more than 10 thousand remained in it. On the same day, fires broke out in different parts of the city.

The question “Who set Moscow on fire?” worried both contemporaries of the events and historians. And today there is no consensus on this matter. The French claimed that the arson was organized by the Governor of Moscow, Count F.V. Rostopchin, the Russian military command was also accused. Historians write about the carelessness of the French looters who robbed Moscow, and about the burning of military and food warehouses by the Russians themselves.

The Moscow fire is evidence of the greatest heroism and self-sacrifice of the Russian people: nobles, merchants, townspeople, who were ready to go to the end in the fight against the enemy. The fires raged for a whole week, from September 2 to September 9. Kitay-gorod, Zamoskvorechye, Nemetskaya Sloboda, Vozdvizhenka, Prechistenka, Tverskaya were completely burned out. Among the historical and cultural monuments are Gostiny Dvor, Moscow University, and the manuscript “The Tale of Igor’s Campaign.” There was nothing to put out the fire, because the equipment for extinguishing fires was taken out by Count Rostopchin.

On September 5, the fire took on a monstrous scale. Napoleon moved from the Kremlin to the luxurious Petrovsky Palace on the outskirts of Moscow. Realizing that victory was leaving his hands, Napoleon made 3 attempts to enter into peace negotiations with Alexander 1. But the Russian side rejected this.

The “small war” was disastrous for the invaders. By “small war” Kutuzov understood the military actions of the militia, army and peasant partisan detachments. For the first time, the creation of a people's militia was announced by Alexander 1 himself in 1812 (Decree “On the creation of a temporary internal militia” of July 18, 1812). Serf peasants were recruited as warriors in agreement with the landowners; students, townspeople, and merchants' sons joined the militia voluntarily. The people's militia took part in battles from Smolensk to the territory of France.

The initiative in organizing army partisan detachments belonged to M.B. Barclay de Tolly. He became the author of the first instructions on the actions of partisans behind enemy lines. Kutuzov supported and developed this idea. The first and legendary army partisans were Denis Vasilyevich Davydov and Ferdinand Fedorovich Wintsengerode. Peasant partisans acted from the moment the enemy entered Russian soil. They burned villages, took away livestock, leaving the enemy a scorched desert. The serf peasant Gerasim Kurin, the elder Vasilisa Kozhina and her people terrified the French.

The militia and partisans, supporting the army, beat the enemy and caused great damage to him. In this struggle, a feeling and understanding of the community of representatives of different classes, everyone from young to old, arose. The war was truly Patriotic, i.e. for the Fatherland.

Also, the battle of Maloyaroslavets, the retreat of the French along the old Smolensk road, and the crossing of the remnants of the French army across the Berezina and Neman will remain forever in the people's memory.

The end of the Patriotic War of 1812 was marked by the Order of M.I. Kutuzov on the army on December 21 and the Manifesto of Alexander 1 on December 25, 1812.

The feat of the people who defended the independence of their homeland entailed not only the collapse of the “idol” that had subjugated almost all of Europe. It awakened the desire to take a fresh look at what was happening inside Russia, the determination to fight autocratic oppression and serfdom. It is known that the Decembrists said about themselves: “We were children of 12 years old.” The massive heroism of the peasants in the fight against the conquerors became one of the most powerful arguments in favor of the abolition of serfdom. It is no coincidence that Lev Nikolayevich Tolstoy, in an effort to reveal to his contemporaries the richness and depth of the character of the Russian man and the Russian people, to comprehend the hidden springs of social processes and spiritual quests, turned to this era, from which he drew material for his brilliant epic “War and Peace.”

It is no coincidence that during the Great Patriotic War the lines from the poem by M.Yu. sounded powerful and relevant. Lermontov's "Borodino", recognized as the most significant work about the glorious sons of the Fatherland, the heroes of 1812.

"Guys! Isn't Moscow behind us?

We'll die near Moscow,

How our brothers died! -

The defenders of our Fatherland remembered this in the fight against the Nazi invaders. We must remember this today too.

The partisan movement was a vivid expression of the national character of the Patriotic War of 1812. Having broken out after the invasion of Napoleonic troops into Lithuania and Belarus, it developed every day, took on more active forms and became a formidable force. Peasant partisan detachments arose spontaneously, during the retreat of the Russian army. The Belarusian land, covered with forests and swamps, burned under the feet of the invaders. As we moved deeper into Russia, the people's resistance grew. The just and defensive nature of the war prompted the active participation of the broad masses of Russia.



Lithuanian and Polish landowners supported Napoleon, but the peasants of Lithuania and Belarus began partisan actions against enemy troops. At the beginning, the peasants acted passively, refused to supply fodder and food to the French army, left their villages and went into the forests. But soon the peasantry switched to more active forms of partisan warfare: attacks on individual enemy units, and active assistance to the Russian army. The uprisings against the Polish and Lithuanian khans were now directed against the Napoleonic army.


The broad masses of the Russian peasantry rose up in partisan struggle as soon as Napoleonic troops entered the Smolensk province. The partisan movement arose in Poresensky, Krasinsky and Smolensky districts, since the population of these districts primarily suffered from the invaders. But as the enemy army advanced deeper into Russia, the entire population of the Smolensk province rose up to fight. In August 1812, a number of peasant partisan detachments were created in the Smolensk province.



Seeing the active resistance of the peasants, Napoleon began to spread provocative rumors about the upcoming liberation of the peasants from serfdom. But in reality, his war against Russia was exclusively aggressive in nature, and his army suppressed anti-serfdom protests.


In just half a month, these detachments had about 15 major skirmishes with the French. The partisans of the Smolensk province dealt a significant blow to the enemy, and also greatly helped the Russian army. In particular, the detachment of the merchant of the city of Porechye Nikita Minchenkov helped the army detachment to liquidate the French detachment under the command of General Pino.


In Mogilev, Vitebsk and other cities of Lithuania and Belarus, the French command was forced to leave entire military units to fight the peasants. Just as in the Smolensk province, Napoleon was met in other areas. The popular partisan movement became increasingly widespread. Peasants rose up everywhere to fight the enemy.


After Smolensk, the State Council considered candidates for the post of commander-in-chief. Many names were called. The world decided to appoint the 67-year-old infantry general M.I. Kutuzov. Documents show what great work M.I. Kutuzov did after his appointment. He paid attention to literally everything: the military plan and reserves, the supply of the army and the condition of the roads, the organization of the militia and partisan detachments, medical care and treatment of prisoners, and so on. Only such an understanding of all problems could be the key to future success.


Army partisan detachments were created mainly from Cossack troops and were unequal in size: from 50 to 500 people. They were tasked with bold and sudden actions behind enemy lines to destroy his manpower, strike at garrisons and suitable reserves, disable transport, deprive the enemy of the opportunity to obtain food and fodder, monitor the movement of troops and report this to the General Headquarters of the Russian Army . The commanders of the partisan detachments were indicated the main direction of action and were informed of the areas of operation of neighboring detachments in the event of joint operations.


The actions of peasant partisan detachments were both defensive and offensive in nature. In the area of ​​Vitebsk, Orsha, and Mogilev, detachments of peasant partisans made frequent day and night raids on enemy convoys, destroyed their foragers, and captured French soldiers. Napoleon was forced to remind the chief of staff Berthier more and more often about the large losses in people and strictly ordered the allocation of an increasing number of troops to cover the foragers.


In Sychevsky district, partisan Vasilisa Kozhina became famous for her brave actions. There are many facts and evidence that the partisan peasant detachments of Gzhatsk and other areas located along the main road to Moscow caused great trouble to the French troops.


The detachment of Denis Davydov was a real threat for the French. Davydov’s detachment on the evening of September 3, 1812 went to Tsarev-Zamishch. Not reaching 6 versts to the village, Davydov sent reconnaissance there, which established that there was a large French convoy with shells, guarded by 250 horsemen. The detachment at the edge of the forest was discovered by French foragers, who rushed to Tsarevo-Zamishche to warn their own. But Davydov did not let them do this. The detachment rushed in pursuit of the foragers and almost burst into the village together with them. The convoy and its guards were taken by surprise, and an attempt by a small group of French to resist was quickly suppressed. 130 soldiers, 2 officers, 10 carts with food and fodder ended up in the hands of the partisans.


It was not by chance that the War of 1812 received the name Patriotic War. The popular character of this war was most clearly manifested in the partisan movement, which played a strategic role in the victory of Russia. Responding to accusations that the war did not follow the rules, Kutuzov said that these were the feelings of the people. Responding to a letter from Marshal Berthier, he wrote on October 8, 1818: It is difficult to stop a people embittered by everything they have seen; a people who for so many years have not known war on their territory; people ready to sacrifice themselves for the Motherland....


Sources Zhilin P. A. The death of Napoleonic army in Russia. M., History of France, vol. 2. M., Orlik O. V. “The storm of the twelfth year...”. M., Platonov S.F. Textbook of Russian history for secondary school M.,

Rating: / 46
The heroic feat of the people in
Patriotic War
1812

Integrated lesson on history and
Literature 8th grade
Belyaeva Tatyana Vladimirovna,
history and social studies teacher
highest qualification category
MBOU "Secondary School No. 4", Chistopol

2013
8th grade
Heroism of the people in the Patriotic War of 1812.

The purpose of the lesson:
1. To familiarize students with the events of the last months of the War of 1812;
2. Using historical and literary material, reveal the role of individual bright personalities and the courage and heroism of the entire people;
3. Continue work on the formation of the concepts of “Patriotic War”, “patriot”, “people’s militias”.
Equipment:
map “Patriotic War of 1812”, portraits of “D. Davydov”, “M.I. Kutuzov”, presentation and video clips from the film “Squadron of Flying Hussars”, audio recording of D. Davydov’s romance, exhibition of books.
Lesson Type:
integrated.
Lesson plan:
1. Confrontation between two armies. Guerrilla warfare
2. Our region in the Patriotic War of 1812.
3. Defeat of Napoleon's army.
4. The meaning of the Patriotic War and the reasons for the victory.

Write on the board:
The Patriotic War is a just war in defense of the Fatherland.
People's militia - troops created to assist the regular army on a voluntary basis (during the period of enemy invasion).
A patriot is a person who passionately loves his homeland.
Baits are literary and poetic works of Tatar folklore.

1. Motivational conversation. There are events in Russian history that every person should know. Such events, of course, include the Patriotic War of 1812. After all, it was at that difficult time that the fate of the Motherland and the entire people was decided. The topic of our lesson: “The heroism of the people in the Patriotic War of 1812.” Lesson plan (on the board).
The purpose of the lesson: to show the heroism of the people and individuals in the war. How did you manage to defeat an enemy who was considered invincible? What are the reasons for victory in the Patriotic War?

Our lesson today is unusual - integrated. And we spend it together with a literature teacher. After all, literature and history are two related subjects. In history lessons we often read poems and fragments of works of art. Today we will explore our topic using examples of historical figures and literary images (let’s consider the final stage of the war).

Definitions and terms (they will be a transition to the topic of the lesson)
1. What war is called the Patriotic War?
2. What is a people's militia?
3. Who is a patriot? And which famous person in Russian history can be called a patriot?

Biographical task.
1. Why did you decide that it was Kutuzov?
2. What does the expression “providence” mean?
3. What explained Kutuzov’s popularity?
New topic. (teacher explanation)
Confrontation between two armies. Guerrilla warfare.
The Russian army was stationed near the village of Tarutino, 80 km from Moscow, covering the Tula arms factories and the fertile southern provinces. Napoleon, who was in Moscow, believed that the campaign was over and was waiting for a proposal for peace. But no one sent ambassadors to him. The army, led by Kutuzov, was opposed to peace negotiations. However, at the tsar’s court there was a behind-the-scenes struggle (the empress mother, brother Konstantin and the favorite of tsar Arakcheev demanded peace with Napoleon). Tensions arose between the army and the court. And Tsar Alexander 1 refused to enter into negotiations with Napoleon. Hatred of the enemy and patriotic enthusiasm in society were such that there could be no talk of any peace.

Part 1 of the presentation.
- What was Kutuzov’s goal in leaving Moscow? Why? How do you evaluate his actions?
Kutuzov took risks. If his overall plan had failed, he would have been severely punished by the emperor. And what a coward he would remain in the memory of the people. He could give Napoleon one more battle, and even if defeated, his honor would be out of danger. Kutuzov risked his name and position. He placed the sacred duty of saving the Fatherland above personal well-being. Like a patriot
From the beginning of the invasion of Napoleonic army into Russia, a people's war against the enemy began to unfold, and peasant detachments spontaneously arose. The atrocities of the enemy and the fire of Moscow caused even greater indignation of the people. The people's war covered the entire territory occupied by the enemy. Guerrilla detachments, separated from the armies, carried out bold raids deep into enemy-occupied territory. Kutuzov's merit is that he attached great importance to this small war, which raised the spirit of the population of the front-line provinces. The popular character of the war was most clearly manifested in the actions of the peasants. The peasants refused to supply the French with food and killed enemy foragers (after all, the French army had long been separated from its rear bases and existed due to extortions from the population). In one of his orders, Napoleon wrote that the French army was losing more than on the battlefield every day from partisan attacks.
Kutuzov quickly assessed the significance of partisan warfare and began sending flying cavalry detachments behind enemy lines; Army partisan detachments began to be created.
The first detachment consisting of 50 hussars and 80 Cossacks was commanded by D.V. Davydov.
“Denis Davydov is remarkable as a poet, and as a military writer, and in general as a writer, and as a warrior - not only for his exemplary courage and some kind of knightly animation, but for his talent as a military leader.”
Belinsky V.G.
Davydov gave 35 years of his life to military service out of the 55 years allotted to him by fate. He had a reputation among the government as a daring and politically unreliable person. But he was one of the most popular people of his time. They loved him, admired him, and dedicated poems to him.

Continuation of the presentation.
Student message:
Davydov, as they say, was destined to be a military man. Denis was not ten years old when he met the greatest commander of Russia - A.V. Suvorov. This meeting determined the choice of his life path. “This one will be a military man. I won’t die yet, and he will already win three battles!”
For 5 years, Davydov was an assistant and adjutant to the remarkable military leader Bagration. During the attacks he was with Bagration at the head of the troops. On the Borodino field, on the very eve of the battle, he received Kutuzov’s consent to lead the very first partisan detachment.
Bagration, saying goodbye to Davydov on the Borodino field, gave him a handwritten order on partisan action and presented him with his map of the Smolensk province, which the partisan poet carefully kept until the end of his life.
From the very beginning of the partisan detachment's raid behind enemy lines, Davydov begins to keep a diary, on the pages of which he conveys with remarkable truthfulness everything that was seen and felt in the moments of greatest danger for the Motherland. He contributes in every possible way to the development of the people's war - he distributes weapons to the peasants, encourages them to create partisan detachments, and gives advice on how to fight the French. Although Davydov wrote about himself: “I am not a poet, I am a partisan, I am a Cossack” - he was a real, talented poet, who was highly valued by his contemporaries. Vyazemsky, Zhukovsky, Pushkin admired him.

Literature teacher.
The literary fame of the poet-hussar, a thoughtless brave man and an unrestrained reveler, somehow merged with the partisan glory of Davydov and turned into a kind of legend. His colleague characterizes Davydov’s literary pursuits in an emotionally upbeat tone: “Most of his poems smell like a camp.” They were written on rules, on days, between two shifts, between two guards, between two wars; These are test handwritings of a pen used for writing reports. Davydov’s poems were very popular at noisy meals, at merry feasts, amid riotous revelry.” Let's all plunge into that era when such wonderful people lived and try to feel the spirit of that time.
Film fragment from the film "Squadron of Flying Hussars"..
- I invite you to listen to D. Davydov’s poem “Song” and think about what the poet-hero sings in this poem.
- This poem is like a panorama of the life of a hussar. What is most important for a lyrical hero? (the desire to fight for the Motherland, selflessly, headlong to serve Mother Russia).
There were many rumors about D. Davydov at that time. They also exaggerated the love victories of the hussar. Although, as a war hero, he was a charming and witty man, he, in fact, enjoyed success with women. And, naturally, the theme of love was also heard in his work.
- Listen to D. Davydov’s romance, the music for which was written by the famous composer Alexander Zhurbin.

Sounds like a novel from a film. “Squadron of Flying Hussars” - “Don’t wake up.”
- What feeling is imbued with this romance?
- At what point in D. Davydov’s life could it have sounded?
- Why is this romance still perceived by us very emotionally?

There is objective evidence from Vyazemsky (a friend of the poet): “A cordial and pleasant drinking companion, he was actually quite modest and sober. He did not justify our proverb: “Drunk and smart, two lands in him.” He was smart, but he was never drunk.” Therefore, it would not be amiss to note that, singing wine and revelry in poetry, D. Davydov was somewhat poetic in this regard. For example, “Song of the Old Hussar.” At first glance, the author here yearns for those times when the hussars, at a feast, “not saying a word,” indulged in endless libations. However, in fact, the reproach “Jomini da Jomini” (denoting the name of a famous general and military historian) was more suitable for D. Davydov himself than the “hussarism” described with exaggeration in the first lines.
- What is characteristic of D. Davydov’s poems? What is the theme of his poems?
- You have handouts on your tables with statements from famous people about D. Davydov. What can you say about this person as an individual?
Almost a century and a half has passed, and the noblest personality, unique poems and military-historical works of D. Davydov have not been forgotten. His friendship with A.S. Pushkin, who dedicated many poems to the partisan poet, from whom he learned a lot, has not been forgotten. And it was Davydov (as Pushkin once said) who helped him find his own path in the political era.
There are wonderful lines by Yaroslav Smelyakov, a famous poet:
In the morning, placing your foot in the stirrup
Oh, what grace! -
Are you currently
I managed to get there.
And it is true. The poems of this wonderful poet have survived to our times, and will live for many years, leaving the memory of the one who left them to us as a legacy.

Message from students.
1. Another staff captain Alexander Figner, fluent in French, collected information behind enemy lines, including in captured Moscow. (Here Figner even intended to kill Napoleon). Bold raids behind enemy lines were carried out by detachments of officers Seslavin and Figner.
Peasant partisans Ermolai Chetvertakov and G. Kurin inflicted great damage on the enemy. Soldier Chetvertakov was captured in one of the battles, soon escaped and led a partisan detachment numbering more than 4 thousand people. Gerasim Kurin's detachment was even larger.
2. The peasants also created many small detachments. The elder Vasilisa Kozhina, who led a detachment of teenagers and women, gained fame. “The partisans destroyed the great army piece by piece. They picked up those fallen leaves that fell by themselves from the withered tree of the French army,” wrote Leo Tolstoy. During the month of their stay in Moscow, French troops lost about 30 thousand people.”

3. And during the three weeks spent in the Tarutino camp, the Russian army was replenished with new guns. The whole country, all the peoples of Russia helped the army. People's militias were created every day. Kutuzov called every day spent in the camp a Golden Day. Our region - Kazan province, Chistopol district also did not remain without participation in what was happening. In July 1812, a manifesto was issued calling for a militia. Representatives from all districts gathered in Kazan. The speeches were made in Russian, Tatar, Chuvash and Mari languages. We remembered the militias of Minin and Pozharsky. The Tatars noted the strength of their cavalry and promised to smash the enemy. The newspaper “Kazanskie Izvestia” reported that the population sought “to prove their zeal for the common good, especially at the present time, when an insidious enemy has dared to disturb the peace of our dear Fatherland. Russian and Tatar peasants and townspeople voluntarily joined the militia. State Tatar peasants formed a cavalry battalion. The entire militia numbered about 5,000 people. Under the command of Admiral Chichagov, it became part of the militia of the 3rd district, formed in Kostroma. The militia has come a long way fighting the enemy in Western Europe. Throughout October 1813, it participated in the siege of Dresden. Chichagov wrote: “The Kazan people were promoted to the forefront and were able to show tremendous stamina and courage in continuous battles.” For their selfless fight against enemies, many militiamen were awarded, including the Tatar Ageev. The militia returned to Kazan at the end of February 1815. The population of the region selflessly helped fight foreign invaders. Typically, the gunpowder factory did not have enough carts to send products and transport raw materials, and during the war, “peasants literally stood in line, offering themselves and their horses.” During wartime, the workers of the cloth factory gave high output, saying: “We will provide such cloth that will warm our soldiers like a furnace.” The peasants of the Sviyazhsky district collected and delivered 100 pounds of copper, and the peasants of the Chistopol district 200 pounds of wool. 346 thousand rubles were collected from the population. To fight the enemy, people did not spare precious jewelry, gold and silver items. In addition, residents of Tatarstan raised funds for the maintenance of two infantry regiments of the regular army.

4. Baits.

The events of the Patriotic War were reflected not only in Russian folk art and fiction, but also in Tatar literature. Particularly interesting are the baits created by the participants of the hike. While noting the outstanding bravery, courage and superiority of the Russian army, the baits do not diminish the strength of the enemy. Noting the persistent attacks of the French, they say that the Tatars and Bashkirs, led by the Russians, emerged as complete victors, although “waist-deep, drowning in blood.”

War and woman are incompatible concepts.
War does not have a woman's face. But in difficult times, women could not stay away.

Literature teacher.
One of the works dedicated to the heroism of the Russian people in the War of 1812 is “Notes of a cavalryman - the maiden N.A. Durova.” They were written by a legendary woman - an officer.
She was born in September 1783. The father was the captain of the hussars, the mother was the daughter of a rich landowner. She married for love, escaping from her parents' home. I dreamed of a son. But the first-born was a girl who immediately became an unloved child. “I was very strong and cheerful, but incredibly loud. One day my mother was in a very bad temper. I didn't let her sleep all night; We set out on the hike at dawn. Mama was about to fall asleep in the carriage, but I started crying again. This overwhelmed my mother’s annoyance, she lost her temper and snatched me from the girl’s hands and threw me out the window! The hussars screamed in horror, jumped off their horses and picked me up, all bloody and not showing any sign of life. To everyone's surprise, I came back to life. Father... said to my mother: “Thank God that you are not a murderer! Our daughter is alive, but I will not give her to you, I will take care of her myself.”
From that moment on, the father gave the girl into the care of his orderly Astakhov. In the morning, the uncle hoisted his pupil onto his shoulders, went with her to the regimental stable, and trained the girl in various military techniques. The mother was ashamed of her “hussar girl”, showered her with abuse, often punished her, and tried to re-educate her. It didn't work out. At night, Nadya somehow climbed onto the back of her father Alcides and galloped off into the field, clutching her mane with her hands.
“Perhaps I would have forgotten all my hussar habits if my mother had not presented to me the fate of a woman in the most bleak form. She spoke in front of me in the most offensive terms about the fate of the female sex: a woman, in her opinion, should be born, live and die in slavery; that a woman is full of weaknesses, devoid of all perfections and incapable of anything; that a woman is the most unfortunate, the most insignificant and the most despicable creation in the world! My head was spinning from this description: I decided, even if it cost me my life, to separate myself from the sex that, as I thought, was under the curse of God...”
One day, seeing a Cossack regiment passing through their Sarapul, Nadya cut off her father’s long braid with a saber, saddled Alkidas and caught up with the Cossack regiment. She pretended to be Alexander Durov and begged the colonel to accept her temporarily into the Cossack regiment. As part of the Lithuanian Uhlan Regiment, she entered the Patriotic War of 1812. At the head of her squadron, she took part in the battles of Smolensk, the Koltsky Monastery, and the famous Battle of Borodino.
After a shell shock he serves as an orderly for Kutuzov. The caring field marshal insisted that she take a vacation and go home for treatment. After ten years of military service, Durova retired with the rank of headquarters captain and received a pension of one thousand rubles a year. Living in Yelabuga, she took up the pen of a writer. Readers were amazed to see that the delicate fingers that once gripped the handle of a Ulan saber also wielded a pen. “Notes” was highly appreciated by A.S. Pushkin, Denis Davydov, a glorious partisan of the war of 1812, and the strict critic V.G. Belinsky, who wrote about Durova’s novel like this: “It seems that Pushkin himself gave her his prose pen, and he She owes this courageous firmness and strength, this bright expressiveness of her style, this picturesqueness of her story, always complete, imbued with some hidden thought.”
The last years of Durova's life were spent in Yelabuga. She had few close friends. She didn't like talking about her past. She was also cold towards her literary fame. She died on March 21, 1866 at the age of 83. She was buried with military honors. Our fellow countrymen sacredly honor the feat of the great woman of Russia, remember and preserve all the memorable touches of her amazing life. A museum is opened in the house where she spent her last years. Sadovaya Street was renamed N.A. Durovaya Street.

4. Napoleon’s army felt in Moscow as if it were in a besieged fortress. Three times Napoleon tried to start negotiations with Alexander 1 and Kutuzov, but it did not work. Napoleon decided to leave Moscow and move the remnants of the army to the unravaged south of Russia. Before leaving, he ordered the Kremlin, St. Basil's Cathedral and other national shrines to be blown up. It was only thanks to the selflessness of Russian patriots that this plan was thwarted.
Show presentation.
On October 6, the French left Moscow, but the Russian army, strengthened and increased in number, stood in their way. Russian troops defeated the French near Tarutino. The small town changed hands 8 times. The Russian army tightly closed the road to Kaluga. This battle forced the French command to change the route of further retreat of the French army and turn onto the devastated Smolensk road. Kutuzov organized the pursuit of the retreating French troops. The enemy suffered heavy losses. The retreat became more and more disorderly. An early and severe winter turned the French army into an uncontrollable, hungry and shabby crowd. When crossing the Berezina River, Napoleon lost another 30 thousand of his soldiers. Only the pitiful remnants of the “great army” managed to cross the border. The emperor himself, abandoning his troops, fled to Paris with the words: “There is no more army!”
Do you think Russia should have continued the war after Napoleon was expelled from its borders? (from the course “New History”).
At the end of 1812, Field Marshal General M.I. Kutuzov reported to the Tsar: “The war ended with the complete extermination of the enemy.” On December 25, Alexander 1 issued a manifesto on the expulsion of the enemy from Russia and the end of the Patriotic War.

5. The significance of the Patriotic War of 1812 and the reasons for the victories.
A) What is the significance of the victory of the Russian army? (myth of Napoleon's invincible army).
B) Using materials from today’s lesson, show that the War of 1812 was a Patriotic War.
Q) Why did they win the Patriotic War? How did you manage to do this?
D) Who can you call a patriot?
E) Do you agree with the opinion of the historian Tarm about the main reason for Napoleon’s defeat in Russia?
E) Summarize the main reasons for the victory in your opinion?

Conclusion:
In the War of 1812, the Russian army showed its best qualities: steadfastness, courage, bravery. All participants in the war were awarded medals. The order for the army said: “Each of you is worthy to wear this sign, a venerable sign, this evidence of labor, courage and participation in glory, for you all equally bore the burden.”
The main character is the people who rose up to defend the state independence and national freedom of their great Motherland. This war contributed to the growth of people's national self-awareness.

Summarizing.
D/Z: further reading.
Handout No. 1 Literature
Denis Davydov... is remarkable both as a poet, and as a military writer, and as a writer in general, and as a warrior - not only for his exemplary courage and some kind of knightly animation, but also for his talent as a military leader, and, finally, he is remarkable as a person, as character. He is famous in all this, because in all this he rises above the level of mediocrity and ordinaryness.
V.G. Belinsky.

Glory, sonorous and beautiful
You deserve two wreaths!
Know that Suvorov is not in vain
I crossed your chest...

Davydov, a fiery fighter,
He is a whirlwind - into a bloody battle;
He is the luckiest singer in the world
Wine, love and glory...
V. Zhukovsky.

While with delight I can
Listen to the story of glorious deeds,
I burn with love for honor
And I haven’t lost interest in the songs of the muses,
Where am I Russian in my soul?
Should I forget about a happy day?
When with a friend's hand
Davydov shook my hand!
E. Baratynsky.

Passion is the predominant feeling in Davydov's love songs; but how noble this passion is, what poetry and grace it is filled in these harmonious verses. My God, what graceful and plastic images!
V. Belinsky.

Singer - hussar, you sang bivouacs,
The expanse of Ukhara feasts,
And the terrible fun of fighting,
And the curls of your mustache;

From cheerful strings in days of rest
Cool blowing away dust,
You glorified, rearranging the lyre,
Love and peace bottle.

I listen to you and my heart becomes younger,
The heat of your speeches is sweet to me,
Sad, I'm burning again
Memories of former days...

I still love the language of passions
Its captivating sounds
Pleasant to me, like the voice of friends
In sad days of separation.
A.S. Pushkin
Handout #2 History
S. Glinka, a poet and participant in the Patriotic War, wrote: “Not only the ancient sons of Russia, but also peoples distinguished by language, morals, faith and way of life, nomadic peoples, and they, along with natural Russians, were ready to die for the Russian land.”

Opinion of the historian Tarle:
“Of course, the root of all Napoleon’s mistakes was the mistake that arose from complete ignorance and misunderstanding of the Russian people. Not only he, but literally no one in Europe foresaw the heights of heroism to which the Russian people were capable of rising when it came to defending their homeland. No one foresaw that Russian peasants would turn the center of their country into a continuous scorched desert, but would never submit to conquest. Napoleon learned all this too late.”

N.I. Turgenev:
“The conqueror found neither traitors nor even flatterers in Russia. On Russian territory, Napoleon met only enemies. The famous Rostopchin burned down his estate and left an inscription there in which the French could read that the same reception awaited them everywhere.”

Appeal from the Russian Church:
“Noble Nobility! You have always been the savior of the Fatherland. Holy Synod and Clergy! You have always recognized with your warm motives the grace of the head of Russia. Russian people! Brave offspring of brave Slavs! You have repeatedly crushed the teeth of lions and tigers rushing at you: unite everyone with the cross in your heart and with weapons in your hands, no human power will defeat you.”

Bibliography:

1. Artyomov V.V. Great Russian commanders. – M.: Rosman, 2002.

2. Myachin A.N. Battle of Borodino (1812) - M.: Veche, 2002.

3. Levchenko V. Heroes of 1812. – M.: Young Guard, 1987.

4. Levandovsky A.A. History of Russia in the 19th century. – M.: LLC Publishing House “Rosman-Press”, 2003.

5. Lukin P. Patriotic War of 1812. – M.: Avanta+, 1997.

6. Lyubetsky S.M. Rus' and the Russians in 1812 – M.: Sovremennik, 1994.

7. Tarle E.V. Napoleon's invasion of Russia. 1812 – M.: Military Publishing House, 1992.

8. Shishov A.V. One hundred great military leaders. – M.: Sovremennik, 1988.

9. Sirotkin V.G. Patriotic War of 1812 – M.: Education, 1988.

10. Ryzhov V. One Hundred Great Russians. – M.: Veche, 2006.