| Battle of Ostrołęka (1807) | |||||||
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| Part of the War of the Fourth Coalition | |||||||
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| Belligerents | |||||||
| French Empire | Russian Empire | ||||||
| Commanders and leaders | |||||||
| A. J. M. R. Savary | Ivan Essen | ||||||
| Strength | |||||||
| 20,000 | 25,000 | ||||||
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The Battle of Ostrołęka was fought on 16 February 1807 between First French Empire troops under General of Division Anne Jean Marie René Savary and Russian soldiers under Lieutenant General Ivan Essen. The French defeated the Russians and forced them to retreat to the east. Weather conditions caused both sides to go into winter quarters immediately after the battle, which occurred during the War of the Fourth Coalition, part of the Napoleonic Wars. Ostrołęka is located in the northeast part of modern Poland, but in 1807 it belonged to the Kingdom of Prussia.
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See Battle of Mohrungen and Battle of Eylau articles.
Early on 16 February General of Division Honoré Théodore Maxime Gazan arrived at the vanguard with part of his division. At 9 am he met the enemy on the road to Nowogrod and attacked and routed them, but at the very same moment the Russians attacked Ostrołęka on the left bank. General of Brigade François Frédéric Campana, with a brigade from Gazan's division, and General of Brigade François Amable Ruffin, with a brigade from General of Division Nicolas Charles Oudinot's division, defended the town. Savary sent General of Division Honoré Charles Reille, his chief of staff. The Russian infantry, in many columns, wished to take the city but the French let them advance halfway up the streets before charging them, leaving the roads covered in dead. The Russians abandoned the town and took up positions behind the mounds of sand which covered it.
Oudinot and General of Division Louis Gabriel Suchet and their divisions advanced. At midday, the heads of their columns arrived at Ostrołęka. Oudinot commanded the left, with two lines, whilst Suchet commanded the centre. Reille, commanding a brigade of Gazan's division, formed the right. He concealed all his artillery and marched on the enemy. Oudinot put himself at the head of a successful cavalry charge, cutting the cossacks in the enemy's rearguard to pieces. The exchange of fire was very fierce, with the Russians attempting to break in on all sides but being repulsed.
The next day the Russians were pursued several leagues. General Suvarov (son of marshal Alexander Suvorov), one other general and several other Russian officers were killed and three generals wounded.[1] The Russians left 1,200 wounded and 1,300 dead on the battlefield, with 7 cannon and two flags captured by the French. Only 60 French troops were killed, including Campana whose death much grieved by Napoleon, with 400 to 500 wounded including Colonel Duhamel of the 21st Light Infantry Regiment and artillery Colonel Henri Marie Lenoury).
Oudinot was made a Count of the Empire and given a 'donation' of million francs. Savary received the Légion d'Honneur. Napoleon ordered 5th Corps to stop and take up winter quarters. The thaw was awful and the season allowed for no more campaigning - the enemy had left their winter quarters first, and regretted it. The battle of Ostrołęka is mentioned at the galerie des batailles at Versailles and on the Arc de Triomphe and is a battle honour of several French regiments.