Talk:First Battle of Polotsk

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According to St Cyr's bio in Chandler's "Napoleon's Marshal's", this was a French victory, which earned St Cyr his marshal's baton...? And the Wikipedia article about St Cyr says the same thing :S I'm confused! /MatteusH

The result of the battle was inconclusive. That is why both French and Russian historians contend that it was their country who won the battle. So did Napoleon. As the author of this article I wrote that it is more likely to be Russian victory because Wittgenstein though outnumbered by St Cyr's troops stopped the French offensive on St. Petersburg. Blacklake 16:17, 24 October 2006 (UTC)
My understanding is that it was the French who were left in possession of Polotsk as a result of this battle. Wittgenstein ordered a small withdrawal to the north. He broke off combat and abandoned territory. Thus, in spite of the inconclusive nature of the battle and in spite of Wittgenstein's success in guarding the road to St. Petersburg, Polotsk I was really a French success.Kenmore (talk) 12:58, 11 March 2008 (UTC)